Abstract: A method of making a shelf stable pasta, rice or noodle product, a shelf stable pasta rice or noodle product produced by that method is described.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
December 21, 1999
Date of Patent:
June 10, 2003
Assignee:
Kraft Foods North America, Inc.
Inventors:
Joseph O'Rourke, John Arnold Tunstall, Steven Clark Howe, Lloyd Joseph Moberg
Abstract: A shelf-stable filled pasta and a method of making same, the method comprising providing an acid-treated or acid-containing fillable pasta piece having a pH of about 4.6 or less; inserting filling into the fillable pasta piece; exposing the filling in the filled pasta piece to microwave or radio frequency radiation to reduce the water activity in the filling to about 0.85 or less; sealing the filled pasta piece in a package; and pasteurizing the filled pasta piece at any point in the process after the filling has been inserted into the fillable pasta piece. The shelf-stable filled pasta is a pasta made by the foregoing method.