Fruit and vegetable products
A method for producing a fruit or vegetable product, wherein the method consists essentially of (a) infusing a whole or sliced fruit or vegetable with an infusible molecule to between 10 and 55° Brix; (b) pre-drying the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable at a temperature between 80° C. and 120° C. to produce a pre-dried fruit or vegetable; (c) exposing the pre-dried fruit or vegetable to freezing temperatures and to vacuum to a temperature between −1° C. and −40° C. and a pressure between 7.5 mmHg and 0.53 mmHg, thereby partially subliming the fruit or vegetable; (d) puffing the fruit or vegetable under vacuum between 0.1 mmHg and 600 mmHg at a temperature between 40° C. and 110° C.; (e) cooling the fruit or vegetable under vacuum to a temperature between 0° C. and 40° C., to thereby produce the fruit or vegetable product.
1. A method for producing a fruit or vegetable product, wherein the method consist essentially of:
(a) infusing a whole or sliced fruit or vegetable with an infusible molecule to about 10 to about 55° Brix;
(b) pre-drying the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable at a temperature of about 80° C. to about 120° C. to produce a pre-dried fruit or vegetable;
(c) freezing the pre-dried fruit or vegetable at a temperature of about −1° C. to about −40° C. to produce a frozen fruit or vegetable;
(d) exposing the frozen fruit or vegetable to a temperature of about −1° C. to about −40° C. and an atmospheric pressure of about 0.53 mmHg to about 7.5 mmHg, thereby partially subliming the frozen fruit or vegetable;
(e) puffing the fruit or vegetable under vacuum of about 0.1 mmHg to about 600 mmHg at a temperature of about 40° C. to about 110° C.;
(f) cooling the fruit or vegetable under vacuum to a temperature of about 0° C. to about 40° C., to thereby produce the fruit or vegetable product,
wherein steps (a) through (f) are performed sequentially.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable in step (a) is scarified or pricked prior to infusing.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein juice is extracted from the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable in step (a) prior to infusing.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the infusible molecule is selected from the group consisting of a monosaccharide, disaccharide, trisaccharide, oligosaccharide, polysaccharide, fiber, vitamins, minerals, proteins, flavors, salt, seasoning, or any combination thereof.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable is pre-dried in step (b) to a moisture content of about 20% to about 40%.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable is pre-dried in step (b) to a moisture content of about 40% to about 60%.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein pre-drying the fruit or vegetable is performed with a convection dryer, air dryer, impingement dryer, microwave, infrared dryer, and/or air impinger.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the vacuum pressure during puffing is about 10 mmHg to about 600 mmHg.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable is a cranberry.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable is dehydrated under vacuum in step (e).
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein a vacuum of about 0.1 mmHg to about 600 mmHg and heat at a temperature of about 40° C. to about 70° is applied to the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable in step (e) prior to cooling the fruit or vegetable.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein a vacuum of about 0.1 mmHg to about 600 mmHg and heat at a temperature of about 70° C. to about 110° C. is applied to the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable in step (e) prior to cooling the fruit or vegetable.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fruit or vegetable product has a moisture content of about 1% to about 7%.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fruit or vegetable product has a moisture content of about 7% to about 15%.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable is frozen in step (c) under vacuum.
16. A method for producing a fruit or vegetable product, wherein the method consists essentially of:
(a) infusing a whole or sliced fruit or vegetable with an infusible molecule to about 10° to about 55° Brix;
(b) pre-drying the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable at a temperature of about 80° C. to about 120° C. to produce a pre-dried fruit or vegetable;
(c) exposing the pre-dried fruit or vegetable to a temperature of about −1° C. to about −40° C. and a pressure of about 0.53 mmHg to about 7.5 mmHg, thereby partially subliming the fruit or vegetable;
(d) puffing the fruit or vegetable under vacuum of about 0.1 mmHg to about 600 mmHg at a temperature of about 40° C. to about 110° C.;
(e) cooling the fruit or vegetable under vacuum to a temperature of about 0° C. to about 40° C., to thereby produce the fruit or vegetable product,
wherein steps (a) through (e) are performed sequentially.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable in step (a) is scarified or pricked prior to infusing.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein juice is extracted from the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable in step (a) prior to infusing the fruit or vegetable.
19. The method of claim 16 , wherein the infusible molecule is selected from the group consisting of a monosaccharide, disaccharide, trisaccharide, oligosaccharide, polysaccharide, fiber, vitamins, minerals, proteins, flavors, salt, seasoning, or any combination thereof.
20. The method of claim 16 , wherein the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable is pre-dried in step (b) to a moisture content of about 20% to about 40%.
21. The method of claim 16 , wherein the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable is pre-dried in step (b) to a moisture content of about 40% to about 60%.
22. The method of claim 16 , wherein pre-drying the fruit or vegetable is performed with a convection dryer, air dryer, impingement dryer, microwave, infrared dryer, and/or air impinger.
23. The method of claim 16 , wherein the vacuum pressure during puffing is about 10 mmHg to about 600 mmHg.
24. The method of claim 16 , wherein the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable is a cranberry.
25. The method of claim 16 , wherein the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable is dehydrated under vacuum in step (d).
