Jackfruit product, fabrication process and food product

Abstract

The invention relates to a jackfruit product made of young unripe jackfruit having the following characteristics: - a moisture content of 3-10%, - a rehydration ratio below 1:3, and - an excretion value below 20% of the rehydrated product. The invention also relates to a method for producing a jackfruit product and a food product including a jackfruit product.

Description

[0001] TITLE OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Jackfruit product, fabrication process and food product

[0003] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The invention relates to a jackfruit product, a fabrication process for obtaining a jackfruit product and food products comprising the jackfruit product.

[0005] The jackfruit is a species of tree in the Moraceae family and is widely cultivated throughout tropical regions of the world, including India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Australia, Brazil, Kenya and Uganda.

[0006] The jackfruit bears the largest tree fruits that are consumed mainly in the regions where they grow. Although the term jackfruit is used both for the tree and for the fruits produced by the tree, the term jackfruit will be used for the fruits only in this specification and the tree will be designated jackfruit tree.

[0007] Jackfruit has a high nutritional value and provides many benefits some of which are described in the article "Nutritional and Health Benefits of Jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.): A Review" by R.A.S.N. Ranasinghe et al. in the International Journal of Food Science of 06 January 2019, hereinafter referred to as the Ranasinghe article. Attempts have been made to prepare jackfruit for mass consumption, for instance as an ingredient for a meat substitute, e.g. by drying jackfruit. Further, canning Jackfruit after thermal processing such as pasteurization or sterilization is a conventional way of it making it suitable for mass production. However, so far, these attempts have not been successful in that it proved to be difficult to prepare and transport a consistent jackfruit product globally that can be processed in bulk for mass production. In the article "Effect of thermal processing on quality of tender jackfruit in tin-free-steel cans" by Pritty Sushama Babu et al. in the Journal of Food Science and Technology of 31 July 2021, volume 59, pages 2035-2046, it is described that the thermal processing degraded the colour, texture and ascorbid acid. WO2021 / 084316A1 discloses for instance the use of ripe jackfruit as a rice (and similar products such as couscous and vermicelli) substitute.

[0008] BR 10 2018 068 336 also discloses the use of mature (but yet unripe) jackfruit as meat substitute.

[0009] Another problem is that although jackfruit has a texture that resembles the texture of shredded meat, the sweet taste prevents the use of large amounts of jackfruit to substitute meat as the sweet taste then becomes dominant. The use of jackfruit as a meat substitute is therefore limited and has to be combined with other ingredients for a complete meat substitute.

[0010] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] In view of the above, it is an object of the invention to provide a jackfruit product that can be used as an ingredient for meat substitutes and transported globally for mass production.

[0012] According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a jackfruit product made of young unripe (i.e. immature) jackfruit having the following characteristics: a moisture content of 3-10%, a rehydration ratio below 1:3, and an excretion value below 20% of the rehydrated product.

[0013] The moisture content is defined as the percentage of weight of water in the jackfruit product.

[0014] The moisture content has its regular meaning as the weight of water contained in a certain object or material. When expressed as a percentage, the percentage indicates the percentage of weight of a certain object or material that is water. Alternatively, the moisture content can be expressed as a fraction or a ratio.

[0015] The rehydration ratio is defined as the weight of the jackfruit product before rehydration to the weight of the jackfruit product after rehydration and can alternatively be described as a fraction of 1 / 3 or a percentage of 33,33%. A rehydration ratio below a certain value, means that the jackfruit product can take up more water per unit of jackfruit product than indicated by the value. Rehydration typically requires subjecting the jackfruit product to sufficient water for a couple of hours under normal circumstances (ambient pressure and room temperature), e.g. 12 hours.

[0016] The excretion value is a quality parameter that indicates how much water is released / excreted from rehydrated jackfruit product when subjected to a force. The weight of the excreted water is then compared to the original weight of the rehydrated jackfruit product and can thus be expressed as a ratio of 1:5, a percentage of 20% or a fraction of 1 / 5.

[0017] The excretion value is measured in accordance with the following method using a hollow cylinder having an inner diameter of 9cm and arranged inside the hollow cylinder a sieve that allows the passage of water but not the solid jackfruit mass: a. rehydrate the jackfruit product for at least 12 hours, b. arrange 250 grams of rehydrated jackfruit in the cylinder on top of the sieve, c. apply a uniform load equivalent to the weight of 5 kilograms to the rehydrated jackfruit, d. collect water that is excreted from the rehydrated jackfruit for one minute and weigh the total amount of collected water, and e. determine the excretion value by comparing the weight of the total amount of collected water with the original weight of 250 grams.

