JP2006528887A - Low pressure low temperature cooking method by "Lintnizing (trademark)" processing - Google Patents

Abstract

The process of cooking raw vegetables such as potatoes, peppers, corn, onions, beans, yams, carrots, broccoli, eggplant and pumpkins at low pressure and low temperature. This process cleans, rinses, blanches, removes excess moisture, applies a substantial vacuum to the vegetables while still hot by blanching, and treats the processed vegetables for later use and And / or package for further preparation.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is based on US Provisional Application No. 60 / 472,547 filed May 21, 2003 and US Provisional Application No. 60 / 533,699 filed December 30, 2003. Insist on profit.

The present invention relates to food processing. In particular, ingredients containing starch, cellulose, pectin, and / or substances containing naturally occurring sugars and enzymes (eg potatoes, corn, peppers, onions, carrots, broccoli, pumpkins and other vegetables) later It relates to a process for preprocessing for processing and consumption.

  Commercially available pre-processed vegetables are usually first cut into whole pieces, such as wedges, slices, strips, strips, and granular rice, and these portions are blanched with hot water or steam. After being cooled in air or water (immersion or deluge) and finally frozen. Frozen vegetable pieces are used as content by the end user (typically a restaurant) or by means commonly used in restaurant / commissary kitchens (eg, boiled, steamed, fried, baked, cooked or sauteed) Etc.) can be reheated / reheated. Other rewarming / reheating means include heating with an oven or microwave oven. Most conventional processes use various variations of the pretreatment described above (including the addition of steps) to produce vegetable products that are frozen and shipped to the consumer.

  Commercially prepared potatoes are usually cut into portions such as wedges or strips (US “potato fries” or UK “potato chips”), and these portions are heated with hot water or steam. It is prepared by blanching, followed by drying in hot air, frying with hot oil and then freezing. Frozen potato pieces are replaced by the consumer (typically a restaurant) by frying or heating in a conventional oven or microwave. Many conventional processes use various variations of the above-described processing (including those with processing steps added) to produce potato products that are frozen for shipment to the consumer.

  Alternatively, fresh vegetables can be cleaned, cut, cooled raw (without blanching), and sold to similar stores. This shortened process produces what is known as a “fresh” product. Fresh products have a relatively short shelf life, and have the disadvantages that the quality deteriorates due to the enzyme action in the product and that the product deteriorates due to the action of spoilage substances.

  In the case of vegetables, the majority of the product is processed for immediate use, short-term storage or long-term frozen storage. Long-term storage (> 30 days) of processed but non-frozen vegetable pieces with acceptable sensory quality is desirable but difficult to achieve. Some of these conventional processes are described below.

  “Immediate use” vegetable products are harvested, then unusable plant material and field debris are removed, packaged by hand, and then cooled. This process is usually performed in or near the field where the vegetable product is harvested. These products are usually sent directly to wholesalers who resell them to local retailers, restaurants and commissaries. Such fresh vegetables have a relatively short shelf life, often resulting in significant quality degradation before reaching the final consumer. This means that the intended freshness is not enjoyed by the final consumer. The evidence can be seen in the deflated and deflated appearance typical of non-fresh vegetables. Although flavor is preferred, fresh vegetable products require significantly longer cooking times than those that have been pretreated, which increases health risks and costs associated with cutting and cooking operations. Such fresh vegetable products in the raw state require sufficient preparation and hygiene facilities and require sufficient cooking before being safely consumed by the end user. Because fresh vegetable products take time to cook, preparing them on demand in a restaurant-like environment would impose patience on most customers because of the time it takes.

  In contrast, short-term storage products are similar to the above, but withstand unpredictable storage primarily due to pre-ripening harvest, original product quality or optimized storage facilities. In particular, high quality products are stored for long periods in a specially designed high humidity, low oxygen, low temperature environment that optimizes moisture through non-condensing near saturation and minimizes the enzyme action caused by atmospheric temperature. The This storage method allows longer term storage of vegetable products, but is very expensive and has limited capacity. Also unfortunately, even with a corresponding investment according to this storage method, the quality of the vegetable product still decreases with time.

