Unilever Bestfoods, North America Division of Conopco, Inc.

Conopco, Inc.

Lipton, Division of Conopco, Inc.

Valerio Simeone

Sandro Panaioli

Roberto Nardi

Carlo Rotunno

The present invention provides a process for the manufacture of frozen instant cooking pasta from elongated dried pasta products that substantially retains the pre-processing length of the dried pasta comprising the steps of; Further embodiments are directed to the apparatus that is necessary for carrying out this process and the frozen product achieved.

Apparatus for manufacture of frozen elongated pasta

A method for blanching vegetable material comprising heat treating the vegetable material in a current of hot air at a temperature in the range from above 100&#xb0; C. to 150&#xb0; C. in an environment which substantially reduces evaporative loss of water from the vegetable material.

Blanching vegetables

The present invention relates to the field of frozen convenience meals. More particularly the invention relates to frozen layered pasta products that are conveniently reheated from frozen form for consumption.

Frozen layered pasta product

The present invention provides a process for the manufacture of frozen instant cooking pasta from elongated dried pasta products that substantially retains the pre-processing length of the dried pasta comprising the steps of: (i) dividing an elongated dried pasta products into one or more portions, each portion having a desired mass; (ii) loading each portion of pasta into one of a plurality of separate dosing devices; (iii) re-hydrating each portion of pasta within a dosing device; (iv) quenching the re-hydrated pasta resulting from step (iii); (v) freezing. Further embodiments are directed to the apparatus that is necessary for carrying out this process and the frozen product achieved.

Growing community of inventors

Cisterna di Latina, Italy

Valerio Simeone