J.r. Simplot Company

Michael L Hamann

David Bruce Walker

Bruce T Pittard

Allen J Neel

Susan Fortier Collinge

Richard K Pinegar

Nicholas C Guidinger

Charles F Dewey

Jeffrey John Kester

David N Gallina

Roy E Bosley

Ronald J Plaisted

Wayland I Fisher

Tracy R Hitchcock

Stephen L O'Bannon

Harold G Gobble

Spiral potato piece

An improved production process for preparing parfried and frozen French fry potato products with reduced crumb generation particularly upon finish preparation as by finish frying. Potato products such as French fry strips are cut, blanched and parfried, followed by a water treatment step as by applying a light spray or mist of water at ambient temperature and preferably at a rate selected to avoid any substantial overspray. The potato products are frozen for shipment and/or storage awaiting finish preparation. Upon finish preparation as by finish frying in hot oil, the potato products exhibit substantially reduced crumb generation. The improved process is particularly useful when parfrying and/or finish frying the potato products in a liquid or substantially non-hydrogenated oil, such as a zero grams Trans Fat (ZGTF) oil, with dramatically reduced crumb generation upon finish fry preparation while retaining a substantially optimized balance of sensory characteristics.

French fry production method with reduced crumb generation

Parfried potato strips and a related preparation process are provided wherein the parfried strips have a relatively low moisture content suitable for oven finish or rapid finish fry preparation, and further wherein the parfried strips exhibit improved storage stability without developing undesirable off-flavor characteristics. The parfried potato strips are initially blanched and then surface treated to apply reducing sugar in a controlled amount prior to parfrying in hot oil and freezing. In one form, the surface treatment is a dextrose-containing dip or spray, whereas in another form the surface treatment is a sugar-containing starch-based batter coating. In either case, the quantity of sugar on the exterior surfaces of the strips is regulated in relation to the parfry oil temperature to achieve a target strip color. In a preferred preparation process, the potato strips are subjected to first and second parfry steps in hot oil with an intermediate freeze step prior to final freezing, wherein the quantity of sugar on the exterior surfaces of the strips is regulated in relation to the temperature of the second parfry step to achieve the target strip color.

Process for preparing storage stable low moisture parfried potato strips

Improved batter coated French fried potato strips and a related preparation process are provided, wherein the potato strips are suitable for fast finish preparation in an oven and exhibit overall taste, appearance and textural characteristics closely emulating frozen parfried potato strips which have been finish prepared by frying. The preparation process comprises cutting and blanching fresh potato strips, and then coating the strips with an aqueous starch slurry. The batter coated potato strips are then subjected to a first parfry step after which the strips are promptly frozen. The once-parfried and frozen potato strips are next subjected to a second parfry step followed by freezing a second time and packaging for storage and/or shipment. The thus-prepared potato strips can be finish cooked in an oven for consumption, with a short preparation time and with quality characteristics similar to French fried potato strips which have been finish prepared by frying.

Process for preparing batter coated french fried potato strips

An improved process is provided for preparing parfried and frozen French fry potato strips for reconstitution for consumption by finish frying wherein the finish fry time period is substantially reduced. French fry potato strips which have been initially processed to a parfried and preferably frozen state, for example, in accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 3,397,993, are subjected to a hot air impingement step including exposure to relatively high velocity air at a selected temperature and for a controlled time period to achieve a rapid yet controlled reduction in strip moisture content and to texturize the outer skin surfaces of the strips without frying. The strips are then frozen and stored awaiting rapid reconstitution by finish frying in hot oil within a substantially reduced frying time, with the reconstituted strips exhibiting substantially optimum taste, color, and textural characteristics.

Process for preparing parfried and frozen potato strips

Potato product

A method of shaping potato dough into elongated strips comprises feeding a mass of dough from a hopper between a feed roller and a parallel die roller of a continuous rotary shaper. The feed roller forces the dough into annular channels in the die roller to form a plurality of dough strips. The dough strips are continuously released from the die roller onto a conveyor belt driven by an adjustable pressure roller in direct rolling pressure commnication with the die roller.

Method of shaping potato dough

The invention provides for addition of a process oil in a liquid state, such as a vegetable oil, an animal fat or blend thereof to potato dough ingredients to enhance tenderness and crispness in the finished formed potato product and to reduce occurrences of 'feathering' and 'overmixing' of the dough during processing. Accordingly, a liquid oil addition of from about 0.12 weight percent to less than about 2.0 weight percent to the potato dough ingredients is presently preferred as producing the most desirable end product with respect to crispness, flavor, and interior and exterior characteristics. In one embodied form of the invention, the process oil may be added by incorporation of finely chopped, par-fried, frozen, potato eliminations into the potato dough. If eliminations are incorporated, a maximum of about 4.0 weight percent process oil in the potato dough can be utilized in accordance with the present invention.

Potato dough with process oil for formed and extruded potato products

A frozen french fried potato product for heating in a toaster or oven, is provided. The product is made from a cohesive dough which is prepared by admixing cooked potatoes with additives comprising water, a binding agent, cellulose, and dehydrated potato flakes or granules. The dough is extruded into said product which is fried in cooking oil and frozen.

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Caldwell, ID, United States of America

Michael L Hamann