Kraft Foods Holdings, Inc.

Lisa Jane Apel

Jimbay Peter Loh

Dalip Kumar Nayyar

Laura Gail Hill

Yeong-Ching Albert Hong

K Rajinder Nauth

Uraiwan Tangprasertchai

Keith Daniel Forneck

Lynell Morales

Maluwa Ursula Behringer

Dhruba Jyoti Das

John Dewalt

David Carl Richards

Methods are provided for preparing intermediate moisture vegetables. In one embodiment, this invention relates to a method for preparing intermediate moisture vegetables, said method comprising (1) predrying the vegetables to a moisture content of less than about 5 percent, (2) applying a low viscosity infusion cocktail comprising water, a polyhydric alcohol, and salt to the predried vegetables, (3) equilibrating the predried vegetables and infusion cocktail for at least about 30 minutes to provide the intermediate moisture vegetables, and (4) and packaging the intermediate moisture vegetables; wherein the infusion cocktail contains essentially no sugars or saccharides. When cooked, these intermediate moisture vegetables provide appearance, texture, and taste similar to that provided by high quality cooked individually quick frozen vegetables.

Process for preparing intermediate moisture vegetables

A fully baked bread product is provided which can be stored for extended periods of time and which retains its desirable soft texture for the shelf life (e.g., at least about 3 months) of the product if maintained under a modified atmosphere (i.e., low oxygen and preferably inert gas) at refrigerated conditions (i.e., about 35 to about 45&#xb0; F.). The fully baked bread is prepared from dough comprising, in baker's percentages, about 100 pounds flour, about 0.75 to about 3.5 pounds salt, about 0.2 to about 1 pounds microbial inhibitor, about 0 to about 3 pounds gluten, about 1 to about 5 pounds leavening agent, about 0.1 to about 1 pound enzyme, about 9 to 18 pounds high fructose corn syrup, about 3 to about 10 pounds shortening, about 0.1 to about 3 pounds mono- and diglycerides, and about 45 to about 60 pounds of water.

Refrigerated extended shelf-life bread products

Premium quality intermediate moisture vegetables and methods for preparing such vegetables are provided. The premium quality intermediate moisture vegetables are prepared by (a) infusing vegetables with an antimicrobial infusion cocktail at a temperature of greater than about 50&deg; F. for about 15 to about 180 minutes, wherein the antimicrobial infusion cocktail comprises an aqueous solution of (1) a water-soluble, predominantly lower molecular weight, low sweetness carbohydrate, (2) a polyhydric alcohol, (3) salt, (4) a non-inorganic sweetness depressant agent, and (5) nisin-containing whey derived from a nisin-producing culture; (b) collecting the vegetables and removing excess antimicrobial infusion cocktail; (c) drying the collected vegetables to a water activity of about 0.5 to about 0.9 to form the intermediate moisture vegetables; and (d) packaging the intermediate moisture vegetables. After drying to a water activity of about 0.5 to about 0.9, the intermediate moisture vegetables of the present invention are shelf stable. For example, such intermediate moisture vegetables having a water activity of about 0.55 to about 0.65 are expected to be shelf stable for about twelve months under ambient conditions; intermediate moisture vegetables having a water activity of about 0.75 to about 0.85 are expected to be shelf stable for about 90 days under refrigeration conditions. When cooked, these intermediate moisture vegetables provide appearance, texture, and taste similar to that provided by high quality cooked frozen vegetables.

Premium quality intermediate moisture vegetables and method of making

Growing community of inventors

Evanston, IL, United States of America

Lisa Jane Apel