Vegetable and / or fruit-containing snack product and manufacture thereof

Abstract

A non-fried fruit and / or vegetable containing snack product comprising: a hard starch matrix comprising potato starch and one or more fruits and / or vegetables; and one or more phytochemicals comprising a carotenoid, a glucosinolate, a flavonoid, or a mixture thereof; wherein the fruit and / or vegetable content of the product is 15-28 wt% based on the weight of the product; and the fruit and / or vegetable content of the product is derived from undehydrated, non-powdered fruits and / or vegetables. A dough for making the snack product and a method of making are also disclosed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to snack products containing vegetables and / or fruits and methods for manufacturing such products. In particular, the present invention relates to a snack that combines non-dehydrated, non-powdery vegetables and / or fruits with additional ingredients to form a dough, which is then baked using microwave, impingement, and conventional oven baking. The resulting snack product has a high level of phytochemicals and includes fruits and / or vegetables with an intact cell structure. Background Art

[0002] There is a growing recognition of the need to consume healthy foods. Fruits and vegetables are important components of a healthy diet for preventing chronic diseases such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer. However, despite their benefits, the majority of the population in both developed and developing countries still do not consume the recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables (five servings per day in the UK).

[0003] Therefore, it is important to find new ways to increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables. In the snack food sector, there is a focus on producing snacks with a high content of vegetable and / or fruit substances and a high nutritional content.

[0004] However, traditional manufacturing processes pose multiple challenges when forming and / or dehydrating processed snacks containing vegetables and fruits. The use of fruits and vegetables in the manufacture of processed snacks is often limited because the inherently high moisture content of these ingredients hinders the forming and / or dehydration process or makes it economically unfeasible. Dehydrated fruit and / or vegetable materials (most commonly powders, followed by flakes) are typically used to address this issue. For example, plant-based snack products that are extruded and then fried typically contain 3% to 15% of plant-based materials sourced from plant-based powders. However, the dehydration of plant-based materials typically results in the loss of heat-labile nutrients, color changes, altered rehydration properties, reduced antioxidant activity, and substandard sensory attributes. Therefore, the use of plant-based powders to make snack products has a negative impact on the visual, nutritional, and sensory characteristics of the snacks, resulting in a limited range of texture properties (usually with a relatively high density), diminished flavor, and dull color.

[0005] In addition, incorporating fruit and vegetable substances into snack products for health purposes is challenging because the methods commonly used to manufacture snacks, such as extrusion, hot air drying, and frying, can affect the nutritional content of fruits and vegetables, thereby affecting the health benefits of the resulting snacks.

[0006] As an alternative, it may be considered to incorporate nutrients or bioactive substances into the ingredients of a snack formula. However, processing factors such as temperature, pressure, humidity, and mixing have a crucial impact on the stability of bioactive components during the snack manufacturing process and the ability of the resulting snacks to confer health benefits when consumed. It is necessary not only to provide bioactive components in the original ingredient formula but also to provide them in a bioavailable form so that when the human body consumes the snacks, the bioactive components can be bioavailable in the body.

[0007] Phytochemicals (also known as phytonutrients) are an example of bioactive substances. Phytochemicals are compounds produced by plants and are known to confer health benefits due to their bioactive effects in the body after ingestion. Therefore, it is beneficial to retain phytochemicals in the plant materials incorporated into snacks. However, like certain vitamins (such as vitamin C and some B vitamins), phytochemicals may be sensitive to light, heat, and pH. Therefore, in traditional snack production methods, phytochemicals tend to degrade. The study by Perez-Moral et al. (J. functional foods. Vol. 48 (2018): 410 - 419. doi:10.1016 / j.jff.2018.07.035) compared the content and bioequivalence of phytochemicals delivered by baked snacks produced by hot air impingement drying (which included freeze-dried broccoli, carrots, onions, and parsley in a potato-based dough) with the original cooked vegetables. Using a Caco-2 cell model, the study found no significant difference in the transport or absorption rate of quercetin or apigenin between the product and the mixed digest of the matched vegetables, indicating the bioequivalence of these compounds. These predictions were also largely supported by human clinical trials, which showed overall consistency between in vitro bioaccessibility (Caco-2) and bioavailability (duodenogastric model). However, these findings were not related to the β-carotene and glucosinolate compounds in the snacks. WO2019 / 008088 discloses incorporating mainly freeze-dried vegetables into dough to produce snack products containing bioactive substances.

[0008] Another challenge often encountered in manufacturing such snacks is related to the shape and size of the ingredients themselves. Fruits and vegetables are usually the most expensive ingredients in these products, so it is preferred to retain visible fruit and vegetable pieces that consumers can recognize; or at least retain fruits and vegetables with an intact cell structure (when fruits and / or vegetables are dehydrated and in powder form, the intact cell structure is lost). However, the most common manufacturing processes for non-fried snacks rely on extrusion, tableting, molding, and / or cutting, which require a fairly smooth mixture. For this reason, fruits and vegetables are mostly used in the form of juice or smooth puree.

[0009] There is a need for a non-fried snack product that contains a good level of non-dried and non-powdery vegetables and / or fruits, and wherein the snack product has a good level of one or more phytochemicals, and optionally has attractive sensory and visual characteristics, thereby allowing distinguishable and recognizable fruit or vegetable pieces to be retained in the finished snack.

[0010] The present invention aims to meet this need. The present invention also aims to provide a method for manufacturing such snacks. Summary of the Invention

[0011] Accordingly, in a first aspect, there is provided a non-fried fruit and / or vegetable-containing snack product, the snack product comprising: a hard starch matrix comprising potato starch and one or more fruits and / or vegetables; and one or more phytochemicals comprising carotenoids, glucosinolates, flavonoids or mixtures thereof; wherein, based on the weight of the product, the fruit and / or vegetable content of the product is 15 - 28 wt%; and the fruit and / or vegetable content of the product is derived from non-dehydrated, non-powdery fruits and / or vegetables.

[0012] In some embodiments, the fruit and / or vegetable content of the product is derived from fresh or individually quick frozen (IQF) fruits and / or vegetables.

[0013] In some embodiments, the product has: a carotenoid content of about 2 to about 25 mg / 100 g of snack product based on the weight of the product; a glucosinolate content of about 10 to about 58 mg / 100 g of snack product based on the weight of the product; and / or a flavonoid content of about 85 to about 170 mg / 100 g of snack product based on the weight of the product.

[0014] In some embodiments, the fruit and / or vegetable content of the product is derived from fresh fruits and / or vegetables; and based on the weight of the product, the fruit and / or vegetable content of the product is 25 - 28 wt%. In some such embodiments, the product has: a carotenoid content of 21.5 - 22.5 mg / 100 g of snack product based on the weight of the product; a glucosinolate content of about 46 - 54 mg / 100 g of snack product based on the weight of the product; and a flavonoid content of about 161 - 166 mg / 100 g of snack product based on the weight of the product. In some embodiments, the fruits and / or vegetables include carrots, broccoli, onions and parsley, and the snack product contains about 10 - 12 g of carrots per 100 g of snack product based on the weight of the product; about 3 - 4 g of broccoli per 100 g of snack product based on the weight of the product; about 8.5 - 9.5 g of onions per 100 g of snack product based on the weight of the product; and about 2 - 3 g of parsley per 100 g of snack product based on the weight of the product.

[0015] In some embodiments, the fruit and / or vegetable content of the product is derived from individually quick frozen (IQF) fruit and / or vegetables; and based on the weight of the product, the fruit and / or vegetable content of the product is about 18 - 23 wt%. In some such embodiments, the product has: a carotenoid content of about 3 - 3.3 mg / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the product; a glucosinolate content of about 12 - 13 mg / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the product; and a flavonoid content of about 87 - 96 mg / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the product. In some such embodiments, the fruit and / or vegetables include carrots, broccoli, onions, and parsley, and the snack product contains about 11.5 - 12.5 g of carrots per 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the product; about 1.5 - 2.5 g of broccoli per 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the product; about 5.5 - 6.5 g of onions per 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the product; and about 1.5 - 2.5 g of parsley per 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the product.

[0016] In some embodiments, based on the weight of the product, the moisture content of the product is 2 wt% to 5 wt%.

[0017] In a second aspect, there is provided a dough for producing a snack product, the dough comprising 70 - 80 wt% fresh or IQF fruit and / or vegetables; 10 - 20 wt% dehydrated potatoes; 2 - 6 wt% starch; 0.2 - 0.4 wt% emulsifier; and 0.2 - 1.1 wt% edible oil. In some such embodiments, based on the wet weight of the dough, the moisture content of the dough is about 70 wt% to 80 wt%.

[0018] In a third aspect, a method for making a non-fried snack product containing fruits and / or vegetables is provided, including: (a) selecting one or more fruits and / or vegetables in fresh or individually quick frozen (IQF) form; (b) optionally processing the fruits or vegetables; (c) combining the fruits and / or vegetables with dehydrated potatoes, starch, an emulsifier, and edible oil in the following amounts to produce a dough having a moisture content of 70 wt% to 80 wt% based on the wet weight of the dough: (i) vegetables / fruits: about 70 wt% to about 80 wt%; (ii) dehydrated potatoes: about 12 wt% to about 20 wt%; (iii) starch: about 2 wt% to about 6 wt%; (iv) emulsifier: about 0.2 wt% to about 0.8 wt%; (v) edible oil: about 0.25 wt% to about 1.5 wt%; (d) shaping the dough mixture into a plurality of individual sheets having a thickness of 1 mm to 8 mm; (e) microwave baking each sheet to produce a first intermediate baked sheet having a moisture content of 35 wt% to 45 wt% based on the weight of the intermediate baked sheet; (f) impact oven baking the first intermediate baked sheet to produce a second intermediate baked sheet having a moisture content of 8 wt% to 15 wt% based on the weight of the intermediate cooked sheet; and (g) baking the second intermediate baked sheet in a hot air convection oven to produce a baked snack sheet having a moisture content of about 0.5 wt% to about 5 wt% based on the weight of the baked snack sheet.

