Apparatus and method for producing flake-like cereal without the use of a flaking mill

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11612181-B2
Application number	US-202016933144-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 20, 2020
Priority date	Jan 18, 2016
Publication date	Mar 28, 2023
Grant date	Mar 28, 2023

Abstract

An apparatus and method for producing flake-like cereal without the use of a flaking mill.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
feeding a food material into a feed section of a cooking extruder;
mixing the food material with water using the cooking extruder;
heating the food material using the cooking extruder;
extruding the food material through a die connected to the cooking extruder comprising one or more orifices, each orifice comprising:
an inlet including a first flow channel configured to accept the food material, wherein the first flow channel is surrounded by a hollow jacket for circulating cooling medium;
a breaker screen connected to the inlet and comprised of one or more holes;
wherein the first flow channel and the hollow jacket for circulating the cooling medium are positioned upstream of the breaker screen;
an expansion chamber connected to the breaker screen, wherein the expansion chamber has an expansion chamber cross-sectional area;
an exit orifice connected to the expansion chamber and configured to output the food material, wherein the exit orifice has an exit orifice cross-sectional area and wherein the food material outputs the exit orifice at a temperature between 250 degrees Fahrenheit and 350 degrees Fahrenheit;
slicing the extruded food material using a cutting knife assembly; and
toasting the sliced extruded food material using a toasting oven.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the exit orifice cross-sectional area is less than the expansion chamber cross-sectional area.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more holes include a hole cross-sectional area and the hole cross-sectional area is less than the expansion chamber cross-sectional area.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cutting knife assembly slices the extruded food material at a rate such that a slice thickness is less than a diameter of one or more vapor bubbles within the food material.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein heating the food material using the cooking extruder further comprising heating the food material using the cooking extruder to a temperature greater than 212 degrees Fahrenheit.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein mixing the food material further comprises mixing liquid food materials with the food material.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the liquid food material includes one or more of the following a solution of sugar, malt extract, salt or other flavors.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the food material includes a moisture content determined when the food material is within the cooking extruder and before the die.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the moisture content is less than 20 percent.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the moisture content is between 14 and 17 percent.

Assignees

• Kellog Co

Inventors

• Gimmler Norbert
• Laubenthal Kevin J

Classifications

• A23L7/17

  by extrusion · CPC title

• A23L7/198

  Dry unshaped finely divided cereal products, not provided for in groups A23L7/117 - A23L7/196 and A23L29/00, e.g. meal, flour, powder, dried cereal creams or extracts · CPC title

• A23L7/117

  Flakes or other shapes of ready-to-eat type; Semi-finished or partly-finished products therefor (cereal granules or flakes to be cooked and eaten hot A23L7/143; cereal germ products A23L7/152) · CPC title

• A21C11/10

  combined with cutting apparatus {(A21C11/004 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• A23P30/20 Primary

  Extruding · CPC title