VEGETABLE PRODUCT, METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARATION
THEREOF
The object of the invention is a vegetable preparation with an internal cavity for adding a filling.
Convenience food can be prepared from vegetables, such as potato, for example, by hollowing out a peeled vegetable and then filling the cavity with a suitable filling, such as cheese, crashed tomatoes or sauce. The cavity can be made in the vegetable, for example, by hollowing, boring or cutting. The vegetable can be precooked either before or after making the cavity. When needed, the filled vegetable product can also be precooked, for example, before freezing. Precooking can be carried out by parboiling or deep-frying.
In patent publication WO067594, after filling, the filling opening on the surface layer of a potato product is closed with a plug made of potato, which is attached in place by means of a woody or plastic pin. According to this patent publication, the filling opening can also be closed with a blend component, which is made by cooking mashed potatoes, wheat flour, salt, pepper, eggs and cheese.
As they must be removed from the finished product before serving or using, using pins for holding the plug is difficult. Using the pin can also be problematic, because it can break the surface layer of the vegetable or it can come off. Using a separate blend component can also be problematic, as it must be prepared and dosed separately. Besides, because of the egg and/or cheese, its composition is not suitable for all users. The plug secured with the pin or the plug that is prepared from the blend component does not withstand industrial treatment very well.
A vegetable preparation has now been invented, including parts that can be attached to each other very well. To achieve this object, the invention is characterized by the facts that are presented in the independent claims. The other claims disclose some preferred embodiments of the invention.
According to the invention, the vegetable preparation comprises separate cover and body portions formed from the vegetable, the portions comprising matching joint surfaces for interlocking the portions. The structure and the shape of the joint surface can vary freely. The body portion refers to the part of the vegetable preparation, which has one or more cavities for adding the filling. In the vegetable preparation according to the invention, a cavity has been made in the joint surface of the
body portion for adding the filling. The cover portion refers to the part that is connected to the body portion for covering the cavity so that the cavity is inside the vegetable preparation. The cover portion can be without cavities or it can have cavities. The body portion and the cover portion can be made of the same vegetable or different vegetables.
The body portion and the cover portion of the vegetable preparation are attached to one another by means of vegetable starch. The portions are attached by adding vegetable starch on the junctions of the portions and, after that, by heating and cooling the vegetable preparation for forming a vegetable starch gel. Generally, the first stage of preparing the vegetable preparation consists of peeling and washing raw vegetables. After this, they can be lead to a shaping unit, which gives them a desired size and shape. According to the application, the vegetable can preferably be given an oval shape, for example. In certain applications, a round shape can also be used. The vegetable preparation according to the invention can also be of an angular shape.
One or more cover portions are detached from the vegetable by means of a cutting machine, for example. The cover portions can be mutually similar or different from each other. A body portion is also formed from the vegetable, which has or in which a joint surface corresponding to the cover portion can be made. The cover portion and the body portion can be detached from any part of the vegetable in any direction.
According to one object of the invention, the joint surfaces of the cover portion and the body portion are made compatible and given a special shape. Shaping can preferably be carried out when the portions are detached. The joint surfaces can also be shaped after detaching the portions. The joint surfaces can be, for example, serrated, wherein the projections of the cover portion enter the cavities of the body portion and vice versa.
According to one object of the invention, the joint surfaces of the cover portion and the body portion are preferably downward shaped, such as downward oval, down- ward angular or truncated angularly downwards. The downward joint has the advantage that the cover portion and the body portion are easier to join, and the cover portion stays in place even before attaching the portions together. As the steam rising from inside the body portion does not detach the cover, such shaping is also advantageous when heating the vegetable. At the cooling stage, the downward shaping is also essentially advantageous, because at the cooling stage, the cover portion and
the body portion are firmly attached to each other under the effect of gravity and, partially, also because of the underpressure induced by cooling, whereby the sticking is especially effective.
The joint surfaces can preferably be shaped so that the joint surfaces of the vegeta- ble body portion from all around are directed downwards to the cavity. By means of such a solution, the cover portion and the body portion can be attached to each other very well. The downward joint surface also has the advantage that humidity and the like flow back to the cavity.
The vegetable preparation according to the invention can be carried, e.g., by flat conveyor surfaces, net conveyors and shaped conveyors.
According to one object of the invention, a base portion is made in the vegetable preparation. A bottom part is removed from the vegetable, for example, from the opposite side to the junction of the cover portion, whereby the base portion is formed in the body portion. According to another object of the invention, the bot- tom part is detached from the vegetable simultaneously with the cover portion. The base portion is of benefit when using, for example, flat conveyors or grids.
