Improved process for producing liquid potato products

Abstract

Liquid potato-derived products can be produced from whole raw potatoes and utilized to produce a variety of health food products, such as dips and sauces. The liquid potato products can be produced from raw potatoes by pre-treating the potatoes, gelatinizing the pre-treated potatoes, shearing the gelatinized potatoes under specific grinding temperatures and conditions to produce a sheared potato product having a desired particle size, and then cooking the sheared potato product to form the liquid potato product.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Related Applications This application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 859,542, filed June 10, 2019, and entitled "LIQUIFIED POTATO PRODUCT AND PROCESS," and to U.S. Patent Application No. 16 / 894,116, filed June 5, 2020, and entitled "IMPROVED PROCESS FOR PRODUCING A LIQUID POTATO PRODUCT," the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. [Background technology]

[0002] The present invention relates generally to potato-based products that can be used to make a variety of food products. More generally, the application relates generally to the production of liquid and semi-solid potato products that can be used to make a variety of healthy food products.

[0003] Background technology There is an increasing emphasis on producing healthy foods derived primarily from vegetables and other organic plant-based products. For example, various food manufacturers produce dips, sauces, and other foods that use nuts or cauliflower as a base ingredient. However, these existing foods may exhibit one or more defects, such as poor taste, poor texture, allergy risk, high production costs, and overall unhealthy formulations. Therefore, there remains a need to identify and efficiently produce healthy foods from plant-based sources. Summary of the Invention

[0004] One or more embodiments generally relate to a method for making a liquid potato product. In general, the method includes: (a) providing an initial potato feed comprising potato ingredients; (b) shearing at least a portion of the initial potato feed at a temperature of less than 67°C, thereby forming sheared potato products comprising an average particle size in the range of 50 to 300 μm on a volume basis as measured by a Microtrac Bluewave Particle Size Analyser; and (c) heating the sheared potato products to at least 55°C, thereby forming the liquid potato product.

[0005] One or more embodiments generally relate to a method for making a food product. Generally, the method includes: (a) providing an initial potato feed comprising potato ingredients having an initial moisture content; (b) at least partially gelatinizing the initial potato feed, thereby forming a gelatinized potato feed; (c) shearing at least a portion of the gelatinized potato feed at a temperature of less than 67°C, thereby forming a sheared potato product comprising an average particle size in the range of 50 to 300 μm on a volume basis as measured by a Microtrac Bluewave Particle Size Analyser; and (d) heating the sheared potato product to at least 55°C, thereby forming a liquid potato product.

[0006] One or more embodiments generally relate to a liquid potato product for making a food product. Generally, the liquid potato product comprises an average particle size in the range of 50 to 300 μm as measured with a Microtrac Bluewave Particle Size Analyser, and has the following rheological properties when measured at 12.5° C.: iY 1-5 ≠Y 5-10 ≠Y 10-15 ≠Y 15-20 , ii. Y5 is at least 50 percent greater than Y1; iii.Y1-5 But, Y 5-10 , Y 10-15 , and / or Y 15-20 is at least 50 percent greater than iv.Y 5-10 is Y 10-15 and / or Y 15-20 at least 50 percent greater than Furthermore, "Y" stands for dynes per square centimeter (dynes / cm 2 ) and the subscript value used in "Y" represents the shear stress at ( 1 / s). Additionally, the rheological properties are measured 30 minutes after formation of the liquid potato product. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0007] Embodiments of the present invention are described herein with reference to the following drawings. [Figure 1] 1 illustrates an exemplary Liquid P production system that may be used to at least partially convert one or more potato-containing feeds into Liquid P and Liquid P-containing food products. [Figure 2] 1 illustrates a microscope image taken from a sample prepared in Example 1. [Figure 3] 1 illustrates a microscope image taken from a sample prepared in Example 2. [Figure 4] 1 is a chart showing the rheological properties of samples from Example 2 at days 0, 1, and 2. [Figure 5] 1 is a graph comparing the rheological profile at day 0 of the liquid potato product produced in Example 1 with the thermally milled products produced in Comparative Examples 3 and 4 and a conventional product. [Figure 6] 1 is a graph comparing the rheological profile at day 0 of the liquid potato product produced in Example 2 with the thermally milled products produced in Comparative Examples 3 and 4 and a conventional product. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The present invention relates generally to the production of Liquid P, a liquid product derived at least in part from potatoes, and the use of Liquid P to produce various food products. Particular embodiments of the invention may include a potato liquefaction system for converting potatoes and other root vegetables into useful liquid products, such as Liquid P. As discussed in more detail below, it will be observed that the systems described herein are capable of creating unique liquid potato products, i.e., Liquid P, that can be used to produce various types of food products that exhibit one or more desirable properties.

[0009] As used herein, the term "liquid P" may be used interchangeably with "liquid potato product," both of which contain at least 5 weight percent potato and are heated at a shear rate of 4. 1 / s and temperatures ranging from 12.5°C to 95°C, and has a dynamic viscosity ranging from 70 to 250,000 cP.

[0010] As discussed in more detail below, provided herein are methods for making a liquid potato product, i.e., Liquid P.

[0011] Generally, the manufacturing methods utilize an initial potato feed comprising raw diced or cubed potato components. This potato feed may optionally be pre-treated by blanching to eliminate any enzymatic activity and at least partially gelatinize the potato feed. Additionally, in various embodiments, the initial potato feed may also be chemically treated using a chelating agent to eliminate the possibility of subsequent non-enzymatic browning. However, the manufacturing processes described herein may not require blanching, pre-gelatinization, and / or chelating the initial potato feed.

[0012] Further, in various embodiments, the initial potato feed may then be mixed with water, and optionally at least one oil, in a defined ratio. This mixture of potatoes, water, and optional oil may be pre-ground at a temperature of about 1-40°C to produce a coarse slurry, with the potato pieces and oil, if present, easily maintained in suspension through agitation. Typically, if the potato pieces are small enough within the initial potato feed, the pre-grinding step may be skipped and omitted from the process. Alternatively, in various embodiments, if the process is carried out on a batch basis, it may not be necessary to maintain the potato pieces in suspension, as all materials enter the next step together.

[0013] The potato mixture, including potatoes, water, and optional oil, may then be processed in a high shear grinding device, such as an Urschel Comitrol or Tetra Laval 250 High Pressure Homogenizer, to break down the potato pieces into finer particle sizes, generally in the range of 1.5 to 500 μm, as measured by a Microtrac Bluewave Particle Size Analyser.

