Coated food product and method of preparation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016249672-A1
Application number	US-201514633396-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 27, 2015
Priority date	Feb 27, 2015
Publication date	Sep 1, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Disclosed are methods and systems for coating food pieces with edible particles. The methods include simultaneously applying liquid and edible particle components of a coating to a food piece.

First claim

1 . A method for applying edible particles to a food product, the method comprising:
a. providing a suspension including a liquid and the edible particles in an amount of from about 10% to about 60% by volume of the suspension, the edible particles having a sieve distribution of ASTM −4/+80 with at least 20% of the particles being ASTM 50 or larger; b. combining the suspension with air in a nozzle assembly to produce an air atomized suspension; and c. directing the air atomized suspension onto the food product to apply the edible particles to the food product.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the edible particles have a sieve distribution of ASTM −4/+50.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the edible particles have a sieve distribution of ASTM −4/+18.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the edible particles have a sieve distribution of ASTM −4/+10.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the air is delivered to the nozzle assembly at a pressure of from about 10 pounds per square inch to about 80 pounds per square inch.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the nozzle assembly has a maximum free passage of from about 0.100 to about 0.400 inches.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the edible particles comprise about 10% to about 40% by volume of the suspension.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the edible particles comprise about 20% to about 25% by volume of the suspension.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the edible particles comprise about 5% to about 25% of the suspension by weight.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the air atomized suspension is expelled from the nozzle assembly in a cone-shaped or fan-shaped spray.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the edible particles comprise nut pieces.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the liquid comprises a nut ingredient.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the edible particles comprise cracker, cookie, or ready-to-eat cereal crumbs.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the liquid comprises a fat ingredient.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the liquid comprises a carbohydrate ingredient.

16 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid comprises a protein ingredient.

17 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid has a viscosity at 40° C. of from about 0.001 Pa·s to about 50 Pa·s.

18 . A method for applying edible particles to a food product, the method comprising:
a. providing a suspension including a liquid and the edible particles in an amount of from about 10% to about 60% by volume of the suspension, the edible particles having a size of from about 0.18 mm to about 4.75 mm with at least 20% of the particles being 0.30 mm or larger; b. combining the suspension with air in a nozzle assembly to produce an air atomized suspension; and c. directing the air atomized suspension onto the food product to apply the edible particles to the food product.

Assignees

• Gen Mills Inc

Inventors

• Burton Kathryn E
• Green Daniel R

Classifications

• A23L7/122

  Coated, filled, multilayered or hollow ready-to-eat cereals · CPC title

• B05B7/045

  the gas and liquid flows being parallel just upstream the mixing chamber (B05B7/0458, B05B7/0466 take precedence) · CPC title

• A23P20/18

  by spray-coating, fluidised-bed coating or coating by casting (combined with breading A23P20/12) · CPC title

• A23P20/15 Primary

  Apparatus or processes for coating with liquid or semi-liquid products · CPC title

• A23P1/085 Primary

  Human Necessities · mapped topic