Process for improving shelf-life of fresh cut vegetables and food products produced thereby

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to, inter alia, processes for improving shelf-life and flavoring of fresh-cut / fresh vegetables, as well as food products produced by these processes. In accordance with the present disclosure, the processes generally include various new combinations of steps such as blanching, air drying, supercritical fluid processing with and without a processing aid, pressurization, de-pressurization, and packaging. The present disclosure further relates to methods of preparing edible food products that incorporate the processed fresh-cut vegetables, as well as the food products produced by these methods.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims priority benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62 / 504,889, filed May 11, 2017, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present disclosure relates to, inter alia, processes for improving shelf-life of fresh-cut / fresh vegetables.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Fresh vegetables have a short harvest period and have the tendency to spoil quickly if not stored under refrigerated conditions. Some practical methods for shelf-life extension of fresh vegetables have found significant commercial application. These methods include modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) / controlled atmosphere packaging (CAP), air drying, freeze drying, vacuum drying, individually quick freezing (IQF), and canning. With MAP / CAP, shelf-life is increased for a few days with refrigeration from packaging to consumption because microbial growth is dependent on t...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0016]In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a process for improving shelf-life of fresh-cut vegetables that involves the steps generally described below (referred to herein generally as “Process A”). First, this process involves blanching unprocessed vegetable material that includes freshly cut vegetables. The blanching increases cell structure permeability of the freshly cut vegetables. This step yields a blanched vegetable preparation that is enhanced for accelerated moisture removal via a supercritical fluids procedure. Second, this process involves subjecting the blanched vegetable preparation to a first supercritical fluids procedure to remove a first percentage of moisture therefrom. The first supercritical fluids procedure is performed with a processing aid, thereby yielding an intermediate processed vegetable product infused with the processing aid. Third, this process involves performing a second supercritical fluids procedure to the intermediate processed vegetable product to remove a second percentage of moisture therefrom. The second supercritical fluids procedure is performed without the processing aid, thereby yielding a final processed vegetable product having improved shelf-life compared to that of the unprocessed vegetable material.

[0019]In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a process for improving shelf-life of fresh-cut vegetables that involves the steps generally described below (referred to herein generally as “Process B”). First, this process involves blanching unprocessed vegetable material that includes freshly cut vegetables, where the blanching increases cell structure permeability of the freshly cut vegetables. This step yields a blanched vegetable preparation that is enhanced for infusion of a processing aid within the cell structure of the freshly cut vegetables via a supercritical fluids procedure. Second, this process involves packaging the blanched vegetable preparation in a sealed gas permeable / breathable container with a defined volume of 0.001% or above of one or more processing aid. Third, this process involves subjecting the blanched vegetable preparation within the sealed gas permeable / breathable container to a supercritical fluids procedure at or above supercritical temperatures and pressures, thereby yielding a pressurized blanched vegetable preparation contained in the gas permeable / breathable container. Fourth, this process involves depressurizing the pressurized blanched vegetable preparation quickly to convert the supercritical fluids to a gas phase followed by a slow depressurization stage, thereby yielding a final vegetable product having an improved shelf-life compared to the unprocessed vegetable material.

[0022]In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a process for improving shelf-life of fresh-cut vegetables that involves the steps generally described below (referred to herein generally as “Process C”). First, this process involves performing Process A or related embodiments thereof to yield a first final processed vegetable product. Second, this process involves packaging the first final processed vegetable product in a sealed breathable film bag with a defined volume of one or more co-solvent. Third, this process involves subjecting the first final processed vegetable product within the sealed breathable film bag to a third supercritical fluids procedure along with temperature variations, thereby yielding a pressurized first final processed vegetable product contained in the sealed breathable film bag. Fourth, this process involves depressurizing the pressurized first final processed vegetable product quickly to convert the supercritical fluids to a gas phase followed by a slow depressurization stage, thereby yielding a completed vegetable product having an improved shelf-life compared to the unprocessed vegetable material.

[0025]The processes of the present disclosure have the unique ability to reduce both the water activity and the pH within the fresh-cut vegetable product. Such a combination makes the resulting food product shelf-stable without requiring refrigerated or frozen storage conditions. The fresh-cut vegetable products can be made from vegetables such as sweet potato, yam, artichoke, radish, carrot, turnip, beet roots, other root vegetables, as well as other non-root / tuber vegetables.

[0026]Some advantages of the processes of the present disclosure include, for example, processes for making the vegetable product more convenient than currently available fresh produce or frozen / canned products. Another advantage is that the processes of the present disclosure allow for the production of healthier food products than the currently available fresh produce or frozen / canned produce by reducing the time and temperature required for cooking / frying / baking. Another advantage of the processes of the present disclosure is the development of alternative shelf-life extension methods for fresh-cut vegetables to the existing methods of dehydrating, chemical treatments, freezing and canning.

[0027]In one embodiment of the processes for improving shelf-life of fresh-cut vegetables, the present disclosure provides a process that involves a combination of blanching, air-drying (optional), and supercritical CO2 (SCCO2) treatment, with and then without processing aid (co-solvent), of fresh-cut vegetables for extension of their shelf life at room temperature and even a longer shelf life under refrigerated conditions. The fresh-cut and / or peeled vegetables are blanched, partly air-dried (optional) and then treated with the SCCO2 containing processing aid (co-solvent). Subsequently, SCCO2 treatment may continue without any processing aid (co-solvent) to remove any residual processing aid (co-solvent) from the product.

Problems solved by technology

First, this process involves blanching unprocessed vegetable material that includes freshly cut vegetables.

Second, this process involves subjecting the blanched vegetable preparation to a first supercritical fluids procedure to remove a first percentage of moisture therefrom.

Third, this process involves performing a second supercritical fluids procedure to the intermediate processed vegetable product to remove a second percentage of moisture therefrom.

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