[0014] An advantage of using the high shear grinding device described herein is that each element of the potato mixture can pass through the high shear zone only once and for a relatively short period of time. This can result in a very efficient application of mechanical energy for grinding, causing a very low temperature rise in the sheared product (typically only a few degrees Celsius). This cold grinding process allows for grinding temperatures to be maintained well below the gelatinization temperature of potato starch, which is believed to begin at 55°C and be complete at 67°C. As a result, the resulting ground product does not automatically thicken upon grinding.

[0015] As used herein, the terms "comminuted" and "shear" may be used interchangeably, and both terms refer to a mechanical process that induces a shear rate through a liquid that alters the underlying microstructure. Thus, for example, shearing and comminuting can include the grinding of particles.

[0016] Once the potato mixture is pulverized, it may then be mixed with other ingredients such as tomato pieces, spices, beans, root vegetables, etc., and heated to a point where the potato starch thickens. Generally, this may occur once the starch reaches its gelatinization temperature (i.e., above 67°C).

[0017] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary Liquid P production system 10 that may be used to at least partially convert one or more potato-containing feeds into Liquid P and food products containing Liquid P. It should be understood that the Liquid P production system 10 shown in FIG. 1 is only one example of a system in which the present invention may be embodied. Thus, the present invention may find application in a wide variety of other systems in which it is desirable to efficiently and effectively produce liquid potato products. As described below, the system 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 may be used to implement a cold milled liquid potato (CMLP) process. The exemplary system 10 illustrated in FIG. 1 will now be described in more detail.

[0018] 1 , an initial potato supply 12 can be provided to the system. Generally, in various embodiments, the initial potato supply 12 can include diced potatoes that have been diced into pieces having an average width of at least 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, or 0.25 inches, and / or less than 0.75, 0.6, or 0.5 inches. Additionally, in various embodiments, the diced potatoes in the initial potato supply 12 can be peeled and / or left unpeeled.

[0019] In various embodiments, potato supply 12 can include, consist essentially of, or consist of potatoes. Generally, in various embodiments, potatoes can include any variety of Solanum tuberosum. Exemplary potato varieties can include, for example, Chepody potatoes, Binche potatoes, American Blue potatoes, Royal potatoes, indigenous potatoes, Maris Piper potatoes, Focus potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes, Lady Balfour potatoes, Kennebec potatoes, Collette potatoes, Chieftain potatoes, Innovator potatoes, Russet Burbank potatoes, Purple potatoes, Russet potatoes, Bamberg potatoes, or combinations thereof.

[0020] While the following description is based on the use of potato (i.e., Solanum tuberosum) as the primary component of potato feed 12, it is contemplated that potato may be replaced, in part or in whole, with other forms of starchy tuberous root, such as sweet potato (i.e., Ipomoea batatas). Thus, in any of the following embodiments, it is contemplated that the potato component may be formed from sweet potato (i.e., Ipomoea batatas) rather than potato (i.e., Solanum tuberosum).

[0021] In various embodiments, potato feed 12 can include at least 25, 50, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, or 99 weight percent of one or more potatoes, based on the total weight of the feed stream.

[0022] The potatoes in initial potato supply 12 can come from any conventional potato source, for example, the potato source can be, for example, a hopper, storage bin, rail car, trailer, or any other device capable of holding or storing potatoes and other types of vegetables.

[0023] In certain embodiments, the initial potato supply 12 may include one or more other root vegetables, such as parsnips, celery root, sweet potatoes, onions, red beets, carrots, or combinations thereof. As used herein, the term "root vegetables" refers to edible underground plant parts other than potatoes that contain a higher fiber content relative to peeled potatoes.

[0024] In various embodiments, potato supply 12 can include at least 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, or 25 weight percent, and / or less than 90, 85, 80, 75, 70, 65, 60, 55, 50, 45, 40, 35, or 30 weight percent, of one or more root vegetables, based on the total weight of the potato supply.

[0025] 1, potato supply 12 may be sent to an optional pre-treatment system 14 for further processing prior to any subsequent grinding and cooking steps. While in pre-treatment unit 14, potato supply 12 may undergo one or more processes including, for example, washing, peeling, mashing, water bathing, microwave heating, radio frequency heating, magnetic heating, electric field pulse heating, cubing, dicing, or a combination thereof.

[0026] While in optional pre-treatment system 14, potato supply 12 can undergo any known process or technique for at least partially gelatinizing at least a portion of the potatoes in the potato supply. In various embodiments, optional pre-treatment system 14 can comprise any system or device that allows potato supply 14 to be subjected to a blanching and / or gelatinization process, such as a microwave, a water bath, an autoclave, or any other device known in the art.

[0027] Generally, the blanching and gelatinization process can include any thermal treatment capable of at least partially gelatinizing the potatoes in potato supply 12. Such techniques can include, for example, microwaving, boiling, scalding, blanching, or combinations thereof.

[0028] It should be noted that in various embodiments, the gelatinization process does not include a mashing step, and therefore, in such embodiments, the gelatinized potato feed is not considered "mashed."

[0029] Generally, in various embodiments, the blanching process can include (i) contacting potato feed 12 with hot water and / or steam, and (ii) subsequently contacting the heated potato feed with an aqueous solution, thereby forming gelatinized feed 22. In certain embodiments, the aqueous solution can include one or more chelating agents and / or pH modifiers, such as citric acid, EDTA, sodium acid pyrophosphate, phosphate compounds, or combinations thereof.

[0030] In certain embodiments, the first step of the blanching process may involve contacting the potato supply 12 with heated water for a period of at least 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 minutes, and / or less than 30, 25, 20, 15, or 10 minutes. In such embodiments, this hydrothermal treatment may occur at near atmospheric pressure and at a temperature of at least 50°C, 55°C, 60°C, 65°C, 70°C, 75°C, or 80°C. Additionally or alternatively, in various embodiments, the hydrothermal treatment may occur at a temperature of less than 150°C, 125°C, 100°C, 95°C, 90°C, 85°C, 80°C, 75°C, 70°C, 65°C, 60°C, or 55°C.

[0031] In certain embodiments, the first step of the blanching process may involve contacting potato supply 12 with pressurized steam for a period of at least 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 minutes, and / or less than 30, 25, 20, 15, or 10 minutes. In such embodiments, this steaming may occur at a gauge pressure of at least 10, 25, 50, 75, 100, or 125 psig, and / or less than 300, 250, 200, 175, or 160 psig, and at a temperature of at least 100°C, 125°C, or 150°C, and / or less than 300°C, 250°C, 200°C, or 185°C.

