Process for preparing puffed cereal product

Claim 1

A PROCESS OF PREPARING A PUFFED READY-TO-EAT FOOD PRODUCT WHICH COMPRISES PREPARING A MOIST KNEADED DOUGH OF FARINACEOUS MATERIAL HAVING SUFFICIENT MOISTURE TO PERMIT SHAPEING INTO WELL DEFINED SHAPES AND CONTAINING A MAJORITY OF STARCH-CONTAINING MATERIAL WHEREIN THE STARCH IS UNGELATINIZED AND A MINORITY OF STARCH-CONTAINING MATERIAL WHEREIN THE STARCH IS PRESENT AT 5-30% OF THE FARINACEOUS MATERIAL AND IS GELATINIZED, FORMING SAID DOUGH INTO PIECES HAVING WELL DEFINED SHAPES, DRYING SAID PIECES TO A MOISTURE CONTENT OF AT LEAST 3% AND HIGH ENOUGH TO PERMIT GUN-PUFFING TO PRODUCE A PRODUCT SHAPE SEVERAL TIMES ITS ORIGINAL SIZE, SAID MOISTURE CONTENT BEING BELOW 15% BY WEIGHT OF THE DOUGH PIECES, AND THEN PUFFING THE PIECES BY SUBJECTING THEM WHILE AT A TEMPERATURE ABOVE THAT AT WHICH STEAM CONDENSES TO HEAT AND HIGH PRESSURE FOR A PERIOD SUFFICIENT TO DEVELOP POSITIVE STEAM PRESSURE AND SUDDENLY DISCHARGING THEM TO AN AREA OF LOWER PRESSURE, THE PIECES BEING PUFFED TO PROVIDE CRUNCHY CELLULAR PRODUCTS SEVERAL TIMES LARGER THAN THEIR ORIGINAL SHAPE WHILE BEING A FAITHFUL REPRODUCTION OF SAID ORIGINAL SHAPE.