MXPA98008980A - French potatoes cooked in oven, which has the texture of a freido process in abundante ace - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to french fries produced in an oven and whose attributes and characteristics are close to those of french fries whose cooking finish is made by frying in abundant fat. The baked French fries of the present invention can be differentiated from the commercially available oven-baked fritters, since they possess a combination of attributes, in particular: total moisture, total fat, internal humidity, water activity superficial and Value of Texture, which make them practically indistinguishable from French fries fried in abundant oil. Baked French fries comprise approximately 32% to 50% total moisture, approximately 8% to 25% total fat, approximately 55% to 80% internal moisture content, lower surface water activity or equal, at about 0.55, a Texture Value (maximum force (grams) or area under the deformation by force (gram-second) curve within the first third of a specific compression test) of at least about 2

Description

FRENCH POTATOES COOKED IN OVEN, WHICH HAS TASTE AND TEXTURE OF A FRYING PROCESS IN ABUNDANT OIL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to French fries but in this case baked in an oven. More particularly, it is related to French fries, whose cooking is completed in an oven and whose attributes and characteristics are similar to those of French potatoes that have been finished cooking in abundant fat. French fries are one of the most popular fast foods, whether they are prepared at home or purchased at fast food restaurants. French fries frying in plenty of oil or deep frying are particularly well accepted due to their textural dichotomy. This textural dichotomy is manifested in a product that has a crunchy exterior and a fairly soft and moist interior. The deep frying method has proved particularly suitable as a way of imparting this textural dichotomy to french fries. Recently the attention has been directed to the use of ovens to prepare French fries from potatoes in a frozen and partially fried state (hereinafter referred to as). The prior art products whose cooking is finished by baking are by no means equivalent to deep fry French fries. This is because during the completion of cooking in a kiln, moisture migrates from the inner core to the outside, to the region of the crust. This tends to make the French fries whose cooking is finished in an oven, are flaccid, that is, they lack a crunchy surface. Attempts have been made to improve the texture by a longer heating time, higher oven temperatures, and rapid heating (e.g. with microwaves, etc.) but the desired balance of interior moisture wrapped by a crispy crust could not be provided. In general, the French fries produced are flaccid, dry and chewy, examples of some methods for cooking and / or cooking to produce fully cooked fry, which at the end of the baking in an oven or overheating in a oven generally result in French fries that have poor texture qualities (ie dry interiors and cheesy outer skins and chews), can be found in the prior art for example in Patent of the States United 5,000,970 (Shanbhaq et al.), Patent P704 from the United States 5,302,410 (Calder et al.), US Patent 3,865,964 (Kellemeier) and U.S. Patent 5,242,699 (Bednar et al.). The poor texture quality affects the palatability of the products whose cooking is finished in the oven. Therefore, today there is a great demand for french fries whose cooking is finished in an oven and that, in its ready to eat state, have color, texture, flavor and mouth feel of french fries. Deep fried. The oven-baked French fries of the present invention provide one or more advantages in relation to the organoleptic properties, specifically the crispy crust and the internal core moisture. French potatoes finished in an oven have essentially the same structural dichotomy as French deep-fry potatoes. The outer surface (ie the crust) is moderately crunchy and not excessively greasy and the inner portion (ie the core) is well cooked, soft, sandy and moist, but still free of fluffiness. The oven-baked French fries of the present invention can be differentiated from French fries of the prior art, also finished in an oven, in which the process of these is a combination of attributes, in particular, total moisture, total fat , internal moisture content, superficial water activity (Aw) and Texture Value, which makes them practically indistinjible of deep fried French fry. The oven-baked French fries of the present invention can also be differentiated from commercial oven-cooking chips based on subjective evaluations (ie with expert sensory panelists). Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide oven-baked French fries that are significantly preferred over the prior art and commercial-type oven-finished products, based on satisfaction of the taste / satisfaction of eating them and that have a flavor similar to that of deep frying French fry. It is also an object of the present invention to provide oven-baked French fries that are practically indistinguishable from deep fry French fries, which can be purchased in fast food restaurants. Still another object of the present invention is to provide oven-baked French fries that have a moist interior surrounded by a crisp but still smooth outer surface. These and other objects of the invention will be clarified with the following discussion. All percentages are given based on weight unless otherwise indicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to French fries whose cooking is finished in an oven, comprising: a) from about 32% to about 50% total moisture; b) from about 8% to about 25% total fat; c) from about 55% to about 80% internal moisture content; d) a surface water activity (Aw) of less than or equal to approximately 0.55; and e) a Texture Value of at least about 200, wherein the Texture Value is the maximum force (grams) or the area (grams seconds) under the force deformation curve during the first third of a compression test. The French fritters whose cooking is finished in the oven have a texture that is virtually indistinguishable from commercial French fries that have been prepared by deep-fat frying, such as MacDonald's French fries.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates mainly to the attributes of French fries whose cooking is finished in a kiln. The present invention also relates to French-style oven-ready fries which are ready to be eaten and which are practically indistinguishable from deep-fried French fryings.

Definitions In the sense used here, the term "deep frying French fritters" refers to strips of potatoes that have been cooked to a state ready to be eaten, by a process of investment in hot oil. In the sense here used the term "partially fried" or "semifrito" refers to potato titas that have undergone at least one process of frying (for example deep frying) but that have not been fully cooked. In the sense here used the term "finished in the oven" refers to converting the product to a ready-to-eat state, by cooking on a toaster, toaster oven, forced air convection oven, high speed air oven, hot air oven, oven infrared, convection / infrared oven combination, microwave oven, combination microwave / convection oven or a conventional household oven. Typically, cooking involves reducing the moisture content of the food. In the sense used herein the term "fat" or "oil" refers to edible fatty substances in the general sense, including natural or synthetic oils and fats that consist essentially of triglycerides, such as, for example, soybean oil, corn oil, oil of cottonseed, canola oil, sunflower oil, palm oil, coconut oil, fish oil, lard and tallow, which may have partially or totally hydrogenated or modified fats in some other form as well as non-toxic fats that have properties similar to triglycerides, hereinafter referred to as fat substitutes, these materials may be totally or partially indigestible. The term "fat" and "oil" is used interchangeably here. In the sense used herein, the term "finished" refers to a product that has been subjected to a cooking process to convert it to a state ready to be eaten. In the sense used herein the term "conditioned oil" refers to oil that has been previously used to fry for a specific time so that a frying flavor develops. In the sense used herein, the term "baked-in" refers to a product that has been subjected to a baking process to convert it to a ready-to-eat state. In the sense used herein, the term "baking in the oven" refers to baking in the oven, for example in a convection oven with forced air, a shock oven with hot air, an infrared oven, a combination of infrared radiation oven and convection, a toaster, toaster oven, a microwave oven, a combination microwave oven and convection oven with forced air or a conventional domestic oven. In the sense used here the term "V loi do Textura" is the maximum force (in grams) or the area (grams seconds) under the curve of deformation of force recorded during the first third of a compression test (refer to the section of analytical test methods for more details).