  Traditionally known processing of vegetable products for long-term storage begins with removing excess plant matter, field waste and other unwanted products from the product. Incoming raw products are washed and peeled for potatoes, carrots, onions and sweet potatoes. Other products such as pepper remove the wick. Depending on the final desired product, further processing can be sliced or sectioned. In general, slices can range from as thin as 1/32 inch to as thick as more than 2 inches, while cuts can range from 2 to 12 pieces per vegetable, eg shreds or granules It can also take the form of rice. Sliced or cut vegetable pieces are usually blanched in a medium containing a water bath, a water deluge, a heated saturated air environment, microwave energy or hot steam. After the blanching process, the product is cooled by stored water or a sprinkle of water or by saturated air passing through the stacked blanched product. After cooling, the product is usually frozen by known means. In order to achieve product refrigeration, industrial equipment typically allows air at −20 to −40 ° F. to flow through the stacked product. After freezing, the product is packaged for storage. In general, refrigeration can extend the shelf life of the product, making the product more marketable and easier to transport and store.

  For the preparation of potato pieces, most conventional processes involve at least one par frying step. In the frying process, potato pieces are usually immersed in hot edible oil or fat in the tank. Another method of cooking with oil is to use a “deluge frying” method, in which case, when the potato pieces are carried under the cooker, a hot fry over the potato pieces. The oil is sprayed downward or flows down like a waterfall. The frying oil typically has a temperature of 350 ° F. to 375 ° F., partially cooks the potato pieces and expels moisture, thereby increasing the percentage of solids in the potato pieces. The removal of moisture from the potato pieces is also desirable to reduce the hydrolysis of the edible oil and extend its usable life. Unfortunately, the above frying process is effective in removing moisture from potato pieces in a short time, but it is relatively rough as a means of removing moisture, especially when the oil temperature is high, and finally prepared. Adversely affects the sensory quality of potato products.

  Traditional fresh vegetable preparation, packaging and cooking methods allow for shipment with some short-term storage potential, but do not stop enzyme activity or optimize intracellular or intercellular stability. Without stopping enzyme activity and optimizing cell stability, the shelf life is shortened and the appearance of the product deteriorates (discoloration and wilting), so when preparing such vegetables for the end customer The burden on end users increases. Further, the appearance, texture, turgor and flavor of vegetables are unacceptably worsened, increasing the amount discarded due to the short shelf life as described above.

  By processing a vegetable product into a cooled or frozen state, the product has traditionally been given a quality that is not handled as fresh. In particular, the products are less desirable than fresh because of the deterioration of product color, texture, tension and flavor. Frozen products are also inferior to fresh products due to the destruction of the intercellular or intracellular state of vegetables due to freezing, increased liquid spillage and loss of flavor characteristics.

  For potato products, the traditional processes of blanching with hot water (or steam), frying and drying with hot air facilitate the removal of moisture and other processing objectives, but they serve to prepare unfrozen potato products. Can lead to some undesirable consequences. First, excessive blanching and air drying tends to produce dusty potato particles that fall off during the final frying process. As a result, the frying oil is chemically decomposed and turbid, emits smoke prematurely, produces a foul odor, or causes other inconveniences and shortens the life of the frying oil. Secondly, at relatively high temperatures, flavorings, seasonings and spices tend to volatilize or evaporate and are cooked out from the final product. Third, when fried at high temperature or using potatoes with high sugar content, the potato pieces can become dark brown due to the Mylard reaction including the reaction between reducing sugars and amino acids. In order to prevent this, conventionally, it has been necessary to use high quality potatoes with less reducing sugar. This is even more necessary for frozen potato products with a high percentage of solids. Fourth, the flavor of certain potatoes is lost due to degradation and / or volatilization of flavor components in frying oil heated to high temperatures. This problem is even more severe in “low solids” potato products that require longer processing. Finally, fried time for frozen vegetables such as potatoes is longer than for non-frozen foods.

