Abstract: An apparatus for preparing fruit includes a main housing with a cutting area containing a cutting assembly and a drive assembly, a removable cup assembly for inserting the fruit into the apparatus, and a removable drawer and tray for removing cut pieces of fruit from the apparatus after a cutting operation. The apparatus includes a rinsing assembly for cleaning the fruit and the cutting assembly, and a deflector configured to route cut pieces of fruit into the tray and waste material through a disposal outlet. The cutting assembly is configured to perform one or more cutting operations depending on the type of fruit detected in the cup assembly: wedging for apples, lemons, limes, and pears, and cutting/peeling for oranges and grapefruits. The apparatus quickly prepares various fruits for consumption without requiring an operator to touch the cut pieces of fruit.

Abstract: Shelf stable, expanded or popped snack products are disclosed that contain at least one fruit ingredient and/or at least one vegetable ingredient. Also disclosed are methods of producing and using the snack products.

Abstract: A fry assessment system (10) is disclosed and includes an image analyzer (12). The image analyzer (12) includes both a fry identification module (90) and a fry scoring module (100). A color image (70) is analyzed by the fry identification module (90) to identify all fries in the color image (70). Thereafter, the fry scoring module (100) determines a score for each identified fry in the color image (70). These determined scores may be used for any appropriate purpose, for instance for purposes of determining a selling price for associated potatoes, to monitor a condition of associated potatoes in a common storage area, or the like.

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: A sweet potato snack chip which is made by cooking dough that contains a sweet potato flour composition that includes sweet potato powder, sweet potato flakes and mixtures of these. The sweet potato snack chip has a chip density of from about 0.6 g/ml to about 2.0 g/ml, and a chip fracture strength of from about 400 gf to about 900 gf. The preferred dough formed from the sweet potato flour composition is sheetable and cohesive. Fabricated snacks made from this dough have desirable taste and texture characteristics.

Abstract: A lattice-cut potato product is sliced so that the ridges and grooves on one surface of the slices are oriented transversely to the ridges and grooves on the opposite surface of the slices. The sizes and shapes of the ridges and grooves are particularly selected so that each point in the interior of a slice is no greater than a specified distance from an outer surface of the slice. These parameters enable a lattice-cut potato product to consistently achieve a crispy outer surface and a smooth and creamy interior when cooked by baking or microwaving.

Abstract: Cold and ready to eat vegetable cakes, and with a variety of ingredient combinations are suitable for healthy consumption. The vegetable cakes are soft in texture and high in nutrition. People can save the time and energy of preparing and cooking of the food. Serving size can be a single serving, and a six pack of serving. Vegetable cakes are also created as vegetable egg cakes, vegetable plus salt source cakes, vegetable seafood cakes, vegetable meat cakes, vegetable bubbles, vegetables balls, vegetable patties, and vegetable sausages. They can be served as cold and hot food for breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner. They can also be used as animal food, baby food, for children with less teeth, for old people, and for sick people. Cold and ready to eat vegetable cakes with ingredients offer the consumers an easy and convenient way to obtain an affordable, nutritious, and delicious meal.

Abstract: The use of acid treatment of uncooked French fries prior to cooking by roasting, frying, grill or baking whereby to reduce the acrylamide content of the cooked product.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for inhibiting the sprouting of potato tubers are provided. The compositions comprise combinations of i) ?,?-unsaturated aliphatic aldehydes, and ketones, C3 to. C14 aliphatic aldehydes and ketones, and/or C3 to C7 saturated or unsaturated primary and secondary aliphatic alcohols; and 2) conventional sprout Inhibitors, The effect of the combinations is additive and/or synergistic, and less of the conventional inhibitor is required to achieve the same or improved levels of sprout inhibition.

Abstract: A method of making a baked, non-fried, frozen potato product, suitable for final bake processing, which has at least the flavor, exterior crispness, and interior texture of a par-fried product, with lower fat content, without par-flying. The process, among other things, combines warm oil deluge and impingement oven baking.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are non-fried potato chips that are produced without frying in oil to reduce an oil content but have a crispy texture and good meltability in the mouth, which cannot be sufficiently achieved by conventional non-fried potato chips, and are therefore comparable to potato chips produced by frying in oil. The inside of the non-fried potato chips is sufficiently puffed, and the non-fried potato chips have a number of pores. More specifically, the non-fried potato chips have 10/mm2 or more holes with a short diameter of 20 ?m or more and a porosity of 35% to 65% when their vertical sections are observed.

