Abstract: A method for forming an insoluble adduct using an acidic medium is provided. A chemical process utilizes acidic media to change the solubility behavior of metal solutes. The method can utilize Group 1 soluble alkali metals but can also be extended to any other soluble salts discussed under the solubility rules. The insoluble salts can be Group 2 alkaline earth metals or other insoluble salts. The insoluble adduct can have the designation XYZ where X is a soluble metal from a metal hydroxide or a metal oxide, Y is an insoluble metal from an insoluble metal hydroxide or an insoluble metal oxide, and Z is the acid ion from an aqueous acidic media.

Abstract: Various implementations of a freeze-drying method are described where the material is cooled by reducing the pressure in a chamber to evaporate and/or sublimate water in the material. In one implementation, the material is dried in the chamber by sublimating ice in the material to water vapor. In another implementation, the freeze-drying method includes actively cooling the chamber. In another implementation, at least a portion of the water vapor is deposited on an actively cooled interior surface of the chamber. In another implementation, the freeze-drying method includes cooling the material to ?25° F. or below. In another implementation, the material is cooled at approximately ambient pressure to 30° F. or below and then cooled by reducing the pressure in the chamber.

Abstract: A kitchen appliance is disclosed for cooking a meat product. The kitchen appliance includes a heating element adapted to heat a medium for transferring heat to the meat product, a sensor for detecting loss of water from a contact surface of the meat product with the medium, and a controller conductively coupled to the sensor. The controller processes a sensor signal produced by the sensor, and generates a control signal indicative of the meat product reaching a defined cooking state in response to the processed sensor signal being indicative of a loss of water associated with the desired cooking state from the contact surface of the meat product.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an air-drying plant for air drying cut-up food. The proposed plant consists of a conveyor (10) for cut-up food (1) defining a conveying surface (11), a plurality of blowing conduits (20) with blowing openings (21) channeling a treated airflow at a speed of treatment with a controlled temperature comprised between 4° C. and 60° C. and a controlled humidity; wherein the conveyor includes air treatment segments (12) with conveying surfaces (11) facing and adjacent to said blowing openings (21), said treated airflow being channeled against said conveying surface (11) in an upward or downward direction; and wherein the conveyor (10) also includes idle segments (13) intercalated between said air treatment segments (12), the conveying surface (11) of which is not facing the blowing openings (21), nor is it subjected to an airflow.

Abstract: An edible product including surimi, fish or fish portions, in various pasta-like shapes. The edible product has a high satiety index relative to unprocessed cooked fish and also provides a low glycemic index when compared to conventional pasta. Also disclosed is a method of manufacturing the edible product in various pasta-like shapes. The product may include between 1%-25% protein, between 1%-20% fat, and a ratio of Omega 3 to Omega 6 of at least 5:1.

Abstract: Improved processes for the production of engineered feed or food ingredients by extrusion comprise the steps of directing a dry fraction and a byproduct slurry fraction in serial order through a preconditioner and twin-screw extruder in order to create a wet extrudate, which is thereafter dried. The dry fraction is selected from sources of plant-derived starch and/or protein, sources of animal-derived functional proteins, and mixtures thereof. The slurry fraction comprises aqueous byproduct slurries from meat, dairy, vegetable, and fruit processing. The extrusion processes yield high-quality ingredients without the need for conventional rendering.

Abstract: Methods of making low-fat or fat free snack food products, and products made according to the methods, in which food pieces are subjected to enzyme and/or cation treatment and/or specific cooking and/or drying techniques, to provide for snack food products having the texture, flavor, and other characteristics of conventional full-fat products.

Abstract: Methods and systems for continuously producing foaming compositions from powders, granules, and/or particulate are provided and/or powders, granules, and/or particulates that contains high pressure gas. The methods and systems are configured to reduce energy costs and overall processing time and, thus, provide advantages over the prior batch processes that have lengthy temperature ramp-up and cool-down times due to the shortcomings of using a large pressure vessel.