  Many of the above results are exacerbated by conventional processes designed to allow short to long term storage of vegetable products. Manufacturers aim to improve efficiency, reduce effort and restore. However, these come at the expense of flavor, color and texture (texture and tension). Properly processed and optimal quality products can only be realized from vegetable products with particularly good quality attributes. However, these products are very expensive and are difficult to obtain due to the management of the transportation etc. that delivers them from the harvesting area to the customer's table. Furthermore, by trying to preserve the quality of fresh vegetables, it may be necessary to process each region to maintain an appropriate transport environment and short transport time. All this leads to an increase in the price of the product, but nevertheless the quality is still clearly degraded over time.

  The use of vacuum processing is well known in the food processing industry. In particular, vacuum infusion is used to introduce flavorings and flavor enhancers to vegetable pieces and certain types of meat. This places the food pieces in the chamber, exposes them to vacuum, and introduces various flavors and flavor synergists so that they penetrate the pores of the part being processed by the vacuum when the vacuum is removed. It is done by doing. Vacuum injection can also be used to treat foodstuffs with various antibacterial and / or bactericidal agents.

  In US Pat. No. 6,245,291 Goldberg et al. Discuss the application of biocidal treatments to muscle meats, processed meats, various fruits, porous and non-porous foodstuffs. The focus is on the destruction of bacteria and spore formers that are toxic to humans. Of particular interest is the use of vacuum to cause the transfer of biocidal or non-biocidal substances. The main purpose of the disclosed process is to minimize the change in the target product perceivable by the end user. This is very different from drug-independent quality attributes such as biocides and optimized storage.

  In an embodiment by Haamer in US Patent Application Publication No. US2003 / 0017238, a vacuum environment is claimed, where food or a similar product to be treated or sterilized is packaged in a suitable flexible material such as plastic. And then heated by microwave or high frequency energy. The package is provided with a vent relief valve so that gas can escape during heating. At the end of the heating cycle, during cooling, the vent is closed and a vacuum is created. This vacuum package is mainly intended for long-term storage in a vacuum environment.

  Some of the problems associated with pretreatment of conventional potato pieces have been addressed in the field. In US Pat. No. 6,514,554, Minelli et al. Claim applying a vacuum when frying and blanching in an oil medium under vacuum. None of these treatments help in the preparation of potatoes and / or vegetable pieces that can be packaged, transported and prepared by the end user as a “fresh”, non-frozen vegetable product. Rather, Minelli focuses on in-vessel processing using water or oil media to obtain the desired attributes. As will be appreciated, this is a very expensive processor in both operating and investment costs, but does not give the most desirable vegetable characteristics.

  For potato pieces containing ordinary US-style potato chips, these products generally require the use of expensive raw potatoes to avoid the product becoming dark brown and are transported due to its volume to weight ratio Expensive, missing during transshipment, and freshness can vary greatly depending on the shelf life before use. These are undesirable properties and we want to eliminate manufacturers and engineers.

  The fresh product industry uses vacuum cooling to cool cleaned or freshly harvested fruits and vegetables, including bean sprouts. See the document entitled “Effects of Vacuum Cooling and Storage Temperature on the Quality of Bean Sprouts” by Jennifer R. DeEll et al. Of ENESAD, France. In such applications, the product is packaged generally near the harvest site. The package temperature is lowered using various cooling techniques and vacuum equipment. The product temperature can be close to freezing at the completion of the process. This requires fresh, unprocessed products that are packaged for shipping, the purpose of which is to remove field heat in preparation for shipping.

  Regarding vacuum cooling of meat for the food and beverage industry, “Technical Paper No. ICR0651, M. Houska et al.” Describes a method of treating various processed meats with a vacuum apparatus for cooling. The disclosed system is only applied to finished ready-to-distribute meat products. Furthermore, the injection of additives into the surface of meat under vacuum has been discussed, and such injection is widely done in the meat industry.

