Abstract:
A food producing method used in panning for delivering enhanced nutrition benefits and for decoupling adhesion and texture and the resulting product. First a plurality of center portions are obtained and introduced into a mixer. Then primary slurry is added followed by a dry mix which adheres to said center portions. Next, a secondary slurry is prepared which provides the adhesiveness required to adhere inclusions to the center portion. The use of a secondary slurry allows the decoupling of adhesion and texture whereby a softer product is produced which does not yield a hard, glassy texture.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Technical Field 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a method of panning which delivers enhanced nutritional benefits to a food product. It further provides a method to allow for the decoupling of adhesion and texture in the manufacture of food products using panning. 
         [0003]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Panning is the stacking of layers of one material onto another. Panning one food product with another food product is well known in the art. Typically a nut or fruit is placed in a batch tumbler and is coated with a slurry. Next a solid is introduced into the tumbler. The solid adheres to the slurry, forming a layer. Then more slurry is added followed by subsequent solids. More layers are added by repeating the process of adding slurry and then adding solids. 
         [0005]    Today, many candy manufacturers still employ panning to produce a variety of products. For example, panning is used with hard sugar to produce jawbreakers. Further jelly beans are produced with soft sugar panning. 
         [0006]    Panning has likewise been widely used in the nut industry. Manufacturers use panning to add coatings to nuts and fruits that deliver indulgent flavors and textures. One method of panning is hot panning which produces pralines and French nuts. Another method is chocolate panning which results in chocolate covered fruits or nuts. Finally, many manufacturers employ starch panning wherein a starch/flour mixture is used to coat the nuts. The nuts are then usually subsequently fried. 
         [0007]    The recent trend of consumers is to focus on healthier foods. Consequently, many consumers have become very label educated and thus tend to choose snack foods which are considered “label friendly.” One trend is to select snack foods that are baked rather than fried. Likewise, another trend is to avoid foods which comprise corn syrup. Finally, another trend is to select foods which comprise whole grains and optionally inclusions such as sesame seeds and oats which offer additional nutritional value. However, many of these consumer preferences are difficult to achieve in the panning of nuts or fruits. These will be discussed in turn below. 
         [0008]    Regarding baking, it has previously proven difficult to produce a baked product which exhibits the desired attributes. Frying is generally the preferred process as it typically offers a product with a softer crunch as compared to baking. Further, the selection of the materials used for baking has previously been limited. When baking, the materials have typically been limited to a combination of chemical leaveners and a source of amylopectin at a level of about 1% to about 40% by weight. These had been necessary to achieve the expansion which results in a light, fluffy product. The use of whole grains has traditionally been limited because of the expansion loss associated with high levels of fibers. Thus, because of the reduced expansion, any product produced with ingredients high in fiber was typically very hard. 
         [0009]    Regarding corn syrup, corn syrup has typically been widely used because of its flexibility as an ingredient. Corn syrup of varying Dextrose Equivalent (DE) is commercially available. DE is a measure of the reducing power of a substance relative to dextrose calculated on a dry weight basis. Thus, the DE of pure dextrose is 100. Low conversion corn syrup can be as low or lower than about 36 DE, medium conversion corn syrup is typically about 42 DE, and high conversion corn syrup can be as high or higher than about 62 DE. Taken further, high fructose corn syrup typically has a DE of about 97. The stickiness, hardness, and sweetness of a product are all a function of the DE. Thus, using corn syrup of varying DE can be used to produce a product with the desired hardness, stickiness, and sweetness. Because of its great flexibility, corn syrup has been used in virtually every nut panning process. As stated above, however, many consumers are trying to avoid products which comprise corn syrup. 