[0032] In certain embodiments, the second step of the blanching process may occur at a temperature of at least 10° C., 15° C., 20° C., 25° C., 30° C., 35° C., 40° C., 45° C., 50° C., 55° C., 60° C., 65° C., 70° C., 75° C., or 80° C., and / or less than 150° C., 125° C., 100° C., 95° C., 90° C., 85° C., 80° C., 75° C., 70° C., 65° C., or 60° C. Additionally or alternatively, in various embodiments, the second step of the blanching process may occur for a period of less than 10, 5, 4, 3, 2, or 1 minute.

[0033] In certain embodiments, the blanching process removes very little water and / or solids from potato feed 12. Unlike prior art blanching techniques that partially dehydrate the potato feed, the blanching techniques of the present disclosure may attempt to retain much of the water, moisture, and solids naturally present within the potatoes. For example, in various embodiments, the moisture content (by weight) of at least partially gelatinized potato feed 16 may be less than 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, or 3 percent lower than the moisture content of potato feed 12. In other words, the moisture content of gelatinized potato feed 16 may be at least 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, or 97 percent of the moisture content of potato feed 12.

[0034] As a result, potato feed 12 can be pretreated in pretreatment system 14 in a variety of ways to improve the potato feed's characteristics. As noted above, this may include a blanching step. Depending on the time and temperature, the blanching conditions may at least partially gelatinize the starch within the potatoes, as well as denature any enzymes. From an economic standpoint, it may be desirable to subject potato feed 12 to minimal blanching, as some blanching techniques can cause potato solids loss and therefore reduced yield. Additionally, as noted above, pretreatment may also include immersion in an aqueous chelating solution (e.g., citric acid or sodium pyrophosphate) to prevent the occurrence of non-enzymatic browning. Typically, the blanching and chelation conditions may be driven by the size of the incoming potato feed 12.

[0035] Alternatively, in various embodiments, any of the above pretreatment processes, or the entire pretreatment, may be omitted to prepare other materials for subsequent processing and / or in the finished product that do not require such pretreatment. It is also possible that the entire pretreatment process can be performed completely separate from the rest of the process, and the resulting pretreated potatoes 16 can be frozen and stored for later use. If this is the case, the frozen pretreated potatoes can then be thawed before being introduced into the pre-grinding stage, subsequent pre-grinding system 18.

[0036] Upon leaving optional pre-treatment system 14, pre-treated potato feed 16 (or initial potato feed 12 if no pre-treatment system is used) may be introduced into optional pre-grinding system 18. While in pre-grinding system 18, pre-treated potato feed 16 and / or initial potato feed 12 may be pre-ground by a coarse cutting device, such as a bowl chopper (e.g., a Karl Schnell F-type blender) or a linear dicing machine, at a temperature of about 1-40°C. The purpose of pre-grinding system 18 is to help produce a consistent slurry feed 20 before being fed to high shear grinding process 26. However, in certain embodiments, pre-grinding system 18 may be omitted if the potato feed is already small enough to create a slurry.

[0037] After pre-grinding, potato feed 20 may then be transferred to mixing / holding tank 22 where water, at least one optional oil, and other ingredients may be added to potato feed 20 prior to the high shear grinding process. Additionally or alternatively, in various embodiments, water, at least one optional oil, and other ingredients may be added during the pre-grinding step in pre-grinding system 18. In such embodiments, mixing / holding tank 22 may be optional.

[0038] If oil is added at any of these stages, the oil droplet size may also be reduced during the subsequent high-shear milling process, making it less likely to separate than if it were added after the high-shear process. Exemplary oils may include, for example, vegetable oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, coconut oil, palm oil, corn oil, avocado oil, walnut oil, soybean oil, sesame oil, or combinations thereof. These oils and water may be useful in modifying the viscosity of Liquid P and may also enhance certain taste and texture characteristics of the resulting Liquid P.

[0039] Exemplary other ingredients that may be added at this stage include, for example, root vegetables, optional flavorings, optional additives, and / or other types of vegetables (i.e., non-root vegetables), and / or fruit.

[0040] Exemplary flavorings can include, for example, spices, meat, cheese, herbs, or a combination thereof.Exemplary additives that can be added can include, for example, protein supplements (e.g., whey protein, chickpea, soybean, or a combination thereof), dietary fiber supplements, vitamins, minerals, or a combination thereof.Other vegetables and fruits that can be added at this stage can include, for example, peppers (including bell peppers and peppers), onions, spinach, kale, mushrooms, mangoes, artichokes, legumes, corn, olives, tomatoes, or a combination thereof.

[0041] Upon leaving the mixing / holding tank 22, at least a portion of the potato feed 24 can be introduced into a high shear grinding device 26. While in the high shear grinding device 26, the potato feed 24 can pass once through the high shear zone of the grinding device, where it is subjected to high transverse and rotational shear forces, substantially reducing the particle size of the potato slurry 24 in a highly efficient manner. In various embodiments, depending on the flow rate and power input to the high shear grinding device 26, there is generally no appreciable temperature increase during the grinding process. In such embodiments, grinding in the high shear grinding device 26 can occur at a temperature low enough to avoid gelatinization of the potato starch, believed to begin at 55°C and be complete at 67°C. As a result, the resulting ground potato feed 28 can be highly liquid and pumpable.

[0042] In various embodiments, the particle size of the comminuted potato feed 28 exiting the high shear grinding device 26 may range from 1.5 to 500 μm. For example, the comminuted potato feed 28 exiting the high shear grinding device 26 may comprise an average particle size on a volume basis of at least 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, or 75 μm, and / or no more than 500, 400, 300, 290, 280, 270, 260, 250, 240, 230, 220, 210, 200, 190, 180, or 170 μm, as measured by a Microtrac Bluewave Particle Size Analyser.

[0043] In various embodiments, the sheared potato mixture may comprise a D10 particle size of at least 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 μm, and / or less than 100, 90, 80, 70, 60, 50, 40, 30, 20, or 10 μm, as measured by a Microtrac Bluewave Particle Size Analyser. As used herein, "D10 particle size" indicates that 10 percent of the measured particles (by volume) have a size not exceeding the stated size.

[0044] In various embodiments, the sheared potato mixture may comprise a D50 particle size of at least 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, or 75 μm, and / or less than 300, 290, 280, 270, 260, 250, 240, 230, 220, 210, 200, 190, 180, or 170 μm, as measured by a Microtrac Bluewave Particle Size Analyser. As used herein, "D50 particle size" indicates that 50 percent of the measured particles (by volume) have a size not exceeding the stated size. For example, a D50 particle size range of 25 μm indicates that 50 percent of the measured particles (by volume) have a diameter not exceeding 25 μm. The D50 particle size may also represent the median particle size within the measured particles.

