Segmented rolled food item

Abstract

A segmented rolled food item is continuously produced using a rotating segmenting roller having a plurality of parallel circumferential lanes. Each lane contains a series of circumferentially spaced knife edges that are disposed at least substantially parallel to the axis of rotation of the roller. A segmented rolled food item is produced by feeding multiple continuous at least substantially parallel strips of a flowable food product, each of which are deposited on pre-slit parallel strips of support material, between the nip of an upper anvil surface and the lower surface of the rotating segmenting roller. The segmentation of the food strip occurs without segmentation of the support strip. After segmenting, the food strip and the support material are cut into lengths to form leading and trailing ends. Each strip of food is rolled around a leading end of the support material to obtain a segmented rolled food item.

1 - 40 . (canceled)  
     
     
         41 . A segmented rolled food item comprising a strip of support material having leading and trailing ends defining its length and a definite width and a strip of food supported upon the strip of support material and having a length which does not extend beyond the leading and trailing ends of the support material and a width no wider than the width of the support material, wherein the item is rolled around said leading end into a roll having multiple rotations with the strip of support material located on the outside of the roll, and wherein the rolled strip of food is segmented or perforated across the entire width of the food strip into a plurality of separable food segments to enable a consumer to readily remove one or more segments of said strip of food from the rest of said strip of food by pulling said one or more segments and the remainder of said strip apart with the fingers.  
     
     
         42 . A rolled food item of  claim 41  wherein said strip of food is embossed or imprinted with shapes.  
     
     
         43 . A rolled food item of  claim 41  wherein said food is a sweetened dehydrated fruit puree which contains substantially no corn syrup.  
     
     
         44 . A rolled food item of  claim 43  wherein the strip of food comprises a dehydrated, extruded food product having a solids content of between about 84% by weight and about 92% by weight when extruded.  
     
     
         45 . A rolled food item of  claim 41  wherein the segments of said strip of food are separated by perforations extending across the width of said strip.  
     
     
         46 . A rolled food item of  claim 41  wherein the strip of support material is formed of paper.  
     
     
         47 . A rolled food item of  claim 45  wherein said strip of support material is free of segmenting.  
     
     
         48 . A rolled food item of  claim 41  wherein the length of the strip of food is equal to the length of the support material.  
     
     
         49 . A rolled food item of  claim 41  wherein the strip of food is a strip of sweetened dehydrated puree of a thinness requiring external support and which dries to form a non-tacky film.  
     
     
         50 . A rolled food item of  claim 42  wherein the strip of food is embossed or imprinted with shapes to provide a boss or imprint contained entirely within a single segment.  
     
     
         51 . A rolled food item of  claim 42  wherein the strip of food is embossed or imprinted with shapes to provide a divided boss or imprint contained partially within a first segment and partially within a second segment.  
     
     
         52 . A rolled food item of  claim 51  wherein said first segment is not adjacent to said second segment, and wherein said first and second segments can be matched to provide the entire shape.  
     
     
         53 . A rolled food item of  claim 41  wherein the strip of support material is free of segmenting.  
     
     
         54 . A rolled food item of  claim 41  wherein said segments of said strip of food are separated by a continuous design extending all the way across the width of said strip of food.  
     
     
         55 . A rolled food item of  claim 54  wherein said continuous design is a straight line, a lightning bolt, a letter, a number, a musical note or symbol, a mathematical symbol, a border of a puzzle piece, a matching tab and socket or plug-in design, a squiggly or crooked line, or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         56 . A rolled food item of  claim 45  wherein said perforations leave uncut portions amounting to about 15% to about 50% of the width of said strip of food.  
     
     
         57 . A rolled food item of  claim 42  wherein the strip of support material is free of embossing, imprinting, and segmenting.  
     
     
         58 . A rolled food item of  claim 42  wherein the strip of food is embossed or imprinted with shapes to provide a divided boss or imprint contained partially within a first segment, partially within a second segment and partially within a third segment, and wherein the divided boss or imprint within said first, second and third segments can be separated from the strip and matched to provide the entire shape.  
     
     
         59 . A rolled food item of  claim 41  wherein an edible glue is applied on top of the food surface near the trailing end of the product, whereby the edible glue holds the trailing end of the product against the next adjacent layer thereby obviating the need for a strapping band or label to keep the roll wound.  
     
     
         60 . A rolled food item of  claim 41  wherein the width of the strip of food is from about 45% to about 95% of the width of the strip of support material, separation of the segments along a segmentation or perforated cut into predetermined or fixed lengths may be achieved by youngsters without substantial, or no distortion of the separated pieces or the remaining roll, the rolled food item may be repeatedly unrolled and re-rolled without undesired separating of the food segments, the strip of food is embossed or imprinted with shapes, and the bottom surface of the embossed or imprinted segmented food strip is substantially flat while the top surface is imparted with indentations or recesses which form a desired shape or figure.