Improved process for producing liquid potato products

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, shearing the gelatinized potatoes under specific grinding temperatures and conditions to produce a sheared potato product having a desired particle size, and then cooking the sheared potato product to form the liquid potato product.

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 U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 16 / 894,116, filed on June 5, 2020, and entitled “IMPROVED PROCESS FOR PRODUCING A LIQUID POTATO PRODUCT,” 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 a variety of food products. More generally, the present application generally relates to the production of liquid and semi-solid potato products that can be used to produce a variety of 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] One or more embodiments are generally directed to a method for making a liquid potato product. Generally, the method comprises: (a) providing an initial potato charge comprising potato components; (b) shearing at least a portion of the initial potato charge at a temperature below 67° C. to form a sheared potato product, the sheared potato product comprising an average particle size by volume in the range of 50 to 300 μm, as measured by a Microtrac Bluewave particle size analyzer; and (c) heating the sheared potato product to at least 55° C. to form the liquid potato product.

[0006] One or more embodiments are generally directed to a method for making a food product. Generally, the method comprises: (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 pasty potato charge; (c) shearing at least a portion of the pasty potato charge at a temperature below 67° C. to form a sheared potato product, the sheared potato product comprising an average particle size by volume in the range of 50 to 300 μm, as measured by a Microtrac Bluewave particle size analyzer; and (d) heating the sheared potato product to at least 55° C. to form a liquid potato product.

[0007] One or more embodiments generally relate to a liquid potato product for use in producing a food product. Typically, the liquid potato product comprises an average particle size in the range of 50 to 300 μm as measured by a Microtrac Bluewave particle size analyzer and exhibits two or more of the following rheological properties as measured at 12.5° C.:

[0008] iY 1-5 ≠Y 5-10 ≠Y 10-15 ≠Y 15-20 ;

[0009] ii. Y5 is at least 50% greater than Y1;

[0010] iii.Y 1-5 Y 5-10 、Y 10-15 and / or Y 15-20 at least 50% larger; and

[0011] iv.Y 5-10 Y 10-15 and / or Y 15-20 At least 50% larger;

[0012] In addition, "Y" refers to dynes per square centimeter (dyne / cm 2 ) in units of shear stress, and the subscript value used with "Y" is the shear rate per second or shear rate range ( 1 / s), and the shear stress "'Y" was measured at the shear rate. In addition, the rheological properties were measured 30 minutes after forming the liquid potato product. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] Embodiments of the present invention are described herein with reference to the following drawings, in which:

[0014] Figure 1An 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;

[0015] Figure 2 depicts a microscope image taken from a sample produced in Example 1;

[0016] Figure 3 depicts a microscope image taken from a sample produced in Example 2;

[0017] Figure 4 is a graph showing the rheological properties of samples from Example 2 at day 0, day 1, and day 2;

[0018] Figure 5 is a graph comparing the rheological characteristics of the liquid potato product produced in Example 1 with the heat-milled products produced in Comparative Examples 3 and 4 and a conventional product at day 0; and

[0019] Figure 6 is a graph comparing the rheological profile at day 0 of the liquid potato product produced in Example 2 with the heat-milled products produced in Comparative Examples 3 and 4 and a conventional product. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] The present invention generally relates to the production of Liquid P, which is 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, it has been observed that the system described herein is capable of producing a unique liquid potato product, Liquid P, which can be used to produce various types of food products exhibiting one or more desirable traits.

[0021] 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 1000 nm / s and a temperature in the range of 12.5°C to 95°C.

[0022] As discussed in more detail below, provided herein is a method of making a liquid potato product, Liquid P.

[0023] Typically, the production method utilizes an initial potato feed comprising raw, cut or diced potato components. The potato feed may optionally be pre-treated by blanching to eliminate any enzymatic activity and at least partially gelatinize the potato feed. Additionally, in various embodiments, the initial potato feed may also be chemically treated with a chelating agent to eliminate the possibility of subsequent non-enzymatic browning. However, for the production process described herein, blanching, pre-gelatinizing, and / or chelating the initial potato feed may not be necessary.

[0024] Furthermore, in various embodiments, the initial potato charge can then be mixed with water (and, in some cases, at least one oil) in a defined ratio. The potatoes, water, and optional oil mixture can be pre-ground at a temperature of about 1 to 40° C. to produce a coarse slurry in which the potato pieces and oil (if present) are readily kept in suspension by agitation. Typically, if the potato pieces in the initial potato charge are sufficiently small, the pre-grinding step can be skipped and omitted from the process. Alternatively, in various embodiments, if the process is performed in a batch manner, it may not be necessary to keep the potato pieces in suspension as all materials proceed together to the next step.

