Liquefied potato products and processes

Abstract

Liquid potato-derived products can be produced from whole, raw potatoes and used in a variety of healthy food products, such as dips and sauces. Such liquid potato products can be produced from raw potatoes by pre-treating the potatoes, gelatinizing the pre-treated potatoes, and then liquefying the gelatinized potatoes under sufficient shear.

Description

[0001] Related applications

[0002] This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 62 / 859,542, filed on June 10, 2019, and entitled “LIQUIFIED POTATO PRODUCT AND PROCESS,” and also claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 16 / 894,095, filed on June 5, 2020, and entitled “LIQUIFIED POTATO PRODUCT AND PROCESS,” the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0003] The present invention generally relates to potato products that can be used to produce various food products. More generally, the present application generally relates to the production of liquid potato products that can be used to produce various healthy food products. Background Art

[0004] There is increasing interest in the production of healthy foods primarily derived from vegetables and other organic plant-based products. For example, various food manufacturers have produced dips, sauces, and other foods that use nuts or broccoli as base ingredients. However, these existing foods may exhibit one or more drawbacks, such as poor taste, insufficient texture, allergy risks, high production costs, and overall unhealthy formulations. Therefore, there remains a need to identify and efficiently produce healthy foods from plant-based sources. Summary of the Invention

[0005] A method of making a liquid potato product, the method comprising: (a) providing an initial potato charge comprising potato components, the initial potato charge having an initial moisture content; (b) at least partially gelatinizing the initial potato charge to form a mashed potato charge having a second moisture content, wherein the second moisture content is less than 50% less than the initial moisture content; and (c) shearing at least a portion of the mashed potato charge in the presence of oil to form the liquid potato product.

[0006] A method of making a liquid potato product, the method comprising: (a) providing an initial potato charge comprising potato components; (b) at least partially gelatinizing the initial potato charge to form a mashed potato charge; and (c) shearing at least a portion of the mashed potato charge to form the liquid potato product, the liquid potato product exhibiting at least one of the following rheological properties as measured at 12.5° C.:

[0007] i.Υ 1-5 Y 5-10 、Y 10-15 and / or Y 15-20 At least 50% larger;

[0008] ii.Y 1-5 Y 10-20 、Y 20-30 and / or Y 30-40 large; and

[0009] iii.Y 1-10 Y 10-20 、Y 20-30 and / or Y 30-40 At least 25% larger;

[0010] The rheological properties are measured after storing the liquid potato product at 6°C for 24 hours, 48 ​​hours or 72 hours.

[0011] A liquid potato product for use in producing a food product, the liquid potato product comprising 5 to 80 weight percent potatoes, wherein the liquid potato product exhibits two or more of the following rheological properties as measured at 12.5°C:

[0012] iY 1-5 Y 5-10 、Y 10-15 and / or Y 15-20 At least 50% larger;

[0013] ii.Y 1-5 Y 10-20 、Y 20-30 and / or Y 30-40 large; and

[0014] iii.Y 1-10 Y 10-20 、Y 20-30 and / or Y 30-40 At least 25% larger;

[0015] The rheological properties are measured immediately after forming the liquid potato product, or after storing the liquid potato product at 6° C. for 24 hours, 48 ​​hours or 72 hours. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016] Embodiments of the present invention are described herein with reference to the following drawings, in which:

[0017] Figure 1 An exemplary liquid P production system is depicted that can be used to at least partially convert one or more potato-containing feeds into liquid P and food products containing liquid P;

[0018] Figure 2 is a graph depicting the rheological characteristics of potato products produced using a conventional shear process on days 0-3;

[0019] Figure 3 is a graph depicting the rheological characteristics of Liquid P product produced using the shearing process of the present invention in Example 1 on days 0-3;

[0020] Figure 4 is a graph depicting shear stress versus shear rate for the Day 0 sample of Example 1 (liquid potato without other root vegetables);

[0021] Figure 5 is a graph depicting shear stress versus shear rate for the day 3 sample of Example 1;

[0022] Figure 6 is a graph depicting the rheological characteristics of Liquid P product produced using the shear process of the present invention in Example 2 on days 0-3;

[0023] Figure 7 is a graph depicting shear stress versus shear rate for the Day 0 sample of Example 2 (liquid potato with 15% by weight other root vegetables); and

[0024] Figure 8 is a graph depicting shear stress versus shear rate for the Day 1 sample of Example 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The present invention generally relates to the production of Liquid P, a liquid product derived at least in part from potatoes, and the use of Liquid P in the production of various food products. Certain embodiments of the present invention may comprise a potato liquefaction system for converting potatoes and other root vegetables into useful liquid products, such as Liquid P. As discussed in more detail below, the systems described herein have been observed to produce a unique liquid potato product, Liquid P, that can be used to produce various types of food products exhibiting one or more desirable traits.

[0026] As used herein, the term "liquid P" is used interchangeably with "liquid potato product" and both refer to a liquid potato product containing at least 5 weight percent potato and containing at least 4 1 Materials having a dynamic viscosity in the range of 70 to 250,000 cP at a shear rate of 1.5 to 2.5 °C and a temperature between 12.5 °C and 95 °C.

[0027] Figure 1 An exemplary liquid P production system 10 is depicted that can be used to at least partially convert one or more potato-containing feedstocks into liquid P and food products containing liquid P. It should be understood that Figure 1 The liquid P production system shown in is only one example of a system in which the present invention may be embodied. Thus, the present invention may be applied to a variety of other systems in which it is desired to efficiently and effectively produce liquid P. The exemplary system shown in will now be described in more detail.

