Abstract:
A method of manufacturing breadcrumbs, including the steps of forming a mixture, extruding the mixture to form loaves, surface drying the loaves in a first drying step, comminuting the loaves to form particles having a smaller size than the loaves, and further drying the particles in a second drying step to obtain the breadcrumbs.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present application relates generally to breadcrumb manufacturing and more particularly relates to a system and a method for manufacturing Japanese style breadcrumbs and other types of breadcrumbs in a fast and efficient manner. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Breadcrumbs traditionally may be manufactured by baking an amount of dough, allowing the baked dough to go stale, and then toasting and/or grinding the baked dough into breadcrumbs of an appropriate size. The breadcrumbs then may be used to coat chicken, fish, meat, vegetables, or other types of foodstuffs. 
     Japanese style breadcrumbs are distinguished in that they are shaped as elongated slivers with a porous structure and low bulk density. Japanese style breadcrumbs may be used to provide a tender texture and crispiness to a variety of fried foods. Japanese style breadcrumbs generally are formed by passing an electric current through the dough to generate heat therein, i.e., a dielectric baking process. The baked dough then may be dried over time and grated. Such known methods, however, may require a significant amount of time to produce acceptable breadcrumbs. 
     What may be desired therefore is a system and method of manufacturing breadcrumbs, particularly Japanese style breadcrumbs, in a fast and efficient manner. The breadcrumbs preferably can be manufactured without an extended drying period or for the need for the cooked dough to go stale. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A method of manufacturing breadcrumbs may be described herein. One example may include the steps of forming a mixture, extruding the mixture to form loaves, surface drying the loaves in a first drying step, comminuting the loaves to form particles having a smaller size than the loaves, and further drying the particles in a second drying step to obtain the breadcrumbs. 
     The mixture may be cooked during the extrusion step. The loaves may be about 10 to about 40 millimeters in diameter and about 10 to about 50 millimeters in length. 
     The surface drying step may include a drying temperature of about 60° to about 80° Celsius or above about 250° Celsius. The first drying step and/or the further drying step may include a fluid bed dryer. 
     The comminuting step may include a first cutting step for coarse cutting followed by a second cutting step for fine cutting. The comminuting step also may include a cutting step for a first size reduction followed by a grinding step for a second size reduction. 
     The surface drying step may be followed by a tempering step to expose the loaves to ambient air. The loaves may be exposed to ambient air for about an hour. The further drying step may be followed by a sizing step. 
     The mixture may have a water content at the extruding step of about thirty-five to about forty-five percent (about 35 to about 45%). The loaves may have a water content at the surface drying step of about twenty to about twenty-five percent (about 20 to about 25%). The breadcrumbs may have a water content at the drying step of about ten to about three percent (about 10 to about 3%). 
     A system for manufacturing crumbs from a raw material mixture also may be described herein. One example may include an extruder for extruding the mixture to form loaves having a first size, a first dryer for surface drying the loaves, a comminuting device for comminuting the loaves to form crumbs having a smaller size than the loaves, and a second dryer for further drying the crumbs. 
     The extruder may be heated. The extruder also may include a cutter. The first and the second dryer may include a fluid bed dryer. The comminuting device may include a first cutter for coarse cutting and a second cutter for fine cutting. Specifically, the comminuting device may include the first cutter for a first size reduction and a grinder downstream of the second dryer for a second size reduction. The system also may include a tempering chamber positioned between the extruder and the comminuting device and a sizing device for sizing the crumbs. 
     The system also may include a number of vertically extending transport lines connecting the extruder, the first dryer, the comminuting device, and the second dryer. The transport lines may include a number of pneumatic conveying lines. The transport lines also may use gravity for conveying. 
     The system may include, in series, the first dryer, a first cutter for coarse cutting, a second cutter for fine cutting, the second dryer, and a grinder. The system further may include a first bypass line connected between the first cutter and the second dryer for bypassing the second cutter and a second bypass line bypassing the grinder. 
     A further system for manufacturing a number of product crumbs may be described herein. The system may include an extruder for forming a number of product loaves, means for drying the product loaves; means for tempering the product loaves, means for cutting the product loaves into the number of product crumbs, and means for drying the product crumbs. The system further may include means for grinding the number of product crumbs and means for sizing the number of product crumbs. The system also may include a number of pneumatic transport means. 