The base portion can have a shape that is cut straight, for example. The base portion can preferably have an inwards concave shape. The surface of the base portion can have a special shape, such as serrated or lumpy. Cavities can be provided in the base portion to improve adhesion at the transportation stage, for example.
One or more cavities are made in the joint surface of the body portion, for example, by concaving, boring, cutting, milling or grating. When making the cavity, the walls of the body portion are left intact, except for the opening of the joint surface.
The cavity is preferably made inside the joint surface, whereby some unbroken joint surface remains all around the edges of the cavities for interlocking the portions. In that case, the junction of the vegetable becomes especially strong. As it is not necessary to install the parts of the vegetable, for example, inside each other, such a junction is also easy to prepare.
The wall thickness of the body part and the width of the integral joint surface in each point can preferably be 4 to 12 mm, preferably 5 to 10 mm. The wall is then thick enough and the joint surface wide enough for the vegetable preparation to resist mechanical treatment, for example. On the other hand, the wall of the vegetable preparation is sufficiently thin, however, in order for the cup of the body portion to
be large enough in relation to the size of the vegetable. A thin wall is also easier to precook evenly during the treatment of the product.
Sauce or some other filling can be measured into the cavity of the body portion. Meat product, meat, vegetable or fish sauces can be used as filling. Various fillings can be added into the same vegetable preparation. They can be added either into the same or different cavities.
According to one object of the invention, the sauce is added into the cavity at a higher temperature than that of the body portion at the moment of adding. A filling warmer than the body portion preheats the vegetable preparation and balances cook- ing in subsequent treatments. The higher temperature also has the advantage that the filling is not squeezed out during subsequent heating. A temperature of 50 to 80°C, for example, is preferably used, such as 60 to 70°C or 65 to 70°C. According to one object of the invention, the filling is measured into the cavity so that its surface remains slightly below the lower surface of the cover portion. The size of the empty space between the surface of the filling and the inner surface of the cover portion is preferably 1 to 5 mm. This prevents the filling from squeezing out and keeps the joint surfaces between the cover portion and the body portion free from the filling.
According to one object of the invention, a cavity is also made in the cover portion. The cover and the body portions can have congruent structures. The cavity in the cover portion can preferably work as an expansion chamber when the vegetable preparation is heated.
According to one object of the invention, vegetable starch is added on at least one joint surface of the vegetable preparation for joining the cover portion and the body portion during subsequent treatment. The vegetable starch can be added on the joint surfaces of the cover portion, the body portion or both. The vegetable starch can be added before adding the filling. The vegetable starch can also be added after or simultaneously with adding the filling.
After adding the vegetable starch, the cover portion and the body portion are joined so that the cover portion covers the cavity of the body portion. In that case, the cav- ity of the body portion remains inside the vegetable, forming a sort of a hole. According to one object of the invention, the vegetable preparation is then heated and cooled. At the heating stage, the vegetable starch forms a gel-like product between the joint surfaces. In cooling, the vegetable starch gel congeals and attaches the
cover portion and the body portion together particularly well and firmly. During heating, the vegetable preparation is preferably also precooked.
According to one preferred object of the invention, the vegetable starch is added onto the joint surfaces in the form of a powder and/or a paste. The moisture content of the added vegetable starch is preferably lower than its saturated moisture content. The starch is now capable of absorbing moisture from the shear surfaces and it very effectively adheres to the joint surfaces. To form the gel, the starch can also absorb moisture from the air and the filling.
From the technical point of view, the vegetable starch in the form of powder or paste is easy to dose in relatively large amounts on the joint surfaces. In that case, the adherence is essentially enhanced compared with a case, where the vegetable starch is added as a fluid. The vegetable starch prepared in this way withstands particularly well industrial treatment, for example.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the vegetable preparation is heated with steam or a hot water spray, or the vegetable preparation is moistened in some other way during heating. Such heating is effective and, at the same time, the vegetable starch can absorb more moisture to form the gel. The humidity of the atmosphere around the vegetable product is preferably 100% or more.
The vegetable preparation can also be heated, e.g., by means of an electric resis- tance or gas. Such heating can be enhanced by means of moistening, or combining with it vapour heating or hot water spraying, for example.
