Apparatus and method for producing flake-like cereal without the use of a flaking mill

1. A system including a cooking extruder, a food material, and an extruded food material having a slice thickness, the system comprising:

a food material;

a cooking extruder configured to extrude the food material into an extruded food material having a slice thickness;

a die connected to the cooking extruder comprised of at least one orifice; the at least one orifice comprising:

an inlet including a first flow channel configured to accept the food material, the first flow channel surrounded by a hollow jacket for circulating cooling medium;

a breaker screen connected to the inlet and comprised of one or more holes;

wherein the first flow channel and the hollow jacket for circulating the cooling medium are positioned upstream of the breaker screen;

an expansion chamber connected to the breaker screen, wherein the expansion chamber has an expansion chamber cross-sectional area;

an exit orifice connected to the expansion chamber and configured to output the food material, wherein the exit orifice has an exit orifice cross-sectional area and wherein the food material outputs the exit orifice at a temperature between 250 degrees Fahrenheit and 350 degrees Fahrenheit;

a cutting knife assembly at the exit orifice configured to cut the food material at a rate to create a slice thickness, wherein the cutting knife assembly cuts the food material at a rate such that the slice thickness is less than a size of one or more vapor bubbles within the food material; and

a sliced food material extruded and cut from the cooking extruder wherein the sliced food material has a thickness smaller than a diameter of vapor bubbles within the food material.

2. The extruder system of claim 1 , wherein the exit orifice cross-sectional area is less than the expansion chamber cross-sectional area.

3. The extruder system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more holes include a hole cross-sectional area and the combined hole cross-sectional area of all holes in the breaker screen is less than the expansion chamber cross-sectional area.

4. The extruder system of claim 1 , wherein the cooking extruder heats the food material to a temperature greater than 212 degrees Fahrenheit.

5. The extruder system of claim 1 , wherein the cooking extruder mixes water with the food material and the food material includes a moisture content.

6. The extruder system of claim 5 , wherein the moisture content is less than 20 percent.

7. The extruder system of claim 5 , wherein the moisture content is between 14 and 17 percent.

8. The extruder system of claim 1 , wherein a toaster oven is connected to the cooking extruder and configured to accept the food material cut by the cutting knife assembly.