[0025] The potato mixture, including potatoes, water, and optionally oil, can then be processed in a high shear grinding device, such as an Urschel Comitrol or Tetra Laval 250 high pressure homogenizer, wherein the potato pieces are broken down into a finer particle size, typically in the range of 1.5 to 500 μm, as measured by a Microtrac Bluewave particle size analyzer.

[0026] One advantage of using the high shear grinding apparatus described herein is that each element of the potato mixture can be passed through the high shear zone only once, and for a relatively short period of time. This can result in a very efficient application of mechanical energy for comminution, which can result in a very low temperature rise in the sheared product (typically only a few degrees Celsius). Through this cold grinding process, the grinding temperature can be maintained at a level well below the gelatinization temperature of potato starch, which is believed to start at 55°C and complete at 67°C. As a result, the resulting ground product does not automatically thicken while being ground.

[0027] As used herein, the terms "grinding" and "shearing" are used interchangeably and both terms refer to mechanical processing that induces a shear rate through a liquid, thereby changing the underlying microstructure. Thus, for example, shearing and grinding can include particle comminution.

[0028] Once the potato mixture is ground, it can be combined with other ingredients such as tomato chunks, spices, legumes, root vegetables, etc., and then heated to the point where the potato starch thickens. Typically, this happens once the starch gelatinization temperature is reached (i.e., above 67°C).

[0029] 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 10 shown in FIG 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 potato products. As described below, Figure 1 The system 10 depicted in FIG1 can be used to perform a cold mill liquid potato (CMLP) process. The exemplary system 10 shown in FIG1 will now be described in more detail.

[0030] Steering Figure 1 , an initial potato feed 12 can be provided to the system. Generally, in various embodiments, the initial potato feed 12 can include diced potatoes that have been 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. Furthermore, in various embodiments, the diced potatoes in the initial potato feed 12 can be peeled and / or unpeeled.

[0031] In various embodiments, potato feed 12 can include, consist essentially of, or consist of potatoes. Generally, in various embodiments, potatoes 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.

[0032] Although the following description is based on the use of potatoes (i.e., potatoes) as the primary component of potato feed 12, it is contemplated that potatoes may be partially or completely replaced with other forms of starchy roots, such as sweet potatoes (i.e., Ipomoea batatas). Thus, in any of the following embodiments, it is contemplated that the potato component may be formed from sweet potatoes (i.e., Ipomoea batatas) rather than potatoes (i.e., potatoes).

[0033] In various embodiments, potato feed 12 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.

[0034] The potatoes in the initial potato feed 12 can come from any conventional potato source. For example, the potato source can be, for example, a hopper, a storage bin, a rail car, a trailer, or any other device that can hold or store potatoes and other types of vegetables.

[0035] In certain embodiments, the initial potato feed 12 may include 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 other than potatoes that include a higher fiber content than peeled potatoes.

[0036] In various embodiments, potato feed 12 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.

[0037] Turn again Figure 1 The potato feed 12 may be sent to an optional pre-treatment system 14 for further processing prior to any subsequent grinding and cooking steps. While in the pre-treatment unit 14, the potato feed 12 may 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, dicing, cutting, or a combination thereof.

[0038] In optional pretreatment system 14, potato feed 12 may be subjected to any known process or technique to at least partially gelatinize at least a portion of the potatoes in the potato feed. In various embodiments, optional pretreatment system 14 may include any system or device capable of subjecting potato feed 14 to a blanching and / or gelatinization process, such as a microwave, a hot water bath, an autoclave, or any other device known in the art.

[0039] Generally, the blanching and gelatinization process may involve any heat treatment capable of at least partially gelatinizing the potatoes in potato feed 12. Such techniques may include, for example, microwaving, boiling, scalding, blanching, or combinations thereof.

[0040] 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."

[0041] Generally, in various embodiments, the blanching process can involve: (i) contacting potato feed 12 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, sodium acid pyrophosphate, phosphate compounds, or combinations thereof.

[0042] In certain embodiments, the first step of the blanching process can include contacting the potato feed 12 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.

[0043] In certain embodiments, the first step of the blanching process can include contacting the potato feed 12 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.

