Abstract: An acidified pasta product is prepared by mixing a farinaceous material, an edible acid and water to obtain an acidified dough, forming the acidified dough into a shape to obtain a raw acidified pasta product, steaming the raw pasta product to surface-gelatinize the raw pasta product to obtain a surface-gelatinized pasta product, contacting the surface-gelatinized product with water to obtain a wet acidified pasta product, steaming the wet product for cooking the wet product to obtain a steam-cooked acidified pasta product and packaging the steam-cooked product to obtain a packaged acidified pasta product.

Abstract: Dry uncooked folded, intertwined long pasta is steamed to obtain a surface-gelatinised pasta which then is contacted with water to obtain a wet pasta, and the wet pasta is steamed.

Abstract: Sheet products having a waved marginal portion are prepared by passing a sheet of a plastic material through and compressing the sheet between shaped circumferential rollers which are positioned and configured to provide therebetween a plurality of differing nip clearance gap distances and to compress the sheet to form an intermediate sheet portion flanked by a marginal waved flanking portion and a second flanking portion, wherein the intermediate portion has a thickness greater than the second portion which, in turn, has a thickness greater than the marginal waved portion.

Abstract: Sheet products having a waved marginal portion are prepared by passing a sheet of a plastic material through and compressing the sheet between shaped circumferential rollers which are positioned and configured to provide therebetween a plurality of differing nip clearance gap distances and to compress the sheet to form an intermediate sheet portion flanked by a marginal waved flanking portion and a second flanking portion, wherein the intermediate portion has a thickness greater than the second portion which, in turn, has a thickness greater than the marginal waved portion.

Abstract: A frozen pasta is prepared by cooking a shaped pasta dough, partially drying the cooked pasta, blending the partially dried pasta with a sauce or water or a combination thereof and then freezing the blend.

Abstract: A pasta has a coating of a mixture of dried coagulated egg white and an edible oil for providing a firm texture to the pasta.

Abstract: A quick-cooking rice product is prepared by first cooking rice at substantially atmospheric pressure in an amount of water at least sufficient to hydrate the rice to a moisture content of from about 60% to 75% by weight and at a temperature of about 90.degree. C. to 100.degree. C. for from about 1 min to 10 mins for hydrating the rice to a moisture content of from about 30% to 60% by weight. The water cooked rice then is steam pressure cooked in water with agitation at a pressure of from about 250 mm Hg to about 2500 mm Hg above atmospheric pressure for from about 1 min to 50 mins for further hydrating and gelatinizing the rice for obtaining a cooked rice which has a moisture content of from about 60% to 75% by weight and which is about 85% to 100% gelatinized. After steam pressure cooking, the pressure is gradually released for avoiding puffing the cooked rice. The cooked rice then is dried at a temperature from about 140.degree. C. to 205.degree. C.

Abstract: A pasta which has a firm texture upon cooking is prepared by forming a pasta dough in a form of a sheet or a pasta shape, coating the dough with a mixture of egg white in liquid form and an edible oil and then heating the coated dough to coagulate, dry and bind the coating to the dough.

Abstract: Powdered cellulose is treated by combining it with a flavoring agent and from 25 to 75 parts by weight of water per 100 parts by weight of powdered cellulose, which is an amount of water sufficient to wet substantially all of the cellulose, mixing the whole and then heating the mixture to remove most of the water from the treated cellulose. A gelling agent also advantageously is combined with the powdered cellulose, flavoring agent and water before mixing the whole and then removing the water.

Abstract: A dried precooked rice product is prepared by cooking rice grains for obtaining a moisture content of from 55% to 75% by weight and then by drying the cooked rice grains at a temperature of from 140.degree. C. to 185.degree. C. in two stages, firstly under stationary conditions to a moisture content of from 20% to 35% and secondly under agitated conditions to a moisture content of from 3% to 15%, for providing a precooked dried rice produce having a bulk density of from 37 g/100 cm to 42 g/100 cm. 100 g of the rice product so produced is capable of absorbing from 195 g to 225 g of boiled hot water in 10 minutes rehydration in 500 g of boiled hot water.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a precooked pasta product which comprises boiling a raw pasta in acidified water to partially cook the pasta, soaking the partially cooked pasta in acidified water, the cooking and soaking conditions being chosen to give the soaked, partially cooked pasta a pH of from 3.8 to 4.3 and a moisture content of from 61% to 68%, the soaking time being sufficient to enable the partially cooked pasta to absorb a further 3% to 7% water after boiling, coating with acidified cream having a milk fat content from 20% to 40% by weight based on the weight of cream, flush packaging with an inert gas or vacuum packaging, sealing and finally heat processing to complete the cooking.

Abstract: A process for the production of pasta characterized in that flour is mixed with from 15% to 33% by weight of water based on the weight of flour and water to form a dough, the dough is extruded through a pasta die provided with at least three superimposed nozzles for forming dough sheets, and the extruded, superimposed dough sheets are compressed into one dough sheet which is then cut to form the desired pasta shape.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of a vegetable pasta characterized in that a composition comprising a seed or tuberous vegetable in particulate form and, based on the total weight of the composition, from 0.1 to 4% by weight of sodium or potassium alginate or a mixture thereof, from 0.1 to 4% by weight of propylene glycol alginate and from 0 to 75% by weight of starch, is mixed with an amount of water sufficient to moisten the composition and render it extrudable, extruded into a pasta shape and finally dried, with proviso that at least 10% by weight of starch must be present when a high protein vegetable or potato powder is used.

Abstract: A process for the production of flavored vegetables which comprises fermenting a vegetable in the presence of a powdered hydrolysed protein wherein the total amount of salt present in the process is from 1.0% to 4.5% by weight based on the weight of the vegetable.

Abstract: A flavoring composition comprising a mixture prepared(a) from 10 to 80% by weight of a fermented vegetable juice and from 20 to 90% by weight of a hydrolyzed protein based on the weight of the mixture or(b) from 2 to 80% by weight of a dehydrated fermented vegetable and from 20 to 98% by weight of a hydrolyzed protein based on the weight of the mixture. Flavoring agents with appetizing sour notes and with meat and vegetable flavor characteristics are described.

Abstract: A composition comprising uncooked rice flour and, based on the weight of the uncooked rice flour, from 0 to 40% by weight of precooked rice flour, from 0 to 4% by weight of sodium or potassium alginate or a mixture thereof and from 0 to 4% by weight of propylene glycol alginate with the proviso that when the composition contains less than 5% by weight of precooked rice flour, both the alginates should be present in amounts of at least 1% by weight.

Abstract: Flavored sauerkraut is produced by fermenting cabbage in the presence of salt and a powdered hydrolyzed protein. The salt is preferably present in an amount of from 1.0% to 4.5% by weight based on the cabbage and the hydrolyzed protein is preferably preset in an amount of from 1% to 10% by weight based on the weight of the cabbage.

Abstract: Instant pasta prepared by forming a sheet of gelatinized cereal flour-dough, expanding the sheeted dough under controlled conditions to impart a high degree of essentially uniform porous structure to the sheet, subdividing the expanded dough into pieces of desired shapes, thereby exposing the porous interior of said shaped pieces along their perimeter surfaces, and drying the shaped pieces. Other features of the invention appear in the following specification.