Whole grain flour and products including same

• US 20070104855A1
• Filed: 11/01/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ardent Mills LLC (CHS Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: ConAgra Foods Food Ingredients Company Incorporated (Givaudan SA)
• Inventors: Korolchuk, Theodore, Arndt, Elizabeth
• Granted Patent: US 8,017,172 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/622
• CPC Class Codes: A21D 2/38 Seed germs; Germinated cereals; Extracts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A21D 6/00 Other treatment of flour or dough before baking, e.g. cooling, irradiating, heating
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 7/198 Dry unshaped finely divided cereal products, not provided for in groups A23L7/117 - A23L7/196 and A23L29/00, e.g. meal, flour, powder, dried cereal creams or extracts
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2002/00 Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 23/08 Separating or sorting of material, associated with crushing or disintegrating B02C23/18 takes precedence ; beater mills combined with sifting devices B02C13/13, B02C13/14; for tumbling mills B02C17/1835
• CPC Class Codes: B02C 9/04 Systems or sequences of operations; Plant

Abstract

The present invention is a grain product. The grain product includes a first fraction including bran. The first fraction is milled to a first particle size of less than 500 micrometers. The grain product also includes a second fraction including germ. The second fraction is milled to a second particle size of less than 500 micrometers. The grain product is at least one of: a food product, a nutritional supplement, a dietary supplement, a fiber supplement, a digestive supplement, a functional food, and a medical food.

Claims

1. A whole grain flour comprising:

a refined flour constituent; and

a coarse fraction, the coarse fraction including at least one of bran and germ, the coarse fraction being blended with the refined flour constituent;

wherein 98% of particles by weight of the whole grain flour are less than 212 micrometers, and

wherein enzymes found within the bran and germ are inactivated in order to stabilize the whole grain flour.

2. A whole grain flour as claimed in claim 1, wherein the whole grain flour is a component of at least one of:

a food product, a nutritional supplement, a dietary supplement, a fiber supplement, a digestive supplement, a functional food, and a medical food.

3. A whole grain flour as claimed in claim 2, wherein the food product is at least one of a bagel, a biscuit, a bread, a bun, a croissant, a dumpling, an English muffin, a muffin, a pita bread, a quickbread, a refrigerated/frozen dough products, dough, baked beans, a burrito, chili, a taco, a tamale, a tortilla, a pot pie, a ready to eat cereal, a ready to eat meal, stuffing, a microwaveable meal, a brownie, a cake, a cheesecake, a coffee cake, a cookie, a dessert, a pastry, a sweet roll, a candy bar, a pie crust, pie filling, baby food, a baking mix, a batter, a breading, a gravy mix, a meat extender, a meat substitute, a seasoning mix, a soup mix, a gravy, a roux, a salad dressing, a soup, sour cream, a noodle, a pasta, ramen noodles, chow mein noodles, lo mein noodles, an ice cream inclusion, an ice cream bar, an ice cream cone, an ice cream sandwich, a cracker, a crouton, a doughnut, an egg roll, an extruded snack, a fruit and grain bar, a microwaveable snack product, a nutritional bar, a pancake, a par-baked bakery product, a pretzel, a snack chip, a snack food, a snack mix, a waffle, a pizza crust, animal food, and pet food.

4. A whole grain flour as claimed in claim 2, wherein the nutritional supplement includes a nutritive constituent.

5. A whole grain flour as claimed in claim 4, wherein the nutritive constituent has a first oxygen radical absorption capacity, the coarse fraction has a second oxygen radical absorption capacity of at least 7,400 micromole TE/100 g of the coarse fraction and the nutritional supplement has a third oxygen radical absorption capacity, the third oxygen radical absorption capacity being greater than the first oxygen radical absorption capacity.

6. A whole grain flour as claimed in claim 4, wherein the nutritive constituent has a first fiber content in a first proportion by weight of the nutritive constituent, the coarse fraction has a second fiber content of at least substantially 20% by weight of the coarse fraction, and the nutritional supplement has a third fiber content in a second proportion by weight of the nutritional supplement, wherein the second proportion is greater than the first proportion.