FRENCH POTATOES WHOSE COOKING IS ENTERED IN AN OVEN The critical characteristics of the present invention are the Texture Value, the total humidity, the internal moisture content, the surface Aw and the amount of fat present in the finished product in the oven. Importantly, the combination of these attributes and not the appearance of only one of them, is what distinguishes the present invention from oven-baked chips, prior art and commercial equipment, and makes those of the present invention are particularly indistinguishable from French deep-fry potatoes. The distinctive features of the present invention reside, in part, in the recognition of the critical physical characteristics of semi-fried potatoes and their thermal properties, where this relationship can be used to ensure that the French fries finished in the oven have a humidity interior and crispy crusts in a variety of different oven finishing processes. More particularly, the present invention recognizes that for baked French fries a certain range of surface Aw values and Texture Value is required to obtain optimum palatability. One embodiment of the present invention are semi-chip potato strips that can be prepared by process steps known in the art. The semifreddo potatoes can be prepared from a variety of potatoes in P70 raw, which is known to be suitable for French fries. Preferably, the semifredded potato strips are prepared from Russet Burbank, Shepody or Katahdin potatoes. The semi-thin strips can have different shapes and sizes. However, it is preferred that the potato strips are relatively thin and elongated, known in the art as "laces or cord". Strip-type potato strips, as used herein, refer to strips of potato having from 3/16 to about 5/16 square inches in cross section and from about 2.5 to about 5 inches in length. Thicker potato strips can also be used in the present, for example "curly cut" strips, thick straight cut potato strips (also known as rectangular cut) and "fillet type" cuts. The potato strips are scalded according to conventional procedures in the art. After blanching, the potato strips may be subjected to additional treatments known in the art. For example, potato strips can be treated with sodium acid pyrophosphate (SAPP), a chelating agent used to prevent discoloration of the strips. Dextrose (corn syrup) can also be applied to the surface of the strips in order to provide the desired level of brown color.

P70 during subsequent processing (in addition, potato strips may also be partially dried to reduce their moisture content). The potato strips are then subjected to one or more frying procedures at an oil temperature of about 270 ° F (132 ° C) to about 385 ° F (196 ° C). The frying process may involve immersing the potato strips in oil, spraying heated oil around the potato strip with hot oil, or frying using an oil foam. In a preferred embodiment, blanched potato strips are reduced in moisture to a moisture content of not less than about 60%, then fried at an oil temperature of between about 270 ° F (132 ° C) to about 335 ° C. F (168 ° C) for a sufficient time to produce a partial frying, comprising from about 30% to about 58% moisture. After frying, semi-fried fritters can immediately be cooled or frozen. The cooling or freezing of the partial frits can be achieved by methods known in the art. During the process of preparing semi-fried potatoes, several stages of frying, chilling and / or freezing can be used. Semifreddo potatoes can also be treated with various surface treatments (eg, wrapping with oil, applying hydrocolloid coating, applying water, aqueous solution orP70 dispersion; etc.) either before or after cooling or freezing. The semi-sweet potatoes can be stored frozen at temperatures between about -70 ° C (-57 ° C) and about 20 ° F (-6.7 ° C). The moisture and fat content as well as the thermal properties of the semiflat potatoes are important for producing the baked-up chips of the present invention. Of particular importance is the distribution of water in the partial frying and the control of the migration of water from the inner core to the crust region of the semifredded potatoes, during storage and the completion of cooking in the oven. By controlling the transfer of moisture from the inner core to the crust region during frozen storage and oven finishing, French oven-ready, ready-to-eat French fries with high-grade indoor humidity can be prepared. gustatory acceptance, surrounded by a region of crunchy crust and low humidity. The textural dichotomy that gives rise to frying finished in the oven is very similar to that which exists for French potatoes that end in deep frying. The migration of moisture from the inner core to the crust region during freeze storage can be partially controlled by frying the potato strips to a content of P704 total moisture which is preferably equal to or greater than about 40%, more preferably equal to or greater than about 42% and still more preferably equal to or greater than about 44%. Moisture migration can be decreased during freeze storage by hydrating the crust region prior to freeze storage, in order to increase the Aw of the crust and thus reduce or eliminate the Aw differential between the inner core and the crust, which it is the driving force of moisture transfer. The hydration of the crust region can be achieved by applying water, a spray of water, an aqueous solution or an aqueous dispersion to the surface of the semifrita. Preferably, the spraying process is used to hydrate the crust region of the semiflat potatoes. The migration of moisture from the inner core to the crust region during oven finishing can be minimized by using oven finishing conditions that dry quickly and / or preferentially, the surface of the French fry. This can be achieved by selecting furnace conditions (temperature, air velocity) that provide a relatively high efficiency of surface heat transfer at the furnace temperature. The high coefficients of superficial thermal transfer are desired since P704 these will lead to a faster cooking time and to the formation of a region of crust of low humidity, crunchy and more distinctive. The preferred surface heat transfer coefficients at the furnace temperature are from about 50 to about 400 watts / pr ° C. The preferential drying of the surface of the semifrita potato can also be achieved by wrapping the semifridge potato with an edible fat or oil, which increases the conduction of heat from the surrounding air to the surface of the frying during the baking. The desired thermal conductivities at the oven temperatures in the crust region of the semi-prick potato are from about 0.1 to about 0.3 watts m ° C. The desired thermal conductivities of the high humidity inner core are from about 0.4 to about 0.7 watts / m ° C. Wrapping semi-fat potatoes with oil or grease also serves to provide a further barrier to moisture loss on the inner core since the oil with which the wrap is made is partially absorbed into the outer crust roque cooking. The surface of the semifrita potato can also be modified to improve the absorption of the radiant heat that comes from the oven. A typical method of achieving this would be to alter the color, porosity and / or reflectivity of the potato surface P704 semifrita. The coefficients of surface thermal transfer and thermal conductivities can be calculated in the following way.

Surface heat transfer coefficient The general equation for thermal transfer through an interface is well known: Qt = UA (t2 - T.) -? HW + Qr where: Qt = amount of heat transferred across the boundary (watts) or equivalent energy unit). U = superficial heat transfer coefficient (watts / m2 - ° C or equivalent). A = surface area of the border region (or equivalent). t? = temperature of the hot side of the border (° C or equivalent). T. = temperature of the cold side of the border (° C or equivalent). ? HW = heat loss due to the evaporation of water from the surface. Qt = radiant heat transfer = Afs ((t / - T, 1) where F is the form factor and s is the Stefan-Boltzman constant.The careful measurement of the temperature in both P70 sides of the border against time, as well as the level of humidity on both sides of the border against time, and the temperature of any infrared heating source to which the surface is directly exposed, will allow calculation of the transfer coefficient surface thermal (U).

