# US 2013/0156893 A1 · Processing of Whole or Portions of Genus Musa and Related Species

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- Number: US 2013/0156893 A1
- Document ID: US20130156893A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/728,222
- Filed: 2012-12-27
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-08-23
- Assignees: PepsiCo, Inc.
- Inventors: Jung H. Han
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130156893A1

## CPC

- A23L 19/09: {Mashed or comminuted products, e.g. pulp, purée, sauce, or products made therefrom, e.g. snacks (A23L19/01, A23L19/10, A23L27/63 and A23L21/00 take precedence)}
- A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B)

## Abstract

A method is provided for making a banana or plantain product comprising providing at least one unpeeled banana or plantain comprising banana or plantain peel and banana or plantain pulp, subjecting the at least one unpeeled banana or plantain to a heat treatment at a temperature and for a time sufficient to gelatinize starch present in the at least one unpeeled banana or plantain to form at least one heat treated unpeeled banana or plantain, and comminuting the at least one heat treated unpeeled banana or plantain to form a banana or plantain puree. A functional food ingredient is also provided comprising a banana or plantain puree including banana or plantain pulp and optionally banana or plantain peel. Foods containing banana or plantain puree or powder are provided, including crackers, snack bars, cereals, smoothies, and cookies.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for making a plantain product comprising:
providing at least one unpeeled plantain comprising plantain peel and plantain pulp;
subjecting the at least one unpeeled plantain to a heat treatment at a temperature and for a time sufficient to gelatinize starch present in the at least one unpeeled plantain to form at least one heat treated unpeeled plantain; and
comminuting the at least one heat treated unpeeled plantain to form a plantain puree.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one unpeeled plantain is a green plantain.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one unpeeled plantain is a ripe plantain.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature comprises at least 70 degrees Celsius and the time comprises at least ten minutes.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising drying the plantain puree to form a plantain powder.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the plantain pulp comprises about 10% to 17% by weight starch.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the heat treatment is selected from the group consisting of contacting with boiling water, contacting with steam, contacting with hot water, contacting with hot oil, microwaving, and contacting with hot air.

### Claim 8 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the heat treatment comprises contacting with hot water.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising cooling the plantain puree to set the gelatinized starch as a gel, the gel comprising a gel strength of at least about 600 gram (force) as measured with a 1 inch diameter cylindrical probe.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising pasteurizing the plantain puree.

### Claim 11

A gluten substitute comprising a plantain puree, the plantain puree comprising plantain peel and plantain pulp.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The gluten substitute of claim 11, wherein the plantain puree comprises unripe plantains.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

A comestible comprising the gluten substitute of claim 11.

### Claim 14

A cracker comprising: at least one whole grain flour; starch; baking powder; and at least one of green banana powder, green banana puree, green plantain powder, green plantain puree, yellow plantain powder, and yellow plantain puree.

### Claim 15

A cereal comprising: at least one grain and at least one of green banana powder, green banana puree, green plantain powder, green plantain puree, yellow plantain powder, and yellow plantain puree.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The cereal of claim 15, wherein the at least one grain is selected from the group consisting of oat, wheat, corn, rice, barley, millet, sorghum, rye, triticale, teff, wild rice, spelt, buckwheat, amaranth, quinoa, kaniwa, cockscomb, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The cereal of claim 15, wherein the cereal comprises instant oatmeal comprising whole grain rolled oat flakes and at least one of sucrose, salt, flavors, spices, dried fruit, nuts, oat flour, vitamins and minerals.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The cereal of claim 15, wherein the cereal comprises ready to eat cereal pieces comprising oat flour.

### Claim 19

A snack bar comprising: one or more grains; fruit juice; and at least one of green banana powder, green banana puree, green plantain powder, green plantain puree, yellow plantain powder, and yellow plantain puree.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The snack bar of claim 19, wherein the one or more grains are selected from the group consisting of oat, wheat, corn, rice, barley, millet, sorghum, rye, triticale, teff, wild rice, spelt, buckwheat, amaranth, quinoa, kaniwa, cockscomb, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The snack bar of claim 20, further comprising at least one particulate selected from the group consisting of chocolate chips, nuts, fruit pieces, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

The snack bar of claim 20, wherein the bar is a granola bar comprising a binder comprising between about 5 wt. % and about 20 wt. % of the at least one of green banana powder, green banana puree, green plantain powder, green plantain puree, yellow plantain powder, and yellow plantain puree.

### Claim 23

A smoothie comprising: fruit selected from the group consisting of fruit juice, dried fruit, fresh fruit, frozen fruit, fruit puree, and combinations thereof; and at least one of green banana powder, green banana puree, green plantain powder, green plantain puree, yellow plantain powder, and yellow plantain puree.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The smoothie of claim 23, further comprising at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of protein, a sweetener, a fiber, milk, cream, milk solids, soy milk, albumins, fruit juice, fruit puree, vitamins, preservatives, buffers, colors and flavors.

### Claim 25

A cookie comprising: flour; shortening; at least one sweetener; and at least one of green banana powder, green banana puree, green plantain powder, green plantain puree, yellow plantain powder, and yellow plantain puree.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The cookie of claim 25, further comprising at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of a leavening agent, an acid, a texturizing agent, protein, nuts, chocolate chips, and butterscotch chips.

### Claim 27 (depends on 1)

A functional food ingredient comprising the plantain puree made according to the method of claim 1.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The functional food ingredient of claim 27, wherein the function is selected from the group consisting of a vegan whip base, a natural gelating agent, a fiber fortifying ingredient, a texture modifier, a viscosity enhancer, a dispersing agent, an emulsifying agent, a natural binder, a bulking agent, a sugar replacer, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 29 (depends on 27)

The functional food ingredient of claim 27, wherein the ingredient is added to a food product selected from the group consisting of a snack food, a baked product, a pasta, a squeezable wet food, a spoonable wet food, a beverage, a dip, a whip, a sauce, a salad dressing, and combinations thereof.