Patent ID: 8916224

Claim:
A method for producing a shredded composite food product, the method comprising: cooking particles of whole cereal grain to provide a cooked whole cereal grain product; tempering the cooked whole cereal grain product to provide a tempered product, the tempered product having retrograded starch; adding a food component selected from the group consisting of sweet potatoes, potatoes, cabbage, carrots, spinach, broccoli, peas, peppers, zucchini, okra, Brussels sprouts, cucumber, tomatoes, and any combinations thereof to the particles of the whole cereal grain or to the cooked whole cereal grain, before or during a pelletization step; pelletizing the tempered product, the pelletizing to effect shear in an amount and at a temperature effective to provide composite food pellets having a texture that is softer and more pliable than prior to pelletization, a moisture content of about 33% to about 38% by weight, and a pellet temperature of about 80° F. to about 105° F., the composite food pellets comprising the food component; shredding the composite food pellets having a moisture content of about 33% to about 38% by weight to provide shredded composite food sheets; forming a shredded composite food laminate from the shredded composite food sheets; and frying the shredded composite food laminate to obtain a shredded composite food product.