Food products with improved strength

Abstract

The present invention relates to food products derived from cereal grains, comprising a fiber with long, insoluble fiber strands which when present in the food product strengthens and improves its textural attributes. Preferred foods that can be strengthened with the insoluble fibers include edible wafers for frozen desserts and refrigerated novelties (e.g., ice cream cones), and formulated foods which include pasta, extruded foods, baked foods, puffed foods and snack foods (e.g., crackers, cookies, cereals, taco shells and tortillas). The fiber functions to strengthen the food product regardless of its final molded, extruded or puffed shape. As described herein, the fiber can be any fiber derived from a plant or microbial source which has a high content of insoluble dietary fiber. Only a small amount of fiber is required to enhance the structural integrity of the final food product.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Food products derived from cereal grains such as wafers, (e.g., ice cream cones), crackers, cookies and cereals represent a fragile, crisp food system prone to breakage during manufacture, shipping and handling. This results in economic losses to the manufacturer and reduced product. It would greatly benefit the food industry to provide a means for improving the structural integrity of food products prone to breakage, without compromising the taste and sensory profile of the resultant food products.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0003] The present invention relates to food products derived from cereal grains, comprising a fiber with long, insoluble fiber strands which when present in the food product improves the overall strength of the product and its textural attributes compared to a food which does not contain said fiber. In particular, the present invention relates to a fragile or a thin food product. Preferred foods that can be strengthened with the insoluble fibers include edible wafers for frozen desserts and refrigerated novelties (e.g., ice cream cones), and formulated foods which include pasta, extruded foods, baked foods, puffed foods and snack foods (e.g., crackers, cookies, cereals, taco shells and tortillas). The fiber functions to strengthen the food product regardless of its final molded, extruded or puffed shape. As described herein, the fiber can be any fiber derived from a plant or microbial source which has a high content of insoluble dietary fiber. Only a small amount of fiber is required to strengthen the structural integrity of the final food product.

[0004] The present invention further relates to a method of improving the strength and textural integrity of the food product to reduce breakage during manufacturing and subsequent handling of the food product. The method comprises admixing a fiber having long, insoluble fiber strands to the food formulation, to thereby improve the strength and textural integrity of the food product.

[0005] The food product of the present invention can be used in the food industry, such as the ice cream novelty industry, baked goods industry or snack food industry to strengthen the structural and textural integrity as well as the overall quality of the food product, compared to similar food products which do not contain the fiber.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] FIG. 1 is a graphic illustration comparing the results for the storage modulus (G′) and the loss modulus (G″) for the strips from the control ice cream cones and the ice cream cones prepared with OPTA™ oat fiber 770.

[0007] FIG. 2 is a graphic illustration comparing the break force required for the control ice cream cones and the ice cream cones prepared with OPTA™ oat fiber 770.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The present invention is based on the discovery that incorporation of fiber into the matrix of a food product derived from cereal grains strengthens the structural integrity of the food product due to the large amorphous structure of the fiber particles. The addition of the fiber in the food product results in a food product with more rigidity and structural integrity. Consequently, breakage of the food products of the present invention occurs to a lesser extent than the food products currently available on the market. Foods that can be strengthened by incorporation of the fibers into their formulations are those which are fragile and are susceptible to breakage, in the absence of the fiber, during normal manufacturing and handling conditions. Preferred foods of the present invention are edible wafers for frozen desserts and refrigerated novelties (e.g., ice cream cones) and formulated food systems which include baked foods (e.g., cookies), snack foods (e.g., corn chips, crackers, cookies, cereals, taco shells and tortillas) and extruded foods, such as pasta, cereals (e.g., puffed, flaked or extruded) products. Normal breakage due to lack of structural integrity can be minimized in food supplies, other than yeast leavened products, such as Melba Toast, using the fibers as a means of reinforcing the food product.