[0044] 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.

[0045] In certain embodiments, the blanching process removes very little water and / or solids from the potato feed 12. Unlike prior art blanching techniques that partially dehydrate the potato feed, the blanching 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 moisture content (by weight) of the at least partially gelatinized potato feed 16 may be 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 potato feed 12. In other words, the moisture content of gelatinized potato feed 16 may be at least 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, 85%, 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96% or 97% of the moisture content of potato feed 12.

[0046] Thus, the potato feed 12 can be pretreated in a variety of ways in the pretreatment system 14 to improve the properties of the potato feed. As described above, this can include a blanching step. Depending on the time and temperature, the blanching conditions can at least partially gelatinize the starch in the potatoes and denature any enzymes. From an economic perspective, it may be desirable to minimally blanch the potato feed 12, as some blanching techniques can result in a loss of potato solids and, therefore, a reduction in yield. Additionally, as described above, pretreatment can also include immersion in a chelating aqueous solution (e.g., citric acid or sodium acid pyrophosphate) to prevent non-enzymatic browning. Generally, the blanching and chelating conditions can be driven by the size of the incoming potato feed 12.

[0047] Alternatively, in various embodiments, any of the above-described pretreatment processes, or pretreatment altogether, may be eliminated because subsequent processing and / or other components of the final product may render such pretreatment unnecessary. It is also possible that the entire pretreatment process can be performed completely separately from the rest of the process, and the resulting pretreated potatoes 16 can be frozen and stored for later use. If this is the case, the frozen pretreated potatoes can be thawed before being introduced into the subsequent pre-grinding stage of the pre-grinding system 18.

[0048] After exiting the optional pretreatment system 14, the pretreated potato feed 16 (or initial potato feed 12 if a pretreatment system is not used) can be introduced into an optional pre-grinding system 18. In the pre-grinding system 18, the pretreated potato feed 16 and / or initial potato feed 12 can be pre-ground at a temperature of about 1 to 40° C. using a coarse chopping device, such as a bowl chopper (e.g., a Karl Schnell F-type blender) or a fine chopper. The purpose of the pre-grinding system 18 is to help create a consistent slurry feed 20 before feeding it to the high shear grinding process 26. However, in certain embodiments, the pre-grinding system 18 can be eliminated if the potato feed is already of a small enough size to be made into a slurry.

[0049] After pre-grinding, the potato feed 20 may then be transferred to a mixing / holding tank 22 where water, at least one optional oil, and other ingredients may be added to the potato feed 20 prior to the high shear grinding process. Additionally or alternatively, in various embodiments, the water, at least one optional oil, and other ingredients may be added during the pre-grinding step in the pre-grinding system 18. In such embodiments, the mixing / holding tank 22 may be optional.

[0050] If an oil component is added at any of these stages, the oil droplet size may also be reduced during the subsequent high shear grinding process and may be less susceptible to separation than if added after the high shear process. Exemplary oils may 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 a combination thereof. These oils and water may be used to modify the viscosity of the liquid P and may also enhance certain flavor and texture properties of the resulting liquid P.

[0051] Exemplary other ingredients that may be added at this stage include, for example, root vegetables, optional flavorings, optional additives, and / or other types of vegetables (ie, non-root vegetables) and / or fruit.

[0052] Exemplary flavorings can include, for example, spices, meats, cheeses, herbs, or combinations thereof. Exemplary additives that can be added can include, for example, protein supplements (e.g., whey protein, chickpeas, soy, or combinations thereof), dietary fiber supplements, vitamins, minerals, or combinations thereof. Other vegetables and fruits that can be added at this stage can include, for example, peppers (including bell peppers and capsicums), onions, spinach, kale, mushrooms, mangoes, artichokes, beans, corn, olives, tomatoes, or combinations thereof.

[0053] After exiting the mixing / holding tank 22, at least a portion of the potato feed 24 can be introduced into a high-shear milling apparatus 26. While in the high-shear milling apparatus 26, the potato feed 24 can pass through the high-shear zone of the primary milling apparatus, where it is subjected to high lateral and rotational shear forces, which significantly reduce the particle size of the potato slurry 24 in a very effective manner. In various embodiments, there is typically no significant temperature increase during the milling process, although this will depend on the flow rate and power input to the high-shear milling apparatus 26. In such embodiments, milling in the high-shear milling apparatus 26 can be performed at a sufficiently low temperature to avoid gelatinization of the potato starch, which is believed to begin at 55°C and complete at 67°C. Consequently, the resulting milled potato feed 28 can be very liquid-like and pumpable.