         [0010]    Regarding inclusions, a product with inclusions has proven difficult to produce using the panning process. One reason for this is that the slurry adhesive properties are coupled with the finished product texture; as the adhesiveness of a slurry is adjusted, so too is the texture of the final product. For example, in starch panning, a sugar slurry is generally used to adhere a flour mix to a nut center. The saccharide composition of the slurry determines both the texture of the finished product as well as the adhesiveness of the slurry. Slurries which are highly adhesive and can facilitate the formation of both a multitude of flour/sugar layers as well as a layer of inclusions are generally high in short chain saccharides, something that inadvertently yields a hard glassy texture. A glassy texture is a smooth glass-like texture which resembles the coating of M&amp;M&#39;s® Candy by Mars Incorporated located in McLean, Va., which in many applications is undesirable. Another effect of short chain saccharides is that it tends to cause the product to be much sweeter compared to long chain saccharides. While a slurry can be produced which will form layers and adhere to inclusions, the product produced from the slurry is undesirably hard. Finally, while the addition of such inclusions increases the nutrition content of the product, it likewise increases the hardness of the product as it offers a harder outer layer. This problem can be exaggerated if the product is later baked. 
         [0011]    Consequently, it is desirable to have a coated food product which can comprise additional inclusions. Further, it is desirable that such a coated food product be baked rather than fried. Still further, it is desirable to produce a finished product which comprises inclusions and is baked but is not undesirably hard. Finally, it is desirable to produce a label friendly snack wherein corn syrup is not used. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    A method of panning is provided which produces a crunchy food product. The finished product comprises a center portion coated with at least one layer of dry mix and further coated with a layer of inclusions. The center portion comprises nuts, seeds, fruits, or vegetables. The mix is typically flour based and can comprise a variety of ingredients, including high fiber ingredients. The inclusions can comprise nuts, oats, seeds, fruit, etc., and allow another opportunity to further increase the nutritional content of the food product. 
         [0013]    As to one embodiment, two slurries are used. A primary slurry provides sufficient adhesiveness to adhere a dry mix onto a center portion. The composition of the primary slurry is adjusted to provide for desired product qualities. A secondary slurry is used to adhere inclusions to the center portions. When inclusions are desired, the secondary slurry typically has greater adhesive qualities than the primary slurry as the slurry must be sufficiently adhesive to adhere inclusions. Because adhesiveness can be achieved primarily by the secondary slurry, the primary slurry can be adjusted to achieve other product qualities such as texture and taste. Thus, the use of a second slurry decouples the relationship of texture and adhesiveness providing increased flexibility in the manufacturing process. 
         [0014]    As to other embodiments, slurries which comprise binders other than corn syrup can be used. Ingredients such as honey, brown sugar, and rice syrup can be used in lieu of corn syrup. This provides for a more label friendly product. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  depicts a process diagram of one embodiment of the current invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    Several embodiments of Applicants&#39; invention will now be described with reference to  FIG. 1 . Unless stated otherwise, all percentages are deemed to be weight percentages. 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  depicts a process diagram of one embodiment of the current invention. While  FIG. 1  will be discussed as a batch operation, the method disclosed can successfully be performed with a semi-batch or continuous operation as well. The middle horizontal section of  FIG. 1  refers to the four processing steps and includes the first panning step  101 , the second panning step  102 , the baking step  103 , and the seasoning step  104 . Thus, moving from left to right on  FIG. 1  follows the processing of the food product from the first step of panning  101  through the final seasoning step  104 . The addition of or removal of an ingredient is shown with vertical arrows. Thus, as shown in the first panning step  101 , primary slurry  121 , center portion  111 , and dry mix  131  are all added during the first panning step. Each of the processing steps and each of the ingredients will be discussed in detail below. It should again be noted that  FIG. 1  shows only one embodiment of the current invention. Various steps and ingredients may be inserted or removed from the illustrated embodiment which are still within the scope of the current invention. 