Manufacture of granola and snack-food products

Abstract

A method for making a granola or snack-food product comprises (a) mixing ingredients for said granola or snack-food product with liquid binder to obtain a formable mixture, wherein the mixing is carried out at elevated temperature and the binder is liquid at elevated temperature and the binder sets when cooled to room temperature; (b) forming the mixture into product precursor, wherein the forming is carried out at elevated temperature and whilst the binder is still liquid; and (c) cooling the precursor to set the binder, thereby obtaining the snack-food product. Apparatus for making the product is also described as is the product obtained thereby.

1 . A method of making a granola or snack-food product, comprising: 
 a. mixing ingredients for said granola or snack-food product with liquid binder to obtain a formable mixture, wherein the mixing is carried out at elevated temperature and the binder is liquid at elevated temperature and the binder sets when cooled to room temperature;    b. forming the mixture into product precursor, wherein the forming is carried out at elevated temperature and whilst the binder is still liquid; and    c. cooling the precursor to set the binder, thereby obtaining the snack-food product.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the binder is a sugar solution which is liquid at elevated temperature and which sets when cooled below about 40 degrees C.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the elevated temperature is at least about 60 degrees C.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the binder is a sugar solution having a solids content of at least about 94%.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the binder is a sugar solution having a solids content of up to about 99%.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the binder comprises at least one sugar selected from the group consisting of maltose, saccharose, galactose, fructose and glucose.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising obtaining the binder by: 
 dissolving a mixture of at least one sugar selected from the group consisting of maltose, saccharose, galactose, fructose and glucose in water to form an aqueous sugar solution; and    heating the aqueous sugar solution to evaporate water from the solution and concentrate the sugar or sugars therein;    where a binder is obtained which is liquid at elevated temperature and which sets when cooled to room temperature.    
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ingredients for the product comprise at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of nuts, fruit, dried fruit, cereals, and cereal products.  
     
     
         9 . A method of making a granola or snack-food product, comprising: 
 a. at a temperature of about 90 degrees C or higher, mixing ingredients for the granola or snack-food product with liquid binder to obtain a formable mixture, wherein the liquid binder is a sugar solution having a solids content of about 98% and is liquid at about 90 degrees C and sets when cooled to room temperature;    b. at about 90 degrees C or higher, whilst the binder is still liquid, forming the mixture into product precursor; and    c. cooling the precursor to set the binder, thereby obtaining the granola or snack-food product.    
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , comprising mixing the ingredients at a temperature of about 100 degrees C or higher.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , comprising forming product precursor at about 100 degrees C or higher.  
     
     
         12 . A method of binding ingredients in a granola or snack-food product, comprising: 
 obtaining, at elevated temperature, a liquid form of a binder;    combining ingredients for the product with the liquid form of the binder to obtain a mixture of ingredients plus binder;    moulding or otherwise forming the mixture or a portion of the mixture into one or more product precursors; and    allowing the binder to cool to a reduced temperature;    wherein the binder is in a liquid state at the elevated temperature and sets upon cooling to the reduced temperature into a solid state which is substantially dry and non-sticky to the touch.    
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising obtaining the binder by: 
 heating an aqueous solution of one or more sugars to reduce the water content of the solution and thereby obtain a binder which is liquid at temperatures above about 100° C. and sets when cooled to temperatures below about 60° C.    
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the binder is liquid at temperatures above about 90° C. and sets at temperatures below about 70° C.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the binder is a sugar solution with a solids content of about 98% by weight.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , comprising forming the mixture, at elevated temperature, into snack-food product precursors which are approximately the size and shape of the eventual cooled snack-food product.  
     
     
         17 . Apparatus for making a granola or snack-food product, comprising: 
 a mixing station, for mixing of a binder solution with ingredients for the snack-food product;    a forming station, for forming of a mixture of ingredients plus binder into snack-food product precursors, said forming taking place at elevated temperature;    first transfer means for transfer of the mixture from the mixing station to the forming station;    a cooling station at which snack-food product precursors formed in the forming station are allowed to cool to a temperature at which the binder sets; and    second transfer means for transfer of the formed snack-food product precursors from the forming station to the cooling station.    
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17  wherein the mixing station is for receipt, batch-wise or continuously, of liquid binder from binder preparation apparatus and for receipt of dried ingredients from ingredients preparation apparatus.  
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the binder preparation apparatus includes a binder blending station for blending of binder components, such as water and sugar, and a heating station for heating of the binder components to reduce its water content prior to delivery to the mixing station.  
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 18  wherein the ingredients preparation apparatus comprises a dosing station, at which ingredients can be dosed with oil and other optional liquid components, and a baking station, at which the dosed ingredients can be baked prior to delivery to the mixing station.  
     
     
         21 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising a packing station and means for transfer of cooled snack-food product from the cooling station to the packing station.  
     
     
         22 . A granola or snack-food product obtained by a method comprising: 
 a. at elevated temperature, mixing ingredients for the product with liquid binder to obtain a formable mixture, wherein the binder is liquid at elevated temperature and sets when cooled to room temperature;    b. at elevated temperature, whilst the binder is still liquid, forming the mixture into product precursor; and    c. cooling the precursor to set the binder, thereby obtaining the snack-food product.    
     
     
         23 . A granola or snack-food product obtained by a method comprising: 
 obtaining, at elevated temperature, a liquid form of a binder;    combining ingredients for the product with the liquid form of the binder to obtain a mixture of the ingredients plus binder;    moulding or otherwise forming the mixture or a portion of the mixture into one or more product precursors; and allowing the binder to cool to a reduced temperature;    wherein the binder is in a liquid state at the elevated temperature and sets upon cooling to the reduced temperature into a solid state which is substantially dry and non-sticky to the touch.    
     
     
         24 . A method of making a granola or snack-food product, comprising: 
 a. mixing ingredients for said granola or snack-food product with a super saturated sugar solution to obtain a formable mixture, wherein the mixing is carried out at an elevated temperature and the super-saturated sugar solution is liquid at said elevated temperature and the super-saturated sugar solution sets when cooled to room temperature;    b. forming the mixture into product precursor, wherein the forming is carried out at elevated temperature and whilst the super-saturated sugar solution is still liquid; and    c. cooling the precursor to set the super-saturated sugar solution, thereby obtaining the snack-food product.    
     
     
         25 . A method of making a food product selected from the group consisting of a snackbar, a cookie and a breakfast cereal, comprising: 
 a. mixing ingredients selected from the group consisting of nuts, fruit, dried fruit, cereals, and cereal products with a super saturated sugar solution, said super-saturated sugar solution having a solids content of about 98% by weight, to obtain a formable mixture, wherein the mixing is carried out at a temperature of at least 100 degrees C and the super-saturated sugar solution is liquid at said temperature and the super-saturated sugar solution sets when cooled to a temperature of about 25 degrees C;    b. forming the mixture into product precursor, wherein the forming is carried out at a temperature of at least 100 degrees C and whilst the super-saturated sugar solution is still liquid; and cooling the precursor to set the super-saturated sugar solution, thereby obtaining the snack-food product.