This invention provides a process for preparing a dehydrated banana which comprises slicing the fruit of a ripe banana along its length from 1 to 3 times to form lengthwise peeled banana slices having the carpel region exposed along their length, contacting the slices with steam to increase the temperature of the interior of the slices up to about 85.degree.C to 95.degree.C and maintaining that temperature for about 1/2 to 4 minutes, and dehydrating said steam blanched slices at a temperature from 50.degree.C to 65.degree.C to reduce the moisture content of the banana slices to less than about 20%. The slices are contacted with steam before they are substantially discolored due to enzymic discoloration. The product obtained thereby retains a substantial portion of the characteristic cellular structure of the banana, is substantially free of enzymic discoloration, has a water activity of less than about 0.6, and is rehydratable to yield a product with an appearance, texture, color, aroma and flavor similar to that of fresh ripe banana pulp. The dehydrated product retains those properties for at least 3 months under normal storage conditions.
A process for producing a banana flavored banana chip includes frying banana slices, coating the fried slices with banana puree; quick frying the coated slices; and cooling the quick fried coated slices to yield the flavored banana chips. A process for producing a banana flavored, low moisture, starchy food includes coating pieces of the food with banana puree; and reducing the moisture in the coated pieces to a low level.
An article of manufacture and process for making same are provided wherein fresh fruit or mixtures thereof is made into a puree by heating, pulping and finishing same in a manner which preserves the fruit's natural integrity, and then the pulped and finished puree is drum dried, flaked and packaged under controlled atmospheric conditions to produce a free flowing flaked fruit product which is readily reconstitutable, and does not contain any binders, gelling agents, fillers, extenders, or other undesirable additives.
A dried fruit or vegetable has a water content in the range 4% to 7%, and has a water activity of 0.4. Substantially all of the cells of the dried product are undamaged. An air drying process is gentle and contains four phases, during which the temperature of the drying air is maintained at 60.degree. C. In a first phase the relative humidity of the drying air is allowed to rise to between 50% and 55%, and is maintained substantially constant at this value during a second phase by maintaining exchange of the drying air with fresh air substantially constant. In a third phase of the process, the relative humidity of the drying medium is permitted to decrease relatively rapidly until the fourth phase commences, at which stage the relative humidity is permitted to asymptotically approach a predetermined relative humidity value. During the drying process, excessive temperature differences and relative humidity differences between the temperature and relative humidity, respectively of the drying medium and the product are avoided in order to minimize damage to the cellular structure of the product.
