Extruder Die System for Flake Cereal Without Milling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing flaked cereal require multiple unit operations, significant water addition, and lengthy processing times, often necessitating the use of a flaking mill, which can be inefficient and time-consuming.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a cooking extruder system that extrudes and cuts starch-containing food materials through a specially designed die with a breaker screen and expansion chamber, followed by toasting, to produce flake-like cereal without the need for a flaking mill, reducing processing steps and time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a flaking mill is used to produce flaked cereal, then thin slices can be obtained, but the processing time and device complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the flaking mill from the traditional cereal production process. Instead of using a mechanical flaking mill to create thin slices, the patent uses an extruder with a die that directly forms the cereal into flake-like shapes during the extrusion process itself, thereby removing the need for separate flaking operation
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the forming and flaking operations into a single extrusion process. The die design integrates the functions of shaping and thickness control, allowing the cereal to be extruded directly into flake-like forms without requiring separate flaking mill operation, thus combining multiple unit operations into one
2Ease of manufacture
If water is added to increase moisture content during cooking, then the food material becomes more pliable for forming, but the total processing time and energy requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the moisture content parameter during the extrusion process by controlling the cooking conditions within the extruder. The system maintains optimal moisture levels (20-30%) during extrusion for proper formability, then rapidly reduces moisture during the toasting step, allowing the process to be completed in one continuous operation rather than requiring separate conditioning and drying stages
Solution Approach 2:
The invention implements continuous processing where the food material flows continuously through cooking, extruding, and toasting operations without interruption. The moisture control and reduction happen in sequence within the same continuous process line, eliminating idle time between operations that would be required if separate batch processes were used
3Reliability
If the food material is cooled below 100°C before extrusion, then puffing is avoided, but an additional cooling step is required increasing process complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary cooling of the cooked food material within the extruder before it reaches the die. The extruder design includes a cooling section that reduces the material temperature below 100°C prior to extrusion, preventing puffing during the extrusion process itself, thereby eliminating the need for a separate post-extrusion cooling step
4Reliability
If a secondary drying step is added after toasting, then moisture content is reduced to shelf-stable levels, but the processing time and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the toasting and final drying operations into a single integrated step. The toaster oven is designed to simultaneously perform the browning/toasting function and the moisture reduction to shelf-stable levels, combining what would traditionally be separate operations into one continuous process, thereby eliminating the need for a secondary drying step
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach simplifies the production process, reduces water usage, and achieves flake-like cereal with a closed cell structure and low moisture content, eliminating the need for additional drying steps and enhancing efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
cooking the food material to at least partially gelatinize the starch component of the food material inside the cooking extruder
Implementation Method 2
The expansion chamber has an expansion chamber cross-sectional area 224 greater than the exit orifice cross-sectional area 236. The food material 140 forms vapor-filled bubbles 141 as the food material 140 is extruded through the exit orifice 230
Implementation Method 3
The toaster oven reduces the moisture of the cut food product 144 to a desired shelf stable moisture content of typically less than about three percent
Data Source
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AI summary
An extruder system (100) comprising a cooking extruder (110) configured to extrude a food material, a die (300) connected to the cooking extruder comprised of one or more orifices (200), each orifice (200) comprising an inlet configured to accept the food material, a breaker screen (210) connected to the inlet and comprised of one or more holes, an expansion chamber (220) connected to the breaker screen (220), wherein the expansion chamber (220) has an expansion chamber cross-sectional area and an exit orifice (230) connected to the expansion chamber (220) and configured to output the food material, wherein the exit orifice (230) has an exit orifice cross-sectional area and a cutting knife assembly (120) connected to the exit orifice (230) configured to cut the food material at a rate to create a slice thickness, as well as a method utilising such an extruder system (100) for producing a food product.