DOUBLE TEXTURED COLD-FORMED PROTEIN BAR

Abstract

A food product bar (10) includes a first layer (20) comprising an agglomerate of edible particles (22a, 22b, 22c), wherein the first layer (20) has a protein concentration of at least 20% by weight, and a second layer (30) covering the first layer (20) and comprising a nougat (32), the second layer (30) having a protein concentration of at least 34% by weight, whereby a total protein concentration of the food product bar (10) is at least 25% by weight.

Description

DOUBLE TEXTURE COLD FORM PROTEIN BAR CROSS REFERENCE WITH RELATED APPLICATION This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 62 / 744,402 filed on October 11, 2018, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure relates to a snack product or snack bar and, more particularly, to a double-layer snack product that is high in protein. BACKGROUND Food products and food manufacturing systems are well known. While existing food products and food manufacturing systems and methods function adequately for their intended purpose, improvements to food products and food manufacturing systems and methods are continually sought to advance techniques.It is known that traditional protein-rich food bars, and in particular food bars containing a high-protein nougat, experience water migration over extended periods. This phenomenon is especially common in high-protein nougats, as the water content within the nougat can migrate to areas with relatively high protein content. This migration of water to high-protein portions can reduce shelf life and / or result in an undesirable dry, chewy texture and / or degraded aesthetics due to dehydrated portions of the nougat layer. To mitigate dehydration in high-protein nougat, prior art food bars are often coated with a low-protein, high-sugar coating, such as chocolate.While suitable for preserving moisture, coated food bars decrease overall nutritional value (i.e., lower protein content, higher fat and sugar content) and detract from the bar's aesthetic appeal by obscuring the high-protein nutritional layers and giving it the appearance of a candy product. Therefore, research continues into products and methods for providing high-protein food bars that incorporate a high-protein nougat without coating. COMPENDIUM This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all its features. One aspect of the disclosure provides a food product bar having a first layer comprising an agglomerate of edible particles, the first layer having a protein concentration of at least 20% by weight, and a second layer covering the first layer and comprising a nougat, the second layer having a protein concentration of at least 34% by weight, so that a total protein concentration of the food product bar is at least 25% by weight. Disclosure implementations may include one or more of the following optional features. In some implementations, both the first and second layers are exposed. In some examples, the first layer is formed continuously from one end of the food product bar to the other, and the second layer includes a plurality of partitions spaced from the first end to the second end. Here, the partitions may be cut through the entire thickness of the second layer. In some implementations, the first layer essentially consists of oat flakes, protein crisp, almonds, and binding syrup. In some examples, the first layer comprises oat flakes in a concentration ranging from 5% to 10% by weight; protein crisp in a concentration ranging from 10% to 15% by weight; nuts in a concentration ranging from 40% to 44% by weight; There is a binding syrup at a concentration that varies from 31% to 45%, by weight. In some implementations, a plurality of additives are deposited in the second layer. Here, the additives may include at least one of the following: dried fruits, seeds, or nuts. Another aspect of the disclosure provides a food product bar consisting of a first layer comprising an agglomerate of edible particles, the first layer having a protein concentration of at least 20% by weight, and a second layer covering the first layer and comprising a nougat, the second layer having a protein concentration of at least 34% by weight, so the total protein concentration of the food product bar is at least 25% by weight. The implementations of the disclosure may include one or more of the following optional features. In some implementations, the first layer consists of oat flakes in a concentration ranging from 5% to 10% by weight, and protein crisp in a concentration ranging from 10% to 15% by weight, nuts in a concentration ranging from 40% to 44% by weight, and a binding syrup in a concentration ranging from 31% to 45% by weight. Another aspect of the disclosure includes a method for forming a food product bar. The method comprises mixing a first