FOOD ARTICLE.

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for producing a food article consisting of an edible composition having an elongated member extending therefrom, the edible composition having a water content of less than 5% by weight. The present invention also relates to an edible composition and to the edible composition for preparing a meal or snack.

Description

FOOD ITEM Field of invention The present invention relates to a food article, a method of preparing said composition, and the use of said composition. Technical field of the invention The present invention relates to a food item, a method of preparing such an item, and the use of such an item to prepare a snack or meal. Background of the invention Consumers want a simple way to prepare snacks and / or meals both at home and on the go. When preparing a meal or snack using food products such as state-of-the-art instant soup mixes, consumers experience several disadvantages. With powders, it's necessary to add the correct amount. This can be achieved by dividing the soup mix into individual portions or adding a measured amount, such as a scoop from the container. However, a soup mix container is not ideal, as it's cumbersome and not conducive to easily preparing a savory meal on the go. Consumers also want to use snack / food mixes that look appealing and are perceived as having clear labels. Attempts have been made to overcome some of these disadvantages. For example, GB 1 019 552 describes a spoon-shaped packaging system in which a concentrated product is placed in the spoon's bowl and covered and held in place by a heat-sensitive film. Upon contact with hot water, the plastic film partially or completely detaches to release the soluble concentrated product. This system is not ideal because a piece of plastic remains attached to the spoon or in the drink, which makes it considerably difficult to use the spoon or consume the drink reconstituted in this way. Document WO0247519 describes a method for manufacturing an assembly comprising a tool comprising the following steps: - Heat 25 to 40 parts fat until melted, - Add 5 to 50 parts binder and 20 to 70 parts flavorings, - homogenize to obtain a pourable mixture, - pour into a mold, - partially insert a utensil to hold or stir the mixture before it solidifies, - cool the assembly until the mixture solidifies, - Remove the assembly from the mold. Besides high-fat soups, such as those described in WO0247519, broth-based soups are popular with consumers. Broth-based soups are known to be prepared by freeze-drying a broth, for example, miso soup. US20070054020A1 describes in Example 1 a freeze-dried miso soup prepared by a process in which miso soup is filled into a molded container, then placed in a freezer at -25°C and allowed to stand for 5 hours to cool and solidify. State-of-the-art processes are not suitable for high-throughput production due to the long maturation time of fat-based food items or the long freezing time of freeze-dried food items. There is a need to provide a process for the preparation of food items that is amenable to rapid large-scale production. There is also a need to provide a process for preparing food items that are visually appealing, easy to handle, and dissolve quickly for an instant savory snack. It is an objective of the present invention to provide an efficient process for the preparation of food items that is amenable to high-yield production. Another objective of the present invention is to provide food items that are visually appealing, easy to handle, and dissolve quickly for an instant savory snack. Brief description of the invention The inventors of the present invention have developed a process for preparing a food item consisting of an edible composition having an elongated member extending from it, as described herein. The inclusion of the elongated member makes the food item visually appealing and easy to handle. The process of the present invention is particularly suitable for high-throughput production. Advantageously, the edible composition according to the invention dissolves rapidly. In a first aspect, the invention provides a process for producing a food article consisting of an edible composition having an elongated member extending therefrom, the edible composition having a water content of less than 5% by weight, said process comprising the steps of: a) provide a mixture of edible ingredients comprising, i) edible crystalline material selected from sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sucrose and combinations thereof; i) selected plant matter from vegetables, fruits, herbs, spices and combinations thereof, iii) water, b) Prepare a chilled mixture of edible ingredients by: (i) cooling and stirring the mixture of edible ingredients to provide a chilled mixture having a temperature of -20 to 5 °C, preferably -15 to 0 °C, and (ii) placing an elongated member in the chilled mixture, or (ii) filling a mold with the mixture of edible ingredients and providing the mold with an elongated member, and contacting the mold with a liquid or gaseous refrigerant to provide a frozen mixture, c) freeze-dry the cooled mixture having an elongated member extending from it to obtain a salted food article. The phrase “comprising” as used herein is understood to mean “including” but not necessarily “consisting of” or “composed of.” In other words, the steps or options listed should not be exhaustive. Unless otherwise stated, numerical intervals expressed in the format “de xay” or “xy” are understood to include x and y. When multiple preferred intervals are described in the format “de xay” or “xy” for a specific characteristic, it is understood that all intervals combining the different endpoints are also included. For the purpose of the invention, ambient temperature is defined as a temperature of approximately 20°C. The term solid, as used herein, means a material consisting of a network of particles that together form a shape-retaining material. The term solid, as used herein, may be porous. The term particulate, as used herein in relation to a material, refers to a salt composition consisting of discrete particles, preferably discrete particles having an average particle size of at least 10 µm. The particle size distributions of the particulate components can be adequately determined using a set of sieves of different mesh sizes. The average particle size, as referred to herein, is the volume-weighted average particle size that can be measured by someone skilled in the art using conventional methods, e.g., by sieve analysis. The term elongated member as used herein means an object made of a solid material, for example wood, plastic or metal, or an edible material such as starch, having at least two ends, wherein a first end is in contact with the salt composition and a second end allows the user to hold and / or shake it. The term lyophilization, as used herein, means the removal of solid water (i.e., ice) from a frozen composition by converting it directly into water vapor, bypassing the liquid phase, i.e., by sublimation. The sublimation process is normally carried out in a vacuum chamber where the pressure is reduced below the triple point of water. Heat is introduced into the frozen extract at a controlled rate to supply the heat of sublimation while preventing the frozen extract from reaching a temperature at which it would melt. The terms “fat” and “oil” are used interchangeably unless otherwise specified. The terms “fat” and “oil,” as used herein, refer to glycerides selected from triglycerides, diglycerides, monoglycerides, phosphoglycerides, free fatty acids, and combinations thereof. Where appropriate, the prefix “liquid” or “solid” is added to indicate whether the fat or oil is liquid or solid at 20 °C. The solid fat content of the fat mixture can be adequately determined using the method described in Animal and vegetable fats and oils - Determination of solid fat content by pulsed NMR - Part 1: Direct