IP Library Granted Patent US 7,416,755
Granted Patent B2
US 7,416,755 · App. 11/137,757 · Granted Aug 26, 2008

Rice-based snack chip and method of making same

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,416,755
App. No.
11/137,757
Granted
Aug 26, 2008
Kind
B2
Abstract

A rice-based snack chip made from a dough including the dry ingredients of bumped rice kernels, long-grain pregelatinized rice flour, medium-grain course white rice flour and in which the bumped rice kernels are partially hydrated, bumped, partially dehydrated and fried as the chip is made.

Claims (39)

1. A process for making a fried, crisp, rice-based commercial snack chip comprising:

forming a dough from dry materials of which a major component by dry weight is the combination of pregelatinized long-gram rice flour, medium-gram coarse rice flour and bumped rice wherein said dough can be sheeted on known sheeting equipment without substantial sticking;

sheeting the dough on known sheeting equipment;

cutting the sheeted dough into chip-size pieces;

partially dehydrating the chip-size pieces; and

frying the chip-size pieces to obtain a crisp snack chip having expanded bumped rice that has a structure different than crisp rice.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein parbaking the chip-size pieces reduces the moisture content of the chip-size pieces.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the sheeted dough is between 1/16 and ⅛ inch thick.

4. A process for making a rice-based snack chip from dry materials and water wherein a major component, based on weight of such dry materials, is pregelatinized long-grain rice flour, medium-grain coarse rice flour and bumped rice, comprising:

frying chip-size pieces of a sheeted dough made from such dry materials after the chip-size pieces are first partially dehydrated, which results in a crisp snack chip including expanded bumped rice that does not have the same structure as crisp rice.

5. The process of claim 4 wherein the chip-sized pieces of sheeted dough are between 1/16 and ⅛ inch thick.

6. A process for making a fried rice-based commercial snack chip product comprising:

forming a dough from water and dry materials which comprise pregelatinized long-grain rice flour, bumped rice, and medium-grain coarse rice flour, wherein rice comprises a major component by weight of the dry materials of the dough and the dough can be sheeted on known sheeting equipment having rollers without the dough sticking to the rollers; comprising:

sheeting the dough on known sheeting equipment having rollers;

cutting the sheeted dough into chip-size pieces;

partially dehydrating the chip-size pieces; and

frying the chip-size pieces; wherein said bumped rice is hydrated when the dough is formed; rebumped when the dough is sheeted; partially dehydrated when the dough is parbaked; and transformed into expanded rebumped bumped rice having a structure different than crisp rice when the parbaked chip-size dough pieces are fried.

7. A process for making a rice-based snack chip dough comprising:

mixing water with dry materials wherein rice is a major component by weight of the dry materials of the dough and comprise pregelatinized long-grain rice flour, medium-grain coarse rice flour and bumped rice in amounts sufficient to allow the dough to be sheeted on known sheeting equipment having rollers without sticking to the rollers.

8. A process for making a rice-based snack chip comprising:

mixing rice products including bumped rice kernels with other dry materials to form a dry mixture wherein rice products comprise a major component by weight of said dry mixture;

hydrating the dry mixture and the bumped rice kernels to form a dough;

sheeting the dough and rebumping the hydrated bumped rice kernels within the dough;

partially dehydrating the sheeted dough and the rebumped bumped rice kernels; and

frying the partially dehydrated sheeted dough, causing the partially dehydrated rebumped bumped rice kernels to expand but have a structure different than crisp rice.

9. The process of claim 8 wherein the dry materials comprise pregelatinized long-grain rice flour and medium-grain coarse rice flour in quantities sufficient to prevent or substantially reduce sticking of the dough on known processing equipment.

10. The process of claim 8 wherein the sheeted dough is between 1/16 and ⅛ inch thick.

11. A process for making a snack chip comprising:

mixing bumped rice kernels with dry materials to provide a dry mixture;

hydrating the dry mixture including the bumped rice kernels to form a dough;

sheeting the dough and rebumping the hydrated bumped rice kernels within the dough;

cutting the dough into chip-sized pieces;

partially dehydrating the chip-sized pieces including the rebumped bumped rice kernels; and

frying the partially dehydrated chip-sized pieces, causing the partially dehydrated rebumped bumped rice kernels to expand but have a structure different than crisp rice.

12. The process of claim 11 wherein the dry materials comprise rice flour.

13. A process for making a snack chip comprising:

mixing bumped rice kernels with dry materials to provide a dry mixture;

hydrating the dry mixture including the bumped rice kernels to form a dough;

processing the dough to form a snack chip whereby the bumped rice kernels are caused to expand but have a structure different than crisp rice.

