Process for producing a foodstuff of cereal

Claim 1

A process for producing foodstuff flakes from cereal by enzymatic conversion of starch in situ to dextrose comprising the steps of a. forming a mash consisting of 20% to 40% whole cereal grains or grains ground to coarse to medium fine grist and water; b. allowing the mash to swell for a period of 1-2 hours while maintaining it at a temperature below the gelatinization point of the starch; c. adding to the swelled mash alpha amylase in an amount between 0.05% and 0.5% based on the dry cereal; d. adjusting the pH of the mash to 6.5 to 7 by the addition of sodium hydroxide solution; e. heating the mash resulting from the preceding steps in a steam injection cooker to a temperature of 100° to 110° C., then passing the mash at that temperature through a tube type converter with a retention time of 3 to 5 minutes, and thereafter passing the mash through a circulatory reaction vessel with a retention time of about 1 hour and at a temperature of 95° C. to thereby effect conversion of starch to maltodextrin; f. cooling the maltodextrin-containing mash, readjusting its pH to a level effective to promote the action of amyloglucosidase by the addition of a second pH regulator, and then feeding the mash to a reaction tank; g. adding amyloglucosidase to the mash in the reaction tank; h. storing the mash containing amyloglucosidase in the reaction tank for a period of 24 to 48 hours to effect conversion of maltodextrin to dextrose; i. drying the whole dextrose-containing mash resulting from the preceding steps on a single roll dryer to form a thermoplastic film; j. removing and cooling said film to make it friable; and k. comminuting the cooled, friable film to form flakes.