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  begins with the first panning step  101 . The first ingredient added to the first panning step  101  is the center portion  111 . As used herein a “center portion” refers to a food product such as a nut, seed, candy, or intermediate to low moisture fruits or vegetables. As used herein “intermediate to low moisture” means a moisture content of less than about 20% by weight. Suitable nuts can comprise almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, dried chick peas, Macadamia nuts, peanuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts, and others. An example of a seed which can be used in the invention is a sunflower seed kernel. While the invention works on virtually any type of food product, because panning is used, in a preferred embodiment the food is fairly round so that it easily tumbles. The center portion  111  is cleaned, shelled, de-pitted, etc. as necessary depending on the food used; the center portion  111  is prepared as if it were going to be eaten raw. Additionally, the center portions  111  may be optionally coated with a preservative or other treating agent which may serve to prolong the shelf life. One such example includes coating the center portion with a film forming ingredient to prevent moisture or oil migration from the center portion to the coating. Suitable film forming ingredients include, but are not limited to, wax, protein, or hydrocolloids such as gum arabic. By preventing moisture or oil from migrating from the center portion, the shelf life of the final product is increased. Other agents such as antimicrobial agents may also be utilized. 
         [0020]    Center portions  111  may be of virtually any size. Typically the finished product  124  ranges from about ½ of an inch in diameter to about 3 inches in diameter, though other diameters are feasible. Accordingly, the center portion  111  typically comprises a diameter of about ¼ of an inch to about 2 inches in diameter. 
         [0021]    The center portions  111  are added, at virtually any temperature, to a mixer, In some embodiments it may be desirable to add the center portions  111  at an elevated temperature, but in many embodiments the center portions  111  are added at whatever temperature they are stored. As used herein, a “mixer” is any equipment which is capable of panning or coating one food product with another. In one embodiment, the mixer comprises an engrossing tumbler. As used herein, “engrossing” is the same as panning. An engrossing tumbler, as referred above, is similar in operation to a cement mixer. In one embodiment, the tumbler mixes its contents as it rotates on an axis angled at about 15°. Thus, the contents in the bottom back of the tumbler will get pushed to the top front of the tumbler, following the path of a “figure 8.” Typical tumblers handle batches ranging from about 150 pounds to about 220 pounds, but larger or smaller tumblers may also be utilized. The tumblers optionally have heating or cooling capabilities, although in a preferred embodiment the tumblers are at atmospheric pressure and do not have any additional heat provided or removed. While the mixer has been described as a tumbler, the description should not be deemed limiting as many other mixing means known in the art can be successfully employed. 
         [0022]    The next ingredient employed in the first panning step  101  is the primary slurry  121 . As to one embodiment, a primary slurry  121  comprising a binder is used. As used herein a “binder” is a binding agent which is sufficiently sticky to adhere two solids together. Although many different binders may be successfully employed, in one embodiment, the primary slurry  121  comprises at least one binder selected from the following group: honey, brown sugar, rice syrup, and corn syrup. In a preferred embodiment, the primary slurry  121  comprises water, honey, brown sugar, rice syrup, and sea salt. As discussed above, many consumers strive to avoid products comprising corn syrup, especially high fructose corn syrup. Accordingly, in one embodiment the binder comprises corn syrup in an amount less than about 5% by weight of the slurry. In a preferred embodiment, the primary slurry  121  comprises no corn syrup. In such embodiments, one novel aspect of the current invention is the use of ingredients other than corn syrup to achieve desired attributes in a final product. As discussed above, the composition of the slurry determines both the texture of the finished product as well as the adhesiveness of the product. 
