Process for making shelf-stable, ready-to-eat rice
AssigneeHunt-Wesson, Inc.
InventorsAngel A. Yang, Loren L. Druz, Terry Berman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a method for preparing shelf-stable, ready-to-eat rice products. The method involves coating pregelatinized rice grains with an emulsifier. A food acid and glucono-delta-lactone are then added to the coated rice to lower the pH to 4.6 or less. The rice is then thermally treated at a temperature and for a time sufficient for sterilization. The resulting products have the same or superior texture, appearance, and flavor when compared to other commercially produced, shelf-stable, ready-to-each rice products.
Claims26
A method for making a shelf-stable, ready-to-eat rice product comprising the steps of:
- coating pregelatinized rice grains with an emulsifier;
- adding a sufficient amount of a combination of a food acid and glucono delta-lactone to the thus coated rice, grains to lower the pH to 4.6 or less;
- and
- thermally treating the resulting low-pH rice grains at a temperature and for a time sufficient to sterilize the rice.
A method for making, shelf-stable, ready-to-eat rice comprising the steps of:
- coating parboiled or precooked rice grains with an emulsifier selected from monoglycerides, diglycerides or mixtures thereof;
- adding a combination of phosphoric acid and glucono-delta-lactone to the thus coated rice grains in an amount sufficient to lower the pH to 4.6 or less;
- and
- thermally treating the resulting low-pH rice grains using a high pressure process at a temperature and for a time sufficient to sterilize the rice grains.
A method for making shelf-stable, ready-to-eat rice comprising the steps of:
- coating parboiled or precooked rice grains with an emulsifier selected from monoglycerides, diglycerides or mixtures thereof;
- adding an acidified brine containing phosphoric acid and glucono-delta-lactone to the thus coated rice grains, in an amount sufficient to lower the pH to 4.6 or less;
- and
- thermally treating the resulting low-pH rice grains using steam retorting, steam and air retorting, hot water retorting, ohmic heating or microwave heating at a temperature and for a time sufficient to sterilize the rice grains.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.