GB2614042A - A method of manufacturing a consolidated food item - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a consolidated food product comprising: adding water to a granular starchy ingredient in a quantity sufficient to hydrate it while leaving a residual quantity of water to be sorbed by starch released from the granular starchy ingredient; sealing the receptacle; and heating so that the starch and residual water forms a gel that binds the granules to form the consolidated food product. Preferably, the water is in added milk. Preferably, the granular starchy ingredient is pre-treated prior to being added to the receptacle to adjust the starch content. Preferably, the starchy ingredient comprises rice, oats, potato, quinoa, wheat, barley, couscous, beans, chickpeas, bulgur wheat, rye, and/or groats. Preferably, the heating device is a retort and the heating cycle heats the receptacle to 100-125°C for 2-30 minutes and the receptacle is pressurised to 150 kPa (1.5 Bar) for some of the cycle. The food product is also claimed along with a method of controlling the retort.

Description

A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A CONSOLIDATED FOOD ITEM

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a consolidated food item and a method of manufacturing the same.

Background

Cereal bars are a popular snack food item. The bars are usually made from one or more cereal grains mixed together with a binder. The binder is necessary to ensure that the mixture holds together during packaging, transport, and, ultimately, consumption by a person. The binder also allows the mixture to be moulded into sheets to set before the resulting sheets are cut into individual bars and then packed. Binders such as honey, sugars, syrups, and fats can be used in blending the mixture of grains.

The high sugar and/or fat content of the binders, combined with the fact that the mixture has a low moisture content, allows such cereal bars to be shelf stable but does make them highly calorific. The low moisture content also contributes to an unpleasant, dry eating experience.

Summary

Described herein is a method of manufacturing a consolidated food product. The method comprises: adding a set of ingredients to a receptacle, sealing the receptacle; and passing the receptacle through a heating cycle to cook the set of ingredients. The set of ingredients comprises: a granular starchy ingredient; and an amount of water capable of hydrating the granular starchy ingredient whilst being sufficient to leave a residual quantity of water to be sorbed by starch released from the granular starchy ingredient. The receptacle is heated during the heating cycle to form a gel from the starch and the sorbed residual quantity of water to bind together granules of the granular starchy ingredient with the gel and form the consolidated food product.

Also described herein is a consolidated food product. The consolidated food product comprises granules of a hydrated granular starchy ingredient bound together by a gel. The gel comprises starch and water, wherein the starch is released from the granular starchy component and sorbs a residual quantity of water during preparation of a set of ingredients for cooking in a sealed receptacle. The set of ingredients comprises the granular starchy ingredient and an amount of water sufficient to hydrate the granular starchy ingredient and leave the residual quantity of water.

Also described herein is a method of controlling a retort to treat a set of ingredients sealed in a receptacle and produce a consolidated food product. The set of ingredients comprises a granular starchy ingredient, and an amount of water capable of hydrating the granular starchy constituent whilst being sufficient to leave a residual quantity of water to be sorbed by starch released from the granular starchy component. The method comprises: controlling the retort to heat the receptacle to a first predetermined temperature and, optionally, to pressurise the receptacle to a first predetermined pressure over a predetermined initialisation period; controlling the retort to hold the receptacle at the predetermined temperature and, optionally, at the predetermined pressure for a predetermined holding period; and controlling the retort to cool the receptacle to a second predetermined temperature and, optionally, depressurising the receptacle to a second predetermined pressure over a predetermined cooling period.

Further optional features are described herein and a selection of those features are set out the dependent claims.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention, given by way of example only, which is made with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Figure 1 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a method of manufacturing a consolidated food product as described herein.

Figures 2 and 3 are flow charts that illustrate further examples of the method of manufacturing a consolidated food product as described herein.

Figure 4 is a flow chart illustrating an example of a method of controlling a retort to treat a set of ingredients sealed in a receptacle and produce a consolidated food product as described herein.

Figure 5 schematically illustrates examples of retortable pouches as described herein.

Figure 6 schematically illustrates an example of a retortable tray as described herein.

Detailed Description

Whilst popular, processed cereal bars for mass production and distribution can be dry to eat because of their low moisture content in comparison with foods made using similar grains but intended to be eaten immediately after preparation. For example, porridge can be a pleasant food to eat but has a limited shelf life after cooking. Moreover, the common use of a high sugar and/or fat content binder to hold cereal bars together means that such bars can contribute too many calories to a person's diet. Thus, cereal bars can be seen as unhealthy in some respects, despite providing some beneficial nutrients such as dietary fibre. Additionally, the known manufacturing process for these cereal bars can be complex and time consuming. For example, manufacturing cereal bars can involve multiple processes including mixing, forming, baking, cooling, cutting, packing and sealing.

The Applicant has surprisingly found that a consolidated food product can be produced with a lower calorific content whilst, at the same time, ensuring that a mixture of grains in the product remains properly bound in the manner of a higher calorie cereal bar relying on a high fat or high sugar binder. The Applicant's consolidated food product also has a relatively higher water content compared with a cereal bar prepared with a high fat or high sugar binder. This makes the food product more pleasant to eat and avoids the need to consume the food product with an accompanying beverage, which is sometimes necessary when eating a drier cereal bar.

Described herein are examples of a method of manufacturing a consolidated food product. With reference to the flow chart of Figure 1, the method comprises adding, at block 102, a set of ingredients to a receptacle. The receptacle is heatable such that foodstuffs may be heated and/or cooked in the receptacle. The receptacle is passable through at least one heating cycle. The at least one heating cycle is sufficient to cook the set of ingredients within the receptacle. In some examples, the receptacle is heatable more than one time, such as to re-heat food stored therein long after the food was cooked in the receptacle. The set of ingredients comprises: a granular starchy ingredient and an amount of water. The amount of water in the set of ingredients is sufficient to hydrate the granular starchy ingredient and leave a residual quantity of water.

The residual quantity of water is sufficient to be sorbed by starch released from the hydrating granular starchy ingredient. Thus, the set of ingredients comprises a water constituent that comprises a hydrating quantity to hydrate the granular starchy ingredient and a residual quantity to be sorbed by starch released from the granular starchy ingredient. Sorption is the process by which water is bound by starch. Starch is formed of a network of associated molecules and, in sorbing water, the water becomes held in the network. Water sorptive characteristics can be different dependent on the botanical species of the starch.

For instance, the amount of water sorbed can be dependent on a temperature of a mixture of starch and water. At block 104, the receptacle is sealed. Sealing the receptacle ensures that the amount of water in the set of ingredients is maintained throughout a heating/cooking process. Once the set of ingredients is added and the receptacle sealed, the receptacle is passed, at block 106, through a heating cycle to cook the set of ingredients. The receptacle is heated sufficiently to form a gel from the starch that has released from the hydrated starchy ingredient and that has sorbed the residual quantity of water. The gel acts to bind together individual granules of the granular starchy ingredient thereby forming a consolidated food product.