7. A whole grain flour as claimed in claim 4, wherein the nutritive constituent has a first calorie density and the nutritional supplement has a second calorie density, the second calorie density being less than the first calorie density.

8. A whole grain flour as claimed in claim 4, wherein the nutritive constituent has a first protein content in a first proportion by weight of the nutritive constituent, the coarse fraction has a second protein content of at least substantially 12% by weight of the coarse fraction, and the nutritional supplement has a third protein content in a second proportion by weight of the nutritional supplement, wherein the second proportion is greater than the first proportion.

9. A whole grain flour as claimed in claim 4, wherein the nutritive constituent has a first carbohydrate content and the nutritional supplement has a second carbohydrate content, the second carbohydrate content being less than the first carbohydrate content.

10. A whole grain flour as claimed in claim 1, wherein the refined flour constituent has a first protein content in a first proportion by weight of the refined flour constituent, the coarse fraction has a second protein content in a second proportion by weight of the coarse fraction, and the blend of the refined flour constituent and coarse fraction has a third protein content in a third proportion by weight of the blend, the third proportion being greater than the first proportion.

11. A whole grain flour as claimed in claim 1, wherein the refined flour constituent has a first oxygen radical absorption capacity, the coarse fraction has a second oxygen radical absorption capacity, and the blend of the refined flour constituent and coarse fraction has a third oxygen radical absorption capacity that is greater than the first oxygen radical absorption capacity.

12. A whole grain flour as claimed in claim 1, wherein the refined flour constituent has a first fiber content in a first proportion by weight of the refined flour constituent, the coarse fraction has a second fiber content in a second proportion by weight of the coarse fraction, and the blend of the refined flour constituent and coarse fraction has a third fiber content in a third proportion by weight of the blend that is greater than the first proportion.

13. A whole grain flour as claimed in claim 1, wherein the refined flour constituent has a first carbohydrate content, the coarse fraction has a second carbohydrate content, and the blend of the refined flour constituent and coarse fraction has a third carbohydrate content, the third carbohydrate content being less than the first carbohydrate content.

14. A whole grain flour as claimed in claim 1, wherein the refined flour constituent has a first ash content, the coarse fraction has a second ash content, and the blend of the refined flour constituent and coarse fraction has a third ash content of approximately 1.0%-4.0% by weight of the blend of the refined flour constituent and coarse fraction.

15. A whole grain flour as claimed in claim 1, wherein the whole grain flour has a granulation profile where 98% of the whole grain flour has a particle size of less than 212 micrometers, comprising:

a first portion including bran in a first proportion of at least substantially 14-16% by weight of the whole grain flour;

a second portion including germ in a second proportion of at least substantially 2-3% by weight of the whole grain flour; and

a third portion including endosperm in a third proportion of at least substantially 80-85% by weight of the whole grain flour.

16. A whole grain flour as claimed in claim 3, wherein the food product has an organoleptic profile substantially similar to a same food product made from the refined flour constituent in the absence of the coarse fraction.

17. A whole grain flour as claimed in claim 1, wherein the refined flour constituent has a first fiber content in a first proportion by weight of the refined flour constituent, the coarse fraction has a second fiber content of at least substantially 20% by weight of the coarse fraction, and the blend of the coarse fraction and the refined flour constituent has a third fiber content in a second proportion by weight of the blend of the coarse fraction and the refined flour constituent, the second proportion being greater than the first proportion.

18. A whole grain flour as claimed in claim 1, wherein the refined flour constituent has a first calorie density and the blend of the refined flour constituent and the coarse fraction has a second calorie density, the second calorie density being less than the first calorie density.

19. A whole grain flour as claimed in claim 1, wherein the refined flour constituent has a first protein content in a first proportion by weight of the refined flour constituent, the coarse fraction has a second protein content of at least substantially 18% by weight of the coarse fraction, and the blend of the refined flour constituent and the coarse fraction has a third protein content in a second proportion by weight of the blend of the refined flour constituent and the coarse fraction, the second proportion being greater than the first proportion.

20. A whole grain flour as claimed in claim 1, wherein the refined flour constituent has a first carbohydrate content and the blend of the refined flour constituent and the coarse fraction has a second carbohydrate content, the second carbohydrate content being less than the first carbohydrate content.

