Patent ID: 7582322

Claim:
A method for producing granulated bean paste, comprising partially drying a starting material comprising a mixture of uncooked bean paste and seasoning, to provide a partially dried uncooked bean paste having a low moisture content of about 20%; effecting a first stage homogenization of the partially dried bean paste by agitation-blending of the partially dried bean paste; storing the agitation-blended partially dried bean paste in an isothermal warming chamber for a time and at a temperature sufficient to further homogenize the partially dried bean paste, at a substantially constant temperature within a range of 15° C. to 20° C. for two to three days to achieve a second stage homogenization of the partially dried bean paste; extruding the homogenized and partially dried bean paste as an elongated extrudate, into an extruding chamber and drying the elongated extrudate in the extruding chamber; cutting and breaking the dried elongated extrudate into granulated bean paste.