Patent Publication Number: US-2013251877-A1

Title: Snack products and method for producing same

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention is directed generally to snack products, and more particularly to systems and methods for producing puffed or popped snack products including one or more base products and one or more inclusions. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Snack foods have long been a household staple around the world and range from treats to dietary supplements. However, recently a nutrition trend found candy and other naturally and artificially sweetened confections, as well as potato chips, pretzels, corn chips, and the like, being replaced by healthier products. The terms “low fat,” “no-fat,” and “light” have become popular words in the snack food industry. Pressure-baking and expanding a starch-containing raw food material into puffed or “popped” crackers, cakes, chips and similar snacks, which is usually carried out between the heated dies of a closable mold, has now become a popular technology in the field of manufacturing healthy snack products having relatively low fat content. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a snack product production system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a flow chart depicting a process for producing a snack product using the snack product production system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIGS. 3A  illustrates a cross-sectional elevational view of a portion of an expansion machine that depicts a first step in a sequence of steps for a process for expanding the snack product using the expansion machine. 
         FIGS. 3B  illustrates a cross-sectional elevational view of a portion of an expansion machine that depicts a second step in a sequence of steps for a process for expanding the snack product using the expansion machine. 
         FIGS. 3C  illustrates a cross-sectional elevational view of a portion of an expansion machine that depicts a third step in a sequence of steps for a process for expanding the snack product using the expansion machine. 
         FIGS. 3D  illustrates a cross-sectional elevational view of a portion of an expansion machine that depicts a fourth step in a sequence of steps for a process for expanding the snack product using the expansion machine. 
         FIGS. 3E  illustrates a cross-sectional elevational view of a portion of an expansion machine that depicts a fifth step in a sequence of steps for a process for expanding the snack product using the expansion machine. 
         FIGS. 3F  illustrates a cross-sectional elevational view of a portion of an expansion machine that depicts a sixth step in a sequence of steps for a process for expanding the snack product using the expansion machine. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Overview 
     Embodiments of the present invention are directed to systems and methods for producing snack products comprising a mixture of an expandable base product and one or more relatively non-expandable inclusions. The mixture is processed using an expansion machine (or “puffing machine”) that is operative to bake and expand the mixture to form a snack product, such as a chip, cracker, cake, or the like. 
       FIG. 1  is a block diagram of a snack product production system  10  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Generally, the system  10  comprises a mixer  18  and a grain processor or expansion machine  22 . The mixer  18  may comprise any suitable device operative to mix combinations of grains and additional inclusions. As an example, the mixer  18  may comprise a ribbon blender that includes a trough and one or more sets of ribbon agitators. 
     The expansion machine  22  is a machine that converts expandable grains and/or pellets into a chip, cake, biscuit, or cracker (hereinafter “snack product”). Generally, the expansion machine  22  receives from the mixer  18  expandable raw materials into a mold, which then closes, compresses and bakes the materials for a short period, after which an opening in the mold is created to enable the expansion of the material, thus forming snack product  30 . By way of a non-limiting example, a suitable expansion machine  22  is a PELLEX® grain processor manufactured by INCOMEC CEREX, Brakel, Belgium. 
     As shown in  FIG. 1 , a quantity of expandable material such as expandable pellets  12  and a quantity of relatively non-expandable inclusions  14  are used as the raw materials for producing the snack product  30 . Although the term “pellets” is used herein for explanatory purposes when referring to the base product, it should be appreciated that the expandable material used for the base product may comprise one or more types of pelletized or non-pelletized materials. Generally, the pellets  12  and the inclusions  14  are mixed together by the mixer  18 , and then fed into the expansion machine  22  to form the snack product  30 . The process for producing the snack product  30  is discussed in further detail below with reference to  FIG. 2 . 
     The pellets  12  may comprise numerous types of expandable pelletized or non-pelletized products made from wheat, potato, corn, rice, other flours, starches, and grains, vegetables, and/or mixes thereof. The materials used for forming the pellets  12  may be pelletized, non-pelletized, ground, chopped, or any other shape or size. As another example, the pellets  12  may comprise expandable kernels of popcorn. Generally, the expandable base product or pellets  12  may expand by a relatively large factor when processed in the expansion machine  22 . For example, the expandable pellets  12  may expand by a factor of between 40% up to 1000%, or even greater, during the expansion process. Further, the pellets  12  may also include one or more complementary ingredients including, but not limited to, beans, fruit, vegetables, sweeteners, bioactives, flavors and colors, salts, etc. In some embodiments, the pellets  12  may be formed using a cooking extruder. This device includes a long screw within a heated housing. The motion of the screw mixes the raw materials and moves this mixture through the extruder, cooking it as it moves along. At the end of the cooking extruder, the cooked dough emerges as a ribbon. A rotating knife may then cut the ribbon into the pellets  12 , which comprise an extruded food starch material. As an example, suitable pellets  12  are produced and sold by J. R. Short Milling Co., Kankakee, Ill.. 