The amount of water in, or the total water content of, the set of ingredients is controlled. Controlling the amount of water in the set of ingredients ensures that the granular starchy ingredient is hydrated to the desired level and that the right amount of water remains to be sorbed by the starch released from the hydrating granular starchy ingredient. Hydrating the granular starchy ingredient to the desired level means that that the consolidated food product has a pleasant mouthfeel when eaten. For instance, partially hydrated grains in the consolidated food product can provide some texture to the consolidated food product provided that the consolidated food product is not too hard, brittle, or crumbly, or too chewy. Controlling the amount of water in the set of ingredients al so ensures that there is not too much water in the set of ingredients that would otherwise cause the product to fall apart following cooking, i.e. not consolidate properly and have numerous unbound grains. The Applicant considers that the resulting consolidated food product should hold together well so that consumption when being held in a consumer's hand is possible. The amount of water can also be controlled to account for other ingredients that will absorb water, for example, protein powders, fibres, flavours, nutrients, dried vegetables and dried fruits. The amount of water can be controlled so that a portion of the residual quantity of water can also be absorbed by these other ingredients where they are included in the set of ingredients.

The set of ingredients may comprise the granular starchy ingredient and the amount of water in a ratio that provides the pleasant mouthfeel when eaten and allows the gel to form by the released starch sorbing the residual amount of water. Based on trials, the Applicant has found that the set of ingredients may comprise the granular starchy ingredient and the amount of water in a ratio of approximately 1:0.5 to approximately 1:3. In other words, in a ratio of approximately, one part granular starchy ingredient to half a part of total water content to, approximately, one part granular starchy ingredient to three parts of total water content. The Applicant found that, in a trial using oats at a ratio of 1:0.5, the consolidated food product did comprise sufficiently hydrated grains and was just held together by the gel that formed although the texture of the oat grains was a little gritty. At the other end of the range, the Applicant found that, using the same oats but at ratio of 1:3, the resulting food product held together well but was quite soft, without much granular texture, and was becoming too sticky to be comfortably held by a consumer.

Based on trials, the Applicant has found that, in some examples, the set of ingredients may comprise the granular starchy ingredient and the amount of water in a ratio of approximately 1:0.7 to approximately 1:2.5. The Applicant found that, in a trial using oats at a ratio of 1:0.7, the consolidated food product did comprise sufficiently hydrated grains and was held together by the gel that formed. The texture of the oat grains at this ratio was only a little gritty and still provided a pleasant mouthfeel. At the other end of the range, the Applicant found that, using the same oats but at ratio of 1:2.5, the resulting consolidated food product held together well but was a little sticky. The texture of the oats was limited, but some samplers of the consolidated food product resulting from the ratio at 1:2.5 did enjoy the resulting texture.

Based on trials, the Applicant has found that, in some examples, the set of ingredients may comprise the granular starchy ingredient and the amount of water in a ratio of approximately 1:0.9 to approximately 1:2.3. The Applicant found that, in a trial using oats at a ratio of 1:0.9, the consolidated food product had good, consistent hydration of the grains and was held together very well by the gel that formed. The texture of the oat grains at this ratio had no grittiness at all. At the other end of the range, the Applicant found that, using the same oats but at ratio of 1:2.3, the resulting consolidated food product was quite soft but still had a good, pleasant texture for the oat grains and this was consistent throughout the consolidated food product. The consolidated food product held together very well.

As mentioned above, the amount of water can also be controlled to account for other ingredients that will absorb water, for example powders, fibres, vegetables and dried fruits. Based on the trials, the Applicant has found that a suitable amount of water in the set of ingredients is 25g to 75g per 1008 total weight of the consolidated food product. Hence, in some examples, the amount of water in the set of ingredients is 25wt% to 75wt% (i.e. measured as a % of the total weight of the set of ingredients). However, in some other examples, the amount of water in the set of ingredients may be at least 15wt% to ensure that the granular starchy ingredient is hydrated to the desired level and that the right amount of water remains to be sorbed by the starch released from the hydrating granular starchy ingredient. In other examples, the amount of water in the set of ingredients is at least 25wt%, 35wt%, or 40wt%. To ensure that there is not too much water in the set of ingredients that would cause the product to not consolidate, the amount of water in the set of ingredients may be no more than 75wt%. Above this amount, the Applicant considered that the consolidated product will become too soft and unpleasant to eat as well as, in some trials, too sticky to hold. In some other examples, the amount of water in the set of ingredients may be no more than 70wt%, 65wt%, 60wt%, or 55wt%.

A consolidated food product manufactured according to the methods described herein comprises granules of a hydrated granular starchy ingredient bound together by a gel, wherein the gel comprises starch and a residual quantity of water. The starch is released from the granular starchy ingredient and sorbs the residual quantity of water during preparation of a set of ingredients for cooking in a sealed receptacle. The set of ingredients comprises the granular starchy ingredient and an amount of water sufficient to hydrate the granular starchy ingredient and leave the residual quantity of water.

In some examples, a total water content in the consolidated food product is 25wt% to 75wt% (i.e. measured as a % of the total weight of the consolidated food product). However, in some other examples, the total water content in the consolidated food product may be at least 15wt%. In other examples, the total water content in the consolidated food product is at least 25w1%, 30wt%, 35wt%, or 40wt%. The total water content in the consolidated food product may be no more than 75wt%. In some other examples, the total water content in the consolidated food product may be no more than 70wt%, 65wt%, 60wt%, or 55wt%. In some examples, a total water content in the consolidated food product is 30wr/O to 70wt%. In some examples, a total water content in the consolidated food product is 35wt% to 65wt%. In some examples, a total water content in the consolidated food product is 40wt% to 60wt9/0.

In some examples, the granular starchy ingredient may be described as a dry constituent or dry ingredient, although this does not mean that the granular starchy ingredient must be strictly moisture free. As a foodstuff, the granular starchy ingredient may naturally contain a certain amount of water and yet be considered substantially dry. The granular starchy ingredient may therefore contribute water towards the amount of water in, or total water content of, the set of ingredients.

The granular starchy ingredient may comprise one or more different starchy foodstuffs. The consolidated food product may therefore be manufactured with a granular starchy ingredient comprising one or more starchy edibles selected from a range of cereal grains, pulses and/or starchy vegetable pieces. The granules making up the granular starchy ingredient each comprise an individual grain or piece of starchy foodstuff. For example, where the granular starchy ingredient comprises rice, the granules comprise grains of rice. In another example, where the granular starchy ingredient comprises potato, the granules comprise pieces of potato, such as potato strips or flakes. Thus, the granules may comprise any suitably shaped piece of the starchy ingredient. In some instances, the starchy ingredient may be ground or milled to a powder or flour and the granules therefore comprise individual powder particles. In some cases, the granules may comprise pellets of rolled powder or flour, such as in the case of couscous, for example.

The granular starchy ingredient may comprise one or more ingredients selected from a group comprising: rice, oats, potato, quinoa, wheat, barley, couscous, beans, chickpeas, bulgur wheat, rye, and groats. The selected cereal grains, pulses and/or starchy vegetable pieces may be used alone or in combination to produce the consolidated food product. For instance, the granular starchy ingredient may comprise a mixture of chickpeas and rice or wheat and oats.

Any suitable combination of starchy edibles may form the granular starchy ingredient.

