Following the usual caustic dipping of whole, unpeeled, raw potatoes, for loosening the skins, and subsequent treatment thereof by exposure to hot air and by abrasive scrubbing for removal of the loosened skins, the so-peeled potatoes, still containing most of the eyes and any defects that might exist, are subjected to further treatment for a period of time by exposure to steam which activates residual caustic in such eyes and defects and loosens the same. The potatoes are thereafter washed to r...

System for peeling fruits or vegetables wherein the peel is loosened by a double treatment with lye, each treatment being followed by a holding period. After the second holding period, the peel is removed directly, that is, without any application of radiant or other heat.

The present invention provides a novel process for removing the pellicle from nut kernels and a blanching composition for use in the treatment of nuts. More particularly, the process of the invention comprises the steps of: (a) immersing nut kernels in a composition comprising a mixture of a vegetable oil and a wetting agent in a solution of water and, optionally, a sugar, at ambient temperature to soften and loosen the pellicle; (b) removing the nut kernels from the composition and draining the...

The invention relates to a method for warm dehulling soya and other bean fruits and for subsequently grinding them, as well as to corresponding installation. The invention can simplify the process and the design of the installation. To this end, the fruits and heated/conditioned, double-ground, individualized on a baffle plate and the hulls are removed.

A method of solid freezing tomatoes and forming them into solid members free of preservatives and adapted for cutting, shaping and placement into plastic bags. The method includes reducing the ambient temperature of the tomatoes to a freezing temperature of -30.degree. C., cracking the external membrane of the tomatoes by subjecting them to a temperature between 30.degree. C. to 35.degree. C. for a total temperature gradient of .DELTA.T equal to between 60.degree. C. to 65.degree. C. above the f...

A natural food product, in the form of potato snacks or treats, is disclosed. This product is the result of deep frying thin peelings of white potatoes. Presoaking of the peelings provides improved color and crispness. The product is a snack food highly concentrated in minerals without the attendant quantity of carbohydrates that exist in other potato snack foods.

The method and apparatus for removing the skins of shelled walnuts generally involves confining the shelled walnuts in a containment area, spraying the walnuts with water under sufficient pressure to remove the skins without breaking the nuts, removing excess water from the skinned walnuts and skins, and separating the walnuts from the skins. The apparatus generally includes one or more nets for confining the shelled walnuts in a containment area, one or more spray nozzles directed at the walnut...

Disclosed are barley flour fractions having concentrated levels of soluble dietary fiber ("SDF"). The barley flour fractions have SDF contents ranging from about 18% to 30%. Also disclosed are dry milling concentration methods for making the high soluble dietary fiber content barley flour fractions. The milling methods involve size reducing a barley flour, especially a 70% to 80% extraction flour, having a native SDF level to a controlled particle size distribution to form a size reduced flour. ...

A liquid nutritional product comprising a fat source and a dietary fiber system. The dietary fiber system as a whole comprises by weight: (a) 5% to 50% dietary fiber which is both soluble and fermentable, 5% to 20% dietary fiber which is both soluble and non-fermentable, and 45% to 80% dietary fiber which is both insoluble and non-fermentable. Less than 10% of the total calories in the product comprise saturated fatty acids, no more than 10% of the total calories in the product comprises polyuns...

A method for partial husking of an ear of corn including a first cutting step of partially cutting through the ear of corn at a first end thereof, thus separating a first end of the ear joined to a first part of the husk from the remainder of the ear; a first removing step of removing the first end of the ear together with the first part of the husk from the ear; a second cutting step of partially cutting through the ear of corn at a second end thereof; a second removing step of removing the sec...