     A further system for manufacturing a number of product crumbs also may be described herein. The system may include an intake station, an extrusion station, a first drying station, a tempering station, a chopping station, and a further drying station. 
     These and other features of the present invention will become apparent upon review of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings and the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIGS. 1A-1C  are process flow diagrams of a breadcrumb manufacturing system as is described herein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like elements throughout the several views,  FIGS. 1A-1C  show a process flow diagram for a breadcrumb manufacturing system  100  as is described herein. The breadcrumbs manufacturing system  100  may take an amount of raw materials and water and produce various types of breadcrumb products, including Japanese style breadcrumbs, American style breadcrumbs, and other desired styles. The raw materials may include various types of flour, starch, salt, sugar, oil, leavening, coloring, and other ingredients in any desired proportion. 
     The breadcrumb manufacturing system  100  may include a number of different stations, including an intake station  110 . The intake station  110  may include a number of raw material bins  120 . In this example, a first raw material bin  121 , a second raw material bin  122 , and a third raw material bin  123 . Any number of raw material bins  120 , however, may be used. The raw material bins  120  may have the usable capacity of about 2000 cubic feet (about 56.6 cubic meters). The bins  120 , however, may have any desired size or shape. The raw material bins  120  may be made out of steel or similar types of materials. The raw material bins  120  may include internal load cells, level probes, filters, inspection doors and access doors. Additional bins  120  may be used for overflow protection. 
     The raw material bins  120  may be filled in any manner. In this example, an intake pneumatic transport system  130  may be used to transport the raw materials from a mix plant to the raw material bins  120 . The intake pneumatic transport system  130  may have conveying capacity of about 60,000 pounds per hour (about 27,215 kilograms per hour). The intake pneumatic transport system  130  may extend for up to about 475 feet (about 144.8 meters) and may include a number of ninety-degree (90°) turns. The intake pneumatic transport system  130  may be made out of steel. The intake pneumatic transport system  130  may have a blower  140  to provide the necessary airflow for the transport of the materials. The blower  140  may include a rotary blower with about a 150 horsepower motor. Any size or speed motor may be used. The blower  140  may use a silencer. The intake pneumatic transport system  130  may have any desired size or operational parameters. 
     The intake pneumatic transport system  130  also may include one or more diverter valves so as to direct the raw materials to one of the raw material bins  120 . The intake pneumatic transport system  130  also may include one or more exhaust fans and discharge air locks. The exhaust fan may have about a 7.5 horsepower motor. The discharge airlock may have about a two (2) horsepower motor. The exhaust fan and the discharge airlock may have any size motor. The exhaust fan and the discharge airlock allow the air driven through the pneumatic transport system  130  to vent. The intake pneumatic transport system  130  also may have one or more filters  148  positioned about the raw material bins  120 . The filters  148  may include one or more filter bags positioned therein. The filters  148  may use a reverse pulse cleaning system. 
     The raw material bins  120  each also may have a vibrating discharger  150  to provide a smooth discharge flow of the raw materials. Specifically, a first vibrating discharger  151 , a second vibrating discharger  152 , and a third vibrating discharger  153  may be used. Any number of the vibrating dischargers  150  may be used. The vibrating dischargers  150  may have a fully oscillating discharge tray therein driven by a vibratory motor. The raw material bins  120  each also may have a discharge screw conveyor  160 . Specifically, a first screw feeder  161 , a second screw feeder  162 , and a third screw feeder  163  may be used. Any number of the discharge screw conveyors  160  may be used. The discharge screw conveyors  160  provide a continuous flow of the raw materials. The discharge screw conveyors  160  may be driven by about a three (3) horsepower motor. Any size motor may be used. 
     The discharge screw conveyor  160  may lead, directly or indirectly, to a sifter pneumatic transport system  190 . The sifter pneumatic transport system  190  may have a conveying capacity of about 20,000 pounds per hour (about 9,100 kilograms per hour) for up to about 160 feet (about 48.8 meters). The sifter pneumatic transport system  190  may have a number of ninety-degree (90°) turns therein. The sifter pneumatic transport system  190  may be made out or steel or similar types of materials. The pneumatic transport system  190  may include a blower  200 . The blower  200  may be a positive displacement rotary blower with about a thirty (30) horsepower motor. The blower  200  may use a silencer. The sifter pneumatic transport system  190  may have any desired size or operational parameters. 
