Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for removing skins and pits from avocados and the like in a process where the avocado is initially held in a split cup, knife means being operated for cutting through the avocado skin and flesh and for engaging and holding the avocado pit, jaw means being operated for engaging respective skin portions of the avocado, the jaw means then being retracted with the avocado skins, stripper means being movable relative to the knife means for urging the avocado flesh away from the avocado pit, the flesh portions of the avocados being collected in a first collection means, the pits and skins of the avocados being collected in a second collection means. Prior to processing in the manner described above, the avocados are preferably treated by immersion in hot avocado oil or the like in order to loosen their skins.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for refining foodstuffs, and to plant for the implementation of such a process. The basic process is one in which foodstuff is fed into a depressurized environment and refined therein, whereupon the refined end-product, and any waste matter separated during the process, are both drawn off. Plant for the purpose substantially comprises an environment in which a vacuum is created and maintained, such as will house conventional types of machinery which refine the foodstuff, separate any waste matter, and collect the end-product which is then drawn off by a pump. Such a process and plant serve in particular for extracting juice and puree from fruit, vegetable, and market garden produce in general, as well as for reducing meat of all kinds to a paste.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a system for peeling an object having a generally soft interior portion surrounded by a generally hard external surface, where the system is suitable for use by consumers or in areas with consumers. According to one aspect of the invention, the apparatus of the invention includes a knife means for removing the hard external surface from the object, leaving substantially the soft interior portion. The apparatus also includes a housing enclosing the knife means to protect consumers or an operator of the apparatus from the knife means. The housing has two openings, one for receiving the object and one for discharging the soft interior portion after the object has been peeled.For some objects to be peeled, such as pineapples, the hard external surface of the object has two end portions and an intermediate body portion.

Abstract: A machine specifically designed to remove the husks from the coconut fruit including a plurality of rollers rotating in opposite directions effectively toward one another wherein each roller includes a plurality of penetrating spikes sharpened to penetrate and effectively engage the husk portion of the coconut fruit. The interaction of the rollers in combination with the gripping action of the spike serves to tear away the husk from the nut leaving the nut in tact.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and plant for skinning tomatoes using thermophysical methods. The process consists substantially in scalding the tomatoes in a pressurized environment, then inducing sudden depressurization of the tomatoes by bringing them into contact with tomato juice supplied at a lower temperature, whereupon the skinned tomatoes are separated from the juice. The skinned tomatoes proceed to the next stage of the process, and the juice is conveyed likewise to a further processing step, say, concentration. Plant for implementation of the process comprises a pressure vessel (2) into which tomatoes are conveyed, and from which they exit by way of an outlet valve (3); also, a pump (4) which forces condensation-inducing tomato juice into the outlet valve, and plumbing downstream of the valve which permits of conveying the juice to other processing media.

Abstract: The pods of fava beans are cut and then squeezed to separate the seeds from the pods of the beans. The beans are fed vertically and downwardly between a pair of converging conveyor belts that frictionally engage and move the beans along a path. A stationary spring-loaded and depth gauged cutting blade is disposed in the path to cut the pods whereafter the belts function to squeeze the pods to force the beans therefrom.

Abstract: Generally cylindrical bodies of vegetable matter such as spears of asparagus of varying diameter are telescopically inserted tip end-first into the horizontally radially outwardly opening mouthpieces in a drum that is mounted to rotate on a horizontal axis. A take-in conveyor system running towards the mouthpieces in the loading station, and served by guides which converge toward the individual mouthpieces assist in socketing the bodies in the mouthpieces. Flexible collars in the mouthpieces constrict to grip the end portions of the bodies, and the drum indexes to dispose those bodies so that they project vertically upwards, at the same time bringing a next row of mouthpieces to the loading station.

Abstract: A method for the rapid removal of the peelings or outer coverings from certain food products with minimal loss of or damage to the other portions thereof, by a thermal shock treatment comprising a brief exposure of said products simultaneously to high intensity radiant heat from a vessel and high temperature, low pressure superheated steam or other fluid or gaseous medium inside the vessel.

