SHELF STABLE FRIED PRODUCT AND PROCESS FOR CREATING THE SAME
A shelf stable fried product and a process for creating a shelf stable fried product is disclosed. Aspects include a process for managing fat migration, moisture migration, and cell degrading of a food product during frying. Aspects further include a resulting shelf stable food product that includes a crispy and/or crunchy texture and a desirable fat distribution.
1 . A shelf stable onion product having an inner portion and an outer portion, the shelf stable onion product comprising:
a fried onion portion;
a batter portion;
a void portion between the batter portion and the fried onion portion;
a fat content of the outer portion of about 55% to about 95% of total fat content of the shelf stable onion product;
about 0% wt moisture to about 10% wt moisture; and
a water activity of about 0 to about 0.6.
2 . The shelf stable onion product of claim 1 , wherein the outer portion includes the batter portion.
3 . The shelf stable onion product of claim 2 , wherein the batter portion includes an outer surface.
4 . The shelf stable onion product of claim 3 , wherein the outer surface of the batter portion includes about 30% to about 95% of the total fat of the shelf stable onion product.
5 . The shelf stable onion product of claim 1 , wherein the inner portion includes the void portion and the fried onion portion.
6 . The shelf stable onion product of claim 5 , further comprising a fat differential between the inner portion and the outer portion of about 10% to about 90%.
7 . The shelf stable onion product of claim 1 , wherein the fried onion portion includes at least one member of a group comprising: a ring shape, a petal cut, a strip cut, and a string cut.
8 . The shelf stable onion product of claim 1 , wherein the batter portion of the shelf stable onion product includes a hardness of about 500 g to about 3000 g at a strain of about 2 mm to about 15 mm.
9 . The shelf stable onion product of claim 1 , wherein the wt moisture is about 0% wt moisture to about 5% wt moisture.
10 . The shelf stable onion product of claim 1 , wherein the wt moisture is about 0% wt moisture to about 3% wt moisture.
11 . The shelf stable onion product of claim 1 , wherein the water activity is about 0 to about 0.4.
12 . The shelf stable onion product of claim 1 , wherein the fried onion portion is at least one member of a group comprising: an atmospheric fried onion portion and a vacuum fried onion portion.
13 . The shelf stable onion product of claim 1 , wherein the shelf stable onion product is made by a process, the process comprising:
applying a batter to an onion piece to create an onion piece having a batter; and
frying the onion piece having the batter in oil to create a fried onion product having the void portion and the fat content of the outer portion of about 55% to about 95% of total fat content of the shelf stable onion product.
14 . The shelf stable onion product of claim 13 , further comprising freezing the onion piece having the batter.
15 . The shelf stable onion product of claim 14 , wherein freezing includes freezing the onion piece having the batter at sub-zero temperatures.
16 . The shelf stable onion product of claim 13 , wherein frying includes at least one member of a group comprising: atmospheric frying and vacuum frying.
17 . The shelf stable onion product of claim 13 , further comprising packaging the fried onion product in a package having reduced atmospheric oxygen levels.
18 . A shelf stable onion product having an inner portion and an outer portion, the shelf stable onion product comprising:
a fried onion portion including a piece of onion;
a batter portion, wherein the batter portion includes a hardness of about 500 g to about 3000 g;
a void portion between the batter portion and the fried onion portion;
a fat content of the outer portion of about 55% to about 95% of total fat content of the shelf stable onion product;
about 0% wt moisture to about 5% wt moisture;
a water activity of about 0 to about 0.6.
19 . The shelf stable onion product of claim 18 , wherein the fried onion portion includes at least one member of a group comprising: a ring shape, a petal cut, a strip cut, and a string cut.
20 . The shelf stable onion product of claim 18 , wherein the wt moisture is about 0% wt moisture to about 3% wt moisture.
21 . The shelf stable onion product of claim 18 , wherein the water activity is about 0 to about 0.4.