     The discharge screw conveyor  160  of the raw material bins  120  may be directly connected to the sifter pneumatic transport system  190  via a hopper vent  210 . The hopper vent  210  may be connected to the pneumatic transport system  190  via an inlet airlock or similar types of valve means. The inlet airlock may be operated by about a 1.5 horsepower motor at about 1800 rpm. Any size or speed motor may be used. 
     Alternatively, the screw feeders  160  of the raw material bins  120  also may be in communication with the pneumatic transport system  190  via a bulk packaging unit  220 . The bulk packaging unit  220  may include a number of bulk bags  230 . The bulk bags  230  may be made out of woven polypropylene, or similar types of materials. 
     The bulk bags  230  may be mounted within a bulk bag filling station  240 . The bulk bag filling station  240  may include a load cell or similar types of weighing means. Once filled, the bulk bags  230  may be maneuvered from the bulk bag filling station  240  via a conveyor system  250 . The conveyor system  250  may be made out of steel or similar types of materials. The conveyor system  250  may have a bag capacity of 4000 pounds (about 1814 kilograms). The bags  230  with the raw materials therein may be stored for a predetermined length of time. The conveyor system  250  may lead to a bulk bag unloader  260 . The bulk bag unloader  260  may include a product hopper  270  and a discharge screw  280 . The discharge screw  280  provides a smooth flow of the raw material therethrough. The discharge screw  280  may include about a five (5) horsepower motor. Any size motor may be used. The discharge screw  280 , in turn, may be in communication with a hopper vent  290 . The hopper vent  290  may be in communication with the sifter pneumatic transport system  190  via an inlet airlock or similar means. 
     The sifter pneumatic transport system  190  may lead to a cyclone receiver  300  associated with a sifter  320 . The cyclone receiver  300  provides separation of the product from the conveying air stream. The cyclone receiver  300  may have an airlock positioned thereon. The airlock may have about a 1.25 horsepower motor that operates at about 180 rpm. Any size or speed motor may be used. The sifter pneumatic transport system  190  also may have an exhaust fan to aspire the bypass air from the cyclone receiver  300 . 
     The cyclone receiver  300  may lead to the sifter  320 . The sifter  320  may have a rotating cylinder with a sieve or a similar structure therein. The sifter  320  may operate at about 1800 revolutions per minute with about a 7.5 horsepower motor. Any size or speed motor may be used. The sifter  320  ensures that the raw material stream is evenly distributed. 
     Positioned adjacent to the sifter  320  may be a magnet  330 . The magnet  330  may be a double row drawer magnet or a similar structure. The magnet  330  may assist with the gravity flow of the raw material stream from the sifter  320 . The magnet  330  also may remove impurities in the raw material stream. 
     Positioned beneath the magnet  330  may be a raw material bin  340 . The raw material bin  340  may be made out of steel and may have a usable capacity of about 200 cubic feet (about 5.7 cubic meters). Any size or shape may be used. The raw material bin  340  may have an inspection port therein as well as high and low level probes. The raw material bin  340  may include a vibrating discharger  350 . The vibrating discharger  350  may be similar to the vibrating discharger  150  described above. The vibrating discharger  350  may lead to a discharge screw conveyor  360 . The discharge screw conveyor  360  provides controlled flow from the raw material bin  340 . The discharge screw conveyor  360  may have about a two (2) horsepower motor. The discharge screw conveyor  360  may be similar to the discharge screw conveyors  160  described above. 
     The breadcrumb manufacturing system  100  also may include a mixing station  400 . The mixing station  400  may be fed via gravity from the raw material bin  340  and the discharge screw conveyor  360 . The mixing station  400  may include a gravimetric feeder  410 . The gravimetric feeder  410  may be a single screw feeder. The gravimetric feeder  410  also may have modular differential proportioning scale. The gravimetric feeder  410  may be made out of stainless steel or similar types of material. 
