Making Cereal Fun, Healthful and Safe - Food Processing
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Special REPORT Making Cereal Fun, Healthful and Safe Comfy and Healthy Trends Power the Breakfast Cereal Market 2 Magnetic Separation and Metal Detection for Cereal Processors 5 Sponsored by
Food Pro cess in g: Spec ial REPORT
Comfy and Healthy Trends Power
the Breakfast Cereal Market
Those twin trends, effects of the pandemic, are keeping the category interesting and growing.
By Food Processing
p Long ago, breakfast cereal was their consumption habits veered “The study was really interesting
considered kids’ food. It was easy toward sweets and carbs. Cereal to us because it helped us wrap our
to serve, tasted good and filled that tastes like snack cakes? heads around the role of comfort
little stomachs quickly. Then Gobble it up! foods with the onset of COVID,”
cereal got serious. Granola, bran The Little Debbie cereal is just says Christine Cochran, execu-
flakes and other better-for-you one of many fun, sweet break- tive director of the Grain Foods
options started taking up space fast cereals hitting the market Foundation. “As more and more
on supermarket shelves, and since COVID struck. But that’s Americans have stayed home,
even children’s favorites started only part of the story: In reality, breakfast takes on more impor-
cutting sugar and chemical COVID also has accelerated the tance. So there’s less reaching for
food colorings. trend towards healthy cereal, the bar and more for the bowl.
With that trend in mind, how because health is on everyone’s “We’ve seen increased cereal
does one explain Kellogg’s Little mind. That means twin trends, sales and we’ve seen more inno-
Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies seemingly opposing, are driving vation, especially from companies
Cereal? In December, Kellogg the breakfast cereal market today. like Kellogg’s and General Mills,
partnered with McKee Foods to whether it’s diet-specific, like
create a cereal described in press COMFORT DURING keto-friendly, or more nostalgic
material as “crispy oatmeal cookie THE PANDEMIC trends. It all goes to this point of
flavored cereal pieces made with A recent study from the Grain convenient food loaded with nutri-
cinnamon, nutmeg and a hint of Foods Foundation (grainfoods- tion. You have a powerful mix of
molasses feature[ing] a sweet, foundation.org) showed that nutrition, nostalgia, comfort and
creme-y coating reminiscent of grain-based foods have been the affordability all in one bowl.”
those delightful pies, so each bite consumer choice for comfort Kellogg didn’t stop at Little
delivers the flavor of your favorite food during the pandemic. The Debbie Creme Pies when creat-
childhood snack.” study did not specifically focus on ing new lines – in February the
The Little Debbie cereal shows breakfast cereal, but the results company added Little Debbie
that comfort foods are in demand were clear: Consumers have pre- Cosmic Brownies cereal. And of
during the COVID era. As people ferred a carb-heavy breakfast course, Little Debbie isn’t the only
hunkered down in their homes diet such as ready-to-eat cereal childhood icon being drafted for
and grew bored with routine, during COVID. service in ready-to-eat cereals that
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Food Pro cess in g: Spec ial REPORT
RECENT CEREAL LAUNCHES RUN THE GAMUT FROM CHILDHOOD NOSTALGIA TO THE MIXING OF TWO OLD FAVORITES TO
ADULT-ORIENTED INGREDIENTS.
fit Cochran’s description of mixing parents who are struggling to find is not being ignored. In fact, a
nostalgia and comfort. foods that offer both the nutrition study of Amazon search behav-
Consider Sesame Street Cereal, and the fun flavors kids want.” ior of key cereal terms by Label
launched by General Mills in Another example of cereal Insight (www.labelinsight.com)
January. The cereal comes in two innovation (if you can call it found an intriguing mix of fun-re-
varieties – berry flavor with numer- that) is Kellogg’s limited-edition lated and health-related results.
al-shaped pieces and cinnamon Mash-Ups cereal, which combines On the fun side of the equa-
flavor with letter-shaped pieces Frosted Flakes and Froot Loops. tion, the Label Insight study
– and features bilingual short sto- The product, released in June 2020, found that searches for breakfast
ries on special flaps on the back of evidently appeals to cereal eaters cereal with coconut ingredients
the box. Naturally, the company who can’t make up their mind. or flavors jumped by 185% from
touts the product as educational, “Kellogg’s is always looking to the second to third quarters of
but parents who grew up watching innovate and deliver new experi- 2020, and searches for cereal with
Elmo and Cookie Monster frolic ences that our cereal fans desire,” blueberry flavor climbed 83%.