[0019] In some embodiments, according to step (b), the fruits and / or vegetables are processed by: (i) steaming at a temperature of at least 90 °C for 0.25 minutes to 15 minutes, optionally 0.5 minutes to 10 minutes; and / or (ii) crushing.

[0020] In some embodiments, the fruits and / or vegetables are one or more of carrots, onions, broccoli, or parsley. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0022] Figure 1 A schematic diagram illustrating a method for making a snack product according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown;

[0023] Figure 2 A schematic diagram illustrating aspects of a method for making a snack product according to an embodiment of the present disclosure in detail is shown;

[0024] Figure 3 A photograph of a finished product prepared using hybrid baking and fresh vegetables according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] The present disclosure is based on the inventors' unexpected discovery that non-dehydrated, non-powdery fruits and / or vegetables and specific processing techniques can be used to produce non-fried snack products having good levels of phytochemicals. Specifically, a dough comprising fresh or individually quick frozen (IQF) fruits and / or vegetables is produced, and the dough is baked using a hybrid baking technique that combines microwave drying, impingement drying, and hot air convection drying. The resulting product comprises a good level of fruit and / or vegetable content having an intact cell structure (which is lost when fruits and vegetables are dehydrated and powdered), and in some cases, comprises distinguishable and / or recognizable fruit or vegetable pieces; and has a good level of at least one phytochemical.

[0026] Accordingly, the present disclosure relates to a snack product; and a method of manufacturing such a product.

[0027] Figure 1 The flow diagram in shows one embodiment of a method of manufacturing a product according to the present disclosure.

[0028] Selection of fruits and / or vegetables

[0029] Step 1 of the method involves the selection of fruits or vegetables.

[0030] The vegetables can be any vegetables, but the term "vegetables" as used herein does not include potatoes. This distinction is made to distinguish the matrix of the snack (including potatoes as detailed below) from the "fruit and vegetable" content of the snack (the main source of phytochemicals in the finished snack).

[0031] Examples of vegetables according to the present disclosure include: carrots, beetroots, capsicum (also known as pepper), carrots, cabbages, tomatoes, peas, broad beans, cabbages, eggplants, sweet corns, broccoli, spinach; cucurbitaceous vegetables such as squash, pumpkins, cucumbers, celeriac, celery, courgettes or zucchinis; alliaceous vegetables such as onions, garlic, shallots, chives or leeks; or herbs or flavorings such as thyme, parsley, basil, oregano, parsley, rosemary, coriander, tarragon pepper or dill; or any mixture of two or more vegetables. The types and combinations of vegetables can be selected to provide different flavors and / or textures. In some embodiments, the vegetables include one or more of broccoli, onions, parsley, and carrots.

[0032] The fruit can be any fruit, such as one or more of apples, pears, oranges, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, red currants, bananas, blackcurrants, blueberries, cranberries, persimmons, plums, peaches, apricots, oranges, citrus fruits, lemons, grapefruits, limes, mangoes, cherries, pineapples, kiwis, figs, papayas, star fruits, guavas, pomegranates or grapes; or any mixture of two or more fruits. The types and combinations of fruits can be selected to provide different flavors and / or textures.

[0033] In some embodiments, one or more fruits or vegetables can be selected. In some embodiments, up to 20 fruits or vegetables can be selected; or up to 18, up to 15, up to 12, up to 10, up to 9, up to 8, up to 7, up to 6 fruits or vegetables, or 5, 4 or 3 fruits or vegetables can be selected; or 2 fruits or vegetables can be selected; or a single type of fruit or vegetable.

[0034] In a preferred embodiment, the fruits and / or vegetables are selected based on being known to have a high content of at least one phytochemical, and / or the content of at least one phytochemical in the fruit or vegetable is not significantly reduced by processing.

[0035] In this regard, various studies have examined the phytochemical content of fruits and vegetables, and certain fruits and vegetables have been identified as having high levels of specific phytochemicals. For example, glucosinolates are present in cruciferous vegetables. Other examples are listed in Tables A to D below, which detail the phytochemical levels in raw vegetables in fresh weight form. Thus, the term "high content of at least one phytochemical" refers to fruits or vegetables that have been identified as having a high content of at least one phytochemical relative to other fruits or vegetables. Those skilled in the art of nutrition will be able to identify such fruits and vegetables.

[0036] "The content of at least one phytochemical in the fruit or vegetable is not significantly reduced by processing" means that after processing the vegetable by reducing its size, IQF and / or partial cooking (e.g., in the manner described in step 2 of the method of the present disclosure (discussed further below)), the content of at least one phytochemical in the raw fruit or vegetable is not reduced by more than about 25%.

[0037] Table A: Apigenin (from Cannataro et al. (2021). Antioxidants. 10.328.10.3390 / antiox10020328):

[0038] Vegetables Average apigenin content (mg / 100g) Celery seeds 78.7 Spinach 62.0 Parsley 45.0 Marjoram 4.4 Oregano 3.5 Chamomile 3-5.0 Sage 3.4

[0039] Table B: Quercetin (from Larson et al., (2010). Pharmaceuticals. 3. 10. 3390 / ph3010237):

[0040] Vegetables Average quercetin content (mg / 100g) Capers 233.0 Onions 22.0 Cranberries 14.0 Bilberries 7.4 Blueberries 5.0 Red apples 4.7 Cherries 2.6

[0041] Table C: Glucosinolates (conventional varieties of various vegetables, taken from: Carlson et al. (1987) J Am Soc Hortic Sci 112: 173—178):

[0042] Vegetables Average glucosinolate content (mg / 100g) Brussels sprouts 553.0 Collards 439.1 Kale 316.3 Broccoli 188.2 Cauliflower 94.6 Kohlrabi 86.1

[0043] Table D: β-Carotene (from: USDA Food Composition Database (https: / / ndb.nal.usda.gov / ndb / ))

[0044] Vegetables Average β-carotene content (μg / 100g) Sweet potatoes 8500 Carrots 8225 Kale 5927 Spinach 5626 Pumpkins 3100 Apricots 1094 Tomatoes 450 Green beans 449 Sweet corn 47

[0045] In some embodiments, the fruit or vegetable can be one or more of the following: sweet potato, carrot, winter squash, tomato, capsicum pepper, apricot, or cantaloupe (known to have a high carotenoid content); brussels sprout, cabbage, savoy cabbage, red cabbage, kale, collard greens, bok choy, horseradish, mustard, broccoli, cauliflower, turnip, watercress, wasabi, or cress (known to have a high glucosinolate content); onion, red onion, scallion, caper, serrano pepper, chilli pepper, hot wax pepper, ancho pepper, fennel, radish, chicory, kale, chive, dill, lovage, sorrel, coriander, tarragon, watercress, or sweet corn (known to have a high flavanol content); artichoke, celery, celeriac, spinach, basil, coriander, oregano, parsley, rosemary, or thyme (known to have a high flavone content).

[0046] In some embodiments, the fruit and / or vegetable can be selected to impart a particular phytochemical or mixture of phytochemicals to the resulting snack product.

[0047] In some embodiments, the selected fruit and / or vegetable includes one or more of broccoli, parsley, onion, and carrot. In some preferred embodiments, the selected vegetable includes or consists of broccoli, parsley, onion, and carrot. These particular vegetables have high levels of phytochemicals (broccoli: glucosinolates and sulforaphane; onion: quercetin glucoside; parsley: apigenin glucoside, and carrot: β-carotene), and the content of at least one phytochemical in these fruits and vegetables is not significantly reduced by processing.

[0048] Processing

[0049] In step 2, the selected fruit and / or vegetable is optionally processed. Processing of the selected fruit / vegetable is generally required to facilitate its incorporation into the dough and subsequent dough processing. However, whether processing is required may depend on the fruit or vegetable. For example, soft fruits or vegetables (such as berries) may not require size reduction.

[0050] Generally, fruit or vegetable pieces can be provided, for example, by dicing, grating, or shredding to reduce the size of the fruit or vegetable. In some embodiments, the fruit or vegetable can be processed to provide pieces that do not exceed about 5 mm, 4 mm, 3 mm, or 2 mm in one dimension.

[0051] In some embodiments, the fruit or vegetable is incorporated into the dough in the form of pieces, chunks, or shreds. These are preferably visible to the naked eye in the final snack product and / or provide a desired, preferably vivid color to the snack product. Preferably, the fruit or vegetable pieces contain cell wall material, ideally intact fruit or vegetable cells from raw, fresh, or frozen vegetables (such as from ground fresh vegetables), which provides a rich vegetable flavor, good individual texture, and visual appeal of individual vegetable pieces within the matrix in the final snack product. In preferred embodiments, the fruit or vegetable can be provided as pieces that are at most about 5 mm, or at most about 4 mm, at most about 3 mm, at most about 2 mm, or at most about 1 mm in one dimension. In some embodiments, the fruit or vegetable can be provided as pieces that are at most about 10 mm in one dimension and do not exceed about 5 mm, about 4 mm, about 3 mm, or about 2 mm in at least one other dimension.

[0052] The fruit or vegetable can be fresh, i.e., substantially unprocessed, such as harvested raw vegetables.

