GB2172185A

GB2172185A - A food product

Info

Publication number: GB2172185A
Application number: GB08605638A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Raymond John Priestley; Alan Erwin Frohling
Original assignee: SIMBA QUIX Ltd
Current assignee: SIMBA QUIX Ltd
Priority date: 1985-03-12
Filing date: 1986-03-07
Publication date: 1986-09-17
Also published as: AU586667B2; AU5446986A; GB2172185B; GB8605638D0

Abstract

A food product (10) of sheet-like form, characterised in that the food product has a smooth surface on one side and a corrugated surface (14) on the other side. The food product may comprise a potato chip prepared by cooking a slice of potato. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A food product THIS invention relates to a food product and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a potato chip. The term "chip" in this specification includes the term "crisp" Potato chips are a popular snack food produced in many countries. Consumers generally regard snacks as a luxury item and are discriminating in their choice, particularly with regard to taste, texture and appearance. Thus, these features are critical factors in ensuring the success of a snack food product and considerable effort has been expended on developing new snack products which are distinctive in some respect.

Potatoes have been sliced in several different ways to impart a pleasing and distinctive appearance, taste and texture to chips produced by frying the sliced potatoes. The oldest, namely the straight or plain cut potato chip, is cut with flat knives to produce a potato slice with a smooth surface on both sides.

Knives with fluted cutting edges have been used to produce a crinkled chip as illustrated in Figure A and a V-cut chip as illustrated in Figure B. In another form, as utilised for 0' Grady's (TM) potato chips, potatoes are cut so that the crinkle patterns on each side of the potato slice are shifted relative to one another. Such a form of chip is illustrated in Figure C and is more fully described in South African patent 84/10094. The chip of Figure C results in a crunchy, rather than a crisp texture of chip. In the lattice cut potato chip, cutting knives are arranged to operate at right angles to each other, with the result that the final product has a lattice appearance and a distinctive friable texture. In addition to different knife patterns, the thickness of the potato slices may be varied to alter their appearance and texture.

Potato chips of the kind described above may suffer from disadvantages. A chip which exhibits a crispiness in eating may not exhibit a crunchiness and vice versa. A crinkled or Vcut chip such as that illustrated in Figures A, B or C may have insufficient structural strength and may not be able to maintain its integrity to a sufficient extent. This leads to the generation of crumbs in the chip package and reduces the package filling ability of the chips for a given mass of product. A chip of insufficient structural strength also does not lend itself to consumption with dips and sauces.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a chip with which at least some of the abovementioned disadvantages are sought to be diminished.

A food product according to the invention, of sheet-like form, is characterised in that the food product has a smooth surface on one side and a corrugated surface on the other side.

The corrugated surface of the food product may be of a convoluted form or a serrated form.

In the case of the corrugated surface being of a convoluted form, the thickness of the product between its smooth surface and the tops of the convolutions of its corrugated surface may be in the range of 2,5 mm to 4,0 mm and the pitch of the convolutions may be in the range of 8,3 mm to 8,7 mm. In the case of the corrugated surface being of a serrated form, the thickness of the product between the smooth surface and the tops of the serrations of its corrugated surface may be in the range of 2.0 mm to 2,8 mm and the pitch of the serrations may be in the range of 3,0 mm to 3,5 mm.

In either case, the thickness of the product between its smooth surface and the valleys of the convolutions or of the serrations may be in the range of 0,75 mm to 2,5 mm.

The food product may have a generally scoop-like form and the corrugated surface of the food product may form the concave side of its scoop-like form.

In a preferred form, the food product comprises a potato chip prepared by cooking a slice of potato.

The invention also concerns a method of preparing a food product which comprises the steps of providing a food material in short-like form having a smooth surface on one side and a corrugated surface on the other side, and, cooking the food material to form the food product.

In a preferred form the food product is a potato chip and the method comprises the steps of slicing a raw potato to form slices of potato, the slices being formed by slicing the potato alternatively with a cutting knife having an even cutting edge and a cutting knife having a corrugated cutting edge, and, frying the slices of potato in edible oil to form potato chips.

The raw potato may be sliced on a rotary slicing apparatus in which the potato is passed successively over a cutting knife having an even cutting edge and a cutting knife having a corrugated cutting edge.

In another form, the food material is provided in the form of a food dough and the method comprises the steps of extruding the food dough to form a dough ribbon having a smooth surface on one side and a corrugated surface on the other side, dividing the dough ribbon into dough pieces, and, cooking the dough pieces to form the food product.

