Acid-oil dispersion coating for ready-to-eat cereal piece

1. A sour-coated cereal piece comprising a cereal piece and a sour coating on at least a portion of the cereal piece, wherein the sour coating comprises a solidified acid-oil dispersion composition that comprises an acid component that is dispersed in an oil component, wherein:

the acid component comprises particles that comprise one or more edible acids, wherein the acid component has a particle size distribution such that no more than about 1 wt % of the particles are retained on a No. 16 U.S.A. Standard Testing Sieve and no less than about 95 wt % of the particles pass through a No. 30 U.S.A. Standard Testing Sieve, and wherein the acid component is at an amount that is in a range of about 1 wt % to about 25 wt % of the acid-oil dispersion composition; and

the oil component comprises one or more edible oils/fats, wherein the oil component has a dropping point as determined according to AOCS Cc18-80 that is in a range of about 70° F. to about 150° F., and wherein the oil component is at an amount that is in a range of about 75 wt % to about 99 wt % of the acid-oil dispersion composition.

2. The sour-coated cereal piece of claim 1 , wherein:

the one or more edible acids are selected from the group consisting of citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, phosphoric acid, fumaric acid, and combinations thereof;

the one or more edible oils/fats are selected from the group consisting of hydrogenated coconut oil, hydrogenated palm kernel oil, and combinations thereof.

3. The sour-coated cereal piece of claim 1 , wherein the cereal piece comprises a grain-based core, and wherein the grain-based core is about 50 wt % to about 60 wt % of the sour-coated cereal piece, and the sour coating is about 5 wt % to about 15 wt % of the sour-coated cereal piece.

4. The sour-coated cereal piece of claim 3 , wherein the cereal piece further comprises a sweet coating on at least a portion of the grain-based core, wherein the sweet coating comprises sucrose, corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, or a combination thereof, and wherein the sweet coating is about 30 wt % to about 45 wt % of the sour-coated cereal piece.

5. The sour-coated cereal piece of claim 1 further comprising buffer particles adhered to at least a portion of the sour coating, wherein the buffer particles have a particle size distribution such that no more than about 5 wt % of the particles are retained on a No. 30 U.S.A. Standard Testing Sieve and no more than about 10 wt % of the particles pass through a No. 100 U.S.A. Standard Testing Sieve, wherein the buffer particles comprise a compound selected from the group consisting of trisodium citrate, trisodium phosphate, calcium citrate, and combinations thereof, and wherein the buffer particles are about 0.5 wt % to about 2 wt % of the sour-coated cereal piece.

6. The sour-coated cereal piece of claim 1 , wherein:

the particle size distribution of the acid component is such that no more than about 1 wt % of the particles are retained on a No. 100 U.S.A. Standard Testing Sieve and no less than about 95 wt % of the particles pass through a No. 200 U.S.A. Standard Testing Sieve;

the amount of the acid component is in a range of about 10 wt % to about 20 wt % of the acid-oil dispersion;

the one or more edible acids is citric acid;

the dropping point of the oil component is in a range of about 99° F. to about 106° F., and the amount of the oil component is in a range of about 80 wt % to about 90 wt % of the acid-oil dispersion composition;

the one or more edible oils/fats are a combination of hydrogenated coconut oil and hydrogenated palm kernel oil; and

the sour coating is about 5 wt % to about 15 wt % of the sour-coated cereal piece; and

the cereal piece comprises:

a grain-based core, wherein the grain-based core is about 50 wt % to about 60 wt % of the sour-coated cereal piece, wherein the grain-based core is a puff, wherein the grain of the grain-based core is a combination of corn, wheat, and oats; and

a sweet coating on at least a portion of the grain-based core, wherein the sweet coating comprises sucrose, and wherein the sweet coating is about 30 wt % to about 45 wt % of the sour-coated cereal piece; and

the sour-coated cereal piece further comprises buffer particles adhered to at least a portion of the sour coating, wherein the buffer particles have a particle size distribution such that no more than about 5 wt % of the particles are retained on a No. 30 U.S.A. Standard Testing Sieve and no more than about 10 wt % of the particles pass through a No. 100 U.S.A. Standard Testing Sieve, wherein the buffer particles comprise trisodium citrate, wherein the buffer particles are about 0.5 wt % to about 2 wt % of the sour-coated cereal piece.

7. A ready-to-eat cereal comprising a multiplicity of sour-coated cereal pieces, wherein each sour-coated cereal piece comprises a cereal piece and a sour coating on at least a portion of the cereal piece, wherein the sour coating comprises a solidified acid-oil dispersion composition that comprises an acid component that is dispersed in an oil component, wherein:

the acid component comprises particles that comprise one or more edible acids, wherein the acid component has a particle size distribution such that no more than about 1 wt % of the particles are retained on a No. 16 U.S.A. Standard Testing Sieve and no less than about 95 wt % of the particles pass through a No. 30 U.S.A. Standard Testing Sieve, and wherein the acid component is at an amount that is in a range of about 1 wt % to about 25 wt % of the acid-oil dispersion composition; and

the oil component comprises one or more edible oils/fats, wherein the oil component has a dropping point as determined according to AOCS Cc18-80 that is in a range of about 70° F. to about 150° F., and wherein the oil component is at an amount that is in a range of about 75 wt % to about 99 wt % of the acid-oil dispersion composition.

8. The ready-to-eat cereal of claim 7 consisting of the multiplicity of sour-coated cereal pieces.

9. The sour-coated cereal piece of claim 1 , wherein:

the one or more edible acids are selected from the group consisting of citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, phosphoric acid, fumaric acid, and combinations thereof; and

the one or more edible oils/fats are selected from the group consisting of hydrogenated coconut oil, hydrogenated palm kernel oil, and combinations thereof.

10. The ready-to-eat cereal of claim 7 , wherein:

the one or more edible acids are selected from the group consisting of citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, phosphoric acid, fumaric acid, and combinations thereof; and

the one or more edible oils/fats are selected from the group consisting of hydrogenated coconut oil, hydrogenated palm kernel oil, and combinations thereof.

11. A ready-to-eat to cereal product comprising

a cereal piece, and

a coating disposed over the cereal piece, wherein the coating comprises

about 75 wt % to about 99 wt % of an oil component phase; and

particles of one or more edible acids distributed throughout the oil component phase;

wherein the oil component has a dropping point as determined according to AOCS Cc18-80 that is in a range of about 70° F. to about 150° F.; and

wherein the acid component has a particle size distribution such that no more than about 1 wt % of the particles are retained on a No. 16 U.S.A. Standard Testing Sieve and no less than about 95 wt % of the particles pass through a No. 30 U.S.A. Standard Testing Sieve.