# US 2014/0154379 A1 · System and method for producing a dehydrated food product > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0154379 A1 - Document ID: US20140154379A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/913,636 - Filed: 2013-06-10 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2007-05-03 - Inventors: Jack G. Mazin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140154379A1 ## CPC - A23B 7/00: Preservation of fruit or vegetables; Chemical ripening of fruit or vegetables - A23B 7/022: with addition of chemicals {before or during drying, e.g. semi-moist products}(A23B7/024 - A23B7/028 take precedence) - A23L 19/03: {consisting of whole pieces or fragments without mashing the original pieces} - A23N 12/08: for drying or roasting (A23N12/06 takes precedence) - A23P 20/15: Apparatus or processes for coating with liquid or semi-liquid products - A23P 20/18: by spray-coating, fluidised-bed coating or coating by casting (combined with breading A23P20/12) - A23B: PRESERVATION OF FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES - A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B) - A23N: MACHINES OR APPARATUS FOR TREATING HARVESTED FRUIT, VEGETABLES OR FLOWER BULBS IN BULK, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PEELING VEGETABLES OR FRUIT IN BULK; APPARATUS FOR PREPARING ANIMAL FEEDING- STUFFS (machines for cutting straw or fodder A01F29/00; disintegrating, e.g. shredding, B02C; severing, e.g. cutting, splitting, slicing B26B, B26D) - A23P: SHAPING OR WORKING OF FOODSTUFFS, NOT FULLY COVERED BY A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS ## Abstract A process and apparatus for preparing a dried food product said process comprising treating a dried food with an aqueous acidulant, in an amount and for a period of time which is sufficient to modify a surface of the food to increase water permeability; dehydrating the acidified food to obtain a desired moisture content with heat; cooling the heated dehydrated acidified food; and infusing the cooled dehydrated acidified food with an infusate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for preparing a dried food product, comprising: (a) a tumbler, receiving a dried food, and treating the dried food with an acid solution; (b) a heater, for dehydrating the acidified food; (c) a cooler, for reducing a temperature of the heated dehydrated acidified food; and (d) a spray infuser, for coating the cooled dehydrated acidified food with an infusant. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the dried food comprises a fruit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the dried food comprises raisins or currants. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a chiller for further cooling the infused dehydrated acidified food to a temperature below about 50F. ### Claim 5 An apparatus for preparing a dried food product, comprising: (a) means for treating a dried food with an aqueous acidulant, in an amount and for a period of time which is sufficient to modify a surface of the food to increase water permeability and rehydrate the dried food; (b) means for dehydrating the treated dried food at a temperature above about 150F, until a desired moisture content is achieved; (c) first means for cooling the dehydrated treated food to a temperature below about 150F; (d) means for infusing the cooled dehydrated treated food with a heat labile infusate; and (e) second means for cooling the infused cooled dehydrated treated food to a temperature of between about 50F to 35F for packaging. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein: the treating means comprises a structure which agitates the dried food while subject to the aqueous acidulent; the dehydrating means comprises a heater; the first cooling means comprises a blower, configured to cool the dehydrated treated food from a temperature of above about 150F to a temperature of between about 70F to 100F; the infusing means comprises an infusate dispenser; and the second cooling means comprises a chiller. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising a packager configured to package the cooled infused dehydrated treated food in a sealed package, operating at the cooled temperature of between about 35F to 50F. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said means for treating comprises a tumbler, configured to receive the dried food, and submerse the received dried food in an aqueous acidulent solution during operation of the tumbler; and said means for infusing comprises a spray infuser configured to coat the cooled dehydrated treated food. ### Claim 9 A method of forming a food product, comprising: rehydrating a dried fruit with an aqueous acidulant during tumbling in a continuous process cascading drum, to increase a porosity of a dried fruit skin and remove non-fruit components and dissolve at least a portion of soluble fruit components to produce a rehydrated fruit; draining aqueous acidulent and debris; dehydrating the drained rehydrated fruit at a temperature above about 150F, until a desired moisture content is achieved, to produce a porosified dehydrated fruit; cooling the porosified dehydrated fruit to a temperature below about 100F; infusing the cooled porosified dehydrated fruit with a liquid heat labile infusate which adds at least one flavor or nutritional component, to produce an infused dried fruit. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, further comprising packaging the infused dried fruit in a moisture barrier package at a packaging temperature of between about 50F to 35F. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the porosified dehydrated fruit is infused at a temperature of between about 70F to 100F. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the infusate comprises a heat labile flavorant. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the infusate comprises a vitamin. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the rehydrated fruit is dehydrated at a temperature of between about 160E-180F, and the porosified dehydrated fruit is infused at a temperature of about 70F. ### Claim 15 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein the aqueous acidulent comprises a citric acid solution or a malic acid solution. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein said continuous process cascading drum receives the dried food on a first conveyor, submerses the dried food in the aqueous acidulent during cascading drum tumbling, and provides the porosified rehydrated fruit on a second conveyor, wherein excess aqueous acidulent drains from the porosified rehydrated fruit on the second conveyor during transfer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 9) The method according to claim 9, wherein said rehydrating wherein reduces a concentration of sugar near a surface with respect to the dried fruit, wherein the porosified dehydrated fruit displays reduced clumping and stickiness than the dried fruit.