[0028] As above Figure 1 As shown, liquid P production system 10 may include a potato source 12 for supplying one or more types of potatoes to system 10. Potato source 12 may be, for example, a hopper, storage bin, rail car, trailer, or any other device that can hold or store potatoes and other types of vegetables.

[0029] In various embodiments, the potato feed 14 derived from the potato source 12 can include, consist essentially of, or consist of potatoes. Generally, in various embodiments, the potatoes supplied by the potato source 12 can include any variety of potato (Solanum tuberosum). Exemplary potato varieties can include, for example, Shepody potatoes, Bintje potatoes, American Blue potatoes, Royal potatoes, Innate potatoes, Maris Piper potatoes, Focus potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes, Lady Balfour potatoes, Kennebec potatoes, Colette potatoes, Chieftain potatoes, Innovator potatoes, Russet Burbank potatoes, purple potatoes, Russet potatoes, Bamberg potatoes, or a combination thereof.

[0030] In various embodiments, potatoes originating from potato source 12 can include whole, raw potatoes.

[0031] In various embodiments, potato feed 14 may include at least 25, 50, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, or 99 weight percent of one or more potatoes, based on the total weight of the feed stream.

[0032] In certain embodiments, potato source 12 may also supply one or more other root vegetables, such as parsnips, celery root, sweet potatoes, onions, red beets, carrots, or combinations thereof. As used herein, the term "root vegetables" refers to edible underground plant parts that include a higher fiber content than peeled potatoes.

[0033] In various embodiments, the potato feed 14 can include at least 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, or 25 weight percent and / or less than 90, 85, 80, 75, 70, 65, 60, 55, 50, 45, 40, 35, or 30 weight percent of one or more root vegetables, based on the total weight of the potato feed.

[0034] Turn again Figure 1 , the potato feed 14 from the potato source 12 can be sent to a pretreatment unit 16 for further processing prior to any subsequent cooking and conversion steps. While in the pretreatment unit 16, the potato feed 14 can be subjected to one or more treatments including, for example, washing, peeling, mashing, water bathing, microwave heating, radio frequency heating, magnetic heating, electric field pulse heating, shaving, dicing, or a combination thereof. In certain embodiments, the potato feed 14 can be washed, peeled, washed again to remove any peel residue, and then cut into specified slices. In one or more embodiments, the potatoes and other root vegetables present in the potato feed 14 can be cut into pieces having an average width of at least 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, or 0.25 inches and / or less than 0.75, 0.6, or 0.5 inches.

[0035] For the potato component in potato feed 14, the peeling step may be optional. Thus, in certain embodiments, the potatoes in potato feed 14 may not be peeled. Alternatively, potato feed 14 may be peeled. In one or more embodiments, the potato component in potato feed 14 is unpeeled and may be subjected to an optional peeling process in pretreatment unit 16 to form an at least partially peeled potato component.

[0036] After exiting pretreatment unit 16, pretreated potato feed 18 is then introduced into blanching and gelatinization system 20. While in blanching and gelatinization system 20, pretreated potato feed 18 may undergo any known process or technique to at least partially gelatinize at least a portion of the potatoes in the potato feed. In various embodiments, blanching and gelatinization system 20 may include any system or device capable of subjecting pretreated potato feed 18 to a gelatinization process, such as a microwave, a hot water bath, an autoclave, or any other device known in the art.

[0037] Generally, the gelatinization process may involve any heat treatment capable of at least partially gelatinizing the potatoes in the pretreated potato feed 18. Such techniques may include, for example, microwaving, boiling, scalding, blanching, or combinations thereof.

[0038] In certain embodiments, the gelatinization process includes blanching. Generally, in various embodiments, the blanching process can involve: (i) contacting the pretreated potato feed 18 with hot water and / or steam and (ii) subsequently contacting the heated potato feed with an aqueous solution to form gelatinized feed 22. In certain embodiments, the aqueous solution can include one or more chelating agents and / or pH adjusters, such as citric acid, EDTA, phosphate compounds, or combinations thereof.

[0039] It should be noted that in various embodiments, the gelatinization process does not involve a mashing step. Therefore, in such embodiments, the gelatinized potato feed would not be considered "mashed."

[0040] While not wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the blanching step may help reduce undesirable enzymes in the potato feed, remove the skins of the potatoes (if still present), and change the texture of the potatoes and other root vegetables in the potato feed.

[0041] In certain embodiments, the first step of the blanching process can include contacting the pretreated potato feed 18 with heated water for a period of at least 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes, or 5 minutes and / or less than 30 minutes, 25 minutes, 20 minutes, 15 minutes, or 10 minutes. In such embodiments, the hydrothermal treatment can occur at approximately atmospheric pressure and a temperature of at least 50° C., 55° C., 60° C., 65° C., 70° C., 75° C., or 80° C. Additionally or alternatively, in various embodiments, the hydrothermal treatment can occur at a temperature of less than 150° C., 125° C., 100° C., 95° C., 90° C., 85° C., 80° C., 75° C., 70° C., 65° C., 60° C., or 55° C.