26. The method of claim 16 , wherein a vacuum of about 0.1 mmHg to about 600 mmHg and heat at a temperature of about 40° C. to about 70° C. is applied to the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable in step (d) prior to cooling the fruit or vegetable.
27. The method of claim 16 , wherein a vacuum of about 0.1 mmHg to about 600 mmHg and heat at a temperature of about 70° C. to about 110° C. is applied to the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable in step (d) prior to cooling the fruit or vegetable.
28. The method of claim 16 , wherein the fruit or vegetable product has a moisture content of about 1% to about 7%.
29. The method of claim 16 , wherein the fruit or vegetable product has a moisture content of about 7% to about 15%.
30. A method for producing a fruit or vegetable product, wherein the method consists essentially of:
(a) infusing a whole or sliced fruit or vegetable with an infusible molecule to of about 10° to about 55° Brix;
(b) pre-drying the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable at a temperature of about 80° C. to about 120° C. to produce a pre-dried fruit or vegetable;
(c) freezing the pre-dried fruit or vegetable at a temperature of about −1° C. to about −40° C. to produce a frozen fruit or vegetable;
(d) exposing the frozen fruit or vegetable to a temperature of about −1° C. to about −40° C. and an atmospheric pressure of about 0.53 mmHg to about 7.5 mmHg, thereby partially subliming the frozen fruit or vegetable;
(e) puffing the fruit or vegetable under vacuum of about 0.1 mmHg to about 600 mmHg at a temperature of about 40° C. to about 110° C.;
(f) bringing the temperature to of about 0° C. to about 40° C., to thereby produce the fruit or vegetable product,
wherein steps (d) and (e) are performed sequentially.
31. The method of claim 30 , wherein the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable is pre-dried in step (b) to a moisture content of about 20% to about 40%.
32. The method of claim 30 , wherein the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable is pre-dried in step (b) to a moisture content of about 40% to about 60%.
33. The method of claim 30 , wherein pre-drying the fruit or vegetable is performed with a convection dryer, air dryer, impingement dryer, microwave, infrared dryer, and/or air impinger.
34. The method of claim 30 , wherein the vacuum pressure during puffing is about 10 mmHg to about 600 mmHg.
35. The method of claim 30 , wherein the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable is a cranberry.
36. The method of claim 30 , wherein the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable is dehydrated under vacuum in step (d).
37. The method of claim 30 , wherein a vacuum of about 0.1 mmHg to about 600 mmHg and heat at a temperature of about 40° C. to about 70° C. is applied to the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable in step (e) prior to cooling the fruit or vegetable.
38. The method of claim 30 , wherein a vacuum of about 0.1 mmHg to about 600 mmHg and heat at a temperature of about 70° C. to about 110° C. is applied to the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable in step (e) prior to cooling the fruit or vegetable.
39. The method of claim 30 , wherein the fruit or vegetable product has a moisture content of about 1% to about 7%.
40. The method of claim 30 , wherein the fruit or vegetable product has a moisture content of about 7% to about 15%.
41. The method of claim 30 , wherein freezing the pre-dried fruit or vegetable consists essentially of freezing the pre-dried fruit or vegetable under vacuum.
42. A method for producing a fruit or vegetable product, wherein the method consists essentially of:
(a) infusing a whole or sliced fruit or vegetable with an infusible molecule to of about 10° to about 55° Brix;
(b) pre-drying the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable at a temperature of about 80° C. to about 120° C. to produce a pre-dried fruit or vegetable;
(c) exposing the pre-dried fruit or vegetable to a temperature about −1° C. to about −40° C. and an atmospheric pressure of about 0.53 mmHg to about 7.5 mmHg thereby partially subliming the fruit or vegetable;
(d) puffing the fruit or vegetable under vacuum of about 0.1 mmHg to about 600 mmHg at a temperature of about 40° C. to about 110° C.;
(e) bringing the temperature to of about 0° C. to about 40° C., to thereby produce the fruit or vegetable product,
wherein steps (c) and (d) are performed sequentially.
43. The method of claim 42 , wherein the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable is pre-dried in step (b) to a moisture content of about 20% to about 40%.
44. The method of claim 42 , wherein the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable is pre-dried in step (b) to a moisture content of about 40% to about 60%.
45. The method of claim 42 , wherein pre-drying the fruit or vegetable is performed with a convection dryer, air dryer, impingement dryer, microwave, infrared dryer, and/or air impinger.
46. The method of claim 42 , wherein the vacuum pressure during puffing is about 10 mmHg to about 600 mmHg.
47. The method of claim 42 , wherein the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable is a cranberry.
48. The method of claim 42 , wherein the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable is dehydrated under vacuum in step (d).
49. The method of claim 42 , wherein a vacuum of about 0.1 mmHg to about 600 mmHg and heat at a temperature of about 40° C. to about 70° C. is applied to the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable in step (d) prior to cooling the fruit or vegetable.
50. The method of claim 42 , wherein a vacuum of about 0.1 mmHg to about 600 mmHg and heat at a temperature of about 70° C. to about 110° C. C is applied to the whole or sliced fruit or vegetable in step (d) prior to cooling the fruit or vegetable.
51. The method of claim 42 , wherein the fruit or vegetable product has a moisture content of about 1% to about 7%.
52. The method of claim 42 , wherein the fruit or vegetable product has a moisture content of about 7% to about 15%.