Method for forming fruits and vegetables

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for shaping fruits and vegetables using ultrasound, convenience food products containing fruits and vegetables shaped in this manner, and the use of ultrasound in shaping fruits and vegetables.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for forming fruits and vegetables using ultrasound, convenience food items containing fruits and vegetables formed in this manner, and the use of ultrasound in forming fruits and vegetables. [Background technology]

[0002] In the food industry, cucurbits are commonly used due to their diverse flavors and their function in cooking, such as being combined with other food ingredients to create stuffed dishes. Their high nutritional value, high water content, and local availability are additional benefits that this diverse range of vegetables share.

[0003] Driven by societal changes regarding food, processing industries, particularly convenience and "fast food" industries, have turned their attention to this "superfood." However, this sector relies heavily on standardization and simplification. In fast-food restaurants, parameters such as quick preparation, quick serving, and quick consumption are essential. This means, for example, that cucumbers must be standardized in shape. Furthermore, to accommodate a wide range of flavors with fillings, cucumbers must be excavated. While methods for achieving this shape have been found, such as growing them in glass containers or precisely separating the peel, excavation remains problematic, not necessarily due to its implementation or seed content (see, for example, the cultivation of seedless cucumbers), but due to the generation of residual substances. The hollowing process removes a large portion of the pulp. Furthermore, according to the German Federal Nutrition Center, cucumbers are one of the less digestible varieties with a bloating effect. This can be reduced, for example, by cooking. However, these intermediate steps also affect the preparation time.

[0004] Therefore, it would be an advancement to directly combine the food preparation (cooking) process with the excavation and / or peel removal of fruits or vegetables while minimizing residues.

[0005] Automated mechanized methods for shaping certain fruits and vegetables and forming cavities are known from the prior art, such as DE102014112083A1, EP18672362, US3382900, US7096777B1, or WO03 / 043443. However, these methods have the disadvantage that, due to the mechanical scraping process, scraped pulp is generated, which must be reused or discarded, thus incurring additional costs in the production process. Furthermore, the mechanical devices disclosed in the prior art are not very flexible, so strict shape requirements are imposed on the fruits and vegetables to achieve satisfactory results. This results in a large amount of waste of fruits and vegetables that are in principle edible, simply because they do not meet the strict shape requirements, for example, due to curvature, length, or thickness. Furthermore, the prior art methods only serve to shape the fruits and vegetables. The shaped fruits and vegetables then need to be further processed, such as by cooking, to be ready for consumption.

[0006] The present invention aims to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks. Surprisingly, it has been found that sonochemistry, i.e. ultrasonic acoustic cavitation, allows fruits and vegetables to be shaped independently of shape specifications and simultaneously rendered consumable by a kind of microcooking, without the production of substantial residues. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The present invention relates to a method for shaping fruits and vegetables, said method comprising: a) providing a piece of fruit or vegetable; b) sonicating the fruit or vegetable chunks; c) heating the liquid in the pulp of said fruit or vegetable chunks by acoustic cavitation; d) destroying the cellular structure of the pulp by evaporation of the liquid; e) forming a cavity in the fruit or vegetable mass (hollowing out the mass); Includes.

[0008] In a further aspect, the present invention relates to a convenience food product comprising one or more fruit or vegetable chunks formed by the methods described herein.

[0009] In a further aspect, the present invention relates to the use of acoustic waves to shape fruits or vegetables. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] Schematic of the experimental setup. [Figure 2] This demonstrates the creation of cylindrical holes in cucumbers. [Figure 3] This demonstrates the creation of cylindrical holes in cucumbers. [Figure 4] This demonstrates the creation of cylindrical holes in cucumbers. [Figure 5] X-ray tomography images are shown. [Figure 6] X-ray tomography images are shown. [Figure 7] X-ray tomography images are shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The present invention relates to a method for shaping fruits and vegetables, said method comprising: a) providing a fruit or vegetable chunk; b) sonicating the fruit or vegetable chunks; c) heating the liquid in the pulp of said fruit or vegetable chunks by acoustic cavitation; d) destroying the cellular structure of the pulp by evaporation of the liquid; e) forming a cavity in said fruit or vegetable mass; Includes.

[0012] The method of the present invention is suitable for any fruit or vegetable that has firm flesh and is therefore suitable for shaping by peeling or hollowing out, particularly those from the Cucurbitaceae family, such as pumpkin, melon, cucumber, and zucchini, especially cucumber and zucchini.

[0013] The ultrasonic waves are preferably generated in an ultrasonic processor, such as those known in the prior art in connection with ultrasonic manufacturing processes such as ultrasonic welding and ultrasonic vibration lapping, and do not require further modification for the method of the present invention.

