There is described an confectionery composition comprising edible particulate material comprising from 80% to 100% by weight based on total weight of the material of a processable, microbially released, flavour acceptable bran-like material, characterized by the following parameters: (i) mean particle size by volume (Vol. MPS) of from 5 to 100 microns; (ii) volume particle size distribution (Vol. PSD) characterized by the parameters: D90.3 less than or equal to 350 microns, and D50.3 less than or equal to 50 microns, and optionally D10.3 less than or equal to 15 microns, (iii) mean particle sphericity as measured by a Smean of greater than or equal to 0.75; (iv) where processable means has oil holding capacity (OHC) of from 0.7 to 1.5; (v) where microbially released means material has common microbes below given limits (preferably free of common microbes) (vi) where flavour acceptable denotes a lipase activity (LA) and a peroxidase activity (PA) both less than or equal to 2 U/g and optionally a low degree of roasted flavour notes as defined herein. The bran-like material used in the confectionery compositions may added as a bulk ingredient to replace sugar and/or to provide confectionery fillings and/or coatings having improved hiding ability when used as layers in multilayer confectionery products.

Exemplary embodiments provide oat fractions, and methods of producing the oat fractions, of the species Avena Sativa that has a concentration of total Avenanthramides that is from about 2 to about 25 wt. %, and up to about 30 wt. % or more, higher than the concentration before treatment with infrared energy. The higher concentration is achieved without treatment with enzymes or exposure to fungal agents to increase the concentration of total Avenanthramides. Instead, the enhanced concentration of Avenanthramides is achieved through exposure to infrared energy for a selected period of time.

There is described an edible particulate material comprising from 80% to 100% by weight based on total weight of the material of a processable, microbially released, flavour acceptable bran-like material, characterized by the following parameters: (i) mean particle size by volume (Vol. MPS) of from 5 to 100 microns; (ii) volume particle size distribution (Vol. PSD) characterized by the parameters: D.sub.90,3 less than or equal to 350 microns, and D.sub.50,3 less than or equal to 50 microns, and optionally D.sub.10,3 less than or equal to 15 microns, (iii) mean particle sphericity as measured by a S.sub.mean of greater than or equal to 0.75; (iv) where processable means has oil holding capacity (OHC) of from 0.7 to 1.5; (v) where microbially released means material has common microbes below given limits (preferably free of common microbes) (vi) where flavour acceptable denotes a lipase activity (LA) and a peroxidase activity (PA) both less than or equal to 2 U/g optionally a low degree of roasted flavour notes as defined herein. The bran as described may added to foodstuffs for example be used as a bulk ingredient to replace sugar and/or to provide filling and/or coatings having improved hiding ability when used as layers in multilayer foodstuffs.

A process used for the depth thermal treatment in maize for producing High Performance Integral Nixtamal, a process for treating maize under conditions different from known ones and by which a new product can be manufactured which has been called High Performance Integral Nixtamal.

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 a cooked grain flour and then hydrating the cooked grain flour either during or after cooking with a liquid to form a binder composition. The binder composition and one or more food ingredients are combined to form an agglomerate, and the agglomerate is thermally processed to obtain the food product.

The present invention relates among other things to a method for making enzymatically produced purple corn nectar having a composition comprising saccharides and. anthocyanins. The anthocyanin composition is present in concentrations of at least 40 mg/100 g of nectar and is a direct result of the process of making the corn nectar from the purple corn kernels and does not constitute an exogenous addition to the purple corn nectar.

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.

A comprehensively nutritious instant food includes the following raw ingredients: rice powder 39.593849% to 44.930798%, soybean meal 29.695386% to 33.698099%, protein 8.908616% to 10.109430%, edible fiber 4.949231% to 5.616350%, carotene 0.000099% to 0.000112%, calcium 0.197969% to 0.224654%, iron 0.000356% to 0.000404%, zinc 0.000297% to 0.000337%, copper 0.000040% to 0.000045%, sodium 0.395938% to 0.449308%, potassium 0.395938% to 0.449308%, manganese 0.000040% to 0.000045%, selenium 0.000014% to 0.000016%, iodine 0.000030% to 0.000034%, phosphorus 0.013858% to 0.015726%, magnesium 0.007919% to 0.008986%, fluorine 0.000554% to 0.000629%, vitamin B1 0.000297% to 0.000337%, vitamin B2 0.000040% to 0.000045%, vitamin B6 0.000040% to 0.000045%, vitamin B12 0.000001% to 0.000001%, vitamin B3 0.000396% to 0.000449%, vitamin D 0.000013% to 0.000015%, vitamin K 0.000016% to 0.000018%, vitamin H 0.000059% to 0.000067%, vitamin B 0.000079% to 0.000090%, vitamin E 0.000178% to 0.000202%, vitamin C 0.001188% to 0.001348%, vitamin A 0.000020% to 0.000022%, edible fat 0 to 10.523458%, and refined sugar 0-5.939077%.

The present invention is directed to plants that display an improved oil quantity phenotype or an improved meal quality phenotype due to altered expression of an IMQ nucleic acid. The invention is further directed to methods of generating plants with an improved oil quantity phenotype or improved meal quality phenotype.

The application relates to a process comprising retorting a food product comprising thermally inhibited flour for a time from about 15 minutes to about 80 minutes to achieve a F.sub.0 value of at least 10.