In certain examples, the granular starchy ingredient may comprise cereal grains, pulses and/or starchy vegetable that do not release enough starch to the residual quantity of water during the heating cycle. In such cases, the set of ingredients may comprise a starch supplement that increases the total amount of starch in the set of ingredients. The starch supplement may comprise one or more ingredients selected from the group comprising: wheat flour, oat flour, potato starch, rice flour, corn starch, tapioca starch, or modified starch. It will be understood that other suitable starch supplements may be used in the set of ingredients. In one example, modified starch is used as a starch supplement and is suitable for use with the cooking temperatures used in a retort, as described below.

With reference to Figure 2, in certain examples, the method, at block 101, comprises pre-treating the granular starchy ingredient before the set of ingredients is added to the receptacle. The pre-treating may adjust the starch content of the granular starchy ingredient. For instance, the granular starchy ingredient may be par-boiled to adjust the amount of starch that is released when the receptacle is passed through the heating cycle. In some examples, the granular starchy ingredient is pre-treated before the set of ingredients is added 102 to the receptacle. In other examples, the granular starchy ingredient is pre-treated in the receptacle before any further constituents of the set of ingredients, for example water or milk as described below, are added to the receptacle.

The set of ingredients may comprise additional constituents. Suitable constituents may comprise one or more food ingredients selected from a group comprising: fruits, vegetables, fibres, and proteins. Including ingredients such as fibre and protein adds interest to the texture and/or enhances the levels of specific nutrients in the consolidated food product. The additional constituents may comprise vitamin fortifications and other human nutrients. In some examples, the additional constituents may comprise one or more flavourings or sweeteners. The additional constituents may, for example, comprise one or more colourings, stabilisers, antioxidants, flavours, confectionery products (e.g., chocolate, chips fudge pieces).

In certain examples, the set of ingredients comprises added water. The water may be added to the receptacle separately from the rest of the set of ingredients or added to the receptacle with the other constituents of the set of ingredients. As with the amount of water in the set of ingredients, the amount of water that is added to the receptacle as part of the set of ingredients is controlled so that once the set of ingredients is added to the receptacle, the amount of water in the receptacle is enough to hydrate the granular starchy ingredient yet also enough that the residual quantity of water is available to be sorbed by the starch released from the hydrating granular starchy ingredient. The amount of water in the receptacle is also controlled to provide a consolidated food product having a desired final water content once cooked. Because the heating cycle sterilises the consolidated food product in the receptacle (as discussed further below), the consolidated food product can have a higher final water content in comparison with a cereal bar that has not been sterilised in a manner described herein and that needs to rely on a binder. The higher final water content provides an extended shelf life and minimises the need to use sugars, fats and other hum ectants In certain examples, the set of ingredients may be mixed prior to being added to the receptacle. However, mixing and/or blending may not be necessary in other examples and, instead, the granular starchy ingredient may be added to the receptacle independently of any added water (i.e. not considering any water already present in the granular starchy ingredient).

In some examples of the method, the added water can be deposited onto the granular starchy ingredient already added to the receptacle. In such instances, the added water has a sufficiently low viscosity that the liquid can percolate, or infiltrate, into and through the granular starchy ingredient and therefore be available to hydrate all of the granular starchy ingredient added to the receptacle.

The added water may be delivered to the receptacle (together with the other constituents of the set of ingredients, or separately) with other edible substances or food ingredients. For example, the amount of water in the set of ingredients may comprise the added water in a solution, a mixture, a colloid, or a colloid solution with other food ingredients. For example, the amount of water may comprise the added water in a solution of one or more other dissolved edible substances or in a colloid of one or more dispersed insoluble edible substances.

In some examples, the amount of water in the set of ingredients may, together with a solution or separately, comprise the added water in a suspension.

In one example, the added water is in a colloid solution comprising liquid milk.

In another example, the added water is in colloid comprising milk solids or milk powder. In some examples, the added water is in a plant-based milk, such as soy or almond milk. In another example, the added water is in a fruit juice, for example an orange juice. In some examples, the fruit juice may comprise pulp.

In some examples of the method, the added water may be added in more than one solution, mixture, colloid, or colloid solution with other food ingredients.

For example, two solutions, each solution of a different food ingredient with water, may be added as part of the set of ingredients. In another example, the set of ingredients may comprise such a solution (which may or may not contain a portion of the added water) along with a water dose that does not include any additional food ingredients and only constitutes added water.

The receptacle comprises one or more openings through which the set of ingredients is added to the receptacle. The one or more openings of the receptacle are sealable so that the receptacle can be sealed before being passed through the heating cycle. Sealing the receptacle prevents water and/or nutrients escaping from the receptacle during and after cooking.

In certain examples, the method may comprise shaping the receptacle before the ingredients are added to the receptacle. For instance, where the receptacle is a pouch, as discussed below, the pouch may need to be shaped into the final desired shape of the consolidated food product, for instance the shape of a bar, before the set of ingredients is added.

In certain examples, the hydration of the granular starchy ingredient and the release of the starch is assisted by heat imparted to the receptacle during the heating cycle. The starch released from the granular starchy ingredient is gelled with the residual quantity of water by the heat imparted to the receptacle during the heating cycle. The resulting gel binds the granules of the starchy ingredient together. Without wishing to be bound by theory, the Applicant believes that the gelling process forms starch gel bridges that bind individual granules of the starchy ingredient together. For instance, in the case of a starchy ingredient comprising grains of wheat and/or oats, the starch released from the grains forms, with the residual quantity of water, starch gel bridges that bind the grains of oats and/or wheat together. In this manner, the Applicant has found a way to utilise starch released from starchy foodstuffs during a heat treatment process to produce a convenient food product with minimal added fat and/or sugar. Furthermore, the production process is more straightforward than those involving the use of a binder to hold a cereal bar together, which, as noted above, involve multiple individual processes.

Due to the relatively high water content of the finished consolidated food product, the receptacle is subjected to a heating cycle that comprises heating to a predetermined temperature that is sufficient to sterilise the receptacle and the set of ingredients contained therein. The heating cycle both cooks and sterilises the contents of the receptacle. The sterilisation destroys any organisms, for example fungal spores and Clostridium botulinum, that would spoil the consolidated food product. The sterilisation results in a food product that has a useful shelf life and is fit for human consumption. The resulting food product can be stored in ambient conditions for an extended period of time. Subjecting the receptacle to the heating cycle also causes denaturation of proteins, polymerises sugars, inactivate enzymes and promotes Maillard reactions in the set of ingredients, all of which may contribute to imparting desirable characteristics to the product.

The heating cycle may also comprise heating under pressure. In certain examples, the pressure may be varied over the duration of the heating period.

The pressure may be adjusted during the heating period to compress the resulting food product to a density commensurate with a desired texture that is pleasant to eat and where the cooked granules remain bound together. For instance, the granules should remain bound together when the packaging is opened and/or when being eaten. Furthermore, heating under pressure can prevent the receptacle rupturing during cooking of the set of ingredients.

