Process for preparing shelf stable al dente cooked pasta

#This invention relates to an improved commercial process for making packaged pasta and to an improved hydrated, i.e. precooked, pasta product which is marketable in flexible containers and shelf stable.

#Copending application of Robert L. Stahl, Ser. No. 653,653 filed Sept. 21, 1984 to Shelf Stable Pasta, and now abandoned, described much of the background of this invention. Said application indicated that prior art processes have been devised to reduce the pH of the precooked pasta to below pH 4.5, thus creating an acid environment in which fewer microorganisms can exist and which can be commercially sterilized at lower temperatures for shorter times. The marination of blanched pasta has long been known for imparting a flavor to pasta, which was to be served cold, as in salads and the like and is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,434,388. U.S. Pat. No. 3,886,296 describes a process for reducing the overall pH of pasta by blanching the pasta with a hot acidic solution for 1 to 15 minutes and then packaging the acid-blanched pasta with an acidic, condiment-containing liquid phase in a container to reduce the overall pH of the pasta plus condiment liquid to pH 4.5, or less. After sealing, the container is sterilized at a maximum temperature of 212.degree. F. for a maximum period of 15 minutes. However, pasta blanched in an acid solution becomes gummy and less extensible, and the water pickup is limited. French patent application No. 82 05572 (publication No. 2,502,907) describes a process for preparing shelf stable pasta products in which the dough is first precooked in boiling acidified water, rinsed in cold acidified running water and coated with vegetable oil. The oil coated product is placed into a flexible plastic pouch, which is evacuated prior to vacuum sealing.

#Japanese Published Patent Application Publication No. 78 37423 discloses a process for preparing shelf stable noodles. In that process, boiled noodles are quickly cooled with cold water, and drained. The noodles are dipped into a low pH acid solution of malic acid for a short time, typically forty seconds, immediately after draining, to form a film of the acid solution on the surface of the noodles. The boiled noodles with the surface acid are placed into plastic bags which are sealed and heated to sterilize. The process has the deficiency that only the surface of the noodle is acidified while the center remains at a high pH. Mixed results are obtained with this process. Sealed containers kept at room temperature remain good for twenty five days. Longer shelf life was not achieved. Packaged noodles subjected to accelerated stability testing by storage at elevated temperatures such as 32.degree.-35.degree. C. spoiled after four days. An additional step of degasifying or evacuating the air in the plastic containers was necessary for further stability. Packaged noodles, which were degasified, subsequent to filling and prior to sealing, could be incubated indefinitely at 32.degree.-35.degree. C. without spoilage. The process described in this application eliminates the need to degasify plastic containers prior to sealing.

#The following examples are given by way of illustration and are not intended to limit the ambit of the appended claims.

#This example illustrates the preparation of spaghetti for sale in a pouch pack.

#Freshly extruded spaghetti (90 grams) made of durum granular and having a moisture content of 32% moisture was sprayed with steam at atmospheric pressure give a moisturized product of 130 grams. The partially blanched spaghetti was weighed into 130 gram portions and inserted into a food grade, clear flexible pouches such as those available from American Can. To each pouch, was added 60 g. of water containing 0.48 g. of fumaric acid. The contents were allowed to equilibrate. The equilibrium pH was 4.0. The pouches were heat sealed and sterilized by placing them in water at 220.degree. F. with an air pressure override for ten minutes. The water and pouches were cooled to 160.degree. F.