Abstract: A stigmasterol-rich phytosterol composition is prepared wherein the composition comprises at least 50% stigmasterol, based on the total weight of phytosterols, no more than 1000 ppm water, no more than 50 ppm ethanol, and wherein stigmasterol is at least 98% in the anhydrous form. A ready-to-freeze beverage is provided comprising the stigmasterol-rich composition and water, with optional additives. A frozen beverage is prepared from the ready-to-freeze beverage as a pourable slush. There are further provided processes to prepare the ready-to-freeze beverage and the frozen slush beverage.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of preparing dryblended powdered nutritional compositions including at least one dry ingredient that has undergone a microbial inactivation heat treatment sufficient to inactivate microbes present therein. The heat treatment comprises subjecting the dry ingredient to a temperature of greater than 48° C. to no greater than 60° C. for a period of from 2 days to 30 days and allows for incorporation of the dry ingredient into the dryblended powdered nutritional composition without risk of substantial microbial contamination of the composition, and further, without substantially altering the physical and functional properties of the dry ingredient.

Abstract: Methods of making low-fat or fat free snack food products, and products made according to the methods, in which food pieces are subjected to enzyme and/or cation treatment and/or specific cooking and/or drying techniques, to provide for snack food products having the texture, flavor, and other characteristics of conventional full-fat products.

Abstract: The invention relates to compositions and methods for making human consumable jerky treats. The invention provides moist, flavorful jerky treats and methods for making such treats.

Abstract: A method of preparing a shelf-stable processed grain product includes a series of heating and cooling steps performed on a processed grain product having a water activity value of about 0.65 or less. A first heating step takes the grain pieces to a first elevated temperature, which is followed by a first cooling step. The grain pieces are passed to a second heating step to reach a second elevated temperature, followed by a second cooling step. The grain pieces are then passed to a third heating step, after which they are sufficiently soft and pliable for a final forming step such as flaking, bumping, puffing, or the like. This allows grain pieces that are suitable for long term storage, but too brittle for final forming, to be softened for final forming without raising the moisture content to a point that is conducive to mold formation or reduced product quality.

Abstract: The application relates to a process comprising retorting a food product comprising thermally inhibited flour for a time from about 15 minutes to about 80 minutes to achieve a F0 value of at least 10.

Abstract: An improved method for heat treating flour. The resulting flour has increased moisture absorption and increased strength. Dough made from the heat-treated flour has improved performance, and baked goods made from the heat-treated flour have improved properties relative to dough and baked goods made from untreated flour.

Abstract: The invention is an improved process and system for producing a shaped snack chip. A shaping oven, which uses a chain edge conveyor having transverse slats with at least one spring affixed to the slats, is used to convert dough pieces into shaped pre-forms, which can optionally be further dehydrated to form shaped snack chips.

Abstract: A method for making a snack product having a target shape from expandable pellets is disclosed. The snack product is formed into a target shape by expanding the pellets inside a mold. As the pellets expand inside the mold, the mold walls restrain the pellets expansion in the direction normal to the mold wall surface. The pellets also adhere to one another as they expand. An edible binder material can be included to facilitate such adherence.

Abstract: Use of dried rehydratable food, such as in a dried soup, a dried beverage, a breakfast cereal, a yoghurt and a dried sauce, is widespread. However it has been observed that when the dried components are fruit and/or vegetable, the components, on rehydration, do not resemble the fruit and/or vegetable before desiccation. That is to say they no longer have a fresh appearance but are discoloured and lack firmness. This transformation is due to cellular damage which occurs during desiccation. In particular, it is thought that phospholipid membranes are destabilised by insertion of cellular amphiphiles, phase transition into the gel phase and membrane fusion. This invention seeks to solve the above-mentioned technical problem by providing, amongst other things, a dried rehydratable food which is a fruit, vegetable or part thereof which, on rehydration, has improved appearance, texture and rehydration properties.

Abstract: A nutrition-enriched rice manufacturing method includes a harvesting process of harvesting raw unhulled rice as a starting material from a paddy field, a nutrition enriching process of generating nutrition-enriched unhulled rice by heating the raw unhulled rice of which average moisture content is at a predetermined level of 20% by weight or more with a microwave heating device and heat-retaining the raw unhulled rice for a predetermined period of time with a heat retention device, and a drying, hulling and polishing process of drying nutrition-enriched unhulled rice so as to have an average moisture content suitable to a long-term storage, hulling to remove chaff, and polishing to remove embryo and bran layer so as to obtain nutrition-enriched polished rice which abundantly contains gamma aminobutyric acid in an endosperm part.

