CA1305630C - Cohesive powder bit vegetable products and process for making the same - Google Patents

Abstract

Applicant:
Title: Cohesive Powder Bit Vegetable Products and Process for Making the Same ABSTRACT
Powdered grain and/or legume material is mixed with a liquid binder containing algin to form a dough that is molded, or extruded and the extruded material severed, to form synthesized kernels or bits.
Such kernels or bits are deposited in an aqueous setting or gelling liquid, preferably containing calcium chloride or calcium lactate r for setting the binder, and, if the aqueous liquid is hot, the synthesized kernels may be cooked in such setting liquid for a few minutes after which they are removed from the setting or gelling liquid and dried, or they may be canned or frozen. If the bits are cooked for a few minutes after being formed they will be quick-cooking. The bits may contain other food ingredients and additives of protein t amino acid or amino acid analogue, oil or fat, coloring and flavoring material.

Description

~3~3V

COHESIVE POWDER BIT VEGETABLE PRODUCTS
AND PROCESS FOR MAKING THE SAME

This invention relates to a cohesive powder kernel or bit product composed of kernels or bits that have been formed from meal or flour of vegetables including seeds of cereals and/or seeds of pulses and/or leaves of leafy vegetables and/or stalk vegetables and/or root vegetables, which kernels or bits can be composed of a single variety of vegetable product or can incorporate products of more than one variety of vegetable and can include other types of food and/or edible material.
Gorozpe, U.S. Patent 2,914,005, issued November 24, 1959, discloses apparatus for preparing a quick-cooking rice product produced from broken rice.
The process of producing the product includes rapidly drying broken rice to cause it. to check. The cracks in the checked rice enable ready permeation of moisture.
The rice is then hydrated to swell it and it is milled to form small particles; preferably about 1/64 inch (0.4 mm) in diameter or about 40 mesh screen size. The milling forms a very porous, fluffy, granular, ball-like material (column 5, lines 63 to 653~ This fluffy granular material is then steamed or otherwise heated to gelatinize the particles throughout ~column 5~ line 67 to column 6, line 10), after which such gelatinized particles are formed into grains by being molded or extruded with the least pressure possible and without kneading so as to preserve the porous structure of the particles, but to cause them to adhere together Icolumn 6, lines 23 to 26 and lines 33 to 5l~. The product is extruded in small rod-like strings of oval section which are in cross section of a size about equal to the thickness of whole rice grains and these strings are cut at an angle into short lengths to form individual grains about equal in size to, but preferably larger than, the better grades of whole grain rice. Cutting the oval extruded strings at an angle produces pointed ends on the cut grains (column 6, lines 64 to 71). The resulting grains are fed to a predryer where they are dried for about 5 minutes at a temperature of about 300 F. to lower the moisture content to about 20 to 25 percent and the predried grains are then treated in a final dryer for about 10 minutes at a maximum temperature of 150 degrees F~ to reduce the moisture content to the usual 10 to 14 percent (column 7, lines 25 to 52).
The later Gorozpe U.S. patent 3,071,471, issued January 1, 1963, also relates to a quick-cooking rice product that is made from broken rice. In the process for making this product the rice is gelatinized before grinding instead of merely being hydr~ted and ungelatinized as in the earlier Gcrozpe patent 2t914,005. In this instance the gelatini~ed rice is crushed t~o or three times to reduce it to a very porousJ fluffy~ fla~y material formed by a multiplicity of gelatiniæed starch cells (column 1, lines 59 to 63, column 4, lines 55 to 72 and column 10, lines 32 to 49)~ The rice having a normal moisture content of 10 to 14 percent is dried quic]cly to reduce the moisture content by about 2 to 5 percent which causes chec~ing ~column 3~ lines 2 to 12). The drying is accomplished ~13~

at a temperature between 122 degrees F. and 158 degrees F. for between 30 and 60 minutes, preferably 140 degrees F. for a period of 30 minutes, so that the moisture content is reduced quickly by about 3 percent (column 3, lines 12 to 33).
The dried checked rice is next subjected to washing and hydrating steps until the moisture content reaches 38 to ~0 percent (column 3, lines 37 to 59).
The hydrated rice may be gelatinized in a single stage by wet steam or hot water ko about 90 to 95 percent of complete gelatinization after which the gelatinized rice is broken into lumps having a moisture content of about 30 to 45 percent (column 4, lines 12 to 27). Next, the gelatiniæed lumps are dried to reduce the moisture content to about 15 to 25 percent and are then broken up on breaking rolls to a size of about 1t16 inch t1.6 mm) to 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) and ~urther dried to a moisture content of about 10 t:o 1~ percent (column 4, lines 39 to ~9).
Alternatively, the rice may be gelatinized in two stages, th~ first stage comprising partially gelatinizing the hydrated rice to at least 50 percent ~elatinization followed by gelatinizing the xice in a second stage to about 80 to 95 percent o complete gelatinization. ~urther alternatively, the rice may be gelatinized in a sequence of thr~e stages reaching 80 to 95 percent of complete gelatinization (column 4, lines 55 to 63). Partially gelatinized rice may be extruded with sufficient pressure so that it does not come apart during cooking (column 5, lines 6 to 14).
The e~truder form~ the rice into whole grains which are subjected to further gelatinization with wet steam at a temperature of about 194 F. (90 C.) to 212~ F. (100 C.~ for a period of 20 to 90 seconds and 40 to 50 percent moisture (column 5, lines 22 to 29)~ The yrains may be gelatinized a third time with wet steam to produce a moisture content of not more than about 65 percent (column 5, lines 38 to 42). The rice grains are then cooled, and dried to reduce the moisture content to 10 to 14 percent (column 5, lines 22 to 53)~
The more recent Harrow et al. U.S. patent 4,325,976, issued April 20, 1982, discloses a process for making a reformed rice product from flour which can include wheat flour, potato flour, corn flour, tapioca flour, waxy maize ~lour and rice ~lour, but it is preferred that at least a major portion of the flour be rice flour (column 1, lines 40 to 48). A portion of the ~lour can be pregelatini2ed and a portion can be ungelatinized, but not less than 30 percent of the flour used is pregelatinized and the amount of pregelatinized flour should not exceed 70 percent by weight (column 1, lines 50 to 57). To the flour is added sodium chloride, common salt, in a proportion between 4 percent and 12 percent by weight (column 1, lines 59 to 65) and fat which may be pure fat or fat from whole egg or egg yolk powder (column 2, lines 32 to 58). Also ammonium carbonate or an alkali metal bicarbonate and an alkali metal hydrogen tartrate, preferably potassium hydrogen tartrate and sodium bicarbonate can be added as puffing aids (column 1, line 66 to column 2, line 9).
The process steps include:
(a) mi~ing the dry composition with water to produce an extrudable dough containing water in an :~3~