     The gravimetric feeder  410  may be in communication with a mixer  420 . The mixer  420  may include a number of paddle screws with adjustable paddles. The mixer  420  may include about a 7.5 horsepower motor. Any size or speed motor may be used. The mixer  420  may be made out of stainless steel. The mixer  420  may be in communication with a water addition system  430 . The water addition system  430  provides water to the mixer  420 . The mixer  430  mixes the incoming raw material stream with a predetermined amount of water. 
     The breadcrumb manufacturing system  100  also may include an extrusion station  450 . The extrusion station  450  may include an extruder  460 . The extruder  460  may be sold by Buhler Ltd. of Uzwil, Switzerland. The extruder  460  may include two (2) overhung, co-rotating, intermeshing screw shafts. The screws may scrape material off each other and off the barrel wall. The screws may have a speed of about 300 to about 500 revolutions per minute. The extruder  460  may have a screw diameter of about four (4) to about five (5) inches (about 102 to about 127 millimeters). 
     The extruder  460  may include about a 750 horsepower motor within a control range of about 1-10. Any size or speed motor may be used. The materials may pass through the extruder  460  at about 6614 pounds to about 9920 pounds per hour (about 3000 to about 4500 kilograms per hour). The extruder  460  may be heated and operate over a temperature range of about 158 to about 338 degrees Fahrenheit (about 70 to about 170 degrees Celsius). The extruder  460  may have any desired size or operational parameters. The extruder  460  thus may be self-cleaning. The extruder  460  may be computer controlled by an Allen Bradley PLC or a similar type of control device. 
     The extruder  460  may be gravity fed from the mixing station  400 . The extruder  460  may have one or more raw material inlets  465  and a number of liquid inlets  470 . The liquid inlets  470  permit the addition of further water or oil to the raw material stream so as to transform the stream into a continuous dough mass. The dough is then cooked and chopped within the extruder  460 . The extruder  460  may include at least one vent for withdrawing moisture from the cooked dough. The extruder  460  also may include a die positioned on one end thereof. The die may have a diameter of about 0.3 inches (about 8 millimeters), although any diameter may be used. 
     As described above, the heat of the friction, the screw configuration, the speed of the screws, the size of the die, and the nature of the ingredients all may vary depending upon the intended final product. Other variables may include temperature, pressure, torque, and moisture levels. 
     Adjacent to the die of the extruder  460  may be a cutter  480 . The cutter  480  may include a rotating knife head. Three (3) cutter knives may be used. The cutter  480  may have a speed of about 500 to about 2000 revolutions per minute, although any speed may be used. The cutter  480  may cut the marshmallow like dough mass into mini loaves of bread. The product loaves may be about 0.39 to about 1.57 inches in diameter (about 10 to about 40 millimeters) and about 0.39 to about 1.97 inches in length (about 10 to about 50 millimeters). 
     The product loaves may exit the extruder  460  and may be transported via a dryer pneumatic transport system  490 . The dryer pneumatic transport system  490  may include a high-pressure fan to provide the necessary vacuum to move the product loaves therethough. The dryer pneumatic transport system  490  may have a capacity of about 13,125 pounds per hour (about 5950 kilograms per hour) of the extruded product loaves. The conveying distance may be about fifty (50) feet. Several 90-degree turns may be used. The dryer pneumatic transport system  490  may have any desired size or operational parameters. 
     The dryer pneumatic transport system  490  may connect the extrusion station  450  with a drying station  500 . The drying station  500  may include a cyclone receiver  510 . The cyclone receiver  510  may be made out of stainless steel or similar types of materials. The cyclone receiver  510  may be similar to the cyclone receiver  300  described above. 
     The drying station  500  also may include a fluid bed dryer  530 . The fluid bed dryer  530  may be a DNTW-1006 type fluid bed dryer provided by Buhler of Uzwil, Switzerland. The fluid bed dryer  530  may be made of stainless steel or similar types of materials. The fluid bed dryer  530  may include an inlet system section  540  for the entry of the product loaves from the cyclone receiver  510 . 
     The fluid bed dryer  530  also may have a number of modular drying sections  550 . Any number of sections  550  may be used. The drying sections  550  may be heated via one or more heaters  560 . Each heater  560  may be a direct-fired gas heater. The heaters  560  may operate in conjunction with a hot air blower  570 . 