  Zhihang Zhang et al. Disclosed in an experimental study on temperature and weight loss profiles of vacuum cooling of sliced cooked carrot Technical Paper No. ICR0470 that a vacuum apparatus is used to cool cooked and cut carrot slices. ing. This study verifies that vacuum cooling is actually an effective cooling method. Experiments have been carried out on a very small laboratory scale, yielding mainly qualitative results.

  In a paper entitled “Free Volatile Components of Passion Fruit Puree Obtained by Flash Vacuum-Expansion”, P. Brat et al., J. Agric. Food Chem., 48 (12), the author essences from passion fruit puree. This is quite similar to the well-known multi-effect vacuum induced evaporators available in the field.The volatile essence is the host medium (generally After being extracted from process puree, it is concentrated and used as a product that can be sold.

  Thus, there is a need in the commercially processed vegetable product industry for a method of preparing a vegetable or vegetable piece that provides one or more of the following advantages: “fresh”, ie, color Long shelf life that allows for the delivery of vegetables without deterioration and / or loss of texture or tension; Appearance as fresh as it can be prepared in a short time as desired by the end user Pre-cut vegetable products that are elastic, resistant to sticking, and less likely to lose shape prior to final cooking or reheating; and retain much of the natural flavor of vegetables; and Reduce the time and effort required for final preparation. A combination of one or more of these desirable properties is more delicious, economical, has a good appearance, can be cooked and displayed on demand (ie, a salad bar), and is potentially Will be able to provide highly nutritious vegetable products.

  In summary, the present invention includes an improved pretreatment method for preparing “fresh” vegetables (including potatoes), vegetables, potato pieces and the like. Here, “fresh” is used to indicate vegetables and vegetable pieces that have been processed according to the Lintonizing (trademark) method, whereas “raw” is used to indicate lint noizing. The state of the vegetables at the start of the law. The term “vegetable portions” can also include whole vegetables. In addition to the application of the present invention to vegetables, it is expected that the process can be applied to fruits and similar results will be obtained. Lintonizing is a service mark for a monopoly process licensed to Viands Concerted, LLC of Columbus, Ohio.

  In one embodiment, peeled and cut vegetable pieces are blanched to remove excess moisture on the surface, cooked at low temperature and low pressure, cooled and then packaged. In another example, the prepared and cut vegetables are blanched to remove excess surface moisture, cooked at low temperature and low pressure, and subsequently treated with flavoring, flavor synergists and / or preservatives, then packaged To do. In any embodiment, after cutting a vegetable piece, it may be rinsed before branching to remove the cut residue from the vegetable surface. In order to improve the flavor and appearance of the processed vegetables, the vegetable pieces may be grilled or roasted following the low temperature and low pressure cooking process.

  High quality vegetable products that can be cooled and transported by the process described above, have a sufficiently long shelf life (usually> 30 days), provide a final product with a rich flavor, good appearance and good sensory quality, That is, a product with improved vegetable flavor, beautiful color, and not easily out of shape is provided. The process also provides the food and beverage industry with a finished vegetable piece that can be reheated and / or reheated in a short time and can be prepared very quickly and easily. Another advantage of the present invention is that sensory quality can be improved even with low-quality raw products, and quality can be improved while reducing costs. In some cases, fully cooked vegetable products prepared in accordance with the present invention exhibit the color of raw vegetables. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, other process advantages and improved product characteristics are also achieved by the present invention.

  Further features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  Referring to FIG. 1, as shown in steps 10-50, according to an embodiment of the present invention, raw vegetables (including but not limited to potato, corn, onion, capsicum, carrot, pumpkin, eggplant, sweet potato, And sugar snap peas) are transported and stored prior to processing, removed, cleaned and inspected for defects. Conventional cleaning methods for various products include corn husking / de-silking, skinning (root vegetables) and water plumes, flume or water. Cleaning by spraying is included. The cleaned vegetables can be cut into multiple pieces or pieces of appropriate size for the final product, as shown in step 60. Here, the term “portions” is used in its broadest sense, including strips and segments, and vegetables cut to a specific length, and in some cases, roughly whole Includes vegetables. Immediately after cutting, as shown in step 70, the vegetable pieces may be rinsed by spraying or dipping in water to remove debris produced in the process.