amount of 20 percent to 30 percent of the dough by weight, (b) extruding the dough to form simulated rice grains, and (c) drying the simulated rice grains at a temperature up to 150~ C. to a moisture content not exceeding 15 percent by weight of the resulting rice product (column 2, line 64 to column 3, line 5).
The extruding is accomplished using a conventional low pressure pasta-type extruder t.hrough a die having generally elliptical apertures and the dough is cut as it is extruded by a rotating cutting knife (column 3, line 6 to 14). The extruded rice grains are then dried at a temperature preferably from 130 to 150 C. to a final moisture content from 4 percent to 8 percent by weight (column 3, lines 27 to 35).
No process is known in which alginate or other binder material in conjunction with a setting or gelling agent is combined with vegetable meal or flour to impart to such meal or flour a cohesive quality in the production of a powder kernel vegetable product, but Willock U.S. patent 3,365,299, issued January 23, 1968 proposes the use of a seaweed gum or alginate mucilage coating for rice grains in producing a rice pudding.
Kamada et al. U.S. Patent 4,101,683, issued July 18, 1978 discloses the use of alginate among other polysaccharides ~column 3, lines 49 to 51) in connection with puffed rice~ The process of this patent gelatinizes the rice starch by the -first step of pu-fing rice grains to a high degree as stated in ~3e~3~

column 5, lines 57 and 58. Such puffing and gelatïnizing step is accomplished by heating the rice grains in a closed container at an elevated temperature under increased pressure and releasing the rice grains into the atmosphere to all.ow them to puff, or heatiny the ric~ grains by means of heated air or by high frequency waves as described in column 3, lines 20 to 25.
The second step in the treatment is to add a thickener to the puffed rice grains as described in column 3, lines 40 to 68, which thickener may be polysaccharide, including agar and alginate, or gums including guar gum, or artificially produced thickeners, or microorganically produced thickeners (column 3, lines 49 to 68). The thickener is applied to the puffed rice by immersing the puffed rice in an aqueous solution containing the thickener (column 4, lines 19 to 21) t or by spraying or sprinkling the aqueous solution on the puffed rice ~column 4, lines ~1 to 23).
The final third step is to dry the puffed rice with which the thickener has been incorporated, either under normal atmospheric pressure or under vacuum, either in the presence or in the absence o~ heating, as described at column 5, lines 20 to 24. In consequence of the gradual vaporization of water, the puffed rice diminish2s in volume eventually to approach the volume of raw rice (column 5, lines 38 to ~0). The resulting rice will be fast cookin~ (column 5, lines 42 and 43~ in one to two minutes in hot water heated in advance to about 80 C. (column 6, lines 6 to 8). The rice can even be rehydrated at room temperature by being soaked in water for about 30 minutes (column 6, lines 16 to 18).

While the use of a thickener as described in Kamada et al. U.S. patent 4,101,683 does not utilize any setting agent, the use of such an agent is disclosed in Kamada et al. U.S patent 4,0~35,234, issued April 18, 1978. This patent discloses a rice product made by puffing rice to a high degree by first treating the rice grains ln a closed container kept at an elevated temperature and releasing the rice grains into the atmosphere for thereby allowing them to puEf to a degree from 6 to 16 times, and preferably 10 to 12 times, as large as the raw rice grains (coIumn 3, lines 17 to 36).
The puffed rice grains are then immersed in or sprayed or sprinkled with an aqueous solution containing at least one polysaccharide thickener which is gelled by metallic ions. Examples of such polysaccharides are alginic acid, its salt, carragleenin, pectin, etc.
(column 3, lines 43 to 53).
As in the Kamada et al. U.S. patent 4,101,683, the puffing step of this patent, Kamada et al. U.S.
patent 4,085,23~, gelatinizes the rice starch as stated at column 5, lines 46 and 47. The puffing may expand the rice grains to a ~olume six times as large as normal rice grains (column 6, line 22), or 11 times as large as ordinary rice grains (column 6l line 44), or 15 times as large as ordinary rice grains tcolumn 6, line 60). Also a thickener such as sodium alginate can be incorporated in the puffed rice grains by immersing the puffed rice grains in a thickener solution (column 6, lines 62 and 63), or by spraying the thickener onto the rice grains ~column 6l lines 23 to 25).
~Eter the thickener has been incorporated in the puffed rice grains the third step is to immerse the treated puffed rice in an aqueous solution containing metallic ions capable of inducing gelation o~ the thickener, or to spray or sprinkle the aqueous solution on the puffed rice~ as stated at column 4, lines 14 to 17. The expression "aqueous solution containing metallic ions" includes aqueous solutions prepared by addition of metallic salts, solutions prepared by an ion exchange treatment, naturally occurring mineral waters containing metallic ions and natural aqueous solutions which originate in animals and plants (column 4, lines 25 to 33).
Examples of the metallic salts include calcium salts, potassium salts, magnesium salts and other similar metallic salts o~ carbonic acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphori.c acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, citric acid, ascorbic acid, glycerophosphoric acid and other similar acids, as stated at column 4, lines 37 to 43~ The metallic ions are stated to be capable of acting upon the thickener to be gelled and consequently inducing gelation ~column 4, lines 44 to 46). A specific example is the combination of sodium alginate and calcium lactate tcolumn 6, lines 24 and 27). Another example is a low methyl ester pectin and calcium chloride ~column 6, lines 46 to 48~.
A further example uses the combination of sodium alginate and calcium lactate (column 6, lines 62, 64 an 65). Another example proposes the combination of calcium and potassium-sensitive carrageenin and calcium lactate ~column 7; lines 11 and 13).
After the rice has been treated with the thickener and the metallic salt the puffed rice into ~3~i3~

which the thickener or the gelled thickener has been incorporated is dried under normal atmospheric pressure or under vacuum either in the absence or in the presence of heating to produce a fast-cooking rice (column 5, lines 8 to 25~. During the drying step the puffed rice diminishes in volume to approach the volume of raw rice~ while the incorporated gelled thickener is retained throughout from the sur~ace to the inside center of the individual grains (column 5, lines 27 to 30~.
It is a principal object of the pxesent invention to produce cohesive powder kernels or bits which may be formed from meal or flour of a single variety, or be a composite of more than one variety, of vegetables including grain seeds, pulse seeds and leafy vegetables~ Such kernels may have normal cooking characteristics or be quic]c-cooking~ The common characteristic of such kernels is that they embody a binder set b~ the action of a setting agent to impart a ~0 cohesive quality to the meal or flour of which the kernels are made.
An important object is to use as source material for synthesizing kernels powder which may be produced from broken or malformed grain seeds. A
further object is to provide a uniEormly consistent product composed of powder kernels which are coherent, firm and have a natural taste or improved flavor and may have improved nutritional content or balance.
It is also an object to produce powder kernels of grain seed or pulse seed material havin~ a natural or improved appearance, texture and nutritional value.

