Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Surface coated – fluid encapsulated – laminated solid... – Isolated whole seed – bean or nut – or material derived therefrom
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-22
2001-08-07
Bhat, Nina (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Surface coated, fluid encapsulated, laminated solid...
Isolated whole seed, bean or nut, or material derived therefrom
C426S096000, C426S293000, C426S295000, C426S297000, C424S489000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06270818
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an animated food, food additive and method. More particularly, the invention relates to an animated cereal that contains an edible food additive that animates the cereal. The food additive is composed of an inner substantially non-dispersible in water solid edible mass contained within an outer water dispersible solid edible mass, the inner mass being different in appearance from the outer mass.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Hot and cold cereals have been a staple of the human diet for many years. However, developinents to cereals, both hot and cold have been primarily in the flavor, texture and appearance of the cereal. As used herein, “cereal” means a food made from grain such as oatmeal, corn flakes and puffed rice, for example, and optionally including additives, including but not limited to sugar, vitamins, flavors, preservatives and colorants.
Cereal, both hot and cold, is often a staple of a child's diet as well. However, it is sometimes difficult to encourage some children to eat his or her food, and sometimes the most nutritious food, such as oatmeal, as well as other cereals, are not readily consumed by children.
In view of the foregoing, a need exists for a cereal additive and resultant cereal that would encourage consumption, particularly among children. A need also exists for a method of efficiently producing the additive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, an edible animated food is provided that comprises a mixture of an edible food, such as cereal, for example, and an animating edible food. The animating edible food is composed of an inner substantially non-dispersible in water solid edible mass encased in an outer water dispersible solid edible mass, the inner mass being different in appearance from the outer mass, namely a difference in color, shape, size or a combination thereof.
As used herein, “animated” means that an observable change in the cereal occurs that provides or simulates giving life, making alive or otherwise providing a visually stimulating change, including but not limited to the hatching or simulated hatching of an egg, the transformation of one object into another thing (e.g., changing a horse into a car or one cartoon character into another cartoon character, for example). The animation is provided by the dispersion of the outer mass which reveals the inner mass. For example, the inner mass can be of a shape that holds a person's interest and is of a size sufficient to provide a discernible shape to the unaided eye, such as the shape of a dinosaur or well-known cartoon character and the outer mass or coating can be in the shape of an egg or smooth pebble. The food can be either a food intended to be consumed when it is hot, (e.g., oatmeal, for example) or when cold (e.g., corn flakes, for example).
In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the food is either a hot cereal or a cold cereal. By “hot” food or cereal is meant that the food is intended to be consumed with a fluid, usually containing water, when at elevated temperature (e.g., hot, such as above 90° F. for example) and by “cold” food or cereal is meant that the food is intended to be consumed at ambient temperature and/or with an ambient temperature or cold liquid, such as cold milk or water, for example or other aqueous fluid. The presence of the animating additive encourages interaction by the consumer in mixing and observing the food additive in the food (cereal) particularly as the outer mass disperses to reveal the inner mass, thereby providing the animating effect.
In accordance with one embodiment, the outer mass is generally egg-shaped and the dispersion of the outer solid edible mass simulates the hatching of an egg to reveal the inner mass which can be an animal shape (e.g., a dinosaur, for example) or any other desired shape.
In one embodiment, based upon the materials utilized, the outer solid edible mass disperses in hot water, such as above a minimum temperature for dispersion, which generally is above about 100° F. and preferably above about, for example, 110° F., 115° F., 120° F., 130° F., 135° F., 140° F., 150° F., 210° F. or more, but not below the chosen temperature and not at ambient temperature which as used herein is about 75° F. In accordance with the invention, the composition of the outer mass can be selected based on melting point temperature to provide a desired minimum dispersion temperature and time. Upon dispersion of the outer mass, the inner mass is revealed. In accordance with a more specific embodiment, the outer solid edible mass disperses in hot water by melting. The solid edible mass may be composed of an edible fat of a desired melting point or melting point range and sugar.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the outer edible solid mass disperses in a cold liquid, generally an aqueous liquid such as water or milk, for example, at a temperature in the range of about 35-50° F. or greater, for example.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method of making discrete food pieces is provided that includes forming a substantially non-dispersible in water solid edible mass and encasing the substantially non-dispersible edible solid mass in a water dispersible solid edible mass. A plurality of individual food pieces can be separately encased substantially simultaneously in accordance with the invention.
In one embodiment, the non-dispersible in water solid edible mass is formed of a substantially water dispersible solid edible mass that is coated with a non-dispersible in water solid edible coating to thereby protect the coated water dispersible solid edible mass from dispersion in water and render the mass non-dispersible in water. Thereafter, the resulting coated inner mass which has been rendered non-dispersible in water is encased or coated with a water dispersible solid edible outer mass. Usually the thickness and/or shape of the outer mass is sufficient to alter or conceal the shape of the coated inner substantially non-dispersible in water solid edible mass and, for example, can be in the range of from about 0.25 to about 4 millimeters in thickness.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the edible food is composed of an inner substantially non-dispersible in water solid edible mass contained within an outer water dispersible solid edible mass, the inner substantially non-dispersible in water solid edible mass being different in appearance from the outer mass. The difference in appearance may result from differences in color, shape, size or any combination of color, shape and size between the inner and outer masses.
As used in this specification, the term “dispersible” means that when a solid mass is placed in a liquid, a dispersion occurs, namely, the solid mass disperses in the liquid. The dispersion can occur by melting, by dissolving into the liquid (i.e., as in a true solution) or by dispersing into smaller solid particles, as in a colloidal or non-colloidal solid/liquid dispersion or a liquid/liquid dispersion, for example. Generally, dispersing should occur in a relatively short period of time, such as from about 15 seconds to about 2 or 3 minutes, for example. This is because longer times would not generally maintain the interest of the person who is consuming the food that contains the food additive, and a shorter time generally would be too fast for observation by the consumer. By “non-dispersible” is meant that the inner mass does not disperse for at least about 3 to 5 minutes or more and preferably 8 minutes, 10 minutes or more after exposure to the intended fluid medium and temperature, such as water at about 150° F., for example. Thus, the term non-dispersible is not limited to absolute non-dispersibility but also includes materials having a degree of non-dispersibility based on time and temperature parameters (i.e., the inner mass does not dissolve for at least a minimum predetermined period of time (3 minutes, for example) in a liquid (water, for example) at a specified temperature (180° F.
Boutin Robert F.
Hinkemeyer Thomas J.
Manoski Paula M.
Salazar Michelle
Smith John J.
Bhat Nina
Johnson Lars S.
The Quaker Oats Company
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