| GENERAL MILLS, INC. Patent applications |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
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| 20120128799 | Soft Dried Marshmallow and Method of Preparation - Dried soft aerated confections and methods of their preparation are provided having a water activity of about 0.1 to 0.4 and a glass transition temperature of less than 20° C. The confections comprise sugars, a foaming and a structuring ingredient, preferably each gelatin, and about 5 to 15% softening agent. Preferred softening agents include glycerin, polyglycerols and mixtures thereof. The confections are aerated to densities of about 0.1 to 0.5 g/cc. The soft dried aerated confections are particularly suited for addition to children's Ready-To-Eat cereals in the form of pieces weighing about 0.1 to 2 g each. The dried confection pieces maintain their soft texture over time without causing moisture migration to the cereal. | 05-24-2012 |
| 20110271691 | PORTABLE COOLED MERCHANDIZING UNIT - A portable cooled merchandizing unit including a product container assembly and a thermoelectric assembly. The product container assembly includes an exterior frame and an interior container forming a floor and side panels defining an interior region. Openings to the interior region are defined opposite the floor. Airflow paths are defined at an exterior of the panels and are fluidly connected to the interior region via the opening. The thermoelectric assembly includes a thermoelectric device connected to a heat sink that is fluidly connected to the airflow path away from the opening. A fan is positioned to circulate air from the thermoelectric device and into the interior region via the airflow paths. | 11-10-2011 |
| 20110183045 | CEREAL BARS CONTAINING INULIN AND THEIR METHODS OF MANUFACTURE - A cereal bar comprising identifiable ready-to-eat (RTE) cereal pieces; and a carbohydrate binder combined with the cereal pieces, wherein the carbohydrate binder contains inulin is provided. In one embodiment, the cereal bar comprises added protein. A method of making a cereal bar is also provided. | 07-28-2011 |
| 20110174423 | THERMOFORMED CONTAINER ASSEMBLY FOR FOOD PRODUCTS - An assembly for forming a container that contains food product and including a thermoformed sleeve and a base. The sleeve includes a frustoconical side wall, an upper lip, and a lower lip. The side wall defines an inner surface, an outer surface, and a plurality of circumferentially-spaced handling features including an outer surface indentation and a corresponding inner surface protrusion. The upper lip projects generally radially inwardly from an upper end of the sleeve and the lower lip projects generally radially outwardly from the lower end. The base is formed apart from the sleeve, and is assembleable to the lower end for closing off the lower opening. In some embodiments, each of the plurality of handling features are wedge-shaped. In yet other embodiments, the base is a thermoformed part, and is ultrasonically welded to the lower lip. | 07-21-2011 |
| 20110123682 | Microwave Batter Product - Shelf stable microwave dessert packaged food products for individual servings comprise a novel, shielded packaging or container including a microwave shielded cup; a shelf-stable ready-to-heat uncooked product disposed within the cup, a modified low oxygen atmosphere in the headspace above the batter, and a peelably removable, low gas permeability sealing membrane. The articles provide high preparation abuse tolerance notwithstanding the low, controlled portion quantities (100 calorie) of batter. | 05-26-2011 |
| 20100310728 | ENCAPSULATED OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS FOR BAKED GOODS PRODUCTION - Encapsulated polyunsaturated fatty acids which can be incorporated into a baked good dough or batter without smearing or dissolution of the encapsulated product contains film-coated oil droplets encapsulated by a matrix material, a liquid plasticizer which plasticizes the matrix material, and an acidic antioxidant dispersed throughout the plasticized matrix material which helps to prevent oxidation of the polyunsaturated fatty acids; and the production of a fishy taint or malodors and mal-flavors. The matrix material includes a starch component which helps to avoid a rubbery consistency and texture and promotes extrudability, and a protein component, which hardens the encapsulated product and prevents substantial smearing and dissolution during dough or batter mixing and baking. The matrix material protein content is from about 25% to about 77.5% by weight of the matrix material. The protein content of the encapsulated product is from about 15% to about 65% by weight, of the encapsulated product. | 12-09-2010 |