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A specific object is to provide grain seed or pulse seed powder kernels which will have as good or better keeping qualities than corresponding natural grain seed or pulse seed products.
An additional specific object is to augment the rice flavor of a powder kernel product incorporat~ng powder fLom fractured rice seeds.
Another object is to be able to incorporate edible additives, including coloring t sauces, oil or spices, in powder kernels, whether reconstituted or synthesized~ which will permeate the kernels instead of being carried only as a surface coating.
A further object is to provide valuable nutxient, mineral andJor vitamin content in powder kernels, both those naturally present in the ingredients used to make the kernels and those supplied by additives provided especially Eor such purpose, while utilizing a process of ~laking the powder kernels which will not leach out the natural nutrients, minerals andtor vitamins and which will enable additional nutrients, minerals and vitamins to be added.
It is also an object to provide powder kernels of grain seeds and/or pulse seeds which can be cooked in the usual way, can be quick-cooking, or can even be palatable and digestible without requiring any final cooking step before being eaten.
A further object is to provide such a powder kernel product which can be produced economically by a process that re~uires a minimum of special equipment and few steps and which steps can be performed with ~L3~

minimum energy utilization and little operational expense~
An additional object is to enable a wide variety of powder kernel products to be produced with minimum change in the production methods, which products can cater to various tastes and be readily accepted by people oE different cultural backgrounds.
An important specific object is to provide a reconstituted or synthesized powder kernel product which incorporates an appropriate nutritional balance to serve as a dietarily complete food that can be eaten in reduced quantities to promote weight reduction.
Another specific object is to utilize powder kernels as a vehicle for medicine, such as hydroxy keto analogues, that by themselves are distasteful or even unpalatable.
Some of the foregoing objects can be accomplished by a process for producing a synthesized cohesive powder bit food product which comprises: (a) crushing or comminuting vegetable material into a powder, (b) mixing the vegetable powder material with liquid and thereby produci.ng formable dough, (c~
forming synthesiæed bits from the dough, (d) during the process adding algin material binder to the vegetable material, and (e) supplying to the vegetable material setting agent material for setting the binder to produce cohesive powder bits An object can also be accomplished by the process for producing a synthesized powder kernel product which includes the steps oE fracturing rice seeds in a manner having the e.Eect oE reducing the i63(~

rice ~lavor of the product when cooked and adding albumin to the product for enhancing the rice flavor and by the food product comprising synthesized powder bits, each bit of which food product includes a substantial proportion of rice seed material and albumin for enhancing the rice material flavor.
Additional objects can be accomplished by the food product comprising synthesized powder bits, each bit of which food product includes more than one type of vegetable material selected from the group consisting of cereal seed material, pulse seed material, leafy ve~etable material, stalk vegetable material and root vegetable material.
Nutritional objects can be accomplished by a food product comprising synthesized powder bits, each bit of which food product includes vegetable material and acid material selected from the group consisting of amino acids and analogues of amino acids and by a food ~roduct comprising synthesized powder bits, each bit of which food product includes vegetable material and oil or fat.
Physical characteristic objects can be accomplished by a food product comprising synthesized powder bits, each bit of which food product lncludes vegetable material and set binder material selected from the group consisting of algin material and chitin material.
Altern~tively the meal or powder can be mi~ed with an a~ueous liquid to form a plastic mass or dou~h which can be molded or extruded and the resulting kernels or bits stabilized by application to their surfaces of a binder. The setting agent for the binder i63~

may also be supplied as a coating or may have been incorporated in the plastic mass or dough~
The drawing is a diagrammatic representation of apparatus suitable for performing a process according to the present invention to produce a product according to the present invention.
In this description, the term powder kernel or bit is used to designate kernels or bits synthesized from powder including xeconstituted kernels simulating whole natural cereal seeds such as of rice, wheat, oats~ millet, corn, rye and barley, or pulse seeds such as of peanuts, paas and beans including kidney beans, lima beans, lentils and soy beans, synthesized bits produced from legumes or leafy plants such as of vetch, alEalfa, clover, spinach and pea pods, or stalk vegetables such as corn, tomat:oes and green peppers, or root vegeta~les such as carro1s, turnips, beets, onions and potatoes, and special combination synthesized kernels, which may or may not simulate whole natural seeds, or bits composed of a blend or mixture of powders from different vegetables, other foods, flavorings and other edible materials. Such other foods include cheese, pasta, milk, sugar, oil or fat, such as lard, butter, coconut fat or olice oil, honey and nuts, for example, filberts, wal.nuts, pecans, cashews, coconut and Brazil nuts. Flavorings include curry, chili powder, soya sauce or other soya derivatives, salt, vanilla~ ginger~ pepper, thyme, saffron, sage, cinnamon, cloves, garlic, onion and origanu~ It is preferred that the kernels or bits be synthesized from powder having particles small enough to pass through a No. 20 U.S. standard mesh screen but which would be ;3~

retained on a No. 200 U.S. standard mesh screen, preferably being predominantly about 100 mesh.
In this description "reconstitutecl" is used to designate kernels composed essentially, if not entirely, of powder from one specific type of grain seed or pulse seed of a shape very similar to, if not identical to, the shape of the corresponding whole natural seeds, whereas the term "synthesized" is used as generic to reconstituted kernels and also to bits of other food or special combinations resulting from a mixture of powders of different seeds and/or other vegetable and/or food components and may or may not be of a shape similar to the shape of some natural seed.
The term "bits" is used generically to cover kernels, cubic or cylindrical pellets, flakes and morsels synthesized from powder.
Moreover, "synthesized" is applied to powder bits having a substantial amount of spices, flavoring, medicaments or pharmacological food mixed in with one or more varieties of vegetable componants. The proportions of components in such special combination s~nthesized bits may be such as to provide in a single powder food product proper proportions of vegetable ingredients to sustain life such as may be used for a complete obesity control diet.
The process of producing powder bits includes crushing, including grinding, or comminuting selected cereal seeds, legume or pulse seeds, or other vegetable material to a powder such as meal or flour, making a liquid binder such as a batter or a paste, mi~ing such liquid binder with the vegetable powder to form a 3~

doughy material o:~ consistency suitable for extruding~
extruding such doughy material through dies to form strings, severing such strings into kernels or other bits, treating such kernels or other bits with a binder-setting agent such as a calcium salt adequate to set the binder incorporated in the kernels or other bits and drying the bits. The powder bits thus produced can be reconstituted kernels of the type having a shape resembling the shape of the seeds of a particular grain or pulse ~rom which the vegetable powder for making the kernels came, such as kernels shaped like rice grains made from rice powder, or kernels shaped like beans made from bean powder, for example.
Instead of being extruded, the kernels or bits can be synthesized in the form of rice kernels or other shapes by being forme.d i.n a die. The bits can be sprayed with a liquid binder incorpora~ing low viscosity algin and fat while they are moving across a vibrating table or moved as a fluid bedO Subsequently during such movement the bits can be sprayed with a solution of binder-setting agent and air dried.
The liquid binder mixed with the powder from which the bits are made provides a cohesive powder mixture forming bits that will retain their shape well despite wide variations in moistuxe. content and temperature.
~ he binding material for th~ cohesive powder preferably is an algin such as sodium alginate~ The algin can be of any viscosity including the low viscosity type from 1/1Oth to 1 poise and the high viscosity type rom 8 to 20 poises. If the algin is of the low viscosity typel the fluid binder may be ~3~ 3~

principally water, containing 0.1 percent to 20 percentby weight of algin, preferably 5 p~rcent to 11 percent.
If high viscosity algin is used in the binder, the water may contain from 0.01 percent to 12 percent of algin by weight, preferably 0.5 percent to 6 percent~
Salt should be used sparingly because any appreciable amount of salt will detract from the cohesion promotion of algin binder.
Alternatively, the binder material may be chitin material such as chitosan, chitosamine, chitose or other chitin derivative from fungi and/or crustacean shells.
Whatever type or types of binding material are utilized in the fluid binder the total amount of binding material should be within the range of 0.01 to 20 percent of the water by weight~
In producing synthesized bits, whether reconstituted kernels of a single type of grain or pulse or other bits of a special composite type, the fluid binder can be mixed with the powdered material of the seed, whether grain, pulse, or other food, to make a cohesive powder dough of soft consistency suikable for extruding in proportions of 2 to 4 times as much bit-forming powder as ~luid binder by volume, preferably about 3 times as much.
For making rice kernels, rice powder and fluid binder may be extruded by a press type of extruder such as that disclosed, for example, in Gorozpe U.S. patent 2,914~005 Figures 3 and 8, described at column 6, lines 39 to 71, or in Gorozpe U.S. patent 3,071,471, described at column 10, line 73 to column 11, line 14/ or in Marrow et al. U.S. patent 4,325,976, described at column 3, lines 6 to 26.