[0053] Alternatively or additionally, the fruit or vegetable can be frozen, and preferably the fruit and / or vegetable has been individually quick frozen (IQF), which is a term widely used in the food processing industry and means that the food is frozen quickly in separate pieces. In some embodiments, the fruit or vegetable is a harvested raw fruit or vegetable that has been IQF. IQF does not cause any significant dehydration of the food material (at most 0.3 - 2.0%).

[0054] The fruit or vegetable is not a dehydrated fruit or vegetable, such as a fruit or vegetable that has been freeze-dried (FD); and is not in powder form. Freeze-drying, also known as lyophilization or cryodesiccation, is a low-temperature dehydration process that involves freezing the material at a lower pressure such that the formed ice is removed by sublimation. This is widely used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. Freeze-drying removes more than 90% of the moisture in the material and typically up to 98% of the moisture in the material.

[0055] In some embodiments, the fruit or vegetable is cooked or partially cooked, for example to soften or break down some or all of the cell walls. In some preferred embodiments, the fruit or vegetable is partially cooked until some softening occurs, but without any color loss or any significant color loss. In some embodiments, the fruit and / or vegetable can be steamed at a temperature of at least 90°C or about 100°C for about 0.25 minutes to about 15 minutes, optionally about 0.5 minutes to about 10 minutes, optionally 1 minute to 5 minutes.

[0056] The cooked or partially cooked fruit and / or vegetable can be blended or otherwise comminuted to reduce its size. When this step is taken, the fruit or vegetable is not processed to obtain a smooth puree, but rather retains the particles or more preferably the pieces of the fruit or vegetable, for example the fruit or vegetable is processed to provide a "coarse" puree that includes pieces of the fruit or vegetable and retains the intact cell wall material of the fruit or vegetable. In such embodiments, the fruit or vegetable pieces are at most about 5 mm in one dimension, or at most about 4 mm, at most about 3 mm, at most about 2 mm or at most about 1 mm in one dimension. In some embodiments, the fruit or vegetable can be provided in pieces that are at most about 10 mm in one dimension and do not exceed about 5 mm, about 4 mm, about 3 mm or about 2 mm in at least one other dimension.

[0057] Additional ingredients

[0058] Then, in step 3, the fruit and / or vegetable is incorporated into additional ingredients to provide a dough.

[0059] The first additional material is potato. In a preferred embodiment, the potato is provided in the form of dried potato, such as potato chips. The potato provides the dough with adhesiveness and rheological properties, enabling the dough to be reliably sheeted and shaped, such as die-cut. The use of dehydrated potato (such as potato chips) is advantageous because the potato chips will absorb the moisture generated when using fresh or IQF fruits and vegetables. In a preferred embodiment, the potato is not fresh potato and / or is not provided in the form of mashed potato.

[0060] The dough also contains starch, such as potato starch, tapioca starch, oat starch, wheat starch, rice starch or corn starch or any combination thereof. The starch can be modified starch or pregelatinized starch. In some embodiments, the starch is potato starch or pregelatinized waxy corn starch (such as Merigel TM ) or a combination thereof. The starch helps to bind the dough and improve the sheeting properties of the dough, which helps for a smoother transition when the dough is conveyed on the production line.

[0061] The dough also contains an emulsifier, such as lecithin or related edible phospholipids. The emulsifier improves the texture and binding of the fat and water components.

[0062] The dough also contains edible oil, such as vegetable oil, optionally sunflower oil, further optionally high oleic sunflower oil (HOSO). In a preferred embodiment, the oil is HOSO. The oil enhances the flavor attributes of the finished product and contributes to the crispness and mouthfeel of the finished product.

[0063] Other ingredients can be optionally added to provide sensory properties, such as seasonings, spices and dry inclusions, such as salt, sugar, pepper, cinnamon, mint, lemongrass, chilli, onion or garlic powder or granules, or dry herbs. These ingredients can enhance the flavor of the product without changing the basic structure or texture characteristics of the product, or the preparation method discussed herein. Preferably no artificial additives, such as artificial flavors or colorants, are used. Generally, the additional ingredients are no larger than 3mm 2 、2mm 2 or 1mm 2 .

[0064] Optionally, water can be added to the other ingredients of the dough. The "added water" mentioned herein refers to any water added to the other dough ingredients, i.e., water added in addition to the water naturally present in the other dough ingredients. Whether water needs to be added depends on the moisture content of the other ingredients in the dough. In a preferred embodiment, no water needs to be added.

[0065] Amount

[0066] Preferably, the dough comprises from about 60 wt% to about 80 wt% of vegetables / fruits, based on the total weight of the dough on a wet weight basis, as further discussed below. This is a very high level of non-powdery fruits or vegetables incorporated into the snack product dough, which results in the dough having a very high moisture content, as further discussed below. Such dough is generally considered difficult to handle and uneconomical to process into snack products.

[0067] Based on the total weight of the dough on a wet weight basis, the dough generally comprises:

[0068] (i) from about 60 wt% to about 80 wt% of fruits and / or vegetables, optionally from about 70 wt% to about 80 wt%, further optionally from about 75 wt% to about 79 wt% of fruits and / or vegetables;

[0069] (ii) from about 10 wt% to about 25 wt% of dehydrated potatoes, optionally from about 12 wt% to about 20 wt%, further optionally from about 14 wt% to about 19.5 wt% of dehydrated potatoes;

[0070] (iii) from about 2 wt% to 7 wt% of starch, optionally from about 2 wt% to about 6 wt%, further optionally from about 2.5 wt% to about 5.5 wt% of starch;

[0071] (iv) from about 0.1 wt% to about 1 wt% of emulsifier, optionally from about 0.2 wt% to about 0.8 wt%, further optionally from about 0.3 wt% to about 0.5 wt% of emulsifier;

[0072] (v) from about 0.2 wt% to about 2 wt% of edible oil, optionally from about 0.25 wt% to about 1.5 wt%, further optionally from about 0.3 wt% to about 1.1 wt% of edible oil;

[0073] (vi) from about 0.2 wt% to 1.8 wt% of dry inclusions, optionally from about 0.3 wt% to about 1.5 wt%, further optionally from about 0.3 wt% to about 1.2 wt% of dry inclusions.

[0074] The amount of each ingredient used to make the dough can be selected according to the type of fruit / vegetable (fresh or IQF) to be included, as this will affect the water content contributed by the fruit / vegetable content to the dough, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

[0075] A dough formulation comprising fresh fruits and / or vegetables according to an embodiment of the present disclosure comprises the following ingredients based on the total weight of the dough on a wet weight basis:

[0076] (i) Fresh vegetables / fruits: 78.72 wt%;

[0077] (ii) Potato chips: 14.04 wt%;

[0078] (iii) Starch: 5.03 wt%;

[0079] (iv) Lecithin: 0.38 wt%;

[0080] (v) HOSO: 0.3 wt%;

[0081] (vi) Sugar: 1.53 wt%.

[0082] The total components add up to 100%.

[0083] A dough formulation comprising IQF fruits and / or vegetables according to an embodiment of the present disclosure comprises the following components based on the total weight of the dough on a wet weight basis:

[0084] (i) IQF vegetables / fruits: 76.11 wt%;

[0085] (ii) Potato chips: 18.92 wt%;

[0086] (iii) Starch: 2.83 wt%;

[0087] (iv) Lecithin: 0.21 wt%;

[0088] (v) HOSO: 1.07 wt%;

[0089] (vi) Sugar: 0.86 wt%.

[0090] The total components add up to 100%.

[0091] Mixing

[0092] In step 4 of the method, the components of the dough are mixed, for example, in a conventional dough mixer. The mixing is carried out to incorporate the components and provide a homogeneous or substantially homogeneous dough, and to distribute the vegetable or fruit pieces throughout the dough. It is not necessary to mix the dough such that any fruit or vegetable pieces in the dough are significantly broken down or pureed.

[0093] Moisture content

[0094] Based on the dough weight, the moisture content of the resulting dough is about 60 wt% to about 90 wt%, optionally about 70 wt% to about 90 wt%, or 68 wt% to about 85 wt%, and further optionally about 70 wt% to about 80 wt%.

[0095] Thus, the dough according to the present disclosure has a very high moisture content for a snack, and this is due to the incorporation of a high level of fresh or IQF fruits and / or vegetables in the dough.

[0096] Tabletting and shaping

[0097] Then, in step 5, the dough is sheeted and formed into separate dough sheet portions such that the resulting snack product is in the form of a snack product. The sheeting and die-cutting steps utilize conventional equipment used to manufacture snack products. The dough sheets can have any planned desired shape and size.

[0098] Preferably, separate dough sheet portions are cut from the dough sheet to form a plurality of separate dough sheets having a thickness of 1 mm to 8 mm. Alternatively, the separate dough sheet portions can be made by rotary forming, stamping, or molding. The separate dough sheet portions can be interconnected by bridging portions to prevent the separate dough sheet portions from accidentally sliding during subsequent processing on a conveyor belt.

[0099] Baking

[0100] In step 6, the dough sheets are then subjected to a first microwave baking step to produce a first intermediate cooked sheet having a moisture content of 35% to 50% based on the weight of the first intermediate cooked sheet, optionally 35% to 45%, and further optionally approximately 40% based on the weight of the intermediate cooked sheet. The microwave baking step is preferably carried out by conveying the dough sheets through a multi-zone flatbed microwave cooking apparatus. Typically, the microwave baking is carried out by passing the dough sheets through a first generator having a power density of approximately 4 kW and then through a second generator having a power density of 3.75 kW, with a total residence time of 45 seconds to 55 seconds, optionally approximately 53 seconds.

[0101] The use of the microwave baking step facilitates reducing the moisture content of the dough in an economical and affordable manner.

