US 5,084,296 AGranted

Process for making simulated fruit pieces

AssigneeKraft General Foods, Inc.

InventorsJoaquin C. Lugay, Julia L. Newkirk, Keisuke Morimoto, Pradip K. Roy

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Abstract

The present invention is concerned with a simulated fruit piece suitable for combination with a dry food product having a moisture typically of from 2-3% and wherein the fruit piece maintains its softness and the food product maintains its crispness after various storage conditions, said fruit consisting of fruit solids, a fruit concentrate, a thickening agent, edible food grade acid, sweeteners, coloring, and glycerol. The glycerol/sweetener combination functions as a humectant system which produces a fruit product with an Aw of between about 0.2 to 0.50. A process for preparing said fruit piece is also disclosed wherein a solid phase comprising a fruit solids is combined with a hot liquid phase and the mixture extruded into fruit ropes or strands and cut into the desired shape or form.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A process for preparing simulated fruit pieces for combination with a dry crisp breakfast cereal flakes having a moisture content as low as 2% wherein the fruit pieces maintain their softness and the cereal flakes maintain their crispness after the fruit pieces and the cereal flakes equilibrate during storage consisting essentially of in % by weight:

(a) preparing a liquid portion consisting essentially of 15 to 30% glycerol, 5 to 35% fructoses, 1 to 10% pectin, a buffer to provide a pH of 3 to 4, 0 to 10% fruit concentrate, flavors, color and water;
(b) preparing a solid portion consisting essentially of 25 to 60% apple solids and color;
(c) heating the liquid portion to temperatures ranging from about 60.degree. to about 100.degree. C;
(d) combining the solid portion with the heated liquid portion at a ratio of 0.8:1.0 to 1.0:1.1 and mixing to form a heated mixture;
(e) extruding the heated mixture into strands;
(f) allowing the strands to cool for a time sufficient to equilibrate and hydrate the fruit solids to produce an Aw of 0.20 to 0.35;
(g) cutting the strands into discrete fruit pieces;
and
(h) dusting the fruit pieces with a member selected from the group consisting of sugar, dextrin, fat, oil or combinations thereof.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.