Food slice consisting of two or more food items, and processes for making and packaging same

Abstract

Packaged food portions, such as food slices, consisting of two or more food items, such as peanut butter and jelly, and processes for making them. The food portion is provided with sufficient viscosity and textural properties to enable its formation into a cohesive mass which can be extruded while maintaining the individual identity and organoleptic attributes of each food item within the food portion. The food portion may be shaped into a slice or other configuration prior to or during its encasing within a flexible packaging material. Product formulations which provide for minimal moisture migration between the different food items within the food portion and for optimum product stability, as well as processes and methods for providing and processing these formulations, are also disclosed.

1 - 65 . (canceled)  
     
     
         66 . A process for continuously preparing a packaged composite food product, the process comprising: 
 a) separately pumping each of two or more food items to an extrusion location;    (b) adjusting the differential water activity of the two or more food items either before or after separately pumping each of two or more food items;    (c) extruding each of the two or more food items;    (d) combining the two or more food items into a food portion; and    (e) packaging the food portion within a flexible film,    wherein combining the two or more food items comprises using a portion control device that varies a relative extrusion speed of each of the two or more food items in response to the flow of the two or more food items into the flexible film, and    wherein the differential water activity of the two or more food items maintains the two or more food items in discrete phases.    
     
     
         67 . The process of claim  2 , further comprising using one or more adjustable divider plates to maintain separation of the two or more food items following extrusion and prior to combining the two or more food items into a food portion, wherein the one or more divider plates adjust the relative thickness of the two or more food items with the food portion.  
     
     
         68 . The process of  claim 67 , wherein using one or more divider plates comprises canting at least one of the one or more divider plates to adjust the relative amount of the two or more of the food items within the food portion.  
     
     
         69 . The process of  claim 67 , wherein using one or more divider plates comprises using divider plates coated with a non-sticking material.  
     
     
         70 . The process of  claim 66 , wherein packaging the food portion comprises: 
 (a) wrapping the food portion within a tubular web of the flexible film;    (b) forming the tubular web into a slice-shaped form;    (c) longitudinally sealing the tubular web using one or more longitudinal sealing bars to form a hermetic longitudinal seal; and    (d) sealing the tubular web at cross sealing locations to form hermetic cross seals.    
     
     
         71 . The process of  claim 70 , wherein an electric motor responsive to a variable frequency drive controls the amount of the food portion wrapped in the tubular web.  
     
     
         72 . The process of  claim 71 , wherein using a portion control device comprises measuring the expansion or contraction of the tubular web as the food portion is wrapped in the tubular web.  
     
     
         73 . The process of  claim 72 , wherein measuring the expansion or contraction of the tubular web comprises using a variable differential transformer to sense a voltage fluctuating with the expansion or contraction in the tubular web, and wherein the speed of the electric motor changes depending upon the sensed voltage.  
     
     
         74 . The process of  claim 66 , wherein adjusting the differential water activity of the two or more food items comprises adjusting the differential water activity to less than about 0.5.  
     
     
         75 . The process of  claim 74 , wherein adjusting the differential water activity of the two or more food items comprises adding a substance to at least one of the two or more food items to alter its water activity.  
     
     
         76 . The process of  claim 66 , wherein adjusting the differential water activity of the two or more food items comprises selecting food items having a particular water activity, such that the differential water activity will be within a desired range.  
     
     
         77 . A process for continuously preparing packaged food portions of two or more different food items wrapped in a flexible film, the process comprising: 
 (a) separately delivering each of the two or more food items to an extrusion location;    (b) co-extruding each of the food items;    (c) inserting the two or more food items within a tubular web of thermoplastic film using a portion control device that varies a relative extrusion speed of each of the two or more food items; and    (d) hermetically longitudinally sealing and hermetically cross-sealing the tubular web such that the food items are combined into a predetermined food portion,    wherein the combined food items within the food portion retain their individual organoleptic properties.    
     
     
         78 . The process of  claim 77  further comprising adjusting the differential water activity of the two or more food items either before or after separately delivering each of two or more food items to an extrusion location.  
     
     
         79 . The process of  claim 78 , wherein adjusting the differential water activity of the two or more food items comprises selecting food items having a particular water activity, such that the differential water activity will be within a desired range.  
     
     
         80 . The process of  claim 78 , wherein adjusting the differential water activity of the two or more food items comprises adjusting the differential water activity to less than about 0.5.  
     
     
         81 . A process for continuously preparing a packaged composite food product, the process comprising: 
 (a) separately delivering each of the two or more food items to an extrusion location;    (b) co-extruding each of the two or more food items;    (c) maintaining separation of the two or more food items using one or more divider plates,    wherein one or more divider plates are responsive to a biasing device that controls the relative thickness of the two or more food items;    (d) combining the two or more food items into a food portion within a tubular web of thermoplastic film; and    (d) hermetically longitudinally sealing and hermetically cross-sealing the tubular web such that the food items are combined into a predetermined food portion,    wherein the combined food items within the food portion retain their individual organoleptic properties.    
     
     
         82 . The process of  claim 81 , wherein using a portion control device comprises using sensing mechanisms to adjust the total amount of the two or more of the food items within the food portion.  
     
     
         83 . The process of  claim 82 , wherein using sensing mechanisms comprises sensing movement of one or more plates in contact with the flexible film.  
     
     
         84 . The process of  claim 83 , wherein sensing movement of one or more plates comprises reading an output voltage from a linear variable differential transformer coupled to the one or more plates and comparing the output voltage to a predetermined set point.  
     
     
         85 . The process of  claim 81  further comprising adjusting the differential water activity of the two or more food items either before or after before or after separately delivering each of two or more food items to an extrusion location.