[0102] After the microwave baking step, a second baking step (step 7) is performed on the first intermediate cooked sheet to produce a second intermediate cooked sheet having a moisture content of 8 - 15%, optionally 8 - 12%, and further optionally about 10% based on the weight of the intermediate cooked sheet. This step is preferably carried out by passing the dough sheet through an impingement oven, which typically includes a plurality of cooking zones that can be individually controlled in terms of temperature and air flow. Generally, impingement baking is carried out at an oven temperature of 135°C to 200°C for 1.5 minutes to 3 minutes. For example, a two-zone oven can be used, where zones 1 and 2 are in series between the input and output, zone 1 is set at a temperature of 170°C, zone 2 is set at a temperature of 150°C, and the total residence time in the oven is 50 seconds to 90 seconds in each zone. The residence time can vary depending on the dough used. Dough containing fresh fruits and vegetables has a residence time of about 50 - 60 seconds, for example about 55 seconds, in each zone; dough containing IQF fruits and vegetables has a residence time of about 5 - 75 seconds, for example about 70 seconds, in each zone.

[0103] Using an impingement oven reduces the moisture content of the dough. Additionally, at typical drying temperatures, potato-based dough usually undergoes a glass transition at a moisture content of about 5 - 10%, thus locking in the final texture. The impingement oven settings in the present disclosure cause the dough to undergo a glass transition towards the end or at the end of the impingement oven baking step. Therefore, the temperature profile of the impingement oven according to the present disclosure is advantageous as it can affect the texture formation of the product as well as the dehydration of the dough.

[0104] Finally, in step 8, a final baking step is performed on the second intermediate cooked sheet, typically using a hot air convection oven, to reduce the moisture content such that the moisture content of the resulting cooked product is in the range of 0.5 wt% to 5 wt%, preferably 2 wt% to 5 wt%, and more preferably about 4 wt% based on the weight of the finished product. This final baking step can be carried out using a deep bed dryer, typically at a temperature of 115°C and a residence time of 600 seconds to 1200 seconds. Generally, the baking step is carried out at a temperature of about 115°C for about 20 minutes. The temperature setting is chosen to avoid the sheet re - experiencing a glass transition (which is a function of temperature and moisture content), as this can have a negative impact on the texture (e.g., changing a light and crispy texture to a hard and dense texture).

[0105] The disclosed method uses at least or about 240 g, 250 g, 260 g, 270 g, 275 g, or 280 g of fruit and / or vegetables to produce 100 g of the finished product. In some embodiments, the disclosed method uses at least or about 260 g, 265 g, 270 g, 271 g, 272 g, 273 g, 274 g, 275 g, 276 g, 277 g, 278 g, 279 g, or 280 g of fresh fruit and / or vegetables to produce 100 g of the finished product. In some embodiments, the disclosed method uses at least or about 245 g, 250 g, 251 g, 252 g, 253 g, 254 g, 255 g, 256 g, 257 g, 258 g, 259 g, or 260 g of IQF fruit and / or vegetables to produce 100 g of the finished product.

[0106] Finished product

[0107] The finished snack product comprises a hard potato starch-based matrix that comprises one or more vegetables and / or fruits. Based on the weight of the finished product, the moisture content of the finished product is typically about 4 wt%.

[0108] The hard matrix imparts texture to the final product and, in particular, the sensory attributes of crispness and / or crunchiness. Those skilled in the art will understand that the hard matrix is composed of a solid plant-derived material (such as starch) that has air pores therein. The plant-derived materials vary in length and typically have materials of shorter (sub-micron to micron) and longer (mm to cm) lengths that are interconnected to provide structure. The texture of the product is affected by the number and distribution of the pores generated during the dehydration of the product and the thickness of the cell walls around these pores.

[0109] The snack product according to the present disclosure has a crisp structure typically associated with snack products, wherein the potato starch-based matrix has an aerated structure that comprises at least some cell voids, thereby imparting a light and crispy texture thereto.

[0110] The fruit and / or vegetable content of the finished snack product is not derived from dehydrated or powdered fruit or vegetables (i.e., the fruit and / or vegetables incorporated into the dough for making the snack product are non-dehydrated, non-powdered fruit and / or vegetables). Instead, the fruit and / or vegetable content of the finished snack product is derived from fresh and / or IQF fruit and / or vegetables (i.e., the fruit and / or vegetables incorporated into the dough for making the snack product are fresh and / or IQF fruit and / or vegetables).

[0111] Preferably, at least some of the fruit and / or vegetable content of the finished snack product has an intact cell structure due to the use of fresh or IQF fruit and / or vegetables rather than dehydrated or powdered fruit and vegetables. Further preferably, at least some of the fruit and / or vegetable content is visible within the product, such as when the product is viewed in a planar view or cut and viewed in cross-section, and optionally at least some of the fruit or vegetable content may be visible in the form of pieces or particles. Fruit and / or vegetable pieces can impart a texture different from that of the potato matrix, being denser and having smaller and more uniform cell voids, which can impart a significantly different texture and mouthfeel.

[0112] Based on the finished weight, the fruit and / or vegetable content of the finished snack product is from about 15 wt% to about 28 wt%; or based on the finished weight, from about 18 wt% to about 27 wt%, or from about 19 wt% to about 27 wt%, or from about 20 wt% to about 27 wt%, or from about 21 wt% to about 27 wt% of fruit and / or vegetables; or based on the finished weight, at least 10 wt% of fruit and / or vegetables, and more typically, based on the finished weight, at least or about 15 wt%, 16 wt%, 17 wt%, 18 wt%, 19 wt%, 20 wt%, 20.5 wt%, 21 wt%, 21.1 wt%, 21.2 wt%, 21.3 wt%, 21.4 wt%, 21.5 wt%, 22.0 wt%, 22.5 wt%, 23.0 wt%, 23.5 wt%, 24.0 wt%, 24.5 wt%, 25.0 wt%, 25.5 wt%, 25.6 wt%, 25.7 wt%, 25.8 wt%, 25.9 wt%, 26.0 wt%, 26.1 wt%, 26.1 wt%, 26.2 wt%, 26.3 wt%, 26.4 wt%, 26.5 wt%, 26.6 wt%, 26.7 wt%, 26.8 wt%, 26.9 wt%, 27.0 wt%, 27.1 wt%, 27.2 wt%, 27.3 wt%, 27.4 wt%, 27.5 wt%, 27.6 wt%, 27.7 wt%, 27.8 wt%, 27.9 wt% or 28.0 wt% of fruit and / or vegetables.

[0113] In some embodiments of making snack products using fresh fruits and / or vegetables, based on the weight of the finished product, the fruit and / or vegetable content of the finished snack product is about 20 - 28 wt% or about 25 - 28 wt%, or, based on the weight of the finished product, at least or about 25.5 wt%, 25.6 wt%, 25.7 wt%, 25.8 wt%, 25.9 wt%, 26.0 wt%, 26.1 wt%, 26.2 wt%, 26.3 wt%, 26.4 wt%, 26.5 wt%, 26.6 wt%, 26.7 wt%, 26.8 wt%, 26.9 wt%, 27 wt%, 27.1 wt%, 27.2 wt%, 27.3 wt%, 27.4 wt%, 27.5 wt%, 27.6 wt%, 27.7 wt%, 27.8 wt%, 27.9 wt% or 28 wt%, derived from fresh fruits and / or vegetables.

[0114] In some embodiments of making snack products using IQF fruits and / or vegetables, based on the weight of the finished product, the fruit and / or vegetable content of the finished snack product is about 15 - 25 wt% or about 18 - 23 wt%, based on the weight of the finished product, at least or about 20.5 wt%, 20.6 wt%, 20.7 wt%, 20.8 wt%, 20.9 wt%, 21.0 wt%, 21.1 wt%, 21.2 wt%, 21.3 wt%, 21.4 wt%, 21.5 wt%, 21.6 wt%, 21.7 wt%, 21.8 wt%, 21.9 wt%, 22 wt%, 22.5 wt%, 23 wt%, 23.5 wt%, 24 wt%, 24.5 wt% or 25 wt%, derived from IQF fruits and / or vegetables.

[0115] The finished snack product contains one or more phytochemicals. In some embodiments, the snack product contains one or more of carotenoids, glucosinolates, flavonoids, flavones or a mixture thereof. In some embodiments, the snack product has the following phytochemical content:

[0116] (i) A carotenoid content of about 2 to about 25 mg / 100 g of the snack product, or about 2.5 to about 23, or 3 - 22.5 mg / 100 g of the snack product.

[0117] In some embodiments, the carotenoid content is derived from or predominantly derived from a fruit and / or vegetable content of about 9 to 14 g / 100 g snack product based on the finished product weight, or about 10 to 13 g / 100 g snack product based on the finished product weight, or about 11 to 13 g / 100 g snack product, or about 11, 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4, 11.5, 11.6, 11.7, 11.8, 11.9, 12, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4 or 12.5 g / 100 g snack product based on the finished product weight.

[0118] In some embodiments where the snack product is made from a dough comprising fresh vegetables and / or fruits, the carotenoid content of the snack product is about 16.5 - 25, 17 - 24, 17.5 - 23.5, 18 - 23.5, 18.5 to 23, or 19 to 22.5 mg / 100 g snack product, or about 20, 21, 22 or 23 mg / 100 g snack product. In some such embodiments, the carotenoid content is derived from or predominantly derived from a fruit and / or vegetable content of about 11, 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4, 11.5, 11.6, 11.7, 11.8, 11.9 or 12 g / 100 g snack product based on the finished product weight. In some such embodiments, the carotenoid content of the snack product is about 19 to 22.5 mg / 100 g snack product, or about 20, 21, 22 or 23 mg / 100 g snack product, optionally about 22 mg / 100 g snack product, and the carotenoid content is derived from or predominantly derived from a fruit and / or vegetable content of about 11, 11.1, 11.2, 11.3, 11.4, 11.5, 11.6, 11.7, 11.8, 11.9 or 12 g / 100 g snack product based on the finished product weight, optionally a fruit and / or vegetable content of about 11.3 g / 100 g snack product based on the finished product weight.

