Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Products per se – or processes of preparing or treating... – Basic ingredient is starch based batter – dough product – etc.
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-05
2003-07-29
Tran, Lien (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Products per se, or processes of preparing or treating...
Basic ingredient is starch based batter, dough product, etc.
C426S094000, C426S653000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06599550
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to cereal-based food products suitable for cooking in a low temperature (e.g., generally about 120 to 212° F.) and high moisture (e.g., steam) environment. In particular, the invention relates to cereal-based food products which, when cooked in a low temperature and high moisture environment, provide aroma and surface appearance characteristics similar to that of oven-baked goods. The aroma characteristics are obtained by incorporating microencapsulated flavorants and/or aroma components into the dough or cereal-based substrate; the microencapsulated flavorants and/or aroma components are released during the low temperature cooking process. The surface appearance is obtain by coating the dough or cereal-based substrate with a dry mixture containing potato flakes, hydrophobic starch, crust flavorants, colorants, and anti-caking agents which, when cooked in a low temperature and high moisture environment, provide a crust which is comparable to that of oven-baked goods. The cereal-based food products of this invention can be formulated as dry mix type products for use in the home kitchen or as ready-to-cook and convenient side dishes, main dishes, or complete meals.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Typically, cereal-based products (e.g., rolls, bread, dumplings, and the like) cooked in a low temperature (i.e., about 120 to about 212° F.) and high moisture (i.e., ambient to steam) environment lack the desired flavor, texture, and appearance characteristics generally associated with freshly baked products prepared in a conventional oven. Moreover, such cereal-based products generally have a pale appearance, a moist, soft, and/or chewy texture, and a non-caramelized flavor. Although such cereal-based products offer significance convenience to the consumer and, in many cases, good flavor characteristics, they generally lack the rich-crust and pleasing aroma associated with baking bread-type products.
Warm, freshly baked bread just out of the oven has a look, taste, and aroma appeal that is unique. Ideally, the bread has a warm, soft interior crumb texture and a crisp “golden brown” crust characteristic of french bread. Unfortunately, this unique combination of bread characteristics is difficult and time consuming to achieve for the average consumer.
A great deal of effort, however, has been directed toward providing cereal-based bread products which offer varying levels of convenience while reproducing warm fresh bread to varying degrees. Frozen bread dough items are well known which upon thawing can be shaped into loaves, proofed, and baked in a conventional oven. Even greater convenience is provided by products that are referred to as “brown-and-serve” products. These products generally are partially baked items which are finished baked by the consumer in a conventional oven. While convenient, the preparation of brown-and-serve products still requires a lengthy preheating of the oven and then a finish baking step of about 10-20 minutes. More recently, bread machines have become popular for producing bread product in the home. Although such bread machines can provide excellent bread products, they still require considerable effort and often involve significant periods of time.
Attempts have also been made to provide aroma-enhancement in steamed or low-temperature processed cereal-based products by simply adding high levels of flavorants to the components. Unfortunately, the increased levels of flavorants necessary to achieve the desired aroma characteristics often lead to undesired and objectionable taste characteristics.
Generally, a high temperature (i.e. greater than about 300° F.) and a dry environment are required to obtain the desired golden brown and crispy crust in oven-baked bread products. Attempts to provide similar appearance and texture using low temperature cooking conditions have generally not been as successful as desired.
There still remains a need for cereal-based products which can easily be prepared in the home kitchen and which provide the taste, appearance, and aroma of freshly baked bread products. There also remains a need for cereal-based products which can easily be prepared in the home kitchen under low temperature and high moisture conditions and which provide the taste, appearance, and aroma of freshly baked bread products. There also remains a need for cereal-based products in the form of a dry mix which can easily be prepared in the home kitchen under low temperature and high moisture cooking conditions and which provide the taste, appearance, and aroma of freshly baked bread products. As one of ordinary skill in the art will realize upon considering this specification, the cereal-based products of the present invention provide and meet these objectives and allow the consumer to produce cooked cereal-based products under low temperature and high moisture cooking conditions which have aroma, appearance, texture, and flavor properties comparable to freshly baked goods.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to cereal-based food products suitable for cooking in a low temperature and high moisture environment. For purposes of this invention, “low temperature” is generally defined as a temperature of about 120 to about 212° F. For purposes of this invention, “high moisture” conditions are generally defined as ambient humidity conditions up to conditions associated with steamers and are intended to be distinguished from conditions associated the dry heat normally associated or obtained in conventional baking processes. Thus, “high moisture” conditions are generally humidity conditions above ambient humidity. Such low temperature and high moisture environments can be obtained using, for example, a steamer, stovetop skillet, fry pan, camp stove, or microwave oven. In particular, the invention relates to cereal-based food products which, when cooked in a low temperature and high moisture environment, provide aroma and surface appearance characteristics similar to that of oven-baked goods. The aroma characteristics are obtained by incorporating microencapsulated flavorants and/or aroma components within the dough or cereal-based substrate; the microencapsulated flavorants and/or aroma components are released during the low temperature cooking process. The surface appearance is obtain by coating the dough or cereal-based substrate with a dry mixture (i.e., the crust-enhancing component) which, when cooked in a low temperature and high moisture environment, provide a crust which is comparable to that of oven-baked goods.
The cereal-based food products can be formulated as dry mix type products for use in the home kitchen. Such dry mixes can be combined with appropriate liquids (e.g., water or milk) to form a dough with microencapsulated aroma ingredients distributed throughout the dough. The dough could then be coated or covered with the crust-enhancing component. The resulting product can be cooked under low temperature and high humidity conditions to provide a cereal-based having aroma characteristics and crust characteristics comparable to freshly baked bread.
These cereal-based food products can also be used in ready-to-cook and convenient side dishes, main dishes, or complete meals. These cereal-based food products could also be provided as conventional “brown-and-serve” type products, except, of course, oven baking would not be required. Such ready-to-cook products could have the dough fully prepared (i.e., the aroma enhancing incorporated into the cereal-based product and crust-enhancing components covering the cereal-based product) or partially prepared (i.e., the aroma enhancing component incorporated into the cereal-based product and crust-enhancing component applied at the time of cooking). In either case, the resulting product can be cooked under low temperature and high humidity conditions to provide a cereal-based having aroma characteristics and crust characteristics comparable to freshly baked bread.
Using the aroma-enhancing systems or compositions of this invention, improved aroma during preparat
Behringer Maluwa Ursula
Hill Laura Gail
McPherson Andrew Edward
Merchant Zohar Mohamed
Nayyar Dalip Kumar
Ftich, Even, Tabin & Flannery
Kraft Foods Holdings, Inc.
Tran Lien
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