Potato flavor enhancing composition and method of use

A potato flavor enhancing composition comprising a sugar component which includes sucrose, an acidic component provided by one or more acids naturally present in a potato and including at least an acid selected from the group consisting of citric acid and malic acid, a metallic flavor component provided by at least one salt of a metal naturally present in a potato and including at least a metal salt selected from the group consisting of a potassium salt and a phosphorous salt, and a bitter flavor component provided by potato solids in dry particulate form which have been heated in air at a sufficiently high temperature and for a sufficient length of time to cause browning of the potato solids to the extent that a bitter flavor component is produced by the heated dry particulate potato solids;

• and in which the sugar, acidic, metallic, and bitter flavor components are non-volatile and are combined in relative proportions such that the resulting composition provides a composite flavor profile which resembles a fresh potato flavor without the flavor of any one of said flavor components in the composition being dominant, and with the flavor of each component being noticeable when the resulting flavor enhancing composition is used as a flavoring agent in a potato-based composition.

A potato flavor enhancing composition consisting essentially of a sugar component, an acidic component provided by at least one acid naturally present in a potato, a metallic flavor component provided by at least one salt of a metal naturally present in a potato, and a bitter flavor component provided by potato solids in dry particulate form which have been heated in air to a temperature in excess of 250.degree. F. and to a moisture content of about 5% or less to cause browning of the potato solids to the extent that a bitter flavor component is produced by the heated dry particulate potato solids;

• and in which the sugar, acidic, metallic, and bitter flavor components are combined in relative proportions in the flavor enhancing composition such that the resulting composition provides a composite flavor profile resembling a fresh potato flavor without the flavor of any one of the flavor components in the composition being dominant, and with the flavor of each component being noticeable when the resulting flavor enhancing composition is used as a flavoring agent in a potato-based composition.

A method for enhancing the flavor of a potato-based composition, wherein the potato-based composition can have an initial sugar level that varies from a relatively lower level up to a relatively higher level, comprising the steps of preparing a potato flavor enhancing composition comprising a sugar component when the flavor enhancer is added in the presence of a relatively lower level of sugar in the potato-based composition, an acidic component provided by at least one acid naturally present in a potato, a metallic flavor component provided by at least one salt of a metal naturally present in a potato, and a bitter flavor component provided by potato solids in dry particulate form which have been heated in air at a sufficiently high temperature for a sufficient length of time to cause browning of the potato solids to the extent that a bitter flavor component is produced by the heated dry particulate potato solids;

• and adding the flavor enhancing composition to the potato-based composition so that said flavor components are combined in relative proportions such that the resulting flavor enhancing composition provides a composite flavor profile that resembles a fresh potato flavor without the flavor of any one of said flavor components being dominant, and with the flavor of each component being noticeable in the potato-based composition.

A process for improving the flavor of an intermediate potato product, the method comprising:

• adding to the intermediate potato product a potato flavor enhancing composition comprising a sugar component, an acidic component provided by at least one acid naturally present in a potato, a metallic flavor component provided by at least one salt of a metal naturally present in a potato, and a bitter flavor component provided by potato solids in dry particulate form which have been heated in air at a sufficiently high temperature and for a sufficient length of time to cause browning of the potato solids to the extent that a bitter potato flavor component is produced by the heated dry particulate potato solids, each of the flavor components being non-volatile and being combined in relative proportions such that subsequent heating or frying of the intermediate potato product to form a finished product produces a composite flavor profile in the finished product that resembles a fresh potato flavor without the flavor of any one of said flavor components being dominant and with the flavor of each component being noticeable in the finished product.

A process for improving the flavor of an intermediate potato product which can have an initial sugar level that varies from a relatively lower level up to a relatively higher level, the method comprising adding to the intermediate potato product a potato flavor enhancing composition comprising a sugar component when the flavor enhancer is added in the presence of a relatively lower level of sugar in the intermediate potato product, an acidic component provided by at least one acid naturally present in a potato, a metallic flavor component provided by at least one salt of a metal naturally present in a potato, and a bitter flavor component provided by potato solids in dry particulate form which have been heated in air at a sufficiently high temperature and for a sufficient length of time to cause browning of the potato solids to the extent that a bitter potato flavor component is produced by the heated dry particulate potato solids, each of the flavor components being non-volatile and being combined in relative proportions such that subsequent heating or frying of the intermediate potato product to form a finished product produces a composite flavor profile in the finished product that resembles a fresh potato flavor without the flavor of any one of said flavor components being dominant and with the flavor of each component being noticeable in the finished product.