Abstract: This disclosure describes, in one aspect, a food product prepared from a plurality of potatoes in which at least 51% of the potatoes possess a specific gravity of at least 1.086. In some embodiments, the food product can receive a color sensory grade, a texture sensory grade, a flavor sensory grade, and/or a composite sensory grade of at least 7.0.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods for stably integrating a desired polynucleotide into a plant genome.

Abstract: A whole grain gluten-free flour blend for use by persons with celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, food allergies, autism spectrum disorder and others wishing to eliminate gluten from their diet. An embodiment of a whole grain gluten-free flour blend may comprise specified amounts of gluten-free whole-grain flours, other gluten-free flours, gluten-free starches, and may also include gluten-free gums and/or gluten-free vitamins and minerals. An example of this unique blend may approximate the taste, weight, texture and performance of wheat flour. Furthermore, in an exemplary embodiment, the flour may be used as a cup for cup substitute for all-purpose wheat flour in most conventional recipes.

Abstract: A potato cultivar designated J55 is disclosed. The invention relates to tubers of potato cultivar J55, to seeds of potato cultivar J55, to plants and plant parts of potato cultivar J55, to food products produced from potato cultivar J55, and to methods for producing a potato plant by crossing potato cultivar J55 with itself or with another potato variety. The invention also relates to methods for producing a transgenic potato plant and to the transgenic potato plants and parts produced by those methods. This invention also relates to potato plants and plant parts derived from potato cultivar J55, to methods for producing other potato plants or plant parts derived from potato cultivar J55 and to the potato plants and their parts derived from use of those methods. The invention further relates to hybrid potato tubers, seeds, plants and plant parts produced by crossing potato cultivar J55 with another potato cultivar.

Abstract: An outer portion of one or more layers of microwave interactive material, which is for becoming hot when exposed to microwave energy, is arranged in a manner that seeks to advantageously control heating, so that the outer portion of the microwave interactive material can safely be adjacent the periphery of a turntable tray. The turntable tray can be heated by the microwave interactive material so that a peak thermally induced stress occurs in the turntable tray at a position proximate the periphery of the tray. The layer(s) of microwave interactive material are configured in a manner so that the peak thermally induced stress is less than a predetermined amount.

Abstract: The invention relates to a protein that can be added to a food product or beverage without thereby providing the food product or beverage with a strong astringent taste, an undesirable colouring and/or an off-taste. More in particular, the invention relates to a potato protein glycated with a reducing sugar, wherein the reducing sugar is preferably chosen from the group consisting of reducing monosaccharides, reducing disaccharides, dextran and combinations thereof.

Abstract: A method is disclosed which reduces the oil content of a potato chip. The method teaches that a steeper, faster temperature drop upon initial introduction of the potato slice to the fryer, followed by a longer period of exposure to lower temperatures before increasing to standard frying temperatures, reduces oil content of a potato chip. The invention further discloses a pre-treatment method which involves submerging the potatoes in a hot water bath which results in decreased oil content. Additionally, the invention discloses a post-treatment method involving subjecting the potato chip to superheated steam that further reduces oil content. The two pre and post-treatment methods, combined with the primary temperature scheme method for reducing oil content, yield a potato chip with significantly reduced oil content.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of preparing a tuber for consumption, with the tuber having added food ingredients in the tuber. The tuber is thoroughly cooked. The tuber is frozen to provide rigidity about the skin of the tuber, while leaving a portion of the flesh unfrozen. A portion of the flesh of the tuber is removed either prior to or after cooking. The desired added food material is inserted through a hole in the skin and into the void where flesh of the tuber was removed. The tuber may then be completely frozen for later preparation and consumption.

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 process for dewatering biomass material comprising polysaccharide and water. The process comprises wetting the biomass material with a wetting composition comprising an alcohol to form a biomass slurry comprising wetted biomass material and a liquid component, mechanically separating a portion of the liquid component from the biomass slurry, and mechanically separating at least a portion of the water from the wetted biomass material. A process for extracting polysaccharide from the biomass material and a dewatered biomass material are also disclosed.

