Claims
- 1. A process for producing frozen potato strips which remain crisp for an extended time after finish frying which consists essentially of
- cutting potatoes to produce elongated potato strips,
- blanching the potato strips,
- contacting the blanched potato strips with an aqueous solution having a pH in the range of about 5.5 to 8.5 which contains between about 1% to 12% by weight of a hydrolyzed starch product having a DE value of less than 12, and then
- freezing the potato strips without the strips having been par-fried, whereby the frozen strips when finish fried have a crisp surface and a mealy internal texture, with the surface of the strips remaining crisp for an extended period of time after finish frying.
- 2. The process defined in claim 1 in which the hydrolyzed starch product is selected from the group consisting of dextrins and maltodextrins having a DE value of from 2 to 10.
- 3. The process defined in claim 2 in which the hydrolyzed starch product is potato maltodextrin.
- 4. The process defined in claim 1 in which a basic alkali salt is included in the aqueous solution in an amount sufficient to provide the aqueous solution with a pH in the range of about 5.5 to 8.5.
- 5. The process defined in claim 4 in which the basic alkali salt is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal polyphosphates.
- 6. The process defined in claim 4 in which the basic alkali salt is tetrasodium pyrophosphate.
- 7. The process defined in claim 1 in which the aqueous solution contains from 1% to 12% of maltodextrin, from 0% to 0.5% of a reducing sugar, from 0% to 1.5% of a sequestering agent and tetrasodium pyrophosphate in an amount sufficient to provide the aqueous solution with a pH of about 6.5 to 7.5.
- 8. The process defined in claim 7 in which the sequestering agent is sodium acid pyrophosphate and the tetrasodium pyrophosphate is present in an amount of from 0.2% to 0.6% by weight of the solution, with the total level of pyrophosphate moiety in the aqueous solution being not more than about 1.5% by weight.
- 9. The process defined in claim 1 in which the blanched potato strips are immersed in the aqueous solution, which is at a temperature of between about 130.degree. F. to 180.degree. F.(56.degree. C. to 83.degree. C.), for between 2 seconds to 3 minutes.
- 10. The process defined in claim 1 in which the potato strips are blanched in hot water at 160.degree. F. to 210.degree. F. (71.degree. C. to 99.degree. C.) for 2-15 minutes.
- 11. The process defined in claim 1 in which the strips are partially dehydrated after contact with the aqueous solution by contacting the potato strips with heated air having a temperature of about 100.degree. F. to 350.degree. F. (38.degree. C. to 177.degree. C.) for from 2 to 20 minutes.
- 12. A method of improving the crispness of french fried potato strips prepared by finish frying of blanched, frozen potato strips without the strips having been par-fried which consists essentially of
- contacting blanched potato strips with an aqueous solution having a pH in the range of about 5.5 to 8.5 which contains between about 1% to 12% by weight of a hydrolyzed starch product having a DE value of 2 to 10, and
- thereafter freezing the potato strips, whereby the frozen strips when finish fried have a crisp surface and a mealy internal texture, with the surface of the strips remaining crisp for an extended period of time after finish frying.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 08/089,470, filed Jul. 12, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,302,410.
US Referenced Citations (9)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
89470 |
Jul 1993 |
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