MINNEAPOLIS — General Mills, Inc. has published a patent that involves reducing sugar in the coating of ready-to-eat cereal without affecting the cereal’s taste, texture, appearance and bowl life. The cereal is prepared by coating dried cereal base pieces or food pieces with a reduced-sugar composition comprising maltotriose and maltotetrose in full or partial substitution for sucrose. A high-intensity sweetener also is used in the coating, according to patent No. US 2017/0188610 A1 published on July 6 and found here.
High-intensity sweeteners and corn syrups or corn syrup solids are used now to replace or reduce sugar in cereal coatings, but the coatings may lack certain physical and organoleptic attributes found in sugar-based coatings, according to the patent. The products, for example, may lack bite or crispness as well as bowl life. They may require special packaging to minimize water absorption.
