초록 ▼

A process for manufacturing an expanded cereal with the overall shape of an array of touching balls and an extrusion die and an extruder for use with the process. The die includes a feed ring for receiving material from an extruder, a cylindrical distribution chamber having a front wall and rear wal

A process for manufacturing an expanded cereal with the overall shape of an array of touching balls and an extrusion die and an extruder for use with the process. The die includes a feed ring for receiving material from an extruder, a cylindrical distribution chamber having a front wall and rear wall which includes the feed ring, and an array of parallel extrusion tubes provided in the front wall of the distribution chamber. The feed ring is in communication with the array of parallel extrusion tubes through the distribution chamber. The distribution chamber also includes a cylindrical distribution insert that extends axially from the center of the feed ring towards the front wall but spaced from the array of extrusion tubes. The process involves cooking and extruding a mixture of starchy material, sugar, oil, and water in a cooker-extruder and forcing the cooked material through the extrusion die.

대표청구항 ▼

[ What is claimed is:] [1.]1. A method of manufacturing an expanded cereal with the overall shape of an array of touching balls comprising:providing a cooker-extruder comprising an elongated barrel with one or two processing screws within the elongated barrel with a mixture comprising between about

[ What is claimed is:] [1.]1. A method of manufacturing an expanded cereal with the overall shape of an array of touching balls comprising:providing a cooker-extruder comprising an elongated barrel with one or two processing screws within the elongated barrel with a mixture comprising between about 60 and 90 parts by weight of a starchy material, up to 15 parts by weight of sugar, up to 10 parts by weight of oil, and a sufficient amount of water so that the mixture has a water content of between about 15 and 25 percent by weight;cooking the mixture under positive pressure in the cooker-extruder to provide a thermoplastic substance;extruding the thermoplastic substance through at least one die comprising an array of parallel extrusion tubes each having an outlet orifice so that the thermoplastic substance expands when it exits the outlet orifices of the extrusion tubes to provide a bundle of strands of expanded thermoplastic substance that stick together; andcutting the bundle into slices as they exit from the outlet orifices of the extrusion tubes to provide an expanded cereal having an overall shape of an array of touching balls.