# US 8,784,913 B2 · Rehydratable food > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,784,913 B2 - Document ID: US8784913B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/698,680 - Filed: 2011-05-25 - Published: 2013-04-25 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2010-06-08 - Assignees: Conopco, Inc. - Applicants: Mark John Berry; John Casey; Ravine Anthony Gungabissoon; Andrew Paul Ormerod; Sally Pamela Redfern; Jacqueline de Silva; Joy Elizabeth Wilkinson - Inventors: Mark John Berry; John Casey; Ravine Anthony Gungabissoon; Andrew Paul Ormerod; Sally Pamela Redfern; Jacqueline de Silva; Joy Elizabeth Wilkinson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8784913B2 ## CPC - C12N 15/8242: {with non-agronomic quality (output) traits, e.g. for industrial processing; Value added, non-agronomic traits} - A23B 7/02: Dehydrating; Subsequent reconstitution (dried cooked potatoes A23L19/12) - A23B 7/022: with addition of chemicals {before or during drying, e.g. semi-moist products}(A23B7/024 - A23B7/028 take precedence) - A23L 19/00: Products from fruits or vegetables; Preparation or treatment thereof (marmalades, jams, jellies or the like A23L21/10; treating harvested fruit or vegetables in bulk A23N) - A23L 19/01: {Instant products; Powders; Flakes; Granules (A23L19/10 – A23L19/12 take precedence)} - A23L 33/17: Amino acids, peptides or proteins - C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00) - 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) ## Abstract Use of dried rehydratable food, such as in a dried soup, a dried beverage, a breakfast cereal, a yoghurt and a dried sauce, is widespread. However it has been observed that when the dried components are fruit and/or vegetable, the components, on rehydration, do not resemble the fruit and/or vegetable before desiccation. That is to say they no longer have a fresh appearance but are discoloured and lack firmness. This transformation is due to cellular damage which occurs during desiccation. In particular, it is thought that phospholipid membranes are destabilised by insertion of cellular amphiphiles, phase transition into the gel phase and membrane fusion. This invention seeks to solve the above-mentioned technical problem by providing, amongst other things, a dried rehydratable food which is a fruit, vegetable or part thereof which, on rehydration, has improved appearance, texture and rehydration properties. In particular, a dried rehydratable food is provided, the food comprising less than 10% w/w water and at least 0.02% w/w of a dehydrin protein and derivatives thereof, the dehydrin protein and derivatives thereof comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of K,I,K,E,K,L,P,G; K,I,K,E/D,K,L/I,P,G; and K,I,K,E/D,K,L/I/TA/,P/H/S,G, and wherein the dried rehydratable food is unbroken tissue of a vegetable or part thereof and/or a fruit or part thereof, and not a seed, wherein the unbroken tissue has a shortest linear dimension of at least 0.5 millimeters, preferably a shortest linear dimension of 0.5 to 25, more preferably 0.5 to 10 millimeters. A food product comprising the dried rehydratable food and methods for manufacturing the dried rehydratable food are also provided. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A dried rehydratable food comprising less than 10% w/w water and at least 0.02% w/w of a dehydrin protein, a glycosilated dehydrin or a truncated dehydrin derived from the dehydrin protein, said dehydrin protein, glycosylated dehydrin or truncated dehydrin having a molecular weight of 1 to 150 kD and comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of KIKEKLPG (SEQ ID No: 14); KIKE/DKL/IPG (SEQ ID No: 15); and KIKE/DKL/I/T/VP/H/SG (SEQ ID No: 16), and wherein the dried rehydratable food is unbroken tissue of a vegetable or part thereof and/or a fruit or part thereof, and not a seed, wherein the unbroken tissue has a shortest linear dimension of at least 0.5 millimeters, and wherein the rehydratable food may be rehydrated to at least 50%, of the water content of a fully hydrated vegetable or part thereof and/or fruit or part thereof. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A dried rehydratable food according to claim 1, wherein the dehydrin protein, glycosilated dehydrin or truncated dehydrin has a molecular weight of 5 to 150 kD and wherein the rehydratable food may be rehydrated to at least 60%, of the water content of a fully hydrated vegetable or part thereof and/or fruit or part thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A dried rehydratable food according to claim 1 comprising 0.02 to 20% w/w dehydrin protein, glycosylated dehydrin or truncated dehydrin. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A dried rehydratable food according to claim 1, wherein the dehydrin protein glycosylated dehydrin or truncated dehydrin have a molecular weight of 5 to 100 kD. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A dried rehydratable food according to claim 1, wherein the dehydrin protein glycosylated dehydrin or truncated dehydrin is a dehydrin derived from the group consisting of Camellia sinensis, Forsythia and Selaginella. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A dried rehydratable food according to claim 1, wherein the dehydrin protein, glycosylated dehydrin or truncated dehydrin has an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to SEQ ID No: 1. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A dried rehydratable food according to claim 1, wherein the dehydrin protein, glycosylated dehydrin or truncated dehydrin has an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to SEQ ID No: 2. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A dried rehydratable food according to claim 1, wherein the dehydrin protein, glycosylated dehydrin or truncated dehydrin has an amino acid sequence at least 80% identical to SEQ ID NO: 3. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A dried rehydratable food according to claim 1, wherein the rehydratable food additionally comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of trehalose, sucrose, glucose, fructose, raffinose, an enzymatic antioxidant or a non-enzymatic reactive oxygen species scavenger. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A dried rehydratable food according to claim 9, wherein the enzymatic antioxidant is selected from the group consisting of catalase, superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase and glutathione reductase. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) A dried rehydratable food according to claim 9, wherein the non-enzymatic reactive oxygen species scavenger is selected from the group consisting of ascorbate, glutathione and a carotenoid. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A dried rehydratable food according to claim 1, wherein the vegetable is selected from the group consisting of spinach, broccoli, onion, aubergine, courgette, potato, pumpkin, mushroom, carrot, tea, asparagus, turnip, leek, beetroot, cauliflower, celeriac, artichoke, mint, thyme, oregano, rosemary, parsley, sage, chives, marjoram, basil, bay leaf, tarragon, celery and garlic and the fruit is selected from the group consisting of lemon, raspberry, red currant, blackberry, berry, blueberry, strawberry, pineapple, banana, peach, apricot, lychee, apple, pear, tomato, capsicum, cucumber and mango. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A food product comprising a dried rehydratable food according to claim 1. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A food product according to claim 13 which is selected from the group consisting of a dried soup, a dried beverage, a breakfast cereal, a yoghurt and a dried sauce. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A method for manufacturing a dried rehydratable food according to claim 1, the method comprising the steps of: (a) Infusing a vegetable or part thereof, or a fruit or part thereof excluding a seed, with a dehydrin protein a glycosylated or a truncated dehydrin derived from the protein dehydrin, said dehydrin protein, glycosylated dehydrin or truncated dehydrin having a molecular weight of 1 to 150 kD and comprising an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of KIKEKLPG (SEQ ID NO:15); KIKE/DKL/IPG (SEQ ID NO:16); and KIKE/DKL/I/T/VP/H/SG (SEQ ID NO 17) to produce an infused food; and (b) Drying the infused food thereby to produce a dried rehydratable food according to claim 1. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A method for manufacturing a dried rehydratable food according to claim 15, wherein step (a) of claim 15 is carried out under a vacuum. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) A method for manufacturing a dried rehydratable food according to claim 15, wherein step (a) of claim 15 is carried out at a temperature of 3 to 70 degrees centigrade. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) A method for manufacturing a dried rehydratable food according to claim 1, the method comprising the steps of: (a) Cloning a gene into a plant expression vector thereby to produce a modified plant expression vector, wherein the gene encodes a dehydrin protein and derivatives thereof, wherein the dehydrin protein and derivatives thereof comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of KIKEKLPG (SEQ ID NO:14); KIKE/DKL/IPG (SEQ ID NO:15); and KIKE/DKL/I/T/VP/H/SG (SEQ ID NO:16); (b) Introducing the modified plant expression vector into a target crop by plant transformation thereby to produce a transgenic target crop; (c) Growing the transgenic target crop thereby to express the dehydrin protein and derivatives thereof; and then (d) Drying the transgenic target crop thereby to produce a dried rehydratable food according to claim 1.