method - ISO 8292-1:2008. The term solid fat component, as used herein, refers to fat that has a solid component at 20°C. The term liquid oil, as used herein, refers to fat that is liquid at 20°C. The term particulate, as used herein in relation to a material, refers to a material consisting of discrete particles, preferably discrete particles having a particle size of at least 10 µm. The particle size distributions of the particulate components can be adequately determined using a set of sieves of different mesh sizes. Process The present invention provides a process for producing a food article consisting of an edible composition having a water content of less than 5% by weight. Preferably, the water content is less than 4% by weight, more preferably less than 3% by weight, and even more preferably less than 2.5% by weight. The water content can be determined by standard methods, for example, DIN 10236:2001-12, PV01441, gravimetry. The feed composition preferably has a water activity of less than 0.55. Preferably, the salted concentrate has a water activity in the range of 0.20 to 0.55, more preferably in the range of 0.23 to 0.52, and most preferably in the range of 0.25 to 0.50. Mixture of edible ingredients Step a) of the process of the present invention provides a mixture of edible ingredients comprising: i) edible crystalline material selected from sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sucrose and combinations thereof; i) selected plant matter from vegetables, fruits, herbs, spices and combinations thereof; iii) water. Preferably, the edible crystalline material is selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and combinations thereof. In some preferred embodiments, the edible crystalline material is sucrose. Preferably, the mixture of edible ingredients comprises 0.5 to 30% by weight, more preferably 1 to 20% by weight, even more preferably 2 to 15% by weight, of the edible crystalline material, by weight of the mixture of edible ingredients. Preferably, the edible crystalline material is sodium chloride and / or potassium chloride. Preferably, the mixture of edible ingredients comprises 0.5 to 15% by weight, more preferably 1 to 10% by weight, even more preferably 2 to 5% by weight, of sodium chloride and / or potassium chloride, by weight of the mixture of edible ingredients. Preferably, the edible crystalline material comprises, by weight, at least 80% by weight of sodium chloride and / or potassium chloride, more preferably at least 90% by weight, and at most 10% by weight, preferably at most 5% by weight, of sucrose. Preferably, the sodium chloride and / or potassium chloride comprise at least 98% by weight of said edible crystalline material. In another preferred embodiment, sucrose represents at least 80% by weight, more preferably at least 90% by weight, and most preferably at least 98% by weight of said edible crystalline material. Preferably, the mixture of edible ingredients comprises 0 to 30% by weight, more preferably 0.25 to 20% by weight, even more preferably 1 to 15% by weight, of sucrose, more preferably 5 to 10% by weight, of the mixture of edible ingredients. The process according to the present invention is suitable for the preparation of sweet and savory soups. Savory soups commonly contain pieces of vegetables and a balance of edible crystalline materials such as sodium chloride and / or potassium chloride and sucrose. Typically, the mixture of edible ingredients preferably comprises 0.5 to 15% by weight, more preferably 1 to 10% by weight, and even more preferably 2 to 5% by weight, of sodium chloride and / or potassium chloride and 0 to 5% by weight of sucrose, more preferably 0.25 to 2% by weight of sucrose, by weight of the mixture of edible ingredients. Sweet soups are popular in Asia, and an example is Tremella fuciformis (white fungus) soup. Typically, the mixture of edible ingredients comprises preferably 0.5 to 15% by weight, more preferably 1 to 10% by weight, and even more preferably 2 to 5% by weight, of sucrose and 0 to 5% by weight, more preferably 0.25 to 2% by weight of sodium chloride and / or potassium chloride, by weight of the mixture of edible ingredients. The edible crystalline material used according to the invention preferably has a mass-weighted average diameter in the range of 10-2000 pm, more preferably in the range of 100-1200 pm, and most preferably in the range of 200-800 pm. Typically, at least 80% by weight of the edible crystalline material has a particle size in the range of 10–2000 µm. Even more preferably, at least 80% by weight of the edible salt has a particle size in the range of 50–1500 µm. Most preferably, at least 80% by weight of the edible salt has a particle size in the range of 100–1000 µm. The plant material is selected from vegetables, fruits, herbs, spices, and combinations thereof. Preferably, the plant material is contained in a solid particulate matrix (at 20 °C) comprising edible crystalline material and plant material. The plant material may be vegetable or fruit. Preferably, the plant material is plant material, including, but not limited to, powdered, sliced, diced, cubed, macerated, or otherwise crushed vegetable pieces. Preferably, the mixture of ingredients comprises 5 to 70% by weight of selected plant material from herbs, spices, vegetables, fruits, and combinations thereof, by weight of the mixture of edible ingredients. Preferably, the composition comprises 10 to 60% by weight, and even more preferably 15 to 50% by weight, of plant material, by weight of the mixture of edible ingredients. Preferably at least 80% by weight, % of said particulate plant material passes through a sieve with openings of 2000 pm. The mixture of edible ingredients preferably comprises at least 1% by weight, more preferably at least 10% by weight and most preferably at least 25% by weight of vegetable matter, said vegetable material being selected from vegetables, herbs, spices, fruits and combinations thereof, said vegetable material preferably having a mesh size in the range of 0.2-10 mm. Typically, the mixture of edible ingredients contains 1 to 60% by weight, more preferably 2 to 55% by weight and more preferably 5 to 45% by weight, of the mixture of edible ingredients, of vegetable matter that preferably has a mesh size in the range of 0.2-10 mm. Examples of plant matter include vegetables, herbs, spices, fruits, nuts, grains, and combinations thereof. Preferably, the tissue material is edible material selected from vegetables, herbs, spices, and fruits. In a particularly preferred form, the fruit is pitahaya. The edible ingredient mixture comprises at least 20% water by weight. The amount of water refers to the total water present in the edible ingredient mixture and to the bound water of the ingredients. Preferably, the edible ingredient mixture comprises 20 to 90% by weight, preferably 30 to 80% by weight, and more preferably 40 to 70% by weight of water. Preferably, the edible ingredient mixture comprises 2 to 35% by weight of starch components selected from natural starches, wherein the natural starch is preferably selected from the group consisting of maize starch, potato starch, tapioca starch, waxy maize starch, waxy rice starch, and wheat starch, and combinations thereof. The starch component may, in some preferred embodiments, be provided as a component of the plant material. The starch component may preferably comprise natural starch. Natural starch is typically non-gelatinized starch. Non-gelatinized starch may be physically modified, enzymatically modified, or chemically modified. Physically modified starch means starch that has undergone heat treatment in the presence of relatively small amounts of water or moisture. No other reagents are added to the starch during the heat treatment. Heat treatment processes include heat-moisture treatments and annealing, both of which cause physical modification of the starch without any gelatinization, damage to granular integrity, or