Ready-to-eat cereal composition

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11147299-B2
Application number	US-202016855053-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 22, 2020
Priority date	Feb 9, 2017
Publication date	Oct 19, 2021
Grant date	Oct 19, 2021

Abstract

Provided herein is a ready-to-eat (RTE) breakfast cereal with a unique texture. A RTE breakfast cereal provided herein can have a high slowly digestible starch content relative to commercially available RTE cereals. Also disclosed are methods of making a RTE breakfast cereal described herein.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for making ready-to-eat (RTE) breakfast cereal pieces, the method comprising:
a. combining ingredients including a flour in an amount of at least 60% by dry weight, an oil in an amount of from 3% to 8% by dry weight, a leavener in an amount of from about 1% to about 2% by dry weight, a sugar in an amount of at least 8% by dry weight, and water,
b. mixing the ingredients at a temperature between about 10° C. and 70° C. to produce a leavened dough having a moisture content of from about 20% to 28%,
c. forming the leavened dough into pieces, and
d. drying the pieces to produce the RTE breakfast cereal pieces having:
i. a slowly digestible starch (SDS) content that is at least 10% by dry weight of the pieces,
ii. a piece density from about 1.00 g/cc to about 1.30 g/cc,
iii. a first peak between 67° C. and 71° C. as measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and
iv. a moisture content of less than 12%,

wherein the RTE breakfast pieces take up less than 50% water by weight at 60 seconds as measured by a bowl life test.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the RTE breakfast cereal pieces have a moisture content of from 8% to about 11%.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising a step of drying the pieces at a temperature greater than 100° C. to produce RTE breakfast cereal pieces having a moisture content of less than 8%.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pieces are dried at an air temperature of less than 110° C.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the RTE breakfast cereal pieces have a weight of from about 0.10 g to 0.80 g per piece.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the RTE breakfast cereal pieces have a bulk density from about 300 g per 100 cubic inches to about 800 g per 100 cubic inches.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein SDS content is at least 20% of the total available carbohydrates in the pieces.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flour and oil are combined before adding water.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the forming step is performed using a die.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the forming step is performed without the use of a roller.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flour is heat treated prior to the combining step.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the RTE breakfast cereal pieces include oat flour in an amount of at least 70% by dry weight.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first peak has an area greater than 60 mJ.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the RTE breakfast cereal pieces comprise a heat sensitive component.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the heat sensitive component is a polyunsaturated fat, a vitamin, a phytonutrient, or a beneficial microorganism.

Assignees

• Gen Mills Inc

Inventors

• Gonzalez Tanhia D
• Gonzalez David C
• Ng Christine

Classifications

• A23L7/135 Primary

  Individual or non-extruded flakes, granules or shapes having similar size, e.g. breakfast cereals · CPC title

• A23L7/126

  Snacks or the like obtained by binding, shaping or compacting together cereal grains or cereal pieces, e.g. cereal bars · CPC title

• A23V2002/00

  Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs · CPC title

• A21D2/186

  Starches; Derivatives thereof · CPC title

• A21D2/181

  Sugars or sugar alcohols (honey A21D2/34) · CPC title