     The inclusions  14  mixed with the pellets  12  in the mixer  18  may comprise a variety of types of ingredients. The following is a non-exhaustive list of ingredients that may be used alone or in various combinations for the inclusions  14 :
         Herbs and spices: seaweed, garlic, basil, cinnamon, rosemary, cilantro, onion, and kale   Vegetables: peas, broccoli beads, green bean, tomato, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, carrot, shallot, spinach, potato, sweet potato, kale, and beets   Fruits: banana, berries, apple, cherry, mangos, and kiwi   Meat: bacon, beef, jerky, pepperoni, salami, and fish   Beans: black beans, pinto beans, kidney beans, navy beans, lentils, and coffee   Grains: rice, brown or white, whole or broken, wheat, de-germen broken corn, broken corn, rye, oats, buckwheat, soy bean, millet, barley, sesame, amaranth, quinoa, flaxseed, and chia   Other: crustaceans, hard candy, nuts, and peppers, fungi, and color dyes
 
The amount of inclusions  14  mixed with the base product or pellets  12  may vary dependent on the type of inclusions  14  used. In some embodiments, the inclusions  14  may comprise less than 5% (e.g., 0.2% to 0.5%, 0.1% to 5%, or the like) of the overall mixture by weight. In some embodiments, the inclusions  14  may comprise up to 50% of the mixture by weight. Further, the size of the inclusions  14  may be varied as desired. For example, in some embodiments, the inclusions may have a dimension that is larger than the largest dimension of the pellets  12  themselves.
       

       FIG. 2  is a flow chart depicting a process  100  for producing the snack product  30  using the snack product production system  10  of  FIG. 1 . At block  102 , the expandable pellets  12  are added to the mixer  18 . Then, the moisture level of the pellets  12  is checked and adjusted to a predetermined desired moisture level, blocks  106  and  110 . In some embodiments, the moisture level of the pellets  12  is adjusted to achieve a desired moisture level of approximately 13% to 14%, but other moisture levels may also be used (e.g., 2% to 20%, 10% to 18%, etc.). The moisture level of the pellets  12  may be monitored using any suitable moisture meter. As an example, a suitable moisture meter is the Protimeter Grainmaster® sold by General Electric Co. In addition to adjusting the moisture level of the pellets  12 , a small amount (e.g., less than 5%, between 0.1 to 0.2%, or the like) of a releasing agent (e.g., lecithin, other oil, etc.) may be added to the pellets to reduce the likelihood that the snack product  30  will stick to a component of the expansion machine  22  during the expansion process. Additionally or alternatively, other oils such as sunflower oil or rice oil may be used. 
     Concurrently, the inclusions  14  may be added to a separate container, block  112 , and their moisture level may also be checked and adjusted, blocks  114  and  118 . In some embodiments, the moisture level of the inclusions  14  is adjusted to achieve a desired moisture level of approximately 15% to 16%, but other moisture levels may also be used (e.g., 2% to 20%, 10% to 30%, etc.). 
     Further, if multiple different types of pellets  12  or multiple different types of inclusions  14  are used, it is recommended that their moisture levels be adjusted separately because different ingredients may have different water absorbing characteristics. 
     Once the moisture levels of both the pellets  12  and the inclusions  14  have been adjusted to the desired levels, e.g., 13-14% and 15-16%, respectively, the inclusions may be added into the mixer  18  and the pellets and inclusions may be mixed for a period of time (e.g., 15 to 20 minutes, etc.), blocks  122  and  124 . After the mixing step, the resulting mixture of pellets  12  and inclusions  14  may be given a period of time (e.g., 1 to 1.5 hours) to allow them to absorb the added moisture. 
     Next, the mixture of pellets  12  and inclusions  14  may be fed into the expansion machine  22 , wherein the mixture is baked and expanded, blocks  128  and  130 . The operation of the expansion machine  22  is described in detail below with reference to  FIGS. 3A-3F . Finally, the expanded product may be cooled and/or dried to provide the snack product  30 , blocks  132  and  134 . 
       FIGS. 3A-3F  illustrate an exemplary operational sequence and die movements for the expansion machine  22 . The expansion machine  22  may comprise a multi-die arrangement for the production of numerous snack products simultaneously. For example, in some embodiments, the expansion machine  22  utilizes  28  die assemblies (or molds) to make  28  snack products at a time. For illustrative purposes, only a single die assembly or mold is depicted in  FIGS. 3A-3F . The expansion machine  22  may comprise a heated stationary upper die plate  40  having a plurality of fixed downwardly directed upper die elements  42 . 
     Vertically spaced below the stationary upper die plate  40  there is provided a heated die plate (or punch plate)  46  with multiple upwardly directed lower punch elements  50 . The punch plate  46  is supported on a movable carrier element (not shown) operative to move the punch plate vertically upward and downward. The fixed upper die element  42  and the movable lower punch element  50  are disposed in a vertically aligned relationship. 