[0018] It is explicitly mentioned here that the above-described method to determine the excretion value provides one way for the skilled person to determine the excretion value in a reliable and clear way but does not exclude the existence of other similar methods to obtain the same excretion value.

[0019] The benefit of a low moisture content may be that the water activity is low and / or the weight of the jackfruit product is relatively low for transport. However, to retain product quality over a longer period and / or after rehydration the moisture content should not be too low. Alternatively, the moisture content may be between 5-10% or between 3-8%, for instance between 5-8%.

[0020] The benefit of a low rehydration ratio is that the jackfruit product is able to take up a lot of water and thus may be able to substantially retain its original form before dehydration. In an embodiment, the rehydration ratio is below 1:4. Preferably, but not necessarily, the rehydration ratio is above 1:9, e.g. above 1:8.

[0021] The benefit of a low excretion value is that the rehydrated jackfruit product is able to sufficiently retain the water allowing the rehydrated jackfruit product to be processed using machines, e.g. mixers, extruders, etc., without losing too much water caused by the forces applied to the jackfruit product by the machines which would negatively affect the end product quality. In an embodiment, the excretion value is below 15% of the rehydrated jackfruit product. The invention according to the first aspect is amongst others based on the insight that this excretion value is an important aspect of the jackfruit product when it is to be used for mass production. When the jackfruit product is used and consumed locally, this excretion value is not important as no large forces are applied to the jackfruit product. Hence, jackfruit products and the methods used to obtain jackfruit products have never bothered about this excretion value resulting in jackfruit products having relatively high excretion values. Prior art jackfruit products that do have a sufficiently low excretion value typically have a larger moisture content and / or higher rehydration ratio.

[0022] Hence, the jackfruit product according to the invention allows to easily transport the jackfruit product in large quantities and to be subsequently processed by machines without losing its quality.

[0023] It is to be noted here that in the prior art, different terms are used to describe the development stage or state of the jackfruit to be used or processed. There is a difference between young jackfruit and (more) mature jackfruit. Young jackfruit is always unripe, but mature jackfruit can be both unripe and ripe. Green and tender jackfruit typically refers to mature unripe jackfruit. Due to the unripe nature of green and tender jackfruit, this is sometimes erroneously referred to as young jackfruit as defined in the Ranasinghe article, but young jackfruit as defined in the Ranasinghe article is hard and thus not tender at all while more mature jackfruit becomes tender as it ripens. The same applies to the use of the term "raw", which refers in principle to a food product that has not undergone a cooking process and not to the development stage of the food product itself.

[0024] The jackfruit product according to the first aspect of the invention is made of young unripe jackfruit. It is important that the seeds have not been fully developed, that the flesh inside the jackfruit is not overly fibrous, that the jackfruits do not have a ripe / sweet smell and the seed pockets are not brown. The young unripe jackfruit forming the basis of the jackfruit product according to the first aspect of the invention preferably has a weight less than 3.2 kilograms, more preferably less than 3 kilograms, even more preferably less than 2.8 kilograms, and most preferably less than 2.7 kilograms. Additionally, or alternatively, the young unripe jackfruit forming the basis of the jackfruit product according to the first aspect of the invention has a weight above 1.5 kilograms, preferably above 1.8 kilograms, more preferably above 2.0 kilograms.

[0025] Further, young unripe jackfruits are relatively hard and have a bitter taste due to tannins in the jackfruit. Cooking the jackfruits allows to soften the jackfruit and to remove the stringent tannin taste of jackfruit. The time required to cook the jackfruits to soften and / or remove the stringent tannin taste is dependent on the age of the jackfruit. The young unripe jackfruit forming the basis for the jackfruit product according to the first aspect of the invention may alternatively or additionally be characterized by requiring a cooking time of a piece of 0.25 kilograms of jackfruit of between 10-60 minutes at a temperature between 60-100 degrees Celsius to soften and / or remove the tanning taste. Instead of 10 minutes, the lower limit in this range may alternatively be 12 minutes, 15 minutes, 18 minutes or 20 minutes. Instead of 60 minutes, the upper limit in this range may alternatively be 50 minutes, 40 minutes or 30 minutes.

[0026] In an embodiment, the salinity as sodium chloride is in the range of 0.05 - 0.1%w / v. This preserves the jackfruit product and allows to keep its original color for a relatively long period of time. In an embodiment, the pH of the jackfruit product is below 7.2, preferably below 7, more preferably below 6, even more preferably below 5, and most preferably between 4 and 5. This also aids in the preservation of the jackfruit product and allows to keep its original color for a relatively long period of time.

[0027] In an embodiment, the jackfruit product has a white or off white or grey color. In an embodiment, the jackfruit product does not have a brown color, e.g. caused by oxidation also referred to as enzymatic browning.