on that famous city block will enjoy said Erin Storm, senior marketing Regarding healthy cereal, searches
the memories. director of Kellogg All Family for high-protein cereal climbed by
“We are thrilled to team up Cereal. “As almost half of cereal 77% and searches for sugar-free
with Sesame Street to launch lovers mix cereals together, we cereal jumped 44%.
cereals with key nutrients, deli- wanted to make this two-in-one Some clever companies are
cious flavors and playful learning breakfast experience even easier.” mixing those trends. Consider
opportunities to make breakfast Off Limits (www.eatofflimits.
that much more meaningful for INNOVATION IN com), which launched two cereals
parents and kids alike,” said Hil- HEALTHFULNESS in July 2020: Dash and Zombie.
lary Balma, senior brand manager, The cozy, nostalgic movement Dash is a puffed rice cereal that
General Mills. “We know that might be grabbing headlines in the contains coffee extract and Intel-
breakfast can be challenging for cereal world these days, but health ligentsia-brand ground coffee;
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Food Pro cess in g: Spec ial REPORT
consequently, Dash eaters can
enjoy a bowl of cold brew coffee
once they finish the cereal.
Zombie is made of organic oat,
rice and coconut flour and flavored
with vanilla and pandan, a plant
from Southeast Asia often used
to flavor desserts. The company
doesn’t brag about the healthiness MAGIC SPOON USES FAMILIAR FLAVORS AND SHAPES BUT WITH MORE PROTEIN
AND FEWER CARBS.
of its cereals, but a quick scan
of the ingredient panels reveals and sourced the ingredients, but Another small innovator is
lots of organic ingredients and she still encountered challenges Magic Spoon (magicspoon.com).
zero unpronounceable chemi- getting started: “The high MOQs The company, launched in 2019,
cal additives. [minimum order quantities] of offers Peanut Butter, Frosted,
The Off Limits brand, whose manufacturing and lack of new Cocoa and Fruity varieties, all
motto is “break the rules, starting brands in the space create a with way more protein and way
with breakfast,” was founded by difficult environment for small fewer carbs than comparable
food writer Emily Elyse Miller. startups to break through.” big-brand cereals. They also have
“All the fun cereals were ‘off There are other small cereal zero sugar and are grain- and
limits’ to me growing up,” Miller companies that focus even more gluten-free.
says. “Not just because of high directly on creating healthy cereal. Many larger companies also
sugar but also artificial colors and For example, tiny Three Wishes create better-for-you cereals, of
ingredients. The market was beg- Cereal (threewishescereal.com) course. For example, Kashi, a
ging for a playful brand to unite launched two new varieties in Kellogg brand, recently launched
the worlds of fun, flavor and good- 2020/21 – Cocoa and Fruity. Like Kashi Go Keto-Friendly Cereal,
for-you ingredients. That’s where the company’s other three varieties, which is grain-free and features
Off Limits comes in.” these are grain-free, so they are suit- 12g of plant-based protein and
Miller, who is the author of able for gluten-intolerant consumers. just 1g of sugar. It uses monk
“Breakfast: A Cookbook,” says They also are vegan, kosher, pea- fruit for sweetness and pumps
her food background helped her nut-free, low-fat and high-protein. up the fiber content with chicory
when she developed the flavors Good for you and safe. root fiber.
U.S. national survey data from 2001-2012
found that breakfast cereals are one of the
top two biggest sources of whole grains
in the diet for both kids and adults
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Food Pro cess in g: Spec ial REPORT
Grain-free has been a trend “Breakfast cereals are an import- minerals, phytochemicals and other
over the past few years, but not ant contributor of whole grains in healthy plant compounds.”
all manufacturers eschew grains. the U.S. diet,” says Kelly Toups, It’s no surprise that companies are
Some brands are striving to make director of nutrition for the Oldways wrestling for space on the breakfast
the most of grains in their cereal Whole Grains Council (wholegrain- table. The Global Breakfast Cereals
by incorporating whole grains scouncil.org). “U.S. national survey Industry report, released in July
instead of processed grains. data from 2001-2012 found that 2020, predicted worldwide sales of
For example, Kellogg launched breakfast cereals are one of the top cereal of nearly $41 billion in 2020,
three whole-grain cereals in 2020: two biggest sources of whole grains growing to nearly $50 billion by
Frosted Mini-Wheats Cinna- in the diet for both kids and adults. 2027. The U.S. accounts for about a
mon Roll, Special K Blueberry “Although some snack foods quarter of the world’s consumption.
