IL100492A - Kosher-for-passover breakfast cereal and manufacturing method therefor - Google Patents

Description

KOSHER FOR PASSOVER BREAKFAST CEREAL AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREFOR R PA AND MANUFACTURING METHOD THEREFOR Background of the Invention The invention relates to methods and apparatus used. o manufacture a ready-to-eat Kosher for Passover breakfast cereal which does not include leavening agents. There are a host of breakfast foods including breads, cakes and cereals made from wheat, barley, oats, rye, corn or rice which are available daily in the marketplace. However, during the Jewish holiday of Passover, only Kosher food products which stringently conform to . the laws of Passover and which carry a seal (or notification) proclaiming them authorized by a recognized Rabinical council, may be eaten by observing consumers. These items are generally found in large, separate sections of many conventional supermarkets and are sold throughout the holiday period. The laws which govern certification for a product to be "Kosher for Passover", apply to the food components themselves, as well as to the supervision of production and packaging, and all equipment used throughout.

Basically, the laws of Passover forbid the consumption of leavening agents (yeast, baking powder, baking soda), which are typically found in cakes, breads and various cereals. Finely ground matzoh, sometime referred to as matzoh cake meal, is generally used in preparing like items. The B. Manischewitz Company, [ \ e up p eces o matzoh, (called farfel), as well as a hot "Kosher for Passover" cereal which requires the customer to add hot water. These products remain on the market in several ethnic stores and are sold throughout the holiday season. However, there was no extruded, cold, ready to eat, appetizing blend of matzoh flour and flavoring which would approximate the acceptable year round products so missed by the consumer during the holiday season.

All commercially available ready-to-eat cold breakfast cereal products are forbidden during Passover since they contain leavening agents based on the above-identified grains. Accordingly, there has been a need for a "Kosher for Passover" cold cereal to satisfy the market during the Jewish holiday of Passover. That cereal, however, has not been developed or made available by any of the- cereal companies or by any other cereal manufacturer.

The primary objects of the invention, therefore, are the manufacture of. an extruded ready-to-eat cold breakfast cereal which conforms to the laws of Passover, which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, which has a commercially sufficient shelf-life, and. which has a pleasing aesthetic look and taste.

Summary of the Invention According to the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a ready-to-eat, Kosher for Pasover, breakfast cereal, comprising: forming a dough containing pre-cooked matzo flour; and extruding the dough in a heated screw extruder into shaped cooked pieces containing matzo.

According to further preferred feature, a sweetening agent is added to the dough prior or during the extrusion step. Preferably, the sweetening agent is sugar. In addition, a flavor system, such as honey nut, almond vanilla, ground cinnamon, apple, or cocoa, can be added to the blend to provide a product having varying tastes and textures.

In one embodiment, the matzo flour is blended with potato starch. A particularly preferred blend includes matzo flour and potato starch in a ratio of approximately 8 to 1.

The method for manufacturing the "Kosher for Passover" cold breakfast cereal includes the steps of blending matzo flour with sugar (and optionally with potato starch), to form a dough, extruding the dough in a food extruder, and cooling the resultant extruded product.

In another embodiment, the' method can further include the step of coating the surface of the extruded product- with at least one of a sweetening agent and a flavor system. Alternatively, the flavor system and/or the sweetening agent can be added to the dough prior to extrusion.

Description of the Drawings Other objects, features, advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken together with the drawing in which: Figure 1 illustrates ah apparatus suitable for manufacturing a ready-to-eat cold cereal product in accordance with the invention.

Description of a Preferred Embodiment In accordance with the illustrated embodiment, the apparatus of Figure 1 can be advantageously, employed to produce a flavored, ready-to-eat cold breakfast cereal using only Kosher for Passover food ingredients. In accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention, the ingredients selected are matzo flour and a sweetening agent such as sugar, and selected flavors.

According to a test method of manufacture to. determine suitable blends of ingredients, a blend of matzo flour, potato starch, sugar and appropriate flavoring materials, with sufficient water are blended together to form a dough and rolled into a sheet having a thickness of approximately one quarter of an inch. (Baking powder can be used at this test stage to form an expanded dough, although it is not permitted in the final formula.) The sheet is baked, for example, at 375° Fahrenheit for ten minutes in a forced air oven such as a Rational C0S6, manufactured by the Blodgett Oven Company. The sheet is baked until it reaches a golden brown color. After cooling, the baked dough sheet is crushed, for example in a mortar and pestle, and the crumbs are sieved between U.S. standard series #8 and #16 sieves. The result can be mixed with milk for flavor and taste evaluation.