With reference to Figure 3, the heating cycle comprises, at block 106-A, heating the receptacle to a first predetermined temperature and, optionally, also pressurising the receptacle (by pressurising a heating chamber of a heating device above atmospheric pressure) to a first predetermined pressure over a predetermined initialisation period. The heating cycle may, at block 106-B, comprise holding the receptacle at the first predetermined temperature and, optionally where pressure is also applied, at the first predetermined pressure for a predetermined holding period. The heating cycle may comprise varying the temperature and, optionally where pressure is also applied, varying the pressure to which the receptacle is subjected over the duration of the initialisation period and/or holding period. The heating cycle may comprise longer initialisation and holding periods at a lower predetermined temperature or shorter initialisation and holding periods at a higher predetermined temperature.

The heating cycle may, at block 106-C, comprise cooling the receptacle to a second predetermined temperature and/or depressurising the receptacle to a second predetermined pressure over a predetermined cooling period. In some examples, the second predetermined pressure may correspond to the ambient pressure around the heating device. In certain examples, during the cooling period the receptacle is depressurised at a rate that corresponds to the rate of cooling the receptacle.

To ensure proper sterilisation, i.e. destroying any organisms such as those described above, in certain examples the heating cycle may comprise heating the receptacle to/at a temperature of 100°C to 125°C (212°F to 257°F). In certain examples, the heating cycle may comprise heating the receptacle to/at a temperature of 110°C to 125°C (212°F to 230°F). In certain examples, the heating cycle may comprise heating the receptacle to/at a temperature of 121.5°C (250.7°F). The length of time that the receptacle is heated to these specified temperatures is the sterilisation period. The sterilisation period may be a period of 2 to 30 minutes. In certain examples, the sterilisation period may be a period of 5 to 20 minutes. The sterilisation period may coincide, in part or wholly, with the heating of the receptacle during the initialisation period. The sterilisation period may coincide, in part or wholly, with the holding of the receptacle at the predetermined temperature during the holding period. The sterilisation period begins once the temperature reaches 90°C, for instance during the initialisation peri od.

In some examples, the heating cycle may comprise heating the receptacle to/at a temperature of 100°C. In some examples, the heating cycle may comprise heating the receptacle to/at a temperature of 110°C. A heating cycle having a maximum temperature of 110°C may involve a longer sterilisation period to ensure proper sterilisation. In other examples, the heating cycle may comprise heating the receptacle to/at a temperature of 115°C; at a temperature of 115°C the length of the sterilisation period may need to be double that of those of a heating cycle comprising heating the receptacle to/at a temperature of 120°C.

In some examples, the heating cycle may comprise heating the receptacle to/at a temperature of 125°C to 130°C (240°F to 250°F). At temperatures of 125°C and 130°C the length of the sterilisation period may be commensurately reduced with respect to the longer periods required at lower temperatures. In some examples, the heating cycle may last approximately 100 minutes. Where lower temperatures are used in the heating cycle, the heating cycle may last approximately 200 minutes, for example. Conversely, where higher temperatures are achieved, the heating cycle may last a shorter time, for example 37.5 minutes for heating to 125°C and 25 minutes for heating to 130°C, respectively. It will be understood that suitable sterilisation periods are possible at a range of temperatures, for instance 100°C to 130°C.

The receptacle may be subjected to approximately 1501cPa (1.5 Bar) of overpressure. For instance, the heating chamber of a heating device may be pressurised to 150kPa (1.5 Bar) for at least a portion of the heating cycle. The receptacle may be subjected to a maximum of approximately 245kPa (2.45 Bar) of pressure.

The heating cycle may be completed in any suitable heating device that can provide the desired temperature and pressure resulting in the consolidated food product. For example, the receptacle may be passed through a heating cycle in a microwave or radio-frequency (RF) heating device. Any of the heating devices may comprise a controller to control the heating device.

In certain examples of the method, passing the receptacle through the heating cycle may comprise retorting the receptacle in a retort. The Applicant considers that completing the heating cycle in a retort results in a good quality consolidated food product manufactured according to the methods described herein. Retorting normally involves heating under a relatively high pressure, which is not an issue for liquids, such as pouches of soup, because the liquid is relatively non-compressible. Similarly, other free-flowing packaged foodstuffs can be retorted because they can, despite pressure cooking, be easily served by pouring the foodstuff or eating directly from the package. In this instance, the Applicant considers that retorting is suitable for the heating cycle because a certain amount of compression of the set of ingredients/consolidated food product is desirable. The compression during cooking allows proper consolidation of the gel and the granules of starchy ingredient thereby resulting in a consolidated food product that can be handled by a consumer without breakage occurring. Furthermore, and as briefly mentioned above, heating under pressure, such as in a retort, helps to restrain an over-expansion of the receptacle as the contents cook, thereby preventing bursting.

The heating cycle may be completed in a static retort. In some cases, the heating cycle may be completed in a rotary retort. The heating cycle may comprise retorting using an overpressure steam or air retort. In other examples, the heating cycle may comprise retorting using an overpressure raining water or spraying water retort. A full water immersion retort with compressed air overpressure may also be used to complete the heating cycle. The receptacle may be retorted in a batch comprising a plurality of receptacles where each receptacle, for instance, contains a set of ingredients as described herein. For instance, batches of retortable pouches, such as those described below, can be passed through a heating cycle in a retort.

Where the receptacle is retorted, the method comprises loading the receptacle, or a batch of receptacles, into a cooking chamber of a retort such as any of the retorts described herein -and closing the cooking chamber. Movement of the receptacles can be carefully controlled to avoid disturbing the contents of the receptacles, which might then impact the final shape of the consolidated food product. In some examples, the method comprises venting the cooking chamber prior to beginning the heating cycle. Once the cooking chamber is closed, a heating cycle as described herein can be completed. The retort may comprise a controller to control the functions of the retort.

Accordingly, with reference to the flow chart of Figure 4, there may be provided a method of controlling a retort to treat a receptacle and produce a consolidated food product as described herein. The method comprises, at block 102, adding a set of ingredients to a receptacle passable through at least one heating cycle in a heating chamber of the retort. The set of ingredients comprises: a granular starchy ingredient and an amount of water. The amount of water in the set of ingredients is sufficient to hydrate the granular starchy ingredient and leave a residual quantity of water. The residual quantity of water is sufficient to be sorbed by starch released from the hydrating granular starchy ingredient. At block 104, the method comprises sealing the receptacle. At block 202, the method comprises loading the receptacle into the heating chamber of the retort. The receptacle is then passed through a heating cycle in the retort to cook the set of ingredients. Optionally, where required by the retort being used, the method comprises controlling the retort to vent the heating chamber.

At block 204, the method comprises controlling the retort to heat the receptacle to a first predetermined temperature and, optionally, to pressurise the receptacle (by pressurising a heating chamber of the retort) to a first predetermined pressure over a predetermined initialisation period. In some examples, at block 206, the method comprises controlling the retort to hold the receptacle, i.e. the heating chamber, at the first predetermined temperature and, optionally, where pressure is applied at the first predetermined pressure for a predetermined holding period. In some examples, the method comprises controlling the retort to varying the temperature and, where applied, the pressure to which the receptacle is subjected, i.e. by varying the temperature and, where applied, the pressure of the heating chamber over the duration of the initialisation period and/or holding period. In some examples, at block 208, the method comprises controlling the retort to cool the receptacle to a second predetermined temperature and, where necessary, depressurising the receptacle to a second predetermined pressure over a predetermined cooling period.