  The juiced vegetable pieces are exposed in step 80 to any number of means, including from about 165 ° F. to boiling water for about 15 seconds to 70 minutes, depending on the characteristics of the vegetable being processed. Branched on. Blanching can be accomplished by many conventional means such as dipping, steam, deluge or microwave. Except for potatoes and sweet potatoes, hot water boiled for 1 to 5 minutes is used, but approximately 90 seconds is preferred. The temperature of the hot water and the immersion time vary depending on the size of the vegetable pieces and the shape of the cut (may be outside the above range). In the case of cob corn, height considerations also affect the time of immersion in boiling water. In general, the blanching process inactivates the enzymes present in the vegetables and prevents the vegetables from changing color during storage.

  In step 80, as an alternative, the vegetable pieces may be blanched in steam, using microwave energy, or by a deluge blancher. The combination of blanching process time and temperature is an important factor in this process. If the blanching time is too short (for example, less than 15 seconds at 165 ° F.), the vegetable pieces will not be heated enough, resulting in inactivation of the enzyme or the neutralization of bacteria, yeast and fungi. It is left without being. At the other end of the timing, if the blanching time is too long (eg 45 minutes at 185 ° F.), the vegetable pieces will be boiled too much and become too soft and difficult to handle. Similarly, if the vegetable pieces are blanched at a temperature that is too high (eg, 195 ° F. or higher) for more than 70 minutes, most of the vegetable pieces become too soft and discolored, which is undesirable for the final consumer. End up.

  After the blanching process and before going to the next process, in step 80, excess moisture on the surface is quickly removed from the vegetable pieces. By using an air knife with a shaking process or a high-speed fan, it is possible to quickly remove excess surface moisture while keeping heat to the vegetable pieces as much as possible. Such equipment can also be included in the branching process.

  Steps 10 to 80 are known processes in the vegetable processing industry, and are indicated by arrows in FIG. 1 and are described as “conventional processing methods”. These will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. Standard business equipment can be readily used in these processes and will not be described in detail here.

  In accordance with the present invention, the process moves the drained vegetable pieces to a sealed vacuum chamber, as shown in step 90, where the vegetable pieces are evacuated while still being heated by the previous blanching process. Be exposed. The door of the vacuum vessel is designed so that it can be closed and locked. When a vegetable piece is placed and locked in the container, the valve opens and the vacuum pressure stored in the accumulator of the system can quickly bring the container to a predetermined level of vacuum. If necessary, the vacuum pump can be operated in automatic mode to assist in reaching the target vacuum in a short time (preferably about 30 seconds). The target vacuum ramp time can vary to reduce processing time, but it is desirable to reach the target vacuum as soon as possible. The applied vacuum can rise from ambient atmospheric pressure to about 15 inches Hg to 30 inches Hg where it is about 15 inches Hg to 30 inches Hg (preferably for a period of time that can vary up to 70 minutes. About 27.5 inches Hg). Depending on the vacuum source and method used, it may take 10 minutes or more to reach the desired degree of vacuum. During the vacuum cycle, moisture is drawn from the surface and microstructure of the vegetable pieces, some of which quickly evaporates. The rest is liquid that adheres to the surface and is removed later in the process, as shown by the water accumulated in the accumulator and the water vapor exhaust from the system's vacuum pump. When a heat of vaporization point is achieved near these two vacuum levels, as further indicated by the temporary stagnation of the vacuum rate at about 18 inches and 21 inches Hg. Conceivable. In contrast, corn does not exhibit this phenomenon and the rate of change in vacuum is constant over the entire curve until the target vacuum is achieved.

