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.
Claims19
1-45. (canceled)
A packaged shelf stable food product which is ready for consumption from a package without cooking or thawing preparation, the packaged shelf stable vegetable product having an inner portion and an outer portion, the shelf stable vegetable product comprising:
- a fried food portion;
- a surface application portion on a surface of the fried food portion;
- a fat content of the outer portion of about 55% to about 95% of total fat content of the packaged shelf stable food product which is ready-for-consumption from the package without cooking or thawing preparation;
- about 0% wt moisture to about 10% wt moisture of the packaged shelf stable food product which is ready-for-consumption from the package without cooking or thawing preparation;
- and
- a water activity of about 0 to about 0.6 of the packaged shelf stable food product which is ready-for-consumption from the package without cooking or thawing preparation.
A process for making a packaged shelf stable food product which is ready for consumption from a package without cooking or thawing preparation, the process comprising:
- priming food piece;
- applying a surface application to the primed food piece to create a food piece having a surface application;
- frying the food piece having the surface application to a final moisture content of about 0% wt moisture to about 10% wt moisture to create a fried food product;
- and
- packaging the fried food product in a package having reduced atmospheric oxygen levels to create the shelf stable food product which is ready for consumption from a package without cooking or thawing preparation, wherein the shelf stable food product includes:
- a fried food portion;
- a surface application portion proximal a surface of the fried food portion;
- a fat content of an outer portion of the shelf stable food product of about 55% to about 95% of total fat content of the shelf stable food product;
- a final moisture content of about 0% wt moisture to about 10% wt moisture;
- and
- a water activity of about 0 to about 0.6.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.