Conopco, Inc.

Unilever Plc

Unilever, N.v.

Unilever Plc, a Company Registered in England and Wales Under Company No. 41424

Joy Elizabeth Wilkinson

Mark John Berry

John Casey

Andrew Paul Ormerod

Ravine Anthony Gungabissoon

Andrew Hoddle

Patricia Jill Quail

Sally Pamela Redfern

Jacqueline De Silva

Jacqueline Silva De

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.

Rehydratable food

Growing community of inventors

Sharnbrook, United Kingdom

Joy Elizabeth Wilkinson