Process for preparing dehydrated bean products
AssigneeHunt-Wesson, Inc.
InventorsShanti Kolla, Ash Husain, Jerry Costales
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a process for preparing rapidly reconstitutable, dehydrated legume products. Raw legumes are hydrated by treating, first with an alkaline solution to raise their pH to from about 6.7 to about 7.7 and their moisture content by at least about 5 wt. % to from about 30 to about 45 wt. %, and then by neutralizing with an acidic solution to lower their pH to from about 5.5 to about 6.5 and raise their moisture content by at least about 5 wt. % to from about 45 to about 60 wt. %. The hydrated beans are then cooked and dehydrated to produce legume products having the appearance and taste of their freshly prepared counterparts.
Claims31
A process for preparing rapidly reconstitutable, dehydrated legume products comprising the steps of:
- (a) hydrating raw legumes by
- (i) treating the raw legumes with an alkaline solution under conditions sufficient to raise the pH of the legumes to from about 6.7 to about 7.7 and the moisture content to from about 30 to about 45 wt. %;
- (ii) neutralizing the thus alkali-treated legumes with an acidic solution under conditions sufficient to lower their pH to from about 5.5 to about 6.5 and raise their moisture content by at least 5 wt. % to from about 40 to about 60 wt. %;
- (b) cooking the hydrated legumes;
- and then
- (c) dehydrating the thus cooked legumes.
A process for preparing rapidly reconstitutable, dehydrated bean products comprising the steps of:
- (a) hydrating raw beans by
- (i) treating the raw beans with an alkaline solution at a temperature of from about 160.degree. to about 200.degree. F. for a period of from about 30 to about 80 minutes to raise the pH of the beans to from about 7.2 to about 7.6 and the moisture content to from about 35 to about 45 wt. %;
- (ii) neutralizing the thus alkali-treated beans with an acidic solution at a temperature of from about 150.degree. to about 190.degree. F. for a period of from about 20 to about 30 minutes to lower their pH to about 6.1 and raise their moisture content by at least about 5 wt. % to from about 45 to about 55 wt. %;
- (b) cooking the hydrated beans by steam heating in a pressurized vessel for a period of from about 55 to about 90 minutes;
- (c) reducing the beans in size and forming the beans;
- and then
- (d) dehydrating the thus cooked beans to a moisture content of less than about 10 wt %.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.