[0054] In various embodiments, the particle size of the ground potato feed 28 exiting the high shear milling device 26 can be in the range of 1.5 to 500 μm. For example, the ground potato feed 28 exiting the high shear milling device 26 can include an average particle size of at least 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, or 75 μm and / or no more than 500, 400, 300, 290, 280, 270, 260, 250, 240, 230, 220, 210, 200, 190, 180, or 170 μm by volume as measured by a Microtrac Bluewave particle size analyzer.

[0055] In various embodiments, the sheared potato mixture can include a D10 particle size of at least 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 μm and / or less than 100, 90, 80, 70, 60, 50, 40, 30, 20, or 10 μm, as measured by a Microtrac Bluewave particle size analyzer. As used herein, "D10 particle size" means that 10% of the measured particles (by volume) have a size that does not exceed the stated size.

[0056] In various embodiments, the sheared potato mixture can include a D50 particle size of at least 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, or 75 μm and / or less than 300, 290, 280, 270, 260, 250, 240, 230, 220, 210, 200, 190, 180, or 170 μm, as measured by a Microtrac Bluewave particle size analyzer. As used herein, "D50 particle size" means that 50% of the measured particles (by volume) have a size that does not exceed the stated size. For example, a D50 particle size range of 25 μm would mean that 50% of the measured particles (by volume) have a diameter that does not exceed 25 μm. D50 particle size can also refer to the median particle size within the measured particles.

[0057] In various embodiments, the sheared potato mixture can include a D90 particle size of at least 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190, 200, 210, or 220 μm and / or less than 300, 290, 280, or 270 μm, as measured by a Microtrac Bluewave particle size analyzer. As used herein, "D90 particle size" means that 90% of the measured particles (by volume) have a size that does not exceed the stated size. For example, a D90 particle size range of 300 μm would mean that 90% of the measured particles (by volume) have a size that does not exceed 300 μm.

[0058] The particle size ranges described herein can be determined using microscopic imaging with Lugol stain solution and / or a Microtrac Bluewave particle size analyzer (in Bluewave mode). Figure 2 and 3 The sample (microscope image depicted in Figure 1) or a separate sample of material can be analyzed using a Microtrac Bluewave particle size analyzer. The Microtrac Bluewave particle size analyzer uses laser diffraction to approximate the equivalent spherical size distribution of the particles in the sample, providing a particle size distribution range by volume.

[0059] If the desired particle size cannot be achieved in a single pass through the high shear milling apparatus 26, the ground potato vapor 28 can be recycled back to the mixing / holding tank 22 for further processing through the high shear milling apparatus 26 until the desired particle size is achieved.

[0060] High shear milling apparatus 26 can comprise any shearing apparatus known in the art capable of providing the high shear required to produce ground potato stream 28. Exemplary shearing apparatuses can include, for example, an Urschel Comitrol or TetraLaval 250 high pressure homogenizer. Other common types of high shear apparatus that can be used can include, for example, a ball mill or a hammer mill. Some high shear milling apparatuses, such as the HPH, may require that the potato slurry 24 be pumpable. Thus, in such embodiments, water may be added to the pre-ground potato feed 24 to ensure that the potato feed is sufficiently pumpable. Alternatively, in various embodiments, with other high shear milling apparatuses, such as the Urschel Comitrol, the pre-ground potato feed 24 may be fed into the high shear milling apparatus 26 by gravity through an inlet funnel and thus need not be pumpable; rather, the feed only needs to be sufficiently fluid to enter the grinding chamber. In such embodiments, due to the inherently high water content of the potatoes, the addition of water may not be required at this stage.

[0061] In various embodiments, the shearing step in the high shear grinding device 26 can occur at a temperature of at least 10° C., 15° C., 20° C., 25° C., 30° C., 35° C., 40° C., or 45° C. Additionally or alternatively, in various embodiments, the shearing step in the high shear grinding device 26 can occur at a temperature of less than 67° C., 66° C., 65° C., 64° C., 63° C., 62° C., 61° C., 60° C., 59° C., 58° C., 57° C., 56° C., 55° C., 54° C., 53° C., 52° C., 51° C., or 50° C. It should be noted that these temperature ranges include and compensate for any heat generated by the shearing conditions.