Abstract: A coffee composition based on instant freeze-dried coffee with the taste and aroma characteristics of a regular roasted coffee is provided. A method for obtaining the composition by processing regular roasted fine ground coffee through concentrated liquid coffee extract. This processing combined with freeze drying produces uniformly structured freeze-dried granules with uniform content of regular roasted fine ground coffee inside the granules.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for preparing a dried food product said process comprising treating a dried food with an aqueous acidulant, in an amount and for a period of time which is sufficient to modify a surface of the food to increase water permeability; dehydrating the acidified food to obtain a desired moisture content with heat; cooling the heated dehydrated acidified food; and infusing the cooled dehydrated acidified food with an infusate.

Abstract: This invention relates to a cold infusion process for fortifying coffee beans with one or more vitamin, non-vitamin, mineral, non-mineral, botanical, hormone, herb, neutraceutical, lipid, carbohydrate, amino acid, acid, salt, prebiotic, or probiotic functional additives. This invention also discloses an infused coffee bean produced by the process of infusing the coffee bean at a temperature of less than about 120° F. with a solution comprising water, a bridge initiator for acid salt bias, fortifying agent(s), and an acid in a quantity sufficient to reach a pH of about 3.65. Further, this invention provides a method for the infusion of a coffee bean with at least one fortifying agent at approximately room temperature.

Abstract: Apparatus manufactures thin confectionery products with uniform shapes and has first and second drying apparatuses between shape cutting and baking apparatuses for adjusting water content of raw dough pieces. The first drying apparatus has upper and lower levels, the upper level having conveyor belts at plural stages for transporting the dough pieces under hot air atmosphere and the lower level having conveyor belt for cooling, and conveyor belt for maturing the cooled pieces. The second drying apparatus has atmosphere at lower temperature than the first drying apparatus and plural rotary drums each having an inlet and an outlet and being rotatably mounted in the second apparatus. A chute transports the raw dough pieces from uppermost to lowermost ones of the rotary drums.

Abstract: Methods of making low-fat or fat free snack food products, and products made according to the methods, in which food pieces are subjected to enzyme and/or cation treatment and/or specific cooking and/or drying techniques, to provide for snack food products having the texture, flavor, and other characteristics of conventional full-fat products.

Abstract: An apparatus for pasteurizing a dry food product comprises an impingement chamber, a conveyor for conveying the dry food product through the impingement chamber; a heater and water supply assembly for generating heated, moist air, and a fan for circulating the heated, moist air through the impingement chamber and onto the dry food product. In operation, the moisture in the heated, moist air condenses on the surface of the dry food product and produces a heat of condensation which heats the surface of the dry food product. Moreover, this heat of condensation is sufficient to kill a percentage of any pathogenic microorganisms which may be present on the surface of the dry food product.

Abstract: Improved processes for the production of engineered feed or food ingredients by extrusion comprise the steps of directing a dry fraction and a byproduct slurry fraction in serial order through a preconditioner and twin-screw extruder in order to create a wet extrudate, which is thereafter dried. The dry fraction is selected from sources of plant-derived starch and/or protein, sources of animal-derived functional proteins, and mixtures thereof. The slurry fraction comprises aqueous byproduct slurries from meat, dairy, vegetable, and fruit processing. The extrusion processes yield high-quality ingredients without the need for conventional rendering.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems and methods are disclosed to manufacture a plurality of edible pieces in a continuous process where each piece is generally different in thickness, shape, size and/or texture from another piece, so as to create, in the aggregate product distribution, pieces of randomly varying thickness, size, shape and/or texture.

Abstract: A starchy food having an initial moisture content in the range from 20% wb to 35% wb. is passed through states in which the food surface has various pairs temperature and surface moisture values. Then, the starchy food is brought to and maintained at a temperature in such a manner that a degree of gelatinization of at least 75% is achieved. Then, the surface is cooled to a temperature below the temperature Tg mid of the glass transition curve, based on the moisture of the starchy food. Then, the cooled, starchy food is dried at a temperature above the temperature Tg onset of the glass transition curve, based on the moisture of the starchy food.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of chewable honey without loss of its nutritional values and a honey chew bar obtained through such process, said chewable honey bar providing sustained energy to the consumer without loss of nutritional values and flavor of natural honey. During the process, an additional flavor may be added, comprising of additives, natural flavor, artificial flavor and nature identical flavor for example being selected of strawberry, vanilla, coffee, chocolate, rose, cloves or any other such flavor to the Honey.