and Raisin Bran Toasted Oats & or cereals might be fortified with With that kind of money at play,
Honey. Whole-grain wheat fea- added vitamins or have isolated cereal manufacturers will not slow
tures prominently in the first two fibers added to them,” Toups con- in their quest to meet consumer
and whole-grain oats in the Raisin tinues, “by instead choosing foods desires. The twin trends of fun/
Bran. It might be a stretch to call made with whole grains, [consum- innovative cereals and healthy
these sweetened cereals “healthy,” ers] are getting the full benefits that cereals will most likely continue.
but the use of whole grains whole grains have to offer, including After all, fun and health never go
is noteworthy. not just fiber, but also important out of style. p
Magnetic Separation and Metal Detection for
Cereal Processors
By Bunting Magnetics
p Metal contamination in cereal remain in cereal throughout the
products poses a significant risk to manufacturing process.
manufacturers and consumers. If To achieve optimal removal of
HEAVY DUTY GRATE MAGNET
metal contamination is present in a metal contamination, it is rec-
final cereal product, a consumer may ommended that food processors non-ferrous, and stainless steel metal
be harmed, and the manufacturer’s install a comprehensive system that contaminants. Certain magnetic
brand reputation will be signifi- incorporates magnetic separation as separation and metal detection
cantly harmed as well. Additionally, well as metal detection. Magnetic equipment is best installed at differ-
metal contamination can cause separation removes ferrous metal ent key points in the processing line
extensive damage to other equip- contaminants, while metal detectors to provide maximum protection of
ment in a facility if it is allowed to are able to detect and remove ferrous, equipment and reduce downtime.
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Food Pro cess in g: Spec ial REPORT
When processing raw bulk grain
material for use in cereal products,
magnetic separation must be intro-
duced at the earliest stage possible.
As raw bulk grain material enters a
plant from a truck or rail car, there
is a high likelihood that there is
metal contamination hidden within
it. The contamination is typically
ferrous metal, originating from
machinery or stray nuts, bolts, etc.,
that may have broken off or other-
HUMP AND DRUM MAGNETS
wise entered the raw material. If
material is being unloaded from a material to flow over the rotating Installing magnetic separation
vehicle by a gravity free-fall mech- face of the drum, which helps to equipment at this point is critical,
anism, a heavy-duty grate magnet dislodge non-metallic product as bulk metal contamination not
may be placed directly where mate- from the magnetic materials being removed at this early stage in the
rial is being unloaded. If material extracted. Gravity free fall metal process can cause severe damage
is being pneumatically conveyed, detectors, particularly cowbell style to other equipment in a process-
a pneumatic inline magnet and a metal detectors, are also suitable ing facility. Bulk materials such
pneumatic metal detector may be for installation at this point and as flour, oats, or other grains are
placed at the equivalent earliest will be able to detect and remove processed through a sifter shortly
stage in transport. ferrous, non-ferrous, and stainless after they arrive in a facility so that
After material enters a facility, steel contamination. debris such as stones, twigs, and
it is conveyed to large incoming other large items are removed while
storage bins. To prevent metal smaller sized cereal grains pass
contamination from entering these through screens unhindered. While
storage sites, a hump magnet or screens and sieves may capture
drum magnet may be placed directly large pieces of metal contamina-
prior to the entrance of these stor- tion, smaller metal particles will
age units. These large, heavy-duty easily pass through the fine mesh of
magnetic separators are excellent the screen. Large metal pieces also
for flowing high volume product. have the potential to cause metal-
Hump magnets are uniquely ben- on-metal wear and abrasion to the
eficial because they are designed screens or sieves, causing them to
to break up material as it flows deteriorate and their parts to break
through the chute and over the plate off. Installing a magnetic separator
magnet housed within, reducing prior to the sifting step signifi-
the problem of bridging, choking, cantly reduces the risk of damage
and build up. Drum magnets allow QUICKTRON 05 COWBELL to your screens.
