Abstract: A system for separating cut food products includes a flow inlet, a flow outlet, and at least one drum connecting the flow inlet and the flow outlet. The flow inlet may be oriented to direct the cut food product tangentially into the at least one drum. The flow inlet may be oriented to direct the cut food product into the at least one drum at a right angle to a longitudinal axis of the at least one drum. The at least one drum may be a plurality of drums including a first drum having the flow inlet and a second drum having the flow outlet. The system may include a passageway providing fluid communication from the first drum to the second drum. The passageway may include a tapered section. The flow inlet may be aligned with the flow outlet.

Abstract: A potato cultivar designated F10 is disclosed. The invention relates to the tubers of potato cultivar F10, to the seeds of potato cultivar F10, to the plants of potato F10, to the plant parts of potato cultivar F10, to food products produced from potato cultivar F10, and to methods for producing a potato plant produced by crossing potato cultivar F10 with itself or with another potato variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a potato plant containing in its genetic material one or more transgenes and to the transgenic potato plants and plant parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to potato cultivars or breeding cultivars and plant parts derived from potato variety F10, to methods for producing other potato cultivars, lines or plant parts derived from potato cultivar F10 and to the potato plants, varieties, and their parts derived from use of those methods.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a new plant breeding process. The process improves the agronomic performance of crop plants by using genetic material that is also used in classical breeding. Instead of sexually recombining entire genomes at random, as is done in classical breeding, specific genetic elements are rearranged in vitro and inserted back into individual plant cells. Plants obtained through this new plant breeding process do not contain foreign nucleic acid but only contain nucleic acid from the plant species selected for transformation or plants that are sexually compatible with the selected plant species. Plants developed through this new plant breeding process are provided. In particular, potato plants displaying improved tuber storage and health characteristics are provided.

Abstract: A magnetic knife block is provided for temporary installation along a hydraulic flow conduit of a cutting system, in lieu of a conventional hydraulic water knife fixture, for collecting metal debris attributable to construction and/or maintenance activity. The magnetic knife block includes at least one and preferably multiple magnets for collecting metal debris upon initial water flow through the cutting system. The magnetic water knife block is then removable from the hydraulic flow conduit and replaced by the conventional water knife fixture for normal cutting operation, such as cutting a succession of raw potatoes into elongated French fry strips.

Abstract: A cut vegetable product such as a wedge-cut potato includes a pair of cut surfaces oriented generally at an acute angle, and each extending and diverging from a common tip toward a heel. Each of the cut surfaces defines a generally wave-shaped configuration with a wave pitch and a wave amplitude. At least one and preferably both of the wave pitch and wave amplitude increases progressively from the common tip toward the heel.

Abstract: A low acrylamide French fry potato strip and related preparation process, wherein relatively low sugar-containing potatoes are cut into pieces such as elongated French fry strips, blanched in hot water or steam, and then dipped into an aqueous solution having at least one selected food grade color agent such as annatto. The thus-dipped potato pieces are then parfried in hot oil, following by freezing for storage and/or shipment. The parfried and frozen potato pieces are adapted for finish preparation by frying in hot oil to produce French fry potato pieces such as French fry strips having a set of desirable taste, texture and appearance characteristics, in combination with a relatively low acrylamide level.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a new plant breeding process. The process improves the agronomic performance of crop plants by using genetic material that is also used in classical breeding. Instead of sexually recombining entire genomes at random, as is done in classical breeding, specific genetic elements are rearranged in vitro and inserted back into individual plant cells. Plants obtained through this new plant breeding process do not contain foreign nucleic acid but only contain nucleic acid from the plant species selected for transformation or plants that are sexually compatible with the selected plant species. Plants developed through this new plant breeding process are provided. In particular, potato plants displaying improved tuber storage and health characteristics are provided.

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: The present invention provides nucleic acid molecules and sequences, particularly those identified and obtained from plants, that are useful for transferring and integrating one polynucleotide into another via plant transformation techniques.

Abstract: A machine and process are provided for forming small, random sized potato pieces suitable for use in preparing potato hash browns and potato patties and the like. Blanched potatoes are chilled and then swept against a blunt edge resulting in shattering of each potato into relatively small, random-sized pieces. If desired, each blunt shatter-edge can be provided in a knife unit including one or more cross-cut knives to subdivide larger shattered pieces into a smaller size. The produced potato pieces are chilled as by freezing or by chilling to a refrigerated temperature for shipment and/or storage pending finish preparation.

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 corrugated knife fixture is provided for cutting vegetable products or the like particularly such as potatoes, wherein the knife fixture includes one or more knife blades each having a cutting edge with a variable pitch and variable amplitude geometry. The knife fixture is particularly adapted for cutting whole potatoes into a plurality of wedge-shaped pieces each including a pair of wave-shaped cut surfaces which angularly intersect at a narrow cut tip located generally at a longitudinal centerline of the potato and diverge radially outwardly to an enlarged heel corresponding with the external surface of the potato which may remain unpeeled. The knife fixture, and the resultant wave-shaped cut surfaces of the potato wedges, is defined by the variable pitch and variable amplitude cutting edge wherein the pitch and amplitude increases from the cut tip of the wedge toward the heel or external surface thereof.