     The modular drying sections  550  may have a temperature of about 140 to about 176 degrees Fahrenheit (about 60 to about 80 degrees Celsius) so as to reduce the temperature of the product loaves as they pass therethrough. Alternatively, the modular drying sections  550  may have a temperature of over 482 degrees Fahrenheit (about 250 degrees Celsius) to toast the outside of the product loaves. The heaters  490  may have any desired size or operational parameters. Other types of heating units may be used. 
     The drying section  550  of the fluid bed dryer  530  may have a conveying system to convey the product loaves therethrough. The conveyors may use a system of flights therein. The drying section  550  may include a number of pulsators with variable speed motors. The product loaves may spend about 75 to about 120 seconds within the fluid bed dryer  530 , although any desired time may be used. The fluid bed dryer  530  also may include a discharge section. 
     The fluid bed dryer  530  also may have a number of filters  580 . The filters  580  may be reverse pulse filters with a number of bags therein so as to trap product dust and other materials. A high-pressure exhaust fan also may be used. 
     The product loaves may exit the fluid bed dryer  530  via a temperer pneumatic transport system  600 . The temperer pneumatic transport system  600  may have a horizontal conveying length of about 60 feet (about 18.3 meters) and a vertical width of about 70 feet (about 21.3 meters). The temperer pneumatic transport system  600  may be made out of stainless steel and may have several 90° turns. The temperer pneumatic transport system  600  may include a high-pressure fan to provide the necessary vacuum to move the product loaves therethough. The temperer pneumatic transport system  600  may have a capacity of about 15,750 pounds per hour (about 7150 kilograms per hour). The temperer pneumatic transport system  600  may have any desired size or operational parameters. 
     The temperer pneumatic transport system  600  may move the product loaves from the fluid bed dryer  530  to a cyclone receiver  620  associated with one or more temperers  630 . The cyclone receiver  620  may be similar to those described above and made out of stainless steel or similar types of materials. 
     The product loaves may drop from the cyclone receiver  620  under the force gravity into the temperers  630 . The temperers  630  may be belt type coolers such as the DNTK-2-14K model provided by Buhler of Uzwil, Switzerland. Depending upon the desired final product, the temperers  630  may run at ambient temperature. Alternatively, the temperers  630  may be heated via the heaters  560  described above. Any desired temperatures may be used. The temperers  630  may include a number of drive belts  640  therein. The belts  640  are driven such that the product loaves may have a dwell time of about one (1) hour. The length of the belt time may be varied. 
     The temperers  630  also may have one or more cyclone separators in communication therewith. The cyclone separators may be similar to those described above. The cyclone separators may separate dust from the aspiration air stream. The cyclone separators may be made from stainless steel or similar types of materials. The temperers  630  also may have an aspiration fan in communication therewith. The aspiration fan may include about a 100 horsepower motor. The aspiration fan may include a silencer. Any desired size or operational parameters may be used. 
     The product loaves may exit the temperers  630  and fall into a chopping pneumatic transport system  680 . As with the temperer pneumatic transport system  600  described above, the chopping pneumatic transport system  680  may include a high-pressure fan so as to pull the necessary vacuum to convey the product loaves from the temperers  630 . The chopping pneumatic transport system  680  may have a horizontal conveying length of about twenty-five (25) feet (about 7.6 meters). The chopping pneumatic transport system  680  may include a number of 90-degree turns. The chopping pneumatic transport system  680  may have a capacity of about 14,000 pounds per hour (about 6350 kilograms per hour). The chopping pneumatic transport system  680  may have any desired size or operational parameters. 
     A metal detector  650  also may be positioned about the chopping pneumatic transport system  680 . The metal detector  650  may be used to detect the presence of metal in the free fall of the product stream. A cowbell style reject diverter may be used. Any conventional design may be used. 
     The breadcrumb manufacturing system  100  also may have a chopping station  750 . The chopping pneumatic transport system  680  may be in communication with a cyclone receiver  755  associated with the chopping station  750 . The cyclone receiver  755 , similar to those described above, may be made out of stainless steel or similar materials. The cyclone receiver  755  permits the accumulation of the product loaves. 