loss of birefringence (Miyazaki et al., Trends in Food Science & Technology 17 (2006) pp. 591–599). Annealing represents the physical modification of starch suspensions in water at temperatures below gelatinization, while heat-moisture treatment refers to exposing the starch to higher temperatures with a very restricted moisture content (18–27%) (Tester et al., International Journal of Biological Macromolecules 27 (2000) pp. 1–12).Physical modification should be distinguished from starch gelatinization, which is generally achieved by heating starch in an excessive amount of water. Other terms used for this type of starch are heat-treated starch and thermally modified starch. Enzymatically modified starch means a starch that has been treated with one or more enzymes to modify its properties. Chemically modified starch means a starch that has reacted with reagents that have been added to the starch to form new covalent bonds between those molecules and the starch molecules. Preferably, the edible ingredient mixture comprises gelatin. Preferably, the gelatin is present in an amount of 1 to 20% by weight, based on the total weight of the edible ingredient mixture, preferably 2 to 15% by weight, and more preferably 3 to 10% by weight. The edible ingredient mixture preferably comprises protein material. Suitable protein material includes milk protein and albumin. Preferably, the edible ingredient mixture comprises 2 to 15% by weight, preferably 5 to 10% by weight, of protein material, based on the total weight of the edible ingredient mixture. Preferably, the mixture of edible ingredients comprises 1 to 10% by weight of a fat component, preferably 2 to 7% by weight of a fat component, even more preferably 2.5 to 5% by weight of a fat component, based on the total weight of the mixture. Fat may be present in the mixture of edible ingredients as defined herein in relatively small quantities. The fat may be liquid or solid, preferably liquid at room temperature, such as 20°C. Preferably, it may be a fat selected from the group consisting of palm oil, sunflower oil, olive oil, rapeseed oil, and mixtures thereof. It may be vegetable or animal fat. Larger quantities should be avoided, as they may interfere with the proper texture of the salted article or cause phase separation during storage, transport, or use. Relatively high quantities of solid fat, such as saturated or hydrogenated fats, may affect the desired texture and are therefore not preferred.Relatively high amounts of liquid fat, such as oils that are liquid at room temperature, can have a weakening effect on the texture of the food item. Therefore, the present invention preferably relates to a mixture comprising less than 20% by weight of fat, preferably less than 15% by weight, more preferably less than 10% by weight, and even more preferably less than 5% by weight of fat. It is particularly preferred that the amount of solid fat at 20°C be less than 10% by weight, preferably less than 5% by weight, even more preferably less than 1% by weight, based on the total weight of the mixture. The total fat, preferably present in an amount as indicated in the preceding paragraph, preferably has a solid fat content at 20 °C (N20) of 0 to 10%, preferably 1 to 5%. The mixture of edible ingredients in step a) has a temperature in the range of 10 to 80 °C, preferably in the range of 8 to 70 °C, more preferably in the range of 10 to 60 °C. Step b) according to the present invention relates to the preparation of a chilled mixture of edible ingredients either by cooling and stirring the mixture of edible ingredients to provide a chilled mixture having a temperature of -20 to 5 °C, or by filling a mold with a mixture of edible ingredients and bringing the mold into contact with a refrigerant or gaseous liquid. Preferably, the process comprises the step of cooling and stirring the mixture of edible ingredients to provide a cooled mixture that preferably has a temperature in the range of -15 to 2 °C, more preferably a temperature in the range of -10 to 1 °C, most preferably a temperature in the range of -5 to 0 °C. Preferably, the temperature of the mixture of edible ingredients is cooled from a temperature in the range of 10 °C to 80 °C to a temperature in the range of -20 to 5 °C in less than 60 minutes, preferably less than 40 minutes, more preferably less than 30 minutes, even more preferably less than 20 minutes, most preferably less than 10 minutes. Preferably, the temperature of the mixture of edible ingredients is cooled from a temperature in the range of 10°C to 80°C to a temperature in the range of -20°C to 0°C in less than 60 minutes, preferably less than 40 minutes, more preferably less than 30 minutes, even more preferably less than 20 minutes, most preferably less than 10 minutes The temperature of the cooled mixture of edible ingredients can be measured, for example, using a temperature probe such as an RC-4H temperature sensor (Elitech, USA) with probe. Normally, the temperature of the mixture of edible ingredients is cooled from a temperature in the range of 10 °C to 80 °C to a temperature in the range of -20 to 5 °C, preferably in the range of -5 to 0 °C, at a cooling rate in the range of 3-12 °C / min, preferably 10 °C / min. The cooling and stirring step within the context of this application means that the mixture of edible ingredients is simultaneously cooled and distributed within a cooling unit. In other words, the mixture of edible ingredients is cooled and mixed simultaneously. The stirring of the mixture may be achieved by the movement of one or more mixing blades or other rotor(s), blade(s), or arm(s), the stirring of which ensures that the edible ingredients are stirred, i.e., mixed, during the cooling process. Preferably, step bi) is carried out in a continuous freezer. The continuous freezer may operate in batch or continuous mode. The continuous freezer preferably has cooling and stirring means. The continuous freezer may be a cooling unit equipped with a beater, a scraped surface chilled heat exchanger, or a scraped surface freezer. A scraped surface heat exchanger (SSHE) or a scraped surface freezer (SSF) consists of scraper blades and a beater assembly within a cylinder. The scraper blades continuously scrape the frozen material from the cylinder wall, remix it with the slurry, and carry it from one end of the freezer to the other for uniform cooling discharge. Preferably, the cooled mixture undergoes an extrusion stage to produce a cooled, extruded mixture. Preferably, the mixture of edible ingredients is cooled in a scraped-surface heat exchanger, and the resulting product is then fed into an extruder comprising an extrusion screw, wherein the mechanical stress exerted by the extruder on the cooled product is 10,000 to 25,000 Pa / m², more preferably 16,000 to 22,000 Pa / m². Alternatively, the scraped-surface heat exchanger also includes extrusion media. Preferably, the temperature at the extruder outlet is in the range of 20 to 5 °C. In another preferred embodiment, the process comprises the step of filling a mold with the mixture of edible ingredients and providing the mold with an elongated member, and bringing the mold into contact with a refrigerant liquid to provide a frozen mixture. Preferably, the coolant is a refrigerant liquid. The inventors have discovered that by freezing a mixture of edible ingredients in a mold, bringing the mold into contact with a refrigerant liquid, and then freeze-drying the frozen mixture, they obtain a food item that is appealing to the consumer, convenient to use (for example, due to a toothpick incorporated into the edible composition), and efficient to produce in a high-throughput process. Not wanting to be limited by theory, the inventors postulate that by freezing the mixture of ingredients by placing a mold in contact with a refrigerant, the mixture freezes more quickly than in traditional freezing in a freezer, where air is the refrigerant. Due to this rapid freezing, the