In a further form, the food material is provided in the form of a food dough and the method comprises the steps forming the food dough into a dough sheet, impressing serrations in one surface of the dough sheet, divid ing the dough sheet into dough pieces, and, cooking the dough pieces to form the food product.

The invention also provides apparatus for use in producing potato chips comprising a stator having a plurality of ports along its periphery and a cutting knife mounted in each port, and an impellor arranged in use to advance potatoes past the cutting knives to remove slices of potato from the potatoes, the apparatus being characterised in that cutting knives with even cutting edges are alternated in the stator with cutting knives having corrugated cutting edges.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which; Figure 1 is a section through a potato slicing machine for use in the preparation of potato chips in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the machine of Figure 1; Figures 3a are perspective views of potato and 4a chips made using the machine of of Figure 1; and Figures 3b are sections taken on lines and 4b Illb-lllb and lines IVb-lVb in Figures 3a and 4a respectively.

The potato slicing machine 1 shown in Figure 1 is, apart from the modification hereunder described, a conventional machine sold under the trade name Urschel Model CC. It comprises a stator 2 having eight ports 3 along its periphery. A cutting knife 4a or 4b is mounted in each port and can be adjusted relative thereto by means of adjusting bolts 5.

The stator 2 surrounds an impelior 6 having a plurality of vanes 8. In use potatoes 9 are introduced onto the impellor which is rotated at about 250 r.p.m.

The potatoes 9 are forced to the periphery of the impellor and are advanced past the knives 4a, 4b so that a slice of potato is cut off by each successive knife, the slice emerging through the associated port 3.

The machine 1 is modified according to the invention by alternating a knife having a smooth cutting edge in the stator 2 with a knife having a corrugated cutting edge. For the sake of simplicity, knives with smooth cutting edges are identified by the numeral 4a and knives with corrugated cutting edges are identified by the numeral 4b. Thus, in this embodiment of the invention, four knifes 4a will have smooth cutting edges and four knives 4b will have corrugated cutting edges, knives with smooth and corrugated edges alternating with one another. with such an arrangement, potato slices 10, 12 will be produced each of which has a smooth surface on one side and a corrugated surface on its other side. Two forms of corrugation may be used, a convoluted form 14 (Figures 3a and 3b) or a serrated form 16 (Figures 4a and 4b).

The cut slices may be washed or soaked in warm water to remove surface starch from the slices, as is conventionally practised, during which process the slices will tend to form a scoop, usually with the corrugated surface forming the concave side. This scooping effect is more pronounced at temperatures exceeding 30O C which has the known added advantage of leaching reducing sugars from the potato slices and resulting in a lighter coloured product after frying. This scooping effect is apparent both in slices produced from either peeled or unpeeled potatoes.

The greatest tendency to form a scoop was found with potatoes of diameter 50 mm-90 mm. Smaller potatoes resulted in a less pronounced scooping effect while larger potatoes produced slices with a tendency to warp irregularly rather than form a scoop. Potatoes of diameter 50 mm-90 mm are those generally preferred in the potato chip industry as being more suited to the processing machinery normally employed.

After washing the potato slices are fried by submersion or immersion in hot edible oil, in conventional manner, to produce potato chips.

The thickness of the potato slice may be adjusted to suit conditions such as specific gravity of the potatoes used, frying time and final product colour, consistent with reducing the moisture content to below 3,0%.

In the case of the chip 10 with a convoluted form of corrugations (Figures 3a and 3b) the optimum effect was achieved where the maximum chip thickness 17 (that is the thickness of the chip between its smooth surface 18 and the top of the convolutions 14) was in the range of 2,5 mm-4,00 mm, the minimum thickness 19 (that is the thickness of the chip between its smooth surface 18 and the valleys of the convolutions 14) was in the range of 0,75 mm-2,50 mm and the pitch 20 of the convolutions 14 was in the range of 8,3 mm-8,70 mm.

In the case of the chip 12 with a serrated form of corrugations (Figures 4a and 4b) the optimum effect was achievrd where the maximum chip thickness 21 was in the range of 2,0 mm-2,8 mm, the minimum thickness 22 was in the range of 0,75 mm-2,5 mm and the pitch 23 of the serrations 16 was in the range of 3,00 mm-3,5 mm.

In both cases the final product texture was a distinctive combination of crispiness on biting and crunchiness on chewing, after frying the potato slices in an edible oil at a temperature of 160 210 C for 2,5 to 4,5 minutes.