[0028] The jackfruit product may further be characterized by one or more of the following nutritional information:

[0029] 2-7% (w / w) fat,

[0030] 10-15% (w / w), e.g. 12-13% (w / w), protein,

[0031] 10-50% (w / w), e.g. 10-15% (w / w) or 40-50% (w / w), carbohydrates, and

[0032] 20-60% (w / w), e.g. 20-30% (w / w) or 50-55% (w / w) fibres, wherein the total will of course be 100% or less (meaning that the jackfruit product further also contains other components not mentioned in this list).

[0033] In an embodiment, the carbohydrates and fibers together form 50-70% (w / w) of the jackfruit product.

[0034] In an embodiment, the water activity is between 0.2-0.5, e.g. between 0.3-0.4.

[0035] In an embodiment, at least 95%, preferably at least 97%, more preferably at least 99%, even more preferably 100% of the jack fruit product is made of young unripe jackfruit.

[0036] According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for preparing a jackfruit product, said method comprising the following steps: a. selecting young unripe jackfruit, b. peeling the selected jackfruit, c. cooking the peeled jackfruit, d. cutting or tearing the cooked jackfruit into smaller pieces, and e. drying the cut / torn jackfruit, wherein during step b. and / or in between steps b. and c. and / or during step c. the jackfruit is substantially submersed in an acid solution.

[0037] The jackfruit is highly susceptible to oxidation causing discoloring of the product. When the finished jackfruit product is used in mass production as a food ingredient, for instance in or as meat substitutes, the processing is easier when the color of the jackfruit product is unaffected, i.e. has a white, or off white or grey color, and not a brown color, e.g. caused by oxidation also referred to as enzymatic browning. It is then possible for the jackfruit product to be colored by other ingredients.

[0038] Further, young unripe jackfruits have a bitter taste due to tannins in the jackfruit and thus are in principle not suitable to be used in all kinds of products, e.g. meat substitutes.

[0039] However, cooking the jackfruits allows to remove the stringent tannin taste of the jackfruit.

[0040] Also, young unripe jackfruits are relatively hard and thus cannot be used in all kinds of products. The young unripe jackfruits do not have a texture like the mature jackfruit that resembles the texture of meat. However, cooking the jackfruits allows to obtain a tenderness that is close to the texture of meat while at the same time the stringent taste similar to green mango or unripe banana is removed. Hence, using the method according to the second aspect of the invention, it is possible to obtain a jackfruit product having a texture that resembles the texture of meat, has a neutral taste and a neutral color allowing it to be used in a variety of food products that can be mass fabricated.

[0041] Depending on the variety of jackfruit, a jackfruit can weigh on average between 10-25 kilograms. In an embodiment, step a. of the method according to the second aspect of the invention includes selecting jackfruits in a range of 1.5 - 3.2 kilograms, preferably in a range of 1.8 - 3 kilograms, more preferably in a range of 1.8 - 2.8 kilograms. Such jackfruits have a high chance of having the right quality, e.g. having no fully developed seeds and / or having fibers that are intact and firmly held between the core and the rind of the jackfruit. When jackfruits above 3.2 kilograms are selected, the chances are too high that the seeds have fully developed and / or the fibers are tough and / or separated. Selecting jackfruits below 1.5 kilograms has the disadvantage that the cooking process may take too long, but also that more jackfruits and the corresponding processing thereof are needed to obtain a certain amount of jackfruit product.

[0042] An advantage of cutting or tearing the cooked jackfruit and thus keeping the chunks of jackfruit during cooking relatively large is that less surface area is subjected to the boiling water resulting in less loss of dry matter. This increases the yield of jackfruit product.

[0043] In an embodiment, the jackfruits are cleaned before step b. Not only does this reduce the risk that dust and dirt or other contaminations end up in the end product, but also allows this to inspect the jackfruit for one or more of the following quality issues: rotting or molding, cracks exposing the interior of the fruit, chemical residue, pest residue, and pests

[0044] When the jackfruit does not meet the quality check, the jackfruit is rejected and not selected / used. This may also apply when the jackfruit does not have the proper weight as mentioned above.

[0045] In an embodiment, when the jackfruit is too dirty or dusty so that it is anticipated that cleaning may be difficult or take too long, the jackfruit may be rejected prior to cleaning.

[0046] The rind of the jackfruit is less suitable for consumption, so that the rind is peeled off by peeling the jackfruit thereby exposing the inside of the jackfruit.

[0047] In an embodiment, the jackfruit is sliced into a plurality of parts before cooking. This may increase the homogeneity of the cooked jackfruits as heat does not have to penetrate too deeply into the jackfruit parts. Preferably, the plurality of parts has substantially the same weight and / or size, e.g. thickness, so that they all substantially have the same cooking time to obtain a desired result.

