Apparatus and methods for making puffed food products are disclosed. In one implementation, an innovative process, apparatus, or system may employ at least one base mold with a defined pattern of one or more surface cavities carved therein in order to more evenly or uniformly distribute heat to raw ingredients or an intermediate food product during baking step(s).

Apparatus and methods for making puffed food products are disclosed. In one implementation, an innovative process, apparatus, or system may employ at least one base mold with a defined pattern of one or more surface cavities carved therein in order to more evenly or uniformly distribute heat to raw ingredients or an intermediate food product during baking step(s).

The invention relates to an expanded dry food product comprising at least the following ingredients: a food-grade plant- or animal-based protein concentrate; a food-grade fat; a food-grade texturising additive selected from the group consisting of plant-based hydrocolloids and gelling agents, starch, preferably modified starch, proteolytic additives and hydrolysis products thereof, and acidifying agents and salts thereof; and residual water. The invention also relates to a method for producing said expanded dry food product from a thermally expandable precursor.

The invention relates to an expanded dry food product comprising at least the following ingredients: a food-grade plant- or animal-based protein concentrate; a food-grade fat; a food-grade texturising additive selected from the group consisting of plant-based hydrocolloids and gelling agents, starch, preferably modified starch, proteolytic additives and hydrolysis products thereof, and acidifying agents and salts thereof; and residual water. The invention also relates to a method for producing said expanded dry food product from a thermally expandable precursor.

Apparatus and method for preparing a puffed food product. At least one profood item is placed within a compartment defining a sealed enclosure. The profood item comprises a shell, and an interior contained within the shell, the interior comprising a foodstuff comprising at least one starch, and a liquid adapted to form a vapor when subjected to heating. The pressure in the compartment is rapidly reduced with a pressure device, while heating the compartment, until the profood item reaches breakage threshold conditions at reduced breakage temperature, causing a rupturing of the shell, inducing a sudden release of the vapor at a high pressure, resulting in puffing of the starch to produce the puffed food product. The reduced breakage temperature may be in the range of 200-220° C. The pressure reduction may take place in less than 1 second. The puffing process duration may be in the range of 6-7 seconds.

Apparatus and method for preparing a puffed food product. At least one profood item is placed within a compartment defining a sealed enclosure. The profood item comprises a shell, and an interior contained within the shell, the interior comprising a foodstuff comprising at least one starch, and a liquid adapted to form a vapor when subjected to heating. The pressure in the compartment is rapidly reduced with a pressure device, while heating the compartment, until the profood item reaches breakage threshold conditions at reduced breakage temperature, causing a rupturing of the shell, inducing a sudden release of the vapor at a high pressure, resulting in puffing of the starch to produce the puffed food product. The reduced breakage temperature may be in the range of 200-220° C. The pressure reduction may take place in less than 1 second. The puffing process duration may be in the range of 6-7 seconds.

A profood item for preparing a puffed food product and method for producing the profood item. Profood item shell comprises a first foodstuff, the shell characterized by a hardness and rigidity able to withstand breakage when subject to temperature/pressure below breakage threshold conditions. Profood item interior contained within shell comprises a second foodstuff comprising at least one starch and a liquid adapted to form a vapor when subjected to heating, where an increased pressure of the vapor when heated causes a rupturing of the shell when breakage threshold conditions reached, inducing a sudden release of vapor at high pressure resulting in puffing of starch to produce puffed food product. The profood item micropellet may be prepared using an extrusion process and coated with a coating process to form a shell.

A profood item for preparing a puffed food product and method for producing the profood item. Profood item shell comprises a first foodstuff, the shell characterized by a hardness and rigidity able to withstand breakage when subject to temperature/pressure below breakage threshold conditions. Profood item interior contained within shell comprises a second foodstuff comprising at least one starch and a liquid adapted to form a vapor when subjected to heating, where an increased pressure of the vapor when heated causes a rupturing of the shell when breakage threshold conditions reached, inducing a sudden release of vapor at high pressure resulting in puffing of starch to produce puffed food product. The profood item micropellet may be prepared using an extrusion process and coated with a coating process to form a shell.

A process of forming a crispy pressed snack includes combining at least one expandable plant product having a pre-gelled starch with a plurality of inclusions to form a mixture. The process also includes pressing the mixture together in a mold while applying heat at a temperature less than 220° C. to the mold to steam-cook the inclusions and cook the pre-gelled starch in the expandable plant product. The process further includes expanding the mold to reduce the pressure in the mold, thereby expanding the expandable plant product and forming the crispy pressed snack. A crispy pressed snack includes a mixture including an expanded plant product and pieces of at least one steamed low-starch vegetable. The steamed low-starch vegetable is present at about 10% to about 20%, by weight of the mixture. A starch of the expanded plant product holds the mixture together.

Disclosed is a method for producing crispy, puffed cheese snacks made entirely of, or primarily of, cheese. The method uses a sequential process to produce cheese snacks with excellent taste, smoother surface and mouthfeel, delicate crunch, and minimal breakage during packaging and shipping. The method can also be used to produce cheese powders.