[0009] Only a small amount of fiber is required to strengthen and reinforce some food products, such as edible wafers (e.g., ice cream cones). The amount necessary can be readily ascertained as being that amount which is suitable to strengthen but does not compromise sensory properties of the product. In instances in which a small amount of fiber is required, preferably the amount of fiber will be from about 0.2 to about 10% by weight, with from about 1 to about 2% being most preferred, to yield a product that is structurally superior to like product which does not contain the fiber. However, some food products, such as those prepared from wheat or corn meal extrudates (e.g., tortillas and taco shells), require larger amounts of fiber to strengthen and reinforce the food product. In these instances, the preferred amount of fiber will be from about 1 to about 25% by weight, with from about 2 to about 10% being most preferred, to yield a product structurally superior to like product which does not contain the fiber. The strengthening amount of fiber may be slightly higher or lower than the preferred range depending upon the type of fiber used and the type of food product being strengthened, but determination of the strengthening amount would not require undue experimentation.

[0010] The uniqueness of the food product of the present invention is related to the presence of relatively long, insoluble fiber strands that reinforce the food product and enhance the firmness/crispness of the initial product. In the food product of the present invention a significant amount (i.e., greater than 50% by weight) of the fiber is greater than 100μ in length as determined by light microscopy. Generally, the long, insoluble fiber strands range from about 100 to about 800 microns in length. In a particular embodiment, the average length of the insoluble fiber strands used in the food product of the present invention ranges from 100 microns to about 450 microns. In addition to length, the particle size of the insoluble fiber strands of the present invention is important. One method of determining the correct length and particle size of the fiber strands is by screen analysis using an Alpine Air Jet Sieve Analyzer with U.S. Standard (USS) mesh screens. For example, the criteria for determining acceptable fiber length and size for the present invention using screen analysis is given below:

		% fiber through screen
	USS mesh screen	based on weight
	50	(course mesh)	98-100
	100	(medium mesh)	85-100
	200	(fine mesh)	75-100

[0011] Thus, a fiber extracted from any source which meets these criteria can be used in the food product of the present invention. This method is a crude determination. Other techniques such as image analysis or microscopic examinations for fiber length can be used.

[0012] The fiber used in the food product of the present invention can be obtained from any plant source which has a high content of insoluble dietary fiber. Alternatively, fibers can be obtained from microbial sources such as fermentation products, for example, cellulose. Fiber is intended herein to mean a material which is predominately cellulose in nature. The fibers are comprised of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. A high content of insoluble dietary fiber is described herein as greater than 75% of the fiber used in the food product of the present invention. The fiber can be obtained from sources such as, but not limited to, oat fiber, corn fiber, wheat fiber, sugar beet fiber, rice fiber and wood fiber. Certain sources of fiber such as soy fiber and pea fiber are not suitable for use in the present invention because the fiber lengths are too short. That is, a significant amount of the fiber (i.e., 50% by weight) is less than 100 microns, and cannot adequately strengthen the material. Techniques which would lengthen pea or soy fibers would render these fiber sources usable in the present invention.

[0013] A structurally reinforced food product can be made by admixing the fiber to traditional ingredients used to make the food products. As shown in Example 1, both sugar cone and wafer cone formulations can be used and require little if any changes in the ingredients and processing steps that are commercially in practice. Depending upon the formulation, it may be necessary to add more water to the fiber fortified recipe. A like amount of flour can be removed from the formulation to compensate for the addition of the fiber.

[0014] The food product of the present invention includes, but is not limited to, edible wafers for frozen desserts and refrigerated novelties, such as ice cream cones; formulated foods derived from grains which include baked foods, (e.g., crackers and cookies) snack foods, (e.g., corn chips, taco shells) puffed foods (e.g., cereals) and extruded foods (e.g., tortillas, pasta). The food products of this invention are those which are derived from grains derived from wheat, oat, barley, rice, soy and the like.