Thermal conductivity The thermal conductivity of a food material with a crust can be calculated once U, T2 and T- are known. k = thermal conductivity (W / m- ° C or equivalent). L = thickness of the crust (m or equivalent). T. = reference temperature. Not wanting to be bound by theory, it is believed that prior art oven chips lack the desired textural dichotomy that is associated with deep-frying and high-quality potato chips since the semi-fried attributes (moisture, fat, fat) surface, thermal properties and the conditions of the end of the baking are not optimized to produce an oven-baked frying with an interior humidity and a crunchy crust of low humidity, for example, many commercial or semi-ripe potatoes P704 have a moisture content so high that during the recommended baking, the oven-finished frying does not have a sufficiently low total moisture content nor does the crust region have a crisp surface texture produced by sufficient dehydration of the same . Although when more stringent baking conditions are used, water can be removed from the surface of the chips, and the crusty quality of the crust can be improved, the excessive transfer of internal moisture from the inner core to the surface occurs simultaneously, giving as a result a French-fry baked finish that has one or more of the following textural deficiencies: a hard surface texture; an interior that is perceived as excessively dry; and / or an overall texture that is excessively crunchy (that is, oven-baked chips do not have the desired textural dichotomy that is associated with potatoes to the deep-frying ancestry). Other methods can also be used to control the migration of water and the water distribution of semi-small potatoes. However, the preferred method described above involves controlling total humidity and thermal properties (i.e., thermal conductivity of the internal core of high humidity, thermal conductivity).

P70 of the crust region and the superficial heat transfer coefficient) of the semi-small potatoes. The total humidity of the semifredded potatoes can be controlled by the process conditions used to produce the semi-ripe potatoes; that is, the conditions used to dehydrate the potato strips before frying, the conditions of partial frying and the level, if applicable, of the superficial hydration of the semi-fried potatoes. The thermal properties of semifreddo potatoes can be modified in a similar way and additionally they can be modified with the application of the various ingredients on the surface of the semifritas potatoes (that is wrapping them with oil, coating them with hydrocolloids; etc.). The semi-chip potatoes useful in the present invention have a total moisture greater than about 30%. Typically, the total humidity is from about 38% to about 58%, preferably from about 40% to about 56%, more preferably from about 42% to about 5 - and still more preferably between about 44% and 50% of total humidity. The thermal and total moisture properties of semi-sweet potatoes provide a method to control the moisture loss of semi-sweet potato strips P704 during the end of the oven cooking, so that the resulting French fries have essentially the same textural dichotomy as French deep-fry potatoes. In addition, the total moisture and thermal properties of the semi-fried potatoes indicate how the processing conditions of the partial frying and the conditions of the end of the oven cooking can be altered to ensure optimal texture characteristics in French fries whose cooking is finished in the oven Another embodiment of the invention relates to French fries finished in the oven. The oven-baked French fries of this invention can be baked in various types of kilns, including forced air convection ovens, hot air shock ovens, infrared ovens, a combination of infrared radiation furnace and convection, a toaster, a toaster oven, a microwave oven, a combination of microwave and forced air convection and a conventional household oven. The baking time is less than or equal to about 15 minutes, preferably less than or equal to about 10 minutes, more preferably less than or equal to about 5 minutes and still more preferably less than or equal to about 3 minutes. When removed from the oven, the P704 baked chips can be coated with oil to further enhance the taste and mouthfeel. Preferably, the oil used to coat baked goods is conditioned or flavored oil. The oil can be applied to the surface of the baked goods by methods known in the art, for example by spraying hot oil on the surface or by quick immersion of the chips in the hot oil container. The baked French fries of this invention can be differentiated from the French baked fries of finished by baking of the prior art and commercial ones, in that the former possess a combination of attributes, in particular, a certain Texture Value, humidity total, internal humidity, superficial Aw and total fat that makes them practically indistinguishable from French fries that have been finished by deep frying fat. In addition, the baked French fries of the present invention can be differentiated from the commercially-baked, prior-baked French fries based on a subjective evaluation (ie by expert sensory panelists).

Texture Value A critical attribute of the present invention is P704 the Texture Value of French fries finished by baking. This value depends on a combination of factors such as moisture content, crusty quality of the crust, degree of dehydration of the crust and other critical properties of the fritters. The value of chips is determined using the texture analyzer equipped with a rectangular plate probe made of blunt steel. A compression test is carried out, by means of which the plate compresses the French fry and the resistance force is measured (refer to the section on analytical test methods for more details). Time (seconds) are plotted to produce a force deformation curve Two texture parameters are obtained from the force deformation curves and used to characterize the texture of the French fries.The average maximum force (grams) ) and the average area (grams-seconds) within the first 1/3 of the compression test We have found that these two parameters correlate with the crunchy quality of French fries and any of them can be designated as the Value of Texture The French fries finished in high quality oven of this invention exhibit distinctive textural dichotomy and are characterized by a Texture Value (ie a force orP704 maximum area of at least about 200. Preferably the Texture Value is about 210 and about 1000, more preferably between about 220 and about 600, and still more preferably between about 240 and about 500. In addition, the potatoes French baked finish, of the present invention, have a ratio of average area to maximum average force of at least 1.0, preferably 1.04 or greater, more preferably 1.08 or greater, and still more preferably 1.12 or greater, and with the greater preference 1.16 or greater. Commercial-type baked potatoes that are prepared according to the manufacturer's instructions lack the structural dichotomy characteristics found in the potatoes of this invention. Typically, the average maximum force (grams) and the average area (grams-second) for baked French fries of the prior art, commercial, is less than 200 and the ratio of average area to average maximum force is about 1.0. or less. Commercially baked, overcooked baked French fries may exhibit a maximum average area or strength of at least about 200. However, oven-baked fries of the present invention can be distinguished from commercially baked oven-fried fries with base in the P704 total and / or internal humidity and based on the fact that the ratio of the average area to the maximum average strength of the overcooked frying of conventional oven, in general remains at approximately 1.0 or less.

Total Humidity Another critical attribute of this invention is the total moisture content of the French fries finished in the oven. The total humidity is the total amount of water in the chips of the present invention. The baked French fries of this invention have a total moisture of between about 32% to about 50%. The French fries finished in an oven, with a cut-off type, of the present invention, have a total humidity of approximately 32% to approximately 46%. Preferably, the total humidity of the French fries finished in an oven, with a cut-off type, should be between approximately 33% and approximately 44%, and more preferably the total humidity should be between approximately 34% and approximately 40%. The oven-baked, thicker-cut French fries of the present invention (e.g., regular cut, curly cut and fillet cut) typically have a total moisture of about 35% to about 50%. Preferably, P704 French-baked, thicker-cut French fries have a total moisture cut of between about 38% and about 48% and more preferably between about 40% and about 46%. The total moisture of the products can be measured in the present using well-known techniques and instruments that are in commerce. French oven-set potatoes having a total humidity much greater than about 50% have not developed a scab structure sufficient to provide the desired textural dichotomy (ie, chips that lack crisp quality). At a total humidity much lower than about 32%, the oven-baked chips may be too dry. By preserving the total moisture content of the finished fryings of the oven of the present invention at a level between approximately 32% and 50%, the production of oven-fried frits having a low humidity, a crispy crust region as well as an internal core of high humidity.