plurality of components to form a first-layer agglomerate having a plurality of edible particles, wherein the first-layer agglomerate has a protein concentration of at least 20% by weight. The method further includes mixing a second plurality of components to form a second-layer agglomerate including a nougat, wherein the second-layer agglomerate has a protein concentration of at least 34% by weight. A first quantity of the first-layer agglomerate is deposited to form a first layer, and a second quantity of the second-layer agglomerate is deposited on top of the first layer to form a layered baseplate, wherein the baseplate has a protein concentration of at least 25% by weight. In some examples, the method includes forming partitions in the second layer. Here, the partitions are formed across the entire thickness of the second layer. In some implementations, each of the first and second layers is cold-formed. In some examples, the method includes depositing an additive in at least one of the first and second layers. In some implementations, the method further comprises cutting the base plate into a plurality of food bars, where each of the food bars includes the first layer and the second layer. In some examples, the first layer conglomerate comprises oat flakes in a concentration ranging from 5% to 10% by weight, protein crisp in a concentration ranging from 10% to 15% by weight, nuts in a concentration ranging from 40% to 44% by weight, and binding syrup in a concentration ranging from 31% to 45% by weight. In some implementations, the food product bar is individually packaged. In some examples, the first and second layers are exposed within the package. In some implementations, the second layer includes light amber honey, hydrolyzed milk protein concentrate, hydrolyzed milk protein isolate, canola oil, almond butter, water, glycerin, milk protein isolate, flaxseed powder, oat fiber, and flour salt. Details of one or more implementations of the disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, characteristics, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description, figures, and claims. DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES The figures described herein are presented for illustrative purposes only of selected configurations and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of disclosure. Figure 1 is a perspective view of a food product bar according to the principles of this disclosure; Figure 2 is a plan view from below of the food product bar in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a side elevation view of the food product bar in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a top plan view of the food product bar in Figure 1; and Figure 5 is a diagram showing a process for forming a food product bar in accordance with the principles of this disclosure. Similar reference symbols in the various drawings indicate similar elements. DETAILED DESCRIPTION The following sections describe examples of configurations more fully with reference to the accompanying figures. Examples of configurations are provided to ensure the completeness of this disclosure and to fully convey its scope to those skilled in the art. Specific details, such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, are provided to ensure a complete understanding of the configurations in this disclosure. It will be evident to those skilled in the art that specific details are not required, that examples of configurations can be expressed in many different ways, and that the specific details and examples of configurations should not be interpreted as limiting the scope of the disclosure. The terminology used herein is intended solely to describe examples of particular configurations and is not exhaustive. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" may be understood to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The expressions "comprises," "comprising," "including," and "having" are inclusive and thus specify the presence of the indicated features, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not exclude the presence or addition of one or more additional features, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. It should not be interpreted that the steps, processes, and operations of the method described herein must necessarily be performed in the particular order described or illustrated, unless specifically identified as such an order of performance.It should also be understood that it is possible to use additional or alternative stages. When an element or layer is described as “on,” “engaged to,” “connected to,” “attached to,” or “coupled to” another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged to, connected to, attached to, or coupled to the other element or layer, or there may be intervening elements or layers. Conversely, when an element is described as “directly on,” “directly engaged to,” “directly connected to,” “directly attached to,” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer, there may not be intervening elements or layers. