Abstract: Foodstuffs which have been frozen are partially dehydrated in a gaseous medium having a dry bulb temperature higher than about 200.degree. F. and a wet bulb temperature higher than about 120.degree. F. prior to finish drying at a dry bulb temperature of less than about 180.degree. F. to a storage stable moisture content of less than 12% by total weight. Dehydrated products ranging in size from 1/16" thick slices to 3/4" dice produced by this dehydration process reconstitute in less than about 15 minutes with an amount of water equivalent to at least 85% of the previously removed moisture.

Abstract: A horizontal cylinder having a circular discharge opening at one end and a piston moveable toward and away therefrom. The cylinder has an upwardly open side inlet opening through which dry potato agglomerates and water is introduced. An impervious barrier spanning the discharge opening prohibits egress of water through the discharge opening, and after the dry product and water are introduced through the inlet opening into the chamber, the piston is moved toward the impervious wall to consolidate the dry product and water into a confined volume so as to distribute the water uniformly throughout the dry product and produce a homogeneous potato dough that can be formed into shaped potato pieces, such as french fry shaped pieces. A method for enhancing uniform wetting of the dry product, which includes the steps of introducing into the chamber a minor amount of the water, then introducing the dry product, and then introducing the balance of the water.

Abstract: An apparatus for extruding pumpable materials comprising an outer conduit means connected to a material supply source said outer conduit means being arranged around two inner conduit means one of which is connected to another material supply source and the other of which is in communication with the ambient. A method for extruding one material to surround another material comprising extruding one material into a hollow extrusion to surround a supply of another material filling the center of the extrusion whereby air contained in the center of the extrusion is displaced to the ambient.

Abstract: A horizontal chamber and a piston movable in the chamber to discharge potato dough through a discharge opening at one end of the chamber. A dough dividing structure adapted for mounting in the discharge opening. A diaphragm and means for mounting the diaphragm on the face of the piston such that when the piston is retracted in the chamber from a body of dough therein, an air passage is created to relieve the vacuum between the diaphragm and the dough, thereby avoiding distortion of the dough. For charging the chamber with a body of dough to form an impervious barrier therein there is an adapter in vertical alignment below the constituent introducing devices; the adapter supports the piston and the cylinder in vertical alignment below the constituent introducing devices so as to expedite charging of the machine to form an impervious dough barrier. After the constituents set into a dough the chamber, with the impervious barrier therein, and the piston are installed in the machine for normal operation.

Abstract: A mechanism for controllably driving a plunger in a dough forming apparatus of the type that has a chamber in which the plunger resides to move dough in incremental steps toward one end of the chamber. Spanning the one end of the chamber is a plurality of parallely spaced apart elongate members, the spacing between the elongate members corresponding to the thickness of a french fry shaped piece, e.g. 1/4 inch. The plunger is advanced by increments of a similar distance, the distance corresponding to the width of the french fry piece and when a plurality of dough bodies protrude through the spaces between the elongate members a single wire cutter is reciprocated across the exterior of the elongate members to sever the protruding bodies thus to form french fry shaped pieces.

Abstract: A horizontal chamber and a piston movable in the chamber to discharge potato dough through a discharge opening at one end of the chamber. A dough dividing structure adapted for mounting in the discharge opening. A diaphragm and means for mounting the diaphragm on the face of the piston such that when the piston is retracted in the chamber from a body of dough therein, an air passage is created to relieve the vacuum between the diaphragm and the dough, thereby avoiding distortion of the dough. For charging the chamber with a body of dough to form an impervious barrier therein there is an adapter in vertical alignment below the constitutent introducing devices; the adapter supports the piston and the cylinder in vertical alignment below the constituent introducing devices so as to expedite charging of the machine to form an impervious dough barrier. After the constituents set into a dough the chamber, with the impervious barrier therein, and the piston are installed in the machine for normal operation.

Abstract: A horizontal chamber and a piston movable in the chamber to discharge potato dough through a discharge opening at one end of the chamber. A dough dividing structure adapted for mounting in the discharge opening. A diaphragm and means for mounting the diaphragm on the face of the piston such that when the piston is retracted in the chamber from a body of dough therein, an air passage is created to relieve the vacuum between the diaphragm and the dough, thereby avoiding distortion of the dough. For charging the chamber with a body of dough to form an impervious barrier therein there is an adapter in vertical alignment below the constituent introducing devices; the adapter supports the piston and the cylinder in vertical alignment below the constituent introducing devices so as to expedite charging of the machine to form an impervious dough barrier. After the constituents set into a dough the chamber, with the impervious barrier therein, and the piston are installed in the machine for normal operation.

Abstract: A parfried frozen potato product suitable for toasting to produce French fries ready for consumption. Potato dough is formed as by extrusion to produce a sheet comprising a multiple of French fry sized units of bodies in side-by-side substantially planar arrangement connected by a thin dough film with a longitudinal central void in each unit. Said sheet is cut to French fry length and then parfried, frozen, and marketed in frozen form.

