A viscoelastic composition includes a gel matrix comprising hydrated hydrocolloid gel and cross-linked protein, at least one gluten-free flour source, a starch, and a leavener. In some embodiments, the gel matrix imparts gluten-like properties to a gluten-free viscoelastic composition.

Provided is an expanded food that does not substantially contain a wheat-derived protein, a dough composition for use in the production of the expanded food, and a method for producing expanded food by using the dough composition. The dough composition of the present invention comprises at least the following ingredients and does not substantially comprise a wheat-derived protein: (a) a milk protein in a proportion of 90 mass % or more based on the total protein; (b) a starch; (c) a leavening agent; and (d) water, wherein the dough composition is expanded by heat treatment to form a support matrix.

High-protein food additives are prepared by reacting a protein material with L-cysteine, or a derivative thereof, with homogenization and heating. The homogenization and heating is preferably carried out on an aqueously slurry of the protein material and L-cysteine. The homogenized and reacted slurry is then dried to form a powder. The resultant food additive may be incorporated into a wide variety of food products to enhance the physical characteristics thereof.

Starch-free baked comestible goods and aqueous slurries (batters) for preparation of starch-free baked comestible goods include a combination of three different protein components that are protein concentrates or protein isolates, wherein the protein components differ by solubility in water and/or particle size when suspended in an aqueous medium. The combination of three protein components, particularly in certain weight ratios, enables the preparation of starch-free baked comestible goods including doughnuts, muffins, cakes, and bars as well as other commonly recognized desirable comestible formats. The starch-free baked comestible goods have an improved texture and extended shelf-life as compared to previously developed starch-free baked comestible goods.

A high-fat flour replacement includes a fat, an emulsifier, a protein, a starch and a soluble fiber. In preferred embodiments, the high-fat flour replacement is a finely ground particulate flour. The high-fat flour replacement can have a macronutrient profile analogous to that of almond flour. A process for producing a high-fat flour replacement includes a step of forming an emulsion including a fat, water and an emulsifier and a step of combining the emulsion with a blend of dry ingredients to form a composition (e.g., using an extruder). The blend of dry ingredients includes a protein, a starch and a soluble fiber. In preferred embodiments, the composition is processed in an extruder to form an extruded material (e.g., in the form of pellets). The fat in the emulsion becomes trapped in the composition during extrusion. In preferred embodiments, the extruded material is then dried and milled/ground to form flour-sized particulates.

A dough composition can be formulated using a whey protein cream ingredient to reduce or replace certain emulsifying agents while maintaining or extending the shelf-life of the final baked food product. The whey protein cream may further be used to reduce or replace additional protein ingredients used in dough formulations. In some formulations, the dough composition may include a comparatively low amount of emulsifying agent or a casein salt, while other formulations are substantially free of an emulsifying agent or casein salt. The inclusion of whey protein cream may beneficially maintain freshness and shelf-life of baked food products from the dough compositions.

Sweetener concentrates, sweetener formulations, and sweetened food formulations and products, the sweetener formulation comprising: (a) sweetener particles containing a first sweetener, and (b) crystalline sugar particles; wherein at least one protein is disposed within the sweetener particles; wherein a first weight ratio of the at least one protein to the first sweetener is within a range of 0.01:1 to 20:1; and wherein, within the sweet formulation, at least 40% of the total amount of sweetener, by weight, is crystalline.

A yeast-free dough contains at least 30% natural cheese. The natural cheese is mixed with wheat flour, pregelatinized starch, and water to make a non-laminated dough, which is then sheeted, cut and dehydrated. The finished product has a peak force hardness of between about 15,000 to about 30,000 grams and an expanded internal air cell structure throughout and a bulk density of from about 100 to about 400 g/L.

The invention relates to a closed continuous process to sterilise flour to reduce the enzymatic activity within the flour as well as to reduce microbial contamination of the flour and thereby minimise pasting of the starch and maintaining the flour in its native form. The invention also relates to the flour obtained by the method as well as the use of the flour

The present invention relates to the production of wafers and more particularly to the use of a batter aerating system to obtain wafers with an effective density of at most 0.16 g/cm3, and with sufficient strength to be able to remove them from the wafer baking plates.