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted similarly (e.g., “between” with respect to “directly between,” “adjacent” with respect to “directly adjacent,” etc.). As used herein, the expression “and / or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the listed elements associated. The terms first, second, third, etc., may be used here to describe various elements, components, regions, layers, and / or sections. These elements, components, regions, layers, and / or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may only be used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer, or section from another. Terms such as "first," "second," and other numerical terms do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Therefore, a first element, component, region, layer, or section described later may be referred to as the second element, component, region, layer, or section without departing from the indications in the configuration examples. As mentioned herein, all composition percentages are by weight of the total composition unless otherwise specified. Disclosures of ranges include, unless otherwise specified, endpoints and encompass all distinct values ​​and further subdivisions within the entire range. Thus, for example, a range of "from A to B" or "from approximately A to approximately B" includes A and B. The disclosure of values ​​and ranges of values ​​for specific parameters (such as quantities, weight percentages, etc.) is not exclusive of other useful values ​​and ranges of values ​​in this document. It is anticipated that two or more specific exemplified values ​​for a given parameter may define endpoints for a range of values ​​that may be claimed for that parameter.For example, if parameter X is exemplified herein with value A and also exemplified with value Z, it is envisaged that parameter X may have a range of values ​​from approximately A to approximately Z. Similarly, it is envisaged that the disclosure of two or more ranges of values ​​for a parameter (whether such ranges are nested, overlapping, or distinct) subsumes all possible combinations of ranges for the value that could be claimed using endpoints of the disclosed ranges. For example, if parameter X is exemplified here with values ​​in the range 1–10, or 2–9, or 3–8, it is also envisaged that parameter X may have other ranges of values ​​including 1–9, 1–8, 1–3, 1–2, 2–10, 2–8, 2–3, 3–10, 3–9, and so on.With reference to Figures 1-4, this disclosure relates to a dual-texture food product bar 10 prepared using cold-forming processes and having a total protein content of at least 25% by weight. Specifically, the food product bar 10 is formed as a laminated structure having a first layer 20 and a second layer 30. The first layer 20 is formed from an agglomerate including edible particles 22a, 22b, and 22c bound together with a binding syrup to provide a crisp texture to the bottom of the snack bar 10. The food product bar 10 further includes a second layer 30 disposed on top of and covering the first layer 20, the second layer 30 having a substantially chewy nougat 32 composition with one or more solid additives 34 to provide flavor and / or texture.In the illustrated examples, the food product bar 10 is formed without any coating layer, so each of the first layer 20 and the second layer 30 is exposed. Therefore, the food product bar 10 can be described as being composed of the first layer 10 and the second layer 20. The first layer 20 has a protein concentration of at least 20% by weight and represents approximately 33.25% of the total weight of food product bar 10, while the second layer 30 has a protein concentration of at least 34% by weight and represents approximately 61.75% of the total weight of food product bar 10. Consequently, the total protein concentration of food product bar 10 is greater than 25% by weight, and more specifically, at least 29% by weight. In other examples, the first layer 20 and the second layer 30 may represent larger or smaller quantities of food product bar 10, where the total protein concentration of food product bar 10 is at least 25% by weight. Layers 20 and 30 can be of any desired thickness and arranged in any suitable configuration. As shown, the first layer 20 and the second layer 30 are arranged horizontally in a laminated configuration, so layers 20 and 30 are layered. The food product bar 10 can be any shape and size. In the illustrated example shown in Figure 1, the food product bar 10 is formed as a box-shaped bar. However, the food product bar 10 can be any shape. Continuing