# US 2014/0154362 A1 · Shelf-Stable Food Product

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- Number: US 2014/0154362 A1
- Document ID: US20140154362A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/691,176
- Filed: 2012-11-30
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30
- Assignees: General Mills, Inc.
- Inventors: Akshay Arora; Jill Conley; Danielle Waite
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140154362A1

## CPC

- A21D 13/38: characterised by the filling composition
- A21D 13/13: with coatings
- A21D 13/24: coated after baking
- A21D: TREATMENT OF FLOUR OR DOUGH FOR BAKING, e.g. BY ADDITION OF MATERIALS; BAKING; BAKERY PRODUCTS (preservation of flour or dough before baking A23B40/00; preservation of bakery products A23B45/00)

## Abstract

A shelf stable, confectionary food product having a core and a confectionary coating. The core is formed from dehydrated crumbs, such as dehydrated cake crumbs sweetened with sugar, and a shortening-based matrix comprising shortening and water. When the dehydrated crumbs are combined with the shortening-based matrix, the crumbs rehydrate. The food product has a shelf life at room temperature of more than one month, such as more than 3 months, or more than 6 months, or up to 9 months.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A shelf stable, confectionary food product comprising a confectionary coating over a core mixture comprising crumbs and shortening, the food product formed by a method comprising:
(a) combining dehydrated crumbs having a moisture content less than 10% and a water activity of 0.2-0.6 with a shortening-based matrix comprising solid or semi-solid shortening and water at a ratio of the dehydrated crumbs to the shortening-based matrix of 1.5:1 to 0.75:1 to form a mixture;
(b) forming the mixture into pieces; and
(c) coating the pieces with a confectionary coating material having a water activity.

### Claim 2

(canceled)

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the mixture, prior to forming, has a density of 0.78 to 1.31 g/cc.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein after the pieces are coated with the confectionary coating material, the food product has a shelf life of at least 1 month.

### Claim 5

(canceled)

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the dehydrated crumbs have a water activity of 0.3-0.4.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein after the pieces are coated with the confectionary coating material and after a sufficient period of time, the dehydrated crumbs combined with the shortening-based matrix rehydrate to provide a rehydrated crumb/shortening mixture having a water activity similar to the water activity of the confectionary coating material.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 wherein, after the sufficient period of time:
(a) the dehydrated crumbs have a water activity of 0.6-0.7; and
(b) the coating material has a water activity of 0.6-0.7.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the dehydrated crumbs are sweetened dehydrated crumbs.

### Claim 10

(canceled)

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein the shortening-based matrix is a 2-phase emulsion.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising:
(1) combining dehydrated crumbs and a heated shortening-based matrix to form a mixture having a temperature of 80-85° F.;
(2) cooling the mixture to a temperature of 55-75° F.;
(3) extruding the cooled mixture to form pieces;
(4) enrobing the pieces in the confectionary coating material to form coated pieces;
(5) cooling the coated pieces; and
(6) packaging the cooled, coated pieces to provide the shelf stable food product.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12 wherein the heated shortening-based mixture is made by:
(a) heating water, glycerol and emulsifier(s) to a temperature above 160° F. to form a heated water mixture;
(b) heating shortening and mono glycerides at a temperature above 160° F. to form a heated shortening mixture; and
(c) combining the heated water mixture with the heated shortening mixture to form the heated shortening-based mixture.

### Claim 14

(canceled)

### Claim 15

A food product comprising:
(a) a core formed from dehydrated crumbs having a moisture content of less than 10% and a water activity of 0.2-0.6 and a shortening-based matrix comprising shortening and water, a ratio of the crumbs to the shortening-based matrix being 1.5:1 to 0.75:1; and
(b) a confectionary coating substantially enrobing the core.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The food product of claim 15 wherein the dehydrated crumbs have a moisture content of 1.5-7%.

### Claim 17

(canceled)

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The food product of claim 15 having a shelf life at room temperature of more than 1 month.

### Claim 19

(canceled)

### Claim 20

(canceled)

### Claim 21

(canceled)

### Claim 22

(canceled)

### Claim 23

(canceled)

### Claim 24 (depends on 15)

The food product of claim 15 wherein the core has a density of 0.78 to 1.31 g/cc.

### Claim 25 (depends on 15)

The food product of claim 15 wherein the dehydrated crumbs comprise cake crumbs, cookie crumbs, brownie crumbs or muffin crumbs.

### Claim 26 (depends on 15)

The food product of claim 15 wherein the dehydrated crumbs comprise dehydrated crumbs and sweetener(s) selected from sugar (sucrose), fructose, dextrose, maltose, saccharide, sucralose or stevia extract(s).

### Claim 27 (depends on 15)

The food product of claim 15 wherein the shortening-based matrix consists essentially of shortening, water, acidulant(s), antimicrobial(s) or preservative(s), humectant(s), and emulsifier(s).

### Claim 28

(canceled)

### Claim 29

(canceled)

### Claim 30

(canceled)

### Claim 31

(canceled)

### Claim 32

(canceled)

### Claim 33

A shelf stable, confectionary food product having a first state at a first time and a second state different than the first state at a second time later than the first time, the food product having a confectionary coating over a core mixture comprising crumbs and shortening:
wherein in the first state, the crumbs have a moisture content of less than 10% and a water activity of 0.2-0.6; and
wherein in the second state, the crumbs have a moisture content of 5-8% and greater than when in the first state and a water activity of 0.5-0.8 and greater than when in the first state.

### Claim 34 (depends on 33)

The food product of claim 33 wherein the second time is at least 24 hours after the first time.

### Claim 35

(canceled)

### Claim 36 (depends on 33)

The food product of claim 33:
wherein in the first state, the crumbs have a water activity of 0.3-0.4; and
wherein in the second state, the crumbs have a water activity of 0.6-0.7.

### Claim 37

(canceled)

### Claim 38

(canceled)

### Claim 39

(canceled)

### Claim 40

(canceled)