Internal Humidity The internal moisture content is also an important feature of the invention. The internal moisture content of French-baked potatoes is the moisture content of the starch matrix P704 interior. As already mentioned, the inner portion (ie, the core) is well cooked, soft, floury and moist, but still not fluffy. The oven-baked French fries of this invention have an internal humidity of between about 55% to about 80%, preferably about 60% to about 77%, more preferably between about 63% and about 75%.

Aw of the surface of the crust A distinctive feature of the oven-baked fries of this invention is the outer crust. The outer oyster is comprised of dehydrated gelatinized starch and oil or fat. . Preferably, the outer crust has practically the same composition as the crust of deep-fried French fries made from raw potatoes. However, the crust may contain ingredients that are typically applied to the surface of potato strips such as starches, hydrocolloids, gums, flavorings and the like. It is important that the crust region be crunchy and have a relatively low water activity (Aw). The texture of the fried or baked food products is known to be related in part to the Aw of the P70 product. Crunchy fries are generally associated with Aw values less than or equal to approximately 0.55. The surface Aw is a measurement of the water activity of the crust region of French fries completed by baking (refer to the analytical test methods section for more details regarding the measurement of the surface Aw. surface is equal to the vapor portion of the water in the outer crust region divided by the vapor pressure of the pure water at the same temperature.French baked French fries of the present invention preferably have a smaller surface Aw or equal to about 0.55, preferably from about 0.10 to about 0.52, more preferably from about 0.15 to about 0.5 and still more preferably from about 0.2 to about 0.45.

Total fat The edible oil, whether natural or synthetic, is generally on the surface and within the crust region of the French fry finished by baking of the type disclosed in this invention. The fuel oil contributes to the taste, lubrication and texture of the French-style potato finished by baking. The fats P70 or edible oils present on the surface and within the crust region of the baked French potato are well known to an expert and include, but are not limited to, beef tallow, lard, cottonseed oil, Canola, soybean oil, corn oil, palm oil, fish oil, safflower oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil, peanut oil, medium chain triglycerides, structured triglycerides containing a combination of chain fatty acids short or medium and long chain fatty acids (eg, triglycerides similar to caprenine) and the like or combinations thereof. The oils can be conditioned or flavored, refer to Flavored Vegetable Oils as a Substitute for Beef Tallow in Deep Frying Applications, Food Technology, pp 90-94 (1989) and U.S. Patent No. 5,104,678 (Yang et al.). The oils can be oils totally or partially hydrogenated or modified in some way. Additional non-toxic fatty materials that have triglyceride-like properties, such as sucrose and Olean ™ polyesters, from Procter and Gamble Company and reduced-grade greases, polyol fatty acid polyesters and diverse esterification polyol polyesters or regular fat combinations and fat substitutes, P704 may also be present on the surface and / or within the crust region of the French fries finished by baking. Some preferred oils are soybean oil and corn oil. The total amount of oil or fat present in and on the French fries finished by baking of this invention is between about 8% and 25%. French-style finger food fries of the present invention typically have about 12% to 25% total fat, preferably about 13% to 23% fat, and about 14% to 20% fat. French fries finished by baking and thicker cut (regular cut, curly cut and fillet cut) typically has a total fat level of between about 8% and about 22%. Preferably, the French fries finished by thicker-cut baking have a total fat level of about 10% to about 20%, and more preferably between about 12% and about 18%. Preferably the edible oil or fat present on the surface and within the crust region of the baked French fries of this invention have a free fatty acid level of about 0.8% or less.

P704 Additional ingredients Flavoring agents such as salt, pepper, butter, onion or garlic can be added to the oil of the semi-fried potatoes or of the baked-up chips to improve the flavor or modify the flavor to the desired level. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the above list of flavoring agents is by no means exhaustive, but simply a suggestion of the wide range of additives that can be used in the practice of this invention. Other ingredients known in the art can also be added to the edible fats and oils used for frying and / or wrapping the semifredda potato strips, which include antioxidants. TBHQ, chelating agents such as citric acid and antifoaming agents such as dimethyl polysiloxane. . The baked French fries of the present invention can also be distinguished from prior art commercial frits based on a sensory and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) imaging evaluation. The sensory evaluation reveals that the baked French fries of this invention possess a desirable textural dichotomy (i.e. a crunchy surface surrounded by a moist interior) typically associated with the French fries of P704 deep fried. Commercially available oven-type cooking chips of the prior art typically do not reveal this textual dichotomy. The NMR images provide a cross-sectional image that illustrates the moisture and fat distribution within the chips. The baked and high-quality French fries of this invention are characterized by NMR images that are qualitatively similar to deep frying French fries ie the two products are characterized by images that reveal an internal high core. humidity surrounded by a region of crust of low humidity that contains fat. In contrast, the NMR images of commercial oven fry typically are qualitatively different, ie, dicotomy. A low moisture crust surrounding the high humidity core is not present. Consequently, the modalities set forth are considered in all illustrative and non-restrictive aspects. The scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims.

ANALYTICAL METHODS OF TEST Several parameters are used to characterize the elements of the semi-fried potato strips and French fries finished by baking the P704 present invention. These parameters are quantified by particular analytical experimental procedures. Each of these procedures is described below.

TEST OF VOLUMETRIC UNIT CONTENT The moisture content of semi-fried potato strips and finished French fries is determined by a forced air oven method in the following manner: 1. A representative sample of the strips is uniformly milled. of potato or French fries in a conventional blender or food processor. 2. Exactly weigh approximately 5 grams of ground sample ("A" weight) on a previously tared plate or metal t 3. Place the metal plate containing the sample in a convection oven with forced air at 105 ° C for 2 hours. 4. After 2 hours the metal plate containing the dry sample is removed and allowed to cool to room temperature in a desiccator over a desiccant such as anhydrous sulfate sulfate. 5. The weighing plate containing the P704 shows dry and the weight of the dry sample (weight "B") is calculated by subtracting the weight of the tare from the dish. 6. Calculate the moisture percentage of the sample in the following way:% moisture = [(A - B) / (A)] x 100.

FRENCH TEXTURE VALUE TESTING FRENCH TEXTURE The Texture Value of finished French fries, which correlates with the increasing quality of fried foods, is measured with a texture analyzer T? -XT2 (version 05.16 equipped with a load cell 25-1, Texture Technologies Corp., Scarsdale, NY). The texture analyzer is linked to a standard personal computer (for example, IBM 433DX) that records the data through a software program called XT. RA Dimension (version 3.7H, Texture Technologies Corp., Scarsdale, NY). The texture analyzer is configured with a blunt, rectangular steel plate probe (thickness 2.5-3.0 mm, width 70 mm, length 90 mm) that is held vertically to the main arm. A "Compression Test" of a single French fry is made to generate a force graph (grams) against time (seconds), from which the Texture Value is obtained.

