Abstract: An improved production process for preparing parfried and frozen French fry potato products with reduced crumb generation particularly upon finish preparation as by finish frying. Potato products such as French fry strips are cut, blanched and parfried, followed by a water treatment step as by applying a light spray or mist of water at ambient temperature and preferably at a rate selected to avoid any substantial overspray. The potato products are frozen for shipment and/or storage awaiting finish preparation. Upon finish preparation as by finish frying in hot oil, the potato products exhibit substantially reduced crumb generation. The improved process is particularly useful when parfrying and/or finish frying the potato products in a liquid or substantially non-hydrogenated oil, such as a zero grams Trans Fat (ZGTF) oil, with dramatically reduced crumb generation upon finish fry preparation while retaining a substantially optimized balance of sensory characteristics.

Abstract: A system and process for producing an agglomerated potato product from dried flakes and/or granules, and pre-blended dry and wet ingredients. The system and process include pre-blending of dry and wet ingredients such as salt, powdered milk, butter flavors, with warm water and/or oil, followed by mixing with dry potato flakes or the like to produce an agglomerated potato product having a crumbly consistency. This product is delivered by an auger to a conveyor for passage beneath a rotary driven roller for converting the product into a thin layer of small agglomerate type particles which are then delivered to a fluidized bed dryer for reducing the moisture content of the agglomerated potato product to about 6-8%. The resultant dried, agglomerated potato product has a generally granular consistency and is suitable for long-term storage preparatory to finish preparation by water addition to provide a flavorful potato product.

Abstract: Potato pieces such as cut potato chunks are pre-processed by blanching, parfrying and freezing, followed by a surface-coating step wherein the potato pieces are coated with a blend of oil and lecithin. In a preferred form, the oil-lecithin blend comprises about 95% weight oil such as a soybean-based salad oil, and about 5% weight soybean-based lecithin. This oil-lecithin blend is applied to the pre-processed potato pieces as by spraying to achieve a product weight increase of from about 2% to about 8%. Such surface-coated frozen potato pieces are adapted for finish preparation by microwave heating, with the finish-prepared pieces exhibiting substantial and desirable external surface crispness in combination with clean and natural potato flavor.

Abstract: An improved production process for preparing parfried and frozen French fry potato products with reduced crumb generation particularly upon finish preparation as by finish frying. Potato products such as French fry strips are cut, blanched and parfried, followed by a water treatment step as by applying a light spray or mist of water at ambient temperature and preferably at a rate selected to avoid any substantial overspray. The potato products are frozen for shipment and/or storage awaiting finish preparation. Upon finish preparation as by finish frying in hot oil, the potato products exhibit substantially reduced crumb generation. The improved process is particularly useful when parfrying and/or finish frying the potato products in a liquid or substantially non-hydrogenated oil, such as a zero grams Trans Fat (ZGTF) oil, with dramatically reduced crumb generation upon finish fry preparation while retaining a substantially optimized balance of sensory characteristics.

Abstract: An improved pancake die is provided for use in a pancake production system for producing pancakes having a highly uniform weight but exhibiting a substantially random peripheral shape reflective of a desirable homemade appearance. The pancake die comprises a cavity of selected geometric shape formed in a reciprocal die plate adapted for movement between a first position underlying a batter reservoir for filling the die cavity with batter, and a second position underlying a discharge plunger for pushing the formed pancake from the die cavity onto a discharge conveyor for further processing. The die cavity is subdivided into an upper zone having the selected geometric shape, and an enlarged undercut lower zone separated therefrom by a substantially radially outwardly extending step. With this configuration, the periphery of each formed pancake distorts in a substantially random manner upon engagement by the discharge plunger, to provide a desirable homemade product appearance.

Abstract: An improved pancake die is provided for use in a pancake production system for producing pancakes having a highly uniform weight but exhibiting a substantially random peripheral shape reflective of a desirable homemade appearance. The pancake die comprises a cavity of selected geometric shape formed in a reciprocal die plate adapted for movement between a first position underlying a batter reservoir for filling the die cavity with batter, and a second position underlying a discharge plunger for pushing the formed pancake from the die cavity onto a discharge conveyor for further processing. The die cavity is subdivided into an upper zone having the selected geometric shape, and an enlarged undercut lower zone separated therefrom by a substantially radially outwardly extending step. With this configuration, the periphery of each formed pancake distorts in a substantially random manner upon engagement by the discharge plunger, to provide a desirable homemade product appearance.