US 12,256,769 B2
Retortable gluten-free pasta
Diana Lee Kittleson, Golden Valley, MN (US); Christine S. T. Ng, Golden Valley, MN (US); and Steven C. Robie, Golden Valley, MN (US)
Assigned to General Mills, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US)
Appl. No. 16/480,934
Filed by General Mills, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US)
PCT Filed Jan. 27, 2017, PCT No. PCT/US2017/015326
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 25, 2019,
PCT Pub. No. WO2018/140031, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 2, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2019/0387774 A1, Dec. 26, 2019
Int. Cl. A23L 7/113 (2016.01); A23L 3/10 (2006.01); A23L 11/00 (2021.01); A23L 23/00 (2016.01); A23P 30/20 (2016.01)
CPC A23L 7/113 (2016.08) [A23L 3/10 (2013.01); A23L 11/05 (2016.08); A23L 23/00 (2016.08); A23P 30/20 (2016.08); A23V 2002/00 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A process for preparing a retorted product comprising:
preparing a dough mixture by admixing a gluten-free flour with water to form an extrudable pasta dough;
extruding the extrudable pasta dough at a temperature and with an amount of mechanical energy effective to form an extruded pasta product having a bi-continuous matrix of protein and starch, wherein extruding the extrudable pasta dough comprises heating the extrudable pasta dough to an extruder die exit temperature ranging from 70 degrees Celsius to 85 degrees Celsius, injecting an amount of steam into the extrudable pasta dough that is greater than 5 weight percent of a weight of the extrudable pasta dough, and imparting at least 18 Wh/kg of specific mechanical energy into the extrudable pasta dough;
incorporating the extruded pasta product into a closed container; and
retorting the extruded pasta product in the closed container, thereby producing a product containing retorted pasta.