P70 Procedure for adjusting and calibrating the texture analyzer. Adjust the texture analyzer to the following parameters: Mode: Measure compression force Option: Return to start Force units: Grams Time units: Seconds Distance format: Voltage Pre-test speed: 2.0 mm / sec Test probe speed: 1.0 mm / sec Post-test speed: 10 mm / sec Voltage: 85.0% trigger type: Auto 10 2. Adjust the texture method in the following way: Graph type: Force against time Auto-scale: Off Maximum climbing force : 500 grams Minimum scaling force: 0 grams Confirmation type: On Strength threshold: 20 grams File type: Lotus 1-2-3 Screen and export: Plotted points Acquisition rate: 200 pps Strength units: Grams P70 Contact area: 1.00 mm2 Contact force: 5.0 grams Calibrate the force by placing a 5 kg weight on the calibration platform and press the "calibrate" motor on the texture analyzer keyboard. Calibrate the distance of the probe from the base plate with a starting distance of the probe from the 10 mm plate for the cut-off type stir-fries (increase the distance from the beginning of the probe to 15 mm for thick-cut fritters or type fillet Make sure that the bottom surface of the probe is parallel to the surface of the base plate.

Sample measurement procedure Immediately after removing the French fries from finished cooking from the fryer (deep frying) or from the oven (cooking by baking) place the fry batch under a heat lamp for 1 minute before starting the texture analysis. The temperature of the air under the lamp is between about 130 ° F and about 180 ° F (about 54.3 ° C and about 82.2 ° C). After a 1 minute retention time has elapsed, place a single French-style potato flat on the base plate of the texture analyzer (oriented perpendicular to the width of the probe). Start the compression test (probe speed 1.0 mm / sec) while manually holding the ends of the French fries flush against the base plate. 3. The resulting data of force (grams) against time (seconds) are saved to be after analysis.

Nine additional fry samples from the same batch are tested in an identical manner. The ten frying samples from each batch are selected when roasting. The texture analysis of the ten frying samples should be completed in 3 to 4 minutes (3 to 4 minutes after step 1). Four . Steps # 1 and # 3 are repeated for each new batch of French fries. In general, in this way 5 to 10 batches of each French fry type are evaluated.

Data analysis 1. The "force versus time" graph for each individual French fry sample is evaluated as follows: • Maximum force (grams) within the first 1/3 of the test. • Area (grams-seconds) under the curve inside the P70 first 1/3 of the test (for example, if the compression test requires 6 seconds to complete, the area and the maximum force extends over a period of time from 0 to 2 seconds. "force against time" data for the ten samples of French fries selected from a given batch, the maximum force value is averaged and the ten area values are averaged A computer program written in Excel automates the task to analyze the data force against time for each sample of frying and to average the values of maximum daily strength for each batch of chips 3. The remaining batches of a particular type of French frying are analyzed in the same way (analyzed to 10 lots; 10 fritters / lots). The maximum force and area values for each batch are averaged to obtain a general average of maximum force (grams) and area (grams-seconds) for each particular type of structure. 4. For the purposes of this invention, any of the global maximum force or area averages may be designated as the Texture Value for French frying. The two texture measurements correlate with the crispy quality of the fritters P704 to the French finished.

DETERMINATION OF THE INTERNAL HUMIDITY CONTENT OF FRITS TO THE FRENCH The internal moisture content of the finished French fries, ie the moisture content of the internal starch matrix is determined as follows: 1. Immediately after the withdrawal of the fully cooked French fries from the fryer (deep frying) or the oven (cooking by baking) the fry are submerged in N? liquid for 20 seconds to completely freeze and stabilize the distribution of internal moisture. 2. Frozen French fries are stored at approximately -112 ° F (-80 ° C) until analyzed. 3. Several fries are removed from the freezer and placed in a stainless steel tray. The frits are allowed to warm slightly for several minutes to room temperature to facilitate the removal of the crust. 4. Carefully remove the crust on one side of each frozen fry with the help of a razor. The frits are rotated and this procedure is repeated until the crust is removed.

P704 four sides. The frozen inner starch matrix (solidified white material) is collected and immediately placed in a glass jar with a lid. Care should be taken to collect only the inner starch matrix and not to include any remaining scab. Steps # 3 to # 5 are repeated until approximately 5 grams of the frozen inner starch matrix are collected. This may require approximately 15 to 20 fritters. Exactly 5 grams of the internal starch matrix ("A" weight) is weighed into a previously tared metal plate or tray. Place the metal dish containing the inner starch matrix in a forced air convection oven at 105 ° C for 2 hours. After 2 hours, the metal plate containing the dry sample is removed and allowed to cool to room temperature in a desiccator over a desiccant, eg, anhydrous calcium sulfate. The dish containing the dry sample is reweighed and its weight is calculated (weight "B") by subtracting the tare weight from the dish. A percentage of humidity of the inner starch matrix is calculated as follows:% internal humidity = [(A - B) / (A)] x 100 DETERMINATION OF THE SURFACE ACTIVITY (A) OF THE FRUITS TO THE FRENCH The superficial Aw of the french fries: finished are determined in the following way. 1. Immediately after the withdrawal of the fully cooked French fries from the fryer (deep frying) or from the oven (baking) the potatoes are immersed in liquid for 20 seconds in order to freeze them and stabilize the distribution of internal humidity 2. Frozen French fries are stored at approximately -112 ° F (-80 ° C) until analysis. 3. Transfer a bag of french fries (-0.5 - 1 lb.) from the -112 ° F freezer (-80 ° C) to a refrigerator containing dry ice; it is ensured that the bag is completely packed in dry ice in order to keep the chips in a frozen state at low temperature. 4. A French fry is removed each time, from the sample bag, and the surface of the frying is quickly scraped with a razor blade with a single sharp end. The clippings of the surface are collected on a stainless steel tray and P704 immediately transfer these cuttings to a glass jar with a lid. Care should be taken to collect surface clippings from the outer crust region of the French-style potato; and not scrape excessively so that the crust region is penetrated and the inner starch matrix core is exposed. Step # 4 is repeated until approximately 0.3-0.7 grams of surface trimmings have been collected, this will require scraping about 10 to 20 frozen chips. The water activity (Aw) of the surface cuttings is determined using Rotronic Hygroskop Model DT which is a relative humidity meter (Rotronic Instrument Corp., Huntington, NY), in the following manner: a. The surface cuttings are transferred to an Aw plastic plate (Rotronic Instrument Cotp.1) The dish Aw containing the surface cuttings inside the moisture cells of the Hygroskop Model DT, relative humidity meter, is immediately placed. which closes the lid of the cell tightly c) The meter is allowed to read the stabilization reading (1 hour or more is expected) before recording the readings and the temperature d) The reading of the stability meter is converted to a percentage of relative unit (RH) using a prepared calibration graph (meter reading against% RH) according to the following RH standards: 11% RH Saturated lithium chloride solution (refer to Greenspan, L., 1977, J. Res. Nati. Bur. Stand., Section A, 81A: 89) 35% RH Standard solution from Rotronic Instrument Corp. 50% RH Standard solution from Rotronic Instrument Corp. 65% RH Standard solution from Rotronic Instrument Corp. . With pour the% RH of the surface cuttings in the surface Aw, with the following formula: Surface Aw = (% RH / 100) TEST OF TOTAL FAT CONTENT The total fat content of the semifredded potato strips and the finished French fries is determined by the solvent extraction method, as follows: P704 Apparatus 1. Soxtec HT6 extraction system; The unit includes a condenser coolant and a heating block. 2. Recirculating water bath for the condenser coolant. 3. Recirculating oil bath for the heating block. 4. Beakers for extraction. 5. Extraction thimbles, 26 mm (Fisher TC1522-0018). 6. Nitrogen as purge gas. 7. Vacuum drying oven. 8. Analytical balance (4 figures). 9. Dispensing pipette (50 ml).