[0015] In one embodiment, as described in Example 1, the long insoluble fiber strands are added to an edible wafer mixture (e.g., sugar ice cream cone) which can be shaped in wafer form, cone form or tubular form. The long insoluble fiber strands of Example 1 are in the form of oat fiber as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,023,103 the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference, and is referred to herein as OPTA™ oat fiber 770. OPTA™ oat fiber 770 is a delignified, unbleached fiber product which is prepared by alkaline treatment of oat hulls under high temperature, followed by washing and grinding. The OPTA™ oat fiber 770 has a high dietary fiber content in excess of approximately 90% and has a high water binding capacity (i.e., the fiber can absorb up to 5 to 6 times its weight in water). As described in Example 11, the water binding capacity of fibers which can be used in the present invention was determined, and the results indicate that the water absorption of the fibers range from about 300% to about 800%.

[0016] In Example 1, the OPTA™ oat fiber 770 is added at 1-2% by weight of the total ingredients of a sugar ice cream cone mixture (oat fiber). As demonstrated in Example 1, the ingredient typically removed from the standard sugar ice cream cone mixture (control) is flour. However, other adjustments to the wafer mixture of the present invention may be necessary, such as addition of water to maintain the taste and sensory profile of the final product. Those skilled in the art will be able to determine other suitable wafer mixtures which contain the fibers of the present invention using no more than routine experimentation.

[0017] As demonstrated in Examples 2-4, the sugar ice cream cones containing the OPTA™ oat fiber 770 were harder and firmer than the control sugar ice cream cones (cones which did not contain the OPTA™ oat fiber 770) and showed greater resistance to breakage as determined by sensory analysis. Example 2 describes the sensory texture profile of the sugar cones containing the oat fiber versus the control sugar cones using a panel of five unskilled judges. The results demonstrate the superior hardness and firmness of the sugar cones containing the oat fiber as compared to the control cones. In addition, the experiments in Example 3 were conducted to measure the ability of each sugar cone (oat fiber sugar cone and control sugar cone) to regain its shape after compression (G′) and the ability of each sugar cone to deform after compression (G″). In both instances, the sugar cones containing the oat fiber proved superior in their ability to regain their shape after compression and to deform after compression. Finally, Example 4 demonstrates the three point bending test which measures the force required to break the sugar cones. The break force for the control cones was 75 g, while the cones containing the oat fiber remained intact at a force of 100 g, which is the limit of the instrument.

[0018] In another embodiment, described in Example 5, the long, insoluble fiber strands are added to a snack cracker mixture in the form of oat fiber as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,023,103, the teachings of which are incorporated herein by reference, and is referred to as OPTA™ oat fiber 780. OPTA™ oat fiber 780 is a delignified, bleached oat fiber. The OPTA™ oat fiber 780 has a high dietary fiber content in excess of 90% by weight and is produced using the same process for OPTA™ oat fiber 770, but hydrogen peroxide treatment is added after the alkaline treatment. In Example 5, two types of rotary cut snack crackers were prepared. Both mixtures contained 1-2% OPTA™ oat fiber 780, but one mixture contained 19% by weight water (A) of the total ingredients and the other mixture contained 21% by weight water (C) of the total ingredients. As demonstrated in Example 6, the relative strength of each snack cracker was superior to their respective control snack crackers (i.e., like snack crackers which did not contain the oat fiber) indicating that even in the presence of a fiber that has a high water absorption (i.e., a fiber that can absorb 3-8 times its weight in water) the addition of oat fiber to the product improves its overall strength.

[0019] It is generally accepted that moisture absorption by a food product, particularly thin, baked or fragile foods, is “the main instigator of checking” (Grenus, et al., IFT Ann. Meeting, abstract (1994). In addition, increase in the water or moisture content of a food product can lead to undesirable texture and flavor (see Slade, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,162,502). Thus, the improved overall strength of the food product containing a fiber with a high water absorption capacity was surprising. For example, if a fiber having a high water binding capacity is present in a brittle food product the expectation is that the increased water absorption would render the food product soggy. However, as shown in Example 2, the crispiness and crunchiness of the food product of the present invention which contained a strengthening amount of OPTA oat fiber 770 was not adversely affected. Other adjustments to the food product mixture using the fibers of the present invention and resulting in structurally superior crackers, can be made by those skilled in the art using the teachings described herein and routine experimentation.