Abstract: Materials and methods are provided for making plants (e.g., Solanum varieties) with decreased accumulation of reducing sugars and acrylamide in cold-stored potatoes, specifically, by making TALE-nuclease-induced mutations in genes encoding vacuolar invertase.

Abstract: The present disclosure is generally directed to homogeneous plastic mass compositions. Specifically, the present dis closure relates to vegetable-based compositions in the form of vegetable or vegetable/fruit leathers. In a general embodiment, nutritional products are provided that include at least about 75% by weight of at least one vegetable, where the product is a homogeneous plastic mass having a water activity ranging from about 0.3 to about 1.0. In another embodiment, nutritional products are provided that include at least about 15% by weight of at least one vegetable and at least about 40% by weight of at least one fruit, where the product is a homogeneous plastic mass having a water activity ranging from about 0.3 to about 1.0. Methods for making and using the nutritional products are also provided by the present disclosure.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods for stably integrating a desired polynucleotide into a plant genome, comprising transforming plant material with a first vector comprising nucleotide sequences encoding TAL proteins designed to recognize a target sequence; transforming the plant material with a second vector comprising (i) a marker gene that is not operably linked to a promoter (“promoter-free marker cassette”) and which comprises a sequence homologous to the target sequence; and (ii) a desired polynucleotide; and identifying transformed plant material in which the desired polynucleotide is stably integrated.

Abstract: A vegetable food product and a method of making a dehydrated vegetable food product are provided. A quantity of vegetables is cut to a predetermined size. The quantity of cut vegetables is cooked. The quantity of cut vegetables has surface moisture removed. A flavoring material is imparted into the quantity of vegetables. The quantity of cut vegetables is substantially dehydrated, wherein each of the cut vegetables has a jerky-like texture, whereby shearing through the jerky-like texture requires a force of at least 30 N until a 95% strain is achieved utilizing a TA-HD Plus Texture Analyzer Device. The quantity of vegetable may include a quantity of potatoes.

Abstract: A sandwich-sized shaped potato products adapted for presentation and use as either a hot garnish, such as suggestive of a pile of mashed french fries on a hamburger sandwich, or as a meat substitute in a sandwich, and the sandwiches made therewith.

Abstract: Deep fried, seasoned, and ready to eat vegetables in small pieces to be served conveniently as an appetizer and/or snack food. The comestible produced provides people who eat at fast food restaurants the choice of deep fried vegetables as appetizers, and people shopping for food the convenience of getting processed vegetables as snack food.

Abstract: A nutritional composition is provided herein for optimizing fats, carbohydrates, and protein caloric ratios as it relates to balanced nutrition, general health, and muscle performance during exercise and for enhancing muscle cell repair and recovery following the cessation of exercise, comprising: a) about 18% to about 23% by weight, e.g. about 19% to about 21%, of whey protein, e.g. whey protein isolate; b) about 65% to about 70% by weight, e.g. about 67% to about 69%, of a “Superfruit and Vegetable Blend”, a concentrated fruit juice and a sweetener, such as honey; and c) about 10% to about 15% by weight, such as about 11% to about 13%, of a vegetable oil, e.g., olive oil, such as extra virgin olive oil, virgin olive oil, cold pressed olive oil.

Abstract: A fermentation product (fermented food) that has high functionality by subjecting a fructan-containing material (in particular, a material including garlic or rakkyo containing fructan at a high concentration) directly to lactic acid fermentation without performing a heat treatment or an enzymatic treatment. More specifically, provided are: a fermentation product having an immunopotentiating effect, which is obtained by lactic acid fermentation of a fructan-containing material using a lactic acid bacterium Lactobacillus plantarum S506 strain (MITE BP-643) having fructan-utilizing ability, a mutant strain of the S506 strain having fructan-utilizing ability, or a strain isolated from Lactobacillus plantarum and having the same bacteriological properties as those of the S506 strain; and a fermented food which contains the fermentation product.