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In carrying out one process according to thepresent invention, the extruded synthesized kernels ~all from the extruder into a body of water containing binder~setting or binder-gelling material which preferably is a water-soluble calcium salt, such as calcium chloride CaC12 or calcium lactate (CH3CHOHC00)2 Ca.5H20~ preferably a combination of these two chemicals, but other water-soluble calcium salts could be used instead, such as calcium acetate Ca(CH3C00)2~H20~ calcium acetylsalicylate C1gH14CaOg, calci.um aluminosilicate CaA12S20g, calcium ascorbate C12H14Ca12~ calcium bisulfite Ca(HS03)2, calcium carbamate C2H4CaN20~ calcium citrate Ca3(C6HsO7)2.4H20, calcium formate C2H2CaO4 or Ca(HC02)2, calcium glycerophosphate C3H7CaO6P, calcium phosphat~ monohydrate CaH4(P04)2.H20, also known as monobasic calcium phosphate, primary calcium phosphate CaH4(P04)2, secondary calcium phosphate dihydrate CaHP04.2H20, also known as dibasic calcium phosphate, secondary calcium phosphate CaHP04, tertiary calcium phosphate Ca3(P04)2, also known as tribasic calcium phosphate~ calcium gluconate [HOCH2(CHOH)4C00]2 Ca.H20, calcium ~ulfate dihydrate CaS04.2H20 and calcium tartrate C4~46 Ca 4H2 Also calcium carbonate CaC03, calcium oxalate CaC204~H20, or calcium sulfate CaS04 can be used notwithstanding their low solubility if they axe converted to a soluble salt such as calcium acetate, calcium adipate, or calcium citrate by reaction with acetic acid, CH3COOH, adipic acid HOOC(CH2)4COOH, and/or citric acid HOOCCH2C~OH)COOHCH2COOH, respectively.
The preferred setting agent is composed of calcium lactate~ 62.5 percent, and calcium chloride, 37.5 percent, by weight.
The amount of calcium salt may be within the range of 0.01 to ~0 percent of the water by volume, preferably about 12 percent. Such material sets or gels the binder so as to form a cohesive powder for producing firm, coherent, stabilized bits.
If it should be desired to retard or prolong the effect of the setting or gelling agent, sodium carbonate Na2CO3, sodium citrate Na3C6H5O7, disodium phosphate Na2HPO4, trisodium phosphate Na3PO~, sodium hexametaphosphate (NaPO3)6, tetrasodium pyrophosphate Na4P2O7, sodium polyphosphate Nan~2PnO3n~1~ or sodium tripolyphosphate NasP3O10 in an amount of 0.01 percent to 20 percent by weight can be included in the fluid binder.
Another procedure for deferring or extending the setting or gelling action of calcium is to utilize calcium carbonate or calcium sulfate as the source of calcium and restrict th~ access of acid such as acetic acidr adipic acid, citric acid/ fumaric acid, gluconic acid, glutaric acid, lactic acid, malic acid~ succinic acid or tartaric acid or d gluconolactone C6H10o6 to react with the substantially insoluble calcium salt for producing soluble calcium salt slowly~
If chitin material is used for the fluid binder sulfuric acid or phosphoric acid or calcium ions or magnesium ions will set or gel the binder.
It is desirable for the synthesized bits to be quick-cooking such that they will cook in approximately 5 minutes~ One procedure for producing quick-cooking kernels is to deposit the kernels discharged from the extruder into water at or nearboiling temperature and cooking the kernels or a period of 3 to 20 minutes. Such hot water can contain the binder setting agent. The ~ernels are then removed from the hot water, drained and conditioned for storage by drying, canning or freezing the kernels.
The kernels removed from the hot water can be rinsed in cold water and then dried in a hot air dryer such as a food dehydrator or the kernels can be dried by being tumbled in a current of unheated air to reduce the moisture content of the synthesized kernels to a value of 10 percent to 13 percent by weight~ To obtain such moisture reduction, hot air drying is required for a period of about 2 1/2 hours at a temperature of about 140 F. ~60 C.) if the kerne]s are adequately exposed to the hot air by being in a t:hin layer or agitated.
For quick-cooking in approximately 5 minutes rice, for example, may be mixed with equal parts of water by volume and the water heated to bring it to a boil aftar which the heat source is removed. The water will be absoxbed in appxoximately 5 minutes to leave a very palatable, moist-dry rice.
Alternatively, the synthesized bits can be dried by subjecting them to an unheated current of air such as by blowing air upward through the apertures of a reticulated surface beneath the mass of bits for a period of 4 to 6 hours.
Instead of simply being dried by hot air or by unheated air~ the synthesi2ed bits can be heat-treated by subjecting them to superheated steam at a temperature of 215 F. to 300 F. ~102 C. to 149 C.) preferably about 260 F. (127 C.) to expedite ~!l3~1~3~

drying of the bits while at the same time partially cooking them so as to reduce their final cooking time.
Such exposure to steam can be for a period of about a minute. Such steaming partially cooks the vegetable material so that it will be quick-cooking, such as in 3 to 5 minutes in nearly boiling water. The steaming adds only about 1 to 5 percent to the moisture content of the bits.
Instead of simply drying the synthesized bits, they can be conditioned for storage by being canned or frozen in either partially cooked or completely cooked condition.
Flavoring, nutrients, fortifying substances and/or color can be added to the vegetable meal or flour and binder liquid mix dough before being extruded and such add1tlons will permeate the dough thoroughly and uniformly. Such uniform permeation will persist in the synthesized bits instead of bein~ applied to the powder bits as a coating. For example, 20 percent to ~0 35 percent of the dough mix by volume could be cheese, or 1 to 5 percent, preferably 2 percent, of the dough by volume could be oil or fat. Other t~pes of additives can be included in proportions from 5 percent to 30 percent of the dough by volume, depending on the ingredients used and the color or flavor desired Flavors could be added in an amount from 0.01 percent to 20 percent. Other food products which could be added in an amount up to 50 percent by volume include coconut, albumin such as egy, milk and sugar. Also 3 percent to 10 percent of monosodium glutamate by volume, preferably 6 percent, can be included to enhance the flavor.