Referring to Figure 1, a small scale production environment employs a blender 10 for mixing the ingredients to form the dough, and a food extruder 12 such as an MPF-50D Baker Perkins 15:1 ( length-diameter ) food extruder (providing an output of approximately 250 pounds per hour) with a standard cooler, feeder (T35), cutter, and barrel to produce an extruded cereal product. A standard oat loop die can be used for most products (and was employed in the examples presented below), with other dies, such as crisp rice and star dies, also being acceptable. The standard die face cutter with two and four bladed rigid knives is also used. The freshly extruded product can be air-conveyed using a conveyor 14 to a Baker Perkins forced air belt dryer 16 to achieve the final degree of moisture and crispness.

In accordance with the invention, a basic cold cereal formula of Avebe potato starch 9.3% matzo flour 76.0% sugar (fine, granular) 14.7% was advantageously used in combination with a number of flavor systems. The flavorings can include, for example, cocoa, honey-nut, cinnamon, apple, etc. (All percentages are by weight.) Example 1 In one particular "run" no flavor addition was added to the basic formula and, using a specific energy input of 0.095 horsepower per pound per hour, and the finished product contained a moisture level of approximately 20%. Adding a honey-nut flavored blend at an 11.5% level, the resultant product contained over-expanded cell structures and low densities (6.5 pounds per cubic foot). In order to reduce expansion, the moisture level and barrel temperature can be reduced or a modification of the screw profile can be undertaken.

Example 2 When a 2% cinnamon flavor is added to the basic recipe, cell structure and texture were good indicating an adequate cook.

Piece density was slightly higher due to piece thickness. This can be corrected by increasing, slightly, the cutter speed. In addition, using a single crispy insert with six .045" by 0.100" holes and a four-bladed knife, a resultant product had good texture and size.

Example 3 An apple-cinnamon flavor at a 4% level composed of: artificial apple flavor 52.682/TP05.51 (Firmenich) 25% ground cinnamon no. 774245 (McCormick Stange) 75% was added to the basic unflavored recipe. This product had a good cell structure, texture, cook, density, and appearance. The piece shape was good (rounded edges and uniform surface) but had some cutter blade distortion. A flexible bladed knife would be suitable and preferred.

Example 4 A cocoa powder was added to the basic unflavored recipe at a 7.5% level with no significant effect on extruder or product performance. This product was extruded through a single star shaped die using a two blade knife, producing a product with good texture, density, and size.

Table I provides information regarding temperatures, pressures and other data for the Baker Perkins extruder for each of the above four examples.

TABLE I Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Example 4 (w/Honey-Nut) - Screw Speed ( PM) 400 450 400 400 Net Horsepower (HP/LB/HR.) 0.091 0.099 0.093 0.088 Feed Rate (LB/MIN.) 2 2 2 2 Heating Medium (°F) Zone 1 96 96 96 93 Zone 2 131 125 127 123 Zone 3 198 198 198 196 Zone 4 228 239 245 260 Zone 5 245 249 259 274 Cutter Speed (RPM)/ No. Of Blades 2,000/2 1,600/2 1,000/4 1,400/2 Dryer Temperature (°F)/ 5 minutes 250 250 250 250 Since matzo flour is a baked product, it was initially believed that an ungelatinized starch, such as potato starch should be combined with the matzo flour to assure that the dough would expand upon application of heat during extrusion. Accordingly, the dough in each of the initial tests described above included a blend of matzo flour and potato starch.

Recent tests have revealed that the matzo flour can be extruded by itself, with no added ungelatinized starches. For example, two recent test extrusions were performed using a Baker Perkins MPF 80, 100 horsepower food extruder, having an extrusion barrel with 25 diameters. The dough was driven through the extrusion barrel using the extrusion screws and paddles described below: Diameters Type of Screw/Paddle I-11 Feed Screw II-12.5 Six 30° forwarding paddles 12.5 - 13.5 Short Pitch Feed Screw 13.5 - 14.25 Three 60° Forwarding Paddles 14.25 - 15 Three 30° Reversing Paddles 15 - 19 Single Lead Screw 20 Four 60° Forwarding Paddles 21 Four 30° Reversing Paddles 21 - 22.5 Single Lead Screw 22.5 - 23.75 Five 45° Forwarding Paddles 23.75 - 25 Single Lead Screw This selection of screws and paddles assures that the dough will mostly exit the extruder on a first in first out basis. For example, this configuration does not use any reversing action at the end of the extruder (as used in conventional food extruders), thereby reducing the amount of residence time of the dough in the extruder. This configuration also reduces the number of mixing elements used to generate frictional heat energy in the process in comparison to conventional food extruders. Accordingly, by reducing the residence time and the number of fractional heat elements, the extruder settup avoids overcooking the precooked matzo flour.

