Coated cereal pieces

Abstract

Cereal pieces at least partially coated with a composition typically containing a starch component, generally a wheat starch or a dextrin component, are provided. The coating composition provides the cereal pieces with enhanced resistance to breakage and superior ability to retain their texture and strength in milk or other liquids compared to traditional cereal pieces.

1 . A food substance, comprising: 
 a cereal piece at least partially coated with a coating composition comprising a starch component, wherein the coating composition provides enhanced resistance to breakage for the cereal piece such that the at least partially coated cereal piece does not break until enough force is applied to the cereal piece to cause a balance to read greater than 400 grams using the Cereal/Snack Piece Crush Test.    
     
     
         2 . The food substance of  claim 1 , wherein the balance reads at least about 450 grams before the at least partially coated cereal piece breaks and wherein the coating is at least substantially invisible on the cereal piece when the at least partially coated cereal piece is in its final form.  
     
     
         3 . The food substance of  claim 1 , wherein the coating composition comprises a wet slurry coating composition.  
     
     
         4 . The food substance of  claim 3 , wherein the starch component comprises a modified wheat starch.  
     
     
         5 . The food substance of  claim 4 , wherein the wet slurry coating composition comprises from about 0.5% to about 80% slurry solids and the modified wheat starch comprises an oxidized and acetylated wheat starch.  
     
     
         6 . The food substance of  claim 5 , wherein the cereal pieces comprise a previously formed and thermally processed cereal piece and the slurry is applied to the cereal piece at a temperature of from about 35° F. to about 212° F.  
     
     
         7 . The food substance of  claim 1 , wherein the starch component comprises a high solubility dextrin and a modified starch.  
     
     
         8 . The food substance of  claim 7 , wherein the coating composition comprises a dry particulate material when it is applied to the cereal piece and the coating composition consists essentially of a medium solubility or greater soluble dextrin and a modified starch.  
     
     
         9 . The food substance of  claim 3 , wherein the starch component comprises a low-solubility dextrin.  
     
     
         10 . The food substance of  claim 9 , wherein the low-solubility dextrin comprises a low solubility tapioca dextrin and the low solubility tapioca dextrin comprises at least about 100% of the coating composition.  
     
     
         11 . The food substance of  claim 3 , wherein the starch component comprises: 
 at least one modified wheat starch and at least one dextrin; and    wherein the coating composition further comprises a leavening system, at least one sweetener, and at least one stabilizer.    
     
     
         12 . The food substance of  claim 11 , wherein the starch component comprises: 
 from about 10% to about 70% modified wheat starch and from about 5% to about 75% dextrin; and    wherein the coating composition further comprises:    from about 0.1% to about 10% leavening system;    from about 0.1% to about 30% sweetener; and    from about 0.1% to about 3% stabilizer.    
     
     
         13 . The food substance of  claim 12 , wherein the dextrin comprises a corn dextrin.  
     
     
         14 . The food substance of  claim 13 , wherein the leavening system comprises: 
 from about 0% to about 5% sodium acid pyrophosphate; and    from about 0% to about 5% sodium bicarbonate.    
     
     
         15 . The food substance of  claim 14 , wherein the stabilizer comprises xanthan gum.  
     
     
         16 . The food substance of  claim 3 , wherein the starch component comprises at least one dextrin component and at least one modified corn starch component; and wherein the coating composition further comprises at least one sweetener, at least one color developer, and at least one flow agent.  
     
     
         17 . The food substance of  claim 16 , wherein the starch component comprises: 
 from about 50% to about 99% dextrin component and from about 1% to about 50% starch component; and    wherein the coating composition further comprises from about 0.1% to about 1% sweetener, from about 0.1% to about 0.5% color developer, and from about 0.001% to about 0.5% flow agent.    
     
     
         18 . The food substance of  claim 17 , wherein the color developer comprises dextrose.  
     
     
         19 . The food substance of  claim 18 , wherein the flow agent comprises monocalcium phosphate.  
     
     
         20 . The food substance of  claim 3 , wherein the starch component comprises: 
 at least one modified wheat starch and at least one corn dextrin; and    wherein the coating composition further comprises at least one sweetener, at least one leavening system, and at least one stabilizer.    
     