with reference to Figures 1-4, the first layer 20 of the food product bar 10 comprises a mixture of edible particles 22a, 22b, 22c, which are bound together with a binding syrup (not shown) to form a first-layer conglomerate composition. The edible particles 22a, 22b, 22c of the first layer may include a combination of grains, puffed protein crisps, and / or nuts to provide a crunchy, protein-rich composition. Example formulations for the first-layer conglomerate and binding syrup are shown in Tables 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B, next. Table 1A: First layer conglomerate z / zrnn / Lznz / B / Yi Component % by weight Oat flakes - no. 5 7.100 Milk protein crisp - 74% 13.200 Binding syrup 38.000 Almonds, dry roasted, diced 41.700 (averages) Table 1B: First layer conglomerate Component % by weight Oat flakes - No. 5 0-20.00 Milk protein crisp - 74% 5.00-25.00 Binding syrup 10.00-65.00 Almonds, dry roasted, diced 30.00-50.00 (medium) Table 2A: Binding syrup Component % by weight Rosemary oleoresin 0.091 Hazelnut natural latte flavoring 0.152 Extra coarse sea salt 0.761 Glycerin 3.553 Oat fiber 6.091 High oleic sunflower oil 6.091 pressed by ejector Brown rice syrup solids 50 DE 33.503 Brown rice syrup 60 DE 49.756 z / zenn / Lznz / E / Yii Table 2B: Binding syrup Component % by weight Rosemary oleoresin 0-1.00 Natural hazelnut latte flavoring 0-1.00 Extra coarse sea salt 0-1.00 Glycerin 2.00-5.00 Oat fiber 4.00-8.00 Expeller-pressed high oleic sunflower oil 4.00-8.00 Brown rice syrup solids 50 DE 25.00-40.00 Brown rice syrup 60 DE 30.00-50.00 In some examples, grain 22a includes oat flakes (No. 5) provided at a concentration of approximately 0% to approximately 20% by weight of the first-layer aggregate, preferably in the range of approximately 6% to approximately 8%, and more preferably 7.1%. Although oat flakes were included in the first-layer aggregate, other types of grain 22a may be included in the aggregate alternatively or in addition to the oat flakes. The first-layer aggregate also includes 22b protein crisps having a protein content of at least 74% by weight. A suitable example of a 1 or 22b protein crisp is milk protein crisps, such as Crunchie™ brand milk protein crisps. In other examples, the protein crisps may include other types of meat, dairy, or vegetable protein crisps, such as whey protein crisps, pea protein crisps, wheat protein crisps, rice protein crisps, or soy protein crisps, for example. In some examples, the 22b protein crisps are provided at a concentration of approximately 5% to approximately 25% by weight of the first-layer aggregate, preferably in the range of approximately 10% to 15%, and more preferably at 13.2%. In addition to the grains 22a and the protein crunch 22b, the first-layer aggregate may include one or more nuts 22c. In the illustrated example, the nuts 22c may be medium-diced, dry-roasted almonds. However, in other examples, the nuts may include pistachios, peanuts, cashews, pecans, hazelnuts, pine nuts, or walnuts, for example. Furthermore, the nuts may be provided in different forms, such as whole, ground, sliced, or chopped. Different sizes of nuts may also be considered. In the illustrated example, the almonds are provided at a concentration of approximately 30% to approximately 50% by weight of the first-layer aggregate, preferably 40% to 45%, and more preferably 41.7%. As shown above, the binding syrup determines the concentration balance of the first-layer agglomerate. Therefore, the binding syrup can be provided at a concentration of approximately 10% to approximately 65% ​​by weight of the agglomerate, and preferably 38%. In some cases, portions of the binding syrup can be replaced with soluble fiber. The second layer 30 of the food product bar 10 is formed from a high-protein nougat material 32 and includes one or more solid additives 34a, 34b, 34c to provide a flavored texture. Accordingly, although the second layer 30 provides a substantially chewy mouthfeel, the second layer 30 may include the solid additives to provide a non-homogeneous composition. While the first layer 20 can generally be formed from similar components and concentrations in all varieties of the food product bar 10, as established above, the second layer 30 is configured to provide a unique texture and flavor z / zrnn / Lznz / E / Yii to each variety of food product bar 10, as described in further detail below.The following are several examples of second layer 30 varieties, and include a hazelnut latte flavored second layer (Example 1), a raspberry and almond flavored second layer (Example 2), and a tropical citrus flavored second layer (Example 3). Generally, the second layer 30 includes a sweetener, hydrolyzed milk protein concentrate, hydrolyzed milk protein isolate, canola oil, almond butter, water, glycerin, milk