[0045] In various embodiments, the sheared potato mixture may comprise a D90 particle size of at least 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95, 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 160, 170, 180, 190, 200, 210, or 220 μm, and / or less than 300, 290, 280, or 270 μm, as measured by a Microtrac Bluewave Particle Size Analyser. As used herein, a "D90 particle size" indicates that 90 percent of the measured particles (by volume) have a size not exceeding the stated size. For example, a D90 particle size range of 300 μm indicates that 90 percent of the measured particles (by volume) have a size not exceeding 300 μm.

[0046] The particle size ranges described herein can be determined using microscopic imaging with Lugol's staining solution and / or a Microtrac Bluewave Particle Size Analyser (Bluewave mode). Microscopic images such as those illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, or separate samples of material, can be analyzed by a Microtrac Bluewave Particle Size Analyser. The Microtrac Bluewave Particle Size Analyser uses laser diffraction to estimate the equivalent spherical size distribution of particles within a sample, thereby providing a volume-based particle size distribution range.

[0047] If the desired particle size cannot be obtained in a single pass through the high shear grinding device 26, the ground potato stream 28 can be recycled to the mixing / holding tank 22 and reprocessed through the high shear grinding device 26 until the desired particle size is obtained.

[0048] The high shear grinding device 26 can comprise any shearing device known in the art capable of providing the high shear necessary to produce the pulverized potato stream 28. Exemplary shearing devices can include, for example, an Urschel Comitrol or a Tetra Laval 250 High Pressure Homogenizer. Other common types of high shear devices that can be used can include, for example, a ball mill or a hammer mill. Some high shear grinding devices, such as an HPH, may require the potato slurry 24 to be pumpable. Therefore, in such embodiments, water may be added to the pre-ground potato feed 24 to ensure that the potato feed is sufficiently pumpable. Alternatively, in various embodiments, other high shear grinding devices, such as an Urschel Comitrol, the pre-ground potato feed 24 can be fed to the high shear grinding device 26 through an inlet funnel via gravity and therefore does not need to be pumpable; rather, the feed only needs to be sufficiently fluid to enter the grinding chamber. In such embodiments, the addition of water may not be necessary at this stage due to the inherently high moisture content in potatoes.

[0049] In various embodiments, the shearing step in the high shear comminution device 26 may occur at a temperature of at least 10° C., 15° C., 20° C., 25° C., 30° C., 35° C., 40° C., or 45° C. Additionally or alternatively, in various embodiments, the shearing step in the high shear comminution device 26 may occur at a temperature of less than 67° C., 66° C., 65° C., 64° C., 63° C., 62° C., 61° C., 60° C., 59° C., 58° C., 57° C., 56° C., 55° C., 54° C., 53° C., 52° C., 51° C., or 50° C. Note that these temperature ranges include and correct for the heat produced by the shear conditions.

[0050] In various embodiments, the shearing step in high shear grinding device 26 can occur for a period of at least 0.1, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 seconds, and / or less than 500, 400, 360, 300, 240, 180, 120, 60, 55, 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, 25, 20, or 15 seconds. Therefore, because the potato feed spends a relatively short amount of time (seconds) within high shear grinding device 28, the CMLP process is much faster than thermal grinding processes using high shear mixers, which often take several minutes.

[0051] Additionally or alternatively, in various embodiments, the shearing step in the high shear comminution device 26 may occur at a pressure of at least 0, 1, 5, 10, or 14 psig, and / or less than 4,000, 3,000, 2,000, 1,000, 900, 800, 700, 600, 500, 400, 300, 200, 100, 50, 25, 20, or 15 psig.

[0052] 1, the resulting shredded potato feed 28 is sent to a mixing / holding tank 30 where additional ingredients and additives may be added. Exemplary other ingredients that may be added at this stage include, for example, root vegetables, optional flavorings, optional additives, and / or other types of vegetables (i.e., non-root vegetables), and / or fruit. It should be noted that other root vegetables may be added at this stage so long as such vegetables are of a sufficiently small particle size (e.g., finely chopped or in the form of a slurry).

[0053] The resulting shredded potato feed 28 may form a useful base material to which other ingredients may be added. The shredded potato feed 28 may be stored in the mixing / holding tank 30 for a period of time, although from a processing and food safety standpoint, it may not be practical to store uncooked shredded potato feed 28 for extended periods of time. Generally, the sheared potato feed 28 has a low viscosity that is much easier to pump and mix compared to potato feed that has already been gelatinized through a thermal grinding process (i.e., a grinding process that occurs above the gelatinization temperature of the starch). Therefore, the sheared potato feed 28 may be easier to transport relative to potato feed that has been processed through a thermal grinding process.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 1 , the shredded potato feed 32 may then be introduced into a cooking device 34 where it is subjected to a temperature that increases the temperature of the potato feed to at least 55° C., 60° C., 65° C., 67° C., or 70° C., thereby forming Liquid P. In various embodiments, it may be desirable to heat the shredded potato feed 32 to a temperature that will fully gelatinize the starch therein. It has been shown that at least 13 days can pass between the shearing and cooking steps, provided the starch is gelatinized, without any appreciable adverse effect on the developed texture of the Liquid P product. However, from a processing and food safety standpoint, it may not be practical to store uncooked shredded potato products for that period of time.

[0055] In various embodiments, the cooking step occurs at a temperature of at least 55°C, 60°C, 65°C, 70°C, or 75°C, and / or less than 300°C, 200°C, or 100°C, and at atmospheric pressure.

[0056] In certain embodiments, the final texture and rheological properties of Liquid P may not develop until 24 hours after cooking, and may continue to develop for up to several days thereafter. Low shear viscosity results in no significant hysteresis (10 1It has been observed that viscosity may develop over time with increasing shear rate (below a shear rate of 1 / s), while high shear viscosity may decrease.

[0057] Various features and properties of Liquid P are described below. While all of the following features and properties may be listed separately, it is contemplated that each of the following features and / or properties of Liquid P are not mutually exclusive and may be combined and present in any combination, unless such combination is contradictory. Note that all weight percentages relating to Liquid P formulations are based on the total weight of the Liquid P formulation, unless otherwise specified.

[0058] In various embodiments, Liquid P comprises at least 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, or 40 weight percent, and / or less than 99, 95, 90, 85, 80, 75, 70, 65, 60, 55, or 50 weight percent of potato components originally derived from potatoes in the initial potato feed, based on the total weight of the Liquid P composition.