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If the powdex kernel product being produced is rice or predominantly rice, it is desirable for at least some albumin to be used because albumin rastores a strong natural flavor to the rice. The albumin may be in the form of Eresh or dried whole egg albumin.
The amount of albumin used should be equal to 1 percent to 20 p~rcent, preferably 12 1/2 percent of the amount of water in the fluid binder by weight, which albumin can be supplied at any stage during the kernel-forming process~
Vitamins, minerals, proteins, and/or amino acids could be added to various grain seeds andtor pulse seeds and/or other vegetable material ln producing the synthesized powcier bits, especially for deprived people. The powder bits are substantially homogeneous and can constitute a complete food complex incorporating properly balanced proportions of carbohydrate provided by the grain or pulses, protein, fat and/or oil. The major source of nutrition and energy for people is carbohydrates, proteins and fats or oils. Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopadia~ Sixth Edition, states in the definition of PROTEIN at the middle of column 1, on page 2335r that on a weight basis proteins are second only to water in their presence in the human body. About 50 percent of the body's dry weight is made up oE numerous proteins distributed 33 percent in muscles, 20 percent in bones and cartilage, 10 percent in skin and 37 percent in numerous other body tissues. The importance of protein in food for humans is therefore evident. Proteins are synthesi~ed by the body and are constructed ~rom a wide variety of amino acids.

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The desirability of supplementing the carbohydrate content of rice with amino acids for producing proteins has been recognized. Under the definition of AMINO ACIDS, Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopedla ~Sixth Edition, states at the middle of column 1, on page 118:

"Before cooking, rice must be washed (polished) with water. In some countries, the cooking water is allowed to boil over or is discarded. This significant loss of fortified amino acids must be considered. L-Lysine hydrochloride (0.2~) and L-threonine (0.1%) are shaped like rice grain with other nutrients and enveloped in a film. The added materials must hold the initial shape and not dissolve out during boiling, but be easily freed of their coating in the digestive organs."
Human and animal diets have been enriched with free amino acids such as lysine, methionine, threonine and tryptophan.
Van Nostrand's_Sc _ ntific Encyclo~edia,_Sixth Edition, in defining AMINO ACIDS at page 117, middle of column 2, states (emphasis in original):

"The scores of proteins which make up about one-half of the dry weight of the human body and that are so vital to life functions are made up oE a number of amino acids in various combinations and configurations. . . ~
Although the proteins resulting from amino acid assembly are ultimately among the most important chemicals in the animal body ~as well as plants), the so-called infrastructure of the proteins is dependent upon the amino acid building blocksO Although there are many hundreds of amino acids, only about 20 of these are considered very important to living processes, of which six to ten are classified as essential. Another three or four may be classified as quasi-essential, and ten to twelve may be categorized as nonessential~
Generally, those amino acids which the human body cannot synthesi~e at all or at a rate commensurate with its needs are called essential amino acids (EAA). In other words, for the growth and maintenance of a normal healthy body, it is essential that these amino acids be ingested as part of the diet and in the necessary quantities."

~3a~

In some instances discretion must be used in selecting materials to be used by the body for producing proteins for incorporation in the synthesi7.ed bits of the present invention. Proteins are peptides made up o~ two or more amino acids covalently bound in an amide linkageO Thus a peptide i5 a chain of amino acid residuesv All amino acids contain nitrogen, and sometimes the body has an oversupply of nitrogen. In such cases, instead of using amino acids as such, amino acid analoguas from which nitrogen has been completely or principally removed can be utilized. Suitable keto-and hydroxy-analogues which are free of nitrogen corresponding to essential and beneficial amino acids can be used in place of the corresponding amino acids themselves. In such instances the analogue will combine with the excess nitrogerl of the body to serve the dual ~unction of enabling the body to produce proteins and of removing some of the nitrogen from undesirable forms in the body, Such amino acids and their corresponding keto-analogues and hydroxy-analogues are listed below.
ESSENTIAL AMINO ACIDS AND ANALOGUES

Hydroxy-Amino Acid ~5~ analo~ue L-leucine a-ketoisocaproic acid L-valine a-ketoisovaleric acid L isoleucine (R,S)-a-keto-b-methylvaleric acid L-lysine L-phanylalanine phenylpyruvic acid L-phenyllactic acid L-threonine ~IL3~

L-methionine a-keto-g-methiol- (D,L)-a-hydroxy-butyric acid g-methiol-butyric acid L-tryptophan indolepyruvic acid indolelactic acid BENEFICIAL AMINO ACIDS AND ANALOGUES

Hydroxy-Amino Acid Keto-analo~ue analoque L-histidineimidazolepyruvic imidazolelactic acid acid 10 L-tyrosineP-hydroxyphenyl- L-p-hydroxyphenyl-pyruvic acid lactic acid L-cystineBB'-dithiopyruvic l.-BB'-dithiodi-acid lactic acid L-cysteineB-mercaptopyruvic L-B-mercaptolactic acid acid L-arginine L-ornithine Any of these amino acid and analogue structures in any combination and in appropriate quantities can be mixed into the powder material from which the bits are synthesized in accordance with the present invention.
For people with excessive nitrogen or ammonia in the body, such as those suEfering :Erom hyperammonemia and portal systemic encephalopathy, the amino acids ornithine and arginine may be incorporated in the bits.
By incorporating a proper type and proportion of amino acids or their analogues in the powder material from which the powder bits of the present invention are synthesized, a properly balanced diet is assured simply from corlsumption of the bits of the present invention. To make a complete Eood complex, an appropriate amount of oil andlor fat can also be incorporated in the material used :Eor preparation of -the bits.

~3~3~1 Rice is an excellent source of carbohydrate, particularly for reducing diet or diabetic diet purposes, or for patients with hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia, because digestion of the rice requires considerable time so that the carbohydrate is converted into sugar usable by the body over a period of several hours instead of being available to the bloodstream quickly, such as in a period of less than an hour~ as is the case with sugar or compounds readily converted into sugar by the body~ By associating amino acid or amino acid analogue and, if desired, oil and~or fat intimately with carbohydrate, all of the components become available for body building over an extended period of time instead of quickly. Such result can be achieved by incorporating the amino acid or analogue with powdered rice and r if desi.red, with an appropriate amount of oil or fat in the dough from which the synthesized rice grains are extruded.
A representative extrudible dough could contain the following ingredients by weight in addition to the binder and flavoring, if any:
carbohydr~te 25% to 99%
protein 1% to 75~
oil or fat up to 50%
A preferred formula would have the following proportions of ingredients by weight:
carbohydrate 75%
protein 20%
fat 5%
Total 100%
Because each powder bit provides a complete ~3~S~

balanced food in itself, a diet supplying any desired number of calories can be specified by simply prescribing the proper quantity of the synthesized rice.
For an adult of average size, Van Nostrand's Scientific Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, states on page 2339, at column 1, under the definition of PROTEIN that the daily requirement is 70-80 grams of protein.
Actually, the bodily requirement depends on the size of the person, and it is perhaps more accurate to state that the daily bodily requirement for protein is ~7-.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.
Thus, for example, if a low fat diet containing 2,400 calories per day were desired, the amount of synthesized rice to be eaten during the day could be 590 grams, containing 560 grams of carbohyd~ate, 25 grams of protein and 5 grams of at. A
higher fat diet providing 2,400 calories could be 520 grams of synthesi2ed rice, con-taining 400 grams of carbohydrate, 70 grams of protein and 50 grams of fat.
Amino acids and their analogues have very unpleasant tastes andl consequently, it may be desirable to add pleasant flavoring materials to the powder kernels such as curry, coconut or chili powder, as suggested above, where amino acids or their analogues are incorporated in the kernels. The powder kernel grain or pulse product would~ however, be available in a form which was familiar and to which deprived people are accustomed. Moreover such powder kernal product would be particularly beneficial because it can be prepared for consumption quickly and with minimum energy requirements~

