An object of this disclosure is to provide a technique capable of suppressing decrease and deterioration of flavor and/or texture of a cereal processed food product over time after production as well as maintaining the flavor and/or the texture of the cereal processed food product. This disclosure further provides a technique capable of maintaining the flavor and/or the texture of a freshly made cereal processed food product even if the products are stored at room temperature or under a chilled state for a long period of time. This disclosure provides an improver for cereal processed food product containing maltol as a component (A) and at least one component selected from 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural, dimethyl sulfide, and 3-methylbutanal as a component (B).

In order to manufacture a food product which, with further preparation, can be given a form in which it is ready for immediate consumption, a consumable, at least sushi-like product roll is prepared. The product roll comprises a core with a filling which is enveloped by a casing of a high-carbohydrate composition followed by a barrier layer which covers the casing. The barrier layer is covered with a batter layer and the batter layer is covered with a crumb layer. The thus obtained body is subjected to a freezing step for complete freezing thereof. By way of preparation the frozen product roll, after optionally being defrosted, is heated by being baked or deep-fried until the core is at least no more than just defrosted, while the batter layer with the crumb layer has formed into a crispy outer layer. The product is thus given a directly consumable form.

In order to manufacture a food product which, with further preparation, can be given a form in which it is ready for immediate consumption, a consumable, at least sushi-like product roll is prepared. The product roll comprises a core with a filling which is enveloped by a casing of a high-carbohydrate composition followed by a barrier layer which covers the casing. The barrier layer is covered with a batter layer and the batter layer is covered with a crumb layer. The thus obtained body is subjected to a freezing step for complete freezing thereof. By way of preparation the frozen product roll, after optionally being defrosted, is heated by being baked or deep-fried until the core is at least no more than just defrosted, while the batter layer with the crumb layer has formed into a crispy outer layer. The product is thus given a directly consumable form.

A method of preparing a shelf-stable processed grain product includes a series of heating and cooling steps performed on a processed grain product having a water activity value of about 0.65 or less. A first heating step takes the grain pieces to a first elevated temperature, which is followed by a first cooling step. The grain pieces are passed to a second heating step to reach a second elevated temperature, followed by a second cooling step. The grain pieces are then passed to a third heating step, after which they are sufficiently soft and pliable for a final forming step such as flaking, bumping, puffing, or the like. This allows grain pieces that are suitable for long term storage, but too brittle for final forming, to be softened for final forming without raising the moisture content to a point that is conducive to mold formation or reduced product quality.

A method of preparing a shelf-stable processed grain product includes a series of heating and cooling steps performed on a processed grain product having a water activity value of about 0.65 or less. A first heating step takes the grain pieces to a first elevated temperature, which is followed by a first cooling step. The grain pieces are passed to a second heating step to reach a second elevated temperature, followed by a second cooling step. The grain pieces are then passed to a third heating step, after which they are sufficiently soft and pliable for a final forming step such as flaking, bumping, puffing, or the like. This allows grain pieces that are suitable for long term storage, but too brittle for final forming, to be softened for final forming without raising the moisture content to a point that is conducive to mold formation or reduced product quality.

A water saving and energy saving process the continuous production of whole grain flour and whole gluten-free flour is provided. The process includes preconditioning whole-grain or seed with water and uses an energy efficient blanching treatment with saturated steam. The process also provides flour having a bimodal size mixture of material having improved viscosity. The whole grain and whole gluten-free flour can be used to prepare grain products and baked foods.

A method and apparatus for cooking rice includes a presoak tank a hydrating and cooking tank, and a cooling tank. A first transfer mechanism connected to transfer rice from the pre-soak tank to the hydrating an cooking tank. A second transfer mechanism connected to transfer rice from the hydrating an cooking tank to the cooling tank.

An instant rice container separation apparatus and an instant rice manufacturing system comprising same are disclosed. The instant rice container separation apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises: a container-supplying master which is provided at one side of an apparatus body and which allows a plurality of instant rice containers to be stacked in the height direction while overlapping and to be arranged in the lateral direction; an integrated container separation plate which is disposed in a region below the container-supplying master, and which separates the lowermost containers, arranged in the lateral direction, all at once from the containers stacked thereon; and a separation plate forward-backward driving part which is connected to the integrated container separation plate and which drives the integrated container separation plate forward and backward.

An object of this invention is to provide a parboiled rice manufacturing apparatus capable of efficiently manufacturing good-quality parboiled rice without increasing the overall size of the apparatus. A parboiled rice manufacturing apparatus according to this invention includes a drum which has a raw material hatch provided at a peripheral surface and is disposed to be rotatable about a horizontal axis, a heating unit which is disposed inside the drum and heats an interior of the drum, an agitation unit which is disposed inside the drum and agitates a raw material charged through the raw material hatch into the drum, a steam supply unit which supplies steam into the drum, a pressure adjustment unit which has a valve allowing communication of the interior of the drum with outside air and allows increase of pressure inside the drum with steam supplied from the steam supply unit by closing the valve at the time of processing of the raw material through the pressurized steam-boiling treatment, a water addition unit which is disposed inside the drum and adds water to the raw material inside the drum, and a drying unit which dries the raw material by reducing the pressure inside the drum.

This invention provides a cooked-rice improver having flavor sustaining and/or flavor enhancement effects of cooked rice. The improver is obtained by mixing low-decomposition starch having a predetermined molecular weight and dextrin having a predetermined DE value at a predetermined ratio. This invention provides a cooked-rice improver flavor sustaining and/or flavor enhancement actions on cooked rice, and cooked rice produced by using the same. The cooked-rice improver contains low-decomposition starch having the molecular weight of 500,000 to 5,000,000 and dextrin having a DE value greater than one and equal to or lower than fifty at a ratio of 1:9 to 9:1 in a mass ratio.