Abstract: A food product comprising: a potato mixture that is cooked without frying; where the food product has the appearance, taste and texture similar to a French fry cooked in oil; and where the food product has less than 20 calories per cubic inch. A food cooking apparatus comprising: a bottom continuous belt comprising a plurality of bottom channels; a top continuous belt, that meshes with the bottom continuous belt; and where the food cooking apparatus is configured to rotate the top continuous belt and bottom continuous belt such that any food desposited onto the bottom channels is suitably cooked when it leaves the bottom continuous belt and enters the finished food holding container.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the manufacture of a product from a plant material including the steps of providing a disrupted plant material including <10% (w/w) starch and <10% (w/w) oil/lipids; adjusting the pH of the disrupted plant material to a value of pH 3.5 or below to pro-vide an acidic suspension; heating the acidic suspension to a temperature in the range of about 50° C. to about 80° C.; isolating the product from the heat-ed, acidic suspension. The product may be a protein product or a non-protein product. In particular, the process of the invention provides a protein product with reduced contents of non-protein components of negative nutri-tional value.

Abstract: This application relates to compositions comprising whole-tissue potato products with enhanced resistant starch (RS) content and reduced estimated glycemic index values. Methods of preparing and using whole-tissue potato products with enhanced resistant starch (RS) content and glycemic index values are also disclosed.

Abstract: A composition and method for providing a strong dough having a substantial quantity of fresh potatoes. Fresh potatoes are made into a mash and centrifuged to reduce the water content to about 70% by weight. Such potato mash can comprise over 50% by weight of the final dough. This dough can be used to make sheeted or extruded products. Such dough results in improved, more naturally-flavored products compared to products made entirely from dehydrated or partially-dehydrated potato derivatives. The method comprises finely slicing potatoes to form a potato slurry or mash; decanting excess water from the potato slurry; heating the potato slurry to a temperature no greater than about 190 degrees Fahrenheit; cooling the slurry to under 140 degrees Fahrenheit; and imparting a low amount of work input to a mixture of the slurry and other ingredients to form a shapeable dough.

Abstract: A method of preparing a tuber for consumption, with the tuber having added food ingredients in the tuber. The tuber is thoroughly cooked. The tuber is then frozen to provide rigidity about the skin of the tuber, while leaving a portion of the flesh unfrozen. The skin of the tuber is pierced, preferably at an end of the tuber, forming a hole in the skin. The flesh of the tuber is accessed through the hole of in skin, and the flesh of the tuber is disturbed or disrupted. The desired added food material is inserted through the hole in the skin and into the disrupted flesh of the tuber. The tuber may then be completely frozen for later preparation and consumption.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an emulsifier comprising vegetable fibrous material with natural or artificial cavities and comprising at least cellulose, hemicellulose, soluble fibrous material and starch. The vegetable fibrous material is based on e.g. potato. The emulsifier also comprises a lipophilic phase constituting a maximum of 75% by weight of the total weight, wherein the emulsifier is in the form of a powder or a paste. The vegetable fibrous material constitutes a support phase in the emulsifier, and the emulsifier also comprises some form of dextrose, dextrose polymer, dextrin or dextrin polymer or a derivate thereof.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for producing esterified propoxylated glycerols and eutectic mixtures containing one or more esterified propoxylated glycerols and one or more digestible fats. Food products containing the eutectic mixtures are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and composition for making food products for benefiting health, including: inoculating dryland taro poi with fermented wetland taro poi; fermenting the inoculated dryland taro poi; dehydrating the fermented dryland taro poi; rehydrating the dehydrated dryland taro poi; pasteurizing the rehydrated dryland taro poi; reinoculating the pasteurized dryland taro poi with a poi starter culture; and adding nutrients to the reinoculated dryland taro poi. The poi starter culture includes a probiotic organism having a concentration of at least 2000 cfu/g. The nutrients added to the dryland taro poi include one or more selected from the group consisting of: xylose and inulin. The dryland taro poi and the wetland taro poi are in an amount in a ratio of 40:1 by weight, dryland to wetland.

Abstract: Food product characterized in that it comprises a mixture of slices of potatoes cooked in oil and corns puffed up when heated, said slices of potatoes being present in a percentage by weight ranging approximately from 55% to 85% of the total weight of the food product and said corns being present in a percentage by weight ranging approximately from 15% to 45% of the total weight of the food product.

Abstract: The present invention is a dehydrated French fried potato snack product and methods of producing the same. The dehydrated French fried potato snack product may also be ready-to-eat without requiring additional heating steps, such as frying or baking.

