초록 ▼

Disclosed are ready-to-eat cereals containing high levels of psyllium husk and methods for their preparation. The cereals contain about 2% to 37% psyllium, about 20% to 80% of a starchy cereal component, and about 5% to 15% insoluble fiber. The weight ratio of soluble to insoluble fiber ranges from

Disclosed are ready-to-eat cereals containing high levels of psyllium husk and methods for their preparation. The cereals contain about 2% to 37% psyllium, about 20% to 80% of a starchy cereal component, and about 5% to 15% insoluble fiber. The weight ratio of soluble to insoluble fiber ranges from about 1 to 5:1. The total fructose content is less than about 5%. The minimum soluble fiber content is 3 g/oz.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [19.] A ready-to-eat (R-T-E) cereal high in total dietary fiber, comprising a cereal composition including:A. about 2% to 37% by weight of the cereal composition of psyllium having a soluble fiber content of at least about 65% by weight;B. about 20% to 80% by weight of the cer

[ What is claimed is:] [19.] A ready-to-eat (R-T-E) cereal high in total dietary fiber, comprising a cereal composition including:A. about 2% to 37% by weight of the cereal composition of psyllium having a soluble fiber content of at least about 65% by weight;B. about 20% to 80% by weight of the cereal composition of a starchy cereal ingredient;C. sufficient amounts of an insoluble fiber source so as to provide the cereal composition with a weight ratio of soluble fiber to insoluble fiber of about 0.5 to 5:1;D. a moisture content of about 1% to 6% by weight of the cereal composition; andwherein the total fructose content is less than about 15% by weight and the minimum soluble fiber content is about 3 g/oz of the cereal composition..Iaddend..Iadd.20. The R-T-E cereal of claim 19 wherein the cereal composition additionally comprises:E. about 10% to 60% by weight of the cereal composition of oat flour or oat n..Iaddend..Iadd.21. The R-T-E cereal of claim 20 wherein the cereal composition includes as a soluble fiber source at least one member selected from the group consisting of guar gum, carboxymethyl cellulose, and high methoxyl pectin..Iaddend..Iadd.22. The R-T-E cereal of claim 21 wherein the insoluble fiber source includes at least one member selected from the group consisting of sugar beet fiber, wheat bran, corn bran, rice bran, and barley bran..Iaddend..Iadd.23. The R-T-E cereal of claim 22 additionally comprising:F. about 1% to 30% by weight of the cereal composition of a nutritive carbohydrate sweetening agent..Iaddend..Iadd.24. The R-T-E cereal of claim 23 containing a sugar coating..Iaddend..Iadd.25. A method for preparing an R-T-E cereal of good eating quality and high levels of soluble fiber, comprising the steps of:A. forming an homogeneous cereal blend comprising(1) about 5% to 37% by weight of psyllium having a soluble fiber content of at least 65% by weight,(2) about 20% to 80% by weight of a starchy cereal ingredient,(3) sufficient amounts of an insoluble fiber source so as to provide the blend with a weight ratio of soluble fiber to insoluble fiber of about 0.5 to 5:1,(4) about 20% to 40% by weight water, the weight percents of ingredients (1) to (3) being based on the total dry weight of the cereal blend, wherein the minimum soluble fiber content of the blend is about 3 g/oz (dry weight basis),wherein the total fructose content (dry weight basis) is less than about 15% by weight of the blend, andwherein the total fat content is less than about 5% by weight (dry weight basis);B. cooking the blend with steam at a steam pressure of about 2 to 35 psig for about 5 to 30 minutes to form a cooked cereal using low shear agitation;C. extruding the cooked cereal with low shear mixing to form a cooked cereal dough extrudate;D. forming the cooked cereal dough extrudate into sized shapes and pieces; andE. drying the pieces to a water activity of about 0.1 to 0.30 to form R-T-E eal pieces..Iaddend..Iadd.26. The method of claim 25 wherein the cereal blend additionally comprises(5) about 10% to 60% by weight of oat flour or oat bran..Iaddend..Iadd.27. The method of claim 26 wherein the blend includes as a soluble fiber source at least one member selected from the group consisting of guar gum, carboxymethyl cellulose, and high methoxyl pectin..Iaddend..Iadd.28. The method of claim 27 wherein the moisture content of the cooked cereal blend ranges from about 25% to 35% by weight,wherein in step D, the method includes the substep of forming flaked pieces, andwherein in step E, the method includes the substep of toasting the flaked pieces to form toasted, dried flaked R-T-E pieces..Iaddend..Iadd.29. The method of claim 28 wherein the method further includes:G. providing a sugar coating to the flaked R-T-E pieces..Iaddend..Iadd.30. A method for lowering plasma cholesterol levels comprising administering to a human susceptible to or afflicted with hypercholesterolemia an R-T-E cereal composition of claim 19 and wherein the R-T-E cereal is administered to provide about 0.5 to 1.5 g of cereal per kilogram of body weight per day over an extended period of time..Iaddend..Iadd.31. A method for lowering plasma cholesterol levels comprising administering to a human susceptible to or afflicted with hypercholesterolemia an R-T-E cereal composition of claim 20 and wherein the R-T-E cereal is administered to provide about 0.5 to 1.5 g of cereal per kilogram of body weight per day over an extended period of time..Iaddend..Iadd.32. A method for lowering plasma cholesterol levels comprising administering to a human susceptible to or afflicted with hypercholesterolemia an R-T-E cereal composition of claim 24 and wherein the R-T-E cereal is administered to provide about 0.5 to 1.5 g of cereal per kilogram of body weight per day over an extended period of time..Iaddend.