         [0023]    As will be discussed below, to overcome the problem of texture being coupled with adhesiveness, the current invention utilizes a secondary slurry  122  to provide the adhesiveness needed to adhere pieces of inclusions. This allows for increased freedom in selecting the primary slurry  121  to account for other attributes such as taste, sweetness, and texture. Thus, the use of a secondary slurry  122  allows for the decoupling of texture and adhesiveness. One benefit of this decoupling is the formation of a primary slurry  121  which can produce a softer intermediate product. A softer intermediate product may be desirable or necessary if subsequent processing hardens the intermediate product to an undesirable degree. For example, the addition of inclusions  132  to the intermediate product often results in a harder final product. Likewise, baking  103  typically results in a harder final product. It can be appreciated that if it is known that subsequent processing steps will result in a harder process then it will prove helpful to produce a primary slurry which can produce a softer intermediate product. 
         [0024]    The sweetness, the softness, and the stickiness of a product are a function of the dextrose equivalent (DE) of its slurry. As the DE is increased, the sweetness and stickiness of the product increases, whereas the softness of the product decreases. It should be noted that a high DE comprises a short saccharide length whereas a low DE comprises a long saccharide length. It can be appreciated that on the spectrum of DE, on one extreme side is a product with a high DE which is sweet, sticky, and hard, and on the other extreme side is a product with a low DE which is not very sweet or sticky, but which is very soft. Thus, for slurry formulation the first step is determining where on that spectrum is it desirable to operate. As stated above, if it is known that subsequent processing includes baking  103  and or the addition of inclusions  132 , then it is desirable for the intermediate product to be softer. These product qualities are adjusted by varying the composition of the primary slurry  121 . 
         [0025]    As discussed above, in one embodiment the primary slurry  121  comprises brown sugar, honey, rice syrup, salt, and water. Brown sugar typically comprises a medium DE, between about 40 and about 60. Brown sugar is a sucrose sugar which typically comprises molasses. As used in one preferred embodiment, brown sugar comprises from about 0% to about 60% of the primary slurry  121 , more preferably from about 5% to about 25%. Honey has a higher DE than brown sugar, typically between about 90 and about 99. “Honey,” as used herein, refers to a sweet and viscous fluid produced by bees and derived from the nectar of flowers. In one preferred embodiment, honey comprises from about 0% to about 25% of the primary slurry  121 , more preferably from about 5% to about 25%. Rice syrup has a lower DE than honey, typically ranging from about 20 to about 40. As used herein “rice syrup” is a sweetener derived from culturing cooked rice. In one preferred embodiment, rice syrup comprises from about 0% to about 70% of the primary slurry  121 , more preferably from about 20% to about 50%. The primary slurry  121  can also comprise water. The water content of a slurry is adjusted to adjust the viscosity of the slurry as well as other factors. The composition of water in the primary slurry  121  in one embodiment ranges from about 0% to about 60%, more preferably from about 20% to about 40%. Finally, the primary slurry  121  may comprise salt. Salt is added primarily for taste. In one embodiment, salt ranges from about 0% to about 5% of the primary slurry  121 . The composition of each ingredient is adjusted to produce a slurry with a desired DE and thus a desired texture, stickiness, and sweetness. Additionally, the composition of each ingredient is adjusted for taste and flavor as well. 
         [0026]    Table 1, below, summarizes compositions of the primary slurry  121  for one preferred embodiment. 
         [0000]                                  TABLE 1                   Primary Slurry Composition                Ingredient   Composition                       Rice Syrup   39%           Water   30%           Brown Sugar   17%           Honey   12%           Salt   2.0%            Total   100%                         
The primary slurry  121  as disclosed in Table 1 results in a final product  124  which, after the addition of inclusions  132 , and after baking  103 , is crunchy yet not undesirably hard.
 
