Hard taco shell and method for producing the hard taco shell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11998018-B2
Application number	US-202117339437-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 4, 2021
Priority date	Jun 4, 2021
Publication date	Jun 4, 2024
Grant date	Jun 4, 2024

Abstract

A taco shell is produced by applying a plasticizing agent to a base or spine portion of a hard taco shell, such as by targeted spraying, rolling, brushing or dipping of the taco shells, thereby softening the base or spine portion, preferably across a strip width between 4 mm-20 mm. As a result, when the taco shell is bitten, the softened base portion has some hinging flexibility or pliability which reduces the potential for any crack propagation. Therefore, the structural integrity of the hard taco shell can be better maintained while be eaten, resulting in retention of the fillings and less mess. If desired, an anti-migration agent can also be applied to assure containment of the plasticizing agent in the targeted region.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of producing a hard taco shell having two sidewall portions joined by a base portion comprising applying a plasticizing agent along at least one targeted section of the base portion to soften the at least one targeted section, thereby increasing hinging flexibility or pliability of the at least one targeted section to better maintain an overall structural integrity of the hard taco shell upon subsequent consumption.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plasticizing agent is applied to a strip width between 4-20 mm.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the plasticizing agent is applied to a strip width between 8-16 mm.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the plasticizing agent is applied to a strip width of about 14 mm.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plasticizing agent is applied as a coating through one of spraying, rolling, brushing or dipping of the taco shell.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the plasticizing agent is glycerin.

7. The method of claim 2 , wherein the plasticizing agent includes: propylene glycol; sugar alcohols; low molecular weight carbohydrates; and/or polysaccharides.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plasticizing agent is limited to the base portion of the hard taco shell.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising applying a migration limiting agent to contain the plasticizing agent in the at least one targeted section of the base portion.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the migration limiting agent comprises a hydrocolloid.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising packaging a plurality of the hard taco shells by nesting the hard taco shells, wrapping the nested hard taco shells, and placing the wrapped hard taco shells in a carton.

12. A hard taco shell produced according to the method of claim 1 .

13. A hard taco shell comprising:
a first hard shell sidewall;
a second hard shell sidewall; and
a base portion connecting the first and second hard shell sidewalls, wherein at least a targeted section of the base portion is softened by a plasticizing agent applied only in the targeted section, thereby being hingedly flexible or pliable to better maintain an overall structural integrity of the hard taco shell upon subsequent consumption.

14. The hard taco shell of claim 13 , wherein the plasticizing agent is contained in a strip width between 4-20 mm.

15. The hard taco shell of claim 14 , wherein the plasticizing agent is contained in a strip width between 8-16 mm.

16. The hard taco shell of claim 15 , wherein the plasticizing agent is contained in a strip width of about 14 mm.

17. The hard taco shell of claim 13 , wherein the plasticizing agent is glycerin.

18. The hard taco shell of claim 13 , wherein the plasticizing agent includes: propylene glycol; sugar alcohols; low molecular weight carbohydrates; and/or polysaccharides.

19. The hard taco shell of claim 13 , further comprising a migration limiting agent containing the plasticizing agent in the at least one targeted section of the base portion.

20. The hard taco shell of claim 19 , wherein the migration limiting agent comprises a hydrocolloid.

21. The hard taco shell of claim 13 , wherein the hard taco shell is nested and wrapped with additional ones of said hard taco shells and located in a carton.

22. The hard taco shell of claim 13 , wherein the softened base portion has some hinging flexibility or pliability which reduces fracturing caused by biting by at least 66% when compared to a hard taco without a plasticizing agent.

Assignees

• Gen Mills Inc

Inventors

• Dosch Christine M
• Fenske John James
• Nelson James David
• Nowakowski Christine M

Classifications

• A21D13/42 Primary

  Tortillas · CPC title

• A21D8/02

  Methods for preparing dough; Treating dough prior to baking · CPC title

• A23L29/035

  containing oxygen as heteroatom (gums A23L29/25; sugar or sugar alcohols A23L29/30) · CPC title

• A23L29/37

  Sugar alcohols · CPC title

• A23L7/117 Primary

  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