[0020] In a further embodiment, described in Examples 7-9, extrudates containing wheat starch or corn meal with varying amounts of OPTA™ oat fiber 780 were prepared and tested for their relative strengths as compared to a like product which did not contain the fibers of the present invention. As shown in Example 8, the strength of the wheat starch extrudates containing 2-10% OPTA oat fiber were structurally superior to the controls. In addition, corn meal extrudates containing 2% OPTA™ oat fiber were structurally superior compared to a like product which did not contain the fibers of the present invention, as shown in Example 9.

[0021] Example 10 describes another embodiment which demonstrates the ability of OPTA™ oat fiber to reduce the fines or small particles in a flaked, ready to eat (RTE) cereal. In this embodiment, varying amounts of OPTA™ oat fiber were added to a bran flake mixture; the integrity of the flakes were tested and compared to a control (like bran flakes which did not contain the OPTA™ oat fiber). As shown in Example 10, as little as 1.7% by weight OPTA™ oat fiber in the bran flake mixture resulted in measurable decrease in fines (3%) and addition of 3.5% by weight OPTA™ oat fiber to the bran flake mixture resulted in a significant decrease in fines (29%).

[0022] In addition to the delignified unbleached OPTA™ oat fiber 770 and 780 described above, other forms of fiber extracted from a suitable source as described herein, such as non-delignified bleached or unbleached fiber; unbleached or bleached, partially delignified fiber; bleached or unbleached delignified fiber, can be used in the present invention. For example, OPTA™ oat fiber 741 can be used in the present invention.

[0023] Food products containing the fibers can enhance the shelf life and eating quality of the product. This invention will result in reduced breakage (hence product loss) of food products such as ice cream cones and cookies, during manufacture, packaging and shipment of the food product, thus resulting in the consumer receiving a superior product. In addition, the presence of fibers of the present invention allows for a greater water content in some food products while still maintaining a structurally superior product, thus reducing production costs.

[0024] The invention is further illustrated by the following examples, which are not intended to be limiting in any way.

EXAMPLE 1

[0025] Preparation of Ice Cream Cones Containing the OPTA™ Oat Fiber 770 and a Control

[0026] Sugar ice cream cones which contained the OPTA™ oat fiber 770 (Oat Fiber) and sugar ice cream cones (control) which did not contain the OPTA™ oat fiber 770 were prepared using the following formulation and procedure:

		Control	Oat Fiber
	Ingredient	Grams (%)	Grams (%)
	Soft flour	100	(40.48)	100	(39.88)
	Granulated Sugar	25	(10.12)	25	(9.97)
	All-purpose shortening	1	(0.40)	1	(0.40)
	Opta oat fiber 770	0		3.7	(1.48)
	Salt	0.5	(0.20)	0.5	(0.20)
	Water	120	(48.58)	120	(47.87)
	Flavor, color,	0.5	(0.20)	0.5	(0.20)
	potassium sorbate

[0027] The specifications for the flour used are as follows: protein 9.5-10.5%; ash 0.41-0.44%; pH 4.7-4.85. Any equipment which can produce a smooth, lump-free batter is suitable. The dry ingredients were first blended then the water is added slowly and mixed for 15 minutes. The melted shortening was then blended followed by mixing for an additional minute. The batter was placed in the molds and was baked.

EXAMPLE 2

[0028] Sensory Texture Profiling of the Oat Fiber Recipe and the Control

[0029] Sensory texture profiles were obtained with a panel of five unskilled judges. The samples coded (1) Oat fiber recipe and (2) Control, were tested for hardness, firmness, crispness and crunchiness. The mean scores on a five-point scale are as below:

	Attribute	Sample 1	Sample 2
	Hardness	4.67	4.17
	Firmness	5.0	4.2
	Crispness	4.6	4.8
	Crunchiness	4.6	4.6

[0030] As demonstrated above, the Oat fiber recipe was sensorially harder and firmer than the Control. A sample evaluation sheet used in this evaluation is presented below.