protein isolate, flaxseed powder, oat fiber, and flour salt. However, in some examples, up to 60% of the sugar may be replaced with one or more soluble fibers. The second layer may also include various natural flavorings and preservatives, as described in the examples provided below. Optionally, one or more solid additives 34a, 34b, 34c may also be added to at least one of the first-layer or second-layer conglomerate, or deposited as a coating for the second layer 30. These may include natural additives 34a, such as seeds, nuts, nut pieces, etc. The additives also include any fruit flavorings 34b, such as fresh fruit, dried fruit, fruit products, etc.Additives may also include flavorings such as candies, marshmallows, marbits, chocolates and chocolate products, fats, salts, honeys, cheeses, icings, powdered food products, sugar, sugar substitutes, gelatins, and spices. Additives may also include colorings, as well as nut flavors and sweet flavors such as chocolate, vanilla, caramel, butterscotch, lemon, malt, cinnamon, graham, coconut, mint, etc. Additives also include any savory flavors, such as all meat, game, poultry, fish, dairy, barbecue, smoke, pepper, hot pepper, and vegetable flavors. With reference to Figure 5, a process 100 for forming the food product bar 10 is described. Initially, the components that make up the binding syrup (see Table 2, above) are mixed in a standard mixing process in Step 102. The binding syrup is then combined with the grains 22a, the protein crisp 22b, and the nuts 22c at the concentrations shown in Table 1 using a standard mixing process, to form the first-layer conglomerate in Step 104. In a parallel Step 106, the second-layer conglomerate is prepared by mixing the second-layer conglomerate components using a standard mixing process. With the first-layer and second-layer composites prepared, the first-layer composite is deposited in Stage 108 to form the first layer 20. The first layer 20 can be formed using a cold-forming process, whereby the first layer 20 is formed and cured without baking. In some examples, the first layer 20 can be formed as a continuous sheet that has a substantially uniform thickness and composition. In Stage 110, the second-layer conglomerate is deposited onto the first layer 20 to form a base plate 40 comprising the first layer 20 and the second layer 30 arranged as a continuously formed laminated sheet, where the first layer 20 forms a lower surface of the base plate 40 and the second layer 30 is arranged on top of the first layer 20. As with the first layer 20, the second layer 30 has a substantially uniform thickness and composition, such that the thickness and composition of the resulting base plate 40 are substantially uniform. Optionally, in Step 112, additives may be added to the base plate. In some examples, the additives may be sprayed or deposited onto a top surface of the second layer 30. Additionally or alternatively, the additives 34 may be incorporated into at least one of the first layer 20 or the second layer 30. The base plate may undergo one or more forming stages before or after the additives 34 are added, whereby the relatively soft and deformable second layer 30 is pressed onto the top surface of the first layer 20. Here, the soft nougat of the second layer 30 can flow under pressure into the interstices formed between the edible particles 22 of the first layer 20 to form a mechanical bond between the first layer 20 and the second layer 30. Here, the additives 34 applied to the top surface of the second layer 30 can be printed onto a top surface 36 of the second layer 30, so that the top surface 36 is substantially level. In another optional Step 114, the second layer 30 of the base plate may have a plurality of partitions 38 formed therein. As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the partitions 38 are formed through the entire thickness of the second layer 30, and allow the food product bar 10 to be divided during consumption. In Step 116, the base plate is cut into a plurality of individual food product 10 bars, which are then packaged in Step 118. In some instances, the food product 10 bars may be individually packaged. Alternatively, the food product 10 bars may be packaged in bulk. EXAMPLES The following examples illustrate variations of the food product bar 10 and process 100 described above, in which different compositions of the second layer 20 and additives 34 are provided to form different varieties of the food product bar 10. EXAMPLE 1 In one example, 10 hazelnut latte-flavored food product bars were prepared using the method described above. Here, the first-layer conglomerate was prepared as provided using the components listed in Table 1 above. As shown in Tables 3A and 3B, the second-layer conglomerate from Example 1 was then blended to form a hazelnut