[0042] In certain embodiments, the first step of the blanching process can include contacting the pretreated potato feed 18 with pressurized steam for a period of at least 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes, or 5 minutes and / or less than 30 minutes, 25 minutes, 20 minutes, 15 minutes, or 10 minutes. In such embodiments, the steam treatment can occur at a gauge pressure of at least 10, 25, 50, 75, 100, or 125 psig and / or less than 300, 250, 200, 175, or 160 psig and at a temperature of at least 100° C., 125° C., or 150° C. and / or less than 300° C., 250° C., 200° C., or 185° C.

[0043] In certain embodiments, the second step of the blanching process may occur at a temperature of at least 10° C., 15° C., 20° C., 25° C., 30° C., 35° C., 40° C., 45° C., 50° C., 55° C., 60° C., 65° C., 70° C., 75° C., or 80° C. and / or less than 150° C., 125° C., 100° C., 95° C., 90° C., 85° C., 80° C., 75° C., 70° C., 65° C., or 60° C. Additionally or alternatively, in various embodiments, the second step of the blanching process may occur in a time period of less than 10 minutes, 5 minutes, 4 minutes, 3 minutes, 2 minutes, or 1 minute.

[0044] In certain embodiments, the gelatinization process removes very little water and / or solids from the pretreated potato feed 18. Unlike prior art gelatinization techniques that partially dehydrate the potato feed, the gelatinization techniques of the present disclosure may attempt to retain most of the water, moisture, and solids naturally present in the potatoes. For example, in various embodiments, the gelatinized potato feed 22 has a moisture content (by weight) that is less than 50%, 45%, 40%, 35%, 30%, 25%, 20%, 15%, 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, or 3% less than the moisture content of the pretreated potato feed 18. In other words, the moisture content of the gelatinized potato feed 22 is at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96% or 97% of the moisture content of the pretreated potato feed 18.

[0045] After leaving the gelatinization system 20, at least a portion of the gelatinized potato feed 22 can be introduced into a shearing device 24. While in the shearing device 24, the gelatinized potato feed 22 can be subjected to specific temperature and shear conditions required to produce liquid P 26. Although not wishing to be bound by theory, the shearing step can be performed under specific temperature, pressure and / or shear conditions so that the starch in the gelatinized potato feed 22 can become completely gelatinized, thereby promoting the formation of liquid P. Generally, in various embodiments, the temperature of the gelatinized potato feed 22 must reach at least 67°C in order to completely gelatinize the starch in the feed during the shearing step. This temperature can be derived from the shear rate and conditions and / or from an external heating source (e.g., a heating jacket surrounding the shearing device). Thus, in various embodiments, due to these temperature requirements, the shearing step can be in the form of hot grinding. As used herein, "shearing" refers to a mechanical process that causes a shear rate through a liquid, thereby changing the underlying microstructure. Thus, for example, shearing can include particle comminution.

[0046] Shearing device 24 may comprise any shearing device known in the art capable of providing the high shear required to produce liquid P26 from gelatinized potato feed 22. Exemplary shearing devices may include, for example, a food processor, a high shear mixer with an impeller, or a shrouded high-speed turbine. In certain embodiments, shearing device 24 may comprise a shrouded high-speed turbine, wherein the rpm of the turbine may affect the temperature and time conditions of the shearing process.

[0047] In various embodiments, the shearing step can occur at a temperature of at least 10° C., 15° C., 20° C., 25° C., 30° C., 35° C., or 40° C. and / or less than 150° C., 125° C., 100° C., 90° C., 80° C., or 75° C. and for a period of at least 1 minute, 2 minutes, 3 minutes, 4 minutes, 5 minutes, 6 minutes, 7 minutes, 8 minutes, 9 minutes, or 10 minutes and / or less than 60 minutes, 55 minutes, 50 minutes, 45 minutes, 40 minutes, 35 minutes, 30 minutes, 25 minutes, 20 minutes, or 15 minutes. Additionally or alternatively, in various embodiments, the shearing can occur at a pressure of at least 1, 5, 10, or 14 psig and / or less than 1,000, 900, 800, 700, 600, 500, 400, 300, 200, 100, 50, 25, 20, or 15 psig.

[0048] In various embodiments, one or more oils and / or water are added to the shearing device 24 along with the gelatinized potato feed 22. In certain embodiments, the one or more oils and / or water can be added directly to the gelatinized potato feed 22 prior to introducing the feed 22 into the shearing device 24. In alternative embodiments, the one or more oils and / or water can be added to the liquid P 26 after it exits the shearing device 24. These oils and waters can be used to create a desired viscosity for the liquid P and can also enhance certain flavor and textural properties of the resulting liquid P. Exemplary oils can include, for example, vegetable oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, coconut oil, palm oil, corn oil, avocado oil, walnut oil, soybean oil, sesame oil, or combinations thereof.

[0049] In some embodiments, oil is added to the shearing step, but no water is added. In other embodiments, water may be added to the shearing step, but no oil is added. In still other embodiments, water and oil are added to the shearing step along with the gelatinized potato feed 22.

[0050] The following describes various characteristics and properties of Liquid P. It should be noted that while all of the following characteristics and / or properties may be listed individually, it is contemplated that each of the following characteristics and properties of Liquid P are not mutually exclusive and may be combined and present in any combination unless the combination of such characteristics conflicts. Furthermore, it should be noted that all weight percentages relating to Liquid P formulations are based on the total weight of the Liquid P formulation unless otherwise indicated.