plant and / or meat material freezes before it has time to sink to the bottom of the mold, unlike with traditional freezing. Surprisingly, the volume of the edible composition increases with freeze-drying more than a standard frozen edible composition without agitation. The coolant is preferably a non-aqueous liquid and / or an aqueous saline solution. The aqueous saline solution is preferably prepared from a salt selected from the group consisting of Na₂CO₃, NH₄NO₃, CaC₂H₃O₂, NH₄Cl, NaNO₃, Na₂S₂O₃, CaCl₂, KCl, NH₄SCN, NaBr, and MgCl₂, more preferably where the salt is selected from the group consisting of NaCl, KCl, KI, CaCl₂, and MgCl₂. Preferably, the salt is selected from the group consisting of NaCl, KCl, KI, CaCl2, and MgCl2 and is used in the range of 1 to 30 g / L, more preferably 2 to 20 g / L. In some preferred embodiments, a supersaturated saline solution is used, for example, more than 100 g of salt is dissolved in 1 L of water. Preferably, for a salt selected from the group consisting of NaCl, KCl, KI, CaCl2, MgCl2, and mixtures thereof, a 15–25% aqueous solution (based on the weight of salt present in 100 g of water) is used. The coolant is preferably a non-aqueous liquid. The non-aqueous liquid is preferably a mixture of two or more of the following: ethanol, methanol, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, and carbon dioxide. Preferably, the non-aqueous liquid is propylene glycol. Preferably, the mold comes into contact with the coolant for a time in the range of 0.25 to 5 hours, preferably 0.5 to 3 hours, more preferably 1 to 2 hours. Advantageously, the edible composition is removed from the mold after freezing. This means that the freeze-drying step can be carried out in a shorter period of time compared to a composition that is freeze-dried in a container. In another preferred embodiment, the process includes the step of bringing the mold into contact with a gaseous refrigerant. Preferably, the gaseous refrigerant is selected from the group consisting of air, oxygen, nitrogen, water vapor, and mixtures thereof. In other words, the cold air present in a freezer comes into contact with the mold and causes the mixture of edible ingredients to freeze. Preferably, a process for preparing a savory food item is provided in a preferred embodiment, comprising the steps of: I. prepare a savory composition comprising an edible salt, a fat component, vegetable matter and a starch component; II. place an elongated member in the salt composition; III. cool the salted composition and the elongated member to a temperature below 0 °C, IV. Freeze-dry the frozen salted composition and the elongated member to provide a salted food item, optionally, step V where the salted food item is packaged. Preferably, in step I, the salty composition is prepared by mixing an edible salt, a fat component and vegetable matter, pasteurizing the resulting mixture, cooling the pasteurized mixture and mixing a starch component into the pasteurized mixture. In step II, the salt composition is preferably present in a mold, preferably where the salt composition is removed from the mold after step II, III or IV, preferably after step III. Preferably, the salt composition is cooled to a temperature in the range of -40 to -5 °C, preferably from -30 to -10 °C in stage III. The salt composition is preferably cooled by flash freezing. The IV lyophilization step preferably takes place during a time interval of 5 to 24 hours, more preferably from 10 to 22 hours. In the process according to the invention, an elongated member is placed in the cooled mixture. The elongated member is preferably made of a solid material, for example, wood, bamboo, plastic, or metal, or an edible solid material such as starch. The elongated member preferably has at least two ends, where a first end is in contact with the salt mixture and a second end allows the user to hold and / or stir it. The term "solid material" means a material that the user can grasp. The solid material can be a tube, i.e., hollow, typical of a straw, or a solid material. Preferably, the elongated member is a stick, a toothpick, a utensil, or a straw. In step c), the cooled mixture, which has an elongated member extending from it, is freeze-dried. The freeze-drying stage comprises a freezing step, if necessary, and a drying step. The freezing step produces a solid, frozen mass of edible ingredients. In the subsequent drying step, the water evaporates from the frozen mass of edible ingredients. Typically, the drying step takes place over a period of 5 to 72 hours, preferably 24 to 10 hours. Preferably, step c) comprises a freezing step of the cooled mixture to less than 0 °C to obtain a frozen mixture prior to freeze-drying. Preferably, step c) comprises a flash-freezing step. Preferably, flash freezing is carried out by bringing the mold containing the mixture of edible ingredients into contact with a refrigerant to produce a frozen mixture at a temperature of -40 to 0 °C. The coolant is preferably an aqueous saline solution, preferably said solution is prepared from NaCl, NH4NO3, CaC2H3O2, NH4Cl, NaNOs, Na2S2U3, CaCl, KCl, NH4SCN, NaBr, MgCl, more preferably wherein the salt is selected from the group consisting of NaCl, KCl, Kl, CaCl2, MgCl2. Normally, the mold comes into contact with the coolant for a time in the range of 0.25 to 3 hours, preferably in the range of 0.3 to 2 hours, more preferably in the range of 0.5 to 1 hour. Preferably, the present invention comprises step a1) heating the mixture of edible ingredients provided in step a) to a temperature of at least 60 °C, more preferably to a temperature of at least 70 °C, and even more preferably to a temperature of at least 80 °C, for at least 1 minute. Preferably, the heating step a1) is carried out for at least 2 minutes, and preferably at least 4 minutes. The cooled mixture is placed in a mold. The mold can be any mold suitable for use with food ingredients, for example, a plastic or silicone mold. A silicone mold is preferred. The mold may have straight, curved, grooved, or embossed circumferential side walls. Typically, the mold is an inverted truncated cone, with a narrow bottom and a wide opening at the top. The processes of this invention preferably include a step of homogenizing and pasteurizing the mixture. The mixture can be homogenized using equipment and conditions commonly known in the industry, for example, a single-stage homogenizer valve or an ultra-high-pressure (UHP) homogenizer. Pasteurization of the homogenized mixture can be carried out using any method and conditions well known to a person skilled in this field, for example, high-temperature short-time (HTST) or low-temperature long-time (LTLT) pasteurization.In a preferred step of homogenization and pasteurization according to the processes of the present invention, the temperature of the mixture of edible ingredients is raised to the pasteurization temperature, the mixture is homogenized, and then held at the pasteurization temperature for a sufficient time to complete pasteurization. After homogenization and pasteurization, the mixture is preferably held at a temperature between approximately 0 °C and approximately 6 °C for a period of between approximately 1 and approximately 24 hours, preferably with stirring. Preferably, the product is held at a temperature between approximately 1 °C and approximately 5 °C with stirring for approximately 2 to approximately 18 hours, or more preferably for approximately 4 to approximately 12 hours. Preferably, the freeze-dried food item is packaged in a hermetically sealed unit. The packaged food item is preferably contained in a wrapper. The wrapper may be any suitable food-grade wrapping, for example, a transparent, translucent, or opaque packaging film. The package may contain one or more food items. Preferably, a packaging unit comprises at least one, and preferably at least two, food items as defined herein. The salted article as defined herein is preferably packaged. Therefore, the