Abstract: An aqueous solution of a soy protein product having a protein content of at least about 60 wt % (N×6.25) d.b. which is completely soluble in aqueous media at a pH of less than about 4.4 and heat stable at that pH range is adjusted in pH to a pH of about 6.1 to about 8. The resulting product is further processed by drying the product, recovering and drying any precipitated soy protein material, heat treating and then drying the product, or heat treating the product and recovering and drying any precipitated soy protein material.

Abstract: A dehydrated avocado in pieces that is a semi-porous, rigid and fragile solid preserving the organoleptic properties of the fresh fruit and having a dry base weight chemical composition of 17.6 grams to 30.4 grams of carbohydrates, 6.8 grams to 8.4 grams of proteins, 61.2 grams to 69.2 grams of oil, 0.5 grams to 1.5 grams of water and 5.6 grams to 8.4 grams of fiber is produced selecting the avocado at a ripeness level higher than the climacteric maximum; pre-cooling; scalding; cutting the tip, wherein the tip is the section of the fruit immediately behind the petiole; removing the skin; slicing with the pit included; applying vacuum and microwave dehydration; and removing the pit sections from the slices.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a new method for dehydrating natural fruit and/or vegetable products in order to modify their textural properties, so as to obtain chewy and non-sticky dices or pieces intended to be used by people having (or suffering from) difficult chewing, for example in sweet food, in dried savoury food, in baby food, hospital food, food for seniors and/or clinical nutrition for people with medical conditions.

Abstract: An isolated polynucleotide is provided. The isolated polynucleotides comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence at least 88% homologous to SEQ ID NO: 22, the polypeptide being capable of increasing a cuticular water permeability of a plant expressing same. Also provided are methods of generating plants expressing such polypeptides which can be used for producing dehydrated plants or cuticular covered portions thereof.

Abstract: A method for heat-treating flour comprising the steps of dehydrating the flour to minimize or avoid gelatinization, and heat treating the dehydrated flour. The resulting flour has increased moisture absorption. Dough made from the heat-treated flour has improved performance and baked goods made from the heat-treated flour have improved properties relative to dough and baked goods made from untreated flour.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an improved method of drying the extracted beet chips and means and equipment for carrying out the method, with emphasis especially on the reduction of the emission of organic carbon compounds during the chip drying stage and on the reduction of the primary energy consumption.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of manufacturing citrus snacks. In this method, citrus fruits are sliced in a natural state and dried under reduced pressure so that the citrus fruits may be dried while containing the same nutrients as when fresh, thereby avoiding nutritional damage due to high temperature drying. Further, the citrus fruits containing various nutrients are provided to users in a snack form that allows more convenient ingestion, so that the citrus fruits may be easily ingested by children and the elderly to whom the supply of nutrition is essential.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for obtaining artificial casing for filling foodstuffs and artificial casing obtained by means of said method, which comprises extruding gel through an output slot having a closed, polygonal and non-circular geometric configuration, obtaining a tubular film with a circular cross-section due to the effect of pressure exerted by a fluid that is injected into said hollow tubular film, such that the artificial casing obtained has a high dilation capacity in its cross-section, while at the same time maintaining the same longitudinal traction values as a casing obtained using a circular slot of the same caliber.

Abstract: Provided are roasted coffee beans useful for producing a coffee beverage having rich body and taste and suppressed in unpleasant taste. The roasted coffee beans of the present invention have an L value of 10 to 20, a content weight ratio [(B)/(A)] of hydroxyhydroquinone (B) to hydroquinone (A) of 3.5 or less, and a content of chlorogenic acids (C) of 0.3 to 1.5 g relative to 100 g of the roasted coffee beans.

Abstract: A process and reactor used for the depth thermal treatment in maize for producing High Performance Integral Nixtamal, a process for treating maize under conditions different from known ones and by which a new product can be manufactured which has been called High Performance Integral Nixtamal.

Abstract: Soy protein products obtained from high oleic soybeans, wherein such products, have improved whiteness, reduced viscosity and reduced gel-strength, are described. Use of such products in food, beverage and animal feed are also disclosed.