[0051] In various embodiments, Liquid P comprises at least 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, or 40 weight percent and / or less than 99, 95, 90, 85, 80, 75, 70, 65, 60, 55, or 50 weight percent of potato components originally derived from potatoes in the initial potato charge, based on the total weight of the Liquid P composition.

[0052] In various embodiments, in addition to potatoes, Liquid P may include up to 90 weight percent of one or more additional complex carbohydrates, such as root vegetables. In certain embodiments, the additional complex carbohydrates used to prepare Liquid P may have a higher fiber content than the potatoes used to prepare Liquid P. Examples of suitable additional complex carbohydrates for Liquid P include root vegetables, such as parsnips, celery root, sweet potatoes, onions, red beets, carrots, or combinations thereof. For example, in various embodiments, Liquid P includes at least 1, 2, 5, 10, 15, or 20 weight percent and / or less than 60, 55, 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, or 10 weight percent of one or more root vegetables initially present in the initial potato charge, based on the total weight of the Liquid P composition. In certain embodiments, liquid P comprises a potato to root vegetable weight ratio of at least 0.1:1, 0.5:1, 1:1, 1.5:1, or 2:1 and / or less than 10:1, 9:1, 8:1, 7:1, 6:1, 5:1, 4:1, or 3:1.

[0053] In various embodiments, a sufficient amount of oil is added such that Liquid P comprises at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 weight percent and / or less than 75, 70, 65, 60, 55, 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, or 25 weight percent oil, based on the total weight of the composition of Liquid P. In certain embodiments, Liquid P comprises a potato to oil weight ratio of at least 0.1:1, 0.5:1, 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 5:1, 6:1, or 7:1 and / or less than 100:1, 75:1, 50:1, 40:1, 30:1, or 20:1.

[0054] In various embodiments, sufficient water is added such that Liquid P comprises at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 weight percent and / or less than 75, 70, 65, 60, 55, 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, or 25 weight percent water, based on the total weight of the Liquid P composition.

[0055] In various embodiments, optional flavorings, optional additives, and other optional vegetables and fruits can be added to the shearing device 24 along with the gelatinized potato feed 22. These flavorings can include, for example, spices, meats, cheeses, herbs, other flavorings desired in the final food product, or combinations thereof. Exemplary additives that can be added can include, for example, protein supplements (e.g., whey protein, chickpeas, soy, or a combination thereof), dietary fiber supplements, vitamins, minerals, or a combination thereof. Other vegetables and fruits that can be added at this stage can include, for example, peppers (including bell peppers and hot peppers), onions, spinach, kale, mushrooms, mangoes, artichokes, beans, corn, olives, tomatoes, or a combination thereof. In various embodiments, sufficient amounts of flavorings, additives, and other vegetables and fruits are added such that Liquid P comprises at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, or 20 weight percent and / or less than 75, 70, 65, 60, 55, 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, or 25 weight percent of flavorings, additives, other vegetables, and / or other fruits, based on the total weight of the composition of Liquid P. Alternatively, in certain embodiments, Liquid P may not contain any added water and / or flavorings.

[0056] In alternative embodiments, the root vegetables described above may be added separately from the gelatinized potato feed 22 to the shearing device 24. In such embodiments, one or more root vegetables may or may not be added to the gelatinized potato feed 22 prior to introducing the potato feed 22 into the shearing device 24. Furthermore, in embodiments where one or more root vegetables are added directly to the shearing device 24 separately from the gelatinized potato feed 22, such root vegetables may be subjected to the pretreatment and gelatinization steps described herein to produce a gelatinized root vegetable feed for the shearing device 24. In such embodiments, the root vegetables may be subjected to the pretreatment and gelatinization steps in the absence of any potatoes.

[0057] In certain embodiments, the gelatinized potato feed 22 is not subjected to a mashing or retrogradation step prior to the shearing step. While not wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that due to the amount of water present in each step of the production process, the pH of each step, the fiber content of the potato feed due to the presence of root vegetables, and the addition of oil during the shearing step, retrogradation may not occur during the production process described herein.

[0058] Due to the unique shearing process and additives, Liquid P 26 can be in the form of a viscous, flowable liquid with a glossy and smooth appearance. The Liquid P described herein can exhibit desirable rheological characteristics without the need for thickeners, such as starches, gums, flours, etc., which may be considered undesirable additives by many consumers. For example, Liquid P can include less than 1, 0.5, 0.1, 0.05, or 0.01 weight percent of at least one thickener, based on the total weight of the Liquid P formulation.

[0059] In various embodiments, the resulting liquid P 26 can exhibit a viscosity of at least 100, 250, 500, 1,000, 1,500, 2,000, 2,500, 3,000, 3,500, 4,000, 4,500, or 5,000 cP and / or less than 250,000, 200,000, 150,000, 100,000, 90,000, 80,000, 70,000, 60,000, 50,000, 40,000, 30,000, 25,000, or 20,000 cP at 12.5°C or 25°C.

[0060] While not wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the high shear conditions used in the production of Liquid P contribute to its unique rheological characteristics. In one or more embodiments, Liquid P is a non-Newtonian fluid having a nonlinear relationship between shear stress and shear rate.