[0119] In some embodiments where the snack product is made from a dough comprising IQF vegetables and / or fruits, the carotenoid content of the snack product is about 2.5 - 3.5 mg / 100 g of the snack product, or about 2.5, 3, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, or 3.5 mg / 100 g of the snack product. In some such embodiments, the carotenoid content is derived from or predominantly derived from a fruit and / or vegetable content of about 11.5, 11.6, 11.7, 11.8, 11.9, 12, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, or 12.5 g / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product. In some such embodiments, the carotenoid content of the snack product is about 2.5 - 3.5 mg / 100 g of the snack product, or about 2.5, 3, 3., 3.2, 3.3, 3.g, or 3.5 mg / 100 g of the snack product, optionally about 3.1 mg / 100 g of the snack product, and the carotenoid content is derived from or predominantly derived from a fruit and / or vegetable content of about 11.5, 11.6, 11.7, 11.8, 11.9, 12, 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4, or 12.5 g / 100 g of the snack product, optionally about 12 g / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product.

[0120] In some embodiments, the carotenoid content of the snack product is derived from or predominantly derived from carrots;

[0121] and / or

[0122] (ii) a glucosinolate content of about 10 to about 58 mg / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product, or about 10.5 - 56, 11.0 - 55.5, 11.5 - 54.5, 11.5 - 54 mg / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product.

[0123] In some embodiments, the glucosinolate content is derived from or predominantly derived from a fruit and / or vegetable content of about 1 to 4 g / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product, or about 1.5 to 4 g / 100 g, or 1.6 - 3.9, 1.7 - 3.8, 1.8 - 3.7, 1.8 - 3.6, or 1.9 - 3.5 g / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product, or about 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 3.5, or 4 g / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product.

[0124] In some embodiments where the snack product is made from a dough comprising fresh vegetables and / or fruits, the glucosinolate content of the snack product is about 45 - 55, 46 - 54, 47 - 54 or 47.5 - 53.5 mg / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product, or about 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54 or 55 mg / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product. In some such embodiments, the glucosinolate content is derived from or predominantly derived from a fruit and / or vegetable content of about 2.5, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9 or 4 g / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product. In some such embodiments, the glucosinolate content of the snack product is about 45 to 55 mg / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product, or about 45, 45.5, 46, 46.5, 47, 47.5, 48, 48.5, 49, 49.5, 50, 50.5, 51, 51.5, 52, 52.5, 53, 53.5, 54, 54.5 or 55 mg / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product, optionally about 46 to 53 mg / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product, and the glucosinolate content is derived from or predominantly derived from a fruit and / or vegetable content of about 2.5, 3.0, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9 or 4 g / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product, optionally about 3.5 g / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product.

[0125] In some embodiments where the snack product is made from a dough comprising IQF vegetables and / or fruits, the glucosinolate content of the snack product is about 10.5 - 15, 11.0 - 14.5, 11.5 - 14.0, 11.5 - 13.5 or 12 - 13 mg / 100 g of snack product based on the weight of the finished product, or about 11, 11.5, 12 or 12.5 mg / 100 g of snack product based on the weight of the finished product. In some embodiments, the glucosinolate content is derived from a fruit and / or vegetable content of about 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4 or 2.5 g / 100 g of snack product based on the weight of the finished product. In some such embodiments, the glucosinolate content is derived from or predominantly derived from a fruit and / or vegetable content of about 1.5 - 2.5 g / 100 g of snack product, or about 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4 or 2.5 mg / 100 g of snack product based on the weight of the finished product. In some such embodiments, the glucosinolate content of the snack product is about 10.5 - 15, 11.0 - 14.5, 11.5 - 14.0, 11.5 - 13.5, 11.5 - 13 or 12 - 13 mg / 100 g of snack product based on the weight of the finished product, or about 11, 11.5, 12 or 12.5 mg / 100 g of snack product based on the weight of the finished product, optionally about 11.5 - 13 mg / 100 g of snack product based on the weight of the finished product, and the glucosinolate content is derived from or predominantly derived from a fruit and / or vegetable content of about 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.9, 2.0, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4 or 2.5 g / 100 g of snack product, optionally about 1.9 g / 100 g of snack product based on the weight of the finished product.

[0126] In some embodiments, the glucosinolate content of the snack product is derived from or predominantly derived from broccoli;

[0127] and / or

[0128] (ii) a flavonoid content of about 85 to about 170 mg / 100 g of snack product based on the weight of the finished product, or about 86 - 169, 87 - 168, 88 - 167, 89 - 166, 90 - 166 or 90 - 165 mg / 100 g of snack product based on the weight of the finished product.

[0129] In some embodiments where the snack product is made from a dough comprising fresh vegetables and / or fruits, the flavonoid content of the snack product is about 155 - 170, 156 - 169, 157 - 168, or 158 - 168 mg / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product, or about 155, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, or 170 mg / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product. In some such embodiments, the flavonoid content is derived from or mainly derived from a fruit and / or vegetable content of about 9 - 15, 10 - 14, 11 - 13, or 11.5 - 12 g / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product. In some such embodiments, the flavonoid content of the snack product is about 155 - 170 mg / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product, or about 155, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, or 170 mg / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product, optionally about 160 - 166 mg / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product, and the flavonoid content is derived from or mainly derived from a fruit and / or vegetable content of about 9 - 15, 10 - 14, 11 - 13, or 11.5 - 12 g / 100 g of the snack product, optionally about 11.7 g / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product.

[0130] In some embodiments where the snack product is made from a dough comprising IQF vegetables and / or fruits, the flavonoid content of the snack product is about 80 - 100 mg / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product, or about 82 - 99, 73 - 98, 84 - 97, 85 - 96, 86 - 97, or 87 - 96 / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product. In some such embodiments, the flavonoid content is derived from or mainly derived from a fruit and / or vegetable content of about 5 - 9, 6 - 8, or 7 - 8 g / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product. In some such embodiments, the flavonoid content of the snack product is about 80 - 100 mg / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product, or about 82 - 99, 73 - 98, 84 - 97, 85 - 96, 86 - 97, or 87 - 96 / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product, optionally about 87 - 96 mg / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product. In some such embodiments, the flavonoid content is derived from or mainly derived from a fruit and / or vegetable content of about 5 - 9 g, 6 - 8, or 7 - 8 g / 100 g of the snack product, optionally about 7.6 g / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product.

[0131] In some embodiments, the flavonoid content of the snack product is derived from or mainly derived from onions and / or parsley.

[0132] In some embodiments where the snack product is made from a dough comprising fresh vegetables and / or fruits, the carotenoid content of the snack product is about 21.5 - 22.5 mg / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product; the glucosinolate content is about 46 - 54 mg / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product; and the flavonoid content is about 161 - 166 mg / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product. In some such embodiments, the snack product comprises carrots, broccoli, onions, and parsley. In some such embodiments, the snack product comprises: about 10 - 12 g, optionally about 11.3 g, of carrots per 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product; about 3 - 4 g, optionally about 3.5 g, of broccoli per 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product; about 8.5 - 9.5 g, optionally about 9.3 g, of onions per 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product; and about 2 - 3 g, optionally about 2.4 g, of parsley per 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product.

[0133] In some embodiments where the snack product is made from a dough comprising IQF vegetables and / or fruits, the carotenoid content of the snack product is about 3 - 3.3 mg / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product; the glucosinolate content is about 12 - 13 mg / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product; and the flavonoid content is about 87 - 96 mg / 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product. In some such embodiments, the snack product comprises carrots, broccoli, onions, and parsley. In some such embodiments, the snack product comprises: about 11.5 - 12.5 g, optionally about 12 g, of carrots per 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product; about 1.5 - 2.5 g, optionally about 2 g, of broccoli per 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product; about 5.5 - 6.5 g, optionally about 5.7 g, of onions per 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product; and about 1.5 - 2.5 g, optionally about 1.9 g, of parsley per 100 g of the snack product based on the weight of the finished product.

[0134] Advantages

[0135] The present disclosure is based on the inventors' unexpected discovery that snack products can be produced from a dough comprising a high level of fresh or individually quick frozen fruits and / or vegetables using a combination of microwave, impact, and conventional baking, resulting in snack products having a good level of fruits and / or vegetables and a good level of at least one phytochemical.

[0136] The present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the following non - limiting examples.

[0137] Examples

[0138] Example 1

[0139] Five products were compared, which included fresh, IQF or FD vegetables prepared by hybrid baking or standard baking, such as Figure 1 and Figure 2 shown and detailed in Table 2.

[0140] 1.1 Vegetable preparation

[0141] The broccoli, onion, parsley and carrots were from the same harvest supplied at a single time point. After harvesting, a portion of the vegetables was sent for phytochemical analysis.

[0142] The remaining vegetables were prepared as follows: The carrots and onions were peeled, washed, cut (onions 10 mm, carrots 10 mm), washed again, and then dewatered with a strainer to drain the remaining water. The broccoli heads were removed from their stems and cut into pieces <50 mm.

