A process and apparatus for a method for reducing the amount of acrylamide in thermally processed foods. This invention permits the production of foods having significantly reduced levels of acrylamide. The method relies on the manipulation of various unit operations used in the production of food products, particularly the washing and cooking unit operations. For example, the washing unit operation can be modified to provide a contacting step at an increased time and temperature, and adding components such as calcium chloride and L-cysteine to an aqueous solution used for the contacting. The cooking unit operation can be modified by dividing it into at least a higher-temperature first heating step and a lower-temperature second heating step in order to avoid the high-temperature/low-moisture conditions most favorable for acrylamide formation.

Method for reducing acrylamide formation in thermally processed foods

Summary
Dehydrated cauliflower was prepared by soaking the blanched pieces in solutions of different concentrations of common salt and sucrose (cane sugar), alone and in combination, prior to drying in a cabinet drier and evaluated for sensory, rehydration, storage, microbiological, histological and sorption characteristics. While sucrose alone produced considerable improvement, salt supplemented its effect. The optimum treatment was soaking in 3% salt and 6% sucrose for 12–16h at 4°C it markedly reduced shrinkage and improved rehydration without affecting palatability. It was necessary to boil the soak solution for 3 min and cool prior to soaking to reduce microbial contamination. The treatment increased ascorbic acid loss by 8%. Monolayer moisture content calculated from BET equation was 6.5% (moisture-free) basis for treated and 5.3% for untreated. The treatment increased the shelf-life of the product from 3 to 12 months at ambient temperature when packaged in paper-foil-polythene laminate.

Effect of pretreatment with salt and sucrose on the quality and stability of dehydrated cauliflower

Optimization of instant jasmine rice process and its physicochemical properties

Shelf-stable whole grain-containing composite food products, such as savory and sweet snacks and cereals, are continuously produced by preparing a dough comprising cooking whole grain cereal grain particles in the presence of water effective to gelatinize starch content of the whole grain cereal particles to provide gelatinized whole grain cereal grain particles, and mixing the gelatinized whole grain cereal grain particles with starch, whole grain flour, optional minor dough ingredients such as leavening agent, and a food component selected from the group consisting of vegetables and fruits, effective to prepare dough. The dough is formed into discrete dough units, which are baked or fried to provide a whole-grain containing composite food product that is nutritious, low fat, multi-flavored, and a good source of dietary fiber.

Production of whole grain-containing composite food products

Apparatus for the simultaneous extrusion from an extrusion discharge station of multiple streams of a food product having fibers therein, from a single mass of the food product, where the desired product spacing between the streams at the extrusion discharge station is less then the greatest expected fiber length. Converging extrusion channels communicate at a channel entry station with a feed container which holds and directs the flow of the mass of food product, and the distance of closest spacing between the extrusion channels at the channel entry station is greater than the average expected fiber length. Bridging of food fibers between adjacent extrusion channels at the entry station is avoided by the large channel entry spacing, while the decreasing distance between the converging channels allows the food product streams at the extrusion discharge station to be spaced at a desired product spacing less then the greatest expected fiber length. Uniform flow of the food mass into the channel entry station is promoted by the use of a converging/diverging flow path in the feed container.

Simultaneous extrusion of multiple streams of a fibrous food product

Method of manufacturing dehydrated meat product

Process for producing a plant product, which term is to be understood as covering all types of products normally regarded as vegetables including leaves, roots, bulbs, stems and immature and mature fructifications, the sweet fleshy fructifications of plants normally referred to as fruits and non edible plant material. The plant product is of intermediate moisture content which is microbiologically stable at water activity levels within the range of 0.5 to 0.85 and is free of additives used to prevent microbial spoilage. The process resides in the steps of dehydrating a plant product to produce the moisture content to 10 to 50% and thereafter holding the product in an oxygen free or substantially oxygen free atmosphere.

Intermediate moisture vegetables

The present invention is directed to a herb product comprising a comminuted herb admixed with water, a water activity controlling substance in sufficient amounts for the herb product to have a water activity less than 0.90 and an effective amount of an edible agent, said effective amount of an edible agent being an anti-oxidizing effective amount of an edible anti-oxidant or an anti-discoloring effective amount of an edible salt or mixture thereof, said herb product being present in a substantially oxygen-free atmosphere. In addition, the present invention is directed to a method of making the herb product and to food compositions containing same.

Processed fresh herbs and method of making

Process of producing a grain product which comprises subjecting parboiled grain to compression by rolling the grains being maintained at temperatures prior to and during compression below gelatinization temperature. In certain cases the compression step is omitted and an improved product can be obtained by subjecting the grains to treatment with a solution containing an enzyme or enzymes, the quantity of the solution used is such that it is totally absorbed by the grain. In other cases the two aforementioned processes are combined in which case the grain is treated with a solution containing a measured quantity of a solution containing an enzyme or enzymes the quantity of the solution is such that it is totally absorbed by the grains, thereafter the grains are subject to compression by rolling. The invention also relates to a grain product produced by said process.

Treating parboiled grains and products

Potatoes are blanched, washed, treated with amylase, dehydrated, hydrated to 12% to 30%, tempered to a uniform moisture and toasted at 140° C. to 220° C. to about 2% moisture. The resulting product is flavored, salted and may have controlled amounts of oil, preferably between 3% and 7% by final weight, added during the process, preferably after toasting.

Victor Marcus Lewis

Papers

Method of manufacturing dehydrated meat product

Intermediate moisture vegetables

Processed fresh herbs and method of making

Treating parboiled grains and products

Process for preparing no or low fat potato chips and straws