  The pressure reduction of the container to the atmospheric pressure performed in step 90 is quickly performed by operating the relief valve. In one embodiment of the present invention, the vacuum vessel in step 90 may include cooling means for deluge cooling the outer surface of the vessel during or after the vacuum cycle. It is believed that the introduction of additional cooling media further promotes cooling and stabilization of the vegetable pieces. However, according to experiments, when liquid nitrogen is introduced into the vessel at the end of the vacuum cycle in step 90, the large cooling rate provided by the liquid nitrogen causes the microfibre cellulose structure of the vegetable pieces to be processed as well as the surface of the vegetable pieces. It was also shown that adverse effects occur.

  One desirable advantage of the present invention is that excess water is removed from the microfiber cellulose structure of the vegetable pieces in a low temperature, low pressure cooking process. As a result, the cell walls and cellulose fibers become strong. This optimizes the texture and tension of the vegetable pieces, which is particularly desirable for long-term refrigeration. It should be understood that the actual vacuum parameters are affected by many factors including the physical characteristics of the product pieces being processed and the final product target specifications.

  After the vacuum cycle of step 90, in step 102, fresh vegetable pieces can be passed through a machine that burns or burns the surface. This may be done before the cooling in step 100. Cooling includes immersion in mist, air or pooled water with ozone or chlorine dioxide or other bacteria, mold and yeast treatment agents. These treatment agents can be supplied via a pump in step 101. In another example, the vegetable pieces are sprayed with a fungicide just prior to the dehydration process as shown in step 110. Pump 101 supplies disinfectant to either process 100 or 110. The vegetable pieces are then sent to the dewatering device 110 where the surface water is removed by high speed air supplied by an air stripper or other suitable dewatering device.

The vegetable pieces are then packaged in step 120, where excess air is introduced after introducing an inert gas such as CO ₂ , N ₂ and / or other inert gases suitable for the particular vegetable piece. It can be removed from the package by a vacuum pump. The packaged product can be sent to the warehouse for storage 130 or sent directly to the consumer as shown in step 140.

  As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the flavor and texture components of the vegetable pieces can be significantly degraded at each step of the conventional process. This is mainly due to the dissipation of volatile essences and other ingredients contained in vegetables and the adverse effects on the fine fiber cellulose structure and the handling of cellulose. The low temperature and low pressure cooking process of the present invention maximizes the removal of moisture in the cell structure and strengthens the cells and cellulose fibers even at very low temperatures, so that it has a delicate flavor as described above in several different product applications. Color and texture components are stored.

  In summary, the vegetable pieces are applied with process steps that enhance the properties of the stored product over the storage period, contribute to a simpler and safer preparation and satisfy consumers both visually and tastefully. Many advantages are achieved by this process.

Example
Example 1 This first example illustrates one application of the present invention. The general parameters in this example apply to cob corn.

  Just after harvesting (within 1 to 4 weeks), receive whole corn with cobs, remove sheath / hair, inspect, cut to length, then rinse, starch and sugar on surface And residual debris generated by cutting was removed. The cut piece was dipped in boiling hot water (cooked in a loose manner) for about 90 seconds and blanched, and the temperature of the core became about 125 ° F. The cut piece was taken out from the hot water for blanching, shaken to remove excess surface moisture, and then placed directly in a vacuum vessel as shown in step 90.

  The cut pieces were exposed to a rapid vacuum reaching 27.5 inches Hg in 22 seconds, but cooking continued while the cut pieces were cooled to 110 ° F. Following the vacuum process, the corn pieces were transferred to a water bath rich in ozonated water and kept submerged for 3 minutes to destroy mold spores, bacteria or other organic contaminants. The product was then packaged to complete a specially designed gas packaging in an easily deformable material.

  After 21 days of storage, corn pieces prepared according to the process of the present invention were removed from the package and cooked by boiling with hot water or heating in the microwave. The resulting corn pieces were very soft, juicy, sweet and coloured, with minimal corn grain squeezing and wrinkles as would normally be seen when corn prepared by conventional methods was reheated. .

Example 2 This second example illustrates another application of the present invention. The general parameters in this example apply to the mixing of various vegetable pieces.