	TEST	METHOD	GRADE
	Hardness	a)	Break off a piece with	Soft-Hard
			your fingers.	1 2 3 4 5
		b)	Bite into the cone with
			your front teeth.
	Firmness		Place between molars and	Low-High
			compress completely.	1 2 3 4 5
	Crispness		Bite with front teeth and	Low - High
			chew at least once between	1 2 3 4 5
			molars.
	Crunchiness		-as above-	Low-High
				1 2 3 4 5
	SCORES:
		Sample 1	Sample 2
	Hardness
	Firmness
	Crispness
	Crunchiness

EXAMPLE 3

[0031] Small Amplitude Oscillatory Measurements of the Oat Fiber Recipe and the Control

[0032] These experiments were conducted on the cones made with the oat fiber recipe and the control cones, described in Example 1, to measure the ability of the cones to regain their shape after compression (G′) and the ability of the cones to deform after compression (G″). Sample strips of each type of cone were placed in a small amplitude oscillator which rotates the strips while applying a force upon the strips. The small amplitude oscillator measures the angle or distance moved by the strips in radian/second to determine G′ and G″.

[0033] Sample strips were prepared by steaming the cones, opening them out and cutting them to the required size of 41.8×8×2.2 mm. The strips were air dried at 50° C. to the characteristic moisture content and then used for the small amplitude oscillatory measurements.

[0034] The small amplitude oscillatory measurements on each sample were in the range of 0.1 radian/second (rad./s) to 100 radian/second (rad./s) at a strain level of 0.1%. The strain level was selected based on the strain sweep data obtained at a frequency of 6.28 rad./s. FIG. 1 gives the results for the storage modulus G′ (the ability of the material to regain its shape after compression) and the loss modulus G″ (the ability of the material to deform after compression) for the strips from the control cones and the cones prepared with OPTA™ oat fiber 770. The values obtained for the strips containing the oat fiber are higher than those of the controls, thus indicating the ability of the material to regain its shape after compression and the ability of the material to deform after compression is greater in the strips containing the oat fiber.

EXAMPLE 4

[0035] Three Point Bending Test of the Oat Fiber Recipe and the Control

[0036] The measurements were conducted on a Rheometrics Solids Analyzer-II (RSA-II). The strips used were prepared as described in Example 3. The only difference was the dimension of strips which were 50×9×2.2 mm. The small amplitude strain sweeps were conducted in the range of 0.00001% to 0.01% at 6.28 rad./s. The results are plotted in FIG. 2. The break force for the control strip is 75 g while the oat fiber containing strip remained intact to 100 g which is the limit of the instrument. The results indicate that the cones prepared with the oat fiber show greater resistance to breakage.

EXAMPLE 5

[0037] Preparation of a Cracker Containing OPTA™ Oat Fiber 780

[0038] The following formulation and procedure was used to prepare two types of rotary cut snack crackers containing OPTA™ oat fiber 780 (Oat fiber). Both mixtures contained 1-2% OPTA™ oat fiber 780, but one mixture contained 19% by weight water (A) of the total ingredients and the other mixture contained 21% by weight water (C) of the total ingredients. In addition, control snack crackers were prepared for snack crackers A and C, (B and D, respectively) which contained equivalent amounts of water but did not contain OPTA™ oat fiber 780.

	A	B	C	D
	Oat Fiber	Control	Oat Fiber	Water
Ingredient	(grams)	(grams)	(grams)	(grams)
Flour (Cookie)	75.00	75.00	75.00	75.00
Water	29.66	29.66	33.66	33.66
Whole Wheat Flour	25.00	25.00	25.00	25.00
Sugar	6.60	6.60	6.60	6.60
Shortening	6.00	6.00	6.00	6.00
Non Fat Dry Milk	4.40	4.40	4.40	4.40
Ammonium Bicarbonate	3.30	3.30	3.30	3.30
Corn Starch	2.16	2.16	2.16	2.16
OPTA OAT FIBER ™ #780	2.00	—	2.00	—
Malt, Non-diastatic	2.00	2.00	2.00	2.00
Salt	1.00	1.00	1.00	1.00
Sodium Bicarbonate	0.66	0.66	0.66	0.66
Sodium Bisulfite	0.02	0.02	0.02	0.02
Sodium Sulfite	0.075	0.075	0.075	0.075
Finished Moisture (%)	2.6	2.6	2.6	2.9