| 20100115969 | PORTABLE THERMOELECTRIC COOLING/HEATING UNIT AND RELATED MERCHANDIZING SYSTEM - A portable cooling/heating unit for cooling/heating a product container. The unit includes a thermoelectric assembly, a housing, a front side fan, and a rear side fan. The thermoelectric assembly includes a thermoelectric device, a first heat sink, and a second heat sink. The housing maintains the first heat sink and front fan within a front side channel, and the second heat sink and rear fan within a rear side channel. The housing further forms a condensation passageway segment that facilitates fluid connection between the channels. During use, the unit is removably assembled to the container such that openings of the front side channel are fluidly within the container's interior region. Accumulated condensation is directed to the rear side channel and evaporated. | 05-13-2010 |
| 20100095687 | PORTABLE COOLED MERCHANDIZING UNIT - A portable cooled merchandising unit including a product container assembly and a thermoelectric assembly. The product container assembly includes an exterior frame and an interior container forming a floor and side panels defining an interior region. Openings to the interior region are defined opposite the floor. Airflow paths are defined at an exterior of the panels and are fluidly connected to the interior region via the opening. The thermoelectric assembly includes a thermoelectric device connected to a heat sink that is fluidly connected to the airflow path away from the opening. A fan is positioned to circulate air from the thermoelectric device and into the interior region via the airflow paths. | 04-22-2010 |
| 20090155425 | Methods for Preparing Oat Bran Enriched in Beta-Glucan and Oat Products Prepared Therefrom - Dry milling methods for preparing oat products enriched in the content of β-glucan and methods for preparing foodstuffs incorporating such an enriched oat product especially ready-to-eat cereals are provided. Heat conditioned dehulled oats are dry milled to form a coarse whole non defatted oat flour and then, without a preceding removal of fat, dry fractionated into coarser bran and finer oat flour fractions at multiple stages. The coarse oat flour is first dry classified to separate or form a coarser fraction oat bran containing more concentrated β-glucan and a finer oat flour or starch containing or endosperm containing fraction. The oat bran is subjected to second and third rounds of milling and classification to form a high β-glucan content (>7-9%) oat bran and a low β-glucan content (3%) oat flour. The oat bran and oat flours can be used to prepare foodstuffs such as ready-to-eat cereals. | 06-18-2009 |
| 20090155424 | Methods for Preparing Oat Bran Enriched in Beta-Glucan and Oat Products Prepared Therefrom - Dry milling methods for preparing oat products enriched in the content of β-glucan and methods for preparing foodstuffs incorporating such an enriched oat product especially ready-to-eat cereals are provided. Heat conditioned dehulled oats are dry milled to form a coarse whole non defatted oat flour and then, without a preceding removal of fat, dry fractionated into coarser bran and finer oat flour fractions at multiple stages. The coarse oat flour is first dry classified to separate or form a coarser fraction oat bran containing more concentrated β-glucan and a finer oat flour or starch containing or endosperm containing fraction. The oat bran is subjected to second and third rounds of milling and classification to form a high β-glucan content (>7-9%) oat bran and a low β-glucan content (3%) oat flour. The oat bran and oat flours can be used to prepare foodstuffs such as ready-to-eat cereals. | 06-18-2009 |
| 20090148576 | Methods for Preparing Oat Bran Enriched in Beta-Glucan and Oat Products Prepared Therefrom - Dry milling methods for preparing oat products enriched in the content of β-glucan and methods for preparing foodstuffs incorporating such an enriched oat product especially ready-to-eat cereals are provided. Heat conditioned dehulled oats are dry milled to form a coarse whole non defatted oat flour and then, without a preceding removal of fat, dry fractionated into coarser bran and finer oat flour fractions at multiple stages. The coarse oat flour is first dry classified to separate or form a coarser fraction oat bran containing more concentrated β-glucan and a finer oat flour or starch containing or endosperm containing fraction. The oat bran is subjected to second and third rounds of milling and classification to form a high β-glucan content (>7-9%) oat bran and a low β-glucan content (3%) oat flour. The oat bran and oat flours can be used to prepare foodstuffs such as ready-to-eat cereals. | 06-11-2009 |
