Ready-to-eat protein fortified cereal

A method of making ready-to-eat breakfast cereal comprising a plurality of base cereal pieces, the method comprising

• a. processing dough to form pellets having a moisture content of from about 23% to about 32% by weight, wherein the dough consists of:
• i. starch-based ingredient in an amount of at least 30% by dry weight of the dough, the starch-based ingredient having a starch content of 65% to 100% by dry weight,
• ii. a protein ingredient component in an amount sufficient to achieve a protein content of greater than 20% to about 55% by dry weight of the dough, the protein ingredient component comprising wheat protein isolate or vital wheat gluten in an amount of about 12% to about 50% by dry weight of the dough and legume protein concentrate or legume protein isolate in an amount of up to about 20% by dry weight of the dough,
• iii. oil in an amount of up to about 10% by dry weight of the dough,
• iv. no added gums,
• v. a bran ingredient in an amount of up to 25% by dry weight of the dough;
• and
• vi. other ingredients in a total amount of less than 10% by dry weight of the dough;
• b. drying the pellets to form dried pellets having a moisture content of from about 21% to about 26% by weight;
• and
• c. forming the dried pellets into cereal base pieces.

A method of making ready-to-eat breakfast cereal comprising a plurality of base cereal pieces, the method comprising

• a. processing dough to form an expanded rope having a moisture content of from about 28% to about 32% by weight, wherein the dough consists of:
• i. starch-based ingredient in an amount of at least 30% by dry weight of the dough, the starch-based ingredient having a starch content of 65% to 100% by dry weight,
• ii. a protein ingredient component in an amount sufficient to achieve a protein content of greater than 20% to about 55% by dry weight of the dough, the protein ingredient component comprising wheat protein isolate or vital wheat gluten in an amount of about 12% to about 50% by dry weight of the dough and legume protein concentrate or legume protein isolate in an amount of up to about 20% by dry weight of the dough,
• iii. oil in an amount of up to about 10% by dry weight of the dough,
• iv. no added gums,
• v. a bran ingredient in an amount of up to 25% by dry weight of the base cereal pieces;
• and
• vi. other ingredients in a total amount of less than 10% by dry weight of the dough;
• b. forming the expanded rope into pillows;
• and
• c. drying the pillows to a moisture of about 2% to about 4% to produce cereal base pieces.