Abstract: A plug prevention device is provided in a slicing machine having a rotary impeller for carrying products such as potatoes or the like into engagement with cutting knives to form lattice cut slices, wherein the plug prevention device prevents the products from lodging within an upwardly open inlet throat of the impeller. The plug prevention device comprises an elongated stationary rod having one end projecting into the impeller throat at a position substantially off-axis relative to an axis of impeller rotation. Products entering the impeller and tending to lodge by centrifugal action against an internal wall of the impeller throat will strike the rod, causing such products to separate from wall of the impeller throat and fall further into the impeller for slice processing.

Abstract: A rotary cutter is provided for cutting elongated extruded strips of a food dough product or the like on a conveyor into individual strip pieces of selected length and having angular cut ends simulating the overall appearance of French fry strips cut from whole potatoes. The rotary cutter comprises a pair of rotary support wheels mounted on opposite sides of the conveyor for rotation on longitudinally spaced axes extending normal to the direction of conveyor travel. A plurality of cutter elements extend transversely and angularly across the conveyor with their opposite ends carried by the rotary support wheels generally at the peripheries thereof for engaging and cutting conveyed extruded strips into individual and angularly end-cut strip pieces of selected length. A drive motor rotatably drives one of the support wheels for displacing the cutter elements into engagement with the extruded strips at a velocity closely matching the conveyor velocity.

Abstract: Parfried potato strips and a related preparation process are provided wherein the parfried strips have a relatively low moisture content suitable for oven finish or rapid finish fry preparation, and further wherein the parfried strips exhibit improved storage stability without developing undesirable off-flavor characteristics. The parfried potato strips are initially blanched and then surface treated to apply reducing sugar in a controlled amount prior to parfrying in hot oil and freezing. In one form, the surface treatment is a dextrose-containing dip or spray, whereas in another form the surface treatment is a sugar-containing starch-based batter coating. In either case, the quantity of sugar on the exterior surfaces of the strips is regulated in relation to the parfry oil temperature to achieve a target strip color.

Abstract: French fry strips and a related preparation process are provided, wherein the strips are produced from a corn based dough. The corn based dough comprises a matrix of corn meal and corn flour of different particle or granule sizes, admixed with water and optional flavoring and seasoning constituents to form a relatively thick dough having a texture suitable for extruding and cutting to form elongated strips having a size and shape conforming generally to conventional potato-based French fries. The formed and cut corn dough strips may be parfried in hot oil, and then frozen. The frozen corn strips are subsequently finished prepared for consumption, preferably by finish frying in hot oil. The finish prepared corn strips have a corn snack taste in combination with a texture defined by a crispy exterior surface encasing a moist and mealy interior.

Abstract: A first method is provided for in vitro selection of Lemhi and Russet Burbank potatoes for blackspot resistance using plant tissue culturing techniques. A second method is provided using at least one melanin precursor added to the tissue culturing media. The blackspot resistant potatoes produced from such methods are also provided.

Abstract: Improved batter coated French fried potato strips and a related preparation process are provided, wherein the potato strips are suitable for fast finish preparation in an oven and exhibit overall taste, appearance and textural characteristics closely emulating frozen parfried potato strips which have been finish prepared by frying. The preparation process comprises cutting and blanching fresh potato strips, and then coating the strips with an aqueous starch slurry. The batter coated potato strips are then subjected to a first parfry step after which the strips are promptly frozen. The once-parfried and frozen potato strips are next subjected to a second parfry step followed by freezing a second time and packaging for storage and/or shipment. The thus-prepared potato strips can be finish cooked in an oven for consumption, with a short preparation time and with quality characteristics similar to French fried potato strips which have been finish prepared by frying.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention includes a method of purifying phosphoric acid comprising filtering a feed solution of phosphoric acid through a membrane, wherein the feed solution is maintained at a temperature of from about 30.degree. F. to about 90.degree. F. during the filtering. In another aspect, the invention includes a method of purifying phosphoric acid comprising: a) providing a feed solution of phosphoric acid, said feed solution comprising greater than 17,000 ppm on a 100% P.sub.2 O.sub.5 basis of each of Al, Fe and Mg; and b) filtering the feed solution through a polyamide filter configured for nanofiltration, the filtering comprising a temperature of from about 30.degree. F. to 90.degree. F., and a pressure of from about 600 psig to about 1000 psig to form a purified phosphoric acid solution, the purified phosphoric acid solution comprising less than 1700 ppm on a 100% P.sub.2 O.sub.5 basis of each of Al, Fe and Mg.