present invention relates in one aspect to a packaged salted food article consisting of a solid salted composition having an elongated member extending therefrom, wherein the salted composition comprises, by total weight of the composition: a) 1 to 10% by weight of an edible salt selected from sodium chloride, potassium chloride and combinations thereof; b) 1 to 10% of a fat component; c) 1 to 75% by weight, preferably 40 to 75% by weight, of selected vegetable matter from vegetables, herbs, spices and combinations thereof; d) 0 to 20% by weight of starch component; e) less than 5% by weight of water, where the sum of a) ae) constitutes at least 80% by weight of the food composition. The packaged salted food item is preferably contained in a wrapper. The wrapper may be any suitable food-grade wrapping, for example, a transparent, translucent, or opaque packaging film. The package may contain one or more salted food items. Preferably, a package unit comprises at least one, and preferably at least two, salted food items as defined herein. In a preferred embodiment, a process is provided for the preparation of a savory food item comprising the steps of: I. prepare a savory composition comprising an edible salt, a fat component, vegetable matter and a starch component; II. place an elongated member in the salt composition; III. cool the salted composition and the elongated member to a temperature below 0 °C, IV. Freeze-dry the frozen salted composition and the elongated member to provide a salted food item. In a further preferred embodiment, a process is provided for producing a food article consisting of an edible composition having an elongated member extending therefrom, the edible composition having a water content of less than 5% by weight of the edible composition, said process comprising the steps of: a) provide a mixture of edible ingredients comprising, i) edible crystalline material selected from sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sucrose and combinations thereof; ii) selected plant matter from vegetables, fruits, herbs, spices and combinations thereof, iii) water, b) Prepare a chilled mixture of edible ingredients by: Cool and stir the mixture of edible ingredients to provide a chilled mixture having a temperature of -20 to 5 °C, preferably -15 to 0 °C, and place an elongated member into the chilled mixture, c) freeze-dry the cooled mixture having an elongated member extending from it to obtain a salted food article. In another preferred embodiment, a process is provided for producing a food article consisting of an edible composition having an elongated member extending therefrom, the edible composition having a water content of less than 5% by weight of the edible composition, said process comprising the steps of: a) provide a mixture of edible ingredients comprising, i) edible crystalline material selected from sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sucrose and combinations thereof; II) selected plant matter from vegetables, fruits, herbs, spices and combinations thereof, iii) water, b) Prepare a chilled mixture of edible ingredients by: filling a mold with the mixture of edible ingredients and providing the mold with an elongated member, and putting the mold in contact with a refrigerant liquid to provide a frozen mixture, c) freeze-drying the chilled mixture having an elongated member extending from it to obtain a salted food item. Food Item Preferably, the edible composition is a shaped edible composition. Typically, the shaped edible composition has a rectangular, cubic, ovoid, spherical, prism, tablet, or pill shape. The edible component in contact with the elongated member is preferably present in an amount corresponding to a single serving of a savory or sweet meal or snack, for example, soup or broth. The savory food item normally contains a salty component having a unit weight of between 1 and 50 g, preferably between 2 and 25 g, more preferably between 3 and 22 g, and even more preferably between 4 and 20 g, most preferably between 5 and 15 g. Preferably, the edible composition has a hardness in the range of 15 to 50 kg, more preferably in the range of 17 to 45 kg, and even more preferably in the range of 20 to 40 kg. Hardness can be measured using standard methods in the field, for example, with a TAXT texture analyzer. Preferably, the edible composition has a density in the range of 0.12 to 0.8 g / cm3, preferably in the range of 0.15 to 0.5 g / cm3, even more preferably in the range of 0.15 to 0.3 g / cm3. The salted article is preferably shape-stable when agitated at 210 rpm for 2 hours at 20°C. It has been surprisingly found that the salted article according to the invention does not crack, break, disintegrate, or have its elongated member detach when subjected to a test simulating transport conditions. The term "shape-stable" means that the salted food article does not crack or disintegrate when agitated at 210 rpm for 2 hours at 20°C. In a second aspect, a food article is provided consisting of an edible composition having an elongated member extending therefrom, the edible composition comprising, in total weight of the composition: a) 1 to 90% by weight of an edible crystalline material selected from sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sucrose and combinations thereof; b) 0 to 10% by weight of a fat component; c) 1 to 75% by weight of selected plant matter from fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices and combinations thereof; d) 0 to 90% by weight of starch component; e) less than 5% by weight of water, wherein the sum of a) ad) constitutes at least 80% by weight of the edible composition. The quantities, preferred quantities, ingredients and preferred ingredients, etc., as specified above, also apply to the edible composition, mutatis mutandis, unless otherwise specified. Preferably, the edible composition comprises 5 to 85% by weight, more preferably 10 to 75% by weight, even more preferably 15 to 65% by weight, of the edible crystalline material, by weight of the edible composition. Preferably, the edible crystalline material is sodium chloride and / or potassium chloride. Preferably, the edible composition comprises 0 to 35% by weight, more preferably 1 to 25% by weight, even more preferably 2 to 15% by weight, of sodium chloride and / or potassium chloride, by weight of the edible composition. Preferably, sodium chloride and / or potassium chloride comprise at least 80% by weight, more preferably at least 90% by weight, and at most 10% by weight, preferably at most 5% by weight, of said edible crystalline material. Preferably, sodium chloride and / or potassium chloride comprise at least 98% by weight of said edible crystalline material. Preferably, the edible crystalline material is sucrose. Preferably, sucrose represents at least 80% by weight, more preferably at least 90% by weight, and most preferably at least 98% by weight of said edible crystalline material. Preferably, the edible composition comprises 0 to 85% by weight, more preferably 2 to 75% by weight, even more preferably 5 to 65% by weight, most preferably 10 to 55% by weight, of sucrose, by weight of the mixture of the edible composition. Savory soups commonly contain pieces of vegetables and a balance of edible crystalline materials such as sodium chloride and / or potassium chloride and sucrose. Typically, the edible composition comprises preferably 1 to 20% by weight, more preferably 2 to 15% by weight, most preferably 5 to 10% by weight of sodium chloride and / or potassium chloride and 0 to 20% by weight of sucrose, more preferably 2 to 15% by weight of sucrose, by weight of the edible composition. Sweet soups are popular in Asia, and an example is white mushroom soup. Typically, the edible composition comprises preferably 5 to 85% by weight, more preferably 2 to 75% by weight, even more preferably 5 to 65% by weight, most preferably 10 to 55% by weight, of sucrose, by weight of the edible composition, and 0 