| 20090064687 | PORTABLE COOLED MERCHANDIZING UNIT - A portable cooled merchandising unit including a product container assembly and a thermoelectric assembly. The product container assembly includes an exterior frame and an interior container forming a floor and side panels defining an interior region. Openings to the interior region are defined opposite the floor. Airflow paths are defined at an exterior of the panels and are fluidly connected to the interior region via the opening. The thermoelectric assembly includes a thermoelectric device connected to a heat sink that is fluidly connected to the airflow path away from the opening. A fan is positioned to circulate air from the thermoelectric device and into the interior region via the airflow paths. | 03-12-2009 |
| 20080305234 | AERATED CONFECTIONARY FOAM MARBIT FLAKE - A mass-produced flake comprised of an aerated confectionary foam. The marbit flake is mass-produced from a rope of confectionary foam and subjected to processing steps resulting in the marbit flake having a thickness of less than 0.125 inch and/or a length: thickness aspect ratio in the range of 32:5-48:5. | 12-11-2008 |
| 20080305215 | LAYERED CEREAL BARS CONTAINING INULIN AND THEIR METHODS OF MANUFACTURE - A layered cereal bar with at least two cereal layers having identifiable RTE cereal pieces and at least one visible filling layer in between the two cereal layers is described. In one embodiment, the cereal bar is a non-cooked cereal bar having a total nutrient level equal to or greater than the nutrient level of a single serving of RTE cereal with milk. In one embodiment, the cereal layer is comprised of a cereal composition containing RTE cereal, high-protein rice pieces and TVP in a ratio of about 2:1:1. The cereal layer further comprises a binder to hold the cereal composition together. In one embodiment, the filling layer is a confectionery center high in milk content, but with a relatively low water activity. In another embodiment, a method for manufacturing a layered cereal bar having a visible filling layer is described. The steps include mixing a binder with a cereal composition having identifiable cereal pieces to form an amorphous mass, compressing the amorphous mass into a first layer and a second layer, applying a filling layer on the first layer, combining the first layer and filling layer with the second layer, and pressing the first layer, filling layer and second layer together to form pressed layers, wherein the pressed layers are cut into individual cereal bars having identifiable cereal pieces. In another embodiment, an apparatus for manufacturing a layered cereal bar is described. The apparatus includes beltless compressing rollers that operate in series to combine a mixture comprising the cereal composition and binder. | 12-11-2008 |
| 20080305210 | Cultures Encapsulated With Compound Fat Breakfast Cereals Coated With Compound Fat and Methods of Preparation - Food products are provided comprising a food base and the compound fat encapsulated pro-biotic as a coating or portion or phase of the food product. The food base can include the compound fat encapsulated pro-biotic as a topical coating or phase or portion. The food base or foodstuff is dried and has a water activity ranging from about 0.1 to about 0.35. The weight ratio of food base to compound fat encapsulated pro-biotic ranges from about 100:1 to about 100:400. The pieces of the coated food base can be admixed with pieces of uncoated dried food base of the same or different composition to provide desired levels of pro-biotic fortification | 12-11-2008 |
| 20080199571 | No Evaporation Process to Produce Gum Based Fruit Snacks - The present invention resides in methods of preparing low moisture sweetened fruit product base. The methods comprise the steps in sequence of forming a hot sweetened intermediate moisture flowable fruit or confectionary composition or slurry by extended cooking with agitation at final moisture levels and a solids content ranging from about 85 to 92° Brix; and without intervening drying, forming the hot slurry into sized and shaped individual pieces. | 08-21-2008 |