[0014] Ultrasonic waves are preferably transmitted to the fruit or vegetable mass by a sonotrode. The sonotrode is usually the only component of the ultrasonic processor that is in direct contact with the fruit or vegetable mass. Preferably, the sonotrode is immersed in the pulp of the fruit or vegetable mass. In this process, the liquid within the pulp is heated by acoustic cavitation.

[0015] Cavitation is understood as the formation and oscillation of gas bubbles in a liquid under the influence of high-frequency fluctuations on pressure and / or density. Inelastic behavior in parts of the medium breaks down the continuous fluid phase, resulting in the formation of gas bubbles. Inhomogeneities present in the fluid promote cavitation. Once a bubble is formed, vapor from the surrounding fluid or gas dissolved in the fluid diffuses into the bubble. In the case of "vapor cavitation" (hard / transient cavitation), the bubble implodes after just a few oscillations, releasing high localized energy. When cavitation is caused by sound waves such as ultrasound, it is called acoustic cavitation.

[0016] The sonotrode is preferably adjustably mounted. An adjustably mounted sonotrode can be adapted to the individual shape of the fruit or vegetable mass by adjusting its position in at least one dimension, preferably in all three dimensions, and / or by adjusting its angle. Thus, the method is primarily suitable for types of fruit and vegetables with different general shapes, such as salad cucumbers and watermelons, and also for fruit or vegetable masses that deviate from the customary norm within a single type of fruit or vegetable, for example in terms of curvature, length, thickness, etc.

[0017] As a result of the ultrasonic pressure and density fluctuations during acoustic cavitation, the liquid within the pulp is typically heated in the immediate vicinity of the immersed sonotrode. As a result of the heating, the pulp is preferably micro-cooked, i.e. cooked by ultrasonic heating.

[0018] Additionally, the steps of forming the cavity and cooking may be separated in time and / or space.

[0019] Thus, for example, as described herein, fruit or vegetable chunks may be hollowed out in a first step. The hollowed fruit or vegetable chunks may then be cooked using ultrasound in a second step. Prior to cooking, the hollowed fruit or vegetable chunks may be filled with a meat preparation, such as a cheese preparation or a minced meat preparation. This food product may then be micro-cooked and heated as needed as the liquid within the pulp heats up.

[0020] The cooking process makes the fruit or vegetable mass, especially cucurbits, more digestible. As a result, it is possible to eliminate an additional cooking step in the production of convenience foods. Thus, with the help of the method according to the present invention, ready-to-eat foods can be produced.

[0021] The ultrasound preferably has a frequency of 20 to 2000 kHz. The liquid in the pulp may be locally exposed to temperatures of up to 5000 K. Furthermore, the liquid in the pulp may be locally exposed to pressures of up to 1000 bar. Furthermore, the liquid in the pulp may be locally exposed to flow velocities of up to 400 km / h. In some locations, the heating may involve a temperature increase of up to 110 K / s. The conditions obtained here typically depend on the frequency of the ultrasound.

[0022] Given an appropriate amount of exposure to ultrasound, the liquid within the pulp is typically heated to the point of evaporation, resulting in the destruction of the cellular structure of the pulp. The destroyed pulp, therefore, loses its cellular stability and is preferably forced against the side walls of the fruit or vegetable mass by the ultrasonic impulse, thereby forming cavities within the fruit or vegetable mass.

[0023] The side walls, which are not affected by the ultrasound, are preferably compressed and reinforced by the fruit pulp pressed against them, thus forming a stable vessel structure suitable for filling with suitable food products, such as, for example, compotes, chutneys, cheese preparations, meat preparations, chopped or crushed fruits or vegetables or mixtures thereof.

[0024] In addition to cavities in fruit or vegetable chunks, the methods described herein may also be used to partially or completely remove the skin or peel from fruit or vegetable chunks.

[0025] The methods described herein may also be used to form patterns or multidimensional structures into fruit or vegetable mass.

[0026] In a further aspect, the present invention relates to a convenience food product comprising one or more fruit or vegetable chunks formed by the methods described herein.

[0027] The convenience food products are preferably fruit or vegetable masses formed by the methods described herein, preferably including those filled with one or more additional food products such as, for example, compote, chutney, cheese preparation, meat preparation, chopped or mashed fruit or vegetables, or mixtures thereof.

[0028] The convenience food products may be food items for end-consumer market or restaurant distribution.

[0029] The end consumer market food items are preferably ready meals, typically from the consumer market, which are preparation-ready or already ready to be consumed.

[0030] The food items for restaurant distribution are preferably dishes or portions of dishes served at fast food restaurants.

[0031] The convenience food product of the present invention has the following advantages in the market:

[0032] As a result of the method of the present invention, fewer residual or waste substances are produced because the pulp is pressed against the side walls of the fruit or vegetable mass rather than being cut away.