     
         21 . The food substance of  claim 20 , wherein the starch component comprises from about 25% to about 95% modified wheat starch and from about 5% to about 75% corn dextrin; and wherein the coating composition further comprises from about 0.1% to about 30% sugar, from about 0.1% to about 10% leavening system, and from about 0.1% to about 3% stabilizer.  
     
     
         22 . The food substance of  claim 21 , wherein the leavening system comprises: 
 from about 0.1% to about 5% sodium acid pyrophosphate; and    from about 0.1% to about 5% sodium bicarbonate.    
     
     
         23 . The food substance of  claim 22 , wherein the stabilizer comprises xanthan gum.  
     
     
         24 . The food substance of  claim 3 , wherein the starch component comprises a pregelatinized wheat starch.  
     
     
         25 . The food substance of  claim 24 , wherein the pregelatinized wheat starch comprises at least about 100% of the coating composition.  
     
     
         26 . The food substance of  claim 3 , wherein the starch component comprises high amylose modified corn starch.  
     
     
         27 . The food substance of  claim 26 , wherein the high amylose acetylated corn starch comprises at least about 100% of the coating composition.  
     
     
         28 . The food substance of  claim 3 , wherein the starch component comprises a blend of tapioca dextrin and corn starch having an amylose content of 70% or higher.  
     
     
         29 . The food substance of  claim 28 , wherein the blend of tapioca dextrin and high amylose corn starch comprises at least about 100% of the coating composition.  
     
     
         30 . The food substance of  claim 3 , wherein the starch component comprises an unmodified corn starch.  
     
     
         31 . The food substance of  claim 30 , wherein the unmodified corn starch comprises at least about 100% of the coating composition.  
     
     
         32 . The food substance of  claim 3 , wherein the starch component comprises a modified wheat starch.  
     
     
         33 . The food substance of  claim 32 , wherein the modified wheat starch comprises at least about 100% of the coating composition.  
     
     
         34 . A method of making a cereal piece comprising the steps of: 
 providing cereal pieces and a coating composition comprising a starch component;    applying the coating composition to the cereal pieces; and    drying the cereal pieces, wherein the coating composition enhances the cereal pieces ability to resist breakage such that the cereal piece will not break until enough force is applied using the Cereal/Snack Piece Crush Test that the digital balance reads greater than about 400 grams and wherein the coating is at least substantially invisible when the at least partially coated cereal piece is in its final form.    
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the coating composition comprises a wet slurry.  
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the starch component comprises a first starch component comprising a dextrin.  
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the digital balance reads at least about 450 grams as measured by the Cereal/Snack Piece Crush Test prior to the at least partially coated cereal piece.  
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein the coating composition comprises dry particulate material and further comprises a second starch component.  
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the coating composition wherein the dextrin consists essentially of a high-solubility tapioca dextrin and the second starch component consists essentially of a modified wheat starch.  
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , further comprises the step of hydrating the dry particulate material coating previously applied to the cereal piece using a spray of water and wherein the cereal pieces are dried within at least about 20 seconds after the coating composition is hydrated.  
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38 , further comprises the step of hydrating the dry particulate material coating previously applied to the cereal piece using a spray of water and wherein the cereal pieces are dried within at least about 20 seconds after the coating composition is hydrated.  
     
     
         42 . A food substance, comprising: 
 a cereal piece at least partially coated with a dry coating composition comprising a high-solubility dextrin and a modified starch, wherein less than about 125 percent by weight of milk is absorbed into or onto the cereal piece after 5 minutes.    
     
     
         43 . A food substance, comprising: 
 a cereal piece at least partially coated with a coating composition comprising a starch component, wherein the cereal piece absorbs at least about 20% less fluid over a given time period an otherwise identical, uncoated cereal piece.    
     
     
         44 . The method of making a coated cereal piece comprising: 
 providing a previously processed and finished cereal piece and a dry particulate coating composition comprising a high-solubility dextrin and a modified wheat starch;    applying the dry particulate coating composition to the cereal piece to at least partially coat the cereal piece;    hydrating the dry particulate coated cereal piece with an amount of water sufficient to solubilize the dextrin;    drying the cereal piece after hydrating the dry particulate coated cereal piece.    
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the cereal pieces are dried within about 20 seconds or less after the at least partially coated cereal piece is hydrated.  
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the high-solubility dextrin comprises a high-solubility tapioca dextrin.  
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein the modified wheat starch comprises an oxidized wheat starch.  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the modified wheat starch comprises an oxidized wheat starch.