[0059] In various embodiments, Liquid P can include up to 90 percent by weight of one or more additional complex carbohydrate materials other than potatoes. In certain embodiments, the additional complex carbohydrate materials used to make Liquid P can have a higher fiber content than the potatoes used to make Liquid P. Examples of additional complex carbohydrate materials suitable for use in Liquid P include root vegetables such as parsnips, celery root, sweet potatoes, onions, red beets, carrots, or combinations thereof. For example, in various embodiments, Liquid P includes at least 1, 2, 5, 10, 15, or 20 percent by weight, and / or less than 60, 55, 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, or 10 percent by weight, of one or more root vegetables originally present in the initial potato supply, based on the total weight of the Liquid P composition. In certain embodiments, Liquid P comprises a weight ratio of potato to root vegetables of at least 0.1:1, 0.5:1, 1:1, 1.5:1, or 2:1, and / or less than 10:1, 9:1, 8:1, 7:1, 6:1, 5:1, 4:1, or 3:1.

[0060] In various embodiments, the at least one oil is added in an amount sufficient to comprise at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 weight percent, and / or 75, 70, 65, 60, 55, 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, or 25 weight percent oil, based on the total weight of the Liquid P composition. In certain embodiments, the Liquid P comprises a potato-to-oil weight ratio of at least 0.1:1, 0.5:1, 1:1, 2:1, 3:1, 4:1, 5:1, 6:1, or 7:1, and / or less than 100:1, 75:1, 50:1, 40:1, 30:1, or 20:1.

[0061] In various embodiments, water is added in an amount sufficient to cause Liquid P to contain at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, or 10 weight percent, and / or 75, 70, 65, 60, 55, 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, or 25 weight percent added water, based on the total weight of the Liquid P composition. Note that this added water represents water added during production of Liquid P and does not include moisture originally present in the potatoes.

[0062] In various embodiments, the flavorings, additives, other non-root vegetables, and / or fruits are added in an amount sufficient to cause Liquid P to contain at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, or 20 weight percent, and / or less than 75, 70, 65, 60, 55, 50, 45, 40, 35, 30, or 25 weight percent, of flavorings, additives, other non-root vegetables, and / or fruits, based on the total weight of the Liquid P composition. Alternatively, in certain embodiments, Liquid P may not contain any added water, added oil, additives, and / or flavorings.

[0063] Due to the inherent shear process described herein, Liquid P may be in the form of a viscous, flowable liquid with a glossy, smooth appearance.

[0064] The Liquid P described herein can exhibit a desirable rheological profile without the need for thickeners such as starch, gum, flour, etc., which may be considered undesirable additives by many consumers. For example, the Liquid P can include less than 1, 0.5, 0.1, 0.05, or 0.01 weight percent of at least one thickener, based on the total weight of the Liquid P formulation.

[0065] The thickening effect of cold-milled liquid potato products is particularly pronounced in the low shear region (i.e., 10 1 / s) is different from potato products made through either a conventional mashing process or a liquid potato product made through a hot-milling process. It has also been observed that substantially less potato can be used to make the cold-milled Liquid P described herein. As a result, this has both economic and potentially nutritional (for those avoiding carbohydrates) advantages.

[0066] In various embodiments, the resulting Liquid P can exhibit a viscosity at 12.5°C or 25°C of at least 100, 250, 500, 1,000, 1,500, 2,000, 2,500, 3,000, 3,500, 4,000, 4,500, or 5,000 cP, and / or less than 250,000, 200,000, 150,000, 100,000, 90,000, 80,000, 70,000, 60,000, 50,000, 40,000, 30,000, 25,000, or 20,000 cP.

[0067] Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the shear conditions used in the production of Liquid P help to shape its unique rheological profile. In one or more embodiments, Liquid P is a non-Newtonian fluid that has a non-linear relationship between shear stress and shear rate.

[0068] In various embodiments, the liquid P flows at a rate of 1 / 2 s (" 1 / s") at shear rates of 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 225, 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375, 400, 425, or 450 dynes / cm 2 Additionally or alternatively, in various embodiments, Liquid P may exhibit a shear stress at 12.5°C of 0, 5, 10, 15, or 20 1 / s shear rate of 900, 800, 700, 600, 500, 450, 400, 350, 300, 250, 200, 150, 125, 100, 75, or 50 dynes / cm 2 It may exhibit a shear stress at 12.5° C. of less than 100° C. It should be noted that these above rheological measurement results may be applicable immediately after preparation of Liquid P (e.g., tested 30 minutes after preparation), or after storage at 6° C. for 24 hours (“Day 1”), 48 hours (“Day 2”), or 72 hours (“Day 3”).

[0069] It has been observed that the presence of complex carbohydrate materials, such as fiber and other root vegetables, in Liquid P formulations can affect the rheological properties of the composition. As used herein, "complex carbohydrate material" includes a higher complex carbohydrate content relative to peeled potatoes. As noted above, the complex carbohydrate material may include other root vegetables (i.e., root vegetables other than potatoes). In various embodiments, Liquid P may include up to 90 weight percent of one or more additional complex carbohydrates other than potato.

[0070] In various embodiments, Liquid P exhibits the following shear stress profile at 12.5°C immediately after formation of Liquid P (e.g., 30 minutes after formation) and / or after storing Liquid P at 6°C for 24 hours ("Day 1"), 48 hours ("Day 2"), or 72 hours ("Day 3"): i. Liquid P is free of complex carbohydrate materials such as other root vegetables and free of potato components, or contains less than 10, 8, 6, 4, 2, or 1 weight percent of complex carbohydrate materials such as other root vegetables and free of potato components; 1 / s shear rate of at least 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 75, 100, 125, or 150 dynes / cm 2 shear stress, 10 1 / s shear rate of at least 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 75, 100, 125, or 150 dynes / cm 2 shear stress, 15 1 / s shear rate of at least 35, 40, 45, 50, 75, 100, 125, or 150 dynes / cm 2 shear stress, and / or 20 1 / s shear rate of at least 40, 45, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 225, 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375, or 400 dynes / cm 2 shear stress, or ii. 5 when Liquid P contains at least 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, or 25 weight percent of at least one complex carbohydrate material, such as other root vegetables, and does not contain a potato component. 1 / s shear rate of at least 150, 175, 200, 225, or 250 dynes / cm 2 shear stress, 10 1 / s shear rate of at least 200, 225, 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375, or 400 dynes / cm 2 shear stress, 15 1 / s shear rate of at least 225, 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375, or 400 dynes / cm 2 shear stress, and / or 20 1 / s shear rate of at least 250, 275, 300, 325, 350, 375, or 400 dynes / cm 2 shear stress.

