# US 7,407,678 B2 · Method for enzymatic treatment of a vegetable composition > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 7,407,678 B2 - Document ID: US7407678B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/619,403 - Filed: 2003-07-14 - Published: 2004-01-15 - Granted: 2008-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 1998-11-20 - Assignees: Chi's Research Corporation - Inventors: Uchenna N. Chukwu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7407678B2 ## CPC - A23B 7/10: Preserving with acids; Acid fermentation - A23B 7/0205: {by contact of the material with fluids, e.g. drying gas or extracting liquids} - A23B 7/022: with addition of chemicals {before or during drying, e.g. semi-moist products}(A23B7/024 - A23B7/028 take precedence) - A23B 7/0441: {Treatment other than blanching preparatory to freezing} - A23B 7/06: Blanching (machines therefor A23N12/00) - A23B 7/155: Microorganisms; Enzymes {; Antibiotics} - A23B 9/08: Drying; Subsequent reconstitution - A23L 7/107: {Addition or treatment with enzymes not combined with fermentation with microorganisms} - A23L 7/183: by heating without using a pressure release device - A23L 7/196: Products in which the original granular shape is maintained, e.g. parboiled rice - A23L 11/01: {Pulses or legumes in the form of whole pieces or fragments thereof, without mashing or comminuting (A23L11/10 – A23L11/70 take precedence)} - A23L 11/10: Rapid cooking pulses - A23L 11/33: {using enzymes; Enzymatic transformation of pulses or legumes} - A23L 19/03: {consisting of whole pieces or fragments without mashing the original pieces} - A23L 19/20: by pickling, e.g. sauerkraut or pickles - A23L 25/20: {consisting of whole seeds or seed fragments} - A23L 25/40: {Fermented products; Products treated with microorganisms or enzymes} - C12Y 302/01004: Cellulase (3.2.1.4), i.e. endo-1,4-beta-glucanase - A23B: PRESERVATION OF FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES - A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B) - C12Y: ENZYMES ## Abstract A method of processing a vegetable that includes providing a vegetable composition having a first outer layer to which an enzyme is applied for a time that is sufficient to form an enzyme-degraded vegetable. The enzyme-degraded vegetable is capable of absorbing components, such as water, additives or enzymes that further process the vegetable. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of enzymatically degrading a raw vegetable composition prior to human consumption, the method comprising: providing a raw whole vegetable composition having a moisture content of less than about 30 weight percent; applying an aqueous enzyme composition comprising water, a protease and a cellulase to the raw vegetable composition under normal atmospheric pressures for a time that is sufficient to degrade the raw vegetable composition, wherein the aqueous enzyme composition is at an initial pH of between about 2.0 and 7.0; and deactivating the aqueous enzyme composition. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the aqueous enzyme composition is effective to degrade a first outer layer of the raw vegetable composition. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the aqueous enzyme composition is effective to reduce the cook time of the raw vegetable composition. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the aqueous enzyme composition is effective to hydrate the raw vegetable composition. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein the raw vegetable composition absorbs more than about 0.003 grams water per minute per gram of the raw vegetable composition. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 and further including applying a second aqueous enzyme composition to the raw vegetable composition, wherein the second aqueous enzyme composition comprises at least one enzyme that is selected from the group consisting of alpha-galactosidase, mannanase, beta-gluconase, beta-gluconase, arabinase, xylanase, beta-galactosidase, invertase, beta-fructotijranosidase, alpha-amylase, beta-amylase, pectinase, pectin depolymerase, pectin methyl esterase, pectin lyase, glucoamylase, oligo-1,6 glucosidase, protease, lactase, beta-d-glucosidase, and any combination thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein deactivating the enzyme composition includes freezing, drying, freeze-drying, canning, flying, hydrating, boiling, extruding, steaming, blanching, blending, cooking, baking, roasting, fermenting, peeling, pasteurizing, extracting, grilling, milling, puffing, micro-waving, enzymatic degradation, grinding, grating, pulverizing, steam-pressure cooking, or any combination of any of these. ### Claim 8 A method of enzymatically processing a vegetable composition prior to human consumption, the method comprising: providing a raw whole vegetable composition having a moisture content of less than about 30 weight percent; applying a first enzyme composition comprising water, at least one protease and a cellulase to the raw vegetable composition under normal atmospheric pressures for a time that is sufficient to form an enzyme-degraded raw vegetable composition, wherein the first enzyme composition is at a pH of between about 2.0 and 7.0; applying a second enzyme composition comprising water and a carbohydrase to the enzyme-degraded raw vegetable composition; and deactivating the first enzyme composition and the second enzyme composition. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8 wherein the second enzyme composition comprises at least one enzyme that is selected from the group consisting of hemicellulase, alpha-galactosidase, mannanase, beta-gluconase, beta-gluconase, arabinase, xylanase, beta-galactosidase, invertase, beta-fructofuranosidase, alpha-amylase, beta-amylase, pectinase, pectin depolymerase, pectin methyl esterase, pectin lyase, glucoamylase, oligo-1,6 glucosidase, lactase, beta-d-glucosidase, and any combination thereof. ### Claim 10 A method of processing a vegetable composition prior to consumption, the method comprising: providing a raw whole vegetable composition having a moisture content of less than about 40 weight percent; applying an enzyme composition having a pH of between about 2.0 and 7.0 to the raw vegetable composition under normal atmospheric pressures for a time that is sufficient to degrade the raw vegetable composition, wherein the enzyme composition includes water, a first enzyme component, and a second enzyme component, wherein the first enzyme component includes a cellulase that degrades the raw vegetable composition, and wherein the second enzyme component includes a protease that degrades a protein or a peptide; and deactivating the enzyme composition. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the raw vegetable in said composition is a legume, a soybean, an edible seed, a green unfermented cocoa bean, or any combination of any of these. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the protease degrades a hydrophobic amino acid containing protein, a hydrophobic amino acid-containing peptide, or any combination of any of these. ### Claim 13 A method of processing a vegetable composition prior to consumption, the method comprising: providing a raw whole bean having a moisture content of less than about 30 weight percent; and applying an enzyme composition having a pH of between about 2.0 and 7.0 to the raw bean under normal atmospheric pressures for a time that is sufficient to degrade the raw bean, wherein the enzyme composition includes water, at least one protease, and a cellulase that degrades the raw whole bean. ### Claim 14 A method of processing a vegetable composition prior to consumption, the method comprising: providing a raw whole vegetable composition having a moisture content of less than about 40 weight percent; applying an enzyme composition having an initial pH of between about 2.0 and 7.0 to the raw vegetable composition for a time that is sufficient to degrade the raw vegetable composition, wherein the enzyme composition includes water, at least one cellulase, at least one protease, alpha-galactosidase and alpha-amylase, wherein the enzyme composition is effective to degrade the raw vegetable composition; and deactivating the enzyme composition. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein the raw vegetable composition is a legume, a soybean, a grain, an edible seed, a green unfermented cocoa bean, or any combination of any of these. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein the enzyme composition is effective to degrade raffinose and stachyose in the raw whole vegetable composition.