[0048] Slicing the jackfruit also has the advantage that the inside of the jackfruit can be checked for quality issues. It can for instance be checked whether the jackfruit has the right maturity, e.g. by checking for fully developed seeds, overly fibrous flesh, ripe / sweet smell and / or brown seed pockets which are an indication that the jackfruit is too mature and should not be used.

[0049] In an embodiment, in between steps b. and c. the peeled and / or sliced jackfruits are substantially submersed in an acid solution having a pH in the range of 3-5, preferably in the range of 3.5 to 4. This reduces the exposure to air and may prevent discoloring and / or prevents or reduces microbial growth. The acid solution may for instance comprise water and ascorbic acid and / or citric acid.

[0050] In an embodiment, cooking peeled and / or sliced jackfruits takes place in an acid solution having a pH in the range of 3-5, preferably a pH in the range of 3.5 to 4. This prevents or reduces microbial growth and / or prevents discoloring of the jackfruit during cooking. The acid solution may for instance comprise citric acid and / or salt and / or another processing aid. Cooking should be as long as required to obtain the desired texture and remove the bitter taste. Cooking preferably takes place 10-60 minutes at a temperature between 60- 100 degrees Celsius. Instead of 10 minutes, the lower limit in this range may alternatively be 12 minutes, 15 minutes, 18 minutes or 20 minutes. Instead of 60 minutes, the upper limit in this range may alternatively be 50 minutes, 40 minutes or 30 minutes.

[0051] Once cooking is no longer required, the cooked jackfruit is preferably cooled first before moving to step d. This may prevent lumps forming during step d.

[0052] In an embodiment, salt and / or another processing aid and / or an acid are added to the cooked jackfruits before cutting or tearing in step d. such that the cutting or tearing of the jackfruit into pieces also causes mixing of the salt and / or another processing aid and / or acid through the pieces of jackfruit. As a result, all pieces of the jackfruit may be sufficiently subjected to the salt and / or another processing aid and / or acid which aids in preserving the jackfruit product over a longer period.

[0053] In an embodiment, the time between the end of step c. and the start of step e. should be less than 2 hours, preferably less than 1.5 hours and more preferably less than 1 hour.

[0054] In an embodiment, step e. is carried out until the moisture content is between 3-10%.

[0055] In an embodiment, step e. is carried out at a temperature above 50 degrees Celsius.

[0056] In an embodiment, after step e., the dried jackfruit is stored in a low-humidity environment to cool down.

[0057] In an embodiment, the dried jackfruit is packaged for transport, preferably within 48 hours, more preferably within 36 hours, even more preferably within 24 hours, and most preferably within 18 hours, e.g. within 12 hours, after step e.

[0058] In an embodiment, the end product after step e. is a jackfruit product according to the first aspect of the invention. Hence, features and / or embodiments described in relation to one aspect of the invention may readily be applied as corresponding features and / or embodiments in relation to the other aspect of the invention.

[0059] After step e., the end product may undergo a quality check by taking a portion of the end product and checking for one or more of the following parameters: i. color, e.g. white, off-white or grey, not brown, ii. organoleptic, bland taste, no off taste or smell, iii. presence of foreign matter, e.g. pests, sand, metal or plastic, iv. moisture content, e.g. between 3-10%, v. rehydration ratio, e.g. below 1:3, vi. excretion ratio, e.g. below 20%, and vii. presence of fermented odor and / or slimy water after rehydration, e.g. after a predetermined time after rehydration, for instance after 12 hours. It is possible to check all parameters using the same portion of the end product.

[0060] In an embodiment, the method according to the second aspect of the invention is carried out batch-wise. Alternatively, the method may be carried out continuously.

[0061] According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a food product comprising a jackfruit product according to the first aspect of the invention. The jackfruit product may be made using a method according to the second aspect of the invention.

[0062] According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a food product comprising a jackfruit product made using a method according to the second aspect of the invention. The jackfruit product may be a jackfruit product according to the first aspect of the invention.

[0063] The food product according to the third or fourth aspect of the invention may be or comprise a meat substitute.

[0064] In an embodiment, the food products according to the third or fourth aspect include at least 50% jackfruit product, preferably at least 70%, more preferably at least 80%, even more preferably at least 90%, and most preferably at least 95%.

[0065] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0066] The invention will now be described in a non-limiting way by reference to the accompanying drawings in which like parts are indicated by like reference symbols, and in which:

[0067] Fig. 1 schematically depicts a scheme representative for carrying out a method according to the second aspect of the invention to obtain a jackfruit product according to the first aspect of the invention, and

[0068] Fig. 2 schematically depicts an experiment to determine the excretion value of a jackfruit product. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0069] Fig. 1 schematically depicts a scheme representative for carrying out a method 100 according to the second aspect of the invention to obtain a jackfruit product according to the first aspect of the invention.