[0062] In various embodiments, the shearing step in high shear grinding device 26 can occur in a time period of at least 0.1 seconds, 1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds, 4 seconds, 5 seconds, 6 seconds, 7 seconds, 8 seconds, 9 seconds, or 10 seconds and / or less than 500 seconds, 400 seconds, 360 seconds, 300 seconds, 240 seconds, 180 seconds, 120 seconds, 60 seconds, 55 seconds, 50 seconds, 45 seconds, 40 seconds, 35 seconds, 30 seconds, 25 seconds, 20 seconds, or 15 seconds. Thus, because the potato feed spends a relatively short time (seconds) in high shear grinding device 28, the CMLP process is much faster than thermal grinding processes using high shear mixers, which typically require several minutes.

[0063] Additionally or alternatively, in various embodiments, the shearing step in the high shear grinding device 26 can occur at a pressure of at least 0, 1, 5, 10, or 14 psig and / or less than 4,000, 3,000, 2,000, 1,000, 900, 800, 700, 600, 500, 400, 300, 200, 100, 50, 25, 20, or 15 psig.

[0064] Turn again Figure 1 The resulting sheared potato feed 28 can be sent to a mixing / holding tank 30 where additional ingredients and additives can be added. Exemplary other ingredients that can be added at this stage include, for example, root vegetables, optional flavorings, optional additives, and / or other types of vegetables (i.e., non-root vegetables) and / or fruit. It should be noted that other root vegetables can be added at this stage as long as the particle size of these vegetables is sufficiently small (e.g., finely chopped or in a pulp).

[0065] The resulting sheared potato feed 28 can form a useful base material to which other ingredients can be added. The sheared potato feed 28 can be stored in the mixing / holding tank 30 for a period of time; however, from a processing and food safety perspective, storing the uncooked sheared potato feed 28 for an extended period of time may be impractical. Generally, the sheared potato feed 28 has a low viscosity and is easier to pump and mix than potato feed that has been gelatinized by a hot milling process (i.e., a grinding process that occurs at or above the starch gelatinization temperature). Therefore, the sheared potato feed 28 can be easier to transport than potato feed processed by a hot milling process.

[0066] Afterwards, if Figure 1 As shown, sheared potato feed 32 can be introduced into a cooking device 34, where it can be subjected to temperatures to increase the temperature of the potato feed to at least 55°C, 60°C, 65°C, 67°C, or 70°C, thereby forming Liquid P. In various embodiments, it may be desirable to heat the sheared potato feed 32 to a temperature that fully gelatinizes the starch therein. It has been shown that at least 13 days can elapse between the high shear grinding process and the cooking step in which the starch is gelatinized without any significant adverse effect on the texture developed by the Liquid P product. However, from a processing and food safety perspective, storing the uncooked sheared potato product for that long may be impractical.

[0067] In various embodiments, the cooking step occurs at a temperature of at least 55, 60, 65, 70, or 75°C and / or less than 300, 200, or 100°C and at atmospheric pressure.

[0068] In certain embodiments, the final texture and rheological properties of the liquid P may not be apparent until 24 hours after cooking and may continue to be apparent for up to several days thereafter. It has been observed that the low shear viscosity may decrease with significant hysteresis (less than 10 1 / s shear rate), while the high shear viscosity may decrease.

[0069] 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, provided such combinations are not conflicting. It should be noted that, unless otherwise stated, all weight percentages relating to Liquid P formulations are based on the total weight of the Liquid P formulation.

[0070] 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.

[0071] In various embodiments, Liquid P may comprise up to 90 weight percent of one or more additional complex carbohydrate materials in addition to potatoes. In certain embodiments, the additional complex carbohydrate materials used to prepare Liquid P may have a higher fiber content than the potatoes used to prepare Liquid P. Examples of suitable additional complex carbohydrate materials 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 comprises 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 the 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.

[0072] In various embodiments, a sufficient amount of at least one 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.

[0073] In various embodiments, a sufficient amount of 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 of added water, based on the total weight of the composition of Liquid P. It should be noted that the added water refers to water added during the production of Liquid P and does not include moisture originally present in the potatoes.

[0074] In various embodiments, sufficient amounts of flavorings, additives, other non-root vegetables and / or 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 non-root vegetables and / or fruits, based on the total weight of the composition of Liquid P. Alternatively, in certain embodiments, Liquid P may not contain any added water, added oil, additives, and / or flavorings.

