Glazed Baked Snack Food Products and Glaze for Same

Abstract

A glaze with a viscosity ranging between 170 and 650 cP, less than 20% sugar, and less than 4% salt, is applied onto an uncooked dough product during a continuous process in the production of baked snack foods. The glaze maintains its form as a liquid free of solids at room temperatures despite the presence of over 15% sugar. The glaze is applied onto a dough the glazed product is then baked, forming a glazed baked snack food product having at least 5% of a smooth, shiny glaze on a surface of the snack food product.

1 . An aqueous sugar coating comprising less than 40% of a sweetening component, less than 4% salting agent, and a juice concentrate, said sweetening component comprising sugar lacking cornstarch, wherein said aqueous sugar coating comprises at least 68° Brix, and said aqueous sugar coating substantially lacking solids at room temperatures of between about 61-79° F. 
     
     
         2 . The aqueous sugar coating of  claim 1  comprising no more than 2% salt. 
     
     
         3 . The aqueous sugar coating of  claim 1  comprising less than 20% sugar. 
     
     
         4 . The aqueous sugar coating of  claim 1  wherein the sweetening component comprises a liquid polyol. 
     
     
         5 . The aqueous sugar coating of  claim 4  wherein the sweetening agent consists of liquid polyol and sugar. 
     
     
         6 . The aqueous sugar coating of  claim 1  consisting of water, the juice concentrate, a salting agent, and the sweetening component, the salting agent comprising salt. 
     
     
         7 . A method for making an aqueous sugar coating comprising the steps of:
 sequentially combining aqueous sugar components in the following order: water, a juice concentrate, a salt component, and a sweetening component, wherein the sweetening component comprises sugar lacking cornstarch; and   dissolving the aqueous sugar components to form an aqueous sugar coating substantially lacking solids, said aqueous sugar coating comprising less than 20% sugar, less than 4% salting agent, and a juice concentrate, wherein said aqueous sugar coating comprises at least 68° Brix, and wherein said aqueous sugar coating maintains its form as a liquid substantially lacking solids, wherein said aqueous sugar coating maintains its form as a liquid substantially lacking solids at room temperatures.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the aqueous sugar components are combined in a heating apparatus and the dissolving step comprises heating. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the dissolving step is completed before reaching a boiling point of the aqueous sugar coating. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the dissolving step is performed at a temperature of between about 135° F. to about 145° F. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the dissolving step is performed under vacuum at a pressure of about 3.5 psi. 
     
     
         12 . A glazed baked snack food product comprising grain, said baked food product coated on a surface with a sugar coating comprising less than 4% salting agent, less than about 20% sugar, said sugar lacking cornstarch, and a juice concentrate, wherein said glazed baked snack food product comprises a moisture content of between about 2% to about 10%. 
     
     
         13 . The glazed baked snack food product of  claim 12  comprising a moisture content of between about 2% to about 3.5%. 
     
     
         14 . The glazed baked snack food product of  claim 12  wherein the salting agent comprises salt. 
     
     
         15 . The glazed baked snack food product of  claim 12  wherein the sweetening component comprises a liquid polyol.