     A movable ring mold element (or “ring die”)  54  is arranged between the die plates  40  and  46 , and comprises a hole  58  which is aligned with the upper die element  42  and also with the lower punch element  50 . As shown in  FIGS. 3E and 3F , the ring die  54  may be oriented in a lower position wherein it rests on the movable lower die plate  46  such that the lower punch element  50  is penetrating the hole  58  of the ring die. The vertical movement of the ring die  54  may be actuated by a mover, such as a pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder (not shown). Similarly, the lower die plate  46  may be movable by a drive system coupled thereto. By way of an example, the movement of the ring die  54  and the lower die plate  46  may be controlled by a programmable logic controller (PLC), or the like. 
     In  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the feeding of a mixture of expandable pellets  12  and inclusions  14  into a baking mold is illustrated. A sliding plate  13  loaded with the mixture  12 ,  14  enters a gap  60  (see  FIG. 3B ) between the upper die element  42  and the movable lower punch element  50 , the latter being then in a lowered, snack product “push-out” position wherein a top surface  51  of the lower punch element extends just above an upper rim  55  of the equally lowered ring die  54 , such that a previously prepared snack product  30  is pushed away (see  FIG. 3F ) by feeding the sliding plate  13 . In  FIG. 3B , the lower punch element  50  is moved downward so as to form, within the ring die hole  58 , a filling cup into which the feeding slide plate  13  supplies a predetermined amount of the raw material mixture  12 ,  14 . In  FIG. 3C , both the heated lower punch element  50  and the heated ring die  54  are moved upwards and the materials mixture  12 ,  14  is heated and compressed between the upper die element  42  and the lower punch element  50 , which define a sealed die cavity together with the ring die  54 . This baking position may be maintained for a few seconds to gelatinize the mixture  12 ,  14 . 
     In  FIG. 3D , the ring die  54  is kept in its raised position sealed against upper die element  42 , but the lower punch element  50  is rapidly moved downward towards a lower position still confined within the ring die, thereby defining a predetermined expansion volume. As a result of the sudden pressure drop, the gelatinized and heat-softened expandable pellets  12  together with released gases (steam) will explosively expand in the downward direction so as to form a self-sustaining puffed snack product  30 . During this step, the pellets  12  expand and surround or “weave” around the inclusions  14  to form the snack product  30 . Generally, the mold may expand from the compressed position to the expanded position in approximately 2 to 7.5 seconds, or the like. 
     In  FIG. 3E , the ring die  54  is lowered over the lower punch element  50  to a mold opening position wherein the snack product  30  rests on the top surface  51  of the lower punch element and can be discharged by a leading edge face of the feeding slide plate  13  engaging and pushing the snack product clear of the expansion machine  22 , as depicted in  FIG. 3F  of the process sequence. The process may then repeat to produce another snack product. 
     In some embodiments, the process cycles may be extended and optimized by incorporating one or more additional partial or full expansion or compression steps. As an example, the process cycle may include two or three sequential expansion and compression steps to form each snack product  30 . 
     The temperature, pressure time, and baking time may be varied as desired to produce the snack product  30 . In some embodiments, the upper die element  42  and the lower punch element  50  are heated to a temperature of between 215 to 325 degrees Centigrade (C), for example, 300° C. In some embodiments, the snack product  30  may be baked for approximately 1 second to 12 seconds (e.g., 1.8 seconds, 5.0 seconds, 7.5 seconds, 10.0 seconds, etc.), and pressure may be applied for approximately 0.05 seconds to 3 seconds, or the like. It will be appreciated that other temperatures, pressure times, and baking times may also be used. 
     The snack product  30  produced according to the process  100  described above has a desirable texture, taste, and visual appearance compared to previously made products. For example, compared to snack products that are made using only expandable pellets (with or without additional ingredients therein), the texture of the snack products  30  of the present invention is much less uniform due to the presence of both the expanded pellets  12  and the relatively non-expandable inclusions  14  distributed throughout. Additionally, in some embodiments, the inclusions  14  are visually distinguishable from the pellets  12  in the final snack product  30 , which may add a certain degree of attractiveness to the snack product. The pellets and mixes of grains and inclusions and/or pellets may be converted into a slice, cake, biscuit, or cracker in multiple shapes (e.g., round, triangle, square, etc.). Further, in some embodiments the dimensions may be approximately 25 mm to approximately 50 mm, with a weight of approximately 7 to 25 grams per ten chips. Other dimensions and weights may also be used. 
     The foregoing described embodiments depict different components contained within, or connected with, different other components. It is to be understood that such depicted architectures are merely exemplary, and that in fact many other architectures can be implemented which achieve the same functionality. In a conceptual sense, any arrangement of components to achieve the same functionality is effectively “associated” such that the desired functionality is achieved. Hence, any two components herein combined to achieve a particular functionality can be seen as “associated with” each other such that the desired functionality is achieved, irrespective of architectures or intermedial components. Likewise, any two components so associated can also be viewed as being “operably connected”, or “operably coupled”, to each other to achieve the desired functionality. 
     While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that, based upon the teachings herein, changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention and its broader aspects and, therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scope of this invention. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the invention is solely defined by the appended claims. It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.). 
     It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should  not be construed  to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to inventions containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations). 
     Accordingly, the invention is not limited except as by the appended claims.