Method of containerizing fruit
AssigneeDel Monte Corporation
InventorsChaim Gur-Arieh, Fred G. Cordes, Robert B. Baylor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for shrinking and containerizing pieces of fruit (e.g., peaches and pineapple) wherein the fruit is treated by total immersion in excess syrup, which immersion is conveyed through a heating zone maintained in excess of sterilizing temperatures with sufficient residence time to shrink the fruit and remove intercellular gases. The fruit is then drained of syrup and filled and sealed in containers also at sterilizing temperatures.
Claims10
In a method for shrinking and canning pieces of fruits in a manner suitable for long term storage, the steps of treating fresh fruit pieces by totally immersing the same in an excess of aqueous sugar syrup and continuously conveying the immersion through a heating zone maintained in excess of the sterilizing temperature for the fruit at about atmospheric pressure with a sufficient residence time to cause the fresh fruit pieces to shrink by at least about 15% and to remove intercellular gases in the fruit to below a level which would cause an off flavor and color in the fruit during storage under containerization;
- draining syrup from the treated fruit;
- raising the sugar content of at least a portion of the drained syrup to the desired level for shrinkage of the fruit;
- recycling the last named syrup portion to the heating zone;
- filling the drained fruit pieces at sterilizing temperature in cans together with a limited amount of additional syrup for absorption by the shrunken fruit, said syrup having a sugar concentration less than the concentration of said drained syrup, the quantity of said syrup being substantially below an amount which would cover the fruit pieces in the cans after 30 days of storage and sealing the cans with the fruit pieces at a sterilizing temperature.
In a method for shrinking and packing pieces of fruit in jars in a manner suitable for long term storage, the steps of treating fresh fruit pieces by totally immersing the same in an excess of aqueous sugar syrup and continuously conveying the immersion through a heating zone maintained in excess of the sterilizing temperature for the fruit at about atmospheric pressure with a sufficient residence time to cause the fresh fruit pieces to shrink by at least 15% and to remove intercellular gases in the fruit to below a level which would cause an off flavor and color in the fruit during storage under containerization;
- draining syrup from the treated fruit;
- raising the sugar content of at least a portion of the drained syrup to the desired level for shrinkage of the fruit;
- recycling the last named syrup portion to the heating zone;
- filling the drained fruit pieces at sterilizing temperature in jars together with a limited amount of additional syrup for absorption by the shrunken fruit, said syrup having a sugar concentration less than the concentration of said drained syrup, the quantity of said syrup being substantially below an amount which would cover the fruit pieces in the jars after 30 days of storage and sealing the jars with the fruit pieces at a sterilizing temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.