Heating can be carried out in the same container, in which the vegetable preparations are handled. It can also be carried out in a separate container. The additives, such as vapour and water, which are used in heating, can be formed or heated either in the same container or in a different container than the one the vegetable preparations are heated in.
Heating can preferably be carried out, e.g., with vapour at 80 to 120°C, such as 90 to 110°C or at 95 to 105°C. Depending on the starch and the vegetable used, such heating can last 15 to 60 min, such as 25 to 40 min. Vapour heating is preferably carried out, for example, for potato at 100°C for 30 to 35 min.
Gelation of potato starch, for example, takes place at about 60°C. Depending on the method of treatment, the gelation temperature of modified starch can be, for example, 65 to 95°C.
The vegetable preparation is cooled after cooking. Cooling is preferably carried out slowly, whereby the starch attaches to the joint surfaces well, and the cover portion and the body portion are effectively attached to each other. The vegetable preparation can be cooled, for example, for 5 to 15 min at 10 to 30°C. Cooling can prefera- bly be carried out at the prevailing room temperature, e.g., at 15 to 25°C, such as 15 to 20°C, 20 to 25°C or 18 to 22°C.
After heating and cooling, the vegetable preparation can be breaded. In that case, it is first moistened with a butter sauce and after that, breading powder is measured on the surface. In breading, the vegetables are dipped in fat, for example, at 170 to 180°C for 2 to 3 minutes, until the vegetable preparation obtains the desired colour.
After breading, the vegetable preparation can be packed, for example, in a protective gas package or a hot package, or frozen industrially. In the protective gas package, they are cooled to +6°C for packaging and, after that, packed in a gas-tight box, which is filled with a mixture of nitrogen and carbon dioxide. Hot vegetable prod- ucts in the hot package are transferred, while hot, directly into a tightly closable package, which is cooled in accordance with regulations. In industrial freezing, the vegetable preparations are transferred one by one from deep-frying to freezing according to regulations, and then packed.
The vegetable preparation according to the invention can be prepared using quite different installations. For heating and cooling the vegetable preparations, for example, treating equipment with the shape of a spiral can preferably be used.
The equipment according to the invention is preferably used with other treating equipment of vegetables. Such equipment includes those used for the selection, peeling, shaping, hollowing, filling and cooking of the vegetable.
In the following, some applications of the invention are described in detail with reference to the appended drawings.
Fig. 1 shows longitudinal and cross-sectional views of a vegetable preparation.
Fig. 2 shows longitudinal and cross-sectional views of a second vegetable preparation.
Fig. 3 shows longitudinal and cross-sectional views of a third vegetable preparation.
Fig. 4 shows longitudinal and cross-sectional views of a fourth vegetable preparation.
According to Fig. 1, a vegetable preparation 1 of an oval shape is formed from a vegetable. A cover portion 2 and a body portion 3 are cut from it in the longitudinal direction, having matching joint surfaces 7, 8. A cavity 4 is made in the joint surface of the body portion, for example, by means of a rotating cutting blade. A base portion 5 is cut in the bottom of the body portion 3 to keep the vegetable in a certain position during treatment. The cavity 4 is filled with filling 6. The joint surface 7 of the cover portion 2 and the joint surface 8 of the body portion 3 are straight and mutually compatible. Between the joint surfaces 7, 8, there is vegetable starch gel 15 for attaching the cover portion 2 and the body portion 3 together.
According to Fig. 2, a vegetable preparation 1 of an oval shape is formed from a vegetable. A cover portion 2 and a body portion 3 are cut from it in the longitudinal direction, having matching joint surfaces 9, 10. A cavity 4 is made in joint surface of the body portion, for example, by means of a rotating cutting blade. A base portion 5 is cut in the bottom of the body portion 3 to keep the vegetable in a certain position during treatment. The cavity 4 is filled with filling 6. The cover portion 2 has a downward joint surface 9, which matches with the corresponding joint surface 10 of the body portion 3. Between the joint surfaces 9, 10, there is vegetable starch gel 15 for attaching the cover portion 2 and the body portion 3 together.
According to Fig. 3, a vegetable preparation 1 of an oval shape is formed from the vegetable. A serrated cover portion 2 and body portion 3 are cut from it in the longitudinal direction, having matching joint surfaces 11, 12. A cavity 4 is made in the joint surface of the body portion, for example, by means of a rotating cutting blade. A base portion 5 is provided in the bottom of the body portion 3 to keep the vegetable in a certain position during treatment. The cavity 4 is filled with filling 6. The cover portion 2 comprises a serrated joint surface 11, which matches with the serrated joint surface 12 of the body portion 3. Between the joint surfaces 11, 12, there is vegetable starch gel 15 for attaching the cover portion 2 and the body portion 3 together.