[0070] It is noted explicitly here that the method depicted in Fig. 1 is a detailed example and includes more steps than required to fall within the scope of the claims. Further, although the end product is described to be a jackfruit product according to the first aspect of the invention, the same method may also be used to obtain a jackfruit product that is not according to the first aspect of the invention similar to the fact that a jackfruit product according to the first aspect of the invention can also be made using a method different from the method according to the second aspect of the invention.

[0071] The method 100 in Fig. 1 includes a first step 110 of harvesting jackfruit that potentially has the right maturity. This may be a manual or automatic process based on size and / or expected weight of the jackfruit. The aim may be to select young and unripe jackfruit that can be processed in a variety of food products and thus has a neutral color, neutral smell and taste, and the right texture.

[0072] The selected jackfruit then undergoes a first quality check in step 115. The first quality check aims to reject jackfruit that does not have the right maturity or has other deficiencies that make it unsuitable for further processing and / or consumption. It may be expected that the right maturity is correlated to the weight of the jackfruit. Hence, by measuring the jackfruit and determining whether the jackfruit falls within a predetermined range, jackfruit that is likely to have an incorrect maturity may be rejected. In a practical example, the predetermined range may be 1.5 to 3.2 kilograms or 1.8 to 3.0 kilograms or 2.0 to 2.8 kilograms.

[0073] Additionally, or alternatively, the jackfruit may be subjected to other checks that may include one or more of the following: presence of rotting or molding, presence of cracks exposing the interior of the fruit, amount of dust and / or dirt, presence of chemical residue, and presence of pests or pest residue.

[0074] A plurality of checks may be carried out in sequence, where the next check is preferably only performed when the earlier check(s) has(have) been passed and the jackfruit is rejected when a check is not passed.

[0075] After passing the quality check, the jackfruit is cleaned in step 120 to remove all dirt and dust, e.g. by brushing and / or washing. This prevents the presence of dust and dirt in the end product. Although depicted as a step carried out after the quality check in step 115, it is possible that cleaning is carried out at a different time in the method and / or carried out more than once. For instance, it is possible that prior to step 115, the jackfruit is cleaned by brushing of dust and dirt and that after the step 115, the jackfruit is cleaned by washing.

[0076] So far, the jackfruit is still protected by its rind. However, the rind is to be removed as it will not be used in the jackfruit product to be obtained. Once the rind is removed, the inside of the jackfruit, also referred to as jackfruit flesh, can be exposed to air resulting in discoloring or microbial growth. To prevent discoloring and / or prevent microbial growth, an acid solution is used to temporarily store the jackfruit. The rind removal, i.e. the peeling of the jackfruit, is carried out in step 130. In general, after rind removal, the peeled jackfruit is placed in the acid solution. However, rind removal may be accompanied by slicing or chopping the jackfruit into slices / pieces first. In this situation, it may be preferred that after slicing / chopping, the slices / pieces are placed in the acid solution, taken out of the acid solution to remove the rind and put back in the acid solution after removing the rind.

[0077] During or after the removal of the rind, it is also envisaged that the slices / pieces are chopped (further) into a plurality of parts, e.g. wedge shaped parts that have substantially the same weight and / or size to have substantially the same cooking time. The acid solution may have a pH between 3-5, preferably between 3.5 and 4.

[0078] Slicing / chopping the jackfruit provides the opportunity to perform a second quality check in step 135 that may be performed substantially simultaneously with step 130. The second quality check may focus on one or more of the following: development stage of the seeds, fully developed or not, overly fibrous, ripe / sweet smell, absence of jackfruit parts, e.g. core, brown seed pockets.

[0079] Any of the above issues may be an indication that the jackfruit is too mature for the purpose of the method, and the jackfruit, although having passed the first quality check, should be rejected during the second quality check.

[0080] The acid solution used during and / or after the peeling of the jackfruit may also be used in the subsequent step 140 where the jackfruit is cooked. However, it is also possible that a new or other acid solution is prepared. An advantage thereof is that the composition of the two acid solutions can be different. Where the acid solution used in step 130 and 135, referred to as the first solution, may be aimed at mainly preventing discoloring of the jackfruit, the acid solution used in step 140, referred to as the second solution, may be more aimed at preventing microbial growth. In an embodiment, the first solution includes ascorbic acid and citric acid. In an embodiment, the second solution includes citric acid and salt.

[0081] In an embodiment, the acid solution used for cooking, i.e. the second solution, has a pH of 3-5, preferably between 3.5 and 4.

