Crystal comestible product and method of making same
AssigneeFresh Origins, LLC
InventorsDavid G. Sasuga, Ju Won Park
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A crystal comestible product and method of making it are provided. The crystal comestible product is suitable for use as a food additive, a flavor additive, a nutritional additive, and decoration. The crystal comestible product includes a matrix of edible crystals surrounding air pockets and free spaces, providing a light crunchy crispy texture. The crystal comestible product may include ingredients that add flavor, color, nutritional value, texture, structure, or stability. Suitable ingredients include fresh herbs, fresh flowers, spices, natural and synthetic flavors, nuts, vitamins and minerals.
Claims20
A method of making a comestible product, comprising:
- combining moisture with edible crystals;
- wherein the moisture comprises a solvent;
- and
- wherein the combining at least partially dissolves at least some of the edible crystals in the solvent to form a slurry having entrained air spaces and entrained edible crystal material;
- inhibiting or stopping further edible crystal dissolution in the slurry by removing some or all of the solvent to cause formation of additional entrained air spaces;
- dissolved, partially dissolved, and undissolved edible crystals;
- and any remaining solvent to promote formation of re-formed crystals that bond together the edible crystals;
- and
- forming re-formed crystals that bond together the edible crystals;
- and
- wherein the inhibiting or stopping includes:
- extruding the slurry to separate therefrom particles of predetermined sizes of the edible crystal material;
- and
- drying the extruded predetermined sized particles to remove some or all moisture therefrom by one or more of the following:
- increasing temperature of the extruded particles, exposing the extruded particles to a vacuum, reducing humidity of the atmosphere surrounding the extruded particles, air drying the extruded particles, freeze drying the extruded particles;
- and blowing ambient air across a surface of the extruded particles,
- wherein the combining moisture with edible crystals step further includes including adding an amount of moisture above a critical amount to prevent partially dissolved crystals to not combine evenly and not enough crystals dissolving, and below a critical amount to prevent an undesirable dissolving of the crystals and displacing air pockets with moisture;
- and
- wherein the inhibit or stopping creates a crystalline matrix of edible crystals that is formed around the solvent and air spaces for providing the resulting comestible product with a flaky crispy airy crunchable texture to achieve a desirable mouth feel as compared to the texture and mouth feel of the undissolved edible crystals.
A crystal comestible product comprising:
- an edible crystal matrix created using an edible crystal and a solvent that form a slurry solution having entrained air spaces, entrained edible crystal material in the form of dissolved, partially dissolved, and undissolved edible crystals, and solvent,
- wherein said edible crystal matrix comprises air pockets trapped within the matrix during preparation of the slurry solution, and free space created by removing some or all of the solvent during drying to form a crispy crunchy comestible product.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.