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,3~

First Example ~ representative first example of a process for making a reconstitut.ed rice grain product is the following formulation:
Liquid B.inder 6 teaspoons (0.6 oz.) of low viscosity sodium alginate mixed with 2 cups (16 oz.) of water (3~75 percent of sodium alginate by volume)O The algin and water mixture was homogenized in a high-speed blender to produce a stable suspension or colloid~
Formable Dou~h

2 tablespoons (0 r 5 oz~) of the fluid binder was mixed with 5 tablespoons (1.25 oz.) of rice flour to produce a soft doughy material which was extruded in a pressure extruding press and the extruded material cut into reconstituted kernels.
Settinq A~ent The kernels dropped from the extruder into a body o-f boiling water containing 1/4 teaspoon ~0 (0.025 oz.~ o~ calcium chloride or calcium lactate to 10 cups of watex (80 oz.) for setting or gelling the algin. The kernels were boiled for five minutes, then removed from the water and drained, The drained kernels were dried in a heated air dryer at 140 F~ (60 C.3 for 2 1/2 hours to a normal moisture content of 12 percent to 16 percent by weight. The drying could have been accomplished more quickly by microwave or dielectric heat.ing or more slowly by blowing unheated air through or over the mass of kernels~
Second Example ~3(~

A second representative example of a process for making a reconstituted rice grain product is the following formulation:
Liquid Bl er 62.4 grams of low viscosity sodium alginate dry powder Kelco Gel LV was mixed with 778 grams of water. The algin and water mixture was homogenized in a high speed blender to produce a stable suspension or colloid. This suspension or colloid was mixed intermittently for 20 minutes at the end of which time the mixing was continued continuously while 97.25 grams of albumin were mixed with the algin mixture followed by adding 62.4 grams of lard. Mixing was continued until the mixture was homogeneous.
Formable Dou~h 3000 grams of rice flour milled from broken grain rice, either glutinous rice or long grain rice, was mixed while 1000 grams of the fluid binder was added slowly and the mixing continued until the resulting dough was homogeneous. The dough was -then extruded by an extruding press and the extruded material was cut into reconstituted rice kernelsn These kernels were then dried by a current of unheated air until the moisture content was reduced to the range of 12 percent to 16 percent by weight.

The dried kernels were mixed with a previously prepared solution containing 1 'I 6 grams of water, 10 grams o~ calcium lactate and 6 grams of calcium chloride for each 1,000 grams of dried rice kernels. The setting agent solution and reconstituted kernels were mixed until all the kernels were uniformly covered after which the kernels were again dried in a current of unheated air until the moisture content returned to the range of 12 percent to 16 percent.
Utilizing this second representative process/
the amount of algin in the food binder was reduced from 62~4 grams to 41~7 grams~ the amount of calcium lactate in the setting material was reduced from lO grams to 5 grams and the amount of calcium chloride was reduced from 6 grams to 3 grams per 1l~000 grams of reconstituted rice kernels. A satisfactory rice product was obtained but it was not as quick cooking.
In a further representa-tive process r the reconstituted rice lcernels resulting from the extruding step were placed on a screen and while being agitated were subjected to a current of superheated steam at a temperature of approximately 260 F. (127~ C.) discharged upward through the apertures of the screen for approximately 1 minute. Following this step, the reconstituted rice kernels were sprayed with a premixed solution of setting agent containing 72.5 grams of water, 6.25 grams of calcium lactate and 3.75 grams of calcium chloride per 1,000 grams of rice. After being sprayed with such setting agent, the rice was again dried by an unheated air current to a moisture content within the range of 12 percent to 16 percen-t.
In an alternative process high viscosity algin was used to produce the fl~1id binder in the proportions of 1 teaspoon (0~1 oz.) to 3 cups (24 oz.~ of water (0.4 -2g-~L~0~ 3~

percent of algin by volume~. Again, the algin and water were homogenized in a high-speed blender to produce a stable suspension or colloidal aqueous binder. The fluid binder was mixed with rice meal or flour as described above to produce the soft dough to be extruded~ The remainder of the process followed the procedure of the specific example described above.
One hundred grams of dry powdered rice will increase in weight to approximately 269 grams of reconstituted grain rice when it is removed from the binder setting or gelling liquid and drained before being clried. After the water has been removed from the reconstituted rice kernels by dr~ing, the remaining rice will weigh approximately 82 to 98 grams depending on the residual moisture content. If the powder is precooked it will tend to swell considerably more~
The type of procedure described above for making reconstituted powder kernels of rice can also be utilized to make reconstituted powder kernels of wheat, bulgur, wild rice, barley, maize, oats, rye, sor~hum, millet, corn, buckwheat, kidney beans, navy beans, red beans, lima beans, soy beans and peas~ Various types of synthesized powder bits can incorporate special combinations of different types of grain seed and/or pulse seed and/or other vegetables as well as protein, amino acid or analogue of amino acid, flavoring and other food additives as discussed above. Such combinations can provide new and diferent breakfast cereals that can be served either hot or cold and can include additives to make them highly nutritious.
Examples of other unique food products followO

Blended Rice Grains Different types of rice flour can be mixed such as blending wild rice flour and white rice flour in approximately equal proportions by weight. For such a product the amount of algin utilized in the secon~
specific example i5 increased from 62.4 grams to 77.8 grams so that it constitutes 10 percent by weight of the amcunt of water used. The resultant synthesized special combination powder kernel has a mild, wild rice Elavor.
Whehani or Basmati Rice For this product, ground Whehani rice flour or Basmati rice flour is substituted for white rice flour in the second specific example above and the amount of algin in the fluid binder again is increased from 62.4 grams to 77.8 grams so that it constitutes 10 percent of the weight of water~ The process utili~ed is otherwise the same.
Mairocena Following any one of the synthesized powder kernel producing procedures described in the foregoing examples, one-half of the rice flour was replaced by an equal weight of corn meal, the proportion of ingredients being as follows by weight:
rice 46.875% (dry basis) corn meal 46.875%
sodium alginate 2%
egg white albumin 2.65%
calcium lactate 1%
calcium chloride 0.6%
Total 100.00%
The final product contains approximately 84 percent carbohydrate, 7 percent fat and 8 percent protein~ The