Materials 1. Methylene chloride (Baker 9315-33). 2. Boiling stones (Chemware PTFE Fisher 09-191-20). 3. Silicone oil (Fisher TC1000-2779) 4. Glass wool (Fisher 11-390) Procedure 1. A representative sample of potato strips or French fries is milled uniformly in a conventional blender or food processor. 2. Exactly weigh (up to four figures) a piece of P704 glass wool (of sufficient size to contain the sample pieces in the cartridges) and the extraction cartridge; the weight of the cartridge + glass wool (weight "A") is recorded. 3. The milled sample is loaded into the cartridge and the cartridge loaded with the previously weighed piece of glass wool is covered. 4. Exactly weigh (up to four digits) and record the weight of the milled sample, cartridge and glass wool ("B" weight). 5. One or two boiling stones are placed inside the extraction vessel and weighed (up to four digits), the weight of the extraction vessel + boiling stones is recorded (weight C "). Place two or more boiling stones in the boiling stones. one extraction and weighing flask (four digits), record the weight of the extraction flask + boiling stones (weight "C") 6. Place the prepared cartridges in the extraction unit and lift them to the extraction position. Pipette 50 ml of methylene chloride into each extraction flask previously weighed with the boiling stones 8. Put the heating oil bath at 110 ° C and the cooling water bath at 28.3 ° C and let the temperatures balance P704 9. Lower the prepared cartridges into the extraction flask containing the solvent and let it boil in it for 60 minutes with the condenser tap open. 10. Lift the cartridges to the extraction position and extract for 60 minutes. 11. Close the condenser tap and allow the solvent to evaporate for 60 minutes. Open nitrogen to purge and help evaporation. 12. Transfer the flask to a vacuum oven, preheated to 120 ° C, for 30 minutes under full vacuum (approximately at a pressure of 30 mm Hg or less). 13. Allow the flask to cool to room temperature and weigh (to four digits); record the weight of the flask + boiling stones + extracted fat (weight "D"). 14. Calculate the percent of total fat as follows:% Fat = [(D - C) / (B - A)] x 100 EXAMPLES Example 1 Two French-baked potato products finished by baking and one deep-frying French-fries product were prepared in the following manner.

P704 A. French fries finished by baking according to the present invention Frozen string-cut semiflat potatoes (eg, Simplot Par Fries, J.R. Simplot Co., Caldwell, ID) are acceptable starting products. A typical processing history may include: classification and selection of Russet Burbak potatoes are peeled, washed, trimmed and cut axially to form cords or shoelaces (0.25 inches cross section). The potatoes are blanched in hot water or steam and partially dried with hot air, so that the weight of the potatoes is reduced by approximately 15%. The partially dried strips are then partially fried in partially hydrogenated soybean oil (All index of about 67) for about 50 seconds at an oil temperature of about 375 ° F. (190.5 ° C). The semi-sweet potato strips are cooled and frozen in a burst freezer at -30 ° F (-34.4 ° C) and packaged. The semi-sweet potato strips have a moisture content of approximately 64% and a fat content of approximately 6%. Approximately 1 lb. of the semifredded potato strips are further processed in deep fry in a 45 lb. oil-frying pot, which contains Primex 108 vegetable oil (oil mix).

P704 partially hydrogenated soybeans and corn oil available from Procter & Gamble Co. ) for approximately 3 minutes at a temperature of 290 ° F (143.3 ° C). The resulting semi-fried potatoes are immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen for 20 seconds. The moisture content of the resulting semi-fat potato is approximately 47% and the fat content is approximately 15%. Immediately after the semi-fried potatoes have been frozen, they are coated with oil by immersing them in liquid vegetable oil (Primex 108 conditioned) having a temperature of about 335 ° F (~ 168 ° C) for about 1 to 3 seconds. The resultant oil coated semi-small chips are refrozen by immersion in liquid nitrogen. Frozen semi-fried potatoes are packed in sealed aluminum foil pouches and stored at a normal freezer temperature of about 0 ° F (-18 ° C) to about -20 ° F) (-29 ° C). Semi-coated potatoes coated with oil contain approximately 9% surface fat by weight of frying. The total level of fat is approximately 22% and the total humidity level is approximately 43%. Approximately 128 grams of the frozen, semi-coated, semi-coated potatoes, already mentioned, are placed in an open-mesh oven tray in a single layer and then baked at room temperature.

P704 of approximately 400CF (20 ° C) in a forced air convection oven (Wells Manufacturing Co., Model No. M42003S) for approximately 1 minute. Then the chips are transferred to a solid stainless steel baking dish in a single layer and baked for an additional 1.5 minutes. A turbulent hot air flow exits inside the furnace chamber. The air velocity in the center of the furnace chamber (immediately above the product bed) is approximately 900 feet per minute (274 meters per minute). When the oven is removed, the frits are evaluated immediately in their various technical attributes or they are salted and evaluated in flavor and texture by the sensory test.

B ^ French Fritters Finished in Oven, Commercial Type: Frozen Ore-Ida® brand "Agujetas" french fries were purchased from a local grocery store (Ore-Ida Foods, Inc., Boise, ID) the frits comprise approximately 63% moisture and approximately 6% fat. The frits are baked in a conventional household oven (General Electric) in the following way: approximately 8 ounces of frozen chips are uniformly dispersed in a single layer on a solid 9"x 13" baking sheet and P704 bake for approximately 10 minutes at a temperature of approximately 450 ° F (232 ° C). When removed from the oven, the frits are immediately evaluated in their various technical attributes or salted and evaluated in flavor and texture by the sensory test.