[0075] Due to the unique shearing process described herein, the liquid P can be in the form of a viscous, flowable liquid having a glossy and smooth appearance.

[0076] The Liquids 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, the 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.

[0077] It has been observed that the thickening effect of cold-milled liquid potato products differs from that of potato products made by conventional mashing processes or liquid potato products made by hot milling processes, particularly in the lower shear regions (i.e., below 10 1 / s shear rate). It was also observed that significantly less potato could be used to produce the cold-milled liquid P described herein. Therefore, this has both economic and potential nutritional advantages (for those avoiding carbohydrates).

[0078] In various embodiments, the resulting liquid P 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.

[0079] While not wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the 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.

[0080] In various embodiments, the liquid P is heated at 12.5°C for 0, 5, 10, 15 or 20 seconds (" 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 liquid P immediately after production (e.g., tested 30 minutes after production) or after storage at 6°C for 24 hours ("Day 1"), 48 hours ("Day 2"), or 72 hours ("Day 3").

[0081] It has been observed that the presence of complex carbohydrate materials (such as fiber and other root vegetables) in Liquid P formulations can affect the rheological properties of the composition. As used herein, "complex carbohydrate materials" include a higher complex carbohydrate content relative to peeled potatoes. As described above, the complex carbohydrate material can include other root vegetables (i.e., root vegetables other than potatoes). In various embodiments, Liquid P can include up to 90 weight percent of one or more additional complex carbohydrates in addition to potatoes.

[0082] In various embodiments, immediately after forming the Liquid P (e.g., 30 minutes after its formation) and / or 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.:

[0083] i. When the liquid P does not include complex carbohydrate materials (such as other root vegetables and does not contain potato components) or includes less than 10, 8, 6, 4, 2 or 1 weight percent of complex carbohydrate materials (such as other root vegetables and does not contain potato components), 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. 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

[0084] 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 and does not contain potato components), 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 1 At 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 .

[0085] In various embodiments, the liquid P can exhibit at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 of the following rheological properties:

[0086] iY 1-5 ≠Y 5-10 ≠Y 10-15 ≠Y 15-20 ;

[0087] ii. Y5 is at least 50%, 100%, 150%, 200%, 250% or 300% greater than Y1;

[0088] iii.Y 10 Y 10-15 and / or Y 15-20 at least 50%, 100%, 150%, 200%, 250% or 300% greater;

[0089] iv.Y 1-5 Y 5-10 、Y 10-15 and / or Y 15-20 at least 50%, 100%, 150%, 200%, 250% or 300% greater;

[0090] vY 5-10 Y 10-15 and / or Y 15-20 at least 50%, 100%, 150%, 200%, 250% or 300% greater;

[0091] vi.Y 1-5 Y 10-20 、Y 20-30 and / or Y 30-40 Large; and / or

[0092] vii.Υ 1-10 Y 10-20 、Y 20-30 and / or Y 30-40 At least 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%, 125% or 150% greater.

[0093] As used herein, "Y" is measured in dynes per square centimeter (dyne / cm 2 ) in units of shear stress, and the subscript value used with "Y" is the shear rate per second or shear rate range ( 1 / s), the shear stress "Y" is measured at the shear rate. For example, "'Y1", "Y5", "Y 10 ”, “Y 15 ”, “Y 20 ”, “Y 30 ” and “Y40 ” 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 .

[0094] It should be noted that these rheological measurements are applicable to the liquid P immediately after production (e.g., 30 minutes after formation) or after storage at 6° C. for 24 hours (“Day 1”), 48 hours (“Day 2”), or 72 hours (“Day 3”). In addition, the above rheological properties can be measured at 12.5° C.

[0095] When a claim is made herein for rheological property measurements 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, 48 ​​hours, or 72 hours”), if the infringing product exhibits the rheological property under any of the stated storage standards (e.g., after 24 hours at 6°C), it may infringe the claimed rheological property. In other words, in order to determine whether the hypothetical claim is infringed, rheological testing needs to be conducted under each of the cited storage standards (e.g., after 24 hours at 6°C, after 48 hours at 6°C, and after 72 hours at 6°C).

[0096] The resulting liquid P 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, imitation foods, 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.

[0097] 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.

[0098] 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.