According to Fig. 4, a vegetable preparation 1 of an oval shape is formed from the vegetable. A curved cover portion 2 and body portion 3 are cut from it in the longitudinal direction, having matching joint surfaces 13, 14. A cavity 4 is cut in the joint surface of the body portion by means of a rotating cutting blade. A base portion 5 is provided in the bottom of the body portion 3 to keep the vegetable in a certain position during treatment. The cavity 4 is filled with filling 6. The cover portion 2 has a downward curved joint surface 13, which matches with the joint surface 14 of the
body portion 3. Between the joint surfaces 13, 14, there is vegetable starch gel 15 for attaching the cover portion 2 and the body portion 3 together.
The vegetable preparation according to the invention can be prepared from a potato, e.g., as follows:
Peeling and shaping:
Peeled raw potatoes are fed into a mechanical shaping machine, which forms them into potato preparations 1 of an oval shape and a uniform size, which have a length of 80 mm and a transverse diameter of 50 mm.
Cutting the cover portion and the bottom portion:
A cover portion 2 is detached from the upper surface of the shaped potato preparation 1 in a horizontal plane, and a bottom portion 20 from its lower surface by means of a mechanical cutting device. The thickness of the cover portion 2 in its thickest point is 16 mm. The rest of the potato constitutes the body portion 3. At the detaching phase, matching joint surfaces 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 are made in the cover portion 1 and the body portion 3.
The length of the base portion 5 formed in the lower portion is 31 mm and its width 20 mm. Its thickness with a straight cut is 2 mm.
Concaving the body portion:
A cavity 4 is concaved in the joint surface of the body portion 3 of the shaped po- tato 1 by means of a mechanical knife. The thickness of the wall in each point is preferably 5 to 10 mm. The cavity 4 can be made by milling or cutting. A preferable way is to use a cutting blade, which gives a by-product of the shape of a boat. When so desired, the by-product is reprocessed into a separate product.
Adding the filling:
Sauce 6 is measured into the cavity 4 of the body portion 3, which sauce can be, for example, a meat product, meat, vegetable or fish sauce. Sauce 6 is added into the cavity 4 at a temperature higher than that of the potato. A preferred temperature is, e.g., 65°C, making it possible for the sauce to stay in the cup portion during cooking. The sauce is measured into the cavity 4 slightly below the joint surface 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, whereby an empty space of 1 to 3 mm in size is left between the sauce 6 and the cover portion 2. In that case, the sauce 6 will neither be squeezed
out over the upper surfaces of the cavity 4 during heating, nor will it spread on the joint surfaces 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14.
Adding the vegetable starch:
The joint surfaces 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 are spread with vegetable starch 15, such as potato starch or cornstarch to attach the cover portion 2 and the body portion 3 together during cooking.
Combining the portions:
After adding the sauce 6 and the vegetable starch 15, the cover portion 2 and the body portion 3 are joined in place so, that the cavity (4) is inside the vegetable preparation (1).
Fastening and cooking:
Cooking can be carried out, for example, by steam cooking to 100°C for 30 to 35 minutes, wherein the gluing powder forms a gel between the shear surfaces and, at the same time, the product is cooked. After heating, the potato preparation 1 is al- lowed to stand at room temperature, e.g., for 5 to 15 minutes, whereby the gel congeals and fastens the portions 2, 3 to each other.
Breading:
After cooling, the surface of the potato preparation 1 is dipped in butter sauce, which makes it possible for the breading powder to stick to the surface of the potato preparation 1. After this, breading powder is measured on the surface of the potato preparation 1.
Deep-frying:
Breaded potato preparations are dipped in fat at 170 to 180°C for 2 to 3 minutes, until the surface of the potato preparation obtains the desired colour.
Packaging alternatives:
- Packaging in protective gas
The finished potato preparation 1 is cooled to +6 - 8°C for packaging. Cooked, cooled potato preparations are packed in a gas-tight box, which is filled with a mixture of nitrogen and carbon dioxide.
- Hot packaging
While hot, the cooked potato preparations transfer directly into a tightly closable package, which is cooled in accordance with regulations.
- Industrial packaging
One by one, the cooked potato preparations move from deep-frying directly to freezing in accordance with regulations and they are packed into sales packages.