C. Deep Fried French Fritters (McDonald 's ™ French Standard Fritters): Frozen semi-fried potato slices are used as the semifrink starting potato for the preparation of the product "A "from this example (Simplot Par-fries; JR Simplot Co .; Caldwell, ID) and are further processed by deep frying. Partially fried potato strips have a moisture content of approximately 64% and a fat content of approximately 6%. Approximately 1.5 pounds of semi-frozen and frozen potato strips are allowed to thaw for approximately 1 hour at room temperature (70 ° F, 21.1 ° C) and then deep fry in a 45-pound frypot for food preparation. of capacity, which contains Primex 108 conditioned vegetable oil (mixture of partially hydrogenated soybean oil and corn oil available from Procter &Gamble Co.) for approximately 3 minutes at a temperature of P704 oil of approximately 335 ° F (168 ° C). When the fryer is removed, deep frying French fries are immediately evaluated in their various technical attributes or salted and evaluated in flavor and texture by the sensory test. Previous French frying products (A, B and C) are evaluated in total humidity, total fat, internal moisture content, surface Aw and Value of Texture. The results are shown in the following table: P704 I heard or The above data shows that the French fries finished by baking according to the present invention (A) have technical attributes that are very similar to deep frying French fries (C) which are considered the "golden standard". French-baked fries finished by baking (B) of commercial type, are outside the desired ranges for surface Aw and texture parameters (maximum strength, area and area ratio at maximum force). The French frying product, above, is evaluated in flavor and texture by sensory tests. A panel of ~ 40 trained individuals rated the products in their various sensory attributes on a scale of 1 to 9. Two sensory tests were carried out, where each baked product was evaluated directly with the fried French fries deep. Below are the results of the sensory test, each numerical value is the average rating of that attribute.

P704 Note: Within each sensory test attribute ratings with superscript letters are significantly different at a confidence level of 95%. The results of the sensory test reveal that the French fries finished in an oven according to the present invention (A) have flavor and texture attributes very similar to deep-frying French fries (C). In particular, the French fries finished in an oven according to the invention have the desired textural dichotomy, that is to say, an interior humidity and a crunchy crust that are typically associated with deep frying French fries. In contrast, commercial type (B) furnace fritters do not possess the desired textural dichotomy as revealed by the significantly low qualification in crunchy surface quality.

EXAMPLE 2 The two French frying products, baked in the oven and deep frying, are prepared in the following way: D. The Frits to the French Baked Finish according to the Present Invention: The semi-fried and frozen-type chopped potato strips were used as the starting material for Example IA and are an acceptable starting product for this example (Simplot Par-Fries, JR Simplot Co, Caldwell, ID). The semifredded potato strips P704 have a moisture content of approximately 64% and a fat content of approximately 6%. Approximately 1 lb. of the semifredded and frozen potato strips are further processed by deep frying in a frying pan for food preparation, with a 45-pound oil capacity, containing Primex 108 vegetable oil (partially soybean oil blend). hydrogenated and corn oil available from Procter &Gamble Co.) for approximately 3 minutes at a temperature of approximately 290 ° F (143.3 ° C). The resulting semi-fat potatoes are immediately frozen by immersion in liquid nitrogen for 20 seconds. The moisture content of the resulting semi-fat potato is approximately 48% and the fat content is approximately 14%. Frozen semi-frozen potatoes are packaged in aluminum foil pouches and stored at approximately 0 ° F (-18 ° C). Frozen semi-fried potatoes are baked in a double-hitting oven (Wolverine Corporation, Merrimac, MA; Model 2.0 x 051 pilot plant Jetzone ™ oven) equipped with a continuous conveyor. The semi-small potatoes are placed in a single layer on an open mesh tray, which in turn is placed on the conveyor belt. The hot air hits the product both from below and from above, it is supplied from two banks of tubes P704 placed above and below the conveyor belt. The air velocity measured in the product bed is approximately 5,500 feet per minute (1,676 meters per minute). The air temperature inside the furnace chamber is about 450 ° F (232 ° C) and the speed of the conveyor is adjusted so that the residence time in the furnace is 1.25 minutes. Immediately after they come out of the oven, the frits are lightly sprayed with Primex 108 conditioned vegetable oil, hot (~ 150 ° F), about 3% oil is sprayed by weight of fritters. Finishing fried foods are evaluated immediately in their various technical attributes or they are salted and evaluated in taste and texture by the taste sensory test.

E. French Fries Finished in the Oven, Commercial Type: The frozen samples of Ore-Ida © Vend Fry © used in the Ore-Ida French Fry Vendor ™ machine (cut-off type, Ore-Ida Foods, Inc., Boise, ID) are obtained from a local distributor and stored at 0 ° F (-18 ° C) or less. Frozen Ore-Ida® chips are placed inside the freezer compartment of an Ore-Ida Model 890 French Fry Vendor ™ vending machine (Crane National Vendors, Division of Unidynamics Corp., Bridgeton, P70 MO). The machine fries are baked in the French Fry Vendor ™ oven according to the manufacturer's recommendations: approximately 3.5 ounces of frozen Vend frits are placed in a spinning basket and then baked for approximately 40 seconds with forced hot air 465 ° F (240 ° C) that is blown through the basket. At the end of the baking cycle, the fries finished by baking are automatically dispatched and then immediately evaluated in their various technical attributes or salted and evaluated in taste and texture by the sensory tests.

F. Deep Fried French Fries (McDonald 's ™ French Fries; "golden standard": The frozen, semi-rigid, cut-off type of potato strips used as the starting material for the preparation of the product "D "from this example (Simplot Par-fries; JR Simplot Co; Caldwell, ID) are further processed by deep frying .. Partially fried potato strips have a moisture content of approximately 64% and a fat content of approximately 6% Approximately 1.5 pounds of frozen partially fried potato strips are allowed to thaw by P704 about 1 hour at room temperature (70 ° F; 21.1 ° C) and then deep-fry in a 45-pound frypot, which contains Primex 108 vegetable oil (oil mix). partially hydrogenated soybeans and corn oil, available from Procter &Gamble Co.) for approximately 3 minutes at an oil temperature of approximately 335 ° F (168 ° C). When the fryer is removed, deep frying French fries are immediately evaluated in their various technical attributes or salted or evaluated in flavor and texture, by the taste test. The previous French fry products (D, E and F) are evaluated in their total moisture, total fat, internal moisture content, surface Aw and Texture Value. The results are shown in the following table: P70 or. 00 The above data shows that the French oven-baked fries according to the present invention (D) have technical attributes that are very similar to deep-frying French fries (F) which are considered the "golden standard" " Commercial baked French fries (E) are outside the desired ranges of surface Aw and texture parameters (maximum force, area and area ratio at maximum force). The previous French frying products are also evaluated in relation to taste and texture, by means of tests. The baked French fries of the present invention (D) have similar flavor and texture to the "golden standard" deep-fryer fries (F). In particular, the oven-baked French fries of this invention have the desired textural dichotomy, that is to say, an interior humidity and a crunchy characteristic in the crust, which are typically associated with deep frying French fries. In contrast, commercial oven (E) fries lack sufficient crunchiness and do not possess the desired textural dichotomy.