         [0027]    Once a primary slurry  121  composition has been selected, and formulated, it is heated to a temperature of about 150° F. to about 170° F. The primary purpose for so heating the primary slurry  121  is to ensure the ingredients are dissolved and are microbiologically safe; these temperatures make the slurry microbiologically stable. Further, raising the temperature results in decreased viscosity which is desirable as the primary slurry  121  is to be used to adhere a dry mix  131  to the center portions  111 . 
         [0028]    The next ingredient used in the first panning step  101  is the dry mix  131 . The dry mix  131  comprises a variety of ingredients. This invention is ideally suited for dry mixes  131  which are starch based although other mixes work as well. In some preferred embodiments the dry mix  131  includes but is not limited to flour, sugar, waxy starch, corn bran, modified corn starch, salt, and baking powder. The dry mix  131  can optionally include specialty ingredients such as fruit powders, probiotics, beta-glucans, antioxidants and other phytochemicals, which further enhance the nutritional qualities of the product. As discussed above, when baking the dry mix  131  had typically been limited to a combination of chemical leaveners and a source of amylopectin at a level of about 1% to about 40% by weight as these were used to achieve the desired expansion to result in a light, fluffy product. The use of ingredients high in fiber had been limited in the prior art because of the expansion loss associated with high levels of fibers. With the advent of new starch processing technologies, however, chemically or physically modified starches are now available that can compensate for the aforementioned expansion loss. Consequently, it is now possible that the dry mix  131  can comprise a significant amount of whole grains without compromising texture. This allows for “made with whole grains” or “multigrain” claims that further appeal to the label-savvy consumer. “Whole grain,” as used herein, refers to grains containing all of the essential and naturally-occurring nutrients of the entire grain including, for example, the germ, bran, and endosperm fractions. “Multigrain,” as used herein, refers to a mixture of grains comprising more than two types of grain. Thus, due to advancements in the processing of starch as well as the disclosure of the instant invention, the dry mix  131  can comprise a wide variety of ingredients. Each ingredient is adjusted to alter the final product qualities such as taste, texture, etc. Table 2 below summarizes a preferred composition of one whole grain formulation of the dry mix  131 . Table 3 summarizes a preferred composition of one multigrain formulation of the dry mix  131 . 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 2 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Whole Grain Formula 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                   
                 Percentage 
               
