A method for preparing a food product and a food product thereof including a grain-based binder and being essentially free of added sugar. The method includes preparing or providing a cooked and/or pre-gelatinized grain flour, coating the grain flour with a fat or oil, and then hydrating the fat coated grain flour with at least one liquid to form a binder composition. The binder composition and one or more dry food ingredients are combined to form an agglomerate, and the agglomerate is thermally processed to activate the binder composition and to obtain the food product.

A method for preparing a food product and a food product thereof including a grain-based binder and being essentially free of added sugar. The method includes preparing or providing a cooked and/or pre-gelatinized grain flour, coating the grain flour with a fat or oil, and then hydrating the fat coated grain flour with at least one liquid to form a binder composition. The binder composition and one or more dry food ingredients are combined to form an agglomerate, and the agglomerate is thermally processed to activate the binder composition and to obtain the food product.

Cooked and uncooked caramel slurries and products prepared using the cooked caramel slurries, and methods of preparing caramel slurries and coating a cooked caramel slurry onto a food piece.

Cooked and uncooked caramel slurries and products prepared using the cooked caramel slurries, and methods of preparing caramel slurries and coating a cooked caramel slurry onto a food piece.

Described are coated food products having a sugar (sucrose) coating, the coating exhibiting desirable levels of sucrose crystallinity and a desired sucrose ratio (total sucrose per total soluble solids), as well as methods or preparing such coated food products and coating.

Described are coated food products having a sugar (sucrose) coating, the coating exhibiting desirable levels of sucrose crystallinity and a desired sucrose ratio (total sucrose per total soluble solids), as well as methods or preparing such coated food products and coating.

An acid-oil dispersion composition for use in coating a cereal piece. The acid-oil dispersion composition comprising an edible acid particles dispersed in an edible oil component, wherein the acid particles are in a range of about 1 wt % to about 25 wt % of the acid-oil dispersion composition; and wherein the edible oil component is at an amount that is in a range of about 75 wt % to about 99 wt % of the acid-oil dispersion composition.

An acid-oil dispersion composition for use in coating a cereal piece. The acid-oil dispersion composition comprising an edible acid particles dispersed in an edible oil component, wherein the acid particles are in a range of about 1 wt % to about 25 wt % of the acid-oil dispersion composition; and wherein the edible oil component is at an amount that is in a range of about 75 wt % to about 99 wt % of the acid-oil dispersion composition.

Individual non-sticky coated food pieces are produced by applying a composition to a surface of food pieces to produce coated food pieces. The composition includes water and a soluble solids component having a soluble solids content including erythritol in an amount of about 50%-90% by dry weight of the soluble solids content. The soluble solids content also includes a water-soluble carbohydrate having an average dextrose equivalent (DE) of 4 to 30 in an amount of about 2%-40% by dry weight of the soluble solids content. The coated food pieces are dried to form dried pieces having at least a partial coating in which the soluble solids component has a crystallinity of from about 15%-60%, the erythritol contributing substantially all the crystallinity of the coating. The dried pieces are cooled to produce the individual non-sticky coated food pieces, which are then packaged.

Individual non-sticky coated food pieces are produced by applying a composition to a surface of food pieces to produce coated food pieces. The composition includes water and a soluble solids component having a soluble solids content including erythritol in an amount of about 50%-90% by dry weight of the soluble solids content. The soluble solids content also includes a water-soluble carbohydrate having an average dextrose equivalent (DE) of 4 to 30 in an amount of about 2%-40% by dry weight of the soluble solids content. The coated food pieces are dried to form dried pieces having at least a partial coating in which the soluble solids component has a crystallinity of from about 15%-60%, the erythritol contributing substantially all the crystallinity of the coating. The dried pieces are cooled to produce the individual non-sticky coated food pieces, which are then packaged.