Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Products per se – or processes of preparing or treating... – Basic ingredient is starch based batter – dough product – etc.
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-26
2001-03-20
Tran, Lien (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Products per se, or processes of preparing or treating...
Basic ingredient is starch based batter, dough product, etc.
C426S324000, C426S451000, C426S506000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06203840
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a pasta product consisting of cooked or pre-cooked pasta having a long shelf life.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
U.S. Pat. No. 4,552,772 discloses a method for preparing a pre-cooked pasta product suitable for rapid cooking without using artificial preservatives. This process comprises boiling the pastas and washing said pasta with water, the improvement comprising immersing the boiled pastas in an aqueous solution containing at least one of citric acid and lactic acid, and table salt, then packaging and heat sterilizing the pastas which have been immersed, said aqueous solution having a pH such that the pH of the boiled pastas, after immersion, is about 3.9 to 4.3. However, the pasta pieces tend to stick together after heat processing and are difficult to separate, which is not convenient for consumption.
French Patent No. FR2502907 discloses the a process for the production of pre-cooked pasta product that comprises treating raw pasta product in the following stages: pre-cooking, preferably in acidified water, to give the product a moisture content sufficient for subsequent sterilization; cooling, preferably in a current of cold, acidified water; draining off excess water; oiling with a vegetable oil e.g., by vaporization; introducing into a flexible container; reduction and uniformization of thickness; sealing the containers in vacuum; heat sterilization of scaled containers. The use of vegetable oil prevents the pasta pieces from sticking together but, as a result, the pastas have an oily appearance and, because of the sterilization treatment, they have a less than desirable texture.
European Patent No. EP0489811 discloses a process for preparing an acid-stabilized pasta that comprises cooking the pasta in an aqueous acid solution or suspension having a pH of less than 6, and containing a polymeric food-acceptable acid in which the monomer unit has a molecular weight of about 190 g/mol.
European Patent No. EP0626137 discloses a pasteurized, shelf-stable, uncooked or partially cooked, moist pasta product packaged in a sealed container. The pasta product, which is partially dried after the acid treatment, is not treated with oil, has a moisture content from 15 percent to 38 percent, and a pH below 4.6.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention discloses a full-moisture, shelf-stable pasta product, having a pH of about 3.5 to 4.5, that comprises a cooked or pre-cooked pasta having a dry-matter content from about 30 to 45 percent by weight, an acid, and an oil. In a preferred embodiment, the pH is from about 3.8 to 4.3.
In one embodiment, the acid comprises a food grade acid. Preferably, the acid comprises lactic acid, phosphoric acid, citric acid, and Glucono-delta-lactone, or a mixture thereof. In another embodiment, the oil is present in an amount of about 0.5 to 5 percent by weight. In still another embodiment, the oil is a vegetable oil. In a preferred embodiment, the vegetable oil is peanut oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, palm oil, corn oil, palm olein, or a mixture thereof.
The present invention also discloses a process for manufacturing a full-moisture, shelf-stable pasta product which comprises preparing a mixture having a dry-matter content of 60 to 75 weight percent and comprising a cereal flour or semolina and added water; forming a portioned pasta product; blanching the pasta product; dipping the blanched pasta product into acidified water at ambient temperature; and packaging the pasta product.
In one embodiment, the pasta product is cooled with water having a temperature of about 60 to 70° C. subsequent to blanching. In another embodiment, the pasta product is oiled subsequent to the dipping. The oil is preferably present in an amount of about 0.5 to 5 percent by weight. In still another embodiment, the oil is a vegetable oil. In a preferred embodiment, the vegetable oil is peanut oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, palm oil, corn oil, palm olein, or a mixture thereof.
In one embodiment, the blanching is carried out at a temperature of about 95 to 100° C. for a duration of about 1 to 10 min, while steaming with steam having a temperature of about 98 to 100° C., and spraying water having a temperature of about 95 to 98° C. In another embodiment, the dipping has a duration of about 50 to 250 s and the acidified water comprises about 0.5 to 2 percent acid, at ambient temperature. In still another embodiment, the acidified water comprises lactic acid, phosphoric acid, citric acid, and Glucono-delta-lactone, or a mixture thereof.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The full-moisture, shelf-stable pasta product, according to the present invention, has a pH of about 3.5 to 4.5, preferably about 3.8 to 4.3, and comprises a cooked or pre-cooked pasta having a dry-matter content of from about 30 to 45 percent by weight, an acid, and an oil.
The process for manufacturing a full-moisture, shelf-stable pasta product, according to the present invention, consists of preparing a mixture having a dry-matter content of about 60 to 75 percent and comprising a cereal flour or semolina and added water, extruding the mixture, cutting the extruded pasta, portioning, blanching, water cooling, dipping into an acidified water, oiling, packaging and in-pack pasteurizing it. As used herein, the expression “preparing a mixture” is defined as “preparing a mixture and/or kneading the mixture”.
In the present pasta product, the cooked or pre-cooked pasta may have been made of a starting raw material mixture comprising a cereal flour or semolina, especially Durum or hard-wheat semolina, and possible additives such as wheat protein, especially gliadin-enriched wheat protein, soft wheat flour, egg material, bakery powder, sodium chloride, and/or spices.
The acid may be any food-grade acid. Preferably, the acid comprises lactic acid, phosphoric acid, citric acid, Glucono-delta-lactone, or a mixture thereof The oil may be a vegetable oil. The oil is preferably present in an amount of from about 0.5 to 5 percent by weight of the cooked or pre-cooked pasta. Preferably, the oil comprises peanut oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, palm oil, corn oil, palm olein, or mixtures thereof. About 0.5 to 2 percent of emulsifiers, in percent by weight of the oil, may advantageously be added to the oil. Preferably, the emulsifier is comprised of a monoglyceride or a mixture of monoglyceride compounds.
To implement the present process, a mixture may be prepared having a dry-matter content of about 60 to 75 percent and comprising water, a cereal flour or semolina, and possible additives such as wheat protein, soft wheat flour, egg material, bakery powder, sodium chloride and/or spices. Preferably, the semolina comprises Durum or hard wheat semolina.
Wheat protein, especially gliadin-enriched wheat protein, such as “LAVOR PRO” from Midwest Grain Products, Inc. of Atchison, Kans., USA, may be used in an amount of from about 1 to 3 percent by weight of the mixture in order to reduce stickiness and starch losses during cooking and acidification. Soft wheat flour may be added to the mixture in order to increase the elasticity of the pasta product. Egg material in the form of whole egg powder, egg white powder, or liquid whole egg may be added to the mixture in order to increase the firmness of the pasta product. Bakery powder may be added to the mixture in order to create a porous pasta product. Preferably, the bakery powder comprises Glucoino-delta lactone, sodium bicarbonate, or a mixture thereof.
The mixture may be prepared and extruded in any pasta extrusion way known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Preferably, the pasta is prepared and extruded by means of an equipment comprising a paddle mixer, a twin screw kneader, and a single screw extruder; a twin screw mixer-kneader and a single screw extruder; a twin screw mixer-kneader-extruder; or a twin screw mixer-kneader assisted by a gear pump. Care may be taken to ensure that the temperature of the mixture during mixing and/or kneading and extrusion remains below about 55° C.
The extruded pasta may be
Jaelminger Goran
Meyer Philipp Paul
Scoville Eugene
Nestec S.A.
Pennie & Edmonds LLP
Tran Lien
LandOfFree
Process for manufacturing a pasta product 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 manufacturing a pasta product, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Process for manufacturing a pasta product will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2542454