It should be understood that once the heating cycle is completed and the consolidated food product is ready to be delivered to consumers, there may be changes to the texture of the food product over time. The magnitude of the texture changes and the period over which they occur depends on the particular starch in the granular starchy ingredient. In such instances, the set of ingredients and the heating cycle times, pressures, and temperatures can all be adjusted to achieve the desired texture at the moment the consolidated food product is eaten. For instance, the immediate post-production texture of the consolidated food product may be initially considered too firm or soft yet will change in the expected time period between production and consumption. The Applicant considers that a desirable shelf life for the consolidated food product would be twelve months with a maximum twenty-four-month period advised to the consumer. The expected periods relate to the quality of the consolidated food product when eaten and not when the product becomes unsafe to eat, which is expected to be after a much longer period.

The Applicant considers that the set of ingredients and the heating cycle parameters should be adjusted so that the resulting consolidated food product is soft enough that someone can bite into the product yet strong enough that the product is not prone to breakage when handled by a consumer. Accordingly, to be practical, the gel should hold the granules together such as during eating when the product is no longer supported by the receptacle. For example, the consolidated food product, when made in the shape of a bar, should be capable of being held in the horizontal position without deflecting or drooping under its own body weight. In the case of bar shaped products, whether a particular consolidated food product meets the desired conditions can be assessed using a three-point test where the distance a bar of a certain thickness (manufactured according to the methods described herein) is depressed before it breaks is measured. An instrument such as a TA.XTplusC Texture Analyser by Stable Micro Systems may be used to perform such analysis. The Applicant has found that the depressed distances of bar-like consolidated food products, made according to the methods described herein, are comparable strength-wise to those of cereal bars made with a binder.

The receptacle is suitable for use in the chosen heating device. For instance, where a retort is to be used for delivering the heating cycle, the receptacle is retortable. In certain examples, the set of ingredients may completely fill the available space in the receptacle. Excess air may be removed from the receptacle before sealing. In some examples, the internal atmosphere of the receptacle may be modified before sealing. For instance, carbon dioxide or nitrogen may be used to fill any voids in the receptacle left by the set of ingredients thereby preventing the presence of oxygen in the receptacle, which would otherwise degrade the consolidated food product over a time period before consumption.

The shape of the receptacle may define the final, or completed, shape of the consolidated food product for delivery to a consumer. The resulting consolidated food product may be delivered to the consumer in the receptacle.

In this way, there is no need to form, cut, shape, or package the consolidated food product in separate manufacturing steps. Thus, the manufacturing process is simpler and more cost effective than other cereal bars manufactured with a binder.

The receptacle may be formed of one or more plastics and metals, as used in the food industry, such as aluminium, polyethylene and/or polypropylene. The interior surface of the receptacle that faces the set of ingredients may be treated or modified. For instance, the inside surface of the receptacle may be treated to aid easy extraction of the consolidated food product, such as by sliding. The receptacle can be completely peelable away from the consolidated food product to leave an intact product behind. In some cases, one edge of the receptacle can be opened, or torn away, and the consolidated food product slid towards a consumption opening formed in the receptacle thereby permitting a consumer to eat the product. The product may be progressively slid through the consumption opening whilst the consumer holds the receptacle thereby permitting the consumer to eat the product without utensils or getting messy hands. In some examples, the receptacle is shaped to progressively widen along a longitudinal direction of the stored consolidated food product, such as along the length of a bar, thereby easing the journey of the food product towards the wider end and out of the receptacle. In this way, the receptacle can be designed for hand held eating of the consolidated food product.

In some examples, the receptacle comprises a sealable pouch. The sealable pouch may be sealed before the passing through the heating cycle to prevent water and/or nutrients escaping from the pouch and prolong the shelf life of the product after sterilisation. The sealable pouch may define the final shape of the product for delivery to a consumer. For example, the consolidated food product may be delivered to the consumer in the sealable pouch and consumed directly therefrom. The sealable pouch may be a laminated bather pouch, for example. The sealable pouch may or may not be suitable for further heating before the consumer eats the contents of the sealable pouch. For example, the sealable pouch could be heated in a toaster to warm the consolidated food product thereby avoiding the need for a consumer to handle the consolidated food product directly before consumption. The pouch may comprise a frangible portion that permits a consumer to easily tear open the pouch and access the food product therein.

Figure 5 illustrates two possible examples of a sealable pouch 10, 20. In the case of sealable pouch 10, the pouch 10 has bonded edges 12 that are straight. In contrast, bonded edges 22 of sealable pouch 20 are angled so that the interior of the pouch widens towards an opening 24. This arrangement allows the consolidated food product to be easily removed from the pouch 20.

In some examples, the receptacle comprises a three-dimensional cavity that defines the final desired shape of the consolidated food product. The cavity has an opening through which the ingredient is deposited prior to heating. Such receptacles may also be described as trays, tubs, cartons moulds, cans, or pots.

An example of a tray 30 is shown in Figure 6. The tray 30 has a cavity 32 into which the set of ingredients is depositable.

In certain examples, a sealing film may be attached around an edge defining the opening to seal the cavity. For instance, in the tray 30 shown in Figure 6, a flange 34 may be provided around the opening to the cavity 32 and a sealing film bonded thereto. The sealing film prevents water and/or nutrients escaping from the cavity and prolongs the shelf life of the product after sterilisation. It will be understood that the receptacle may comprise a plurality of such cavities, which could each be filled and heated according to the methods described herein. The receptacle could then be split apart to separate the product filled cavities for distribution to consumers.

The Applicant envisions that consolidated food products made according to the methods described herein can be eaten cold directly from the receptacle or after heating, such as in a microwave or a toaster. The potential delivery sizes of the consolidated food product means that the product can be eaten as a main meal substitute or an on-the-go snack. Purely by way of example, the consolidated food product may be provided in a size and weight at 250g for a full meal or at 20g, 40g, 70g, 80g, or 100g for a snack. It will be understood that any desired size and weight of consolidated food product may be provided.

The Applicant has found that additional features can be added into the consolidated food product to make the product even more appetising. For example, layers or fillings of flavourful food types can be included in the consolidated food product. In one example below, a layer of chocolate was added to the bar of consolidated food product. In another example, cocoa was added to a set of ingredients as described herein and in which the granular starchy ingredient comprised oats. This was found to produce a very pleasing consolidated food product. Sugar, at a small wt%, was included to modify the taste. In another example, the Applicant included chocolate chips in the set of ingredients. Other confectionery could also be included in the set of ingredients, including confectionery suitable for consumption by vegans.

The Applicant has conducted a number of trials and manufactured a variety of examples of a consolidated food product using the methods described herein. All the examples discussed herein were prepared in a retort, although any suitable heating device could be used. Examples are described further below, along with details of the set of ingredients used to make each example.

Examples: Rice bars

The Applicant has found that, in the case of using rice as the granular starchy component, a consolidated food product can be produced with different textures and flavours depending on the variety of rice used. For example, despite using the same composition of ingredients percentage-wise, Arborio rice gave a creamy flavour but a harder texture, whereas using pudding rice was found to result in a softer consolidated food product.