[0082] Although reference is made to cooking, the second solution does not have to boil for cooking to take place. The temperature of the second solution may therefore be above 45 degrees Celsius, preferably above 50 degrees Celsius, more preferably above 60 degrees Celsius, even more preferably above 70 degrees Celsius, e.g. above 72 degrees Celsius, more preferably above 80 degrees Celsius, and most preferably above 90 degrees Celsius.

[0083] In an embodiment, the second solution is boiling, typically at 100 degrees Celsius.

[0084] Although not necessary, it is preferred that during cooking the temperature is maintained substantially constant. An advantage of boiling is that the temperature is more easily kept constant at the boiling temperature.

[0085] Another important parameter for the cooking step is the cooking time. Although possible, it is not preferred to define a constant cooking time as not all jackfruit or jackfruit parts will have the same cooking time to obtain a desired result. Hence, it is possible that the method includes a third quality check in step 145, which quality check is intended to check the outcome of the cooking process. The cooking has two functions, namely:

[0086] 1. soften the jackfruit to the desired tenderness, and

[0087] 2. remove the bitter taste of the jackfruit.

[0088] The jackfruit may be cooked in the second solution in step 140 for a first period and then checked in step 145 for tenderness and taste. If the tenderness is too hard or the taste is too bitter, the jackfruit is returned to step 140 to be cooked for a second period. After this second period, the tenderness and taste may be checked again. This may be repeated for a third period, a fourth period, etc., until the tenderness and taste are as desired.

[0089] When two parameters are to be controlled simultaneously, it is possible that when one parameter is in the desired range, trying to get the other parameter in the desired range results in the one parameter getting out of the desired range. In an example, it is possible that the tenderness is first good, that cooking is continued to obtain the desired taste and that when the taste is good, the tenderness has become too soft or mushy. In such a situation, the too-soft and mushy jackfruit is rejected.

[0090] The jackfruit having the right tenderness and taste continues to step 150, which is the step in which the jackfruit is cooled and cut or torn into pieces, e.g. shredded or minced. Cooling is preferably done to remove heat from the jackfruit which heat would otherwise continue to cook the jackfruit once taken from the second solution. The cooking in step 140 and the cooling step 150 together may be carried out in such a way that it may be referred to as blanching.

[0091] Salt and / or citric acid may be added to and / or mixed with the cooked jackfruit and subsequently cut or torn. This order has the advantage that the cutting or tearing operation also aids in mixing the salt and / or citric acid with the pieces of jackfruit resulting in a more homogenous mix. The cutting or tearing operation determines the product size of the end product and may be set based on the application of the jackfruit product.

[0092] Cutting or tearing is preferably done in a sterile environment. After or during cutting or tearing a check may be performed to identify lumps that are not sufficiently cut / torn. These may be removed or returned for additional cutting or tearing.

[0093] After cutting or tearing, the jackfruit pieces are dried in step 160 until the desired moisture content has been reached. The jackfruit pieces may be distributed on trays and dried in a dryer. The dryer may be set or configured to operate on a certain temperature in order to dry the jackfruit pieces. This temperature may be in the range of 40 to 80 degrees, preferably in the range of 50-70 degrees, e.g. 60 degrees.

[0094] Drying is done until the desired moisture content has been reached. Similar to the cooking step, drying may be carried out for a first period after which the moisture content is checked in step 165. When the moisture content is as desired, the dried jackfruit continues to the cooling step 170 in which the dried jackfruit is stored in low-humidity environment to cool down to room temperature allowing the jackfruit product to be packaged for transport in step 180.

[0095] It is preferred that the time between the end of the cooking step 140 and the start of the drying step 160 is not too long, e.g. does not exceed 2 hours, preferably is below 1.5 hours, more preferably below 1 hour. It is further preferred that the time between the end of the drying step 160 and the start of the packaging step 180 is also not too long, e.g. does not exceed the 48 hours, preferably is below 36 hours, more preferably below 24 hours, even more preferably below 18 hours and most preferably below 12 hours.

[0096] Before packaging, the end product may be checked for some quality parameters. These parameters may include the moisture content, the rehydration ratio and an excretion value.

[0097] The moisture content and the rehydration ratio are parameters that can be measured relatively easily as known by the skilled person. The excretion value is representative for the amount of water that is excreted from rehydrated jackfruit product when subjected to a load as will be explained below by reference to Fig. 2.