[0039] The ammonium bicarbonate and sodium sulfite were dissolved in water. The rest of the ingredients were added and then mixed in a Hobart mixer with a 40 quart bowl and paddle agitator for 10 minute on low speed. Each dough was passed through a three roll dough sheeter and two sets of reducing rolls to a dough thickness of approximately 2 mm. The dough sheet was docked and cut into round pieces using a two roll docking and cutting system. The crackers were then baked in a 30 foot indirect fired traveling band on a heavy duty Ashworth mesh band. The baking time was 6 minutes at an average baking temperature of 460° F. The percent finished moisture of the final products were as reported above.

EXAMPLE 6

[0040] Three Point Bending Test of the Crackers

[0041] These test were conducted on the crackers made with the oat fiber recipe and the control crackers, described in Example 5. The force required to break a cracker was measured on a TA.XT2 Texture Analyzer using the three point bending test. The crackers were placed on 2 supports placed 3.2 cm apart. The probe (0.3×7 cm) was centered above the supports and lowered at a speed of 5 mm/sec through the cracker until the cracker broke. The maximum force during the fracture was recorded as the strength of the cracker. The results, tabulated below show the relative strengths of each type of cracker compared to its control cracker. The data indicates that in the presence of varying amounts of water, the addition of the oat fiber yields a product that is structurally superior to like product which does not contain the fiber.

	Formulation #
	A	B	C	D
	Relative Strength	1.20	1.00	1.06	0.89
	(3 point bending)

EXAMPLE 7

[0042] Preparation of an Extrudate Containing OPTA™ Oat Fiber

[0043] Extrudates containing wheat starch or corn meal and varying amounts of OPTA™ oat fiber 780 were prepared on a Wenger TX-52 single screw extruder. The feed rate of the product into the extruder was 2.1 lb/min with a shaft speed of 315 rpm. Water was added into the extruder at a rate of 0.5 lb/min. The time of the addition of the water was varied. The temperature of the barrel jackets is as indicated below:

Barrel Jacket Temperature ° C.
2nd head      30
3rd head      30
4th head      50
5th head      90
6th head      90

[0044] The product was extruded through a die with 3 openings of {fraction (3/6)}″ diameter and 15 degree taper at a pressure of 750 psi.

EXAMPLE 8

[0045] Measurement of Strength of Wheat Starch Extrudates Containing OPTA Oat Fiber

[0046] The wheat starch extrudates containing varying amounts of OPTA™ oat fiber 780 were prepared as described in Example 7. The strength of the extrudates were measured on a TA.XT2 texture analyzer. The diameter change and amount of force required to break the extrudates are tabulated below:

		Bulk		Peak
OPTA Oat Fiber	Moisture	Density	Diameter (cm)	Force (kg)
(%)	(%)	(g/l)	(Change %)	(Change %)
0	8.9	217	9.23		4.80	(0)
1	7.5	210	9.22	(−0.1)	4.97	(3.5)
2	7.3	219	8.93	(−3.3)	6.41	(33.5)
4	6.9	200	8.25	(−10.6)	5.93	(12.3)
10	6.2	178	7.75	(−16.0)	6.59	(37.3)

EXAMPLE 9

[0047] Measurement of Strength of Corn Meal Extrudates Containing OPTA Oat Fiber

[0048] The corn meal extrudates containing varying amounts of OPTA™ oat fiber 780 were prepared as described in Example 7. The strength of the extrudates were measured on a TA.XT2 texture analyzer. The diameter change and amount of force required to break the extrudates are tabulated below:

OPTA		Bulk		Peak Force
Oat Fiber	Moisture	Density	Diameter (cm)	(kg)
(%)	(%)	(g/l)	(Change %)	(Change %)
0	4.8	93	12.26	(0)	1.42	(0)
2	4.5	86	11.74	(−4.2)	1.79	(26.1)

EXAMPLE 10

[0049] Flake Integrity Test

[0050] The ability of Opta™ Oat Fiber to reduce the fines in a flaked ready to eat (RTE) cereal was tested in bran flakes produced at Wenger Manufacturing, Inc.

