A reduced sugar presweetened ready to eat breakfast cereal is prepared by coating dried cereal base pieces or food pieces with a reduced-sugar composition comprising maltotriose, maltotetrose in full or partial substitution for sucrose, and a high potency sweetener. The reduced-sugar coating can have a sucrose content of less than 70%, yet provides taste, texture, appearance, and bowl life that mimics presweetened R-T-E cereals having a coating with more sucrose.

The invention provides a sweetener composition comprising a core nano particle in association with a sweetener carbohydrate

A process for the manufacture of a layered confectionery product having discrete jelly and fat-containing confectionery components, comprising introducing a first of the components to a support, in molten or substantially-molten form, applying the second component, in non-solid form, to an exposed and non-solidified surface of the first, and allowing or effecting cooling of the first and second components such that they bond to each other as discrete confectionery layers.

A process for the manufacture of a layered confectionery product having discrete jelly and fat-containing confectionery components, comprising introducing a first of the components to a support, in molten or substantially-molten form, applying the second component, in non-solid form, to an exposed and non-solidified surface of the first, and allowing or effecting cooling of the first and second components such that they bond to each other as discrete confectionery layers.

A method for reducing bacterial contamination on a food surface. The method comprises applying to the food surface an NC.sub.6-C.sub.18 acyl amino acid ester and a methylcellulose. The methylcellulose has anhydroglucose units joined by 1-4 linkages wherein hydroxy groups of anhydroglucose units are substituted with methyl groups such that s23/s26 is 0.36 or less, wherein s23 is the molar fraction of anhydroglucose units wherein only the two hydroxy groups in the 2- and 3-positions of the anhydroglucose unit are substituted with methyl groups and wherein s26 is the molar fraction of anhydroglucose units wherein only the two hydroxy groups in the 2- and 6-positions of the anhydroglucose unit are substituted with methyl groups.

A method for reducing bacterial contamination on a food surface. The method comprises applying to the food surface an NC.sub.6-C.sub.18 acyl amino acid ester and a methylcellulose. The methylcellulose has anhydroglucose units joined by 1-4 linkages wherein hydroxy groups of anhydroglucose units are substituted with methyl groups such that s23/s26 is 0.36 or less, wherein s23 is the molar fraction of anhydroglucose units wherein only the two hydroxy groups in the 2- and 3-positions of the anhydroglucose unit are substituted with methyl groups and wherein s26 is the molar fraction of anhydroglucose units wherein only the two hydroxy groups in the 2- and 6-positions of the anhydroglucose unit are substituted with methyl groups.

A frozen, microwaveable, coated food product that includes: a core of cooked edible material having a weight equal to 15-95 wt % of the food product; and a fried coating that envelops the core of edible material and having weight equal to 5-85 wt % of the food product, the coating being formed from at least four coating layers, including successively; a primary aqueous coating, a bonding crumb layer, a secondary aqueous coating and a coating crumb layer. The primary aqueous coating and the secondary aqueous coating contain less than 10 wt % flour, preferably 5 wt % flour, by weight of dry matter and at least 10% cellulose ether by weight of dry matter.

A frozen, microwaveable, coated food product that includes: a core of cooked edible material having a weight equal to 15-95 wt % of the food product; and a fried coating that envelops the core of edible material and having weight equal to 5-85 wt % of the food product, the coating being formed from at least four coating layers, including successively; a primary aqueous coating, a bonding crumb layer, a secondary aqueous coating and a coating crumb layer. The primary aqueous coating and the secondary aqueous coating contain less than 10 wt % flour, preferably 5 wt % flour, by weight of dry matter and at least 10% cellulose ether by weight of dry matter.

A method of preparing a frozen, microwaveable, coated food product comprising the successive steps of: providing a portion of a substrate; preparing a breaded portion; frying the breaded portion by contacting said breaded portion for at least 100 seconds with hot oil having a temperature of at least 150 C.; and freezing the fried coated portion; wherein a moisture controlling metal salt is present in at least one of the coating liquids and crumbs used in the preparation of the breaded portion, said microwave absorbing metal salt being selected from metal phosphates, metal carbonates, metal hydroxides, metal citrates, metal gluconates and combinations thereof; wherein the total amount of the metal salt provided in the crumb-based coating may be at least 0.5 wt %, preferably 1 wt % to 6 wt % by weight of the dry matter contained in said crumb-based coating.

A method of preparing a frozen, microwaveable, coated food product comprising the successive steps of: providing a portion of a substrate; preparing a breaded portion; frying the breaded portion by contacting said breaded portion for at least 100 seconds with hot oil having a temperature of at least 150 C.; and freezing the fried coated portion; wherein a moisture controlling metal salt is present in at least one of the coating liquids and crumbs used in the preparation of the breaded portion, said microwave absorbing metal salt being selected from metal phosphates, metal carbonates, metal hydroxides, metal citrates, metal gluconates and combinations thereof; wherein the total amount of the metal salt provided in the crumb-based coating may be at least 0.5 wt %, preferably 1 wt % to 6 wt % by weight of the dry matter contained in said crumb-based coating.