21. A whole grain flour as claimed in claim 1, wherein the refined flour constituent has a first oxygen radical absorption capacity, the coarse fraction has a second oxygen radical absorption capacity of at least 7,400 micromole TE/100 g of the coarse fraction, and the blend of the coarse fraction and the refined flour constituent has a third oxygen radical absorption capacity, wherein the third oxygen radical absorption capacity is greater than the first oxygen radical absorption capacity.

22. A whole grain flour as claimed in claim 1, wherein the whole grain flour includes at least one of:

wheat, rye, sorghum, milo, triticale, emmer, einkorn, spelt, oats, corn, barley, rice, millet, buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth, African rice, popcorn, teff, canary seed, Job'"'"'s tears, wild rice, and tartar buckwheat.

23. A whole grain flour as claimed in claim 1, wherein the whole grain flour includes a wheat selected from at least one of durum, hard red spring, hard red winter, soft red spring, soft red winter, hard white, soft white, unclassed wheat, and mixed wheat.

24. A whole grain flour as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coarse fraction is homogenously blended with the refined flour constituent.

25. A coarse fraction, milled from an unmilled grain, the coarse fraction comprising:

a first fraction including bran, the first fraction being milled to a first particle size of less than 500 micrometers; and

a second fraction including germ, the second fraction milled to a second particle size of less than 500 micrometers.

26. The coarse fraction as claimed in claim 25, wherein the unmilled grain includes at least one of wheat, rye, sorghum, milo, triticale, emmer, einkorn, spelt, oats, corn, barley, rice, millet, buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth, African rice, popcorn, teff, canary seed, Job'"'"'s tears, wild rice, and tartar buckwheat.

27. The coarse fraction as claimed in claim 25, wherein enzymes found within the bran and germ are inactivated in order to stabilize the whole grain flour.

28. The coarse fraction as claimed in claim 25, wherein the unmilled grain includes a wheat selected from at least one of durum, hard red spring, hard red winter, soft red spring, soft red winter, hard white, soft white, unclassed wheat, and mixed wheat.

29. The coarse fraction as claimed in claim 25, wherein grain particle distribution of the coarse fraction is substantially homogeneous.

30. A coarse fraction as claimed in claim 25, wherein the unmilled grain has a first aerobic plate count, the first fraction has a second aerobic plate count and the second fraction has a third aerobic plate count, at least one of the second aerobic plate count and the third aerobic plate count being substantially less than the first aerobic plate count.

31. A coarse fraction as claimed in claim 25, wherein the unmilled grain has a first coliform plate count, the first fraction has a second coliform plate count and the second fraction has a third coliform plate count, at least one of the second coliform plate count and the third coliform plate count being substantially less than the first coliform plate count.

32. A coarse fraction as claimed in claim 25, further comprising:

a first fraction of protein in a first proportion of 18% by weight of the coarse fraction;

a second fraction of fat in a second proportion of 7% by weight of the coarse fraction;

a third fraction of minerals in a third proportion of 6% by weight of the coarse fraction;

a fourth fraction of antioxidants in a fourth proportion,

wherein the fourth proportion provides an oxygen radical absorption capacity of at least 7,400 micromole TE/100 g of the coarse fraction.

33. A grain product, comprising:

a first fraction including bran, the first fraction being milled to a first particle size of less than 500 micrometers; and

a second fraction including germ, the second fraction milled to a second particle size of less than 500 micrometers,

wherein the grain product is at least one of;

a food product, a nutritional supplement, a dietary supplement, a fiber supplement, a digestive supplement, a functional food, and a medical food.