to 5% by weight, more preferably 0.25 to 2% by weight of sodium chloride and / or potassium chloride, by weight of the edible composition. Preferably, the edible composition is a shaped edible composition. Typically, the shaped edible composition has a rectangular, cubic, ovoid, spherical, prism, tablet, or pill shape. The edible component in contact with the elongated member is preferably present in an amount corresponding to a single serving of a savory or sweet meal or snack, for example, soup or broth. The savory food item normally contains a salty component having a unit weight of between 1 and 50 g, preferably between 2 and 25 g, more preferably between 3 and 22 g, and even more preferably between 4 and 20 g, most preferably between 5 and 15 g. Preferably, the edible composition has a hardness in the range of 15 to 50 kg, more preferably in the range of 17 to 45 kg, and even more preferably in the range of 20 to 40 kg. Hardness can be measured using standard methods in the field, for example, with a TAXT texture analyzer. Preferably, the edible composition has a density in the range of 0.12 to 0.8 g / cm3, preferably in the range of 0.15 to 0.5 g / cm3, even more preferably in the range of 0.15 to 0.3 g / cm3. The water content of the edible composition is less than 4.5% by weight, even more QRCjnnn 7ñ7.ierv preferably less than 3% by weight, most preferably less than 2.5% by weight. Preferably, the edible composition contains 1 to 8% by weight of fat component. Preferably, the fat component has a solid fat (N2O) content of less than 10% at 20°C, preferably less than 5% at 20°C. In a preferred embodiment, the food article comprises a sweet edible composition comprising: a) 30 to 70% by weight of an edible crystalline material comprising 1 to 10% by weight of sodium and / or potassium chloride and 90 to 99% by weight of sucrose, by weight of crystalline material, b) 0 to 10% by weight of a fat component; c) 40 to 75% by weight of selected plant matter from fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices and combinations thereof; d) 20 to 80% by weight of binding component; e) less than 5% by weight of water, preferably where the edible composition has a hardness in the range of 15 to 50 kg. In another preferred embodiment, the food article comprises a savory edible composition comprising: a) 10 to 50% by weight of an edible crystalline material comprising 50 to 90% by weight of sodium and / or potassium chloride and 10 to 50% by weight of sucrose, by weight of crystalline material, b) 0 to 10% by weight of a fat component; c) 1 to 75% by weight of selected plant matter from fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices and combinations thereof; d) 40 to 80% by weight of binding component; e) less than 5% by weight of water, preferably where the edible composition has a hardness in the range of 15 to 50 kg. Preferably, the salted food article consists of a solid salted composition having an elongated member extending therefrom, wherein the salted composition comprises, by total weight of the composition: a) 1 to 10% by weight of an edible salt selected from sodium chloride, potassium chloride and combinations thereof; b) 1 to 10% of a fat component; c) 40 to 75% by weight of selected plant matter from vegetables, herbs, spices and combinations thereof; d) 0 to 20% by weight of starch component; e) less than 5% by weight of water, wherein the sum of a) and ad) constitutes at least 80% by weight of the food composition. Preferably, the salted food article consists of a solid salted composition having an elongated member extending therefrom, wherein the salted composition comprises, in total weight of the composition: a) 2 to 5% by weight of an edible salt selected from sodium chloride, potassium chloride and combinations thereof; b) 1 to 5% by weight of a fat component; c) 50 to 75% by weight of selected plant matter from vegetables, herbs, spices and combinations thereof; d) 0 to 20% by weight of starch component; e) less than 5% by weight of water, where the sum of a) and ad) constitutes at least 80% by weight of the food composition. Preferably, the salted food article consists of a solid salted composition having an elongated member extending therefrom, wherein the salted composition comprises, by total weight of the composition: a) 1 to 5% by weight of an edible salt selected from sodium chloride, potassium chloride and combinations thereof; b) 1 to 5% by weight of a fat component; c) 40 to 75% by weight of selected plant matter from vegetables, herbs, spices and combinations thereof; d) 5 to 15% by weight of starch component; e) less than 5% by weight of water, where the sum of a) and ad) constitutes at least 80% by weight of the food composition. In a third aspect, the present invention relates to a food item that can be obtained by a process as described herein. In a fourth aspect, the present invention relates to the use of a food item as defined herein for preparing a savory dish, preferably a soup. In another aspect, the present invention relates to a method for preparing a savory meal comprising bringing a food item as defined herein into contact with water having a temperature of at least 80 °C. Examples Example 1 The edible compositions were prepared using the recipe in Table 1. Sample 1 is a miso-type base and sample 2 is a sweet-type base (e.g., white mushroom soup). QRC / nni 7Π7 / E / Y Table 1 Ingredient 1 2 Parts by weight Salt 2 0 Sugar 1 15.7 Vegetable (particle size > 3 mm) 50 50 Water 30 25 Briefly, a soup composition was prepared using the ingredients listed in Table 1. The composition was heated to 80 °C. The mixture was then pasteurized for a minimum of 2 minutes at 70 °C (resulting in a 6-log reduction of vegetative pathogenic organisms; z-value = 7.5 °C). The mixture was cooled to a blank temperature of 56 °C (min. 51 °C, max. 58 °C). Once the mixture reached 56 °C, the remaining starch was added and thoroughly mixed. Sample 1 was added at a temperature of 50 °C through a hopper to a continuous freezer: Taylor 104-40 equipped with a 1.0 HP stirrer, operated at a stirrer speed of 180 rpm = 1.27 m / s, stirrer diameter 135 mm and equipped with a 2500 BTU / h cooling system. The cooled mixture (-2 °C) was placed into flexible silicone molds. A spoon or wooden stick with a hole was inserted into the bottom of the mold. Silicone ice cube trays with a filling volume of 90 mL (per individual popsicle) were used; 70–80 g were filled for each popsicle. The molds containing the concentrate were placed in a freezer (-40 °C) and maintained at that temperature until completely frozen. The food items were then removed from the molds and transferred to a freeze dryer: Labconco freeze dryer operated at -45 °C and <130 bar (13000 kPa), time: approx. 36-48 hours. The popsicles were removed from the molds and hermetically sealed. The process was repeated with Sample 2. Comparative example A - conventional freezing / freeze-drying Sample 1 was placed in flexible silicone molds. A spoon or wooden stick with the provided hole was attached to the bottom of the mold. Silicone ice molds with a filling volume of 90 mL (per individual popsicle) were used; 70–80 g were filled for each popsicle. The molds with the concentrate were placed in a freezer (-40 °C) and kept at that temperature until they were completely frozen. The water content of the freeze-dried salted article was 1.9% by weight of the total composition. The frozen popsicles were placed in a freeze dryer to obtain a dry soup composition. The freezing time was the freezing time from 25 °C to 0 °C: 1 and 2 less than 10 minutes. Sample A took 50 minutes. The properties of products 1, 2, and A were analyzed using visual and electron microscopy. For electron microscopy, the samples were pretreated with ion spraying using a Hitachi EL045 system, and the samples were scanned using a Hitachi TM 3000 type electron microscope. Hardness was measured using a TAXTpius texture analyzer with a 5 mm diameter