# US 5,702,750 A · Method for processing fresh plants to be stored between low positive and negative temperatures

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- Number: US 5,702,750 A
- Document ID: US5702750A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/536,802
- Filed: 1995-09-29
- Granted: 1997-12-30
- Earliest claimed: 1994-09-29
- Assignees: Societe de Developpment de L'Industrie Agro-Alimentaire et de la Pepiniere Europeenne - Sodiape
- Inventors: Luc Darbonne
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5702750A

## CPC

- A23B 2/92: Freeze drying
- A23B 2/91: with addition of chemicals before or during drying
- A23B 7/022: with addition of chemicals {before or during drying, e.g. semi-moist products}(A23B7/024 - A23B7/028 take precedence)
- A23B 7/024: Freeze-drying {, i.e. cryodesiccation or lyophilisation}
- A23B: PRESERVATION OF FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES

## Abstract

The invention relates to a method for processing freshly picked plants, and more particularly aromatic herbs or plants, characterized in that it comprises steps consisting in adding water activity depressors to consumable pieces of plants and mixing them; deep-freezing the resulting mixture; extracting from such mixture an amount of water determined by sublimation and stopping the process at the very beginning or during progress of the primary desiccation, so that such mixture has dry and/or still frozen or more or less moist pieces of plants; homogeneously mixing the resulting mixture of pieces of plants so as to allow for a migration of water from the frozen pieces towards the more or less moist pieces and/or the dry pieces.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for processing freshly picked plants comprising the following steps:
(a) adding water activity depressors to consumable pieces of plants and mixing them to form a mixture, the resulting mixture having 8 to 55% of water activity depressors and a water activity at 20.degree. C. ranging from 0.6 to 0.8;
(b) deep-freezing the mixture;
(c) extracting from the frozen mixture a predetermined total amount of water by a sublimation process having a primary desiccation and a secondary desiccation, by stopping the sublimation process during the primary desiccation or at the very beginning of the secondary desiccation until total water content of the mixture is between 30% to 55%, such mixture then having dry, still frozen and/or moist pieces of plants;
(d) homogeneously mixing the mixture from which the predetermined total amount of water was extracted so as to allow for a migration of water from the frozen pieces of plants towards the moist pieces of plants and the dry pieces of plants;
(e) collecting the pieces of plants from the homogeneously mixed mixture, wherein no rehydration step before use of the pieces of plants is required.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the consumable pieces of plants to which the water activity depressors are added are previously deep frozen.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the water activity depressors are added at a temperature within the range from -40.degree. C. to 30.degree. C.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the water activity depressors are added at a temperature within the range from -8.degree. C. to 10.degree. C.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the water activity depressors are added in an amount so that the resulting mixture pieces of plants have from 13% to 55% of water activity depressors and a water activity at 20.degree. C. ranging from 0.70 to 0.75.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the water activity depressors are added in an amount so that the resulting mixture pieces of plants have the following composition: from 8% to 55% of water activity depressors, and a water activity at 20.degree. C. ranging from 0.60 to 0.80, and a mineral salt content on the order of 8% to 30% and/or a glucides content on the order of 5% to 25%.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

The method according to any of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, wherein the water activity depressors are selected from the group comprising mineral salts, saccharides, polyols, proteins and organic acids.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the mineral salts are selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, calcium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium citrate, food carbonates and sulphates.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the saccharides are selected from the group consisting of monosaccharides, disaccharides and oligosaccharides.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the saccharides are selected from the group consisting of glucose, fructose, saccharose, lactose, maltose, malto-dextrins and glucose syrups.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the polyols are selected from the group consisting of D-sorbitol and glycerol.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the water activity depressors are solid water activity depressors.

### Claim 13 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the water activity depressors are liquid water activity depressors.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein an essential oils content of the resulting mixture is reduced at most by 30% with respect to a dry version of the fresh plant pieces.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein prior to the sublimation step, the plant pieces are subjected to a storage step at a temperature lower than or equal -18.degree. C.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of the method are undertaken in a continuous manner.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of adding flavors, starches and/or taste intensifiers.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of blanching the plant pieces.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the water activity depressors are added in an amount so that the resulting mixture pieces of plants have from 30% to 55% of water activity depressors and a water activity at 20.degree. C. ranging from 0.60 to 0.80.

### Claim 20

A method for processing freshly picked plants comprising the following steps:
(a) adding water activity depressors to consumable pieces of plants and mixing them to form a mixture, the water activity depressors being added in an amount so that the resulting mixture pieces of plants have the following composition: from 8% to 55% of water activity depressors, a water activity at 20.degree. C. ranging from 0.60 to 0.80, and a mineral salt content on the order of 8% to 30% and/or a glucides content on the order of 5% to 25%;
(b) deep-freezing the mixture;
(c) extracting from the frozen mixture a predetermined total amount of water by a sublimation process having a primary desiccation and a secondary desiccation, by stopping the sublimation process during the primary desiccation or at the very beginning of the secondary desiccation until the examining water content of the mixture is between 30 to 55%, such mixture .then having dry, still frozen and/or moist pieces of plants;
(d) homogeneously mixing the mixture from which the predetermined total amount of water was extracted so as to allow for a migration of water from the frozen pieces of plants towards the moist pieces of plants and the dry pieces of plants;
(e) collecting the pieces of plants from the homogeneously mixed mixture, wherein no rehydration step is required before use of the pieces of plants.

### Claim 21

A vegetable product which does not require rehydration for use but to which water activity depressors have been added, and which has been subjected to a water extraction process, after being deep frozen, so as to have water activity at 20.degree. C. and a mineral salt content, a glucides content and a moisture content within an interval such that the product's properties are similar to those of fresh products and that can be stored equally well at low positive to negative temperatures, the water activity at 20.degree. C. ranging from 0.60 to 0.80, the mineral salts contents ranging from 8% to 30%, the glucides content ranging from 5% to 25% and the moisture content ranging from 30% to 55%.

### Claim 22 (depends on 1)

The vegetable product of claim 1, wherein the moisture content ranges from 30% to 55%.

### Claim 23 (depends on 21)

The vegetable product according to claim 21, wherein its essential oils content is at most 30% less than that of dried versions of the fresh vegetable product.

### Claim 24 (depends on 21)

The vegetable product according to claim 21, wherein the product includes added flavors, starches and/or taste intensifiers.

### Claim 25 (depends on 21)

The vegetable product of claim 21, wherein the water activity at 20.degree. C. ranges from 0.70 to 0.75.

### Claim 26 (depends on 21, 25)

The vegetable product of any one of claims 21 and 25, wherein the water activity depressors are selected from the group consisting of mineral salts, saccharides, polyols, proteins, protein hydrolysates and organic acids.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The vegetable product of claim 26, wherein the mineral salts are selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, calcium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium titrate, food carbonates and sulphates.

### Claim 28 (depends on 26)

The vegetable product of claim 26, wherein the saccharides are selected from the group consisting of monosaccharides, disaccharides and oligosaccharides.

### Claim 29 (depends on 26)

The vegetable product of claim 26, wherein the saccharides are selected from the group consisting of glucose, fructose, saccharose, lactose, maltose, malto-dextrins and glucose syrups.

### Claim 30 (depends on 26)

The vegetable product of claim 26, wherein the polyols are selected from the group consisting of D-sorbitol and glycerol.

### Claim 31 (depends on 21)

The vegetable product of claim 21 wherein its storage temperature ranges from -40.degree. C. to 12.degree. C.

### Claim 32 (depends on 21)

The vegetable product of claim 21, wherein its storage temperature ranges from -18.degree. C. to 6.degree. C.