GB2379376A

GB2379376A - A method of smoking fruit or vegetable

Info

Publication number: GB2379376A
Application number: GB0121755A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Andrew John Crisp
Original assignee: WIGHT SALADS Ltd
Current assignee: WIGHT SALADS Ltd
Priority date: 2001-09-08
Filing date: 2001-09-08
Publication date: 2003-03-12
Anticipated expiration: 2021-09-08
Also published as: GB0121755D0; GB2379376B

Abstract

A method and apparatus for processing smoked fruit or vegetable, whereby the fruit or vegetable 10 is initially chopped in half by knife 18, and herbs or spices 20 is added to the fruit or vegetable prior to be de-hydrated in chamber 22 on conveyor 12. Conveyor 14 then transports the de-hydrated fruit or vegetable 32 to a smoking chamber 24 to be smoked and re-hydrated. The re-hydrated and smoked fruit or vegetable 34 is passed through the cooling chamber 36, and then packaged in jar 38 which is then filled with oil 40.

Description

Title: Methods of processing fruit or vegetables Description of Invention This invention relates to methods of processing fruit or vegetables, especially tomatoes, and to fruit and vegetables processed by the methods outlined below.

A variety of methods are known by which fruit or vegetables may be processed. For tomatoes the simplest ones include canning the tomatoes which may be chopped and/or mixed with herbs. More sophisticated methods of processing tomatoes include sun-drying the tomatoes, pickling the tomatoes and making tomatoes into chutneys.

According to this invention a method of processing a fruit or vegetable is provided that includes smoking the fruit or vegetable.

Preferably the fruit or vegetable is smoked for at least twenty minutes, preferably for approximately one hour. The temperature at which the fruit or vegetable is smoked and the time of smoking may be controlled to optimise the flavour of the finished product.

Preferably the smoke is provided by wood chips. The wood chips have been found to give particularly good results when chips greater then-lmm3,

3 3 preferably greater than 25rnm3, preferably substantially Icm3 are used. These wood chips may be cherry wood chips, or the wood of other trees which give a distinctive flavour may be used.

Preferably the wood chips are caused to smoulder to provide the smoke.

This enables a continuous source of smoke to be provided at a controllable temperature.

The method preferably includes dehydrating the fruit or vegetable before

it is smoked and re-hydrating the fruit or vegetable during the smoking process.

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Dehydrating the fruit or vegetable intensifies its natural flavour, whilst re- hydrating the fruit or vegetable causes the flavour of the smoke to become concentrated inside the fruit or vegetable.

The fruit or vegetable may be dehydrated by roasting, preferably for approximately two hours. The temperature at which the fruit or vegetable is roasted and its time of roasting may be controlled to optimise the flavour of the fruit or vegetable.

Preferably herbs or spices are added to the fruit or vegetable before it is roasted. These may be chosen appropriately to compliment the flavour of the fruit or vegetable and of the smoke. The herbs or spices add flavour to the fruit or vegetable that intensifies during the roasting process.

Preferably the fruit or vegetable is sliced before it is smoked. The fruit or vegetable is preferably sliced before it is roasted. This prevents the skin of the fruit or vegetable from burning and allows the flavours to intensify within the fruit or vegetable.

The fruit or vegetable is preferably cooled after it has been smoked, the time of cooling and the temperature of cooling may be controlled to optimise the flavour and ensure that the fruit or vegetable is not degraded. The fruit or vegetable is preferably cooled for approximately forty five minutes.

The fruit or vegetable is preferably immersed in oil after being cooled.

This maintains the flavour of the fruit or vegetable. The oil itself may be flavoured to compliment the flavour of the smoked fruit or vegetable.

The methods set out above are particularly suitable for use with tomatoes in so far as the flavour imparted to the tomatoes by the smoke, the herbs and the spices may produce a tantalising taste experience.

According to this invention a plurality of fruit or vegetables processed by any of the methods outlined above are provided.

According to this invention there is also provided equipment provided for smoking fruit or vegetables according to any of the methods outlined above

that comprises a smoking chamber having a combustion bed through which heated rods extend.

The temperature of the rods may be controlled so that the wood chips smoulder, which optimises the atmosphere in which the fruit or vegetables are smoked.

Preferably a controlled atmosphere is maintained in the smoking chamber. This allows water vapour produced during the smouldering process to permeate the fruit or vegetables causing them to re-hydrate.

A preferred embodiment of a method of processing tomatoes, selected by way of example, will now be described, with reference to the following drawings which: Figure 1 shows schematically an automated system for smoking tomatoes.

Initially tomatoes 10 are selected for the smoking process. A variety of types and colours of tomatoes may be used but cherry tomatoes, which have just ripened are particularly suitable. The cherry tomatoes enter the automated system shown in the drawing and are transported along it by a series of conveyors 12,14, 16. They are thus exposed to a series of processing stages.