     The chopping station  750  may have a flow splitter  760  in communication with the cyclone receiver  700 . The flow splitter  760  may be a vibratory distributor. The flow splitter  760  may be made out of stainless steel. The flow splitter  760  may provide for a uniform distribution of the product loaves. 
     The flow splitter  760  may be in communication with a number of cutters  770 . The cutters  770  may slice or shred the product loaves into product crumbs. In this example, a number of rotating cutters  770  may be used. For example, the cutters  770  may have one impeller and two cutting heads each. The cutters  770  may operate at a high rate of speed, approximately 3000 to about 5600 revolutions per minute. The cutters  770  may have any desired size, speed, or other operational parameters. 
     A second or further set of the cutters  780  also may be used. Any desired number of cutters  770  may be used. The second set  780 , if used, may provide a smaller chop to reduce the size of the product crumbs according to the desired final product. For example, a course chop may be followed by a smaller chop. The size of the chop, the cut, or the grind may be varied. The nature of the cutting heads also may be varied. The second set of cutters  780  may be by-passed if desired. 
     The breadcrumb manufacturing system  100  further may include a drying station  800 . The product crumbs may fall under the force of gravity from the chopping station  750  to the drying station  880 . The drying station  800  may include a number of fluid bed dryers  810 . The fluid bed dryers  810  may be manufactured by Buhler of Uzwil, Switzerland. The fluid bed dryers  810  reduce the moisture content in the product crumb via airflow and heat if desired. 
     In this example, four (4) fluid bed dryers  810  may be used, a first fluid bed dryer  811 , a second fluid bed dryer  812 , a third fluid bed dryer  813 , and a fourth fluid bed dryer  814 . An air supply fan  820  may supply each fluid bed dryer  810 . The air supply fan  820  provides the necessary air for the fluid bed dryer  810  to maintain a fluid bed. The air supply fan  820  may have about a forty (40) horsepower motor. Each fluid bed dryer  810  also may have a heater  830  for direct heating of the drying air. The heaters  830  may be direct-fired gas heaters. Varying temperatures may be used. For example, the temperature may range from about 86 to about 194 degrees Fahrenheit (about 30 to about 90 degrees Celsius). The fluid bed dryers  810  may have a capacity of about 12,750 pounds per hour (about 5780 kilograms per hour). The fluid bed dryers  810 , and the components thereof, may have any desired size or operational parameters. 
     Each fluid bed dryer  810  may have a material bed  840  therein. The product loaves may be maneuvered across the bed  840  by pulses from the air supply fan  820  and the heater  830 . The gas stream may be introduced in pulses into the bed  840 , thus briefly fluidizing the product crumbs at rates or intervals. The conveying speed depends upon the frequency of the pulsation, the velocity of the gas acting on the bed  840  and factors specific to the products therein. The temperature and the airflow may be adjusted within the fluid bed dryers  810 . The product crumbs may pass through one or more of the fluid bed dryers  810  depending upon the final product. The material bed may have any desired size or operational parameters. 
     Each fluid bed dryer  810  also may include a filter. Each filter may be a reverse pulse type filter with a filter bag position therein. The filter bags may catch and trap dust and other materials from the fluid bed dryers  810 . Each filter also may have an exhaust fan. The exhaust fan may have about a thirty (30) to a sixty (60) horsepower motor. Any size fan may be used. 
     The product crumbs may leave the drying station  800  via a bucket elevator  870 . The elevator  870  may elevate the product crumbs from the drying station  800  and may provide for general handling of the product crumbs. The elevator  870  may have the capacity of about 10,500 pounds per hour (about 4763 kilograms per hour). Any other capacity also may be used. The elevator  870  may be made out of steel or similar materials. The elevator  870  may have buckets therein. The buckets may be made out of material approved for food processing applications. The bucket elevator  870  also may include or lead towards a product splitter  880 . The product splitter  880  may divide the product stream as desired. 
     The breadcrumb manufacturing system  100  further may include a sifting and packaging station  900 . The sifting and packaging station  900  may include a sifter  910 . Depending upon the desired size of the final product, the product crumbs may travel through the sifter  910  or bypass the sifter  910 . The sifter  910  may be made out of steel. The sifter  910  may include one or more sieve frames. The sifter  910  may include a number of discharge spouts. The sifter  910  may be used to separate product crumbs of different sizes. The sifter  910  may have any desired size or operational parameters. 