[0071] In various embodiments, the liquid P has the following rheological properties: iY 1-5 ≠Y 5-10 ≠Y 10-15 ≠Y 15-20 , ii. Y5 is at least 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, or 300 percent greater than Y1; iii.Y 10 is Y 10-15 and / or Y 15-20 is at least 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, or 300 percent greater than iv.Y 1-5 is Y 5-10 , Y 10-15 , and / or Y 15-20 is at least 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, or 300 percent greater than vY 5-10 is Y 10-15 and / or Y 15-20 is at least 50, 100, 150, 200, 250, or 300 percent greater than vi.Y 1-5 is Y 10-20 , Y 20-30 , and / or Y 30-40 Greater than and / or vii.Y 1-10 is Y 10-20 , Y 20-30 , and / or Y 30-40 may exhibit at least 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 of at least 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, or 150 percent greater than

[0072] As used herein, "Y" stands for dynes per square centimeter (dynes / cm 2 ) and the subscript value used in "Y" is the shear stress at ( 1 / s) shear rate or shear rate range. For example, "Y1", "Y5", "Y 10 "," "Y 15 "," "Y 20 "," "Y 30 " and "Y 40 " are 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, and 40 respectively. 1 / s shear rate of liquid P at 12.5°C (dynes / cm 2 ) Furthermore, as used herein, "Y 1-5 "," "Y 5-10 "," "Y 10-15 "," "Y 15-20 "," "Y 1-10 "," "Y 10-20 "," "Y 20-30 " and "Y30-40 " are Y1 to Y5, Y5 to Y 10 , Y 10 ~Y 15 , Y 15 ~Y 20 , Y1~Y 10 , Y 10 ~Y 20 , Y 20 ~Y 30 , and Y 30 ~Y 40 represents the change in shear stress value.

[0073] It should be noted that these above rheological measurements may be applicable immediately after preparation of Liquid P (e.g., 30 minutes after formation), or after storage for 24 hours (day 1), 48 hours (day 2), or 72 hours (day 3) at 6° C. Additionally, the above rheological properties may be measured at 12.5° C.

[0074] When rheological property measurements and multiple storage criteria are asserted herein (e.g., "the rheological properties are measured after storing the liquid potato product at 6°C for either 24 hours, 48 ​​hours, or 72 hours"), infringement of the claimed rheological properties may be met if the infringing product exhibits the recited rheological properties at any one of the recited storage criteria (e.g., after 24 hours of storage at 6°C). In other words, to determine infringement of the foregoing hypothetical patent claim, rheological testing would need to be performed at each of the recited storage criteria (e.g., after 24 hours of storage at 6°C, after 48 hours of storage at 6°C, and after 72 hours of storage at 6°C).

[0075] The resulting Liquid P can be used to prepare a variety of food products. Exemplary food products that Liquid P can be used to prepare include, for example, dips, sauces, dressings, soups, imitation dairy products, spreads, confectioneries, beverages, and any other food product incorporating liquid and / or semi-solid ingredients. In certain embodiments, the food product comprises a dip.

[0076] In various embodiments, food products made with Liquid P can comprise, based on the total weight of the food product, at least 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, or 70 weight percent Liquid P. Additionally or alternatively, in various embodiments, food products made with Liquid P can comprise less than 99, 95, 90, 85, 80, 75, 70, 65, 60, 55, 50, 45, or 40 weight percent Liquid P, based on the total weight of the food product.

[0077] The present invention can be further illustrated by the following examples of this embodiment, although it will be understood that these examples are included for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention unless otherwise specified. [Example]

[0078] Four different processes for grinding potato products into a pumpable liquid were compared: two CMLP processes (one using Urschel Comitrol and the other using HPH), a hot-ground liquid potato process (i.e., high shear where the shear temperature increases above 67°C), and a conventional low shear process. All four processes used the same formulation, outlined in Table 1 below. [Table 1]

[0079] Example 1 - CMLP Process (Urschel Comitrol) Thawed diced ¾ potato cubes, previously blanched and treated with a citric acid chelate solution, were pre-ground in an Urschel Comitrol 1700 equipped with a Dio Cut impeller and a 3K 030 300U head at a rotational speed of 3600 rpm. This produced a coarsely granulated raw potato mash. The granulated potato mash was then mixed with water and oil in the proportions shown in Table 1.

[0080] The potato, water, and oil slurry was then milled at high shear by processing through a single pass of an Urschel Comitrol 1700 fitted with a Veri Cut HD 73027 impeller and a 218084 head at a rotational speed of 9390 rpm. The inlet temperature was 18°C, and the outlet temperature was 19°C. The resulting liquid potato cold-milled product was measured with an abrasive coarseness gauge, showing an average particle size of 75 μm and a maximum size of 130 μm. These particle sizes were later confirmed microscopically. The material was then stored under refrigeration.

[0081] Figure 2 illustrates microscopic images taken using an Olympus BX53 compound microscope in brightfield mode with LED-powered Kohler illumination (unpolarized). Potato product samples were diluted in distilled water and stained with Lugol's solution. Image capture and particle sizing were performed using the associated Olympus cellScan software.

[0082] After 13 days in refrigeration, the liquid potato cold-ground product was cooked to 70°C and then allowed to cool to room temperature. A portion was then transferred to a rheometer sample chamber (Brookfield DV3TRVTJ equipped with a small sample adapter kit using an SC4-28 spindle and a TC-650AP water bath controller) and placed in a temperature-controlled water bath (set at 12.5°C). The rheometer spindle was then positioned within the product.

[0083] Once the sample reached a temperature of 12.5°C, the rheometer ran a predetermined program. During this program, the spindle rotated at a defined number of revolutions, creating a defined shear rate within the sample, along with the wall-to-wall distance between the spindle and the chamber. As a result, the corresponding torque could be measured, which in turn translated into the shear stress (dynes / cm) experienced. 2 ) is directly converted. The program goes through a series of rotation speeds at 30-second intervals, ranging from 0 to 67.2 1 A shear rate range spanning 67.2 / s was created. 1After reaching the maximum shear rate of 1 / s, the program reduced the spindle rotation speed at 30 second intervals until it returned to zero. This resulted in two sets of data, one "top" and one "bottom," plotted together as a single curve where any hysteresis effects were evident.

