Kraft Foods Holdings, Inc.

Kraft Foods, Inc.

Scott D Brooks

Michael Gerard Roman

John Pasch

Cecily Elizabeth Brose

Peter Begg

Zuoxing Zheng

K Rajinder Nauth

Linda K Jackson

John Wisler

James L Bell

Charlotte L Allen

Susan M Gerulis

The present invention provides starchy food products, especially cooked and fully hydrated potato compositions, including fully hydrated mashed potato compositions and fully hydrated cut potato compositions, which are stabilized against the development of toxins from pathogenic bacterial contaminants. The stabilized compositions are attained by the incorporation of nisin-containing dairy composition derived from a nisin-producing culture. The invention also relates to methods of stabilizing starchy food products, especially cooked and fully hydrated potato compositions, including fully hydrated mashed potato compositions and fully hydrated cut potato compositions, against the development of toxins, wherein the method comprises incorporating nisin-containing dairy composition derived from a nisin-producing culture to the starchy food product. Since these compositions are cooked and fully hydrated prior to packaging, the ultimate consumer only needs to briefly heat the starchy food product in, for example, a conventional or microwave oven prior to consumption.

Stabilization of cooked and fully hydrated potato compositions

The present invention provides fully cooked, ready to heat and serve pasta compositions which are stabilized against the development of toxins from pathogenic bacterial contaminants under refrigeration conditions for 120 days or more. The stabilized pasta compositions are attained by the incorporation of nisin-containing cultured whey derived from a nisin-producing culture. The pasta of the present invention is prepared from pasta dough comprising about 55 to about 80 percent high protein wheat flour, about 1 to about 5 percent wheat gluten, 0 to about 20 percent egg product, 0 to about 3 percent dough conditioner, sufficient nisin-containing cultured whey to provide about 200 to about 1200 IU nisin/g pasta dough, and sufficient water to provide a total moisture content of about 25 to about 35 percent.

Stabilization of cooked pasta compositions using whey from nisin-producing cultures

The present invention provides a stabilized meat product of cooked meat comprising cooked meat and nisin-containing whey. The present invention also provides a stabilized food product comprising cooked meat, vegetables, sauce, and nisin-containing whey. The nisin-containing whey can be prepared by (1) inoculating a pasteurized dairy composition with a culture of a nisin-producing microorganism, incubating the composition until the pH attains a value between about 6.2 and about 4.0 and a whey and curd mixture is formed, and separating the whey from the whey and curd mixture to give the separated whey which is the nisin-containing whey or by (2) the fermentation of a fortified cheese whey composition using a nisin-producing microorganism. The invention also provides a method of making a stabilized food product of cooked meat, vegetables, and sauce that includes preparing a composition including meat, vegetables, sauce, and nisin-containing whey, and cooking the composition. The invention additionally provides a method of inhibiting the growth of a pathogenic microorganism in cooked food compositions that includes preparing a composition comprising meat, vegetables, sauce, and nisin-containing whey, cooking the composition, and sealing the composition into packaging; whereby the growth of a pathogenic microorganism is inhibited.

Stabilization of cooked meat and meat-vegetable compositions using whey from nisin-producing cultures and product thereof

This invention provides stabilized fermented dairy compositions such as yogurt in which the development of excessive acidity and bitter tastes during storage is essentially eliminated. The stabilized compositions are attained by the incorporation of nisin-containing whey derived from a nisin-producing culture. The invention also relates to a method of preparing a fermented dairy product stabilized against the development of excessive acidity, to a method for stabilizing fermented dairy products, and to a method for stabilizing a fermented dairy product against depletion of lactose during storage. The methods include adding nisin-containing whey derived from a nisin-producing culture to the fermented dairy product. The whey is obtained from a nisin-producing culture by removing the nisin-producing microorganisms with the curds from the fermentation. The invention further provides methods which yield stabilized fermented dairy products that may be flavored and/or sweetened with syrups.

Stabilization of fermented dairy compositions using whey from

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Appleton, WI, United States of America

Scott D Brooks