Abstract: A process for making a food product having a high protein content of good nutritional profile and substantially without fiber, fats, or oils from grain that has been malted and subjected to a mashing operation to remove fermentable sugars. The grain so treated is dried by microwave heating and is subjected to liquid nitrogen to reduce the temperature of the grain greatly while subjecting the grain to mechanical action to remove the husks. The fats and oils are removed by a solvent, after which the remaining granular material may be ground to a flour.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for processing ripe avocados in which the pulp is separated from the outer skin and from the seed in sequenced operations. The pulp can then be reduced to a paste-like product and frozen for easy preservation, handling and marketing. The avocado pulp does not acquire its consistency and reach its oil content until the fruit has ripened to a stage where the pulp is soft. At this stage, a few days are available to process the avocado before it spoils. The ripening process occurs naturally after the fruit has been picked off the tree, providing it is left undisturbed with the seed and the skin untouched. Otherwise, no ripening takes place. Because the external surface of a ripe avocado is so soft and because its seed is so hard, the extraction of the edible and tasty pulp is difficult to perform with automatically operating machinery. Such machinery and the attendant method are the subject of the present disclosure.

Abstract: The pods or husks of fava beans are pierced by a plurality of cutting wheels whereafter the beans are compressed to separate the pods from the seeds of the beans. The beans are fed into a stationary trough which defines an elongated bed supporting the beans and a moveable conveyor belt overlies the bed to frictionally engage and move the beans therealong. The peripheries of the cutting wheels project upwardly through slots formed through the trough to effect the piercing function.

Abstract: A machine for automatically peeling vegetables, particularly onions, and also some fruits. The peeling machine consists of a conveyor belt with devices for holding an individual onion, spaced along the belt, a cutter station where the two ends of the onion are removed as the belt is moved past the station, a reciprocating blade that slits the two outer layers of the onion and a station consisting of two rotating rolls and an air jet where the two outer layers are removed from the onion.

Abstract: Whole soybeans are processed by first soaking in an aqueous solution of a fruit juice selected from guava, papaya, pineapple, apple and orange, in a plastic vessel, followed by boiling in the same solution for at least about fifteen minutes, and finally draining off the solution and any loosened hulls. The fruit juice solution provides softening and palatability of the beans in an unusually short period of time. Added flavor and fragrance control may be achieved by a post-soak using any of a variety of fruit juices.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for removing skins from avocados wherein the avocados are immersed in a hot tri-glyceride oil maintained at a temperature in the range of about 275.degree. to 400.degree. F. The avocados are immersed in the oil for a period of time in the range of about six seconds to one minute in order to develop a substantial temperature differential across the avocado skin and produce a generally continuous vapor boundary between the skin and the avocado flesh. This facilitates removal of the skin with only minimal heating of the thermally sensitive avocado flesh and minimizes development of off-flavors. When the avocados are removed from the oil the skins are then cut through and separated from the avocado flesh within a short time to preserve the quality of the avocado flesh.

Abstract: The invention provides a process for drying macadamia and other nuts in which the nuts are first subjected to a very high humidity, as between 85% and 100%, and heated to a temperature above normal room temperature, as between 35.degree. C. and 45.degree. C., then subjected to a relatively low humidity, as between 10% and 15%, while maintaining the temperature, and then subjected to a very low humidity, as between 1% and 10%, at about the same or a slightly higher temperature. The process takes several days, only, instead of 10 to 13 weeks taken by the customary process.

Abstract: A machine frame has a foraminous, inclined screen drum mounted for rotation thereon with an opening in one end which receives the peas for engagement by flat paddles attached in spaced relation to a horizontal, internal paddle shaft supported for rotation within the drum. A separating member supported on and rotating with the drum is spaced from the inside of the drum. The peas (kernels) fall through a closed housing to a shaker at the bottom and are collected in a pan. The hulls and trash are directed through the drum past the separating member and out of an opening at one end and into a trash bag. A blower on one end of the machine blows the trash through the housing. A drive means drives the drum and the paddles in opposite directions and also operates an eccentric to reciprocate the shaker.

Abstract: Corn-earlage is processed so that the kernels and corn-cobs are finely chopped while the husks retain their raw fiber structure. The mixture of the finely chopped kernels and corn-cobs along with husks is placed in a silo to produce ensilage. If the ensilage is to be used to feed hogs, it is removed from the silo and passed through a screen or separating drum for adjusting the fiber content of the material. Depending on the fiber content desired, the material is introduced into the screen drum provided with a number of serially arranged rows of screen plates. Each row has a removable plate which can be replaced with other plates having larger or smaller openings for achieving the desired fiber content in the ensilage to be fed to the hogs. The drum axle is inclined to the horizontal and is adjustably supported at the inlet end of the drum so that its height relative to the outlet end can be varied.