[0051] The fines were measured by placing 100 g of the flaked cereal on a 35 mesh screen with four 1 inch ceramic balls. The flakes and the balls were shaken for 10 minutes and the weight of flakes remaining on the screen was determined. The fines were calculated by difference.

	+ Opta ™ Oat Fiber
		Control	A	B
	Ingredient	(% or g)	(% or g)	(% or g)
	Whole Wheat Flour	50.58	48.88	47.18
	Heavy Bran	34.00	34.00	34.00
	Sugar	7.12	7.12	7.12
	Water	4.27	4.27	4.27
	Barley Malt Extract	2.18	2.18	2.18
	Salt	1.43	1.43	1.43
	Caramel Color	0.42	0.42	0.42
	OPTA ™ Oat Fiber #780	—	1.70	3.40
	Total	100.00	100.00	100.00
	Finished Moisture (%)	2.9	3.0	3.4
	Fines (%)	7.3	7.1	5.2
	% Decrease in fines		3.0	29

EXAMPLE 11

[0052] Determination of Water Absorption of Fiber

[0053] The water absorption was determined by a modification of American Association of Cereal Chemists method 88-04. Instead of using 5 g of the test fiber and centrifuging at 2000 g, 3 g of the fiber was centrifuged at 1450 g (“Approved Methods of the American Association of Cereal Chemists, Eighth Edition, published by the Approved Methods Committee of the AACC).

Fiber                % Water Absorption
Opta ™ Oat Fiber 741 434 ± 17
Opta ™ Oat Fiber 770 601 ± 21
Opta ™ Oat Fiber 780 586 ± 17
Solka Floc ® 900 FCC 762 ± 10

[0054] Equivalents

[0055] Those skilled in the art will recognize, or be able to ascertain using no more than routine experimentation, many equivalents to the specific embodiments of the invention described herein. Such equivalents are intended to be encompassed in the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. An edible, fragile food product which is thin and prone to breakage selected from the group consisting of: taco shells, tortillas, edible wafer for frozen desserts and refrigerated novelties, flaked or extruded cereal, non-yeast leavened crackers and snack foods comprised of about 0.2% to 10% by weight insoluble oat or corn fiber strands which are about 100 to 800 microns in length, and do not adversely affect sensory or textural properties of the food product yet when present in the food product, the fibers improve the overall strength of the product and reduce breakage of the food product, compared to a food product which does not contain said fiber strands.

2. A food product material of claim 1 wherein the fiber is derived from a plant or microbial source and has a high content of insoluble dietary fiber.

3. A food product of claim 1 wherein the food product is a formulated food product.

4. A food product of claim 1 wherein the average length of the fiber is about 100 microns to about 450 microns.

5. An edible, fragile food product which is thin and prone to breakage selected from the group consisting of: taco shells, tortillas, edible wafer for frozen desserts and refrigerated novelties, flaked or extruded cereal, non-yeast leavened crackers and snack foods comprised of an insoluble oat or corn fiber wherein the length of the fiber is from about 100 to about 800 microns, in an amount from about 0.2 to about 10 percent by weight.

6. A method of improving the structural integrity of an edible, fragile food product which is thin and prone to breakage selected from the group consisting of: taco shells, tortillas, edible wafer for frozen desserts and refrigerated novelties, flaked or extruded cereal, non-yeast leavened crackers and snack foods comprising adding about 0.2% to 10% by weight long, insoluble oat or corn fiber strands which are about 100 to 800 microns in length, and do not adversely affect sensory or textural properties of the food product yet when present in the food product, the fibers thereby improve the overall strength of the food product, compared to the food product which does not contain said fiber strands.

7. A method of claim 6 wherein the fiber is derived from a plant or microbial source and has a high content of insoluble dietary fiber.

