Firmness in processed vegetables

Patent 5599572 Issued on February 4, 1997. Estimated Expiration Date:

June 20, 2014. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.

Abstract Claims Description Full Text

Patent References

Blanching process
Patent #: 4521439
Issued on: 06/04/1985
Inventor: Bengtsson , et al.

Method of thermally processing low-acid foodstuffs in hermetically sealed containers and the containers having the foodstuffs therein Patent #: 4741911
Issued on: 05/03/1988
Inventor: McIntyre , et al.

Inventor

Bourne, Malcolm C.

Assignee

Cornell Research Foundation, Inc.

Application

No. 262353 filed on 06/20/1994

US Classes:

426/321, INHIBITING CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL CHANGE OF FOOD BY CONTACT WITH A CHANGE INHIBITING CHEMICAL AGENT OTHER THAN AN ANTIOXYGEN AGENT426/325, Subsequent heat treatment of package426/508, Cooking, blanching or gelatinizing426/509, Cooking or blanching426/524Cooling, freezing, or treating cooled or frozen product, e.g., thawing, etc.

Examiners

Primary: Weier, Anthony J.

International Class

A23B 007/06

Abstract

Firmness of processed canned vegetables has been markedly improved by subjecting the vegetable to a low temperature blanching step at a temperature in the range of 125° F. to 160° F. and preferably from about 140° F. to 155° F. prior to conventional sterilization. Determination of blanch temperature conditions to produce optimum firmness in the processed food is made by first obtaining firmness values of specific foods at various blanch and hold temperatures and thereafter plotting the rate of firmness increase (Newtons/minute) against blanch temperatures. Preferred conditions, which vary for different foods, are obtained from individual plots for each food. Synergistic improvement of firmness results by combining the low temperature blanching with food grade acid (pH) and/or calcium salt additions.

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