Waxy wheat products and processes for producing same

Abstract

This invention relates to a storage stable buoyant waxy grain wherein the waxy grain is waxy triticale and waxy wheat. The starch in the waxy grain is gelatinized throughout and the cooked waxy grains of this invention can be stored for prolonged times in air tight or conventional cereal containers having a liner without acquiring rancid odors or tastes even in the absence of preservatives that inhibit the development of rancidity. Preferably, the waxy wholegrain is a waxy wheat having a protein content of no more than 14% by dry weight. The processes for preparing the waxy wholegrain food products of this invention are also described.

We claim:  
     
         1 . Cooked, buoyant waxy wheat comprising no more that about 10% amylose starch, characterized by being gelatinized throughout and storage stable in the absence of additives that inhibit development of rancidity.  
     
     
         2 . Waxy wheat of  claim 1 , comprising a protein content of no more than about 14% by weight.  
     
     
         3 . Waxy wheat of  claim 1  in the form of integral whole kernels or ground whole kernels.  
     
     
         4 . Waxy wheat of  claim 1  wherein the waxy wheat is pearled.  
     
     
         5 . Waxy wheat of  claim 1  wherein the waxy wheat is about 1% to about 30% pearled.  
     
     
         6 . Waxy wheat of  claim 1 , wherein the waxy wheat comprises a Wx-D1 null, Wx-A1 or Wx-B1 null allele.  
     
     
         7 . Waxy wheat of  claim 1  wherein said cooked, buoyant waxy wheat is storage stable for at least about six months.  
     
     
         8 . Waxy wheat of  claim 1  wherein said cooked buoyant waxy wheat is storage stable for at least about 12 months.  
     
     
         9 . Waxy wheat of  claim 1 , further comprising an edible coating.  
     
     
         10 . Waxy wheat of  claim 9 , wherein the coating is selected from the group consisting of sucrose, dextrose, rice syrup, carnauba wax, polymeric fructose, corn syrup solids and oil.  
     
     
         11 . Edible composition comprising the cooked, buoyant waxy wheat of  claim 1 .  
     
     
         12 . Edible composition of  claim 12  selected from the group consisting of ready to eat cereals, muesli, granola grain clusters, snack bars, biscuits, crackers, bread, cakes, muffins and pie crusts.  
     
     
         13 . Process for preparing a cooked, buoyant, waxy wheat, comprising: 
 (a) heating a waxy wheat having no more than about 10% amylose for about 5 to about 15 minutes at about 200° F. (94° C.) to 230° F. (110° C.) with moisture,    (b) gelatinizing the heated waxy wheat throughout, and    (c) cooling and drying the gelatinized waxy wheat,    wherein said wholegrain waxy wheat product is storage stable for at least about six months in the absence of additives that inhibit development of rancidity.    
     
     
         14 . Process of  claim 13 , wherein said waxy wheat is heated for about 5 to about 10 minutes with steam and then tempering the waxy wheat for about 1 hour to about 2 hour.  
     
     
         15 . Process of  claim 14 , wherein said tempering is about 1 hour at ambient temperature.  
     
     
         16 . Process of  claim 14 , wherein said tempering is for about 1 hour at about 160° F. (71° C.) to about 200° F. (93° C.).  
     
     
         17 . Process of  claim 13 , wherein the waxy wheat in step (b) is heated for about 45 minutes to about 90 minutes at 200° F. (93° C.) to about 350° F. (177° C.) to gelatinize the waxy wheat.  
     
     
         18 . Process of  claim 13 , wherein the waxy wheat in step (b) is heated for about 1 hour at about 260° F. (127° C.).  
     
     
         19 . Process of  claim 13 , further comprising separating the cooled waxy wheat in step (c) into separate kernels prior to drying.  
     
     
         20 . Process of  claim 19 , further comprising toasting the separated dried kernels.  
     
     
         21 . Process of  claim 19 , further comprising drying the separated kernels to a moisture content of 10 to 16% then heating the kernels to about 380° F. (193° C.) to about 700° F. (371° C.) for 15 to 25 seconds.  
     
     
         22 . Process of  claim 13 , wherein flavorings are added to the waxy wheat prior to, during or after gelatinization.  
     
     
         23 . Process of  claim 13 , wherein the waxy wheat comprises a protein content of about less than 14% by weight.  
     