               
                   
                 Ingredient 
                 by Weight 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Whole wheat flour 
                   6.0% 
               
               
                   
                 Oat Flour 
                    13% 
               
               
                   
                 Sugar 
                    14% 
               
               
                   
                 Waxy Starch 
                    30% 
               
               
                   
                 Corn Bran 
                    15% 
               
               
                   
                 Buckwheat Flour 
                    13% 
               
               
                   
                 Modified Corn 
                   9.0% 
               
               
                   
                 Starch 
                   
               
               
                   
                 TOTAL 
                 100.00% 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 3 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Multigrain Formula 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                   
                 Percentage 
               
               
                   
                 Ingredient 
                 by Weight 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Whole corn flour 
                    42% 
               
               
                   
                 Whole Wheat Flour 
                    20% 
               
               
                   
                 Rice Flour 
                    15% 
               
               
                   
                 Whole Oat Flour 
                    12% 
               
               
                   
                 Sugar 
                   7.6% 
               
               
                   
                 Salt 
                   1.9% 
               
               
                   
                 Baking powder 
                   1.5% 
               
               
                   
                 TOTAL 
                 100.00% 
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0029]    After a formulation for the dry mix  131  has been selected, all ingredients are milled to achieve a uniform particle size. In one embodiment the particles are milled to a size of about 60 mesh or smaller. Typically a smaller uniform particle size is preferred during the panning process as smaller particle sizes helps achieve a uniform coating. 
         [0030]    Now that center portions  111 , primary slurry  121 , and a dry mix  131  have been prepared, the first panning step  101  begins. First, a volume of primary slurry  121  is fed into the tumblers. The slurry can be introduced in a variety of ways. In one embodiment the primary slurry  121  is simply poured or pumped into the tumbler; in another embodiment the primary slurry  121  is sprayed. The volume of slurry  121  added depends on the size of the vessel, the desired batch size in a tumbler, the ratio of slurry  121  to dry mix  131 , the number of layers desired, as well as other factors. 
         [0031]    The tumbler mixes the contents until the primary slurry  121  has completely coated the center portion  111 . As used herein, “complete coating” means coating of at least about 80% of the available surface area. The time necessary to reach complete coating is dependent on several factors such as product geometry, adhesiveness of the slurry, application method, as well as others. In one embodiment the time necessary to achieve complete coating ranges from about 30 seconds to about 10 minutes. The volume of slurry  121  added is also dependent on the number of cycles desired. A single cycle is defined herein as the addition of a slurry followed by the addition of a solid ingredient. The number of cycles is related to, among other factors, the desired amount and thickness of the layers. For example, if it is desired that a nut be coated with a thin layer, then only a few cycles are employed. In a preferred embodiment the number of cycles ranges from about 1 to about 25, more preferably from about 5 to about 15, and most preferably about 10. 
         [0032]    After a volume of slurry  121  has been added to the tumbler, then a volume of dry mix  131  is added to the tumbler. The dry mix  131 , like the slurry  121 , can be added in a variety of ways including being pumped or dropped into the tumbler. The volume of dry mix  131  is dependent on the desired number of layers and the desired thickness of each layer as well as the volume of slurry added. The dry mix  131  and primary slurry  121  are added in such a manner that sufficient slurry  121  is present to adhere the dry mix  131  onto the center portion  111 . This ratio is dependent on a plurality of factors and can be streamlined through trial and error or through calculations. Typically slightly more dry mix  131  is added, by weight, than the primary slurry  121 . In one embodiment the dry mix  131  accounts for about 15% to about 35% of the product before baking or frying. The amount of dry mix can be adjusted to achieve the desired taste and texture of the final product. The slurry, in one embodiment, accounts for about 10% to about 25% of the product before baking or frying. Again, these percentages vary based on a plurality of factors including slurry  121  and dry mix  131  formulation. As stated above, the adhesiveness of the primary slurry  121  is adjusted by varying the primary slurry ingredients which in turn affects the ratio of slurry  121  to dry mix  131  necessary to achieve complete coating. 
