Shelf stable fried product and process for creating the same
AssigneeConAgra Foods RDM, Inc.
InventorsJanet O. Wheeler, Deborah Dihel, Kevin Mellor, Jeffrey Schneider, Kristin Mills, Roger Samoray, Moses Sanchez
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A shelf stable fried product and a process for creating a shelf stable fried product is disclosed. Aspects include a process for managing fat migration, moisture migration, and cell degrading of a food product during frying. Aspects further include a resulting shelf stable food product that includes a crispy and/or crunchy texture and a desirable fat distribution.
Claims20
A packaged shelf stable onion product which is ready for consumption from a package without cooking or thawing preparation, the packaged shelf stable onion product having an inner portion and an outer portion, the shelf stable onion product comprising:
- a fried onion portion;
- a batter portion;
- a void portion between the batter portion and the fried onion portion;
- a fat content of the outer portion of about 55% to about 95% of total fat content of the packaged shelf stable onion product which is ready-for-consumption from the package without cooking or thawing preparation;
- about 1% wt moisture to about 10% wt moisture of the packaged shelf stable onion product which is ready-for-consumption from the package without cooking or thawing preparation;
- and
- a water activity of about 0.1 to about 0.6 of the packaged shelf stable onion product which is ready-for-consumption from the package without cooking or thawing preparation.
A process for making a packaged shelf stable onion product which is ready for consumption from a package without cooking or thawing preparation, the process comprising:
- applying a batter to an onion piece to create an onion piece having a batter;
- frying the onion piece having the batter in oil to a final moisture content of about 1% wt moisture to about 10% wt moisture to create a fried onion product having a fat content of the batter of about 55% to about 95% of the total fat of the shelf stable onion product;
- and
- packaging the fried onion product in a package having reduced atmospheric oxygen levels to create the shelf stable onion product which is ready for consumption from a package without cooking or thawing preparation, wherein the shelf stable onion product includes:
- a fried onion portion;
- a batter portion;
- a fat content of the batter portion of about 55% to about 95% of total fat content of the shelf stable onion product;
- a final moisture content of about 1% wt moisture to about 10% wt moisture;
- and
- a water activity of about 0.1 to about 0.6.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.