Principal author of the introduction and sections on the process, phase I and phase II coating, and particulate applications, Robert E. Burns; on formulation, Robert B. Fast and Wilf H. Jones.
Robert E. Burns, Elwood F. Caldwell, Robert B. Fast, and Wilf H. Jones
Breakfast Cereals and How They are Made, Second Edition
Pages 279-313
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1094/1891127152.007
ISBN: 1-891127-15-2
Abstract
In the early days of the breakfast cereal industry, pioneer manufacturers depended on consumers to liven up the flavor of cereal in their bowls by topping off their flakes, granules, shreds, or oatmeal with sugar or honey and more sophisticated flavor and texture additives, such as blueberries, nuts, or maple syrup. The list was limited only by the consumer's imagination. However, it was not long before these variations gave birth to prepackaged product extensions, starting with presweetened flakes or puffs and subsequently resulting in the marketing of literally hundreds of topically coated products.
In many cases, the addition of a topical coating allows the leveraging of an established brand toward a new marketing segment. From frosted to cocoa to fruit-flavored, the capability of utilizing the same base product to create a new product improves the chances of success while reducing initial development and marketing cost.
Whereas the application of heavy sugarcoatings or fruit flavors is obvious to the consumer, other reasons exist for topical applications to RTE breakfast cereals:
- The need to fortify nutritionally can be a critical step in meeting nutritional standards required by government regulations or by the marketplace, especially where the cereal may be regarded as a complete meal;
- Encapsulation of the cereal pieces may be needed to extend the “bowl life” or crunchy texture as the product is consumed after adding milk; and
- The addition of antioxidants may be necessary for the extension of shelf life (especially of products containing added nut pieces).
Any given product may require a multistage coating process—for example, a light oil spray for texture followed by a sugarcoating followed in turn by drying to reestablish a sufficiently low product moisture. A further vitamin and mineral spray and one of concentrated flavor plus the addition of nuts coated with antioxidant could all occur prior to packaging. A further challenge is represented by the need for the design of the system to be robust enough for it to function 16–24 hr daily for up to six days a week.
Incorporation of the components listed above prior to processing or forming of the product pieces (such as by puffing, flaking, or extrusion) would typically result in nutritional or flavor deterioration as a result of the high pressures and temperatures encountered. For such incorporation before processing, either overapplication or limitation to heat-stable additives would be necessary. Moreover, if added topically rather than incorporated in the base product, sugar or sugar syrups and flavors, especially cocoa and fruit flavors, dissolve more quickly and thoroughly in added milk, which can improve sensory acceptance.
In this chapter, we describe and explain a number of techniques and details of coating processes associated with the topical application of both liquid and dry coatings to breakfast cereals.