Abstract: A method for preparing a purple sweet potato concentrate that is free from starch, rich in anthocyanins, phenolic compounds, minerals, and soluble dietary fiber with low viscosity, attractive color, and with natural sweetness is presented. The method first prepares and liquefies the purple sweet potatoes and fixes the colorization by adjusting the pH value. Next, amylase and an enzyme complex of hemicellulase, pectinase, cellulose, glucoamylase and protease are added in sequence under conditions effective to produce the juice with the above mentioned properties. The juice is then centrifuged and membrane-filtered to produce a purified purple sweet potato juice which is vacuum-concentrated to yield a purple sweet potato concentrate. Purple sweet potato powder can be obtained by vacuum drying the sediment and concentrate mixture.

Abstract: The production of starch containing products such as rice for use in a low glycemic diet as a carbohydrate substitute in diet preparations is disclosed. The preparation may be readily adjusted in form and taste with respect to aroma, texture, consistency, and flavor for utilization in a number of food preparation techniques including baking and frying. The method provides digestible starches from native and commercial starches by controlled heating and/or enzymatic processing and filtration of carbohydrates.

Abstract: A continuous oil fryer used to fry food slices, such as potato chips, having an internal oil stripping capability. The fryer accumulates the steam produced by the frying process in a hood and utilizes such steam, after superheating the steam by passing it through a heat exchanger, to strip oil from product immediately upon removal from the hot oil bath by passing the superheated steam through a product bed while on an output conveyor. The superheated steam removes oil from the product on the output conveyor without increasing the moisture level of the product. The fryer therefore accomplishes the same function as a low-oil stripper without increasing the footprint of the frying unit and with less energy.

Abstract: A potato chip that has more oil near its outer surfaces than in its interior and a unique RVA profile is disclosed. The organoleptic properties of the inventive potato chips compare favorably to known and commercially available potato chips.

Abstract: The present invention provides potato plant varieties with high tuber yield and tuber products with superior flavor and texture, and methods for increasing tuber yield and improving heat-processed product quality.

Abstract: A method for frying foodstuffs, the method comprising a fryer having inlet and outlet longitudinal ends, an oil recirculating system coupled to the fryer, a heat exchanger for heating the oil in the oil recirculating system, a hood above the fryer for collecting steam generated during the frying process, a conduit for conveying steam from the hood, and a compressor for compressing the steam, the compressor having an input connected to the conduit and an output for compressed steam connected to the heat exchanger.

Abstract: An asparaginase enzyme derived from the fungi Basidiomycete, in particular the Basidiomycete is Flammulina velutipes. A method for hydrolysing at least one of L-asparagine or L-glutamine. A method for reducing acrylamide formation in a substance comprising L-asparagine is also described.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a new plant breeding process. The process improves the agronomic performance of crop plants by using genetic material that is also used in classical breeding. Instead of sexually recombining entire genomes at random, as is done in classical breeding, specific genetic elements are rearranged in vitro and inserted back into individual plant cells. Plants obtained through this new plant breeding process do not contain foreign nucleic acid but only contain nucleic acid from the plant species selected for transformation or plants that are sexually compatible with the selected plant species. Plants developed through this new plant breeding process are provided. In particular, potato plants displaying improved tuber storage and health characteristics are provided.

Abstract: A stable asparaginase solution is disclosed. In one aspect, drinking water is treated to reduce the level of chlorine to enhance the residual enzyme activity of asparaginase. The treatment can occur by removing chlorine constituents or by supplying additives that reduces the level of chlorine. Additives can include reducing agents and chlorine scavengers. Removal technologies can include use of activated carbon, ion exchange, and air stripping.

Abstract: A food composition including a carbohydrate rich food base and cyclodextrin mixed with the food base to form the food composition having a volume increase of 15 percent or greater relative to a comparable control composition without the cyclodextrin.

Abstract: Improved doughs containing dehydrated potato products, food products made from said doughs, and the methods for making the same are disclosed. Although the improved doughs contain non-ideal dehydrated potato products, processing efficiency and finished product quality are comparable to that of finished products made with doughs containing dehydrated potato products having from 40% to 60% broken cells and from 16% to 27% free amylose.