[0099] Examples

[0100] Four different processes for comminuting potato products into pumpable liquids were compared: two CMLP processes (one using the Urschel Comitrol and the second using the HPH), a hot milled liquid potato process (i.e., high shear with shear temperatures elevated above 67°C), and a conventional low shear process. All four processes used the same formulation, as shown in Table 1 below.

[0101] Table 1

[0102] Element Weight percentage Innovit potatoes (cut into cubes) 25 sunflower oil 10 water 65

[0103] Example 1 - CMLP Process (Urschel Comitrol)

[0104] Thawed, diced ¾-inch potato chunks, previously blanched and treated with a citric acid chelating solution, were pre-ground using an Urschel Comitrol 1700 equipped with a Dio Cut impeller and a 3K 030 300U head at 3600 rpm. This produced a coarsely granulated raw potato mash. The granulated mash was then mixed with water and oil in the proportions shown in Table 1.

[0105] The potato, water, and oil slurry was then milled under high shear by processing it through an Urschel Comitrol 1700 equipped with a VeriCut HD73027 impeller and 218084 heads at a rotation speed of 9390 rpm in a single pass. The inlet temperature was 18°C, and the outlet temperature was 19°C. The resulting liquid potato cold-ground product was measured on a fineness of grind meter and showed an average particle size of 75 μm and a maximum particle size of 130 μm. These particle sizes were later confirmed microscopically. The material was then stored refrigerated.

[0106] Figure 2Depicted are microscope images captured using an Olympus BX53 compound microscope in brightfield mode using an LED-powered Köhler illuminator (non-polarized). Samples of potato products were diluted with distilled water and stained with Lugol's solution. Image capture and particle size measurements were performed using the associated Olympus cellScan software.

[0107] After 13 days of refrigeration, the liquid potato cold mill product was cooked to 70°C and then cooled to room temperature. A portion was then transferred to a 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). The rheometer spindle was then positioned in the product.

[0108] 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 2 The program steps through a range of rotation speeds at 30 second intervals to produce a range of rotation 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. This results in two sets of data - one "up" and one "down". These two are plotted together as a single curve, in which any hysteresis effects are obvious.

[0109] Example 2 – CMLP Process (High Pressure Homogenization (HPH))

[0110] Thawed, diced ¾ potatoes that had been previously blanched and treated with a citric acid chelating solution were pre-ground using a Karl Schnell F-Series mixer. This produced a coarsely granulated raw potato mash. The granulated potato mash was then mixed with water and oil in the proportions shown in Table 1.

[0111] The potatoes were then milled under high shear by processing a slurry of potatoes, water, and oil through a Tetra Laval high-pressure homogenizer at a pressure of 1800 psig in a single pass. The inlet temperature was 20°C, and the outlet temperature was 20°C. Microscopic measurement of the resulting liquid potato cold mill product revealed an average particle size of 200 μm, with a particle size range of 3 to 300 μm. The material was then stored refrigerated.

[0112] Figure 3Depicted are microscope images captured using an Olympus BX53 compound microscope in brightfield mode using an LED-powered Köhler illuminator (non-polarized). Samples of potato products were diluted with distilled water and stained with Lugol's solution. Image capture and particle size measurements were performed using the associated Olympus cellScan software.

[0113] After five days, the liquid potato cold mill product was cooked to 70°C and then cooled to room temperature. A portion was then transferred to a 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). The rheometer spindle was then positioned in the product.

[0114] 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 2 The program steps through a range of rotation speeds at 30 second intervals to produce a range of rotation 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. This results in two sets of data - one "up" and one "down". These two are plotted together as a single curve, in which any hysteresis effects are obvious.

[0115] Table 2 below provides the rheological characteristics of the test samples at day 0, day 1, and day 2.

[0116] Table 2

[0117]

[0118] Figure 4 Graphs showing the rheological properties of the test samples at day 0, day 1, and day 2 are provided.

[0119] Comparative Examples 3 and 4 - Hot Milled Liquid Potato Product and Low Shear Potato Product

[0120] Thawed, diced ¾ potato chunks that had been previously blanched and treated with a citric acid chelating solution were mixed with oil and water and poured into a Vitamix blender (Vitamix 5200 Model VM0103 11.5 amp 110 v, variable speed) according to the recipe in Table 1. It is at this point that conventional low shear methods and the hot milled liquid potato process described herein begin to differ.

[0121] 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).

