Cereal bar having a crunchy texture

摘要

Disclosed is a cereal bar having as a binder an aqueous solution of starch, another (poly)saccharide, or protein solution wherein the cereal bar has a crunchy texture. Also disclosed is a method of producing a cereal bar is provided in which the cereal comprises a cereal mixture including ready-to-eat (RTE) cereal pieces joined together with a binder, where the cereal and binder together form a cereal matrix which is heated for a time and temperature to reduce the water activity of the external portion thereof while maintaining an internal portion of the cereal matrix at a higher second water activity. The method provides cereal bars requiring less compressive force to be formed into a cohesive self-supporting structure in providing a chewy reduced-density cereal bar with improved shelf life.

主权项

1. A dried cereal bar comprising dry cereal ingredients and a binder that is selected from the group consisting of potato starch, whey protein, and blends thereof,
wherein the dried cereal bar has a crunchy texture, and wherein the crunchy texture extends throughout the cereal bar and the crunchy texture is produced by drying the cereal bar at a temperature between about 110° C. and about 150° C. for from about 10 to about 60 minutes.