latte-flavored nougat that included chopped almonds and hazelnuts. z / zenn / Lznz / E / Yii Table 3A: Second layer conglomerate - Example 1 Component % by weight Light amber honey 26.069 Hydrolyzed milk protein concentrate 24.686 Hydrolyzed milk protein isolate 10.862 Cannon oil 9.282 Almond butter - toasted 4.937 Almonds, dry roasted, diced (medium) 4.937 Hazelnuts - Dry roasted - Diced (medium) 4.937 Water 4.839 Glycerin 4.542 Milk protein isolate 1.728 Linseed powder - Defatted (mesh 16) 1.086 Oat fiber 0.987 Natural hazelnut latte flavoring 0.395 Rosemary oleoresin 0.296 Flour salt 0.247 Natural flavoring for masking 0.118 Organic mushroom powder with high vitamin D content 50.049 Table 3B: Second layer conglomerate - Example 1 Component % by weight Sugar 10.00-40.00 Soluble fiber 0.00-20.00 Hydrolyzed milk protein concentrate 15.00-35.00 Hydrolyzed milk protein isolate 5.00-15.00 Canola oil 5.00-15.00 Almond butter - toasted 1.00-10.00 Almonds, dry-roasted, diced (media) 1.00-10.00 Hazelnuts - dry roasted - diced (medium) 1.00-10.00 Water 1.00-10.00 Glycerin 1.00-10.00 Milk protein isolate 0.00-3.00 Flaxseed powder - defatted (16 mesh) 0.00-3.00 Oat fiber 0.00-3.00 Natural hazelnut latte flavoring 0.00-3.00 Rosemary oleoresin 0.00-3.00 Flour salt 0.00-3.00 Natural flavoring to mask 0.00-3.00 Organic mushroom powder with a high content of Vitamin D 5 0.00-3.00 As described above, the food product bar 10 is formed by depositing the first layer agglomerate and the second layer agglomerate to form a layered or laminated base plate including the first layer 20 and the second layer 30. In Example 1, the laminated base is then topped with extra coarse sea salt, organic cocoa beans, and diced hazelnuts, as shown in Tables 4A and 4B below. Table 4A: Finished snack bar - Example 1 Component % by weight Extra coarse sea salt 0.250 Organic cocoa beans 1,950 Hazelnuts - dry roasted - diced (medium) 2,800 First layer conglomerate 33.250 Second layer conglomerate 61.750 Table 4B: Finished snack bar - Example 1 Component % by weight Extra coarse sea salt 0.00-3.00 Organic cocoa beans 0.00-4.00 Hazelnuts - dry roasted - diced (mediums) 0.00-5.00 First layer conglomerate 25.00-45.00 Second layer conglomerate 50.00-70.00 EXAMPLE 2 In another example, raspberry-almond flavored food product bars were prepared using the method described above. Here, the standard first-layer conglomerate was prepared as shown in Table 1 above. As shown in Tables 5A and 5B, the second-layer conglomerate from Example 2 was then blended to form a raspberry-flavored nougat that included chopped almonds. Table 5A: Second layer conglomerate - Example 2 Ingredients % by weight Light amber honey 25.114 Hydrolyzed milk protein concentrate 23.782 Hydrolyzed milk protein isolate 10.464 Almonds, dry roasted, diced (medium) 9.513 Canola oil 8.942 Almond butter - roasted 4.756 Water 4.661 Glycerin 4.376 Raspberry powder 2.854 Milk protein isolate 1.665 Flaxseed powder - defatted (mesh 16) 1.046 Oat fiber 0.951 Flour salt 0.476 Natural raspberry flavor Goji berries 0.381 Beetroot powder, air dried 0.381 Rosemary oleoresin 0.285 Natural flavoring for masking 0.114 Malic acid 0.095 Anhydrous citric acid 0.095 Mushroom powder 0.048 Table 5B: Second layer conglomerate - Example 2 Components % by weight Sugar 10.00-40.00 Soluble fiber 0.00-20.00 Hydrolyzed milk protein concentrate 15.00-35.00 Hydrolyzed milk protein isolate 5.00-15.00 Almonds, dry-roasted, diced (medium) 5.00-15.00 Canola oil 5.00-15.00 Almond butter - roasted 1.00-10.00 Water 1.00-10.00 Glycerin 1.00-10.00 Raspberry powder 0.00-5.00 Milk protein isolate 0.00-3.00 Flaxseed powder - defatted (16 mesh) 0.00-3.00 Oat fiber 0.00-3.00 Flour salt 0.00-3.00 Natural raspberry flavoring Goji berries 0.00-3.00 Beetroot powder, air-dried 0.00-3.00 Rosemary oleoresin 0.00-3.00 Natural flavoring for masking 0.00-3.00 Malic acid 0.00-3.00 Anhydrous citric acid 0.00-3.00 Mushroom powder 0.00-3.00 As described above, the food product bar 10 is formed by depositing the first-layer agglomerate and the second-layer agglomerate to form a layered or laminated base comprising the first layer 20 and the second layer 30. In the Example 2, the laminated base was then covered with black chia seeds, freeze-dried raspberries and almonds, as shown in Tables 6A and 6B below. Table 6A: Finished snack bar - Example 2 Components % by weight Black chia seeds 0.250 Freeze-dried raspberries - sliced ​​-1 / 2 0.750 Almonds, slivered 4.000 First layer aggregate 33.250 Second layer aggregate 61.750 Table 6B: Finished snack bar - Example 2 Components % by weight Black chia seeds 0.00-1.00 Freeze-dried raspberries - sliced ​​-1 / 2 0.00-1.00 Almonds, slivered 1.00-10.00 First layer aggregate 25.00-45.00 Second layer aggregate 50.00-70.00 EXAMPLE 3 In another example, 10 tropical citrus-flavored