22 . The shelf stable onion product of claim 18 , wherein the fried onion portion is at least one member of a group comprising: an atmospheric fried onion portion and a vacuum fried onion portion.
23 . The shelf stable onion product of claim 18 , wherein the shelf stable onion product is made by a process, the process comprising:
applying a batter to an onion piece to create an onion piece having a batter;
freezing the onion piece having the batter to create a frozen onion piece having ice crystals within the onion piece;
frying the frozen onion piece in oil to the moisture content to create a fried onion product, wherein, during frying, the ice crystals turn into steam, wherein the batter diffuses the exit of steam to impede the migration of oil through the batter; and
packaging the fried onion product in a package having reduced atmospheric oxygen levels.
24 . The shelf stable onion product of claim 23 , wherein frying includes at least one member of a group comprising: atmospheric frying and vacuum frying.
25 . The shelf stable onion product of claim 24 , wherein freezing include freezing the onion piece having a surface application at sub-zero temperatures.
26 . A process for making a shelf stable onion product, the process comprising:
applying a batter to an onion piece to create an onion piece having a batter;
frying the onion piece having the batter in oil to create a fried onion product having a fat content of the batter of about 55% to about 95% of the total fat of the shelf stable onion product; and
packaging the fried onion product in a package having reduced atmospheric oxygen levels.
27 . The process of claim 26 , further comprising freezing the onion piece having the batter prior to frying.
28 . The process of claim 27 , wherein freezing includes freezing at sub-zero temperatures.
29 . The process of claim 27 , wherein freezing includes initially cooling to a temperature of about 40° F. to about 180° F. prior to freezing.
30 . The process of claim 26 , wherein frying includes at least one member of a group comprising: atmospheric frying and vacuum frying.
31 . The process of claim 26 , further comprising hydrating the onion piece in a soak solution that includes at least one member of a group comprising: sodium acid pyrophosphate (SAPP), citric acid, sugar, salt, starch, fruit juice concentrate, vegetable juice concentrate, color, vinegar, acetic acid, flavor, acid, gum, and enzymes.
32 . The process of claim 26 , wherein battering includes at least one member of a group comprising: coating, battering, predusting then battering, battering then predusting then battering a second time, battering then predusting then battering a second time then breading, battering then predusting then battering a second time then predusting a second time then battering a third time, battering then predusting then battering a second time then predusting a second time then battering a third time then breading.
33 . The process of claim 26 , further comprising causing non-intrusive oil reduction after the frying, wherein non-intrusive oil reduction includes holding the fried onion product to cause excess oil to drip from the fried onion product.
34 . The process of claim 33 , wherein non-intrusive oil reduction further includes applying a flavoring to the fried onion product to cause flavorings to infuse into the fried onion product.
35 . The process of claim 26 , wherein the package includes about 0% to 5% oxygen.
36 . The process of claim 26 , wherein the shelf stable onion product includes:
a fried onion portion;
a batter portion;
a fat content of the batter portion of about 55% to about 95% of total fat content of the shelf stable onion product;
about 0% wt moisture to about 10% wt moisture; and
a water activity of about 0 to about 0.6.
37 . The process of claim 36 , wherein the fried onion portion includes at least one member of a group comprising: a ring shape, a petal cut, a strip cut, and a string cut.
38 . The process of claim 36 , wherein the batter portion of the shelf stable onion product includes a hardness of about 500 g to about 3000 g at a strain of about 2 mm to about 15 mm.
39 . The process of claim 36 , wherein the wt moisture is about 0% wt moisture to about 5% wt moisture.
40 . The process of claim 36 , wherein the wt moisture is about 0% wt moisture to about 3% wt moisture.
41 . The process of claim 36 , wherein the water activity is about 0 to about 0.4.
42 . The process of claim 36 , wherein the fried onion portion is at least one member of a group comprising: an atmospheric fried onion portion and a vacuum fried onion portion.