STEAM•CRUSHED WHOLE GRAINS

• US Patent No. 7,704,541 (Apr. 27, 2010), R. Westercamp, assigned to General Mills, Inc., Minneapolis, MN.

A steam-crushed whole grain reduces the wetting time necessary prior to use of a whole-grain baking ingredient. A wholegrain kernel is formed into a whole-grain flake. As the flake is formed, it is exposed to steam so that the interior starch portion of the flake is heated by penetration of the steam through the fractures of the flake. As the interior starch portion is heated, the flake is partially gelatinized within a range of 15 to 35%. The partially gelatinized grain is then milled and crushed for use as a baking ingredient. Prior to use, the partially gelatinized whole-grain baking ingredient is wetted for a time less than four hours as is typically recommended for traditionally processed whole grains.