초록 ▼

A three-phase center-filled candy product. A candy material for the outer layer or shell is extruded from a first extruder and a second material which could be a chewy material, such as gum or bubble gum, is extruded as an inner layer from a second extruder. A semi-liquid center-fill material is ins

A three-phase center-filled candy product. A candy material for the outer layer or shell is extruded from a first extruder and a second material which could be a chewy material, such as gum or bubble gum, is extruded as an inner layer from a second extruder. A semi-liquid center-fill material is inserted into the inner layer. The three-phase rope of material is formed into individual pieces or tablets of candy in a forming machine. Sticks can be added to form lollipops in one embodiment. The formed products are then cooled, tumbled and prepared for further processing.

대표청구항 ▼

A three-phase center-filled candy product. A candy material for the outer layer or shell is extruded from a first extruder and a second material which could be a chewy material, such as gum or bubble gum, is extruded as an inner layer from a second extruder. A semi-liquid center-fill material is ins

A three-phase center-filled candy product. A candy material for the outer layer or shell is extruded from a first extruder and a second material which could be a chewy material, such as gum or bubble gum, is extruded as an inner layer from a second extruder. A semi-liquid center-fill material is inserted into the inner layer. The three-phase rope of material is formed into individual pieces or tablets of candy in a forming machine. Sticks can be added to form lollipops in one embodiment. The formed products are then cooled, tumbled and prepared for further processing. .1% to about 10% by weight of at least one nutrient cluster of fructooligosaccharide. 19. The food product of claim 18, wherein at least a portion of the fructooligosaccharide is inulin. 20. The food product of claim 1, wherein the nutrient clusters have a calcium content of about 0.5% to 20% by weight. 21. The food product according to claim 1 having 100% USDRA of all essential vitamins and minerals in less than about 5 to 15 g of nutrient clusters. 22. The food product of claim 1, wherein the binder comprises a fat, at least a portion of which is a medium chain length triglyceride. 23. The food product of claim 22, wherein at least a portion of the medium chain length triglyceride is supplied by canola oil. 24. The food product of claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of the plurality of nutrient clusters to the ready-to-eat cereal base ranges from about 1:50 to about 50:1. 25. The food product of claim 1, wherein the cereal base is selected from the group consisting of shreds, flakes, biscuits, puffed pieces, and mixtures thereof. 26. The food product of claim 1, wherein the food product further comprises supplemental particulates selected from the group consisting of dried fruit pieces, nuts, candies, confections, and mixtures thereof. 27. The food product of claim 1, further comprising null clusters in a weight ratio to the nutrient clusters ranging from about 1:20 to about 1:1. 28. The food product of claim 1, wherein the plurality of particulates in the nutrient clusters comprise (1) dried cooked cereal grain pieces or dried cooked cereal dough pieces, and (2) at least one additional particulate selected from the group consisting of texturized vegetable protein, nut meat pieces, dried fruit, legumes, and fruit pastes. 29. The food product of claim 1, wherein the nutrient powder blend comprises a micronutrient selected from the group consisting of prebiotics, probiotics, isoflavones, phytochemicals, and mixtures thereof. 30. The food product of claim 29, wherein the nutrient powder blend comprises a prebiotic or a probiotic. 31. The food product of claim 1, wherein the at least one pre-encapsulated micronutrient comprises a prebiotic. 32. The food product of claim 1, wherein the nutrient powder blend comprises sufficient amounts of an insoluble fiber to provide the nutrient cluster with an insoluble fiber content of about 0.5% to 20% by weight. 33. The food product of claim 1, wherein the nutrient powder blend comprises sufficient amounts of a soluble fiber to provide the nutrient cluster with a soluble fiber content of about 0.5% to 20% by weight. 34. A method for preparing a food product, comprising: (A) coating a plurality of particulates with a quantity of liquid binder to form sticky binder-coated particulates, said particulates being selected from the group consisting of dried cooked cereal grain pieces, texturized vegetable protein, dried cooked cereal dough pieces, nut meat pieces, dried fruit, legumes, fruit pastes and mixtures thereof; (B) coating the binder-coated particulates of step (A) with a dry nutrient powder blend comprising at least one pre-encapsulated micronutrient, thereby forming a nutrient cluster weighing about 0.3 to 5 g on a dry weight basis; (C) curing the nutrient cluster to solidify the liquid binder to form a dried solid nutrient cluster having a moisture content of about 2% to 10% by weight; and (D) admixing a plurality of nutrient clusters with a ready-to-eat cereal base to form a blended product. 35. The method of claim 34, wherein said plurality of particulates each range in size from about 0.8 to 8 mm. 36. The method of claim 34, wherein the nutrient cluster has a weight of about 0.3 to 1 g. 37. The method of claim 34, wherein the nutrient powder blend has a particle size of less than 500 microns. 38. The method of claim 34, wherein the nutrient powder blend has a particle size ranging from about 5 to 250 microns. 39. The method of claim 34, wherein at least a portion of the plural