         [0033]    After a volume of dry mix  131  is added to the tumbler then the tumbler&#39;s contents are mixed. The contents are mixed for a time sufficient to allow complete coating of the center portion  111  with the dry mix  131  and the primary slurry  121 . The time necessary to allow complete coating again depends on a multitude of factors and ranges from about 1 to about 10 minutes for one layer. After mixing to complete coating, a first cycle is completed. Typically, at least one cycle is completed creating at least one layer. If so desired a new cycle is started with the addition of a second volume of primary slurry  121  and a second volume of dry mix  131  in alternate fashions to create a second layer. After the final cycle has been completed a first intermediate product is formed and the first panning step  101  is completed. The layers formed during the first panning step  101  are collectively referred to as the inner layer. 
         [0034]    In a preferred embodiment the final product  124  comprises inclusions  132 . Referring to  FIG. 1 , the second panning step  102  is used to adhere inclusions  132  to a first intermediate product. The first ingredient of the second panning step  102  is the secondary slurry  122 . It is desirable that any inclusions  132  added to a product remain on the product to prevent waste and to increase product integrity. To ensure the inclusions  132  remain on the product, the secondary slurry  122  which adheres the inclusions  132  to the product must be highly adhesive. As used herein, “highly adhesive” refers to a slurry which is capable of adhering inclusions to at least about 80% of the surface of the center portion. As previously discussed, however, using slurries which are highly adhesive tends to create a glass-like texture which is very hard. As discussed, since this quality is undesirable, Applicants&#39; disclose the use of two slurries, a primary and a secondary, only one of which is necessarily sufficiently adhesive to adhere the inclusions. In one embodiment, Applicants&#39; disclose using only as much of the secondary slurry  122  as is necessary to adhere the inclusions  132 , eliminating the undesirable glassy texture which results when a highly adhesive slurry is used throughout the panning process. 
         [0035]    It follows that the secondary slurry  122  is typically more adhesive, and thus has a higher DE. The adhesiveness desired for the secondary slurry  122  is a function of many factors including the size of the inclusions and the geometry and size of the center portion  111 . It can be appreciated the adhesiveness of the secondary slurry  122  does not need to be as great when the inclusions  132  are small and light compared to when heavier and larger inclusions  132  are used. Similarly, a larger center portion  111  generally offers more “flat” space compared to a smaller center portion  111  which is beneficial when attempting to adhere inclusions to the surface of a center portion  111 , Accordingly, the adhesiveness of a secondary slurry  122  can be decreased if a flatter center portion  111  is used. 
         [0036]    The secondary slurry  122 , like the primary slurry  121 , comprises a binder. In one embodiment, the secondary slurry  122  comprises at least one binder selected from the following group: honey, brown sugar, rice syrup, and corn syrup. The use of similar ingredients provides flexibility in processing in that storage and handling equipment for these ingredients can be used in the processing of both slurries. The use of each ingredient is adjusted to achieve desired qualities in both the slurry and the final product. It should be noted that since the secondary slurry  122  is not mixed or buried with the dry mix  131 , often the ingredients of the secondary slurry  122  exhibit a stronger flavor in the final product  124  than do the ingredients of the primary slurry  121 . In a preferred embodiment, the secondary slurry  122  comprises water, brown sugar, and sea salt. As previously discussed, many consumers strive to either avoid products comprising corn syrup or consume products with limited corn syrup. Accordingly, in one embodiment the binder of the secondary slurry  122  comprises corn syrup in an amount of less than about 5% by weight of the slurry. In a preferred embodiment, the secondary slurry  122  comprises no corn syrup. The secondary slurry  122  can comprise ingredients with similar ranges as those described for the primary slurry  121 . Table 4 summarizes the composition of a secondary slurry  122  in one preferred embodiment. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
             