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Food Pro cess in g: Spec ial REPORT
After raw materials have been Once material has been ground, Metal contamination may also
initially processed and brought into it enters the extruder where the enter a cereal product from other
the plant, the process to turn them cooking process takes place. Once ingredients. Common ingredients
into a cereal product begins. The material has been cooked within added to cereal mixtures include nuts
most common method used in this the extruder, it is forced outwards and dried fruits, and both possess
process is extrusion, which forces through the die by the extruder’s similar risks of encountering con-
soft blended ingredients through an rotating screw. This die is respon- tamination. Additional ingredients
opening with a perforated plate or sible for creating the shape of the must be subject to the same stan-
die that produces the correct shape. cereal product. If metal contami- dards of rigorous metal contaminant
The product then goes on to be cut nation remains present in material removal as base grain ingredients.
by blades to a specific size. that has entered an extruder, there is As you can see, a failure to
The first step in the extrusion the risk that contaminant particles remove metal contamination at
process is for raw materials to be will damage the die of the extruder. even a single critical point leads to a
ground down to an appropriate If the die comes into contact with domino effect that results in greater
particle size, typically similar to metal contamination, it can become and greater amounts of metal con-
a coarse flour consistency. Before damaged and continuously degrade tamination entering a processing
After raw materials have been initially processed
and brought into the plant, the process to
turn them into a cereal product begins.
material is allowed to pass through over time, leading to additional system. This ultimately results in
a grinder, it is important that it first metal contamination entering extensive damage to equipment,
passes through a magnetic separator cereal as it is extruded. This leads profit and productivity lost as a
or metal detector, as any hidden to a compromised product shape, result of downtime, and damage to a
metal contamination in the raw an interruption to the process, and manufacturer’s brand name and rep-
material can damage the grinder. A a risk for continued damage down utation should a customer consume
grinder coming into contact with the line. a contaminated product.
metal contamination risks damage After being extruded, material Placing magnetic separation and
as metal-on-metal wear occurs will then be cut into the desired metal detection equipment must
between the grinder and the con- size. If metal contamination is pres- occur at the most critical process
taminant metal fragments. For this ent in the extruded material, this points. For the most rigorous
reason, it is strongly recommended contamination can damage the cut- standard of metal contaminant
that raw material pass through a ting blade and, again, lead to more removal, it is best to place magnetic
magnetic separator or metal detector metal contamination continuously separators and metal detectors
prior to entering a grinder. entering the product. before and after key processing
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Food Pro cess in g: Spec ial REPORT
Placing magnetic separation and metal
detection equipment must occur at
the most critical process points.
equipment such as extruders. Magnetic separation and metal with a small amount of good prod-
Magnetic separators are most detection equipment is typically uct. Many companies today install
critical early on in the process, as unobtrusive, and integrates easily magnetic separators ahead of metal
they excel at removing the ferrous into an existing process line. Select- detectors to reduce the amount of
contamination most associated ing equipment depends on various good product rejected. Depend-
with ingredients that have not yet factors, such as whether the other ing on the way material is being
undergone extensive processing. equipment in the facility is primarily conveyed, pneumatic and gravity
Metal detectors are highly valuable constructed of stainless steel metal free-fall magnetic separators and
due to their ability to detect stain- or ferrous metal. For example, if the metal detectors are both available
less steel, which is a predominant majority of a plant’s equipment is for manufacturers to install. p
material used in food processing stainless steel, metal detectors will
equipment. Installing magnetic be recommended over magnetic BUNTING IS a leader in the food process-
separators and metal detectors at separators. Another factor is the ing industry, providing the highest quality of
multiple points in a processing retention of good product. Magnetic magnetic separation and metal detection
line not only removes contamina- separators remove only the ferrous equipment. The company offers extensive
tion, but can also provide valuable metal contamination, with little if custom design options for equipment, as
insight to places in a processing any waste of product. Metal detec- well as comprehensive ongoing customer
line where equipment may be dete- tors use a reject mechanism that support. To learn more, please call 316-
riorating or failing. will reject the contaminant along 284-2020 or visit buntingmagnetics.com.
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METAL CONTAMINATION IS NEVER PART
OF A BALANCED BREAKFAST.
Heavy-Duty Grate Magnet Hump Magnet Magnetic Drum Separator Center-Flow Magnet quickTRON™ 05 Cowbell pTRON™ 07 Pneumatic Style meTRON™ 07 CI Metal Detector
Metal Detector with DCM Conveyor
Keep metal contamination OUT of your cereals by Contact us and learn more today.
choosing BUNTING for your magnetic separation
and metal detection equipment needs. 800.835.2526 or 316-284-2020
Newton@BuntingMagnetics.com
BUNTINGMAGNETICS.COM
BUNTINGMAGNETICS.COM
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