[0143] The parsley and the chopped carrots, onions and broccoli were frozen using a blast freezer (FT36 Armfield blast and fluidized bed freezer, Hampshire, UK), and then a portion was freeze-dried (Birchover freeze dryer, Birchover Instruments Ltd, Hertfordshire, UK) for a period of 72 hours. The FD vegetables were not further processed but were added directly to a Z-blade mixer (described further below) along with the other dough ingredients.

[0144] Then the IQF and fresh broccoli, carrots, onions and parsley were steamed separately at 100 °C with 100% steam (Rational SCCXS 6 2 / 3E / 01, Landsberg, Germany) for 5 min, 5 min, 2 min and 1 min, respectively. The steamed vegetables were crushed using a hand blender (Russell Hobbs 22241, Manchester, UK) to form pieces <2 mm suitable for tableting.

[0145] 1.2 Dough preparation

[0146] The prepared vegetables were added to a Z-blade mixer (KitchenAid 5KSM7990XBSM, St. Joseph, Michigan, USA) along with the other dough ingredients and optional water, as detailed in Table 1. In each case, the ingredients were mixed for 1 minute using the Z-blade mixer to form a homogeneous dough suitable for tableting.

[0147] Table 1: Dough formulation IQF (individually quick frozen), FD (freeze dried), HOSO (high oleic sunflower oil)

[0148]

[0149] The doughs are each formulated to produce a snack product containing broccoli, carrots, onions, and parsley in a ratio of approximately 2:11:5:1 by weight of vegetables.

[0150] Each dough is then manually pressed into a sheet mold (a circular mold with a diameter of 5 mm and a depth of 2 mm).

[0151] 1.3 Baking

[0152] The molds are then baked using either combined baking or standard baking techniques. Combined baking uses a continuous microwave oven to reduce the moisture content of the dough from approximately 70 - 80% to approximately 40%, followed by reducing the moisture content to approximately 8 - 15% through continuous impingement drying, and finally reducing the moisture content to approximately 4% through final hot air drying to produce the finished product. Standard baking omits the microwave step and starts with dough at a moisture content of approximately 40%, drying it using impingement drying to reduce the moisture content to approximately 8 - 15%, and then reducing the moisture content to approximately 4% through hot air drying to produce the finished product. Details of the baking steps are provided in Table 2.

[0153] Table 2: Processes and settings for producing five products. IQF (Individual Quick Freezing), FD (Freeze Drying), G1 (Generator 1), G2 (Generator 2), RT (Residence Time), BS (Belt Speed)

[0154]

[0155] The drying details are as follows:

[0156]

[0157] 2. Dough and finished product content

[0158] Tables (i) to (v) provide details of the content comparison between the five finished products and the associated doughs.

[0159] (i) Fresh fruits and / or vegetables, using combined baking (both sides of the finished snack as Figure 3 shown)

[0160]

[0161] Moisture content of the finished product: 4 wt% based on the weight of the finished product. The dough contains 78.71 g of fresh vegetables per 100 g of dough. The finished product is made using 272.88 g of fresh vegetables per 100 g of the finished product.

[0162] (ii) IQF fruits and / or vegetables, using combined baking

[0163]

[0164] Moisture content of the finished product: 4 wt% based on the weight of the finished product. The dough contains 76.11 g of IQF vegetables per 100 g of dough. The finished product is made using 250.75 g of IQF vegetables per 100 g of the finished product.

[0165] (iii) FD fruits and / or vegetables, using combined baking

[0166]

[0167] Moisture content of the finished product: 4 wt% based on the weight of the finished product. The dough contains 16.51 g of FD vegetables per 100 g of dough. The finished product is made using 49.81 g of FD vegetables (equivalent to 555.68 g of fresh vegetables) per 100 g of the finished product.

[0168] (iv) IQF fruits and / or vegetables, using standard baking

[0169]

[0170] Moisture content of the finished product: 4 wt% based on the weight of the finished product. The dough contains 46.42 g of IQF vegetables per 100 g of dough. The finished product is made using 80.93 g of IQF vegetables per 100 g of the finished product.

[0171] (v) FD fruits and / or vegetables, using standard baking

[0172]

[0173] Moisture content of the finished product: 4 wt% based on the weight of the finished product. The dough contains 30.3 g of FD vegetables per 100 g of dough. The finished product is made using 49.81 g of FD vegetables (equivalent to 555.66 g of fresh vegetables) per 100 g of the finished product.

[0174] 3. Determination of phytochemicals in the resulting snack products compared to fresh vegetables

[0175] 3.1. Sample analysis: Apigenin and quercetin

[0176] Samples of each of the five products were homogenized and thoroughly mixed using a blender. 25 ml of 70% methanol (60 °C) was added to each sample of the homogenized material (1.0 g, analyzed in triplicate). The samples were vortexed for 30 seconds and then heated at 60 °C for 60 minutes (with additional vortexing at 20 minutes, 40 minutes, and 60 minutes). The samples were then allowed to stand and cool for 30 minutes. A portion of the extract was filtered (0.45 μm) prior to analysis.

[0177] Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis was performed using a Waters Acquity ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) system, which was connected to a photodiode array detector and equipped with an on-line TSQ-μ triple quadrupole mass spectrometer operating in the electrospray mode. Chromatographic separation was achieved using a Waters HSS T3 100×2.1 mm, 1.7 μm column at 35 °C. The flow rate was 400 μl / min and the injection volume was 1 μl. The binary gradient used water containing 0.1% formic acid (solvent A) and acetonitrile containing 0.1% formic acid (solvent B). The gradient started at 15% solvent B at 0.5 min after injection, increased to 50% solvent B at 7 min, increased to 95% solvent B at 8 min, and was held for 1 min, then returned to the initial conditions with a 2-min equilibration time. The mass spectrometer was operated in the positive electrospray scan mode. The ultraviolet (UV) detector was set at 336 nm (for apigenin analysis) and 350 nm (for quercetin analysis).

[0178] 3.2. Sample analysis: β-Carotene

[0179] The sample for β-carotene analysis (0.5 g) was homogenized with 1:1 THF / MeOH (v / v; 20 ml), sodium carbonate (0.1 g), and 25 μl of internal standard (echinenone; 1 mg / ml in dichloromethane). The resulting suspension was filtered and washed three times with 1:1 THF / MeOH (20 ml). The combined THF / MeOH filtrate was transferred to a separatory funnel and washed three times with petroleum ether (40 - 50 fraction, containing 0.1% BHT; 20 ml) and 10% NaCl solution (20 ml), and each time the lower THF / MeOH / aqueous phase was drained to waste. The combined petroleum ether fractions were washed with water (3 × 500 ml), and each time the lower aqueous wash was drained to waste. The petroleum ether layer was collected in a 250-ml round-bottom flask and evaporated to near dryness in a rotary evaporator at 40 °C (pressure 150 bar). Petroleum ether (10 ml) was added to redissolve the residue, and the sample was transferred to a smaller 25-ml round-bottom flask and evaporated to dryness. The residue was redissolved in dichloromethane (5 ml) and transferred to a 20-ml volumetric flask and made up to 20 ml with mobile phase (acetonitrile containing 0.1% formic acid). An aliquot (300 μl) was transferred to a brown LC vial for UPLC analysis.

[0180] The samples were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography - ultraviolet (HPLC - UV). An isocratic method was employed with 65% acetonitrile and 35% methanol (containing 0.016% tributylamine) as the solvent to elute β - carotene, and ultraviolet detection was carried out at a wavelength of 450 nm. The column used was Waters 250×4.6 mm×3, 22um ODS2 C18, the column oven temperature was 35 °C. The flow rate was 1.5 ml / min and the injection volume was 7.5 μl. Under the applied conditions, the elution time of β - carotene in fresh, IQF and FD carrots was approximately 3.3 minutes, and the elution time of β - carotene in the product samples was approximately 25.6 minutes. Quantification was performed using a calibration curve of the peak area versus concentration of freshly prepared β - carotene standard solution, and each sample was measured in triplicate.

[0181] 3.3. Sample analysis: Glucosinolates

[0182] Before glucosinolate analysis, fresh and IQF broccoli were FD and milled (using a household food blender), and the broccoli and products were sampled in triplicate. A method of converting glucosinolates to equivalent amounts of desulfo - glucosinolates was used to measure glucosinolates (Hollands et al. Mol Nutr Food Res. 2012, 56(12), 1906–16). After adding an internal standard (sinigrin), the homogenized snack product powder sample (1 g) was extracted with hot methanol - water solution (70% vol / vol, 10 ml). The sample was vortex - mixed and incubated at 70 °C for 20 - 30 minutes with occasional mixing. The extract was cooled and the supernatant sample (3 ml) was applied to an ion - exchange column, followed by washing with water (2×0.5 ml) and 0.02 M sodium acetate (2×0.5 ml). Then, purified sulfatase (75 μl) was laid on the column and incubated overnight at RTP for the conversion of desulfo - glucosinolates. The desulfo - glucosinolates were eluted by successively applying 0.5 ml, 0.5 ml and 0.25 ml of water and analyzed using HPLC as described below.

[0183] Desulfo-glucosinolates were analyzed using a Waters Spherisorb ODS2 (250×4.6 mm i.d., 5 μm particle size) coupled with an 1100 series HPLC system (Agilent Technologies, Waldbronn, Germany), which consisted of a binary pump, a degasser, a cooled autoinjector, a column oven, and a diode array detector. Samples of snack products were eluted at 1.0 mL min-1 with water containing 0.1% formic acid (solvent A) and acetonitrile containing 0.1% formic acid (solvent B) with a gradient increase in acetonitrile. The gradient started at 0% solution B, increased to 50% B in 25 min, and was re-equilibrated to 0% B in the last 7 min. Quantification was performed using absorbance at 229 nm by comparison of the peak area ratio with an internal standard (sinigrin) and using the correction factor for each glucosinolate.

