Claims
- 1. A process for canning green vegetables to produce a canned product substantially having the green color characteristic of the fresh green vegetable, said process being characterized by the absence of a blanching step and the absence of an addition of color retention additives, said process consisting of the steps of:
- maintaining the vegetable from the time of harvest at a temperature below its thermal injury temperature and in a storage condition which allows air to flow about said vegetable to inhibit anaerobic respiration whereby the vegetable enters a subsequent sterilization step in a fresh, respiring state, substantially the same as when harvested;
- sterilizing the vegetable at a temperature from about 250.degree. F up the scorching temperature of the vegetable for a time sufficient to produce a commercially sterile vegetable; and
- sealing said vegetable in a container.
- 2. The process of claim 1 wherein the sterilization step is conducted at a temperature above 275.degree. F.
- 3. The process of claim 1 wherein said sterilization step is effected by moving the vegetable against a heating medium to effect rapid heat exchange.
- 4. The process of claim 1 further characterized by the step of washing said vegetable in water at a temperature close to the temperature of thermal injury of said vegetable.
- 5. The process of claim 1 wherein said green vegetable is peas.
- 6. The process of claim 1 wherein said green vegetable is selected from the group consisting of spinach, asparagus, green beans, string beans, lima beans, brussle sprouts, kale, and mixtures thereof.
- 7. The process of claim 1 wherein said sterilizing step is effected with live steam.
SUMMARY, OBJECTS, AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 427,242, filed Dec. 21, 1973, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Bitting, Appertizing or The Art of Canning, Its History and Development, The Trade Pressroom, San Francisco, Calif., (1937), p. 572. |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
427242 |
Dec 1973 |
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