3~3 product contains about 1 n 8 percent of polyunsaturated fatty acids, high levels of both calcium and sodium and furnishes adequate amounts oE selenium, thiamin and niacinO It may be desirable to fortify the Mairocena with small amounts of phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, iron, riboflavin, pyridoxine (B6), pantothenic acid, zinc, copper and vitamins A, B12, C, D and E. 322 grams of such product per day would provide sufficient energy fox a child in the 1 to 3 year age group, and 421 grar,1s of the product per day would provide sufficient energy for a child in the 3 to 6 year age group.
Instead of utilizing equal quantities of rice seed flour and corn meal by weight as specified in the Mairocena formula, it may be preferable to utilize from two to three times as much rice seed flour as corn meal in order to increase the prot~ein content of the product.
Red Beans and Rice Approximately one-half by weiyht of the rice grain flour is replaced by powdered red beans. The remainder of the process described in the second example above can be followed.
Rice and Bean Combination An economical, highly nutritious grain cereal for deprived people is composed of special combination synthesized powder kernels utilizing powders produced from broken brown rice seeds, broken white rice seeds, and pulse seeds such as beans. Such powdered materials from which the kernels are synthesized may he mixed in approximately equal parts by weight or volume. The powdered mixture can be fortified with soybean powder 3~

which would provide vegetable protein with the carbohydrate of the powdered rice seeds or pulse seeds.
The amount of soybean powder could be from ~ percent to 300 percent of the weight of the rice or pulse powder, preferably 25 percent~ Also, oil and/or fat could be incorporated in the synthesized powder kernels in the proportion of up to 200 percent by weight of the rice or pulse material, preferably 7 percent. The dough can be flavored to taste with a small amount of common salt.
For variety wheat flour can be substituted for some or all of the brown rice powder in the last example.
Rice Puddin~
Ingredients:
rice seed flour1,900 grams oat flour 400 grams corn meal 400 grams comminuted bananas250 grams comminuted raisins100 grams comminuted coconut200 grams lard 62.25 grams cinnamon powder 31 grams clove powder 10 grams granulated or powder sugar 59 grams water 750 grams vanilla 28 grams Powder kernels can be made by using the procedure described in the foregoing first example, utiliæing the binder and setting agent as described, or an equivalent.
Spinach 9 3~ 3~3 Comminuted spinach can be used alone to make synthesized bits simply by replacing the amount of powder vegetable in any of the foregoing specific examples with comminuted spinach leaves~
Poultry Stuffin~ Mlx A poultry stuffing mix can have powder bits synthesized from a special blend of different types of powder obtained from broken or whole pearl grain rice, broken wild rice, broken brown rice and corn meal mixed with algin fluid binder for cohesion utilizing any of the specific examples of processes described above.
Read~-To-Eat Snack Bars Snack ready-to-eat bars for use as rations for campers~ hikers, soldiers and emergency rations can be made by combining powders selected from wheat flour, rice powder and bean powder in generally equal propor-tions by weight or volume, combined with suitable additives to flavor and fortify the product including fruit and nut powders.
The synthesized bits can be cooked for 5 minutes in the hot water into which the bits are deposited subsequent to their formation and in a further step can be cooked for an additional 5 minutes such as in a steam environment. The synthesized kernels can be bound together into bars with a small amount of caramel or chocolate for flavorin~ a The drawing shows apparatus capable of performing any of the processes described above to produce products such as described above. Such apparatus includes a mixer 1 which may, Eor example, be ~3~5~

of the helical screw type, to which mixer can be supplied powdered grain seed, such as rice flour, from a storage hopper 2 and binder, such as an aqueous algin batter, from a storage hopper 3. Such algin batter is produced by mixing algin such as sodium a:Lginate with water in a container 4. The mixing can be accomplished by a motor-driven impeller 5. The algin ~atter is pumped from the mixing container 4 to the storage hopper 3 by a suitable pump 6 which can be a diaphram pump or an impeller pump.
In perorming some of the processes described above to produce some of the synthesized composite products, one or more types of vegetable powder in addition to the principal grain flour supplied from the storage hopper 2 can be suppl.ied to the mixer 1. Such additional vegetable powder could, for example, be pul.se powder, such as bean powder, or other vegetable powder, such as corn meal~ Such an additional vegetable powder ingredient can be supplied to the mixer 1 from the storage hopper 7.
The mi~er 1 may contain a halical screw rotated by the motor 8 to serve the dual purpose of mixing the ingredients in the mixer and conveying the resulting mixture to one end of the mixer for discharge through a discharge spout 9 into the inlet conduit 10 of a further helical screw mixer 11~ tha screw of which is driven by a motor 12. This mixer serves the dual purpose of further mixing the ingredients supplied to the mixer 1 and of feeding the mixture to an extruder 13 at the end of the mixer opposite the motor 12. Such extruder is rotated by a motor 14 and effects both shaping of kernels or bits 3`~

and cutting them to length so as to resemble a natural kernel of some particular grain or pulse or a bit of predetermined shape. The extruder 13 may be a Risso die extruder.
The kernels or bits extruded from the extruder 13 fall on the tray 15 of a harmonic conveyor 16 such as disclosed in U.S. Cox patent 3,~17,370, issued June 18, 1974. The kernels or bits on this conveyor can be sprayed with setting agent for setting the binder. Such setting agent is stored in a storage tank 17 from which the setting agent can be dispensed through a conduit 18 and a spray nozzle 19 that will spray the setting liquid solution or suspension onto the kernels or other bits received on the tray 15.
Oscillation of the tray 15 effects movement of the kernels or other bits to the right, as indicated in the drawing, until the material on the tray 15 spills off its right end onto the tray 20 of the next harmonic conveyor section 21. Additional setting agent supplied through a conduit 22 from the setting agent storage tank 17 may be sprayed onto the kernels or other bits on the tray 20 by the nozzle 23O
Oscillation of the tray 20 will convey the material on it to the right as seen in the drawing until it spills off the right end of such tray into the receiving hopper 24 of the helical screw conveyor 25 driven by motor 26. As the kernel or other bit material is co.nveyed along the conveyor 25, it can be subjected to jets of superheated steam supplied by pipe 27 and discharged into the conveyor by nozzles 28r as discussed above. The amount of steam thus supplied can be controlled by adjusting valve 29. The time during ~IL3~

which the bits in conveyor 25 are subjected to the steam is determined by the speed of the motor 26 and the pitch of the conveyor helix.
The steam-treated bits are discharged from the discharge end of conveyor 25 onto a reticulated belt conveyor 30. As the material is being transported by that belt, it can be subjected to a stream of air supplied through the duct 31 to the plenum chamber 32 beneath the belt, which air may be heated or unheated depending upon the speed and length of the belt 30 and the amount of drying action which it is desired to accomplish by the air.
From the conveyor 30 the bits are deposited into a hopper 33 located above pacXaging containers 34 on a belt 35~ A measuring valve 36 can dispense from the hopper 33 a quantity of material just su~ficient to fill a container or carton 34 as it passes beneath or pauses beneath the hopper 33. Conventional automatic equipment can be provided for closing and sealing the cartons 34 after they have been filled with the bit product of the present invention.

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Claims (33)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A process for producing an instantly edible, synthesized, cohesive powder bit rice product which can be rehydrated and rendered edible merely upon the addition of an edible liquid consisting essentially of the steps of:
a. crushing or comminuting rice grains to form a rice powder;
b. forming an extrudable dough comprising approximately: 74.3% rice powder by weight; 1.3% sodium alginate by weight; 1.2% peanut oil by weight; 0.3%
lecithin by weight; 0.6% albumin by weight; and 22.3%
water by weight, wherein the rice flour, sodium alginate, peanut oil, lecithin and albumin are thoroughly blended for approximately 10 minutes and the water is added to the blended mixture and thoroughly mixed for approximately 5 minutes;
c. extruding the extrudable dough produced in Step b. through a pressure extruding press containing a standard Risso die so as to produce strings of doughy material;
d. cutting the strings of doughy material produced in Step c. at intervals to form rice-containing kernels;
e. depositing the formed rice-containing kernels produced in Step d. in boiling water containing approximately 0.25% calcium chloride by weight and approximately 0.15% calcium lactate by weight, and cooking the rice-containing kernels for approximately to 10 minutes until fully gelatinized;
f. rinsing and cooling the gelatinized rice-containing kernels;

g. thoroughly freezing the rice-containing kernels; and, h. drying the frozen rice-containing kernels to reduce the moisture content thereof to approximately 12% by weight.

