Abstract: A process for making dehydrated potato products from potato flakes so that they can be sulfite-free by mixing the potato flakes with a sufficient amount of water to increase their moisture content to a predetermined level, lowering the temperature of the moistened potato flakes to a temperature and for a period of time sufficient for retrogradation of free soluble starch contained in the potato flakes, reducing the size of the potato flakes in a manner to minimize breakage of potato cell walls, and drying the resulting potato product. The dehydrated potato product can be reconstituted without using a boiling liquid to make a dough for french fries or to make a mashed potato product.

Abstract: An apparatus that dispenses a cooked food product measures out a predetermined quantity of dehydrated food material for a cooking portion, quickly adds liquid to the material to produce a rehydrated food material of uniform consistency, and simultaneously shapes the rehydrated material into desired size and shape pieces, and delivers the pieces to a cooking unit. After the pieces are cooked, they are automatically dispensed from the apparatus and the next portion is prepared.