food product bars were prepared using the method described above. Here, the standard first-layer conglomerate was prepared as shown in Table 1 above. As shown in Table 7 below, the second-layer conglomerate from Example 3 was blended to form a tropical citrus-flavored nougat that included diced almonds as a solid additive. Table 7A - Second layer conglomerate - Example 3 Components % by weight Light amber honey 25.867 Hydrolyzed milk protein concentrate 24.495 Hydrolyzed milk protein isolate 10.778 Almonds, dry roasted, diced (medium) 9.798 Canola oil 9.210 Almond butter - roasted 4.899 Water 4.801 Glycerin 4.507 Milk protein isolate 1.715 Flaxseed powder - Defatted (mesh 16) 1.078 Oat fiber 0.980 Flour salt 0.490 Anhydrous citric acid 0.412 Natural orange and mango flavor 0.392 Rosemary oleoresin 0.294 Natural flavoring to mask 0.118 Malic acid, fine granules 0.078 Anhydrous citric acid 0.049 Mushroom powder 0.039 7! zenn / Lznz / E / YiAi Table 7B - Second layer conglomerate - Example 3 Components % by weight Sugar 10.00-40.00 Soluble fiber 0.00-20.00 Hydrolyzed milk protein concentrate 15.00-35.00 Hydrolyzed milk protein isolate 5.00-15.00 Almonds, dry roasted, diced (medium) 5.00-15.00 Canola oil 5.00-15.00 Almond butter - roasted 1.00-10.00 Water 1.00-10.00 Glycerin 1.00-10.00 Milk protein isolate 15.00-35.00 Flaxseed powder - defatted (16 mesh) 0.00-3.00 Oat fiber 0.00-3.00 Flour salt 0.00-3.00 Anhydrous citric acid 0.00-3.00 Natural orange and mango flavoring 0.00-3.00 Rosemary oleoresin 0.00-3.00 Natural flavoring for masking 0.00-3.00 Malic acid, fine granules 0.00-3.00 Anhydrous citric acid 0.00-3.00 Mushroom powder 0.00-3.00 As described above, the food product bar 10 was formed by depositing the first-layer agglomerate and the second-layer agglomerate to form a stratified or laminated base comprising the first layer 20 and the second layer 30. In Example 3, the laminated base was then topped with freeze-dried pineapple, coconut chips, and freeze-dried pomegranate arils, as shown in Tables 8A and 8B below. z / zenn / Lznz / E / Yii Table 8A - Food Product Bar - Example 3 Components % by weight Freeze-dried pineapple - 5-6 mm 0.750 Coconut chips - toasted - unsweetened 1.750 Freeze-dried pomegranate arils 2.500 First layer agglomerate 33.250 Second layer agglomerate 61.750 Table 8B - Food Product Bar - Example 3 Components % by weight Freeze-dried pineapple - 5-6 mm 0.00-2.00 Coconut chips - toasted - unsweetened 0.00-4.00 Freeze-dried pomegranate arils 0.00-5.00 First layer agglomerate 25.00-45.00 Second layer agglomerate 50.00-70.00 The disclosed Food Product 10 bar and Process 100 provide several advantages over previous Food Product 10 bars. For example, by providing a crisp first layer and a chewy second layer, without coating the Food Product 10 bar in an outer layer, the bar offers two exposed layers with different textures, which has been found to provide a favorable textural experience (i.e., mouthfeel) and visual appearance. The Food Product 10 bar of the present disclosure has also been found to provide clean eating and portion control through the incorporation of partitions in the second layer. Furthermore, the continuous structure provided by the first layer contributes to greater durability of the food product bar during handling, while the functional fibers in the components forming the second layer lead to stability during the shelf life of the food product bar 10. Therefore, the food product bar 10 of the present disclosure provides the structural advantages of a coated food product, but maintains a high protein concentration by eliminating the need to use a high-sugar coating composition, such as chocolate or syrup. Another benefit of the food product bar 10 disclosed herein includes improved lubricity of the chew that the binding syrup of the first layer 20 provides to the second layer 30 when the food product 10 is chewed. As discussed earlier with respect to prior art food product bars, it is known that high-protein nougat layers become difficult to chew when not coated due to the natural migration of moisture within the high-protein layers over time. However, in the food product bar 10 of the present disclosure, the binding syrup of the first layer 20 is formulated to hydrate and improve the lubricity of the nougat in the second layer 30 during chewing. Therefore, the shelf life of the food product bar 10 can be extended without adversely affecting the lubricity and mouthfeel during consumption. A number of implementations have been described. However, it is understood that various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. Accordingly, other implementations fall within the scope of the following claims. For example, the actions listed in the claims can be performed in a different order and still achieve the desired results.

