Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets 1 (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jan. 25, 2012	Jan. 26, 2011	Jan. 25, 2012	Jan. 26, 2011	Apr. 27, 2011
Finite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross	$ 839,440,000		$ 839,440,000		$ 898,977,000
Accumulated Amortization	(373,103,000)		(373,103,000)		(385,947,000)
Net	466,337,000		466,337,000		513,030,000
Intangible assets not subject to amortization	1,021,900,000		1,021,900,000		1,085,700,000
Finite Lived Intangible Assets (Textuals) [Abstract]
Amortization expense for trademarks and other intangible assets	7,500,000	7,000,000	24,400,000	20,800,000
Future amortization expense for finite-lived intangible assets			30,000,000
Trademarks [Member]
Finite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross	279,956,000		279,956,000		297,020,000
Accumulated Amortization	(85,476,000)		(85,476,000)		(83,343,000)
Net	194,480,000		194,480,000		213,677,000
Intangible assets not subject to amortization	886,200,000		886,200,000		942,500,000
Licenses [Member]
Finite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross	208,186,000		208,186,000		208,186,000
Accumulated Amortization	(162,515,000)		(162,515,000)		(158,228,000)
Net	45,671,000		45,671,000		49,958,000
Intangible assets not subject to amortization	19,700,000		19,700,000		20,700,000
Recipes/processes [Member]
Finite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross	88,674,000		88,674,000		90,553,000
Accumulated Amortization	(34,567,000)		(34,567,000)		(31,988,000)
Net	54,107,000		54,107,000		58,565,000
Intangible assets not subject to amortization	116,000,000		116,000,000		122,500,000
Customer-related assets [Member]
Finite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross	213,388,000		213,388,000		224,173,000
Accumulated Amortization	(64,709,000)		(64,709,000)		(57,555,000)
Net	148,679,000		148,679,000		166,618,000
Other [Member]
Finite Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Gross	49,236,000		49,236,000		79,045,000
Accumulated Amortization	(25,836,000)		(25,836,000)		(54,833,000)
Net	$ 23,400,000		$ 23,400,000		$ 24,212,000