     Similarly, the product crumbs may travel through one or more grinders  920  depending upon the desired size of the final product. The grinders  920  may included fluted or smooth rollers. For example, the grinders  920  may have rolls with a diameter of about 9.8 inches (about 250 millimeter) and a length of about 49.2 inches (about 1250 millimeters). The clearance between the respective grinder rolls may be varied depending upon the desired size of the final product. The grinders  920  may be driven by a number of thirty (30) horsepower, 1200 revolutions per minute motors. The grinders  920  may have any desired size, speed, or operational parameters. 
     Certain products crumbs also may be sent back through the sifter  910  depending upon the desired size of the final product. Such products may travel through a grinder pneumatic transport system  930  to a cyclone receiver  940  for collection. The cyclone receiver  940  may be similar to the cyclone receivers described above. The grinder pneumatic transport system  930  may be made out of stainless steel or similar materials. The grinder pneumatic transport system  930  may have a length of about sixty (60) feet (about 18.3 meters) and include a number of ninety-degree (90°) turns. The grinder pneumatic transport system  930  also may include a conveying fan to pull a necessary vacuum to re-elevate the product from the grinders  920  to the sifter  910 . More than one cyclone receiver  940  may be used. The grinder pneumatic transport system  930 , and the components thereof, may have any desired size or operational parameters. 
     The sifting and packaging station  900  also may have a number of product bins  970 . In this case, a finished product bin  971 , a course product bin  972 , and a fine product bin  973 . Any number of bins  970  may be used. Products of the desired shape will be forwarded either directly from the bucket elevator  870 , the sifter  910 , or the grinders  920 . The finished product bin  971  may have a usable capacity of about 1650 cubic feet (about 46.7 cubic meters). The coarse product bin  972  may have about a 325 cubic feet capacity (about 9.2 cubic meters). The fine product bin  973  may have a capacity of about 285 cubic feet (about 8 cubic meters). The size of the bins  970  may be varied. The product bins  970  may have any desired size. The product bins  970  may be made out of stainless steel or similar types of materials. 
     Each product bin  970  may have a vibrating discharger  980  positioned thereon. Each vibrating discharger  980  may be made out of stainless steel or similar types of materials. Positioned beneath the vibrating dischargers  980  may be a discharge feeder  990 . The discharge feeders  990  may be similar to the vibratory or screw feeders described above and may include about a 2.2 kilowatt gear motor. The discharge feeders  990  may have any size or operational parameter. 
     The sifter and packaging station  900  also may include one or more intermediate surge bins  1000 . The intermediate surge bins  1000  may be positioned underneath the discharge feeders  990 . The intermediate surge bins  1000  allow individual product feed control based upon weight. The intermediate surge bins  1000  may have a capacity of about 70 cubic feet (about 2 cubic meters). The intermediate surge bins  1000  may have any size or operational parameter. 
     Positioned underneath the intermediate surge bins  1000  may be a packaging carousel  1020 . The packaging carousel  1020  may include a number of pneumatically operated bag spouts. The packaging carousel  1020  may have about a 2.2 kilowatt motor, although any size may be used. The packaging carousel may grab a bag  1030 , fill the bag  1030  with product, and seal the bag  1030 . The packaging carousel  1020  also may have an automatic bag-dropping device. The packaging carousel  1020  also may use an automatic bag attacher  1040 . The packaging carousel  1020  may have any size or operational parameter. 
     As an alternative, the sifting packaging station  900  may include a number of bulk bag filler  1080 . The bulk bag fillers  1080  also may hold a number of bags  1030 . The bulk bag filler  1080  also may include a hopper scale  1050  positioned underneath. The hopper scale  1050  may have a number of load cells. 
     In use, the raw materials are loaded into the intake system  110 . Specifically, the raw materials from the CFC are loaded into the raw material bins  120  via the intake pneumatic transport system  130 . In turn, the raw material bins  120  may be discharged via the vibrating dischargers  150  and the discharge screw conveyor  160 . The raw materials may be sent directly to the cyclone receiver  300  via the sifter pneumatic transport system  190  or the raw material may be stored as desired in the bulk bag  230  of the bulk bag filling station  240 . The bulk bags  230  may later be emptied and the raw materials again led to the sifter pneumatic transport system  190 . 