[0122] For the hot milling liquid potato process, run the Vitamix on the high speed setting (10 on the dial) for 5 to 10 minutes until a characteristic appearance change occurs, where the product becomes glossy with a different sheen, and the motor power consumption increases noticeably. As significant mechanical work is applied to the product, the temperature rises to approximately 170 to 180°F (77 to 82°C) by the end of the shearing process.

[0123] For both methods, the finished product was allowed to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before 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). The rheometer spindle was then positioned in the product. This represents the "Day 0" product.

[0124] 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 2 The program steps through a range of rotation speeds at 30 second intervals to produce a range of rotation 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. This results in two sets of data - one "up" and one "down". These two are plotted together as a single curve, where any hysteresis effects are apparent.

[0125] Table 3 below provides the Day 0 rheological characteristics of samples from Examples 1-4 at 12.5°C.

[0126] Table 3

[0127] step <![CDATA[Shear rate ( 1 / s)]]> Example 1 Example 2 Comparative Example 3 (Hot Grinding) Comparative Example 4 (Conventional) 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 42 105 4.2 2.8 3 0.28 137.2 200.2 19.6 7 4 0.7 183.4 245 26.6 9.8 5 1.4 218.4 271.6 35 11.2 6 2.8 247.8 313.6 46.2 18.2 7 5.6 313.6 383.6 61.6 33.6 8 11.2 428.4 488.6 86.8 46.2 9 22.4 575.4 649.6 127.4 64.4 10 33.6 716.8 744.8 159.6 78.4 11 44.8 847 831.6 187.6 89.6 12 56 968.8 931 212.8 99.4 13 67.2 1007 1098 235.2 109.2 14 0 0 0 0 0 15 56 905.8 907.2 207.2 98 16 44.8 833 786.8 177.8 84 17 33.6 744.8 666.4 147 70 18 22.4 606.2 537.6 113.4 54.6 19. 11.2 415.8 366.8 74.2 36.4 20 5.6 299.6 275.8 49 25.2 21 2.8 221.2 224 35 16.8 22 1.4 175 187.6 25.2 12.6 23 0.7 148.4 169.4 21 8.4 24 0.28 124.6 151.2 15.4 8.4

[0128] In addition, the shear rate ( 1 / s) and shear stress (dyne / cm 2 ) directly compares the rheology of products from each of the four methods at day 0. Figure 5 is a graph comparing the rheological profile at day 0 of the liquid potato product produced in Example 1 with the heat-milled products produced in Comparative Examples 3 and 4 and a conventional product.

[0129] Figure 6 is a graph comparing the rheological profile at day 0 of the liquid potato product produced in Example 2 with the heat-milled products produced in Comparative Examples 3 and 4 and a conventional product.

[0130] like Figure 5 and 6 As shown, the cold ground products produced in Examples 1 and 2 were significantly thicker (more viscous) compared to both the hot ground products of Comparative Examples 3 and 4 and the conventional product.

[0131] definition

[0132] 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.

[0133] As used herein, the terms "a," "an," and "the" mean one or more.

[0134] 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.

[0135] 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.

[0136] As used herein, the terms "having," "has," and "have" have the same open-ended meaning as "comprising," "comprises," and "comprise" provided above.

[0137] As used herein, the terms "including," "include," and "included" have the same open-ended meaning as "comprising," "comprises," and "comprise" provided above.

[0138] Numerical range

[0139] 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).

[0140] The claims are not limited to the disclosed embodiments

[0141] 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.

[0142] 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 of forming a food product, the method consisting essentially of: (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; (c) shearing at least a portion of the mashed potato feed at a temperature of less than 67° C. in the presence of added water to form a sheared potato product comprising an average particle size by volume in the range of 50 to 300 μm as measured by a Microtrac Bluewave particle size analyzer; (d) heating the sheared potato product to at least 55°C to form a liquid potato product; and (e) forming said food product from said liquid potato product.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the shearing occurs at a temperature of less than 55°C.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the shearing occurs at a pressure of less than 3,000 psig.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sheared potato product comprises a D90 particle size of between 120 and 300 μm by volume as measured by a Microtrac Bluewave particle size analyzer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the sheared potato product is heated to at least 67°C.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising adding at least one oil to said mashed potato feed prior to said shearing.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein partially gelatinizing comprises blanching the initial potato charge prior to the shearing.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the liquid potato product exhibits one of the following shear stress characteristics at 12.5° C. measured 30 minutes after forming the liquid potato product: 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 .

Images