Examples 1 to 4 are rice pudding bars and were all made using Arborio rice or pudding rice and formed in the shape of a bar weighing 100g.

Example 1 * Rice pudding bar using liquid skimmed milk and Arborio rice.

Ingredient % Arborio Rice 37.30 Skimmed Milk 48.50 Sugar 4.20 Dried Mixed Fruit 10.00 100.00 Example 2.: Rice pudding bar using liquid skimmed milk and pudding rice.

Ingredient Arborio Rice 37.30 Skimmed Milk 48.50 Sugar 4.20 Dried Mixed Fruit 10.00 100.00 Example 3 Spiced rice pudding bar using liquid milk and Arborio rice.

Ingredient % Arborio Rice 37.30 Skimmed Milk 48.50 Sugar 4.70 Ground Spices 2.50 Dried Mixed Fruit 7.00 100.00 Example 4 Spiced rice pudding bar using liquid milk and pudding rice.

Ingredient Pudding Rice 37.30 Skimmed Milk 48.50 Sugar 4.70 Ground Spices 2.50 Dried Mixed Fruit 7.00 100.00 Examples 5, 6, and 7 are also rice pudding bars. The bars were made using dried powdered milk and were formed in the shape of a bar weighing 90g.

The powdered milk gave these bars a good white appearance. The Applicant found that the resulting bar had a creamy taste, which was reminiscent of Ambrosia® rice pudding. All the rice was fully hydrated, and the bar held together well.

Example 5.: Rice pudding bar using powdered milk and no dried fruit.

Ingredient % Pudding Rice 45.61 Skimmed Milk Powder 5.23 Water 44.49 Sugar 4.67 100.00 Example 6.: Rice pudding bar using powdered milk and Arborio rice with no fruit.

Ingredient % Arborio Rice 45.61 Skimmed Milk Powder 5.23 Water 44.49 Sugar 4.67 100.00 Example 7.: Rice pudding bar using powdered milk and long grain rice with no fruit.

Ingredient % Long Grain Rice 45.61 Skimmed Milk Powder 5.23 Water 44.49 Sugar 4.67 100.00 Examples 8 to 14: Porridge Bars Examples 8 to 14 are all porridge bars and were all made using oats. Examples 8 to 10 were all formed in the shape of a bar weighing 100g. Examples 11 to 14 were also formed in the shape of a bar with a weight as indicated below.

Example 8.: Porridge bar using liquid milk and rolled oats.

Ingredient Rolled Oats 37.30 Skimmed Milk 48.50 Sugar 4.20 Dried Mixed Fruit 10.00 100.00 This porridge bar hydrated well with a soft mouthfeel. The bar was quite densely packed as the flat rolled oats easily packed together with the pressure of the retort forcing the bar to form.

Example 9.: Porridge bar using less liquid milk than Example 8 and rolled oats.

Ingredient % Rolled Oats 39.00 Skimmed Milk 46.80 Sugar 4.20 Dried Mixed Fruit 10.00 100.00 The Applicant found that this porridge bar was well hydrated. The mouthfeel was improved with the oats having a less gelatinous texture than the other porridge bar examples.

Example 10t: Porridge bar using powdered milk and rolled oats.

Ingredient % Rolled Oats 39.00 Skimmed Milk Powder 4.70 Water 42.10 Sugar 4.20 Dried Mixed Fruit 10.00 100.00 This porridge bar was still quite densely packed with the use of rolled oats but fully hydrated and had good mouthfeel -the mouthfeel of the porridge bar was softer and smoother than the other porridge bar examples.

Example 11 * Porridge bar using powdered milk and pinhead oats.

Ingredient Pinhead Oats 39.35 Skimmed Milk Powder 4.51 Water 51.82 Sugar 4.32 100.00 Example 11 was formed in the shape of a bar weighing 104.2g. The pinhead oats hydrated well and did not pack as densely as the rolled oats used in Examples 8 to 10. The Applicant considers that the pinhead oats gave a more interesting and less homogenous texture. Omitting the fruit gave a less sticky bar and paler colour.

Example 12.: Porridge bar using powdered milk and rolled oats.

Ingredient % Rolled Oats 33.61 Skimmed Milk Powder 4.94 Water 56.72 Sugar 4.73 100.00 Example 12 was formed in the shape of a bar weighing 95g. Again, the pinhead oats gave a more interesting and less homogenous texture.

Example 13.: Porridge bar using pinhead oats and coconut milk.

Ingredient % Pinhead Oats 40.80 Coconut milk 25.90 Water 29.90 Sugar 3.50 100.00 Example 13 was formed in the shape of a bar and also weighed 95g. For Example 13, several options for the method described herein were trialled due to the thicker viscosity of coconut milk. For some pouches used with this example, the coconut milk was mixed with the dry ingredients prior to addition into the pouch and then the water was added. For other pouches, the dry ingredients were added to the pouch and the water and coconut milk was blended then poured over the dry ingredients. The Applicant found there were no differences in the samples with this change. The resulting bars had a stickier consistency than the milk-based rice and porridge examples above, but not as sticky as the coconut cream of Example 14. The bars formed according to Example 13 had a good structure and held together well. The bars formed according to Example 13 also had a much more homogenous mouthfeel than the coconut cream bar (Example 14).

Example 14.: Porridge bar using pinhead oats and coconut cream.

Ingredient % Pinhead Oats 39.30 Creamed Coconut 5.50 Water 51.80 Sugar 3.40 100.00 Example 14 was formed in the shape of a bar and also weighed 104.2g. The Applicant found this sample was very tasty and had bursts of coconut flavour where the grated coconut cream pieces were mixed in with the oats. It had a sticky consistency but still held together as a bar.

Examples 15 to 20: Potato-based bars Examples 15 to 20 are all potato-based bars and were all made using potato ingredients and were formed in the shape of a bar. The Applicant has found that the potato-based bars are suitable for toasting or for heating in the microwave in a manner similar to a hash brown.

Example 15.: Potato mash and potato strip bar.

Ingredient Potato Flake 30.30 Water 48.50 Potato Rosti Seasoning 2.20 Potato Strip 19.00 100.00 Example 15 was formed in the shape of a bar and weighed 100g. The Applicant found that this set of ingredients, processed according to the methods described herein, did form a consolidated bar. However, the potato flake and potato strip did not suitably hydrate, resulting in a mouthfeel that was powdery. A higher water level in the set of ingredients is required when additional ingredients are included that also need hydrating instead of just the granular starchy ingredient.

Example 16.: Potato strip and courgette bar.

Ingredient % Water 53.77 Potato Rosti Seasoning 3.56 Courgette 5.59 Potato Strip 37.08 100.00 Example 16 was formed in the shape of a bar and weighed 98g. The Applicant found that, surprisingly, this example held together despite just using potato strips. This indicates that there is enough starch in the starchy ingredient and that there was enough pressure applied to form a consolidated bar. The potato bars were also much thicker than the rice and porridge bars in the examples described above but had a softer mouthfeel.

Example 17 * Potato strip and mash bar.