  Pick up the whole fresh pepper, onion, zucchini after harvesting, clean, decore (pepper), peel (onion), inspect, cut into parts, decore, peel and Residual debris on the surface caused by cutting was removed. The mixture of these vegetable pieces was blanched by immersing it in boiling hot water (cooked and boiled) for about 90 seconds until the internal temperature reached about 154 ° F. The vegetable pieces were removed from the blanching hot water and shaken to remove excess moisture on the surface, and then placed directly in the vacuum vessel in step 90.

  The vegetable pieces were exposed to a vacuum reaching 27.5 ″ Hg in 23 seconds, but the cut pieces were continuously cooked while cooling to 106 ° F. After the 23 second vacuum process, the vacuum was released. Transfer the vegetable pieces to an ozone-rich water bath and keep them submerged for 3 minutes to treat mold spores, bacteria or related organic contaminants, followed by a gas-filled, easily deformable mix of vegetable products Transferred into the packaged material.

  After storage for 21 days, the vegetable pieces to which the lintnizing process was applied were removed from the package, reheated, observed and tasted. The vegetable pieces were soft but had a slightly crisp feel, were juicy, savory, bright in color and satisfactory in appearance. These products can be consumed immediately upon removal from the package, promote grilling, or can be used as a meat dish garnish.

Example 3 This third example illustrates another application of the present invention. The general parameters in this example apply to sliced sweet potato pieces.

  Freshly harvested whole sweet potatoes were received, peeled, cleaned, inspected, cut into predetermined slices about 1/6 inch thick, and rinsed to remove residual debris on the surface. Subsequently, the cut piece was immersed in 185 ° F. hot water for about 10 minutes for branching. The yam pieces were taken out from the hot water for blanching and shaken to remove excess water on the surface, and then placed directly in the vacuum container 90.

  The yam pieces were then exposed to a vacuum that gradually changed to about 27 inches Hg and held for 10 minutes. After the vacuum process, the yam pieces were soaked in ozone-rich water for 3 minutes and removed to remove excess water. The yam pieces were then transferred to a deep-bottom fryer and fried at 350 ° F. for about 3 minutes.

  The yam pieces to which the lintnizing process was applied were taken out and compared with the untreated yam pieces that had been fried in a deep-fry pan in advance. The yam pieces treated according to the present invention were greatly improved in appearance, texture and texture compared to untreated ones. The untreated ones were dark in color, mottled and tasted of burnt sugar.

Example 4 This fourth example illustrates another application of the present invention. The general parameters in this example apply to an onion piece cut to ¼.

  A fresh onion was picked up, peeled, cleaned, inspected, cut into ¼, and the surface debris generated by the cut was gently removed. After blanching, the onion pieces were soaked in boiling water for 30 seconds for blanching. The onion piece was taken out from the hot water for blanching, shaken to remove excess water on the surface, and then placed directly in the vacuum vessel 90.

  The onion pieces were then exposed to a vacuum that gradually changed to about 27 inches Hg and held for 10 minutes. After the vacuum process, the onion pieces were transferred to an open frame grill cooker and grilled until they had a favorable appearance. For comparison, untreated onion pieces were also grilled.

  A group of onion pieces was physically compared and sampled. Compared to the grilled but untreated onion pieces, the treated onion pieces clearly showed a good appearance (bright), texture and texture, in particular excellent in a short texture.

Example 5 This fifth example illustrates yet another application of the present invention. The general parameters in this example apply to vegetable pieces, especially snap peas.

  I picked up, cleaned and inspected snap peas shortly after harvest. Subsequently, pea portions were soaked in boiling water for 30 seconds for blanching. The peas were taken out from the hot water for blanching, shaken to remove excess water on the surface, and then placed directly in the vacuum vessel 90.

  The peas were then exposed to a vacuum that gradually changed to about 27 inches Hg and held for about 10 minutes. After the holding period, the vacuum was removed and the treated peas were transferred to an inspection area for side-by-side comparison with the blanched peas.

  The peas processed according to the present invention clearly have a good appearance (bright and fresh), texture and texture, especially in the crispy feeling, in comparison with the peas processed by the conventional method. It was excellent.