First the tomatoes are sliced in half by a knife 18. Herbs spices and other condiments are then deposited on the exposed surface of the halves of each of the tomatoes by a dispenser 20. The particular herbs or spices used may be varied according to the flavour desired. The tomatoes then enter an oven 22 where they are roasted for a period of at least thirty minutes, preferably at least two hours. The temperature of the oven 22 and the dwell time of the tomatoes therein is controlled to produce the desired flavour and appropriate dehydration of the tomato halves. On exit from the oven 22 each tomato half is substantially dehydrated, being shrunken and well mixed with the flavour of the herbs and spices deposited by the dispenser 20. The tomato halves next enter the smoking

chamber 24. This may be a sealed chamber where an envelope of smoke and the water vapour generating by the smoking process, is maintained.

In the combustion bed 26 of the smoking chamber 24 heated rods 28, which extend through the smoking chamber, and wood chips, advantageously cherry wood chips, are arranged.

As the shrunken tomatoes halves 32 pass through the smoking chamber they absorb the mixture of smoke and water vapour that constitutes the atmosphere in the smoking chamber 24. The flavour of the cherry wood smoke is thus imparted to the tomato halves 32. Furthermore, as the tomato halve 32 spend time in the chamber they re-hydrate due to the pressure of the water vapour in the chamber and may indeed become swollen with water.

The tomato halves 34 usually spend approximately one hour in the smoking chamber, but the density of the atmosphere in the smoking chamber and the dwell time that the tomatoes spend therein may be controlled to give an appropriate flavour to the tomatoes.

The re-hydrated tomato halves 34 pass then into a cooling chamber 36.

The tomato halves are cooled for a period of approximately forty five minutes.

The temperature of the cooling chamber may be controlled also.

A plurality of cooled tomato halves 34 are then deposited in a container, conveniently a jar 38. Vegetable oil is dispensed through a nozzle 40 to cover the tomato halves. The vegetable oil may be suitably spiced or flavoured, which may enhance the taste experience. The jars 38 are then capped, labelled and suitably packaged for sale.

The skilled reader will of course appreciate the various alternatives and improvements that may be made to the process outlined above without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, although the process detailed is continuous a manual process where the tomatoes are individually prepared by hand and placed in an oven followed by separate smoking chamber may be used. The process stages may then be manually controlled and the time

spent by the tomatoes at each stage adjusted as necessary, so that this process can be extremely effective in producing the desired flavour.

Further processing stages may also comprise part of the invention. For example the tomatoes may be chopped or mixed with other vegetables or both before or after any of the main processing stages.

Although the process has been described in relation to tomatoes other fruit or vegetables may be similarly smoked and such developments, improvements, and alternatives are naturally appreciated from the material disclosed above.

In the present specification"comprises"means"includes or consists of and"comprising"means"including or consisting of.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS I. A method of processing a fruit or vegetable including smoking the fruit or vegetable.
2. A method according to Claim 1 in which the fruit or vegetable is smoked for at least twenty minutes.
3. A method according to any preceding claim in which the smoke is provided by wood chips.
4. A method according to Claim 3 in which the wood chips are caused to smoulder to provide the smoke.
5. A method according to any preceding claim including dehydrating the

9-e o-vegetable fruit or vegetable before it is smoked and rehydrating the fruit or vegetable during the smoking process.
6. A method according to Claim 5 in which the fruit or vegetable is dehydrated by roasting.
7. A method according to Claim 6 in which the fruit or vegetable is roasted for approximately two hours.
8. A method according to any of Claims 5 to 7 including adding herbs or spices to the fruit or vegetable before it is roasted.
9. A method according to Claim 8 including slicing the fruit or vegetable is before it is smoked.

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10. A method according to any preceding claim including cooling the fruit or vegetable after it has been smoked.
11. A method according to Claim 10 in which the fruit or vegetable is cooled for approximately 45 minutes.
12. A method according to Claim 10 or Claim 11 in which the fruit or vegetable is immersed in oil after being cooled.
13. A plurality of fruit or vegetables processed by the method of any preceding claim.
14. A plurality of processed tomatoes according to Claim 13.
15. A plurality of processed cherry tomatoes according to Claim 14
16. Equipment for smoking fruit or vegetables according to the method of any of Claims 1 to 12 comprising a smoking chamber having a combustion bed through which heated rods extend.
17. Equipment for smoking fruit or vegetables according to Claim 16 in which a controlled atmosphere is maintained in the smoking chamber.
18. A method of processing a fruit or vegetable substantially as hereinbefore described.
19. A plurality of processed fruit or vegetables substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

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20. Equipment for processing fruit or vegetables substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.
21. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.