Ingredient Water 55.57 Potato Rosti Seasoning 2.94 Potato Flake A Grade 15.99 Potato Strip 25.49 100.00 Example 17 was formed in the shape of a bar and weighed 119g. The resulting bar in Example 17 held together well. The Applicant believes that lowering the percentage of flake/mash allowed the water to percolate to the bottom of the pouch and therefore all the dry ingredients fully hydrated. The Applicant also found that, when this bar was heated in the microwave, a fluffy texture suitable for use as a shepherd's pie topper was produced.

Example 18.: Potato strip and mash bar with cheese flavouring.

Ingredient Water 56.70 Skimmed Milk Powder 3.00 Potato Flake A Grade 8.10 Potato Strip 28.60 Salt 0.80 Black Pepper 0.40 Mustard Powder 1.00 Cheese Powder 1.20 Thyme 0.20 100.00 Example 18 was formed in the shape of a bar and weighed 123.6g. The Applicant found that a combination of mustard powder and cheese powder was not appealing; however, the set of ingredients did result in a good texture for the resulting bar. The bar was well hydrated and held together. Interestingly, the Applicant found that bars produced with this set ingredients came out from the pouch much more easily than the rice or porridge; the potato bars were not sticky to hold.

Example 19.: Potato and courgette bar.

Ingredient Water 53.35 Skimmed Milk Powder 3.78 Dried Courgette 5.55 Potato Strip 33.28 Salt 1.01 Black Pepper 0.50 Mustard Powder 0.50 Cheese Powder 1.51 Thyme 0.50 100.00 Example 19 was formed in the shape of a bar and weighed 99g. Surprisingly, the bar of Example 19 held together well. The Applicant considers that this indicates that there was enough starch in the potato strips to bond the potato strips to one another and to the dried courgette. Again, the combination of mustard powder and cheese powder was not considered appealing but did result in a good texture.

Example 20 Hash brown bar with added fried flavour.

Ingredient % Water 50.43 Potato Strip 37.32 Kibbled Onion 10.09 Salt 0.50 Ground White Pepper 0.25 Onion Powder 0.50 Potato Fried Flavour 0.91 100.00 Example 20 was formed in the shape of a bar and weighed 99g. The resulting bar in Example 20 had good fried flavour and texture when toasted (after production); however, the colour after toasting was pale for a "fried" product.

The structure was good but dense as the kibbled onion filled the gaps of the potato strips.

Examples 21 to 25: Other starchy ingredients Examples 21 to 25 used a variety of different granular starchy ingredients to provide further data on the performance on the methods described herein.

Example 21.: Courgette bar (instead of potato).

Ingredient Courgette 20.96 Water 74.42 Salt 0.73 Black Pepper 0.21 Onion Powder 2.10 Cheddar Cheese Flavour 1.57 100.00 Example 21 was formed in the shape of a bar and weighed 95g. Example 21 used courgette as the granular starchy ingredient for a comparison with the other starchy ingredients such as potato as used in the examples described herein.

The Applicant found that the courgette did not hold together to form a consolidated bar. The Applicant surmises that, as courgette is a low starch vegetable, the set of ingredients was unable to consolidate in the manner intended. The Applicant further considers that Example 21 indicates that pressure helps form the bar where the starchy ingredient is a low starch vegetable.

Example 22 * Vegetable and curry bar.

Ingredient % Pudding Rice 34.48 Dried Fruit 6.53 Kibbled Onion 2.41 Dried Vegetables 9.94 Water 43.11 Curry Powder 2.01 Onion Powder 1.01 Garlic Powder 0.50 100.00 Example 22 was formed in the shape of a bar and weighed 100g. For this set of ingredients, the amount of water was increased to ensure hydration of all the rice and dried vegetable pieces. The Applicant found that not enough starch was released to fully bond the vegetable pieces. As inadequate starch was released, the vegetable pieces floated to the top prior to the bar forming, which created a layered effect in the resulting bar.

Example 23.: Falafel bar.

Ingredient % Water 33.80 Chickpea flour 9.90 Dried Chickpea 33.00 Garlic Powder 1.70 Parsley 0.80 Ground Cumin 1.40 Salt 0.80 Pepper 0.70 Chilli Powder 0.10 Potato Starch 5.70 Onion Frozen 12.00 100.00 Example 23 was formed in the shape of a bar and weighed 100g. This set of ingredients gave a good structure but the dried whole chickpeas did not fully hydrate and stayed hard. The Applicant found that having a mixture of chickpea flour and whole chickpeas gave a difference in texture and a more appealing appearance as it looked less like a solid mass. The resulting bar had a shiny surface texture, which the Applicant considers results from the use of the pouch as the receptacle. The resulting bar could be toasted.

Example 24.: Falafel bar with pre-blend of chickpeas.

Ingredient Water 23.75 Chickpea paste 24.25 Chickpea flour 10.50 Soaked and boiled Chickpeas 15.00 Garlic 1.80 Parsley 0.90 Ground Cumin 1.50 Ground Coriander 1.50 Chilli Powder 0.10 Potato Starch 5.00 Sunflower oil 3.00 Onion 12.70 100.00 Example 24 was formed in the shape of a bar and weighed 100g. Example 24 was based on Example 23 but the method instead included blending some of the chickpeas into a paste. The Applicant had considered that blending some of the chickpeas would give more strength by acting like a glue. The oil was added to a blender with some of the cooked chickpeas and blended into a chunky paste. The paste was then weighed out and added to the rest of the dry ingredients before weighing the mix into pouches following the method.

Finally, water was added to the pouch before it was sealed. This preparation gave a good but softer structure. It looked dense but appealing to have a mixture of the flour, paste and whole chickpeas; however, making the paste added an extra step and there was no benefit in terms of bar strength or a more exciting mouthfeel.

Example 25.: Falafel bar with pre-cooked chickpeas.

Ingredient % Water 33.80 Chickpea flour 9.90 Soaked, boiled & frozen chickpeas 33.00 Garlic Powder 1.70 Parsley 0.80 Ground Cumin 1.40 Salt 0.80 Pepper 0.70 Chilli Powder 0.10 Potato Starch 5.70 Onion Frozen 12.00 100.00 Example 25 was formed in the shape of a bar and weighed 100g. In Example 25, the chickpeas were soaked, then boiled, and then frozen prior to use with the rest of the set of ingredients. The Applicant found this preparation gave a good structure to the resulting bar. Furthermore, using cooked chickpeas meant it was much more edible and had a softer mouthfeel than the other falafel examples. In a similar result to the use of dried chickpeas in Example 23, the resulting bar looked more interesting and appealing to have a mixture of chickpea flour and whole chickpeas -this gave a good difference in texture and looked less like a solid mass. Again, the pouch gave a shiny surface texture to the resulting bar. The Applicant toasted the resulting bar and found it toasted well; however, the water content could be adjusted to make the resulting bar firmer so that heating does not cause the bar in break and get stuck in the toaster.

Examples 26 to 30: Bars manufactured in trays Previously discussed Examples 1 to 25 were all processed in pouches. To ensure the method could be equally applied to a three-dimensional container, such as a pot, mould, can, or tray, Examples 26 to 30 were prepared in trays.

In Examples 26 to 30, the ingredients were weighed and added in the same way as with a pouch but instead into a tray. The Applicant found that these examples still formed a solid mass in the shape of the pot after the retorting process.