Abstract: In order to specify a device (1) and a method for the micro-particulation of filtration residues comprising a mechanical treatment and a heat treatment, in particular of whey proteins in ultra-filtration whey concentrates, which in each case permit a particularly high yield of particles in a preselectable size range in a manner which spares resources, it is suggested to provide a separate heat treatment device (5) as well as a separate mechanical treatment device (9) or for the heat treatment and the mechanical treatment to be carried out separately from one another with respect to space and time.

Abstract: A plant has a line to convey trays and a processing chamber under modified atmospheric conditions that has a regulating chamber with gates at an entrance and a regulating chamber (9) with gates at an exit to introduce and extract trays with foodstuff. Before the input regulating chamber there is a stacking device for stacking trays, after the exit of the input regulating chamber (4) and inside the processing chamber there is an unstacking device, and transfer device are arranged to introduce stacks of trays in the processing chamber through the regulating chamber in order to provide sufficient time to regulate the atmospheric conditions in the regulating chamber without lowering the advance rate of the trays in the line.

Abstract: This invention provides a novel method for producing maize flour including at least one treatment step in which a product comprising maize is treated under alkaline conditions, wherein an alkaline solution is sprayed onto the product. Furthermore, a facility for producing maize flour is disclosed, in particular in said method. Moreover, maize flour obtained by this method and foodstuffs containing this flour are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention defines an apparatus and a process for vacuum drying fruit or vegetables, particularly tropical fruit, such as bananas, mangos and pineapples, so as to provide an exceptionally sweet and flavorful fruit chip snack product which is substantially free of any additives such as frying oil, preservatives, added sugar and artificial sweeteners. The process is a vacuum drying process and utilizes a drying apparatus in the form of an autoclave which contains within it a stacked platen heat exchanger wherein trays of the fruit to be dried are placed between heated platens in the heat exchanger. The platens are heated using hot water or a hot water/steam mixture and the drying is done in the autoclave under pressure.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for preparing a dried food product said process comprising treating a dried food with an aqueous acidulant, in an amount and for a period of time which is sufficient to modify a surface of the food to increase water permeability; dehydrating the acidified food to obtain a desired moisture content with heat; cooling the heated dehydrated acidified food; and infusing the cooled dehydrated acidified food with an infusate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing vegetable products from blanched vegetables, comprising: par frying the blanched vegetables at a par frying temperature and next applying heat and humidity for drying the vegetables.

Abstract: The invention provides novel food compositions having a realistic meat-like appearance, feel, and texture. The compositions comprise from about 40 to about 90% functional proteins, from about 0.05 to about 2% of one or more cross-linking agents, and from about 60 to about 10% of a meat slurry, wherein the meat slurry comprises meat and one or more humectants plasticizers in a meat:humectant plasticizer ratio of from about 20:80 to about 80:20. The compositions are produced by heating a preconditioned mixture of the food components under pressure and then expanding the heated composition to form the food composition.

Abstract: Use of dried rehydratable food, such as in a dried soup, a dried beverage, a breakfast cereal, a yoghurt and a dried sauce, is widespread. However it has been observed that when the dried components are fruit and/or vegetable, the components, on rehydration, do not resemble the fruit and/or vegetable before desiccation. That is to say they no longer have a fresh appearance but are discoloured and lack firmness. This transformation is due to cellular damage which occurs during desiccation. In particular, it is thought that phospholipid membranes are destabilised by insertion of cellular amphiphiles, phase transition into the gel phase and membrane fusion. This invention seeks to solve the above-mentioned technical problem by providing, amongst other things, a dried rehydratable food which is a fruit, vegetable or part thereof which, on rehydration, has improved appearance, texture and rehydration properties.

Abstract: Food processing methods and associated apparatuses are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a food processing method includes heating a meat product in an oven to a pasteurizing temperature of the meat product followed by drying the meat product at the oven temperature that is below the maximum oven temperature of the processing cycle. In another embodiment, the method includes heating a meat product in a continuous belt grill, followed by drying the meat product in a temperature/relative humidity controlled oven. By breaking the food processing method into at least two phases, the method can result in a shorter processing time with better control of the process end points.

Abstract: An inexpensive heat treatment method for producing dried microbial cells is provided, wherein the method does not result in lowering the quality of the microbial cells or causing pulverization. The method includes a step of heating microbial cells to between 200 to 450° C. for 1 to 30 seconds.