A method of cooking a snack food, the method comprising the steps of: a. providing a bed comprising a plurality of particles, wherein the particles are composed of, comprise or consist of a material which is magnetic and/or electroconductive; b. heating the particles in the bed to form a cooking medium in the form of a heated bed of particles, wherein in step b the particles are heated at least partially by electromagnetic induction; c. providing a plurality of snack food precursor elements in the cooking medium thereby to cook the elements to form a plurality of cooked snack food pieces, wherein the heated particles transfer heat into the elements by thermal conduction; and d. separating the plurality of snack food pieces and the cooking medium.

Described are food products including doughs, extrudates, and finished food products derived therefrom, that contain zein protein, e.g., zein protein ingredient, wherein the zein protein improves processing or textural characteristics of the food product.

Visually distinct, flaked Ready-to-Eat (R-T-E) cereal products with varied texture and thickness are produced by forming a cereal dough and forcing the same through an extrusion die assembly including various spaced openings which establish a plurality of dough streams which are merged prior to reaching a die outlet. Directly at the die outlet, a resulting dough extrudate is sliced by a cutter unit to form dough discs which are then dried and cooled, during which the discs curl and form cereal flakes having varying textures defined, at least in part, by distinct sets of surface bumps. The number and configuration of the bumps can be altered by changing the number, shape and/or position of the various spaced openings of the die assembly, while the thickesses of the resulting cereal flakes can be varied by just altering an operational speed of the cutter unit.

Inhibition of expansion of a cereal product, such as a ready-to-eat cereal, by a particulate insoluble component such as fiber and/or calcium is avoided by pelletizing the particulate insoluble component. A binder component, such as gelatinized starch, is used to bind particles of the particulate insoluble component into a coherent mass which is formed into non-expanded pellets for fortification of the cereal product. The expanded cereal products, such as extruded puffed RTE cereals which contain the pellets, exhibit a crisp, uniform texture and cell structure, improved, prolonged bowl life, a non-gritty mouthfeel, and a smooth, uniform surface appearance even though they are fortified with high amounts of the solid or particulate insoluble nutritional components.

A continuous flow dryer system according to various embodiments can include a source for supplying a material to be treated having a high moisture content, such as a distiller wet grain, a profile screw compression dryer, a profile screw, and a drive coupled to the profile screw for axially rotating the profile screw. The profile screw compression dryer includes an inlet for receiving the material for drying, which is fed therein in a controlled manner. The profile screw is provided within the housing of the dryer. The profile screw has a diameter that increases in dimension in a direction away from the inlet for increasing the compressive force applied to the material to assist with drying as the profile screw rotates and moves the material longitudinally along the profile screw to produce a final product, for example, a distiller dried grain for use as an animal feed.

A continuous flow dryer system according to various embodiments can include a source for supplying a material to be treated having a high moisture content, such as a distiller wet grain, a profile screw compression dryer, a profile screw, and a drive coupled to the profile screw for axially rotating the profile screw. The profile screw compression dryer includes an inlet for receiving the material for drying, which is fed therein in a controlled manner. The profile screw is provided within the housing of the dryer. The profile screw has a diameter that increases in dimension in a direction away from the inlet for increasing the compressive force applied to the material to assist with drying as the profile screw rotates and moves the material longitudinally along the profile screw to produce a final product, for example, a distiller dried grain for use as an animal feed.

An improved rotary head extruder incorporates an auger system comprising more than one auger to create asymmetrical, substantially cylindrical extruded products having a density within the range of about 3.0 to about 6.0 lbs./cu ft. A wide variety of fine particles such as flour and powder can be successfully introduced into and conveyed within a rotary head extruder to the die assembly, where the materials are cooked to form hard, dense extruded collets with randomly asymmetrical shapes. A transition piece at the downstream end of the augers allows for continuous, uniform flow to the die assembly, where cooking takes place. Using the equipment described, raw materials other than the typically used corn meal are produced, while maintaining the desired bulk density, texture, and crunch of random extruded products.

An improved rotary head extruder incorporates an auger system comprising more than one auger to create asymmetrical, substantially cylindrical extruded products having a density within the range of about 3.0 to about 6.0 lbs./cu ft. A wide variety of fine particles such as flour and powder can be successfully introduced into and conveyed within a rotary head extruder to the die assembly, where the materials are cooked to form hard, dense extruded collets with randomly asymmetrical shapes. A transition piece at the downstream end of the augers allows for continuous, uniform flow to the die assembly, where cooking takes place. Using the equipment described, raw materials other than the typically used corn meal are produced, while maintaining the desired bulk density, texture, and crunch of random extruded products.

The present invention refers to a snack of the potato chips type, comprising at least one starchy material and macroparticles of at least one vegetable material, preferably selected among vegetables and fruits, wherein at least part of said macroparticles is visible to the naked eye and wherein said macroparticles are dispersed in said starchy material. The present invention further refers to a process for producing a snack, and to an unexpanded gelatinized product (pellet).

The present invention refers to a snack of the potato chips type, comprising at least one starchy material and macroparticles of at least one vegetable material, preferably selected among vegetables and fruits, wherein at least part of said macroparticles is visible to the naked eye and wherein said macroparticles are dispersed in said starchy material. The present invention further refers to a process for producing a snack, and to an unexpanded gelatinized product (pellet).