[0033] Stabilizing the sidewalls of the formed fruit or vegetable mass creates a stable vessel for fillings, opening up the filled fruit or vegetable market to fruit or vegetable varieties previously considered unsuitable for filling due to poor stability.

[0034] The method according to the present invention can be used to process fruits and vegetables of different shapes and sizes, thus generally reducing waste of consumable fruits and vegetables.

[0035] The method according to the invention allows fruits and vegetables to be shaped and cooked in one step, thereby eliminating an additional preparation step and opening the market to fruit and vegetable varieties that are relatively difficult to digest in their raw form.

[0036] The sound wave-assisted micro-cooking method also allows for some control over the flavor of the convenience food products of the present invention. Acoustic cavitation induces chemical breakdown processes in the fruit or vegetable mass, or possibly the filling, exposed to ultrasound, which can affect flavor. Furthermore, there is no change in flavor due to thermal degradation, as would be expected with other heating techniques, such as boiling, frying, or deep-frying.

[0037] The heat input, and therefore the cooking process, may be controlled in a locally targeted manner by means of a sonotrode.

[0038] The method according to the invention also allows for the molding of chilled or deep-frozen fruits or vegetables and simultaneously bringing them to the desired consumption temperature, thus eliminating the need for an additional heating step.

[0039] Thus, the method of the present invention makes it possible to produce convenience food products, as required by the fast food industry, in a simple, standardized and therefore cost-effective process, without excessive waste and with fewer processing steps.

[0040] In an additional aspect, the present invention relates to the use of acoustic waves to shape fruits or vegetables.

[0041] Said acoustic waves are therefore preferably used in accordance with all aspects and embodiments as described herein for the method according to the invention. [Example]

[0042] The method for shaping fruits and vegetables according to the present invention will be described below by taking the shaping of cavities in salad cucumbers as an example. The experimental setup is shown diagrammatically in Figure 1. A titanium sonotrode with a diameter of 20 mm was used for processing salad cucumbers. For fruits and vegetables with other shapes, the sonotrode may be replaced by other sonotrodes with larger or smaller diameters.

[0043] The sonotrode is connected to an ultrasound apparatus comprising an ultrasound generator and an ultrasonic transducer, operating at 20 kHz and a power of 1000 W. The power may be individually adapted to the fruit or vegetable mass to be formed.

[0044] The salad cucumber is brought into contact with the sonotrode for a few seconds, during which time it is guided upwards along the sonotrode. Furthermore, depending on the shape of the fruit or vegetable mass, other movements along the sonotrode may also be performed, such as lateral or circular movements.

[0045] The ultrasound creates a cylindrical hole in the cucumber, as shown in Figures 2-4, without affecting the surrounding tissue. In Figures 5-7, the X-ray tomography images show that the surface of the cylindrical hole is smooth, without adversely affecting the surrounding tissue. Specifically, in Figures 6 and 7, it can be seen that the flesh is pressed against the sidewall of the resulting cylindrical hole.

[0046] During molding, no additional waste products are generated other than tissue fluids exiting the seed or cavity zone.

Claims

1. 1. A method for shaping fruits and vegetables, comprising: a) providing fruit or vegetable chunks; b) subjecting said fruit or vegetable chunks to ultrasound; c) heating the liquid in the pulp of said fruit or vegetable chunks by acoustic cavitation; d) destroying the cellular structure of the pulp by evaporation of the liquid; e) forming a cavity in the fruit or vegetable mass, the forming of the cavity in the fruit or vegetable mass including forcing the disrupted cellular structure of the pulp against side walls of the cavity, the side walls of the fruit or vegetable mass being unaffected by the ultrasound and being compressed and reinforced by the cellular structure pressed against the side walls to form a stable container structure; A method comprising:

2. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the fruit or vegetable mass is irradiated with ultrasound by a sonotrode.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the fruit or vegetable mass is irradiated with ultrasound by an adjustably mounted sonotrode.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the ultrasound has a frequency in the range of 20 to 2000 kHz.

5. 5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the liquid in the pulp is locally exposed to temperatures of up to 5000 K and / or pressures of up to 1000 bar and / or flow velocities of up to 400 km / h during heating by acoustic cavitation.

6. The method of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the pulp is micro-cooked during heating of the liquid.

7. 7. The method of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the hollowed fruit or vegetable mass is filled with a food product and then exposed to ultrasound to cook the filling during heating of the liquid.

8. 8. The method of any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the skin or pericarp of the fruit or vegetable chunks is partially or completely removed by acoustic cavitation.

9. The method of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the cavities form a pattern or multi-dimensional structure in the fruit or vegetable mass.

10. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the fruit or vegetable chunks are selected from the Cucurbitaceae family, preferably pumpkin, melon, cucumber and zucchini.

11. 11. The method of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the one or more fruit or vegetable chunks are contained in a convenience food product.

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