Abstract: High quality, portable, convenient, nutritious, packaged food products are provided, as well as processes for preparing packaged food products. Packaged food products comprise wet food systems of hydrated high ?-glucan cereal acidified with acid or acid solutions having a pKa in a range of 1.9-2.2. This product can include non-citrus fruit, vegetable, and/or hydrated mucilaginous seeds mixed with hydrated, acidified high ?-glucan cereal. Also, packaged food products comprise wet food systems of vegetable, or vegetable and non-citrus fruit acidified with acid or acid solutions having a pKa in a range of 1.9-2.2. This product can be packed in 100% juice or with other ingredients including sweeteners, flavors, and non-dairy milk, amongst others. High ?-glucan cereal, non-citrus fruit, and/or vegetables formulated with packaged food products retain texture, flavor, color, and visual appearance after commercial processing and during storage.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for processing harvested produce such as fruits and vegetables, where the sterilization, stabilization and packaging is done in such a manner that it allows for longer retention of freshness, texture, flavor and overall quality than is possible with conventional retort processes and packaging. One specific embodiment discusses sterilizing and packaging harvested produce into a bulk storage container, comprising the steps of cleaning, dicing and blanching said produce, thereby creating pre-processed produce; adding water, at least one acid or salt, and at least one carbohydrate, to said pre-processed produce to form a mixture of pre-processed produce and a liquid packing medium; processing said mixture in an ohmic processing vessel to form a sterilized mixture suitable for aseptic packaging in said container, without first packaging said mixture.

Abstract: Processes for converting by-products of citrus, such as peels and juice from juice sacs attached to the peel after hand or mechanical peeling into high quality dietary fiber, naringin, juice, and oil. The processes involve pressing peels to release juice from vesicles and then grinding peels in water to create a slurry. Peel color and oil is removed by a flotation technique. Decolorized citrus peel particles—or pulp—are debittered with water in steps of boiling and washing. Dietary fiber obtained after debittering is dried and packaged for commercial use. The process promotes environmental responsibility by reducing standard citrus waste—a high BOD waste product, by overcoming discharging problems with industrial waste, by converting an environmentally undesirable product—peels, juice, and oils—into a value-added ingredient, by drastically reducing discharge and penalty cost of waste, and by eliminating the use of solvents that generate pollution.

Abstract: Processes for converting by-products of citrus, such as peels and juice from juice sacs attached to the peel after hand or mechanical peeling into high quality dietary fiber, naringin, juice, and oil. The processes involve pressing peels to release juice from vesicles and then grinding peels in water to create a slurry. Peel color and oil is removed by a flotation technique. Decolorized citrus peel particles—or pulp—are debittered with water in steps of boiling and washing. Dietary fiber obtained after debittering is dried and packaged for commercial use. The process promotes environmental responsibility by reducing standard citrus waste—a high BOD waste product, by overcoming discharging problems with industrial waste, by converting an environmentally undesirable product—peels, juice, and oils—into a value-added ingredient, by drastically reducing discharge and penalty cost of waste, and by eliminating the use of solvents that generate pollution.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for processing harvested produce such as fruits and vegetables, where the sterilization, stabilization and packaging is done in such a manner that it allows for longer retention of freshness, texture, flavor and overall quality than is possible with conventional retort processes and packaging. One specific embodiment discusses sterilizing and packaging harvested produce into a bulk storage container, comprising the steps of cleaning, dicing and blanching said produce, thereby creating pre-processed produce; adding water, at least one acid or salt, and at least one carbohydrate, to said pre-processed produce to form a mixture of pre-processed produce and a liquid packing medium; processing said mixture in an ohmic processing vessel to form a sterilized mixture suitable for aseptic packaging in said container, without first packaging said mixture.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for preparing shelf-stable, ready-to-eat rice products. The method involves coating pregelatinized rice grains with an emulsifier. A food acid and glucono-delta-lactone are then added to the coated rice to lower the pH to 4.6 or less. The rice is then thermally treated at a temperature and for a time sufficient for sterilization. The resulting products have the same or superior texture, appearance, and flavor when compared to other commercially produced, shelf-stable, ready-to-each rice products.