[0084] Example 2 - CMLP Process (High Pressure Homogenization (HPH)) Thawed 3 / 4 diced potato cubes that had been pre-blanched and treated with a citric acid chelate solution were pre-ground in a Karl Schnell F-series blender. This produced a coarsely granulated raw potato mash. The granulated potato mash was then mixed with water and oil in the proportions shown in Table 1.

[0085] The potato, water, and oil slurry was then milled at high shear by processing it through a Tetra Laval High Pressure Homogenizer at a pressure of 1800 psig with a single pass. The inlet temperature was 20°C and the outlet temperature was 20°C. The resulting liquid potato cold-milled product was measured microscopically to have an average particle size of 200 μm, with a particle size range of 3-300 μm. The material was then stored under refrigeration.

[0086] Figure 3 illustrates microscopic images taken using an Olympus BX53 compound microscope in brightfield mode with LED-powered Kohler illumination (unpolarized). Potato product samples were diluted in distilled water and stained with Lugol's solution. Image capture and particle sizing were performed using the associated Olympus cellScan software.

[0087] After 5 days, the liquid potato cold-ground product was cooked to 70°C and then allowed to cool to room temperature. A portion was then transferred to a rheometer sample chamber (Brookfield DV3TRVTJ equipped with a small sample adapter kit using an SC4-28 spindle and a TC-650AP water bath controller) and placed in a temperature-controlled water bath (set at 12.5°C). The rheometer spindle was then positioned within the product.

[0088] Once the sample reached a temperature of 12.5°C, the rheometer ran a predetermined program. During this program, the spindle rotated at a defined number of revolutions, creating a defined shear rate within the sample, along with the wall-to-wall distance between the spindle and the chamber. As a result, the corresponding torque could be measured, which in turn translated into the shear stress (dynes / cm) experienced. 2 ) is directly converted. The program goes through a series of rotation speeds at 30-second intervals, ranging from 0 to 67.2 1 A shear rate range spanning 67.2 / s was created. 1 After reaching the maximum shear rate of 1 / s, the program reduced the spindle rotation speed at 30 second intervals until it returned to zero. This resulted in two sets of data, one "top" and one "bottom," plotted together as a single curve where any hysteresis effects were evident.

[0089] Table 2 below provides the rheological profiles on days 0, 1, and 2 of the samples tested. [Table 2]

[0090] FIG. 4 provides a chart showing the rheological properties of the test samples on days 0, 1, and 2.

[0091] Comparative Examples 3 and 4 - Hot-Milled Liquid Potato Product and Low-Shear Potato Product Thawed diced 3 / 4 potato cubes, previously blanched and treated with a citric acid chelate solution, were mixed with oil and water according to the recipe in Table 1 and poured into a Vitamix blender (Vitamix 5200 Model VM0103 11.5 amp 110v with variable speed). It was at this point that the traditional low shear method and the hot milled liquid potato process described herein began to diverge.

[0092] Traditionally, the Vitamix was run on a low speed setting (3-4 on the dial) for 2-3 minutes until a consistent, homogenous puree was achieved. The shearing process was gentle enough to ensure there was no appreciable temperature increase. The product was then heated in a microwave oven with stirring to achieve a temperature of 165-170°F (74-77°C).

[0093] For the hot-shatter potato process, the Vitamix was run on a high speed setting (10 on the dial) for 5-10 minutes until the product had a distinctive appearance change, becoming glossy with a distinct sheen and the motor was drawing power due to a significant increase in power. The amount of mechanical work applied to the product increased the temperature to approximately 170-180°F (77-82°C) by the end of the shearing process.

[0094] For both methods, the finished product was allowed to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, then a portion was transferred to the rheometer sample chamber (Brookfield DV3TRVTJ equipped with a small sample adapter kit using an SC4-28 spindle and a TC-650AP water bath controller) and placed in a temperature-controlled water bath (set at 12.5°C). The rheometer spindle was then positioned within the product. This represented the "day 0" product.

[0095] Once the sample reached a temperature of 12.5°C, the rheometer ran a predetermined program. During this program, the spindle rotated at a defined number of revolutions, creating a defined shear rate within the sample, along with the wall-to-wall distance between the spindle and the chamber. As a result, the corresponding torque could be measured, which in turn translated into the shear stress (dynes / cm) experienced. 2 ) is directly converted. The program goes through a series of rotation speeds at 30-second intervals, ranging from 0 to 67.2 1 A shear rate range spanning 67.2 / s was created. 1 After reaching the maximum shear rate of 1 / s, the program reduced the spindle rotation speed at 30 second intervals until it returned to zero. This therefore resulted in two sets of data, one "top" and one "bottom," plotted together as one curve where any hysteresis effects were evident.

[0096] Table 3 below provides the rheological profiles at 12.5°C on day 0 for the samples of Examples 1-4. [Table 3]

[0097] Additionally, the rheology of the products on day 0 from each of the four methods was measured as a function of shear stress (dynes / cm 2 ) versus shear rate ( 1 5 is a graph comparing the rheological profile at day 0 of the liquid potato product produced in Example 1 with the thermally milled products produced in Comparative Examples 3 and 4 and the conventional product.

[0098] FIG. 6 is a graph comparing the rheological profile at day 0 of the liquid potato product produced in Example 2 with the thermally milled products produced in Comparative Examples 3 and 4 and a conventional product.

[0099] As shown in Figures 5 and 6, both the cold-milled products produced in Examples 1 and 2 are substantially thicker (more viscous) than both the hot-milled and conventional products of Comparative Examples 3 and 4.

[0100] definition It should be understood that the following is not intended to be an exhaustive list of defined terms. Other definitions may be provided in the preceding description, for example, as they accompany the use of a defined term in context.

[0101] As used herein, the terms "a," "an," and "the" mean one or more.

[0102] As used herein, the term "and / or," when used in a list of two or more items, means that any one of the listed items can be used alone, or any combination of two or more of the listed items can be used. For example, if a composition is described as containing component A, component B, and / or component C, the composition can contain only A, only B, only C, a combination of A and B, a combination of A and C, a combination of B and C, or a combination of A, B, and C.

[0103] As used herein, the terms "comprising," "comprises," and "comprise" are open-ended transitional terms used to transition from the subject matter described before the term to one or more elements described after the term, and the element or elements listed after the transitional term are not necessarily the only elements that make up the subject matter.

[0104] As used herein, the terms "having," "has," and "have" have the same open-ended meaning as "comprising," "comprises," and "comprise" provided above.

[0105] As used herein, the terms "including," "include," and "included" have the same open-ended meaning as "comprising," "comprises," and "comprise" provided above.