Abstract: This disclosure embodies an apparatus and process for the rapid removal of outer coverings and other unedible portions from food products with minimal loss of or damage to edible portions. The process has proven to be effective in the peeling of fruit and vegetable crops, coring peppers, shelling of legume seed pods, shucking and silking corn, popping corn, skinning onions, shelling of nut crops, scaling and skinning of fish, and removal of shells from shellfish. These processes are accomplished with an apparatus which heats the surface of the product very rapidly in an atmosphere of superheated steam under elevated pressure, supplemented with radiant heat from a vessel wall, and then flashes to atmospheric pressure by instantaneous opening of the vessel cover. The result is an explosion which blows the product from the vessel and simultaneously blasts the covering from the product by violent action of highly energized moisture beneath the product covering.

Abstract: A wine-making process which comprises feeding the pressed grape at an increasing, pulsating pressure of between 7 and 13 bars to a chamber containing soft permeable walls, and then subjecting the product to an increasing, pulsating pressure between 13 and 18 bars for a time of between 12 and 16 minutes. The plant comprises a normal grape pressing-stalk stripping machine and a membrane filter press.

Abstract: A method for the recovery of soybean oil of soybean meal from soybeans wherein the soybeans are processed by breaking so that they are flaked prior to extraction. During processing the soybeans are heated-up in a first of two successively arranged fluidized beds with a rapidity such that the hulls or shells detach from the seeds or kernels and there is obtained a homogeneous heating of all of the soybeans. The heated-up soybeans are either directly conveyed into the second fluidized bed where they are maintained in a heated condition and from which location they are infed in a heated state to a breaking or crushing mill where they are crushed and then to a flaking device for the subsequent flaking thereof. It is also possible to undertake along the conveying path from the first fluidized bed to the second fluidized bed a mechanical hulling operation at the soybeans where the hulls are separated from the seeds and the seed portions or kernels are delivered into the second fluidized bed.

Abstract: A process of separating husks from dried spent grains comprising the steps of subjecting dried a spent grains produced in a malting operation to a low temperature to embrittle the grains and then exerting mechanical force on the embrittled grains to separate the husks from the grains.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing bran from cereal grains, particularly rice, wherein dehusked cereal grains to be debranned are fed under controlled pressure through a chamber wherein they are laterally confined by an apertured screen while being worked by a special bladed rotor providing pockets of grain which rotate with the rotor within and relative to the confined grain body so that the debranning action is effected mainly by grains rubbing together whereby to produce high grade unbroken polished grains efficiently and economically.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for magnetic removal of nutshells from nutmeats is set forth wherein whole nuts are supplied to a glue applicator where they are covered with a water soluble glue. The covered nuts are sent to a normalizer which tumbles and conveys the nut and dissolves the binder to a substantially uniform, optimally thick coating. From the normalizer, the binder nuts are fed into a dusting drum which dusts iron filings, onto the coating and the nutshell. The coated nuts leaving the dusting drum are conveyed to a cracker which cracks the nutshells to separate the nutmeats therefrom. Cracked nutshells and nutmeats leaving the cracker is sent to a magnetic separator. To separate the coated nutshells from the nutmeat, the aggregate is conveyed past a magnetized roller, the shells being pulled from the aggregate by the roller and deposited onto a conveyor which transports the shells for collection or reprocessing.

Abstract: The invention is relative to a method of processing unmilled unsprouted rice with chaffs according to which the rice is immersed in water for a predetermined time, the rice is then freed of water affixed thereto and roasted in a kiln for a predetermined time at a predetermined temperature, the rice thus roasted is steamed, pressured by rolls and freed of peeled-off chaffs, and the processed rice obtained by the method.

Abstract: Methods are described for separating the pulp from the skin of fruit, such as tomatoes, in which each fruit is gripped and transported by mechanism along a continuously circular path, a cut to the skin of the fruit is produced by cutting device adjacent the path and the pulp is urged away from the gripping and transporting apparatus at a pulp discharge position while the skin remains gripped by that apparatus to separate the pulp from the skin.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a fluid bed process for the removal of skins from edible nuts.