34. The grain product as claimed in claim 33, wherein the food product is at least one of:

a bagel, a biscuit, a bread, a bun, a croissant, a dumpling, an English muffin, a muffin, a pita bread, a quickbread, a refrigerated/frozen dough products, dough, baked beans, a burrito, chili, a taco, a tamale, a tortilla, a pot pie, a ready to eat cereal, a ready to eat meal, stuffing, a microwaveable meal, a brownie, a cake, a cheesecake, a coffee cake, a cookie, a dessert, a pastry, a sweet roll, a candy bar, a pie crust, pie filling, baby food, a baking mix, a batter, a breading, a gravy mix, a meat extender, a meat substitute, a seasoning mix, a soup mix, a gravy, a roux, a salad dressings, a soup, sour cream, a noodle, a pasta, ramen noodles, chow mein noodles, lo mein noodles, a , an ice cream inclusion, an ice cream bar, an ice cream cone, an ice cream sandwich, a cracker, a crouton, a doughnut, an egg roll, an extruded snack, a fruit and grain bar, a microwaveable snack product, a nutritional bar, a pancake, a par-baked bakery product, a pretzel, a snack chip, a snack food, a snack mix, a waffle, a pizza crust, animal food, and pet food.

35. The grain product as claimed in claim 33, wherein the nutritional supplement includes a nutritive constituent.

36. The grain product as claimed in claim 35, wherein the nutritive constituent has a first oxygen radical absorption capacity, the first fraction and the second fraction of the grain product combined have a second oxygen radical absorption capacity of at least 7,400 micromole TE/100 g of the first fraction and second fraction combined, and the nutritional supplement has a third oxygen radical absorption capacity, the third oxygen radical absorption capacity being greater than the first oxygen radical absorption capacity.

37. The grain product as claimed in claim 35, wherein the nutritive constituent has a first fiber content in a first proportion by weight of the nutritive constituent, the first fraction and the second fraction of the grain product combined have a second fiber content of at least substantially 20% by weight of the first fraction and second fraction combined and the nutritional supplement has a third fiber content in a second proportion by weight of the nutritional supplement, wherein the second proportion is greater than the first proportion.

38. The grain product as claimed in claim 35, wherein the nutritive constituent has a first calorie density and the nutritional supplement has a second calorie density, the second calorie density being less than the first calorie density.

39. The grain product as claimed in claim 35, wherein the nutritive constituent has a first protein content in a first proportion by weight of the nutritive constituent, the first fraction and the second fraction of the grain product combined have a second protein content of at least substantially 12% by weight of the first fraction and the second fraction combined and the nutritional supplement has a third protein content in a second proportion by weight of the nutritional supplement, wherein the second proportion is greater than the first proportion.

40. The grain product as claimed in claim 35, wherein the nutritive constituent has a first carbohydrate content and the nutritional supplement has a second carbohydrate content, the second carbohydrate content being less than the first carbohydrate content.

41. The grain product as claimed in claim 36, wherein the grain product includes at least one prebiotic compound.

42. The grain product as claimed in claim 41, wherein the prebiotic compound is at least one of:

oligosaccharides, fructo-oligosaccharides, and inulins.

43. The grain product as claimed in claim 35, wherein the grain product includes at least one probiotic organism.

44. The grain product as claimed in claim 43, wherein the probiotic organism is at least one of:

Lactobacillus, Bifidobacteria, Escherichia, Clostridium, Lactococcus, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, and Saccharomyces.

45. The grain product as claimed in claim 33, wherein the functional food is at least one of:

a bagel, a biscuit, a pudding, a bread, a bun, a croissant, a dumpling, an English muffin, a muffin, a pita bread, a quickbread, a refrigerated/frozen dough products, dough, baked beans, a burrito, chili, a taco, a tamale, a tortilla, a pot pie, a ready to eat cereal, a ready to eat meal, stuffing, a microwaveable meal, a brownie, a cake, a cheesecake, a coffee cake, a cookie, a dessert, a pastry, a sweet roll, a candy bar, a pie crust, pie filling, baby food, a baking mix, a batter, a breading, a gravy mix, a meat extender, a meat substitute, a seasoning mix, a soup mix, a gravy, a roux, a salad dressings, a soup, sour cream, a noodle, a pasta, ramen noodles, chow mein noodles, lo mein noodles, an ice cream inclusion, an ice cream bar, an ice cream cone, an ice cream sandwich, a cracker, a crouton, a doughnut, an egg roll, an extruded snack, a fruit and grain bar, a microwaveable snack product, a nutritional bar, a pancake, a par-baked bakery product, a pretzel, a snack chip, a snack food, a snack mix, a waffle, a pizza crust.