The dry feed was introduced to the extruder at a feedport located 1.5 diameters from the beginning of the extrusion barrel. The end of the barrel was terminated with an eight hole die plate having eight annular ring inserts of 0.250 inch outer diameter and 0.0150 inch inner diameter.

In the first test, a cold cereal formula of 79.2% matzo cake meal, 8.1% potato starch and 12.7% sugar was formed by extrusion (Blend A). In the second test, a cold cereal formula of 87% matzo flour and 13% sugar was formed by extrusion (Blend B) . The Blend B cereal was also sugar coated, thereby altering the aggregate formula to 79.2% matzo flour and 21.8% sugar. The following lists the parameters of the extrusion process used in extruding each blend.

Blend A Screw Speed (RPM) Motor Load (Measured) Feed Rate Setting Actual Rate (lb/min) Water Pump Rate (Setting) HI H2 Actual Rate (lb/min) Heating Medium ( °F Set/Actual) Zone 1 off off Zone 2 60/61 60/88 Zone 3 60/72 60/94 Zone 4 125/126 125/126 Zone 5 200/200 200/199 Zone 6 250/251 250/250 Zone 7 250/253 250/250 Zone 8 300/302 300/298 Zone 9 300/299 . 300/296 Pressure 160 160 Cutter Speed (RPM) 950 750 Dryer Temperature 280°F 280°F (for approximately 10-15 min) Using these conditions, the Matzo flour doughs of both Blend A and Blend B expanded during extrusion, without burning, to form a cold cereal which is Kosher for Passover.

Additions, subtractions, deletions and other modifications of the preferred embodiment and formulas of the invention will be apparent to those practiced in the field and are within the scope of the following claims. 100492/3 - 11 -

Claims (20)

1. A method for manufacturing a ready-to-eat, Kosher for Passover, breakfast cereal, comprising: forming a dough containing pre-cooked matzo flour; and extruding the dough in a heated screw extruder into shaped cooked pieces containing matzo.

2. The method according to Claim 1 , wherein the extruded dough further comprises potato starch.

3. The method according to Claim 1 , wherein the extruded dough is free of potato starch.

4. The method according to any one of Claims 1-3, further comprising adding a sweetening agent to the dough prior or during the extrusion step.

5. The method according to any one of Claims 1-3, further comprising adding a sweetening agent to the shaped pieces after the extrusion step.

6. The method according to Claim 5, wherein the sweetening agent is coated on the shaped pieces.

7. The method according to any one of Claims 1-5, further comprising adding a flavor system to the dough prior to or during the extrusion step.

8. The method according to any one of Claims 1-5, further comprising adding a flavor system to the shaped pieces after the extrusion step.

9. The method according to Claim 8, wherein the flavor system is coated on the shaped pieces. 100492/3 - 12 -

10. In an extrusion method for manufacturing a cold, ready-to-eat breakfast cereal, the improvement comprising including pre-cooked matzo flour in the blend used in the extrusion step.

11. The method according to Claim 10, wherein potato starch is also included in the blend used in the extrusion step.

12. The method according to Claim 10, wherein the blend used in the extrusion step is free of potato starch.

13. An extruded, ready-to-eat, Kosher for Passover cold breakfast cereal made by the method claimed in any one of Claims 1-12.

14. A Kosher for Passover, breakfast cereal comprising extruded pieces of cereal including pre-cooked matzo flour.

15. The breakfast cereal according to Claim 14, wherein the extruded pieces further include potato starch.

16. The method according to Claim 14, wherein the extruded pieces are free of potato starch.

17. An extruded cereal according to any one of Claims 14-16, wherein the extruded pieces further contain a flavor system.

18. The extruded cereal according to Claim 17, wherein the flavor system is selected from the group consisting of honey-nut, almond vanilla, ground cinnamon, apple and cocoa.

19. The extruded cereal according to any one of Claims 14-18, wherein the extruded pieces include pieces in the form of loops . 100492/3 - 13 -

20. The extruded cereal according to any one of Claims 14-19, wherein the extruded pieces include pieces in the form of stars. Advocate, Patent Attorney P.O. Box 23008 Tel-Aviv 61 230