[0184] 3.4. Sample analysis: Sulforaphane

[0185] Each snack product was agitated to homogenize the material and then sampled in triplicate, after which the samples were incubated in phosphate buffer solution. This incubation step allowed any active broccoli myrosinase present to hydrolyze the glucosinolates in the sample and permitted the formation of the corresponding isothiocyanates, such as sulforaphane, from glucoraphanin (MSB).

[0186] Samples (3 × 40 mg) were weighed into 2 ml screw-cap microtubes and 1 ml of 1× PBS (GIBCO 10× stock solution diluted 1:10 with Milli Q water) was added to each tube. The tubes were then sealed and vortexed. The samples were incubated on a heating block at 37 °C for 2 h, vortexing every 15 min to ensure optimal hydrolysis. After hydrolysis, the tubes were centrifuged (13,000 rpm [17,000 g], 4 °C, 30 min), the supernatant was removed and filtered (0.2 μm aqueous solvent filter), 45 μl was transferred to a separate HPLC vial and 5 μl (100 μM) D8-SF was added as an internal standard. The samples were vortexed and analyzed by LC-MS / MS.

[0187] 4 Results

[0188] 4.1. Effects of IQF and FD pre-processing on the phytochemical content of fresh vegetables

[0189] The contents of apigenin glucoside in parsley (Table 3a), quercetin glucoside in red onion (Table 3b), β-carotene in carrot (Table 3c), and glucosinolates and sulforaphane in broccoli (Table 3d) in fresh, IQF, and FD samples were analyzed to determine the effects of the initial pre-processing on the vegetables.

[0190]

[0191] Table 3a: Apigenin glucosides in fresh parsley and parsley pre-processed by IQF or freeze-drying, given in mg / 100 g dry weight. A7AG (apigenin 7-apiosyl-glucoside), A76MAG (apigenin 7-O-(6'-malonylapiosyl glucoside)), A7G (apigenin 7-O-glucoside), A75MAG (apigenin 7-O-(5'-malonylapiosyl glucoside)), A (apigenin).

[0192]

[0193] Table 3b: Quercetin glucosides in onions and onions pre-processed by IQF or freeze-drying, given in mg / 100 g dry weight. Q-di-Gluc (quercetin 3,4'-di-glucoside), Q-3-Gluc (quercetin 3-O-glucoside), Q-4'-Gluc (quercetin 4'-O-glucoside)

[0194]

[0195] Table 3c: β-carotene in fresh carrots and carrots pre-processed by IQF or freeze-drying, given in mg / 100 g dry weight.

[0196]

[0197] Table 3d: Glucosinolates and sulforaphane in fresh broccoli and broccoli pre-processed by IQF or freeze-drying, given in mg / 100 g dry weight. IQF 1: Frozen from a fresh batch. IQF 2: Broccoli used in a snack product purchased from Tesco. MSP (glucotropaeolin), MSB (glucoraphanin), OHIND (glucoiberin), IND (glucobrassicin), 1-MIND (1-methoxyglucobrassicin or neoglucobrassicin), 4-MIND (4-methoxyglucobrassicin).

[0198] The values in these tables enable the calculation of the phytochemical content of the dough before mixed baking or standard baking, allowing for an accurate assessment of the impact of baking techniques on phytochemical retention or degradation.

[0199] 5. Discussion

[0200] Although IQF processing appears to degrade apigenin glucosides to a greater extent than freeze-drying, the FD parsley was from a portion of the IQF material that was subsequently freeze-dried. Leaching of apigenin during thawing prior to analysis or more rapid degradation of the compounds in the IQF form than in the FD form could account for the reduced amounts in the IQF samples. This result was also observed in carrots, where the β-carotene content in IQF carrots was lower than in FD carrots despite freeze-drying a portion of the IQF samples.

[0201] The total apigenin glucosides changed by only <28%, however, the distribution of the glucosides changed significantly, especially after freeze-drying. A7AG decreased by 78% after IQF and 84% after freeze-drying, while A75MAG in IQF and FD parsley increased to 3-fold and 18-fold, respectively. Hostetler et al. (Agric Food Chem., 2012, 61, 202-208) also experienced the conversion from apigenin apiosyl glucoside to malonyl apigenyl glucoside during the analysis of flavonoid components in parsley juice processing. This is due to the enzymatic activity of malonate esterase, which can interact with flavone / flavonol 7-O-glucosides when parsley leaf cells are ruptured (Matern U. Arch Biochem Biophys., 1983, 224(1), 261–71).

[0202] Similar to apigenin glucosides, both processes significantly reduced the content of quercetin glucosides, by 25% for IQF and 18% for freeze-drying. Similar losses of quercetin after freeze-drying were also seen in kale (Korus A. LWT-Food Sci Technol., 2011, 44(8), 1711-1716), strawberries ( et al. J Agric Food Chem., 2009, 57(4), 1337-1343) and sour cherries ( et al. Food Bioprocess Technol., 2014, 7, 829-841). Despite these losses, freeze-drying is widely considered an effective dehydration technique for preserving micronutrients and phytochemical nutrients due to the low temperature and vacuum conditions (which preserve compounds better than most other available techniques) (Bhatta et al. Foods., 2020, 9(1), 1–22).

[0203] Fresh broccoli, IQF 1 broccoli, and FD broccoli were from the same harvest, but IQF 2 broccoli was purchased from a store (Tesco, Leicester, UK, June 2021) and thus could not be directly compared with the other broccoli. Glucoraphanin (MSP) was not detected in fresh broccoli, whereas in IQF and FD, it was the second most abundant GLS after MSB. The IQF and freeze-drying processes had the greatest damage to MSB, causing losses of 43% and 36% respectively. In contrast, both processes had a significant positive effect on glucobrassicin (IND), increasing its level (p < 0.05). In this study, the pre-processing of broccoli did not include a blanching step, which is usually carried out in commercial processing as a step to kill enzymes such as lipoxygenase, polyphenol oxidase, polygalacturonase, and chlorophyllase, which can lead to a decline in quality and nutrients. This process will also cause the denaturation of myrosinase (the enzyme that catalyzes MSB to sulforaphane). Therefore, the sulforaphane content in IQF 2 broccoli was limited compared to other broccoli samples. Although IQF 2 was from a different source than the other samples, its GLS distribution was very similar.

[0204] Phytochemical content of five snack products

[0205] The phytochemical content of the dried snacks was analyzed (Table 4a), and the percentage of predicted loss or increase of phytochemicals in the finished products was calculated based on the pre-measured amounts in the dough (Table 4b).

[0206]

[0207] Table 4a: Phytochemical content of five snack products, given in mg / 100g dw. IQF (individual quick freezing), FD (freeze-drying), MAG (malonyl glucosinolate)

[0208]

[0209] Table 4b: Percentage of loss or increase of phytochemicals in the finished products compared to the dough. IQF (individual quick freezing), FD (freeze-drying), MAG (malonyl glucosinolate)

[0210] The pre - processing status of vegetables in the dough (fresh, frozen or FD) and the baking method (baking or HB) both affect the phytochemical content of the finished snack. Factorial regression fitted using MiniTab determined that the pre - processing status of vegetables had a greater effect on all compounds than the baking method. Baking with IQF vegetables was determined to be the most destructive processing technique, significantly (P>0.05) reducing all total compounds except sulforaphane. This view is supported by Perez et al. (Journal of functional foods vol.48(2018):410 - 419.doi:10.1016 / j.jff.2018.07.035), who found that this technique was more destructive than FD - baked dough or IQF - mixed baking processes. Dough made from fresh vegetables and cooked by HB had the highest retention rate of compounds, the greatest increase in total apigenin and glucosinolates, and the least degradation of β - carotene.

[0211] Except for IQF baking, the total apigenin glucoside content showed an increase during the processing. It is the most stable class of phytochemicals, followed by quercetin glucosides and glucosinolates, and β - carotene is the most unstable compound. As previously mentioned, apigenin glucosides are quite resistant to degradation during food processing compared to other flavonoids. During the production of fresh HB snacks, the total apigenin glucoside content increased by 97%, which may be due to the release of apigenin from the parsley cell matrix by mechanical processing - as seen during IQF and FD pre - processing. The deformation of the cell structure during snack production will promote the activity of malonate esterase, thus increasing A76MAG and A75MAG. This interaction was not observed in other snacks because the reaction had occurred during the pre - processing stage. Instead, the proportion of apigenin 7 - api - glucoside in other snacks was at least 37% higher than that of apigenin or other glucosides. This was originally the most abundant glucoside in the parsley sample and is therefore likely to release more from the plant cell matrix through processing. A high proportion of apigenin 7 - api - glucoside was also observed in freshly processed parsley juice at 121°C.

[0212] The arrangement and number of methyl, acyl, glucosyl, and hydroxyl groups in the flavonoid structure are closely related to its stability. Although the presence of hydroxyl groups is important for antioxidant activity, due to their reactivity, they also have a great impact on the instability of flavonoids. Generally, the more hydroxyl groups there are, the more unstable the flavonoid. Apigenin and quercetin contain three and five hydroxyl groups respectively, so it is not surprising that apigenin is a more stable flavonoid during food processing. Generally, glycosylation of hydroxyl groups in flavonoids enhances their stability. However, this depends on the position of the sugar group on the flavonol. During the baking of onions, quercetin glycosides with sugar groups attached to the C-ring (3-O-position), especially 3-O-galactoside and 3-O-rutinoside, are more easily degraded than quercetin 4',O-glucoside with the sugar group attached to the B-ring (4-O-position). After 15 minutes of baking, it was found that quercetin 3,4'-diglucoside degraded by 87%. Similar to our results, diglucosides in all samples except HB FD were significantly reduced. During heat treatment, quercetin monoglucosides and diglucosides undergo deglycosylation to form quercetin aglycone, and sometimes quercetin 4',O-glucoside is formed as an intermediate during the deglycosylation of diglucosides. In this study, the production of quercetin could be observed in baked snacks and mixed baked FD snacks. Interestingly, the production of quercetin was not observed during the frying or boiling of onions. In all snacks, quercetin 3,4'-diglucoside and quercetin 4',O-glucoside accounted for at least 92% of the total quercetin content, similar to the distribution in fresh and pre-processed onions and commercial onion varieties.

