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US4446163A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Process of manufacturing a starch-based food product

Assignee: PILLBURY Co
•
Filing: 1982-06-29
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Granted: 1984-05-01
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Expires: 2002-06-29
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Abstract

Abstract A rice or other starch based product is provided which is manufactured from either broken rice or whole rice which is first ground and then pressure-formed into rice-shaped pieces. The pressure formed pieces are then heated by exposing them to saturated steam at a super atmospheric pressure above 0.5 psig in an autoclave for a sufficient time to gelatinize a major portion of the starch. After further processing, the rice pieces can be reconstituted by a consumer for consumption.

Inventors

  • 👤 Edward L. Galle
  • 👤 Roy G. Hyldon
  • 👤 William P. Egar

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 15:50
CPC Classifications
A; A23; A23L; A23L29/00; A23L29/20; A23L19/00; A23L19/10; A23L19/12; A23L19/13; A23L7/00; A23L7/10; A23L7/109; A23L7/143

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 45
Claim 1
Independent Claim 100 words
A process of manufacturing a starch-based food item comprising the steps of: providing a mixture of ground material, with said material comprising at least about 20% starch by weight of mixture on a dry basis; hydrating said mixture to form a blend, said mixture being hydrated sufficiently to provide pressure formability to said blend; pressure forming said blend to form individual pieces; and heating the pressure formed pieces by exposing said pieces to substantially saturated steam at a super atmospheric pressure above about 0.5 psig in an autoclave for a time sufficient to gelatinize a major portion of said starch.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 100 words
A process of manufacturing a starch-based food item comprising the steps of: providing a mixture of ground material, with said material comprising at least about 20% starch by weight of mixture on a dry basis; hydrating said mixture to form a blend, said mixture being hydrated sufficiently to provide pressure formability to said blend; pressure forming said blend to form individual pieces; and heating the pressure formed pieces by exposing said pieces to substantially saturated steam at a super atmospheric pressure above about 0.5 psig in an autoclave for a time sufficient to gelatinize a major portion of said starch.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 35 words
A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein said heating is done at a pressure in the range of between about 3 psig and about 35 psig in an environment of substantially saturated steam.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 28 words
A process as set forth in claim 2 wherein said heating is done at a pressure in the range of between about 5 psig and about 20 psig.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 18 words
A process as set forth in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said forming is done by extrusion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 34 words
A process as set forth in claim 1, 2, or 3 wherein said mixture is in the form of a flour which has been ground to a fineness of less than about 100 mesh.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 26 words
A process as set forth in claim 5 wherein said flour is ground sufficiently such that at least about 99% is finer than about 140 mesh.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 28 words
A process as set forth in claim 6 wherein said flour is ground to a fineness such that at least about 99% is finer than about 200 mesh.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 41 words
A process as set forth in claim 1, 2, or 3 wherein the mixture is hydrated to form a blend with the blend having a moisture content within the range of between about 20% and about 40% by weight of blend.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 29 words
A process as set forth in claim 8 wherein the blend has a moisture content in the range of between about 27% and about 36% by weight of blend.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 29 words
A process as set forth in claim 9 wherein said blend has a moisture content in the range of between about 29% and about 31% by weight of blend.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 30 words
A process as set forth in claim 1, 2, or 3 wherein the thus heated particles are dried sufficiently to have a water activity level of less than about 0.85.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 23 words
A process as set forth in claim 11 wherein said particles are dried to a water activity level of less than about 0.65.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 26 words
A process as set forth in claim 1, 2, or 3 wherein said formed particles are reconstituted to a higher moisture content by adding back water.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 37 words
A process as set forth in claim 1, 2, or 3 wherein prior to heating said particles, said particles are preheated at a temperature above the gelatinization temperature of the starch sufficiently to reduce stickiness during heating.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 21 words
A process as set forth in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said material includes a majority by weight of rice.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 21 words
A process as set forth in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said material include a majority by weight of wheat.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 21 words
A process as set forth in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said material include a majority by weight of corn.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 21 words
A process as set forth in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said material includes a majority by weight of millet.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 21 words
A process as set forth in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said material include a majority by weight of potato.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 21 words
A process as set forth in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said material include a majority by weight of sorghum.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 21 words
A process as set forth in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said material include a majority by weight of rye.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 21 words
A process as set forth in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said material include a majority by weight of barley.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 21 words
A process as set forth in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said material includes a majority by weight of triticale.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 21 words
A process as set forth in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said material include a majority by weight of oats.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 21 words
A process as set forth in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said material include a majority by weight of cassava.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 41 words
A process as set forth in claim 1 wherein said ground material also includes filler and each said heated piece is predominantly bound together by starch and said starch being at least about 95% gelatinized and less than about 5% degraded.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 16 words
A process as set forth in claim 26 wherein substantially all of the starch is gelatinized.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 17 words
A process as set forth in claim 26 wherein there is substantially no degradation of the starch.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 32 words
A process as set forth in claim 26 wherein said ground material includes starch and filler which were ground to a mesh size of less than about 100 prior to pressure forming.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 26 words
A process as set forth in claim 29 wherein the mesh size of said starch and filler prior to pressure forming was less than about 140.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 26 words
A process as set forth in claim 30 wherein the mesh size of said starch and filler prior to pressure forming was less than about 200.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 31 words
A process as set forth in claim 26 wherein said starch is present in an amount of at least about 50% by weight of starch plus filler on a dry basis.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 31 words
A process as set forth in claim 32 wherein said starch is present in an amount of at least about 70% by weight of starch plus filler on a dry basis.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim 23 words
A process as set forth in claim 26, 27 or 28 wherein said filler and starch includes a majority by weight of rice.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim 23 words
A process as set forth in claim 26, 27 or 28 wherein said filler and starch includes a majority by weight of wheat.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim 23 words
A process as set forth in claim 26, 27 or 28 wherein said filler and starch includes a majority by weight of corn.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim 23 words
A process as set forth in claim 26, 27 or 28 wherein said filler and starch includes a majority by weight of millet.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim 23 words
A process as set forth in claim 26, 27 or 28 wherein said filler and starch includes a majority by weight of potato.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim 23 words
A process as set forth in claim 26, 27 or 28 wherein said filler and starch includes a majority by weight of sorghum.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim 23 words
A process as set forth in claim 26, 27 or 28 wherein said filler and starch includes a majority by weight of rye.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim 23 words
A process as set forth in claim 26, 27 or 28 wherein said filler and starch includes a majority by weight of barley.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim 23 words
A process as set forth in claim 26, 27 or 28 wherein said filler and starch includes a majority by weight of triticale.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim 23 words
A process as set forth in claim 26, 27 or 28 wherein said filler and starch includes a majority by weight of oats.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim 23 words
A process as set forth in claim 26, 27 or 28 wherein said filler and starch includes a majority by weight of cassava.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3071471A Cited
US4243690A Cited
US4368210A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1987-05-01 1987-10-31 1988-05-01 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1991-05-01 1991-10-31 1992-05-01 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1995-05-01 1995-10-31 1996-05-01 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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