Nutritional bar and components

Abstract

A nutrition bar which incorporates protein in the form of nuggets having high levels of selected proteins. By use of the nuggets of the invention, nutrition bars are formulated to have elevated levels of protein, yet good taste and other organoleptic properties. The nuggets according to the invention include greater than 50 wt % of a non-soy protein selected from the group consisting of milk protein, rice protein and pea protein, especially between 51 wt % and 99 wt %, more preferably between 52 wt % and 95 wt %, most preferably 55 wt % or above. The milk protein is preferably whey protein. The nuggets of the invention are preferably made using an extrusion process wherein the extrusion temperature is moderated so as to avoid damage to the whey proteins and concomitant off-taste. In this preferred process according to the invention, extrusion is conducted at temperatures of from 60 to 140° C., after which the protein is dried using a belt/conveyor drier or a fluid bed drier. In an alternate method of making the nuggets according to the invention, a lower extrusion temperature of up to 90° C. is used and one or more supercritical fluids are injected prior to extrusion to form a puffed product.

1 . A nutritional bar comprising one or more extruded nuggets comprising greater than 50 wt % of a non-soy protein selected from the group consisting of whey protein, rice protein and pea protein.  
   
   
       2 . The nutritional bar according to  claim 1  wherein said non-soy protein is present in said nugget at a level of between 51 wt % and 99 wt %.  
   
   
       3 . The nutritional bar according to  claim 2  wherein said non-soy protein is present in said nugget at a level of between 52 wt % and 95 wt %.  
   
   
       4 . The nutritional bar according to  claim 1  wherein said non-soy protein is present in said nugget at a level of 55 wt % or above.  
   
   
       5 . The nutritional bar according to  claim 1  wherein said non-soy protein includes whey protein.  
   
   
       6 . A process for preparing a protein-containing nugget comprising extruding a composition comprising greater than 50 wt % of a non-soy protein selected from the group consisting of whey protein, rice protein and pea protein at a temperature not in excess of 140° C. non-soy protein being present in said nugget at a level of 55 wt. % or above.  
   
   
       7 . The process according to  claim 6  wherein the extrusion takes place at a temperature within the range of from 70° C. through 130° C.  
   
   
       8 . (canceled)  
   
   
       9 . The process according to  claim 6  wherein said non-soy protein is present in said nugget at a level of between 60 wt % and 95 wt %.  
   
   
       10 . The process according to  claim 6  wherein said non-soy protein is present in said nugget at a level of 70 wt % or above.  
   
   
       11 . The process according to  claim 6  wherein subsequent to said extrusion step, said ingredients are dried.  
   
   
       12 . The process according to  claim 11  wherein said drying is conducted in a belt/conveyor dryer or a fluid bed dryer.  
   
   
       13 - 14 . (canceled)  
   
   
       15 . The nutrition bar according to  claim 1  wherein said nugget further comprises one or more minerals.  
   
   
       16 . The nutrition bar according to  claim 15  wherein the one or more minerals are selected from the group consisting of Molybdenum, Chromium, Selenium, Calcium, Manganese, Magnesium, Iron, and Zinc and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       17 . The nutrition bar according to  claim 16  wherein the one or more minerals are present in the nugget at a level from 10% RDI to 45% RDI.