EXAMPLE 3 A non-digestible fat composition is used P70 to prepare the partially fried potato strips in the following example. The non-digestible fat composition is Olean ™ by Procter & Gamble Company, which comprises a mixture of solid and liquid sucrose polyester. Russet Burbank potatoes classified and separated by degrees are peeled, washed, trimmed and cut axially into strips (cross section 0.25 square inches). The potato strips are blanched in hot water or steam and partially dried with hot air so that the potato strips are reduced in weight by approximately 15%. The partially dried strips are then partially fried in Olean ™ for about 60 seconds at an oil temperature of about 375 ° F (190.5 ° C). The partially fried potato strips are cooled and then frozen in a jet-freezer at -30 ° F (-34.4 ° C) and packaged. Partially fried potato strips have a moisture content of about 64% and a fat content of about 8%. Approximately 1 lb. of the partially fried, frozen, packaged potato strips are further processed by frying in a frying pan for food preparation, with a capacity of 45 pounds of oil, containing Olean ™, for approximately 3 minutes at a temperature of approximately 300 ° F (149 ° C).

P70 The resulting partially fried potato strips are immediately frozen by immersion in liquid nitrogen for 20 seconds, packaged in aluminum foil pouches and stored at normal freezer temperatures of approximately 0 ° F (-17.8 ° C). Partially fried potato strips have approximately 46% moisture and approximately 20% fat. Approximately 128 grams of the frozen semifreddo potatoes are placed in an open-mesh oven tray in a single layer and then baked at a temperature of approximately 400 ° F (204 ° C) in a forced air convection oven (Wells Manufacturing Co., Model No. M42003S) for approximately 2.5 minutes. A turbulent air flow exits inside the furnace chamber, with an air velocity in the center of the furnace chamber just above the bed produced, of approximately 900 feet per minute (274 meters per minute). The chips are then transferred to an open mesh basket in a single layer and the basket is placed within the treatment zone of a high speed shock oven (manufactured by Industrial Combustion Services, Inc., Tyrone, GA). Hot air at 375 ° F is directed over the surface of the chips at a rate of approximately 5,000 feet per minute (1,524 meters per minute). The fritters are preserved in the oven Shock P70 for 15 seconds. The French fries finished in the oven, low calorie, resulting, have a texture and a taste very similar to deep frying French fry, the golden standard. The finished chips have a total moisture content of about 35%, a total fat content of about 15%, an internal moisture content of about 72%, a surface Aw of about 0.4 and a Texture Value of about 250.

EXAMPLE 4 Potato strips, partially fried, cut into a frozen type, are used as the starting material of Example IA and are an acceptable starting material for this example (Simplot Par-Fries, J. R.

Simplot Co .; Caldwell, ID). Partially fried potato strips have a moisture content of approximately 64% and a fat content of approximately 6%. Approximately 1 lb. of the partially fried and frozen potato strips are further processed by frying in a frying pan for food processing, with a capacity of 45 pounds of oil containing Primex 108 vegetable oil (oil mixture of P704 partially hydrogenated soybeans and corn oil available from Procter & amp; amp;; Gamble Co.) for about 3 minutes at a temperature of about 335 ° F (168.3 ° C). The resulting semi-fat potatoes are immediately frozen by immersion in liquid nitrogen for 20 seconds and then equilibrated to approximately 0 ° F (-17.8 ° C). The semi-sweet potatoes have approximately 38% moisture and approximately 17% fat. Frozen semi-frozen potatoes are then hydrated on the surface by spraying a fine mist of water at ~ 70 ° F (21.1 ° C) onto the surface of the semi-ripe potatoes. During the process of hydration, the frozen semi-small potatoes are drummed in order to achieve a uniform application of water on the surface thereof. The spray of the fine mist of water continues until approximately 7% (by weight of the semi-small potatoes) of water is applied to the surface thereof. The hydrated and frozen semi-fried potatoes are then stored between 0 ° F (-17.8 ° C) and 20 ° F (-6.7 ° C). The hydrated semi-fat potatoes comprise approximately 43% total moisture and approximately 15% total fat. The hydration of the partially fried surface increases the Aw of the crust region, thus reducing or eliminating the Aw differential between the inner core and the crusted region, which is what constitutes the driving force of moisture migration.

P704 during storage in freezing. Approximately 128 grams of the hydrated and frozen semi-fried potatoes are prepared for consumption by baking in a forced air convection oven (Wells Manufacturing Co., Model No. M42003S). The hydrated semifridge potatoes are placed in a single layer on an open-type wire mesh tray and baked for 1.5 minutes at an air temperature of approximately 425 ° F (218.3 ° C). A turbulent hot air flow exits inside the furnace chamber. The air velocity in the center of the furnace chamber (immediately above the product bed) is approximately 900 feet per minute (274 meters per minute). The French fries finished in the oven have a desirable textural dichotomy, that is, a texture of crisp surface and interior humidity. Finished chips have a final moisture content of approximately 39%, a total fat content of approximately 16%, an internal moisture content of approximately 72%, a surface Aw of approximately 0.4 and a Texture Value of approximately 290 (strength maximum = 237 grams, area = 289 grams-sec, ratio of area to maximum force = 1.22).

P704

Claims (5)

1. CLAIMS: 1. A French fried potato product, whose cooking is finished by baking, which comprises: a) from approximately 32% to 50% of total humidity; b) from 8% to 25% of total fat; and c) a Texture Value of at least 200; where the Texture Value is the maximum force (grams) or the area (grams-seconds) under the curve of deformation of force during the first third of the compression test. The product according to claim 1, wherein the baked-up fries have a total moisture of about 33% or 44%, total fat between 13% to 23% and a Texture Value of 210 to 1,000. . 3. The product according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the French fries finished by baking have a surface water activity less than or equal to 0.55 and an internal smoke of 55?. to 807. 4. The product according to claim 3, wherein the French fries finished by baking are cutting chips type agujeta. 5. The product according to claims 1, 2, 3 or 4, which has a surface heat transfer coefficient at furnace temperatures of between 50 and 400 watts / m2oC. P70 6. The product according to claims 1, 2, 3 or 4, which has a thermal conductivity of the crust region at the oven temperatures of between 0.1 and 0.3 watts / m ° C. 7. The product according to claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6, which has a thermal conductivity of the inner core of between 0.4 and 0.7 watts / m ° C. The product according to claim 7, wherein the ratio of the average area to the maximum average force is at least 1.0 in the Texture Value Measurement. 9. The product according to claim 8, wherein the surface Aw is less than or equal to 0.55. P70