Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Processes – Heat treatment of food material by contact with glyceridic...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-20
2003-02-04
Corbin, Arthur L. (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Processes
Heat treatment of food material by contact with glyceridic...
C426S441000, C426S637000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06514554
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to food processing and, more particularly, to a process for preparing frozen potato products and the like.
Commercially prepared frozen potatoes (or so-called french fries) typically are prepared by slicing whole potatoes into strips, blanching the strips in hot water or steam, drying the strips in hot air, parfrying the strips in oil, and then freezing the strips. The frozen potato strips are reconstituted by frying them in oil and draining off the oil. Other reconstitution methods include oven heating and microwave heating. Many prior processes use variations of the foregoing process, including additional steps, to prepare frozen potato products.
The vast majority of these processes include a parfrying step. During this step, the potato strips typically are immersed in a tank of hot cooking oil or fat. Alternative frying methods may be used such as “deluge frying,” wherein hot frying oil is sprayed downwardly or caused to deluge downwardly onto the potato strips as they move thereunder on a conveyor. The frying oil, which typically has a temperature of 350 to 375° F., heats the potato strips, driving moisture out of the strips and thereby increasing the strips' so-called “solids content.” The parfrying step is a relatively abusive way to quickly and aggressively drive moisture out of the strips, especially at higher frying temperatures.
In an effort to reduce the duration of the parfrying step and keep the frying temperature no higher than the typical range of 350 to 375° F., many commercial processors include a hot air drying step to facilitate moisture removal and achieve a target solids content for the frozen product. Commercially prepared frozen processed potatoes, destined to be reconstituted by finish frying, typically have a solids content of 30 to 50% and, when finish fried, a solids content of 40 to 60%. This target can vary depending on whether the product is intended to be a “low solids” product, “medium solids” product or “high solids” product, each of which fills a different market niche. By way of further example, the target also can vary within an even higher range depending on whether the product is intended to be a “quick refry” product or product intended for oven or microwave reconstitution.
While the traditional high temperature water (or steam) blanching step, parfrying step and hot-air drying step facilitate moisture removal and other processing goals, they may contribute to one or more of the following consequences. For one, extensive blanching and air-drying tends to cause dust-like potato particles to slough-off during finish frying. The frying oil tends to chemically break down and cloud up, shortening the life of the frying oil. Second, flavorings, seasonings and spices tend to volatilize or vaporize in relatively high heat and therefore are not retained in the final product. Third, high temperature frying can cause the strips to darken due to the Maillard reaction which involves reducing sugars and amino acids. To combat this effect, it becomes preferable or necessary to start with high quality raw potatoes having fewer reducing sugars. This need becomes even more compelling for frozen potato products designed to have a high solids content. Fourth, some potato flavor is lost as flavor components are degraded and/or volatilized in frying oil heated to a high temperature. This problem is even more acute with “high solids” potato products which require longer, more extensive processing. Finally, the traditional high temperature frying method uses hydrogenated oils which tend to have higher levels of transfatty acids. Likewise, saturated animal fats, high in cholesterol, are commonly used with this method.
Many of the foregoing consequences are exacerbated in conventional processes designed to produce “quick refry” and oven prepared products having a relatively high frozen solids content. “Quick refry” (80 to 90 second reconstitution) products are highly desired by fast-food restaurant operators because they allow the operator to respond to customer demand for just-cooked french fries. Ideally, fast-food operators prefer a frozen potato product which can be prepared quickly on the basis of actual customer demand rather than anticipated demand. The production of “quick refry” and oven prepared potato products requires more extensive processing, typically requiring trade offs in product quality such as flavor and appearance.
Accordingly, there remains a need in the commercial frozen potato product industry for a process for preparing frozen potato products which offers one or more of the following advantages, especially in product applications involving quick refry and oven prepared products: less particulate dust in the frying oil; increased oil life; greater flavor retention; reduced color darkening; brighter frozen appearance; increased potato flavor; more frying oil options; ability to fortify; and reduced reliance on holding stations, thereby providing a fresher, hotter and potentially more nutritious product for the customer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In brief summary, the present invention comprises an improved process for preparing frozen potato strips and the like. In one embodiment, the strips are blanched, preferably passed through an air blower to remove surface moisture, fried in oil in a vacuum, and then frozen. In another embodiment, the strips are blanched, preferably passed through an air blower to remove surface moisture, fried in oil under atmospheric pressure, cooled in air, parfried in oil under a vacuum and then frozen. The frying oil preferably has a temperature of about 240 to 290° F., but in some product applications higher frying temperatures may be desirable. In yet another embodiment, the strips are blanched, air dried, parfried in oil and frozen in a conventional manner, and thereafter stored, parfried in oil under a vacuum and again frozen.
The foregoing process produces a high quality frozen potato product having a brighter, less dull color and enhanced potato flavor. It also can be used to produce an exceptional “quick refry” finished product which can be reconstituted in a short period of time, as well as an excellent oven prepared product. Other processing and product advantages also are achieved.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, raw potatoes, such as the Russet Burbank, Ranger or Shepody varieties, are cleaned, trimmed and inspected for defects. The potatoes are cleaned using a water plume or spray. The potatoes then are cut into sections or pieces suitably sized for french fried potato strips. As used herein, the term “strips” is used in its broadest sense to include strips having a rectangular cross section (such as ¼×¼ inch shoestring cut, {fraction (11/32)}×{fraction (7/16)} inch cut, {fraction (5/16)} inch square cut, ⅜ inch square cut, {fraction (5/16)}×{fraction (3/18)} inch cut), as well as other specialized cuts (such as so-called “crinkle” cuts, “helical” cuts, “waffle” or “lattice” cuts and the like). As used herein, percentages are determined “by weight” unless otherwise indicated.
The cut potato strips are blanched by immersing them in hot water, typically at about 160 to 180° for about 4 to 9 minutes, and most preferably at about 170 to 180° F. for about 5½ to 6½ minutes. It will be appreciated that the water temperature and immersion time may vary (even outside the noted ranges), depending, among other variables, upon the cut configuration and size of the potato strips. Generally, the purpose of the blanching step is to leach sugars when necessary, and gelatinize the potato starch (which generally can be determined by breaking the strips and observing the presence of liquefied starchy strands stretching out between the broken ends as they separate). The blanching step also serves to reduce the leaching of natural flavor components present in the strips. The blanching step further deactivates enzymes present in the raw potato
Harney David L.
Minelli Michael P.
Corbin Arthur L.
Klarquist & Sparkman, LLP
Lamb-Weston, Inc.
LandOfFree
Process for preparing frozen potato or root vegetable strips does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Process for preparing frozen potato or root vegetable strips, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Process for preparing frozen potato or root vegetable strips will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3120365