Claims

1. A food product bar (10) comprising: a first layer (20) comprising an agglomerate of edible particles (22a, 22b, 22c), wherein the first layer (20) has a protein concentration of at least 20% by weight; and a second layer (30) covering the first layer (20) and comprising a nougat (32), wherein the second layer (30) has a protein concentration of at least 34% by weight, whereby a total protein concentration of the food product bar (10) is at least 25% by weight.

2. The food product bar (10) of claim 1, wherein each of the first layer (20) and the second layer (30) are exposed.

3. The food product bar (10) of claim 1, wherein the first layer (20) is formed continuously from a first end of the food product bar (10) to a second end of the food product bar (10), and the second layer (30) includes a plurality of partitions (38) spaced from the first end to the second end.

4. The food product bar (10) of claim 3, wherein the partitions (38) are cuts along the entire thickness of the second layer (30).

5. The food product bar (10) of claim 1, wherein the first layer (20) consists essentially of oat flakes (22a), protein crisp (22b), almonds (22c) and binding syrup.

6. The food product bar (10) of claim 1, wherein the first layer (20) comprises: oat flakes (22a) in a concentration ranging from 5% to 10% by weight; protein crisp (22b) in a concentration ranging from 10% to 15% by weight; nuts (22c) in a concentration ranging from 40% to 44% by weight; and binding syrup in a concentration ranging from 31% to 45% by weight.

7. The food product bar (10) of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of additives (34a, 34b, 34c) deposited on the second layer (30).

8. The food product bar (10) of claim 7, wherein the additives (34a, 34b, 34c) include at least one of dried fruits, seeds, nuts.

9. A food product bar (10) consisting of: a first layer (20) comprising an agglomerate of edible particles (22a, 22b, 22c), wherein the first layer (20) has a protein concentration of at least 20% by weight; and a second layer (30) covering the first layer (20) and comprising a nougat (32), wherein the second layer (30) has a protein concentration of at least 34% by weight, whereby a total protein concentration of the food product bar (10) is at least 25% by weight.

10. The food product bar (10) of claim 9, wherein the first layer (20) consists of: oat flakes (22a) in a concentration ranging from 5% to 10% by weight; protein crisp (22b) in a concentration ranging from 10% to 15% by weight; nuts (22c) in a concentration ranging from 40% to 44% by weight; and binding syrup in a concentration ranging from 31% to 45% by weight.

11. A method (100) for forming a food product bar (10), wherein the method comprises: mixing a first plurality of components (104) to form a first-layer agglomerate having a plurality of edible particles (22a, 22b, 22c), wherein the first-layer agglomerate has a protein concentration of at least 20% by weight; mixing a second plurality of components (106) to form a second-layer agglomerate including a nougat (32), wherein the second-layer agglomerate has a protein concentration of at least 34% by weight; depositing a first quantity of the first-layer agglomerate (108) to form a first layer (20); and depositing a second quantity of the second-layer conglomerate (110) on top of the first layer (20) to form a stratified baseplate (40) including the first layer (20), whereby the baseplate (40) has a protein concentration of at least 25%, by weight.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising forming partitions (38) in the second layer (30).

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the partitions (38) are formed through the entire thickness of the second layer (30).

14. The method of claim 11, wherein each of the first layer (20) and the second layer (30) is cold formed.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising depositing an additive (112) in at least one of the first layer (20) and the second layer (30).

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising cutting the base plate (40) into a plurality of food product bars (116), wherein each of the food product bars (10) includes the first layer (20) and the second layer (30).

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the first layer conglomerate comprises: oat flakes (22a) in a concentration ranging from 5% to 10% by weight; protein crisp (22b) in a concentration ranging from 10% to 15% by weight; nuts (22c) in a concentration ranging from 40% to 44% by weight; and binding syrup in a concentration ranging from 31% to 45% by weight.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the food product bar (10) is individually packaged.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the first layer (20) and the second layer (30) are exposed.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the second layer (30) includes light amber-colored honey, hydrolyzed milk protein concentrate, hydrolyzed milk protein isolate, canola oil, almond butter, water, glycerin, milk protein isolate, flaxseed powder, oat fiber, and flour salt.