probe. The sample was measured using compression test mode, with a pre-test speed of 1.00 mm / s, a post-test speed of 2.00 mm / s, and a post-test speed of 10.00 mm / s. The distance was 5 mm. The trigger force was 5.0 g, and the balance was 50 kg. The dissolution of the dry composition block (samples 1 and A) was measured using dynamic conductivity. A 500 mL portion of demineralized water was placed in a 600 mL glass beaker with a diameter of 12.7 cm and heated to 92 °C. A dry composition block was then dissolved under continuous stirring using an 8 cm long triangular stirring rod at a constant stirring speed of 170 rpm. The conductivity of the water was monitored over time using a Mettler Toledo Seven Compact conductivity meter. The conductivity increased due to the dissolution of the formulation salts in the water until all the salt dissolved and a maximum was reached. The dissolution time was defined as the time it took for the conductivity to reach 99% of the final plateau conductivity value. Table 2 Sample Density (kg / L) Volume (cm3) Solution (es) Hardness (kg) External Appearance Internal Appearance 1 226.3 68.76 186 10.71 Whiter and smoother than A Uniform pore size 2 220.5 Whiter and smoother than A Uniform pore size A 276.7 51.66 Incomplete after 240 22.62 Rougher than 1 Irregular pore size Example 2 Table 3 Ingredient 3 4 5 6 % by weight Salt 2.85 0 0 2.8 Sugar 2.85 13.8 13.8 2.8 Binder 14.2a 2.5b 2.5b 2.85G Vegetable (particle size > 3 mm) 0 50 0 0 Water 80 33.8 83.8 91.4 a: tapioca; b: ungelatinized potato starch; c: gelatin Table 4 Ingredient BCD % by weight Salt 2.8 0 0 Sugar 2.8 13.8 13.8 Binder 14.2a 2.5b 2.5C Vegetable matter (White fungus / particle size > 3 mm) 0 50 0 Water 80 33.8 83.8 a: tapioca; b: ungelatinized potato starch; c: gelatin QRCjnnn 7ñ7.ierv Samples 3 to 6 were cooled with agitation before lyophilization as in example 1, adding the binder after heating in sample 5 and before heating in samples 3, 4, and 6. Comparative examples B, C, and D were prepared according to sample A, adding the starch after heating in sample C and before heating in samples B and D. Samples 3 to 6 provided food items in which the edible composition was a dry, solid mass that retained its shape after freeze-drying. Comparative samples B, C, and D had a smaller volume than samples 3 to 5. Example 3 The edible compositions were prepared using the recipe in Table 5. Table 5 Ingredient 7 E % by weight Salt 2.9 2.9 Sugar 2.9 2.9 Binder (tapioca1) 14.3 14.3 Water 79.9 79.9 = Novation 3300 starch Briefly, a soup composition was prepared by mixing water and powders (with a portion of the total amount of starch component) in a container. The composition was heated to 80 °C. The mixture was then pasteurized for a minimum of 2 minutes at 70 °C (resulting in a 6-log reduction of vegetative pathogenic organisms; z-value = 7.5 °C). The mixture was cooled to a blank temperature of 56 °C (min. 51 °C, max. 58 °C). When the mixture reached 56 °C, the remaining starch was added and mixed thoroughly. Sample 7 was filled into stainless steel molds. A wooden spoon or stick with the provided hole was attached to the bottom of the mold. Silicone ice molds with a filling volume of 90 mL (per individual popsicle) were used; 70–80 g were filled for each popsicle. The molds were then placed in a calcium chloride bath for 20 minutes. The frozen molds were then freeze-dried. Freeze dryer: Labconco freeze dryer operated at -45 °C and <130 millibars (13 kPa), time: approx. 24–72 h. The popsicles are removed from the molds and hermetically sealed instantly. Comparative example E - conventional freezing / lyophilization Sample 7 was placed in flexible silicone molds. A spoon or wooden stick with the provided hole was attached to the bottom of the mold. Silicone ice molds with a filling volume of 90 mL (per individual popsicle) were used; 70–80 g were filled for each popsicle. The molds with the concentrate were placed in a freezer (-40 °C) and kept at that temperature until they were completely frozen. The water content of the freeze-dried salted article was 1.9% by weight of the total composition. The frozen popsicles were placed in a freeze dryer to obtain a dry soup composition. The properties of the products from example 7 and example E were analyzed. For electron microscopy, the samples were pretreated with ion sputtering using the HitachiE1045 equipment, and the samples were scanned using Hitachi TM 3000 type electron microscopy. Hardness was measured using a TAXTpIus texture analyzer with a 5 mm diameter probe. The sample was measured using compression test mode, with a pre-test speed of 1.00 mm / s, a post-test speed of 2.00 mm / s, and a post-test speed of 10.00 mm / s. The distance was 5 mm. The trigger force was 5.0 g, and the balance was 50 kg. Table 6 Sample Density (kg / L) Hardness (kg) Plant matter distribution Cooling time: from 50 °C to 0 °C / minutes Freezing time: from 0 °C to -20 °C / minutes 7 213.1 29.15 Evenly distributed in the block 7 13 E 277.0 10.71 Settled at the bottom of the block 40 200 Example 4 A savory composition was prepared using the recipe in Table 7. A comparative savory composition (F) was also prepared. Table 7 Ingredient 8 F % by weight % by weight Salt 0.85 5.1 Sugar 1.6 6.2 Vegetable powder and herbs 11 23 Yeast 1.5 0 Fat component 2.7 34 Water 77 0 Native potato starch 2.11 10.4 Wheat flour 0 20.4 QRCjnnn 7ñ7.ierv Briefly, a soup composition was prepared by mixing water and powders (with a portion of the total amount of starch component) in a container. The composition was heated to 80 °C. The mixture was then pasteurized for a minimum of 2 minutes at 70 °C (resulting in a 6-log reduction of vegetative pathogenic organisms; z-value = 7.5 °C). The mixture was cooled to a blank temperature of 56 °C (min. 51 °C, max. 58 °C). When the mixture reached 56 °C, the remaining starch was added and mixed thoroughly. The mixture (shown in Table 7) was placed into flexible silicone molds. A spoon or wooden stick with the provided hole was attached to the bottom of the mold. Silicone ice molds with a filling volume of 90 mL (per individual popsicle) were used; 70–80 g were filled for each popsicle. The molds with the concentrate were placed in a freezer (-40 °C) and kept at that temperature until they were completely frozen. The water content of the freeze-dried salted article was 1.9% by weight of the total composition. The frozen popsicles were placed in a freeze dryer to obtain a dry soup composition. Lyophilization parameters: Heating plates: 50 °C Cooling: -50 °C Vacuum: 1.00 mbar (0.1 kPa) Time: approximately 18 - 22 h The popsicles are removed from the molds and hermetically sealed instantly. Example 5 Transport test The transport simulation involved placing the salted item from samples F and 8 on a vibrating table for 2 hours at 210 rpm. This condition was being used for the transport test simulation within the EU. Table 8: Transport test Sample Appearance before transport Appearance after transport F Dry solid block; grease-stained packaging 8 Solid item with attractive appearance Solid item with attractive appearance QRpjnmi 7ñ7.ierv Example 6 Drop test The salty food item from sample 8 was used. The item was dropped from a defined height of 130 cm, to simulate the situation in which a soup scoop accidentally falls off a supermarket shelf. Table 9: Drop test Shows Appearance before falling Appearance after falling 8 Solid item with attractive appearance Solid item with attractive appearance - no cracks or breaks Example 7 The salted item from sample 8 was removed from its packaging and placed in a bowl. Water was boiled in a kettle. The required amount of water (approximately 200 mL) was measured in a measuring cup and transferred to the bowl. The salted food item was held by the stick and stirred until dissolved. The test was repeated with the comparative sample F. Table 10: Dissolution test Sample Dissolution Time Appearance 8 30 s No grease rings F 99 s Grease rings