[0061] In various embodiments, the liquid P is heated to 0, 5, 10, 15 or 20°C at 12.5°C. 1 dynes / cm2 at a shear rate of at least 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 225, 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375, 400, 425, or 450 dynes / cm2 at a shear rate of at least 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 350, 375, 400, 425, or 450 dynes / cm2 2 Additionally or alternatively, in various embodiments, the liquid P is subjected to a shear stress of 0, 5, 10, 15 or 20 1 The present invention can exhibit a shear rate of less than 900, 800, 700, 600, 500, 450, 400, 350, 300, 250, 200, 150, 125, 100, 75 or 50 dynes / cm2 at a shear rate of less than 100 dynes / cm2 / s. 2 It should be noted that the above rheological measurements may apply to the liquid P immediately after production or after storage at 6°C for 24 hours ("Day 1"), 48 hours ("Day 2") or 72 hours ("Day 3").

[0062] It has been observed that the presence of complex carbohydrate materials (such as fiber and other root vegetables) in the Liquid P formulation may affect the rheological properties of the composition. As used herein, "complex carbohydrate material" includes a higher complex carbohydrate content relative to peeled potatoes. As described above, the complex carbohydrate material may include other root vegetables (i.e., root vegetables other than potatoes).

[0063] In various embodiments, after storing the liquid P at 6°C for 24 hours ("Day 1"), 48 hours ("Day 2"), or 72 hours ("Day 3"), the liquid P may exhibit one of the following shear stress characteristics at 12.5°C:

[0064] i. When the liquid P does not include a complex carbohydrate material (such as other root vegetables) or includes less than 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 or 1 weight percent of a complex carbohydrate material (such as other root vegetables), the shear stress is 5 1 At least 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 75, 100, 125, or 150 dynes / cm2 at a shear rate of at least 100 dynes / cm2 / s. 2 , shear stress at 10 1 At least 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 75, 100, 125, or 150 dynes / cm2 at a shear rate of at least 100 dynes / cm2 / s. 2 , shear stress at 15 1 At least 35, 40, 45, 50, 75, 100, 125 or 150 dynes / cm at a shear rate of at least 100 dynes / cm 2 , and / or shear stress at 20 1 at least 40, 45, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 225, 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375, or 400 dynes / cm2 at a shear rate of at least 100 dynes / cm2. 2 ;or

[0065] ii. When the liquid P comprises at least 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 or 25 weight percent of at least one complex carbohydrate material (such as other root vegetables), the shear stress is 5 1 At least 150, 175, 200, 225 or 250 dynes / cm2 at a shear rate of at least 100 dynes / cm2 / s 2 , shear stress at 10 1 At least 200, 225, 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375 or 400 dynes / cm2 at a shear rate of at least 100 dynes / cm2 / s 2 , shear stress at 15 1At least 225, 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375 or 400 dynes / cm2 at a shear rate of 0.1 % to 0.2 % 2 , and / or shear stress at 20 1 At least 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375 or 400 dynes / cm2 at a shear rate of at least 100 rpm. 2 .

[0066] As mentioned above, the liquid P may be a non-Newtonian fluid and thus exhibit nonlinear rheological characteristics. As used herein, "Y1", "Y5", "Y 10 ”, “Y 15 ”, “Y 20 ”, “Y 30 ” and “Y 40 ” refers to the liquid P at 12.5℃ at 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30 and 40 1 / s shear stress value (dyne / cm 2 ). In addition, as used herein, “Y 1-5 ”, “Y 5-10 ”, “Y 10-15 ”, “Y 15-20 ”, “Υ 1-10 ”, “Y 10-20 ”, “Y 20-30 ” and “Y 30-40 ” refer to Y1 and Y5, Y5 and Y 10 、Y 10 With Y 15 、Y 15 With Y 20 , Y1 and Y 10 、Y 10 With Y 20 、Y 20 With Y 30 and Y 30 With Y 40 The change of shear stress value between .

[0067] In various embodiments, the liquid P can exhibit at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 of the following rheological properties:

[0068] iY 1-5 ≠Y 5-10 ≠Y 10-15 ≠Y 15-20 ;

[0069] ii.Y 10 Y 10-15 and / or Y 15-20 at least 50%, 100%, 150%, 200%, 250% or 300% greater;

[0070] iii.Y 1-5 Y 5-10 、Y 10-15 and / or Y 15-20 at least 50%, 100%, 150%, 200%, 250% or 300% greater;

[0071] iv.Y 5-10 Y 10-15 and / or Y 15-20 at least 50%, 100%, 150%, 200%, 250% or 300% greater;

[0072] vY 1-5 Y 10-20 、Y 20-30 and / or Y 30-40 Large; and / or

[0073] vi.Y 1-10 Y 10-20 、Y 20-30 and / or Y 30-40 At least 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%, 125% or 150% greater.

[0074] It should be noted that these rheological measurements are applicable to liquid P immediately after production or after storage at 6°C for 24 hours ("Day 1"), 48 hours ("Day 2"), or 72 hours ("Day 3"). In addition, the rheological properties can be measured at 12.5°C. When the present invention claims rheological property measurement results and more than one storage standard (e.g., "the rheological property was measured after storing the liquid potato product at 6°C for 24 hours, at 6°C for 48 hours, or at 6°C for 72 hours"), if the infringing product exhibits the rheological property under any of the storage standards (e.g., after storage at 6°C for 24 hours), it may constitute infringement of the claimed rheological property. In other words, in order to determine whether the above hypothetical claim constitutes infringement, rheological testing needs to be performed under each of the cited storage standards (e.g., after storage at 6°C for 24 hours, after storage at 6°C for 48 hours, and after storage at 6°C for 72 hours).

