Patent ID: 6017569
Filing Date: 2000-01-25
Classification: A23L,C12Y

Abstract:
A process for preparing a hydrolyzed cereal product comprising:preparing a mixture which comprises a cereal flour, alpha-amylase and fruit selected from the group consisting of whole fruit and pieces from whole fruit and which comprises a water content of from 40% to 80% by weight;passing a stream of the mixture in a direction through an annular tubular assembly and injecting a first annular jet of steam and at least one further annular jet of steam in series with the first steam jet within the assembly so that the steam jets envelope the mixture stream passing through the assembly to treat the mixture so that the mixture stream is treated successively by the steam jets first to heat the mixture so that starch of the cereal flour is hydrolyzed by the alpha-amylase to obtain a hydrolysis product stream and so that subsequently, the hydrolysis product stream is steam-treated andinjecting the first steam jet so that the jet is directed to the mixture stream in a direction which is one of either a direction which is co-current with or a direction which is counter-current to the mixture stream flow direction, andinjecting each further steam jet so that each further jet is directed to the hydrolysis product stream in a direction counter-current to the hydrolysis product stream flow direction and so that quantities of steam injected in series successive to the first steam jet decrease in each successive further steam jet injection;obtaining a steam-treated product from the assembly; anddrying the steam-treated product obtained from the assembly to obtain a dried product.