Claims

1. A process for producing a food article consisting of an edible composition having an elongated member extending therefrom, the edible composition having a water content of less than 5% by weight, said process comprising the steps of: a) providing a mixture of edible ingredients comprising, i) edible crystalline material selected from sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sucrose and combinations thereof; i) vegetable matter selected from vegetables, fruits, herbs, spices and combinations thereof;iii) water, b) cooling the mixture of edible ingredients by: i) cooling and stirring the mixture of edible ingredients to provide a chilled mixture having a temperature of -20 to 5 °C, preferably 15 to 0 °C, and placing an elongated member in the chilled mixture, or ii) filling a mold with the mixture of edible ingredients and providing the mold with an elongated member, and contacting the mold with a liquid or gaseous refrigerant to provide a frozen mixture, c) freeze-drying the chilled mixture from step i) or ii) having an elongated member extending therefrom to obtain a food article.

2. Process according to claim 1, comprising step a1) heating the mixture of edible ingredients provided in step a) to a temperature of at least 60 °C for at least 1 minute, preferably wherein non-gelatinized starch is added after the mixture of edible ingredients has been heated to at least 60 °C for at least 1 minute.

3. Process according to claim 1 or 2, wherein step bi) is carried out in a continuous freezer, preferably wherein the continuous freezer is a scraped surface heat exchanger.

4. Process according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein step bi) comprises placing the cooled mixture in a mold.

5. Process according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the coolant is an aqueous saline solution and / or a non-aqueous liquid, preferably the coolant is an aqueous saline solution, even more preferably the aqueous saline solution is prepared from a salt selected from the group consisting of Na2CO3, NH4NO3, CaC2H3O2, NH4Cl, NaNO3, Na2S2U3, CaCl2, KCl, NH4SCN, NaBr, MgCl2, more preferably wherein the salt is selected from the group consisting of NaCl, KCl, KI, CaCl2, MgCl2.

6. A process according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the elongated member is made of an edible or non-edible material, preferably non-edible, further preferably wherein the elongated member is a stick, toothpick, utensil or straw.

7. Process according to any of the preceding claims, wherein step c) comprises a step of freezing the cooled mixture to obtain a frozen mixture prior to freeze-drying, preferably wherein step c) comprises a flash-freezing step.

8. Process according to any of the preceding claims, comprising the step of packaging the salted article.

9. Process according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the edible composition has a rectangular, cubic, ovoid, spherical, prism, tablet, or lozenge shape, preferably wherein the edible composition is a shaped unit dose having a density in the range of 0.12 to 0.8 g / cm3, preferably in the range of 0.15 to 0.5 g / cm3, even more preferably in the range of 0.1 to 0.3 g / cm3.

10. A shaped food article obtainable by a process according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the food article consists of an edible composition having an elongated member extending therefrom, the composition comprising, by total weight of the composition: a) 1 to 85% by weight of an edible crystalline material selected from sodium chloride, potassium chloride and combinations thereof; b) 0 to 10% by weight of a fat component; c) 1 to 75% by weight of vegetable matter selected from fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices and combinations thereof; d) 0 to 20% by weight of a binding component, preferably starch or gelatin; e) less than 5% by weight of water, f) 0 to 20% by weight of meat matter, wherein the sum of a) and ad) constitutes at least 80% by weight of the food composition, preferably wherein the edible composition has a hardness in the range of 15 to 50 kg.

11. A shaped food article consisting of an edible composition having an elongated member extending therefrom, the composition comprising, by total weight of the composition: a) 1 to 85% by weight of an edible crystalline material selected from sodium chloride, potassium chloride, and combinations thereof; b) 0 to 10% by weight of a fat component; c) 1 to 75% by weight of vegetable matter selected from fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, and combinations thereof; d) 0 to 20% by weight of a binding component, preferably starch or gelatin; e) less than 5% by weight of water; f) 0 to 20% by weight of meat matter, wherein the sum of a) and a) constitutes at least 80% by weight of the food composition, preferably wherein the edible composition has a hardness in the range of 15 to 50 kg.

12. Food article according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the salted article has a density in the range of 0.12 to 0.8 g / cm3, preferably in the range of 0.15 to 0.5 g / cm3, even more preferably in the range of 0.1 to 0.3 g / cm3.

13. Food article according to any of claims 10 to 12, having a water content of less than 4.5% by weight, even more preferably less than 3% by weight, most preferably less than 2.5% by weight.

14. Food article according to any of claims 10 to 13, comprising 1 to 8% by weight of fat component, preferably wherein the fat component has a solid fat (N2O) content of less than 10% at 20°C, preferably less than 5% at 20°C.

15. Use of a food article according to any of claims 11 to 15 or obtainable by a process according to any of claims 1 to 10 for preparing a meal or snack, preferably wherein the meal or snack is a soup.