     The cyclone receiver  300  may lead to the sifter  320  and the magnet  330 . The various types of raw material then may flow into the raw material bin  340 . The raw material bin  340  also may have a vibrating discharger  350  and a discharge screw conveyor  360 . The raw materials may fall under the force of gravity from the raw material bin  340  into the mixing station  400 . The mixing station  400  may include the gravimetric feeder  410 . From the gravimetric feeder  410 , the materials may fall towards the mixer  420 . The mixer may be in communication with the water addition system  430  so as to add a measure of water to the raw material mixture. The water content of the mixture may be about thirty-five to about forty-five percent (35-45%). 
     The mixture  420  then may fall towards the extrusion station  450  with the extruder  460  therein. The operational parameters for the extruder  460  may depend upon the final desired product. As described above, these variables may include the ingredients used, the speed of the screw, temperature, pressure, the diameter of the die, the speed of the cutter  480 , and the number of cutter knives involved. Additional water may be added at the extruder  460  so as to turn the material flow into a continuous dough mass. The mass is then cooked within the extruder  460 . The screw may add energy to the dough mass so as to provide an open cell structure. The cooked dough mass may resemble a marshmallow rope. 
     As the dough rope exits the extruder  460 , the dough may be cut by the cutter  480  into the extruded shape resembling the mini-loaves of bread. The product loaves at this point may have a water content of about thirty to about thirty-eight percent (30-38%). 
     The product loaves in turn may exit the extruder and be transported via the dryer pneumatic transport system  490  to the drying station  500 . Specifically, the product loaves may travel to the cyclone receiver  510  and then be distributed to the fluid bed dryers  530 . The fluid bed dryers  530  serve to pull moisture from the outside of the individual product loaves. The moisture content in the product loaves may be reduced to about twenty to about twenty-five percent (20-25%). Specifically, the fluid bed dryers reduce the temperature of the product loaves as they pass therethrough to about ambient. Alternatively, the fluid bed dryers may serve to toast the outside of the product loaves. 
     The product loaves may leave the fluid bed dryer  530  via the temperer pneumatic transport system  600  toward one or more temperers  630  via the cyclone receiver  620 . The temperers  630  provide a dwell time to the product loaves. The dwell time preferably is about one (1) hour or so. 
     The product loaves may leave the temperers  630  via the vibratory feeder  670  and the chopping pneumatic transport system  680  towards the chopping station  750 . As above, the chopping pneumatic transport system  680  may be in communication with the cyclone receiver  700 . The metal detector  740  also may be positioned therein. 
     The flow of the product loaves may pass through the flow splitter  760  towards the cutters  770 . The cutters  770  turn the product loaves into the product crumbs. The nature of the chop in the cutters  770  depends upon the desired final product. The second set of cutters  780  also may be used to provide a further or smaller chop. The second set of cutters  780  may or may not be required depending upon the desired characteristics of the final product. 
     The chopping station  750  may be in communication with a drying station  800 . The drying station  800  may have a number of fluid bed dryers  810  positioned therein. The fluid bed dryers  810  fluidize the product crumbs as desired. The product crumbs may pass through one or more of the fluid bed dryers  810  depending upon the nature of the desired final product. The water content of the product crumbs may be reduced to about three to about ten percent (3-10%). 
     The product crumbs then may leave the drying station  800  via the bucket elevator  870  toward the sifting and packaging station  900 . The sifting and packing station  900  may include the sifter  910  therein. The sifter  910  is used to separate the product crumbs of different sizes. Similarly, the product crumbs may travel through one or more of the grinders  920  depending upon the final desired size. Certain products may be sent through the sifter  910  and the grinder  920  more than once. The finished products then may be loaded into the finished product bins  970 . The products then may be fed towards a packaging carousel  1020  or a bulk bag filler  1080 . 
     The system  100  as a whole may produce about 6000 to about 10,000 pounds of product crumbs per hour (about 2721 to about 4536 kilograms per hour). The process as a whole may take about 0.5 to about 1.5 hours. 
     It should be understood that the foregoing relates only to the exemplary embodiments of the present invention and that numerous changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the general spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims and the equivalents thereof.