Abstract: The present invention entails an impact nutcracker having an electric gear drive for automatically and continuously cocking the nutcracker. A striker is movably mounted adjacent an impact nutcracking assembly, and the striker is movable between a cocked position and an impact position. Biasing means are attached to said striker for biasing the same toward said impact position. A gear, driven by an electric motor, is operative to drive and move the striker from said impact position to said cocked position at which point the gear is disengaged and the striker is released, and under the influence of said biasing means the striker moves back to said impact position where the same impacts against said impact nutcracking assembly.

Abstract: A method for steam peeling a plant product selected from the group consisting of potatoes, carrots, celery, red beets, Swedish turnips and apples in a substantially cylindrical peeling vessel having a product opening at one end and a liquid discharge outlet at the other end. In the peeling vessel there is disposed a partition or grid at the liquid discharge outlet end perpendicular to the longitudinal axis thereof and spaced from the liquid discharge outlet. The partition prevents passage of product to be peeled while allowing condensate to pass therethrough such that the product does not lie in the condensate during the application of steam. The steam is applied through an access opening in the vessel which is above the product level when the vessel is tilted around a horizontal axis into a normally operating longitudinally inclined position.

Abstract: A process of manufacturing a food product having a high protein content of good nutritional profile and substantially without fiber, fats, or oils is made from grain that has been malted and subjected to a mashing operation to remove fermentable sugars. The grain so treated is dried by microwave heating and is subjected to liquid nitrogen to reduce the temperature of the grain greatly while subjecting the grain to mechanical action to remove the husks. The fats and oils are removed by a solvent, after which the remaining granular material may be ground to a flour.

Abstract: An abrasive roll rice polishing machine which comprises a vertical framework assembly, a vertical rotary shaft extending in the vertical axis of the framework assembly and journalled therein, an abrasive roll mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith, a vertically movable polishing cylinder provided within the framework assembly surrounding the abrasive roll in peripherally spaced relationship to the latter to define a polishing chamber therebetween, a hopper at the top of the framework assembly and a discharge port at the bottom of the polishing chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus for stripping onions, in which an onion is withdrawn into a cylindrical onion guide path by vacuum pressure produced as compressed air is discharged at a high speed from a nozzle and is discharged from the cylindrical path into a separating chamber facing the path due to the momentum of the onion, whereby the onion is stripped as it is struck by compressed air discharged from the nozzle. The cylindrical onion guide path has a diameter large enough to permit passage of one onion, and onions are supplied one after another at a predetermined interval. The separating chamber is a cylindrical path coaxial with the onion guide path. The lines of discharge of the compressed air intersect one another on the center line of the onion guide path. Beyond the separating chamber, there is provided a direction converter for converting the axial direction of progress of the stripped onion into a lateral direction.

Abstract: Apparatus for flame peeling onions comprises a pair of parallel spaced apart rails along which onions are conveyed by a worm conveyor having a central shaft mounted above and parallel to the rails and having a periphery formed by helical teeth positioned in close proximity to the rails. Curved guards extend outwardly and upwardly from the rails adjacent to the worm conveyor periphery and direct onions displaced from the rails back onto them. A plurality of gas burners located directly below the rails are adapted to scorch the skins of onions being conveyed on the rails. Onions are loaded singly onto the rails from a container by a rotatable wheel having peripheral scoops, the wheel being mounted so that the scoops pass through and collect onions from the container and deposit them onto a chute leading to the rails.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for decorticating and for hulling sunflower seeds with cryogenic liquid gases such as liquid nitrogen. The sunflower seeds are immersed in the liquid gas for up to an hour to allow for diffusion of the gas into the seeds. Thereafter, the infused sunflower seeds are immediately and rapidly heated such as by immersion into a water or hot oil bath. The gas vaporization and the severe thermal stress cause the hulls to split off the seed meats. The bath readily separates meats from hulls and seeds. Yields of hulled seeds can reach up to 60%. The process is useful for both confectionery and oilseed varieties of sunflower.

Abstract: A process for treating cereal grains and particularly oats, to separate the endosperm from the remainder of the kernel without dry milling. The grains are soaked in an aqueous medium having a pH of 3.0-7.0 at a temperature in the range 40.degree.-70.degree. C. for sufficient time to absorb at least an equal weight of the liquid medium. The conditions are such that the endosperm portion of the grain liquefies, as opposed to softens. The grain may be crushed in a variety of ways to split the husk and release the liquid endosperm contents which are then dispersed in water. The endosperm solids can be recovered from dispersion, following a screening step to separate the husks by drying to yield a substantially white, lower fiber whole endosperm flour product. Alternatively, the dispersion may be sedimented and/or centrifuged to produce a wet solids fraction and a soluble fraction, each of which can be subsequently recovered in dry form.

