Fruit Product Containing Sugar Alcohol
AssigneeDel Monte Foods, Inc.
InventorsPaul Coles, Karim Nafisi-Movaghar, Jacqueline K. Curtis, Frances Jin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A processed fruit product, for example a citrus fruit product, including a packing liquid, containing little or no sugar, and optionally containing one or more artificial sweeteners, further comprising an amount of a sugar alcohol effective to maintain integrity and/or texture of the fruit.
Claims17
1-14. (canceled)
A method for retaining structural integrity and/or texture of one or more whole fruits and/or segments thereof in a processed, packaged fruit product comprising:
- packing said one or more whole fruits and/or segments thereof in a packing liquid in the absence of added sugar;
- said packing liquid comprising:
- one or more sugar alcohols, wherein said one or more sugar alcohols are present in said packing liquid at a percentage by weight that minimizes osmosis between said packing liquid and said one or more whole fruits and/or segments thereof;
- and
- balancing osmotic pressure between said packing liquid and said one or more whole fruits and/or segments thereof.
A method for minimizing disintegration and/or deterioration of one or more whole fruits and/or segments thereof in a processed, packaged fruit product comprising:
- packing said one or more whole fruits or segments thereof in a packing liquid in the absence of added sugar;
- said packing liquid comprising:
- one or more sugar alcohols, and from about 0.01 wt % to about 2 wt % by total weight of said packing liquid of one or more non-nutritive sweeteners;
- wherein said one or more sugar alcohols are present in said packing liquid at a percentage by weight of said packing liquid that balances osmotic pressure between said packing liquid and said one or more whole fruits and/or segments thereof;
- minimizing osmosis in said packaged fruit product;
- and
- maintaining structural integrity and/or texture of said one or more whole fruits and/or segments thereof.
A method for retaining structural integrity and/or texture of one or more whole fruits and/or segments thereof in a processed, packaged fruit product comprising:
- packing said one or more whole fruits and/or segments thereof in a packing liquid in the absence of added sugar;
- said packing liquid comprising:
- one or more sugar alcohols, and from about 0.01 wt % to about 2 wt % by total weight of said packing liquid of one or more non-nutritive sweeteners;
- wherein said one or more sugar alcohols are present in said packing liquid at a percentage by weight of said packing liquid that minimizes osmosis between said packing liquid and said one or more whole fruits and/or segments thereof;
- and
- balancing osmotic pressure between said packing liquid and said one or more whole fruits and/or segments thereof.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.