# US 4,400,402 A · Method for producing dried, pureed vegetables

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- Number: US 4,400,402 A
- Document ID: US4400402A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/350,524
- Filed: 1982-02-19
- Granted: 1983-08-23
- Earliest claimed: 1982-02-19
- Assignees: Gerber Products Company
- Inventors: Bruce L. Vibbert; Fred W. Billerbeck; Kenneth P. Hoersten
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4400402A

## CPC

- A23B 7/02: Dehydrating; Subsequent reconstitution (dried cooked potatoes A23L19/12)
- A23L 19/01: {Instant products; Powders; Flakes; Granules (A23L19/10 – A23L19/12 take precedence)}
- A23P 10/40: free-flowing powder or instant powder, i.e. powder which is reconstituted rapidly when liquid is added (A23P10/20, A23P10/30 take precedence)
- A23B: PRESERVATION OF FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES
- A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B)
- A23P: SHAPING OR WORKING OF FOODSTUFFS, NOT FULLY COVERED BY A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS

## Abstract

A process for dehydrating vegetables comprises first comminuting whole, uncooked vegetables to produce a puree. By passing the puree through a first-stage finishing step, and a second-stage finishing step having a finer screen size than the first stage, a puree substantially free from hardened vegetable particles is obtained. The puree may be dried by a variety of techniques to obtain a dehydrated product which, when reconstituted, displays a particularly smooth texture.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for dehydrating vegetables selected from the group consisting of peas and green beans, said process comprising:
comminuting the vegetables to form a puree; passing the puree through a first finisher having a screen size selected to separate a first fraction of coarse vegetable particles from the puree said screen size being in the range from about 0.060 to 0.020 inches; passing the puree through a second finisher having a finer screen size selected to further remove coarse vegetable particles from the puree said screen size being in the range from about 0.030 to 0.010 inches; and drying the twice-finished puree to form a dehydrated product.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A process as in claim 1, wherein the twice-finished puree is dried in a drum drier to form a sheet having a thickness not exceeding 0.003 inches.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A process as in claim 2, wherein the sheet is flaked to form a product having a bulk density in the range from 16-19 lb/ft.sup.3.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A process as in claim 1, wherein the comminuted vegetables are passed through a mill prior to finishing to reduce the size of the coarse vegetable particles.