     
         24 . Process of  claim 13 , wherein the waxy wheat comprises Wx-D1 null, Wx-A1 or Wx-B1 null allele.  
     
     
         25 . Process of  claim 13 , further comprising kneading the gelatinized and cooled waxy wheat of step (c) under low shear to form a dough.  
     
     
         26 . Process of  claim 25 , further comprising shaping and drying the dough to a moisture content of 10 to 16%.  
     
     
         27 . Process of  claim 26 , wherein further comprising toasting or puffing the shaped dough.  
     
     
         28 . Process of  claim 27 , wherein the dried dough is puffed by heating the shaped dough to about 380° F. (193° C.) to about 700° F. (371° C.).  
     
     
         29 . Process of  claim 13 , wherein the waxy wheat comprises a protein content of less than 14% by weight of the grain.  
     
     
         30 . Process of  claim 13 , comprising 
 (a) heating the waxy wheat for 5 to 7 minutes at about 17 psi, then    (b) tempering the heated waxy wheat for about 1 hour, then    (c) cooking the tempered waxy wheat for about 1 hour to about 280° F. (138° C.) to gelatinize the waxy wheat, then    (d) kneading the gelatinized waxy wheat under low shear to form a dough, then    (e) shaping the dough and    (f) then drying the dough to a moisture content of about 10% to 16%.    
     
     
         31 . Process of  claim 13 , further comprising puffing or toasting the dried waxy wheat of step (c).  
     
     
         32 . Process for preparing a cooked, buoyant, waxy wheat, comprising 
 (a) heating a waxy wheat for about 5 to about 10 minutes with steam,    (b) then tempering the heated waxy wheat for about 1 to about 2 hours,    (c) cooking the tempered waxy wheat for about 45 minutes to about 90 minutes at 200° F. (93° C.) to about 350° F. (177° C.) to gelatinize the wholegrain waxy wheat throughout,    (d) cooling and separating the gelatinized wholegrain waxy wheat, and then    (e) drying the separated wholegrain waxy wheat to a moisture content of about 10% to 16%.    
     
     
         33 . Process of  claim 32 , further comprising puffing or toasting the wholegrain waxy wheat of step (e).  
     
     
         34 . Cooked, buoyant, waxy wheat produced by the process of  claim 13 .  
     
     
         35 . Cooked, buoyant, waxy wheat produced by the process of  claim 32 .  
     
     
         36 . Process of  claim 13 , wherein the waxy wheat of step (a) is milled after heating and prior to gelatinizing to produce a ground meal.  
     
     
         37 . Process of  claim 36 , further comprising shaping the gelatinized ground meal and drying to a moisture content of about 10% to 16%.  
     
     
         38 . Process of  claim 36 , wherein the ground meal is gelatinized in a a rotary cooker or a cooker-extruder having a die face.  
     
     
         39 . Process of  claim 36 , further comprising extruding the gelatinized ground meal and forming the extruded ground meal into a product of a desired shape.  
     
     
         40 . Process of  claim 39 , further comprising toasting or puffing said shaped product.  
     
     
         41 . Process of  claim 39 , wherein the shaped product is puffed by heating to about 380° F. (193° C.) to about 700° F. (371° C.).  
     
     
         42 . Process of  claim 36 , wherein the ground meal is gelatinized in a cooker-extruder and directly expanded.  
     
     
         43 . Process of  claim 13 , further comprising milling the gelatinized barley of step (c) to produce a ground meal.  
     
     
         44 . Process of  claim 43 , wherein said ground meal is formed into a product having a desired shape.  
     
     
         45 . Process of  claim 44 , wherein the shaped product is a flake, shred, puff, nugget, strip or chip.  
     
     
         46 . Process of  claim 44 , wherein the shaped product is toasted or puffed.  
     
     
         47 . Process of  claim 44 , wherein the shaped product is dried to a moisture content of about 10% to 16%.  
     
     
         48 . Process of  claim 44 , further comprising toasting or puffing the dried shaped product.  
     
     
         49 . Process of  claim 13 , wherein the waxy wheat in step (c) is bumped, flaked, puffed or toasted.  
     
     
         50 . Process of  claim 13 , wherein the waxy wheat is gelatinized in a cooker-extruder having a die face and is directly expanded at the die face.  
     
     
         51 . Process of claim  50 , wherein the directly expanded gelatinized waxy wheat is toasted.