2. The process defined by claim 1 wherein at least some of the rice grains are broken.

3. The process defined by claim 1 where the synthesized cohesive powder bit rice product is fortified by the addition of at least one of the fortifying agents selected from the group consisting of:
a. vitamins;
b. minerals;
c. proteins;
d. amino acids;
e. fats;
f. oils;
g. medicaments; and, h. flavorings with such selected fortifying agent(s) being added to the extrudable dough formed in Step b.

4. A process for producing a food product which is adapted to be rendered edible merely by the addition of an edible liquid, said method comprising the steps of a. crushing or comminuting an edible seed, stalk, leaf, or root into a powder;
b. mixing the powder with algin and an edible liquid to produce a formable dough;
c. forming discrete synthesized bits or kernels from the dough;
d. applying a setting agent to the formed discrete synthesized bits or kernels;

e. heating the formed discrete synthesized bits or kernels;
f. physically stabilizing the heated formed discrete synthesized bits or kernels; and g. so drying the stabilized formed discrete synthesized bits or kernels as to reduce the moisture content thereof to on the order of 10-16% by weight.

5. The process defined by claim 4 further including the step of so rinsing the heated discrete synthesized bits or kernels prior to stabilization as to remove any excess setting agent and to cool the bits or kernels.

6. The process defined by claim 4 or 5 wherein the formed discrete synthesized bits or kernels are gelatinized by depositing the same in boiling water for a period on the order of approximately 8 to 10 minutes.

7. The process defined by claim 4 or 5 wherein the formed discrete synthesized bits or kernels are gelatinized and set by depositing the same in boiling water containing a metallic salt for a period on the order of 8 to 10 minutes.

8. The process defined by claim 7 wherein the setting agent comprises a metallic salt.

9. The process defined by claim 8 wherein the metallic salt comprises calcium chloride.

10. The process defined by claim 8 wherein the metallic salt comprises a mixture of calcium chloride and calcium lactate.

11. The process defined by claims 4 or 5 wherein the formed discrete synthesized bits or kernels are physically stabilized by freezing the bits or kernels.

12. The process defined by claims 4 or 5 wherein the edible seed is rice.

13. The process defined by claim 12 wherein at least some of the rice kernels are broken.

14. The process defined by claims 4 or 5 where the food product is fortified by uniformly distributing throughout the formable dough at least one agent selected from the group consisting of:
a. vitamins;
b. minerals;
c. proteins;
d. amino acids;
e. fats;
f. oils;
g. medicaments; and h. flavorings.

15. A process for producing an edible, synthesized, cohesive powder bit rice product capable of being rehydrated and rendered edible merely upon the addition of an edible liquid comprising the steps of:
a. crushing or comminuting rice grains to form a fine powder;
b. forming an extrudable dough comprising approximately: 74.3% rice powder by weight; 1.3% sodium alignate by weight; peanut oil;lecithin;
0.6% albumin by weight; and, 22.3%
water by weight, wherein the rice flour, sodium alginate, peanut oil, lecithin and albumin are thoroughly blended for on the order of 10 minutes and the water is added to the blended mixture and thoroughly mixed for on the order of 5 minutes;
c. extruding the dough material produced in Step b. through a pressure extruding press containing a standard Risso die so as to produce strings of dough material;
d. cutting the strings of dough material produced in Step c. at intervals to form rice-like kernels;
e. depositing the formed rice-like kernels produced in Step d. in boiling water; and f. subsequently drying, freezing or canning the rice-like kernels.

16. The process defined by claim 15 wherein at least some of the rice grains are broken.

17. The process defined by claim 15 where the synthesized cohesive powder bit rice product is fortified by the addition of at least one of the fortifying agents selected from the group consisting of:
a. vitamins;
b. minerals;
c. proteins;
d. amino acids;
e. fats;
f. oils;
g. medicaments; and h. flavorings;
with such selected fortifying agent(s) being added to the extrudable dough formed in Step b.

18. A synthesized food product which is adapted to be rendered edible merely upon the addition of an edible liquid, said food product including a comminuted, powder-like edible seed, stalk, leaf, or root, algin and water formed into discrete bits, expanded by heating, set, stabilized in an expanded state, and dried to a moisture content on the order of 10-16% by weight.

19. A synthesized food product as set forth in claim 18 wherein the comminuted powder-like material is rice.

20. A synthesized food product as set forth in claim 19 wherein at least some of the rice consists of broken grains.

21. A synthesized food product as set forth in claim 18 fortified by at least one uniformly distributed fortifying agent selected from the group consisting of:
a. vitamins;
b. minerals;
c. proteins;
d. amino acids;
e. fats;
f. oils;
g. medicaments; and h. flavorings.

22. A process for producing a food product which is adapted to be rendered edible merely by the addition of an edible liquid, said method comprising the steps of:
a. crushing or comminuting an edible seed, stalk, leaf, or root into a powder;
b. mixing the powder with algin and an edible liquid to produce a formable dough;
c. forming discrete synthesized bits or kernels from the dough;
d. applying a setting agent to the formed discrete synthesized bits or kernels;
e. heating the formed discrete synthesized bits or kernels;
f. physically stabilizing the heated formed discrete synthesized bits or kernels; and g. canning or freezing the stabilized formed discrete synthesized bits or kernels.

23. The process defined by claim 22 further including the step of so rinsing the heated discrete synthesized bits or kernels prior to stabilization as to remove any excess setting agent and to cool the bits or kernels.

24. The process defined by claim 22 wherein the formed discrete synthesized bits or kernels are gelatinized by depositing the same in boiling water for a period on the order of approximately 8 to 10 minutes.

25. The process defined by claim 2 wherein the formed discrete synthesized bits or kernels are gelatinized and set by depositing the same in boiling water containing a metallic salt for a period on the order of 8 to 10 minutes.

26. The process defined by claim 25 wherein the setting agent comprises a metallic salt.

27. The process defined by claim 26 wherein the metallic salt comprises calcium chloride.

28. The process defined by claim 26 wherein the metallic salt comprises a mixture of calcium chloride and calcium lactate.

29. The process defined by claim 22 wherein the formed discrete synthesized bits or kernels are physically stabilized by freezing the bits or kernels.

30. The process defined by claim 22 wherein the edible seed is rice.

31. The process defined by claim 30 wherein at least some of the rice kernels are broken.

32. The process defined by claim 22 where the food product is fortified by uniformly distributing throughout the formable dough at least one agent selected from the group consisting of:
a. vitamins;
b. mineral B;
c. proteins;
d. amino acids:
e. fats;

f. oils;
g. medicaments; and h. flavorings.

33. A synthesized food product which is adapted to be rendered edible merely upon the addition of an edible liquid; said food product including a comminuted, powder-like edible seed stalk, leaf, or root, algin and water formed into discrete bits, expanded by heating, set, stabilized in an expanded state, and canned or frozen.