Example 6 This sixth example illustrates another application of the present invention. The general parameters in this example apply to the potato pieces.

  Raw rasset potatoes were cleaned and cut into thin slices approximately the size of an American-type potato chip. After slicing, the potato pieces were rinsed in cold water to remove debris. The rinsed potato pieces were immersed in hot water of 175 ° F. to 180 ° F. and blanched for about 10 minutes. After the blanching treatment, the potato slices were quickly drained, transferred to a pressure vessel, and subjected to a vacuum that gradually changed from atmospheric to about 27.5 inches Hg. When the desired degree of vacuum was reached, the vacuum was removed and the potato pieces were returned to atmospheric pressure. Examination of potato slices after the vacuum cooking process showed many desirable properties. First, these potato slices are elastic and can be handled easily without being lost. Secondly, the lint-knitted potato slices were significantly less sticky than those processed by conventional means. Furthermore, in terms of taste, the treated slices had a pleasant and fragrant cooked potato flavor. The potato slices were then placed in a plastic bag, evacuated, sealed with a mixed inert gas of nitrogen and carbon dioxide, and then cooled.

  After 21 days, the potato slices were removed from the plastic package and prepared by frying at 350 ° F. for about 90-120 seconds with hot, relatively inexpensive vegetable oil. The resulting potato chips were very crisp and evenly bright gold. These potato chips seemed to absorb very little oil, were light, delicate and crisp, and had a remarkably good fresh potato flavor. The fried potato pieces were crisp even after 4 days in the surrounding low humidity atmosphere.

  While the principles of the invention have been described with reference to certain preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the configuration and details of the invention can be modified without departing from such principles. is there.

  The present invention can be used to prepare chilled / frozen vegetable products that are later reheated by conventional restaurant and commissary means, but may be heated in an oven, baked, fried, steamed, boiled, boiled, etc. It can also be used to produce products that are intended to be reheated by the method.

FIG. 1 is a flow diagram of a process for intercellular and intracellular stabilization of foodstuffs, particularly vegetables (including potatoes), according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (13)

A method of preparing raw vegetables for later consumption or processing,
The process of cleaning raw vegetables,
Rinsing the vegetables,
Blanching the vegetables with heated water for a first predetermined time;
Removing excess water from the blanched vegetables;
Applying the vacuum to the blanched vegetables to a predetermined level of vacuum while the vegetables are still being heated by the blanching process;
Removing the vacuum from the vegetables for consumption or further processing. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of dividing the vegetable into at least two parts before branching. The method of claim 1, wherein the vegetable is placed in a vacuum at the predetermined level of vacuum for a second predetermined time. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising packaging the vegetables after the vacuum process under an atmosphere selected from the group consisting of vacuum, air, nitrogen gas, carbon dioxide gas and other inert gases. The method described in 1. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the vegetable is selected from the group consisting of corn, carrots, onions, beans, peppers, broccoli, pumpkins and yams. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of introducing a flavoring agent into the vegetable generally when applying the vacuum. The method of claim 1, wherein the vegetables are baked or fried after removal from the vacuum. A method of preparing raw vegetables for later consumption or processing,
The process of cleaning raw potatoes,
Rinsing the raw potatoes,
Blanching the raw potatoes with heated water for a first predetermined time;
Removing excess water from the blanched potatoes;
Applying a vacuum to the blanched vegetables to achieve a predetermined level of vacuum while the potato is still hot by the blanching process;
Removing the vacuum from the vegetables for consumption or further processing. 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of dividing the potato into at least two parts before branching. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the potato is placed in a vacuum at the predetermined level of vacuum for a second predetermined time. The method further comprises: packaging the potato product after the vacuum process under an atmosphere selected from the group consisting of vacuum, air, nitrogen gas, carbon dioxide gas and other inert gases. 9. The method according to 8. 9. The method of claim 8, further comprising introducing a seasoning to the potato when applying the vacuum generally. The method of claim 8, wherein the rinsing process comprises a cold rinse.

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