The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 25, 2020
Filed:
May. 14, 2014
General Mills, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US);
Oregon Potato Company, Paso, WA (US);
Lily Leung Fee, St. Anthony, MN (US);
Donald F. Steenson, Plymouth, MN (US);
Robert Erickson, Crystal, MN (US);
Mark Stueber, Henderson, MN (US);
Anita J Hall, Bloomington, MN (US);
Frank Tiegs, Pasco, WA (US);
Steve Harris, Pasco, WA (US);
Craig Bolt, Pasco, WA (US);
General Mills, Inc., Minneapolis, MN (US);
Oregon Potato Company, Paso, WA (US);
Abstract
A continuous method for improving the firmness of vegetable products uses a continuous vegetable product treatment device comprising a vegetable product treatment chamber having a vegetable product inlet, a vegetable product outlet, a vegetable product transport mechanism for urging the vegetable product toward the vegetable product outlet, and at least one liquid introduction orifice for introducing a liquid. Vegetable product is continuously treated in the chamber at a temperature of from about 125° F. to about 160° F., and the liquid in the treatment chamber is maintained at a pH of from about 5 to about 7. Individual vegetable products reside in the treatment chamber for a time of from about 20 minutes to about 60 minutes. The heat-treated vegetable products are blanched in a subsequent blanching step at a temperature ranging from about 190° F. to 210° F. for a time of from about two to about 10 minutes.