[0075] Due to the high shear process described herein, Liquid P formulations may exhibit a unique composition of particles directly derived from the shear process. When examined microscopically in brightfield mode using an OMAX M834SLPLAN-C50U3 compound microscope, Liquid P samples stained with Lugol's solution may be characterized by fewer and smaller starch granules and the presence of a continuous, non-granular starch matrix. In contrast, low-shear conventional potato products include numerous visible starch granules ranging in size from 100 to 600 μm and lack a continuous, non-granular starch matrix.

[0076] like Figure 1 As shown, at least a portion of the liquid P 26 can be transferred to a food production plant 28, where the liquid P 26 can be used to produce a variety of food products. Exemplary food products that can be produced using the liquid P include, for example, dips, sauces, condiments, soups, simulated dairy products, spreads, candies, beverages, and any other food product that incorporates liquid and / or semi-solid components. In certain embodiments, the food product includes a dip.

[0077] In various embodiments, a food product produced with liquid P may include at least 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, or 70 weight percent of the liquid P, based on the total weight of the food product. Additionally or alternatively, in various embodiments, a food product produced with liquid P may include less than 99, 95, 90, 85, 80, 75, 70, 65, 60, 55, 50, 45, or 40 weight percent of the liquid P, based on the total weight of the food product.

[0078] The present invention can be further illustrated by the following examples of the present invention, but it should be understood that these examples are included for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention unless specifically stated otherwise.

[0079] Examples

[0080] Example 1

[0081] The method for producing liquid P according to the present invention was tested and compared with a conventional process for producing potato-based food products. Both procedures used the same formulation, as shown in Table 1 below.

[0082] Table 1

[0083] Element Weight percentage Innovit potatoes (cut into pieces) 25 sunflower oil 10 water 65

[0084] The starting potato material was cut into 3 / 8 inch cubes. In addition, the potato cubes were previously blanched, pre-gelatinized, citric acid treated, and frozen. The potatoes were then gently thawed in a microwave oven (1200W 110v Panasonic Rotary Model NSD997S). The diced and thawed potatoes were then mixed with the oil and water fractions and poured into a Vitamix blender (Vitamix 5200 Model VM0103 11.5amp 110v, variable speed). It is at this point that the conventional method and the inventive method described herein begin to differ.

[0085] For the conventional method, the Vitamix was run on a low speed setting (3-4 on the dial) for 2 to 3 minutes until a consistent, homogeneous puree was obtained. The shearing was gentle enough to ensure no significant temperature increase. The product was then heated in a microwave with stirring to a temperature of 165 to 170°F (74 to 77°C).

[0086] For the present invention (i.e., Liquid P) method, the Vitamix was run on the high speed setting (10 on the dial) for 5 to 10 minutes, until a characteristic appearance change occurred, wherein the product became glossy with a different sheen, and the power consumption of the motor increased noticeably. As significant mechanical work was applied to the product, the temperature increased to approximately 170 to 180°F (77 to 82°C) by the end of the shearing process.

[0087] For both methods, the finished product was allowed to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, after which a portion was transferred to the rheometer sample chamber (Brookfield DV3TRVTJ with a small sample adapter kit, using an SC4-28 spindle and a TC-650AP controller water bath), where it was placed in a temperature-controlled water bath (set to 12.5°C). Subsequently, the rheometer spindle was positioned in the product. This represented the "Day 0" product. The remaining product was stored in a refrigerator (4 to 8°C), and samples were removed after 24, 48, and 72 hours for measurement in the rheometer; these samples are referred to as the "Day 1," "Day 2," and "Day 3" samples, respectively.

[0088] Once the sample reaches a temperature of 12.5°C, the rheometer runs a defined program. During this program, the spindle rotates at a defined rpm, which, together with the wall-to-wall distance between the spindle and the chamber, generates a defined shear rate in the sample. Thus, the corresponding torque can be measured, which is directly converted into the experienced shear stress (dynes / cm). The program steps through a series of rotational speeds at 30 second intervals to generate a range of rotational speeds covering 0 to 67.2 1 / s shear rate range. Once it reaches 67.2 1 / s maximum shear rate, the program will reduce the spindle rotation speed back to zero at 30 second intervals (as shown in Tables 2-4 below). This results in two sets of data - one "up" and one "down". The resulting shear stress values ​​were then plotted against shear rate for these two sets of data (i.e., samples from the conventional process and the inventive process). Tables 2 and 3 below provide the "up" and one "down" shear stress values ​​for samples produced by the conventional process and the inventive Liquid P process described herein at Day 0, Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3. Figure 2 and 3 The rheological characteristics of the conventional sample and liquid P from day 0 to day 3 are depicted respectively.

[0089] Table 2

[0090]

[0091] Table 3

[0092]

[0093] Table 4 also provides a direct comparison of the measured shear stress values ​​for the Day 0 and Day 3 samples for the Conventional Process and the Liquid P Process.

