Patent ID: 7037545

Claim:
A food gel to be continuously packaged within a flexible wrapping material and provided with a desired texture and consistency through sequential thickener formation, disruption and reformation, comprising: a multi-stage thickening composition comprising compatible first and second thickening agents which thicken at different times during the packaging process; the first thickening agent comprising a plant-based or microbial-based gelling agent initially substantially increasing the viscosity of the food gel to facilitate packaging of the food gel, the first thickening agent being disrupted by the packaging process after the food gel has been initially inserted within the flexible wrapping material, the disruption interfering with the desired texture and consistency of the food gel; and the second thickening agent causing the food gel to again substantially increase in viscosity foliowing the disruption of the first thickening agent, masking the disruption of the first thickening agent caused by the packaging process to thereby provide the food gel with the desired texture and consistency.