Process for producing compacted, dehydrated, uncooked cabbage and cabbage product thereof

A process for the preparation of compacted, dehydrated, uncooked cabbage, which comprises the steps of:

• a. subdividing the leaves of fresh cabbage,
• b. covering the subdivided cabbage with a solution of sodium metabisulfite,
• c. removing the excess of said solution of sodium metabisulfite from said cabbage,
• d. blanching the subdivided cabbage with heated air beginning with air at a temperature of about 90.degree.-95.degree. C. and gradually decreasing the temperature of said air to about 50.degree.-60.degree. C. over a period of about 15-25 minutes at a rate substantially in a straight line relation to the time elapsed,
• e. partially drying said cabbage by means of heated air at about 50.degree.-75.degree. C. until the moisture content of said cabbage is from about five to about eight percent by weight,
• f. partially rehydrating said cabbage by applying thereto an aqueous solution of a food grade surface-active agent selected from the group consisting of polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate and polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate until the moisture content of said cabbage is increased to from about 10 to about 20 percent,
• g. equilibrating said aqueous solution of said surface-active agent throughout said cabbage,
• h. compressing said cabbage to a compression ratio of from about 7:1 to about 15:1, and
• i. redrying the compressed cabbage by means of heated air until its moisture content is no greater than 5 percent.