[0094] Table 4

[0095]

[0096] Figure 4 Depicted is a graph comparing shear stress versus shear rate for day 0 samples, while Figure 5 Depicted is a graph comparing shear stress versus shear rate for day 3 samples. Figure 4 As shown in FIG, compared with the product produced by the conventional method, the liquid P product produced by the method of the present invention exhibits higher viscosity and slightly non-Newtonian rheology at day 0. Figure 5 As shown, the rheological differences between the Liquid P product and the conventional product became more apparent on day 3. More specifically, Figure 5 It is shown that the Liquid P product is able to achieve much higher viscosities (as indicated by higher shear stress) relative to the conventional product, with the viscosity actually decreasing from day 0 to day 3. In addition, the Liquid P product exhibited a significantly lower viscosity at lower shear rates (less than 10 1 The Liquid P product exhibits significant non-Newtonian rheology at temperatures of 100 rpm / s. Thus, relative to conventional products, the Liquid P product exhibits and can achieve more desirable rheological characteristics over time. While not wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that this rheological characteristic of the Liquid P product may be at least partially derived from the high shear conditions used in its production.

[0097] therefore, Figure 4 and5 It demonstrates how the Liquid P product behaves and maintains desirable rheological properties at 12.5°C, which closely reflect the desired rheological characteristics of certain food products such as dips.

[0098] Example 2

[0099] The inventive Liquid P production method was tested and compared to a conventional process for producing potato-based foods. Both procedures used the same formulation, as shown in Table 5 below. It should be noted that the same process described in Example 1 was used for both the conventional and inventive shearing steps. The only difference in this example was the use and presence of root vegetables, which were added to the Vitamix blender along with the potatoes, water, and oil. The resulting samples were also studied using the rheological method from Example 1.

[0100] Table 5

[0101] Element Weight percentage Innovit potatoes (cut into cubes) 25 sunflower oil 10 water 50 Parsnips 7.5 celery root 7.5

[0102] Table 6 below provides the "up" and one "down" shear stress values ​​at Day 0, Day 1, Day 2, and Day 3 for samples produced by the inventive Liquid P process described herein. Figure 6 The rheological characteristics of liquid P from day 0 to day 3 are depicted.

[0103] Table 6

[0104]

[0105] Table 7 below provides the "rising" and one "falling" shear stress values ​​measured at 25°C for Day 0 and Day 1 samples of the conventional process and the Liquid P process of the present invention.

[0106] Table 7

[0107]

[0108] Figure 7 Depicted is a graph comparing shear stress versus shear rate for day 0 samples, while Figure 8 Depicted is a graph comparing shear stress versus shear rate for day 1 samples. Figure 7 As shown in FIG, the liquid P product produced by the method of the present invention actually exhibits a lower viscosity at day 0 relative to the product produced by the conventional method. Figure 8 As shown, the rheological differences between the Liquid P product and the conventional product became more pronounced and significantly different over time, as shown in the Day 1 data. More specifically, Figure 8As shown, the Liquid P product is able to achieve a much higher viscosity (as indicated by the higher shear stress) after one day relative to the conventional product. Thus, while the rheological profile of the conventional product begins to degrade after a few days, Liquid P is still able to maintain and achieve a desirable rheological profile that corresponds to the desired texture of a food product such as a dip.

[0109] In addition, the liquid P product is exposed to low shear rates (less than 10 1 The Liquid P product exhibits significant non-Newtonian rheology at temperatures of 100 rpm / s. Thus, relative to conventional products, the Liquid P product exhibits and can achieve more desirable rheological characteristics over time. While not wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that this rheological characteristic of the Liquid P product may be at least partially derived from the high shear conditions used in its production.

[0110] therefore, Figure 8 It demonstrates how the Liquid P product behaves and maintains desirable rheological properties at 25°C, which closely reflect the desired rheological characteristics of certain food products such as dips.

[0111] definition

[0112] It should be understood that the following is not intended to be an exclusive list of defined terms.Other definitions may be provided in the above description, for example, when accompanying the usage of the defined terms in the context.

[0113] As used herein, the terms "a," "an," and "the" mean one or more.

[0114] As used herein, when the term "and / or" is used in the context of a list of two or more items, it means that any one of the listed items can be used alone, or any combination of two or more of the listed items can be used. For example, if a composition is described as containing components A, B, and / or C, the composition can contain only A; only B; only C; a combination of A and B; a combination of A and C; a combination of B and C; or a combination of A, B, and C.

[0115] As used herein, the terms "comprising," "comprises," and "comprise" are open transition terms that are used to transition from subject matter recited before the term to one or more elements recited after the term, where the one or more elements listed after the transition term are not necessarily the only elements that make up the subject matter.

[0116] As used herein, the terms "having," "has," and "have" have the same open-ended meaning as "comprising," "comprises," and "comprise" provided above.

[0117] As used herein, the terms "including," "include," and "included" have the same open-ended meaning as "comprising," "comprises," and "comprise" provided above.

[0118] As used herein, the term "potato component" refers to the component of a potato feed that is derived solely from potatoes.

[0119] Numerical range

[0120] This specification uses numerical ranges to quantify certain parameters associated with the present invention. It should be understood that when a numerical range is provided, such range should be interpreted as providing literal support to require that only the lower value of the range be recited, as well as requiring that only the upper value of the range be recited. For example, a disclosed numerical range of 10 to 100 provides literal support to require that "greater than 10" be recited (without an upper limit) and to require that "less than 100" be recited (without a lower limit).