[0098] Fig. 2 depicts a schematic cross-section of a device 200 used for measuring the excretion value. The device 200 includes a cylinder 210 having an inner diameter 220. This inner diameter 220 is for instance 9cm. Inside the cylinder 210 a sieve 230 is arranged. This sieve 230 is configured to allow the passage of water, but not of rehydrated jackfruit product 300 that is placed on top of the sieve 230. Although the sieve 230 is depicted halfway the cylinder 210, the sieve 230 may also be arranged at other positions in or close to the cylinder 210.

[0099] A certain amount, e.g. 250 grams, of rehydrated jackfruit product 300 is arranged on top of the sieve 230. A plate 310 may then be positioned on top of the rehydrated jackfruit product 300 allowing to distribute the application of a weight 320 on the plate 310.

[0100] However, it is also possible that the weight 320 and plate 310 are integrated and together form a single weight on top of the jackfruit product 300. Once the load of the weight 320 and the plate 310 is applied to the jackfruit product 300, water 340 may be pushed out of the jackfruit product. This water 340 is collected in a tray 330 for a certain period of time, e.g. 1 minute, and weighed. This weight compared to the original weight of the rehydrated jackfruit product forms the excretion value. Example 1:

[0101] Young jackfruits have been selected in Uganda based on a weight between 1.8-3.0 kg.

[0102] All dirt is washed and brushed off.

[0103] A first solution is prepared using water with 0.03 to 0.07% ascorbic acid. Citric acid is added to reach a pH value below 4.

[0104] The washed jackfruits are sliced and peeled and subsequently put in the first solution to prevent discoloring.

[0105] The slices in the first solution are subsequently chopped into wedge shaped pieces and returned to the first solution.

[0106] A second solution is made using water with 0.03-0.07% citric acid and 0.01-0.04% salt.

[0107] Citric acid is added to reach a pH value below 4. Temperature of second solution is brought to at least 90 degrees Celsius.

[0108] Pieces are transferred from the first solution to the second solution for boiling for 15-40 minutes until tenderness and removal of stringent taste is obtained.

[0109] Taking pieces out of the second solution for cooling.

[0110] Adding 1.5-2.5g / kg of salt and 0.05-0.15g / kg citric acid and mix salt and citric acid with cooked chunks.

[0111] Mincing the jackfruit with grinder plates.

[0112] Dry minced jackfruit at a temperature of about 40-60 degrees Celsius until moisture content is between 5-8% and rehydration ratio is below 1:7.

[0113] Excretion tests were performed yielding results smaller than 15% (smaller than 1:6).

[0114] Example 2:

[0115] Young jackfruits have been selected in Uganda based on a weight between 1.8-3.0 kg.

[0116] All dirt is washed and brushed off.

[0117] A first solution is prepared using water with 0.03 to 0.07% ascorbic acid. Citric acid is added to reach a pH value below4.

[0118] The washed jackfruits are sliced and peeled and subsequently put in the first solution to prevent discoloring.

[0119] The slices in the first solution are subsequently chopped into wedge shaped pieces and returned to the first solution. A second solution is made using water with 0.03-0.07% citric acid and 0.01-0.03% processing aid. Citric acid is added to reach a pH value below 4. Temperature of second solution is brought to at least 90 degrees Celsius.

[0120] Pieces are transferred from first solution to second solution for boiling 20-30 minutes until tenderness and removal of stringent taste is obtained.

[0121] Taking pieces out of the second solution for cooling.

[0122] Mincing jackfruit with grinder plates.

[0123] Dry minced jackfruit at a temperature of about 40-60 degrees Celsius until moisture content is between 5-8% and rehydration ratio is below 1:7.

[0124] Excretion tests were performed yielding results smaller than 15% (smaller than 1:6).

[0125] The invention may alternatively be described by the following clauses:

[0126] 1. A jackfruit product made of young unripe jackfruit having the following characteristics: a moisture content of 3-10%, a rehydration ratio below 1:3, and an excretion value below 20% of the rehydrated jackfruit product.

[0127] 2. A jackfruit product according to clause 1, wherein the moisture content is between 5-10%.

[0128] 3. A jackfruit product according to clause 1, wherein the moisture content is between 3-8%, preferably between 5-8%.

[0129] 4. A jackfruit product according to clause 1, wherein the rehydration ratio is below 1:4, and preferably above 1:9, more preferably above 1:8.

[0130] 5. A jackfruit product according to clause 1, wherein the excretion value is below 15% of the rehydrated jackfruit product.

[0131] 6. A jackfruit product according to clause 1, wherein the jackfruit product is made of young unripe jackfruits weighing less than 3kg.

[0132] 7. A jackfruit product according to clause 1, wherein the salinity as sodium chloride is in the range 0.05 - 0.1%w / v. 8. A jackfruit product according to clause 1, wherein the pH is below 7.2, preferably below 7, more preferably below 6, even more preferably below 5, and most preferably between 4 and 5.