Abstract: The outer waxy, cutin-containing layer is removed from papaya by freeze-drying the fruit to separate the layer from the underlying fruit and then mechanically removing the so-separated layer.

Abstract: A machine for dehulling flat disc-like seeds having a relatively heavy kernel inside the hull comprising a spinning rotor for throwing the seeds against an annular impact band to crack the hull. The rotor consists of a disc with radial blades on the surface thereof which define channels for orienting the seeds so that they are ejected like spinning saucers and strike the impact ring at their fault lines. The radial blades may also include a sweeping fin to clear the path of seed portions which might interfere with the impacting of the seeds.

Abstract: Decayed portions of potatoes are removed by supporting and advancing the potatoes on a series of rollers relative to a plurality of water spray nozzles with rubber fingers being mounted on some of the rollers. The rubber fingers contact the potatoes with sufficient force to penetrate the decayed portions without damaging the peel or other sound portions of the potatoes while water sprays contact the potatoes with sufficient force to remove the penetrated decayed portions while leaving the remaining portions intact.

Abstract: A method for cold peeling citrus fruit is disclosed wherein the fruit is first cored and sliced into a plurality of segments and the pulp is thereafter severed from the peel by forcing the segment through a knife. An apparatus is disclosed where the fruit segment is secured and compressed on a concave rotary carrier which is then rotated through a concave severing knife which severs the peel and albedo from the pulp.

Abstract: Hulls are removed from brewer's spent grain (BSG) by drying and milling the BSG in a roller mill having a differential of about 2.5 to about 4.0 and a tight setting, followed by passing the milled mixture through a No. 36 light wire sieve which retains the hulls and permits the bran to pass through. An improved method of making bread with bran which comprises thoroughly mixing the bran with oil and surfactant before adding the other bread ingredients is also described.

Abstract: A method for extracting ingredients of oil-containing seeds comprising triturating uncrushed seeds, which have not been soaked in water, in deoxygenated hot water of from 70.degree. C. to the boiling point under the anaerobic condition is disclosed. By this method, the ingredients of oil-containing seeds can be extracted with higher extraction rate, lower viscosity, lower peroxide value and reduced odor.

Abstract: The removal of shells from hard shelled nuts, particularly macadamia nuts, is accomplished by rotating the nut in the path of a high power cw laser beam, such as a CO.sub.2 laser beam, so as to burn a path around the shell which separates the shell into parts which can readily be removed from the nut. A low power laser beam of a wavelength for which the nut shell and underlying nut meat have substantially different reflectivities, such as a helium-neon laser beam, is arranged to strike the nut collinearly with the high power beam. When the nut meat is exposed as the path in the shell is burned away, the intensity of the low power beam light which is reflected by the nut increases, and this increase is detected to give an indication of the completion of the shell burning operation.

Abstract: A process for removing hulls from soybeans comprises the steps of placing the soybeans in an atmosphere of reduced pressure, subjecting the beans to microwave energy while the beans are within the atmosphere of reduced pressure, removing a portion of the moisture from the beans until the moisture content of the soybeans is about 7.46 to about 10% on a wet basis, removing the soybeans from the atmosphere of reduced pressure, the temperature of the soybeans leaving the reduced pressure atmosphere being at least 110.degree. F. and less than 160.degree. F., immediately cracking the hulls of the hot soybeans without tempering, and removing the hulls from the hot soybeans.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for decorticating or peeling seeds is disclosed. The eed kernels are separated from their hulls by feeding the seeds into a turbulent flow compressed air stream in a flow passage of sufficient length to accelerate the seeds to high velocity in the air stream and then flowing the compressed air stream into a passage of much larger cross-sectional area. This causes a sudden and large reduction in the compressed air stream velocity and decrease in pressure exerted on the seeds which in turn produces a reversal of stresses which were exerted in the kernel and the hull during acceleration, separating the kernel from the hull. The turbulent flow and mechanical forces created by collisions with the flow passage and between individual seeds increases the efficiency of the process. The process is repeated to produce a complete decortication by staging a series of flow passages of the type described, each successive stage receiving the output of the previous stage.