For Examples 26 to 29, the ingredients were weighted out in a polypropylene tray of dimensions 80mm x 30mm x 30mm to form individual 70g bars. The final products all demoulded nicely from the tray and had a moist and pleasant eating experience. The final products all retained their 3D shape and formed a 79mm x 30mm x 28mm bar.

In Example 30, a polypropylene tray of dimensions 80mm x 30mm x 30mm was again used to form the product. A layer of chocolate was deposited on the bottom of the tray and then left to cool down and set. The rest of the ingredients were then weighted out on top of the layer of chocolate to form individual 100g bars. As with Examples 26 to 29, the final product demoulded nicely from the tray. A clearly distinct layer of chocolate was present in the final product.

Example 26.: Fruit and Turmeric Bar.

Ingredient Cacao nibs 4.10 Seeds 7.10 Sugar 8.00 Water 39.10 Flavouring 0.20 Dried Fruit 15.00 Fava bean Flour 5.00 Pinhead oats 21.00 Turmeric 0.40 100.00 Example 27.: Savoury "Vacon" (vegan bacon) bar.

Ingredient Vacon 8.03 Pineapple 0.89 Water 44.6 Salt 0.89 Pinhead Oats 44.6 Paprika 0.89 100.00 Example 28.: Fruit and Turmeric Bar with added vitamins and minerals.

Ingredient Cacao nibs 4.00 Dessiccated coconut 4.00 Sugar 7.50 Water 40.12 Honey flavouring 0.20 Mango 15.00 Fava bean flour 5.00 Chia seeds 3.00 Pinhead oats 17.00 Turmeric 0.40 Minerals 3.78 100.00 Example 29.: High protein fruit bar.

Ingredient Cacao nibs 1.00 Sugar 7.50 Water 40.12 Honey flavouring 0.20 Dried fruit 3.00 Isolated Soy Protein 28.00 Pinhead oats 19.57 Turmeric 0.40 Vitamins 0.21 100.00 Example 30.: High protein fruit bar.

Ingredient Molten chocolate 20.00 Sugar 5.00 Water 32.00 Pinhead oats 40.00 100.00 The above embodiments are to be understood as illustrative examples of the invention. Further embodiments of the invention are envisaged. It is to be understood that any feature described in relation to any one embodiment may be used alone, or in combination with other features described, and may also be used in combination with one or more features of any other of the embodiments, or any combination of any other of the embodiments.

Furthermore, equivalents and modifications not described above may also be employed without departing from the scope of the invention, which is defined in the accompanying claims.

Claims (25)

1. CLAIMSA method of manufacturing a consolidated food product, the method comprising: adding a set of ingredients to a receptacle, the set of ingredients compri sing a granular starchy ingredient; and an amount of water capable of hydrating the granular starchy ingredient whilst being sufficient to leave a residual quantity of water to be sorbed by starch released from the granular starchy ingredient; sealing the receptacle; and passing the receptacle through a heating cycle to cook the set of ingredients, wherein the receptacle is heated during the heating cycle to form a gel from the starch and the sorbed residual quantity of water to bind together granules of the granular starchy ingredient with the gel and form the consolidated food product.
2. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the amount of water comprises added water.
3. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the added water is comprised in one or more of: a solution, a mixture, a colloid, or a colloid solution.
4. 4. The method of claim 2 or 3, wherein the added water s comprised in milk added to the to the receptacle.
5. 5. The method of any one of the claims 2 to 4, wherein adding the set of ingredients to the receptacle comprises depositing the added water onto the granular starchy ingredient in the receptacle.
6. 6. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the set of ingredients comprises the granular starchy ingredient and the amount of water in a ratio of approximately 1:0.5 to approximately 1:3.
7. 7. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the amount of water is 25wt% to 75wt% of the set of ingredients.
8. 8. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method comprises pre-treating the granular starchy ingredient to adjust the starch content of the granular starchy ingredient.
9. 9. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the granular starchy ingredient is pre-treated prior to being added to the receptacle.
10. 10. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the granular starchy ingredient comprises one or more starchy edibles selected from a group comprising: cereal grains, pulses, and/or starchy vegetable pieces.
11. 11. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the granular starchy ingredient comprises one or more ingredients selected from a group comprising: rice, oats, potato, quinoa, wheat, barley, couscous, beans, chickpeas, bulgur wheat, rye, and groats.
12. 12. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the set of ingredients comprises one or more additional constituents selected from a group comprising: fruits, vegetables, fibres, and proteins.
13. 13. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the set of ingredients comprises one or more additional constituents selected from a group comprising: vitamin fortifications, flavourings, and sweeteners.
14. 14. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the receptacle comprises one or openings through which the set of ingredients can be added to the receptacle, and wherein the one or more openings of the receptacle are sealable.
15. 15. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the receptacle comprises a sealable pouch.
16. 16. The method of any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the receptacle comprises a tray.
17. 17. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the heating cycle comprises heating the receptacle to a predetermined temperature and, optionally, pressurising the receptacle to a predetermined pressure over a predetermined initialisation period in a heating chamber of a heating device.
18. 18 The method of claim 17, wherein the heating cycle comprises holding the receptacle at the predetermined temperature and, optionally, at the predetermined pressure in the heating chamber for a predetermined holding period.
19. 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the heating cycle comprises varying the temperature and, optionally, the pressure in the heating chamber over the duration of a predetermined holding period.
20. 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the heating cycle comprises heating the receptacle at a temperature of 100°C to 125°C (212°F to 257°F) for a period of 2 to 30 minutes.
21. 21. The method of claim 17, wherein the heating cycle comprises pressurising the receptacle to a pressure of 150 Oa (1.5 Bar) for at least a portion of the heating cycle.
22. 22. The method of any one of claims 17 to 21, wherein the heating device comprises a retort.
23. 23. A consolidated food product comprising granules of a hydrated granular starchy ingredient bound together by a gel, wherein the gel comprises starch and water, wherein the starch is released from the granular starchy component and sorbs a residual quantity of water during preparation of a set of ingredients for cooking in a sealed receptacle, and wherein the set of ingredients comprises the granular starchy ingredient and an amount of water sufficient to hydrate the granular starchy ingredient and leave the residual quantity of water.
24. 24. The consolidated food product of claim 23, wherein the total water content of the consolidated food product is 25wt% to 75wt% of the consolidated food product.
25. 25. A method of controlling a retort to treat a set of ingredients sealed in a receptacle and produce a consolidated food product, the set of ingredients comprising a granular starchy ingredient, and an amount of water capable of hydrating the granular starchy constituent whilst being sufficient to leave a residual quantity of water to be sorbed by starch released from the granular starchy component, the method comprising: controlling the retort to heat the receptacle to a first predetermined temperature and, optionally, to pressurise the receptacle to a first predetermined pressure over a predetermined initialisation period; controlling the retort to hold the receptacle at the predetermined temperature and, optionally, at the predetermined pressure for a predetermined holding period; and controlling the retort to cool the receptacle to a second predetermined temperature and, optionally, depressurising the receptacle to a second predetermined pressure over a predetermined cooling period.