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE 4 
               
             
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Secondary Slurry Formulation 
               
             
          
           
               
                   
                   
                 Percentage 
               
               
                   
                 Ingredient 
                 by Weight 
               
               
                   
                   
               
               
                   
                 Brown Sugar 
                 60% 
               
               
                   
                 Water 
                 38% 
               
               
                   
                 Salt 
                 2.0%  
               
               
                   
                 Total 
                 100%  
               
               
                   
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0037]    The secondary slurry  122  is mixed and heated at a temperature of about 150° F. to about 170° F. As with the primary slurry  121 , the main purpose of so heating the secondary slurry  122  is to ensure the ingredients are dissolved and are microbiologically safe. Also, the elevated temperature results in a decreased viscosity, making the slurry easier to pour. Like the primary slurry  121 , the secondary slurry  122  can be pumped, poured, or sprayed onto the first intermediate product. The tumbler&#39;s contents are then mixed for a time sufficient to reach complete coating. In one embodiment, the time necessary to achieve complete coating ranges from about 30 seconds to about 10 minutes. The layer or layers of secondary slurry  122  coated onto the first intermediate product are collectively referred to as the outer layer. Because the secondary slurry  122  is added after the primary slurry  121 , the outer layer is adhered atop the inner layer. 
         [0038]    After the first intermediate product is coated with a second slurry  122 , the next step in the second panning step  102  is the introduction of inclusions  132 . Inclusions  132  can comprise many different ingredients such as whole wheat, wheat bran, herbs, spices, sesame seeds, granola, bumped oats, chopped nuts, poppy seeds, various other seeds, fruit pieces, etc. The inclusions  132  may increase the nutritional content of the product increasing the appeal from some consumers. Further, similar to the dry mix  131 , the inclusions  132  can optionally include specialty ingredients such as fruit powders, probiotics, beta-glucans, antioxidants and other phytochemicals, which further enhance the nutritional qualities of the product. Finally, the inclusions  132  can vary in size depending on the desired final product. For example, the inclusion  132  may be whole sesame seeds or may be chopped nuts milled to a fine particle size. As described above, often the slurry used to adhere the inclusions  132  to a product results in an undesirably hard product. This problem is exaggerated as the inclusions  132  likewise tend to make the texture harder. Thus, the use of inclusions  132  makes the disclosed method of using two slurries even more pertinent. 
         [0039]    The inclusions  132  are added after the secondary slurry  122  and are thus located atop the outer layer. When more than one layer of inclusions is desired then multiple cycles of secondary slurry  122  followed by inclusions  132  are used. As to one embodiment, sufficient inclusions  132  and secondary slurry  122  are added to partially coat the first intermediate product with the inclusions  132 . As used herein “sufficient” refers to an amount of an ingredient which results in the desirable attributes such as taste, texture, and coverage, yet which does not unnecessarily waste ingredients. As used herein “partially coating” means at least 5% of the available surface area is coated with the inclusions  132 . In a preferred embodiment, inclusions  132  are partially coated to comprise greater than about 50% of the available surface area, while in a more preferred embodiment the inclusions  132  comprise about 80% of the available surface area. While in many embodiments it is usually preferred that the final product comprise only one layer of inclusions  132 , it is possible that subsequent cycles of secondary slurry  122  and inclusions  132  may be added to produce a product with multiple layers of inclusions  132 . 
         [0040]    The tumbler&#39;s contents are allowed to mix until the first intermediate product is partially coated with inclusions  132 , at which time a second intermediate is formed and the second panning step  102  is complete. In one embodiment the time necessary to achieve partial coating ranges from about 1 to about 20 minutes. Thus, in one embodiment the time from the first addition of the primary slurry  121  until a second intermediate is formed and the second panning step  102  is complete ranges from about 45 minutes to about 2 hours, more preferably between about 1 hour and 1.5 hours. 
         [0041]    After the second intermediate product is formed, a variety of subsequent steps are possible. In one embodiment, the product is then applied a final finish. The final finish can comprise frying, baking, and the like.  FIG. 1  illustrates a preferred embodiment wherein the next step is baking  103 . In a preferred embodiment the second intermediate product is baked to a temperature of about 250° F. to about 350° F. and more preferably from about 285° to about 310° F. It is baked for a period of time ranging from about 15 minutes to about one hour, more preferably from about 25 minutes to about 45 minutes. The second intermediate product, upon baking, results in a loss of water  113  and accordingly a reduction of moisture content. During and after baking  103 , the second intermediate product typically loses about 5% to about 25% by weight water, more preferably about 15% by weight water. In a preferred embodiment, the final product has a moisture content between about 0.5% and about 4%, and more preferably from about 1.5% to about 3%. 
         [0042]    As shown by  FIG. 1 , after the baking step  103  is complete, the final step is the seasoning step  104 . The second intermediate product can be seasoned with salt or seasoning  114  to form a final product  124 . As used herein, “seasoning” refers to a substance used to impart flavor into a product. Examples of seasoning  114  include, but are not limited to, cinnamon, sugar, honey, cheese seasoning, garlic, etc. The amount of seasoning and salt  114  can be adjusted for taste and can take place before or after baking  103 . In one embodiment about 1.1% by weight salt is added to the second intermediate product. In other embodiments about 3% by weight seasoning is added to the second intermediate product. These amounts are given as examples only and should not be deemed limiting. The amount of salt or seasoning  114 , or any combination thereof is virtually limitless. The seasoning or salt  114  can applied in any desirable manner known in the art. One such example is by spraying the salt or seasoning  114  onto the second intermediate product with about a 2% by weight oil spray which helps adhere the seasoning to the product. The seasoning and salt  114  can be cascaded onto the product, or the addition can take place in a tumbler. Thereafter, a final product  124  is formed which comprises seasoning  114  atop the outer layer. It should be noted that not all steps are required in every embodiment. For example, in one embodiment, the second intermediate product is not baked. In such an embodiment, the second intermediate product formed after the completion of the second panning step  102  and an optional seasoning step  104  is the final product. Thus, while one embodiment has been described, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the order of and types of processing steps can be adjusted to yield desired products without deviating from the scope of the current invention. 
         [0043]    The aforementioned method results in a crunchy food product. When finished, the product, in one embodiment, comprises a center portion, an inner layer adhered to the center portion, an outer layer adhered to the inner layer, and inclusions located atop the outer layer. While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to a preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.