[0213] β-Carotene is highly degraded in both baked snacks and snacks produced from FD carrots. Perez et al. also experienced a significant loss of β-carotene in snacks produced using FD carrots. They found that regardless of the proportion of carrots used in the dough, 10 - 13 mg per 100 g of dry matter would be retained in the snacks, which is a degradation of up to 68%. Visualization of the rehydration of FD carrots by nuclear magnetic resonance and scanning electron microscopy showed that the cell compartments had been damaged by permeable barriers. This porous network increased the exposure of β-carotene to the external environment and thus increased its sensitivity to degradation reactions. Due to its unsaturated structure, β-carotene is a highly reactive compound, especially sensitive to oxygen and temperature. This can explain the 98% loss of the compound in these two FD snack products. Generally, its degradation kinetics follows a first-order reaction, and the higher the baking temperature and the longer the baking time, the greater the degradation. During the hot air convection drying of carrot slices, the half-life of β-carotene decreased from 3.02 ± 0.04 h at 45 °C to 1.43 ± 0.03 h at 65 °C. Compared with HB, the baking process requires a higher temperature during impact drying and a longer time in the batch oven, thus explaining the 98% and 83% losses in FD and IQF baked snacks respectively.

[0214] 5. Conclusion

[0215] This example shows that the baking technology and the state of the vegetables in the formulation affect the retention of phytochemicals in the finished product. Freeze-drying the vegetables is an effective method of drying vegetables to retain nutrients. However, subsequent powder processing showed that β-carotene and glucosinolate compounds were prone to degradation. These results indicate that using fresh or IQF vegetables to make the snack product dough and then cooking using a combination of microwave, impingement, and oven baking technologies achieved good retention of phytochemicals.

[0216] Various modifications to the embodiments of the present disclosure described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art and such modifications are included within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A non-fried snack product containing fruits and / or vegetables, comprising: a hard starch matrix including potato starch and one or more fruits and / or vegetables; and one or more phytochemicals including carotenoids, glucosinolates, flavonoids or a mixture thereof; wherein: Based on the weight of the product, the fruit and / or vegetable content of the product is 15 - 28 wt%; and The fruit and / or vegetable content of the product is derived from non-dehydrated, non-powdery fruits and / or vegetables.

2. The snack product according to claim 1, wherein, At least some of the fruit and / or vegetable content of the product is visible in the form of pieces or granules.

3. The snack product according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, At least some of the fruit and / or vegetable content of the product has a complete cell structure.

4. The snack product according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, Based on the weight of the product, the fruit and / or vegetable content of the product is 18 - 27 wt%.

5. The snack product according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The fruit and / or vegetable content of the product is derived from fresh or individually quick frozen (IQF) fruits and / or vegetables.

6. The snack product according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The carotenoid content of the product is about 2 to about 25 mg / 100 g of the snack product; the glucosinolate content is about 10 to about 58 mg / 100 g of the snack product; and / or the flavonoid content is about 85 to about 170 mg / 100 g of the snack product.

7. The snack product according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The fruit and / or vegetable content of the product is derived from fresh fruits and / or vegetables; and Wherein, the carotenoid content of the product is 16.5 - 25 mg / 100 g of the snack product; the glucosinolate content is 45 - 55 mg / 100 g of the snack product; and / or the flavonoid content is 155 - 170 mg / 100 g of the snack product.

8. The snack product according to claim 7, wherein, The carotenoid content of the product is 19 - 22.5 mg / 100 g of the snack product; the glucosinolate content is 46 - 54 mg / 100 g of the snack product; and / or the flavonoid content is 158 - 168 mg / 100 g of the snack product.

9. The snack product according to claim 8, wherein, The carotenoid content of the product is 19 - 22.5 mg / 100 g of the snack product; the glucosinolate content is 46 - 54 mg / 100 g of the snack product; and the flavonoid content is 158 - 168 mg / 100 g of the snack product.

10. The snack product according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein: The fruit and / or vegetable content of the product is derived from fresh fruits and / or vegetables; and Based on the weight of the product, the fruit and / or vegetable content of the product is 25 - 28 wt%.

11. The snack product according to claim 10, wherein, Based on the weight of the product, the fruit and / or vegetable content of the product is at least 25.5 wt%.

12. The snack product according to any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein, The carotenoid content of the product is 21.5 - 22.5 mg / 100 g of the snack product; the glucosinolate content is about 46 - 54 mg / 100 g of the snack product; and the flavonoid content is about 161 - 166 mg / 100 g of the snack product.

13. The snack product according to any one of claims 7 to 12, wherein, The fruit and / or vegetables include carrots, broccoli, onions and parsley, and wherein the snack product contains: About 10 - 12 g of carrots per 100 g of the snack product; About 3 - 4 g of broccoli per 100 g of the snack product; About 8.5 - 9.5 g of onions per 100 g of the snack product; and About 2 - 3 g of parsley per 100 g of the snack product.

14. The snack product according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein: The fruit and / or vegetable content of the product is derived from individually quick frozen (IQF) fruits and / or vegetables; and Based on the weight of the product, the fruit and / or vegetable content of the product is about 18 - 23 wt%.

15. The snack product according to claim 14, wherein, The carotenoid content of the product is about 3 - 3.3 mg / 100 g of the snack product; the glucosinolate content is about 12 - 13 mg / 100 g of the snack product; and / or the flavonoid content is about 87 - 96 mg / 100 g of the snack product.

16. The snack product according to claim 15, wherein, The carotenoid content of the product is about 3 - 3.3 mg / 100 g of the snack product; the glucosinolate content is about 12 - 13 mg / 100 g of the snack product; and the flavonoid content is about 87 - 96 mg / 100 g of the snack product.

17. The snack product according to any one of claims 14 to 16, wherein, The fruits and / or vegetables include carrots, broccoli, onions, and parsley, and wherein the snack product comprises: About 11.5 - 12.5 g of carrots per 100 g of the snack product; About 1.5 - 2.5 g of broccoli per 100 g of the snack product; About 5.5 - 6.5 g of onions per 100 g of the snack product; and About 1.5 - 2.5 g of parsley per 100 g of the snack product.

18. The snack product according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein, Based on the weight of the product, the moisture content of the product is 2 wt% to 5 wt%.

19. A dough for producing the snack product according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the dough comprises: a. 70 - 80 wt% fresh or IQF fruits and / or vegetables; b. 10 - 25 wt% dehydrated potatoes; c. 2 - 7 wt% starch; d. 0.1 - 1.0 wt% emulsifier; e. 0.2 - 2 wt% edible oil.

20. The dough according to claim 19, wherein, The dough comprises: a. 70 - 80 wt% fresh or IQF fruits and / or vegetables; b. 10 - 20 wt% dehydrated potatoes; c. 2 - 6 wt% starch; d. 0.2 - 0.4 wt% emulsifier; e. 0.2 - 1.1 wt% edible oil.

21. The dough according to claim 19 or 20, based on the wet weight of the dough, the moisture content of the dough is about 70 wt% to 80 wt%.

22. A method for making a non - fried snack product containing fruits and / or vegetables, comprising: a. Select one or more fruits and / or vegetables in fresh or frozen (IQF) form; b. Optionally process the fruits or vegetables; c. Combine the fruits and / or vegetables with dehydrated potatoes, starch, emulsifier, and edible oil in the following amounts to produce a dough with a moisture content of 70 wt% to 80 wt% based on the wet weight of the dough: (i) Vegetables / fruits: about 70 wt% to about 80 wt%; (ii) Dehydrated potatoes: about 10 wt% to about 25 wt%; (iii) Starch: about 2 wt% to about 7 wt%; (iv) Emulsifier: about 0.1 wt% to about 1.0 wt%; (v) Edible oil: about 0.2 wt% to about 2 wt%; d. Shape the dough mixture into individual sheets with a thickness of 1 mm to 8 mm; e. Microwave bake each sheet to produce a first intermediate baked sheet, the moisture content of the first intermediate baked sheet being 35 wt% to 45 wt% based on the weight of the intermediate baked sheet; f. Impingement oven bake the first intermediate baked sheet to produce a second intermediate baked sheet, the moisture content of the second intermediate baked sheet being 8 wt% to 15 wt% based on the weight of the intermediate cooked sheet; and g. Bake the second intermediate baked sheet in a hot air convection oven to produce a baked snack sheet, the moisture content of the baked snack sheet being about 0.5 wt% to about 5 wt% based on the weight of the baked snack sheet.

23. The method according to claim 22, wherein, Process the fruits and / or vegetables according to step (b) by (i) steaming at a temperature of at least 90°C for 0.25 minutes to 15 minutes and / or (ii) crushing.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein, Process the fruits and / or vegetables according to step (b) by (i) steaming at a temperature of at least 90°C for 0.5 minutes to 10 minutes.

25. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 24, wherein, The fruit and / or vegetable is one or more of carrot, onion, broccoli or parsley.

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