8. A method of claim 6 wherein the amount of fiber present in the food product is from about 1 to about 2 percent by weight.

9. A method of claim 6 wherein the length of fiber is from about 100 to about 800 microns.

10. A method of claim 9 wherein the average length of the fiber is about 100 microns to about 450 microns.

11. An edible, thin wafer for frozen desserts and refrigerated novelties comprised of about 0.2% to 10% by weight long, insoluble oat or corn fiber strands which are about 100 to 800 microns in length, and do not adversely affect sensory or textural properties of the food product yet when present in the edible wafer, the fibers improve the overall strength of the product and reduce breakage of the edible wafer compared to an edible wafer which does not contain said fiber strands.

12. An edible wafer material of claim 11 wherein the fiber is derived from a plant or microbial source and has a high content of insoluble dietary fiber.

13. An edible wafer of claim 11 wherein the amount of fiber present is from about 1 to about 2 weight percent.

14. An edible wafer of claim 11 wherein the edible wafer is shaped in wafer form, cone form or tubular form.

15. An edible wafer of claim 11 wherein the average length of the fiber is about 100 microns to about 450 microns.

16. An edible, thin wafer for frozen desserts and refrigerated novelties comprised of an insoluble oat or corn fiber wherein the length of the fiber is from about 100 to about 800 microns, in an amount from about 0.2 to about 10 percent by weight.

17. A method of improving the structural integrity of an edible, thin wafer for frozen desserts and refrigerated novelties, comprising addition of about 0.2% to about 10% by weight long, insoluble oat or corn fiber strands which are about 100 to 800 microns in length, and do not adversely affect sensory or textural properties of the food product yet when present in the edible wafer, the fibers thereby improve the structural integrity, and reduce breakage of the edible wafer compared to the edible wafer which does not contain said fiber strands.

18. A method of claim 17 wherein the fiber is derived from a plant or microbial source and has a high content of insoluble dietary fiber.

19. A method of claim 17 wherein the edible wafer is shaped in wafer form, cone form or tubular form.

20. A method of claim 17 wherein the average length of the fiber is about 100 microns to about 450 microns.

21. An edible, thin taco shell or tortilla comprised of about 0.2% to 10% by weight long, insoluble oat or corn fiber strands which are about 100 to 800 microns in length, and do not adversely affect sensory or textural properties of the taco shell or tortilla, yet when present in the taco shell or tortilla, the fibers improve the overall strength and reduce breakage of the taco shell or tortilla, compared to a taco shell or tortilla which does not contain said fiber strands.

22. A method of improving the structural integrity of an edible thin taco shell or tortilla, comprising addition of about 0.2% to about 10% by weight long, insoluble oat or corn fiber strands which are about 100 to 800 microns in length, and do not adversely affect sensory or textural properties of the taco shell or tortilla, yet when present in the taco shell or tortilla, the fibers thereby improve the structural integrity and reduce breakage of the taco shell or tortilla, compared to the taco shell or tortilla which does not contain said fiber strands.

23. An edible, fragile food product which is thin and prone to breakage selected from the group consisting of: taco shells, tortillas, edible wafer for frozen desserts and refrigerated novelties, flaked or extruded cereal, non-yeast leavened crackers and snack foods, comprised of about 0.2% to 10% by weight insoluble oat fiber strands which are about 100 to 800 microns in length, and do not adversely affect sensory or textural properties of the food product yet when present in the food product, the oat fibers improve the overall strength of the product and reduce breakage of the food product, compared to a food product which does not contain said oat fiber strands.

24. A method of improving the structural integrity of an edible, fragile food product which is thin and prone to breakage selected from the group consisting of: taco shells, tortillas, edible wafer for frozen desserts and refrigerated novelties, flaked or extruded cereal, non-yeast leavened crackers and snack foods, comprising adding about 0.2% to 10% by weight long, insoluble oat fiber strands which are about 100 to 800 microns in length, and do not adversely affect sensory or textural properties of the food product yet when present in the food product, the oat fibers thereby improve the overall strength of the food product, compared to the food product which does not contain said oat fiber strands.