Abstract: A high production nutcracking method and apparatus is provided wherein the nuts are fed from a hopper on a feed conveyor, while being singularized and oriented in the hopper. The oriented nuts are thereafter advanced by the conveyor individually in succession to a cracking apparatus, which comprises a plurality of cracking units mounted on a rotatable turret. The rotating cracking units are cyclically controlled so as to clampingly engage and lift each oriented nut from the advancing conveyor, and so as to preserve its orientation. The nut is then cracked and thereafter released at separate spaced points along the circular path of travel of the cracking unit.

Abstract: Valuable products are obtained from Theobroma fruits by preferably removing the peels from said fruits, opening the fruits, separating the seeds from the preferably peeled parenchymatous part of the fruits, and immediately thereafter fermenting the seeds and processing said parenchymatous part. Preferably the fruits are pretreated, for instance, with an alkaline solution and, after peeling, are neutralized, or they are pretreated with a preserving agent. The parenchymatous part of the fruits is expressed to yield the fruit flesh juice containing a hydrocolloid which has proved to be a valuable emulsifying, thickening, stabilizing, suspending agent and protective colloid. The expressed Theobroma fruit flesh is converted into a nutritious animal feed, especially for small animals. Thus the Theobroma fruits are substantially completely utilized.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing grain to provide meal, grit, flour and masa products suitable for human consumption and by-products suitable for use as animal feed and industrial products. The methods includes forming a slurry of the grain with water and processing the slurry through dehusking, germ detaching, grinding and sifting stages while maintaining the grain at a relatively high moisture content. Partially different methods are employed depending on whether the processed grain is sorghum, wheat or corn. The processing apparatus includes a dehusking unit having a plurality of pump stages to remove the husks from the grain kernels without cracking a substantial portion of the kernels. A fluidized bed dryer is utilized to remove excess water and to surface dry the kernels and husks. For sorghum grains a centrifugal impact germ detacher is utilized to break up the dehusked kernel and separate the germ and oil from the endosperm.

Abstract: The de-hulling of cacao beans is expedited and nib yield increased by treatment with infra-red radiation for a period between one half and two minutes. The radiation preferably has a wavelength between 2 and 6 microns and the treatment may conveniently be carried out by means of apparatus according to British Pat. No. 1,379,116.

Abstract: Improved process for peeling tomatoes under vacuum comprises the step of instantaneously connecting the container of the tomatoes to a vacuum vessel and, immediately after, the step of closing this connection and connecting the said container to a vacuum pump. The vacuum applied to the tomatoes is fluctuated downwardly for peeling the tomatoes. Also, disclosed is a machine for peeling tomatoes which comprises flexibles pipes connecting the containers of the tomatoes to a vacuum vessel and/or a vacuum pump via a dehumidifier.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for utilizing a horizontal disc having a plurality of guide vanes extending in a curvilinear path with each vane terminating in an end portion that is substantially parallel to a tangent to the disc. A plurality of impact surfaces are provided in the same horizontal plane as the disc with each surface being substantially linear and extending transversely of the path of travel of a kernel impelled by the disc. The method includes locating the impact surfaces away from the periphery of the disc a sufficient distance so as to preclude application of crushing forces to the kernels as the latter pass between the disc and the surface. The kernels are fed onto the disc at a point near its center from an overhead position at a carefully controlled rate whereby each kernel is aligned by centrifugal forces as it moves along the guide vane so as to expose one of the side edges of the kernel for contact with one of the impact surfaces.

Abstract: Process for making a reconstitutable dehydrated, cooked potato piece or strip. Raw potatoes are cooked and a dough of separated potato cells is formed therefrom. A small quantity of the cells are ruptured to release their starch contents. The released starch alone or in combination with additional raw starch which is gelatinized after mixing with the dough are used to give the dough an adhesive character which will permit the eventually dried potato pieces to be reconstituted in water without loss of piece identity. After rupture of the potato cells the dough is maintained in a heated condition until formed into strips or pieces of the desired size after which they are dried. An alternative process employs raw starch as the principle means for obtaining the desired adhesive character in the dried potato pieces. In the alternative process the dough is processed and formed into the desired pieces or strips without heating and thereafter the raw starch is gelatinized by application of heat.