[0133] 9. A method for preparing a jackfruit product, said method comprising the following steps: a. selecting young unripe jackfruit, b. peeling the selected jackfruit, c. cooking the peeled jackfruit, d. cutting or tearing the cooked jackfruit into smaller pieces, and e. drying the cut / torn jackfruit, wherein during step b. and / or in between steps b. and c. and / or during step c. the jackfruit is substantially submersed in an acid solution.

[0134] 10. A method according to clause 9, wherein step a. includes selecting jackfruit in a range of 1.5 - 3.2 kg, preferably in a range of 1.8 - 3 kg.

[0135] 11. A method according to clause 9 or 10, wherein before step b. the jackfruit is cleaned.

[0136] 12. A method according to any of clauses 9-11, wherein in step b. the jackfruit is sliced / chopped into a plurality of parts, preferably of substantially the same thickness.

[0137] 13. A method according to any of clauses 9-12, wherein in between steps b. and c. the peeled jackfruit is substantially submersed in an acid solution having a pH in the range of 3-5.

[0138] 14. A method according to clause 9, wherein cooking the peeled jackfruit takes place in an acid solution having a pH in the range of 3-5, and wherein preferably the acid solution comprises salt.

[0139] 15. A method according to clause 9, wherein step d. includes adding salt and / or an acid to the cooked jackfruit and subsequently cutting or tearing the cooked jackfruit thereby also mixing the salt and acid through the jackfruit pieces.

[0140] 16. A method according to clause 9, wherein at the end of the step e. the dried jackfruit has a moisture content of 3-10%, a rehydration ratio below 1:3, and an excretion value below 20% of the rehydrated product. A food product comprising a jackfruit product according to any of clauses 1-8 and / or a jackfruit product made using a method according to any of clauses 9-16. A food product according to clause 17, wherein the food product is or comprises a meat substitute.

Claims

C L A I M S1. A jackfruit product made of young unripe jackfruit, wherein the jackfruit product has the following characteristics: a moisture content of 3-10%, a rehydration ratio below 1:3, and an excretion value below 20% of the rehydrated jackfruit product.

2. A jackfruit product according to claim 1, wherein the moisture content is between 5-10%.

3. A jackfruit product according to claim 1, wherein the moisture content is between 3-8%, preferably between 5-8%.

4. A jackfruit product according to claim 1, wherein the rehydration ratio is below 1:4, and preferably above 1:9, more preferably above 1:8.

5. A jackfruit product according to claim 1, wherein the excretion value is below 15% of the rehydrated jackfruit product.

6. A jackfruit product according to claim 1, wherein the jackfruit product is made of young unripe jackfruits weighing less than 3kg.

7. A jackfruit product according to claim 1, wherein the salinity as sodium chloride is in the range 0.05 - 0.1%w / v.

8. A jackfruit product according to claim 1, wherein the pH is below 7.2, preferably below 7, more preferably below 6, even more preferably below 5, and most preferably between 4 and 5.

9. A method for preparing a jackfruit product, said method comprising the following steps: a. selecting young unripe jackfruit, b. peeling the selected jackfruit, c. cooking the peeled jackfruit, d. cutting or tearing the cooked jackfruit into smaller pieces, and e. drying the cut / torn jackfruit, wherein during step b. and / or in between steps b. and c. and / or during step c. the jackfruit is substantially submersed in an acid solution.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein step a. includes selecting jackfruit in a range of 1.5 - 3.2 kg, preferably in a range of 1.8 - 3 kg.

11. A method according to claim 9 or 10, wherein before step b. the jackfruit is cleaned.

12. A method according to any of claims 9-11, wherein in step b. the jackfruit is sliced / chopped into a plurality of parts, preferably of substantially the same thickness.

13. A method according to any of claims 9-12, wherein in between steps b. and c. the peeled jackfruit is substantially submersed in an acid solution having a pH in the range of 3-5.

14. A method according to claim 9, wherein cooking the peeled jackfruit takes place in an acid solution having a pH in the range of 3-5, and wherein preferably the acid solution comprises salt.

15. A method according to claim 9, wherein step d. includes adding salt and / or an acid to the cooked jackfruit and subsequently cutting or tearing the cooked jackfruit thereby also mixing the salt and acid through the jackfruit pieces.

16. A method according to claim 9, wherein at the end of the step e. the dried jackfruit product has a moisture content of 3-10%, a rehydration ratio below 1:3, and an excretion value below 20% of the rehydrated product.

17. A food product comprising a jackfruit product according to any of claims 1-8 and / or a jackfruit product made using a method according to any of claims 9-16.

18. A food product according to claim 17, wherein the food product is or comprises a meat substitute.

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