Assignments (25)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 21, 2018
From: SNACK ALLIANCE, INC.
To: WHOLESOME GOODNESS, LLC
Reel/Frame 045864/0245 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 9, 2018
From: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCATION
To: SNACK ALLIANCE, INC.
Reel/Frame 045752/0827 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 9, 2018
From: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: SNACK ALLIANCE, INC.
Reel/Frame 045752/0718 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 9, 2018
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, AS SUCCESSOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORPORATION
To: SNACK ALLIANCE, INC.
Reel/Frame 045752/0988 →
FIRST LIEN SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 30, 2014
From: SHEARER'S FOODS, LLC; SNACK ALLIANCE, INC.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 033256/0143 →
SECOND LIEN SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 30, 2014
From: SHEARER'S FOODS, LLC; SNACK ALLIANCE, INC.
To: CREDIT SUISSE AG, CAYMAN ISLANDS BRANCH, AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 033256/0341 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 1, 2012
From: SNACK ALLIANCE, INC.
To: U.S. BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 029229/0134 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Oct 31, 2012
From: SNACK ALLIANCE, INC.
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC CAPITAL CORPORATION, AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 029217/0787 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY AGREEMENT RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME 024170/0396 Recorded Oct 30, 2012
From: PROSPECT CAPITAL CORPORATION
To: SNACK ALLIANCE, INC.
Reel/Frame 029217/0348 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY AGREEMENT RECORDED AT REEL/FRAME 024170/0327 Recorded Oct 30, 2012
From: JEFFRIES FINANCE LLC
To: SNACK ALLIANCE, INC.
Reel/Frame 029217/0355 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Apr 8, 2010
From: HSBC CAPITAL (CANADA) INC.
To: SNACK ALLIANCE, INC.
Reel/Frame 024202/0250 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 5, 2010
From: GRELL FARMS LLC
To: SNACK ALLIANCE, INC.
Reel/Frame 024183/0577 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 2, 2010
From: WELLS FARGO BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION, ACTING THROUGH ITS WELLS FARGO BUSINESS CREDIT OPERATING DIVISION
To: SNACK ALLIANCE, INC.
Reel/Frame 024180/0685 →
TERMINATION & RELEASE OF AMENDED & RESTATED LIMITED SECURITY AGREEMENT (PATENTS & TRADEMARKS) Recorded Apr 1, 2010
From: NALLEY'S CANADA LIMITED
To: SNACK ALLIANCE, INC.
Reel/Frame 024170/0599 →
GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN US PATENTS Recorded Apr 1, 2010
From: SNACK ALLIANCE, INC.
To: JEFFERIES FINANCE LLC, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 024170/0327 →
GRANT OF SECURITY INTEREST IN US PATENTS Recorded Apr 1, 2010
From: SNACK ALLIANCE, INC.
To: PROSPECT CAPITAL CORPORATION, AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 024170/0396 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 20, 2009
From: SNACK ALLIANCE, INC.
To: NALLEY'S CANADA LIMITED
Reel/Frame 023124/0839 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE CONVEYANCE TYPE TO READ A SECURITY AGREEMENT NOT AN ASSIGNMENT PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 023032 FRAME 0582. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Aug 20, 2009
From: SNACK ALLIANCE, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BUSINESS CREDIT
Reel/Frame 023119/0663 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 20, 2009
From: SNACK ALLIANCE, INC.
To: GRELL FARMS, LLC
Reel/Frame 023119/0705 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 7, 2009
From: SNACK ALLIANCE INC.
To: HSBC CAPITAL (CANADA) INC.
Reel/Frame 023065/0152 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 3, 2009
From: SNACK ALLIANCE, INC.
To: WELLS FARGO BUSINESS CREDIT
Reel/Frame 023032/0582 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 14, 2009
From: GRELL FARMS, LLC
To: SNACK ALLIANCE, INC.
Reel/Frame 022951/0395 →
OPTION Recorded Jun 26, 2008
From: GRELL FARMS, LLC
To: SNACK ALLIANCE, INC.
Reel/Frame 021147/0809 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 26, 2008
From: GORSKI, RICHARD
To: GRELL, LARRY R.
Reel/Frame 021155/0162 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 26, 2008
From: GRELL, LARRY
To: GRELL FARMS LLC
Reel/Frame 021155/0232 →
Continuity (2)
Division 1011397200 · Mar 29, 2002
Related Publication 20050220963A1 · Oct 6, 2005