Abstract: Process for making a reconstitutable dehydrated, cooked potato piece or strip. Raw potatoes are cooked and a dough of separated potato cells is formed therefrom. A small quantity of the cells are ruptured to release their starch contents. The released starch alone or in combination with additional raw starch which is gelatinized after mixing with the dough are used to give the dough an adhesive character which will permit the eventually dried potato pieces to be reconstituted in water without loss of piece identity. After rupture of the potato cells the dough is maintained in a heated condition until formed into strips or pieces of the desired size after which they are dried. An alternative process employs raw starch as the principle means for obtaining the desired adhesive character in the dried potato pieces. In the alternative process the dough is processed and formed into the desired pieces or strips without heating and thereafter the raw starch is gelatinized by application of heat.

Abstract: A dough of about 26% solids and about 74% moisture by weight comprising cooked intact separated potato cells, a synergistic binder-film forming matrix system, and water is formed into rice-like pellets or strips which are predried to about 30% moisture in hot air after which the predried pieces are coated with oil and heated at about 300.degree. F. to texturize the surface. The pieces are then dried to about a final 7-8% moisture by weight to produce a dehydrated instantized texturized piece which can be reconstituted by standing in boiling water for about 3-4 minutes to produce a finished dish with unique rice-like texture. Other dishes such as Hashbrowns, potato pancakes and one-pan stove top recipes such as Spanish rice, rice pudding and the like can be made from the dry or reconstituted product.

Abstract: Gelatinized potato pieces containing sufficient generally uniformly dispersed sulfur dioxide to enable the pieces to be protected from microbial contamination even when stored for prolonged periods at ambient temperature. An article of manufacture including ambient temperature, stable, sulfur dioxide-containing gelatinized potato pieces surrounded by a substantially oxygen free environment in a microbe/oxygen impermeable container. The process of treating gelatinized potato pieces to make them microbially stable at ambient temperature during prolonged time periods by dispersing sulfur dioxide through the pieces and protecting them from subsequent contamination. Storage of the pieces in a substantially oxygen free or inert gas environment also enhances flavor stability in the stored products.

Abstract: An agglomerate of dehydrated potato particles containing a binder, the agglomerate having a bulk density in the range of 0.25-0.50 grams per milliliter a bulk porosity in the range of 0.6-0.9 and an initial moisture absorption rate during reconstitution at 130.degree.F of 0.20 to 0.35 grams of water per gram of product per second and being reconstitutable without agitation to form a substantially homogenous dough even when disposed as a consolidated mass. By proper distribution of the binder among the particles, the reconstituted potato dough exhibits uniform cohesive characteristics that allow for ready division into shapes suitable for french-frying.

Abstract: A potato dough is prepared so that it is 23 to 40% solids including cooked intact potato cells, binder and raw starch, the remainder of the dough being moisture. The dough is divided into slabs and cut into strips of normal French fry potato size. The strips are then parfried in deep fat to a moisture content in the range of 40-65% to gelatinize the starch and form a matrix surrounding the intact potato cells throughout the piece, which matrix gels upon cooling, is not thereafter disturbed and makes the product freeze-thaw stable. The product is then frozen and stored. Without loss of piece integrity the product can be finish fried directly, or even after prolonged thawing, by deep fat frying or oven heating to form a crisp French fry.

Abstract: A dehydrated potato product is produced in a singlepass, non-addback process by preparing and cooking potatoes, mixing the cooked potatoes with a starch complexing emulsifier in the range of 0.3 to 2.0% by weight of solids to coat the surface of the potato cells, and mixing the resulting mash while directly subjecting the mash to a high velocity heated air stream to dry the mash to a point at which partially dried particles are airlifted and removed from the mixer-dryer. The partially dried cells are then dried to completion by conventional means. The starch complexing emulsifier reduces the adhesive characteristics of the mash, allowing separation of intact cells without damage after reducing the mash moisture to the range of about 30 to 50%. The dehydrated cooked potato product consists of intact potato cells in granular form substantially passing through a standard 60 mesh screen with high cold water absorption characteristics and rehydratable in hot water into mealy mashed potatoes.

Abstract: Gelatinized potato pieces containing sufficient generally uniformly dispersed sulfur dioxide to enable the pieces to be protected from microbial contamination even when stored for prolonged periods at ambient temperature. Storage of the pieces in a substantially oxygen free or inert gas environment also enhances flavor stability in the stored products.

Abstract: Process for making a reconstitutable dehydrated, cooked potato piece or strip. Raw potatoes are cooked and a dough of separated potato cells is formed therefrom. A small quantity of the cells are ruptured to release their starch contents. The released starch alone or in combination with additional raw starch which is gelatinized after mixing with the dough are used to give the dough an adhesive character which will permit the eventually dried potato pieces to be reconstituted in water without loss of piece identity. After rupture of the potato cells the dough is maintained in a heated condition until formed into strips or pieces of the desired size after which they are dried. An alternative process employs raw starch as the principle means for obtaining the desired adhesive character in the dried potato pieces. In the alternative process the dough is processed and formed into the desired pieces or strips without heating and thereafter the raw starch is gelatinized by application of heat.

Abstract: A dehydrated potato product yielding rapidly upon reconstitution pieces resembling pieces of fresh potato suitable for frying, as for instance hash brown potatoes, formed by preparing an aqueous dough of about 23 percent solids, not less than about 80 percent of which are undamaged potato cells and the balance of which includes conventional additives and not less than about 6 percent extracellular starch in a form to provide sufficient soluble edible adhesive, forming pieces of the desired size, and drying the pieces to a moisture content of about 71/2 percent.