[0121] The claims are not limited to the disclosed embodiments

[0122] The preferred forms of the present invention described above are for illustration only and should not be used to interpret the scope of the present invention in a limiting sense. Those skilled in the art can easily modify the exemplary embodiments set forth above without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0123] The inventors hereby state their intention to rely on the doctrine of equivalents to determine and assess the scope of the invention as fairly equitable as it relates to any arrangements that do not materially depart from but are outside the literal scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for producing a liquid potato product, the method comprising: (a) providing an initial potato charge comprising potato components, the initial potato charge having an initial moisture content; (b) at least partially gelatinizing the initial potato charge to form a mashed potato charge having a second moisture content, wherein the second moisture content is less than 10% less than the initial moisture content; as well as (c) shearing at least a portion of the mashed potato feed in the presence of oil and added water to form the liquid potato product, wherein the shearing occurs at a temperature of at least 10° C. and less than 125° C. for a period of 1 to 60 minutes, wherein the shearing is carried out until the mashed potato feed reaches a temperature of at least 67° C.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said gelatinizing comprises blanching said initial potato charge, wherein said blanching comprises: (i) heating the initial potato charge to form a cooked potato charge; and (ii) contacting the cooked potato feed with an aqueous solution, thereby forming the gelatinized potato feed.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oil comprises peanut oil, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, coconut oil, palm oil, corn oil, avocado oil, walnut oil, soybean oil, sesame oil, or a combination thereof, and wherein a sufficient amount of the oil is added such that the liquid potato product comprises 1 to 75 weight percent of the oil.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said liquid potato product comprises at least 1 to 75 weight percent of said added water and 5 to 90 weight percent of said potato components.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid potato product exhibits a first shear stress value at a shear rate of 22.4 1 / s at 12.5° C. after 24 hours of storage and a second shear stress value at a shear rate of 22.4 1 / s at 12.5° C. after 72 hours of storage, wherein the second shear stress value is greater than the first shear stress value.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein after storing the liquid potato product at 6° C. for 72 hours, the liquid potato product exhibits one of the following shear stress characteristics at 12.5° C.: i. When the liquid potato product comprises less than 10 weight percent of at least one complex carbohydrate material other than the potato component, the shear stress is 5 1 At least 15 dynes / cm at a shear rate of / s 2 , shear stress at 10 1 At least 25 dynes / cm at a shear rate of / s 2 , shear stress at 15 1 At least 35 dynes / cm at a shear rate of / s 2 , and / or shear stress at 20 1 At least 40 dynes / cm at a shear rate of / s 2 ;or ii. When the liquid potato product comprises at least 10 weight percent of at least one complex carbohydrate material other than the potato component, the shear stress is 5 1 At least 150 dynes / cm at a shear rate of / s 2 , shear stress at 10 1 At least 200 dynes / cm at a shear rate of / s 2 , shear stress at 15 1 At least 225 dynes / cm at a shear rate of / s 2 , and / or shear stress at 20 1 At least 250 dynes / cm at a shear rate of / s 2 .

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the shearing is performed for 5-10 minutes and until the mashed potato feed reaches a temperature of at least 77°C.

8. A method for producing a liquid potato product, the method comprising: (a) providing an initial potato charge comprising potato components, the initial potato charge having an initial moisture content; (b) at least partially gelatinizing the initial potato charge to form a mashed potato charge, wherein the mashed potato charge has a second moisture content, wherein the second moisture content is less than 10% less than the initial moisture content; as well as (c) shearing at least a portion of the mashed potato feed in the presence of added water to form the liquid potato product, wherein the shearing occurs at a temperature of at least 10° C. and less than 125° C. and for a time period of 1 to 60 minutes, wherein the shearing is performed until the mashed potato feed reaches a temperature of at least 67° C., and wherein the liquid potato product exhibits a first shear stress value at a shear rate of 22.4 1 / s at 12.5° C. after storage for 24 hours and a second shear stress value at a shear rate of 22.4 1 / s at 12.5° C. after storage for 72 hours, wherein the second shear stress value is greater than the first shear stress value.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein after storage of the liquid potato product at 6°C for 72 hours, the liquid potato product exhibits one of the following shear stress characteristics at 12.5°C: i. When the liquid potato product comprises less than 10 weight percent of at least one complex carbohydrate material other than the potato component, the shear stress is 5 1 At least 15 dynes / cm at a shear rate of / s 2 , shear stress at 10 1 At least 25 dynes / cm at a shear rate of / s 2 , shear stress at 15 1 At least 35 dynes / cm at a shear rate of / s 2 , and / or shear stress at 20 1 At least 40 dynes / cm at a shear rate of / s 2 ;or ii. When the liquid potato product comprises at least 10 weight percent of at least one complex carbohydrate material other than the potato component, the shear stress is 5 1 At least 150 dynes / cm at a shear rate of / s 2 , shear stress at 10 1 At least 200 dynes / cm at a shear rate of / s 2 , shear stress at 15 1 At least 225 dynes / cm at a shear rate of / s 2 , and / or shear stress at 20 1 At least 250 dynes / cm at a shear rate of / s 2 .

10. The method of claim 8, wherein said gelatinizing comprises blanching said initial potato charge, wherein said blanching comprises: (i) heating the initial potato charge to form a cooked potato charge; and (ii) contacting the cooked potato feed with an aqueous solution, thereby forming the gelatinized potato feed.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the liquid potato product comprises: (a) 1 to 75 weight percent of said added water, (b) 5 to 90 weight percent of said potato component, and (c) 1 to 75 weight percent of at least one oil.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the shearing is performed for 5-10 minutes and until the mashed potato feed reaches a temperature of at least 77°C.

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