[0106] Numeric range This description uses numerical ranges to quantify certain parameters related to the present invention. When numerical ranges are provided, it should be understood that such ranges are to be interpreted as providing literal support for claim limitations that recite only the lower limit of the range, as well as for claim limitations that recite only the upper limit of the range. For example, a disclosed numerical range of 10 to 100 provides literal support for claims that recite "greater than 10" (without an upper limit) and claims that recite "less than 100" (without a lower limit).

[0107] The claims are not limited to the disclosed embodiments. The above-described preferred embodiments of the present invention should be used only as examples and should not be used in a limiting sense to interpret the scope of the present invention. Modifications to the above-described exemplary embodiments can be easily made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0108] The inventors hereby express their intention to rely on the doctrine of equivalents to determine and assess the reasonably fair scope of the present invention as it relates to devices that do not materially depart from the literal scope of the invention, as set forth in the following claims, but which fall outside that scope.

Claims

1. 1. A method of making a food product, comprising: (a) providing an initial potato feed comprising a potato component; (b) at least partially gelatinizing said initial potato feed, thereby forming a gelatinous potato feed; (c) shearing at least a portion of said gelatinous potato supply at a temperature of less than 67°C, thereby forming a sheared potato product comprising an average particle size in the range of 50 to 300 μm on a volume basis as measured by a Microtrac Bluewave Particle Size Analyser; (d) heating the sheared potato products to at least 55°C and less than 100°C, thereby forming a liquid potato product; (e) preparing food products comprising the liquid potato product, including dips, sauces, dressings, soups, imitation dairy products, spreads, and beverages; A method comprising:

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

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

4. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the sheared potato product comprises a D90 particle size of 120 to 300 μm on a volume basis as measured by a Microtrac Bluewave Particle Size Analyser.

5. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein said heating heats the sheared potato products to at least 67°C.

6. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding water and / or at least one oil to said initial potato feed prior to said shearing.

7. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising blanching said initial potato feed prior to said shearing.

8. The liquid potato product has the following rheological properties when measured at 12.5°C: i.Y １－５ ≠Y ５－１０ ≠Y １０－１５ ≠Y １５－２０ 、 ii. Y １０ But Y １０－１５ and / or Y １５－２０ at least 50 percent greater than iii. Y １－５ But Y ５－１０ , Y １０－１５ , and / or Y １５－２０ is at least 50 percent greater than iv. Y ５－１０ But Y １０－１５ and / or Y １５－２０ at least 50 percent greater than "Y" is dynes per square centimeter (dynes / cm ２ ) per second that the shear stress "Y" is measured. １ / s) shear rate or shear rate range, 10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the rheological properties are measured 30 minutes after formation of the liquid potato product.

9. The liquid potato product has the following shear stress profile at 12.5°C measured 30 minutes after formation of the liquid potato product: i. 5 when the liquid potato product contains less than 10 percent by weight of at least one complex carbohydrate material other than the potato component １ / s shear rate of at least 15 dynes / cm ２ Shear stress, 10 １ / s shear rate of at least 25 dynes / cm ２ Shear stress, 15 １ / s shear rate of at least 35 dynes / cm ２ shear stress, and / or 20 １ / s shear rate of at least 40 dynes / cm ２ shear stress, or ii. When the liquid potato product contains at least 10 percent by weight of at least one complex carbohydrate material other than the potato component, １ / s shear rate of at least 150 dynes / cm ２ Shear stress, 10 １ / s shear rate of at least 200 dynes / cm ２ Shear stress, 15 １ / s shear rate of at least 225 dynes / cm ２ shear stress, and / or 20 １ / s shear rate of at least 250 dynes / cm ２ 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the shear stress is one of:

10. 1. A method of making a food product, comprising: (a) providing an initial potato feed comprising potato ingredients having an initial moisture content; (b) at least partially gelatinizing said initial potato feed, thereby forming a gelatinous potato feed; (c) shearing at least a portion of said gelatinous potato supply at a temperature of less than 67°C, thereby forming a sheared potato product comprising an average particle size in the range of 50 to 300 μm on a volume basis as measured by a Microtrac Bluewave Particle Size Analyser; (d) heating the sheared potato products to at least 55°C and less than 100°C, thereby forming a liquid potato product; (e) preparing food products comprising the liquid potato product, including dips, sauces, dressings, soups, imitation dairy products, spreads, and beverages; It consists of (b) comprises blanching, which comprises: (1) contacting the potato feed with heated water and / or steam; and (2) contacting the heated potato feed with an aqueous solution comprising a chelating agent. method.

11. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the shearing occurs at a temperature of less than 55°C and a pressure of less than 3,000 psig.

12. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the sheared potato products comprise a D90 particle size of 120 to 300 μm on a volume basis as measured by a Microtrac Bluewave Particle Size Analyser.

13. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein said heating heats the sheared potato products to at least 67°C.

14. 11. The method of claim 10, further comprising adding water and / or at least one oil to said initial potato feed prior to said shearing.

15. The liquid potato product has the following rheological properties when measured at 12.5°C: i.Y １－５ ≠Y ５－１０ ≠Y １０－１５ ≠Y １５－２０ 、 ii. Y １０ But Y １０－１５ and / or Y １５－２０ at least 50 percent greater than iii. Y １－５ But Y ５－１０ , Y １０－１５ , and / or Y １５－２０ is at least 50 percent greater than iv. Y ５－１０ But Y １０－１５ and / or Y １５－２０ at least 50 percent greater than "Y" is dynes per square centimeter (dynes / cm ２ ) per second that the shear stress "Y" is measured. １ / s) shear rate or shear rate range, 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the rheological properties are measured 30 minutes after formation of the liquid potato product.

16. The liquid potato product has the following shear stress profile at 12.5°C measured 30 minutes after formation of the liquid potato product: i. 5 when the liquid potato product contains less than 10 percent by weight of at least one complex carbohydrate material other than the potato component １ / s shear rate of at least 15 dynes / cm ２ Shear stress, 10 １ / s shear rate of at least 25 dynes / cm ２ Shear stress, 15 １ / s shear rate of at least 35 dynes / cm ２ shear stress, and / or 20 １ / s shear rate of at least 40 dynes / cm ２ shear stress, or ii. When the liquid potato product contains at least 10 percent by weight of at least one complex carbohydrate material other than the potato component, １ / s shear rate of at least 150 dynes / cm ２ Shear stress, 10 １ / s shear rate of at least 200 dynes / cm ２ Shear stress, 15 １ / s shear rate of at least 225 dynes / cm ２ shear stress, and / or 20 １ / s shear rate of at least 250 dynes / cm ２ 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the shear stress is one of:

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