The following examples will serve further to illustrate the invention.

Example 1 potatoes with a specific gravity of 1.079 and 50-90 mm in diameter were sliced using an Urschel Model CC slicer equipped with alternating knives of flat slice and V-cut (or serrated) slice design. The thickness of the slices was set at 2,4 mm and the slices were washed in water at 40 C for 5 minutes and then fried at 190O C in vegetable oil for 3,75 minutes. Potato chips were produced with a distinctive appearance and scooped shape and with a texture exhibiting both crispiness and crunchiness.

Example 2 Similar potatoes were used as in Example 1, using an Urschel Model CC slicer fitted with alternating knives of flat slice and convoluted slice design. The thickness of the slices was set at 3,2 mm and the slices were soaked at 50 C for 4 minutes and fried at 1900 C in vegetable oil for 4,25 minutes. Potato chips were produced with a distinctive appearance and a texture exhibiting both crispiness and crunchiness.

In another form, a food product in accordance with the invention may be prepared from a food dough. In such a case the food dough may be extruded in a convenient manner through an orifice to form a dough ribbon having a smooth surface on one side and a corrugated surface on the other side. Alternatively, the food dough may be formed in a dough sheet and serrations may be impressed into one surface of the dough sheet in any convenient manner.

The dough sheet or the dough ribbon may be divided into dough pieces and, before or after division, cooked to form the food product of the invention.

Many other embodiments of the invention may be made differing in matters of detail only from those described above and without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A food product of sheet-like form, characterised in that the food product has a smooth surface on one side and a corrugated surface on the other side.

2. A food product according to claim 1 in which the corrugated surface of the food product is of convoluted form.

3. A food product according to claim 2 in which the thickness of the product between its smooth surface and the tops of the convolutions of its corrugated surface is in the range of 2,5 mm to 4,0 mm, the thickness of the product between its smooth surface and the valleys of the convolutions of its corrugated surface is in the range of 0.75 mm to 2,5 mm and the pitch of the convolutions is in the range of 8,3 mm to 8,7 mm.

4. A food product according to claim 1 in which the corrugated surface of the food product is of serrated form.

5. A food product according to claim 4 in which the thickness of the product between the smooth surface and the tops of the serrations of its corrugated surface is in the range of 2.0 mm to 2,8 mm, the thickness of the product between its smooth surface and the valleys of the serrations of its corrugated surface is in the range of 0,75 mm to 2,5 mm and the pitch of the serrations is in the range of 3,0 mm to 3,5 mm.

6. A food product according to any one of the preceding claims in which the food product has a generally scoop-like form.

7. A food product according to claim 6 in which the corrugated surface of the food product forms the concave side of the scoop-like form of the food product.

8. A food product according to any one of the preceding claims in which the food product comprises a potato chip prepared by cooking a slice of potato.

9. A food product substantially as herein described with reference to figures 3 or 4 of the accompanying drawings.

10. A method of preparing a food product which comprises the steps of providing a food material in sheet-like form having a smooth surface on one side and a corrugated surface on the other side, and, cooking the food material to form the food product.

11. A method according to claim 10 in which the food product is a potato chip and in which the method comprises the steps of slicing a raw potato to form slices of potato, the slices being formed by slicing the potato alternatively with a cutting knife having an even cutting edge and a cutting knife having a corrugated cutting edge, and, frying the slices of potato in edible oil to form potato chips.

12. A method according to claim 11 in which the raw potato is sliced on a rotary slicing apparatus in which the potato is passed successively over a cutting knife having an even cutting edge and a cutting knife having a corrugated cutting edge.

13. A method according to claim 11 or claim 12 in which the corrugated surface formed on one side of the slice of potato is of convoluted form.

14. A method according to claim 11 or claim 13 in which the corrugated surface formed on one side of the slice of potato is of serrated form.

15. A method of preparing a food product according to claim 10 in which the food material is provided in the form of a food dough and in which the method comprises the steps of extruding the food dough to form a dough ribbon having a smooth surface on one side and a corrugated surface on the other side, dividing the dough ribbon into dough pieces, and, cooking the dough pieces to form the food product.

16. A method of preparing a food product according to claim 10 in which the food material is provided in the form of a food dough and in which the method comprises the steps forming the food dough into a dough sheet, impressing corrugations in one surface of the dough sheet, dividing the dough sheet into dough pieces, and, cooking the dough pieces to form the food product.

17. A method of preparing a food product substantially as herein described with reference to figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

18. Apparatus for use in producing potato chips comprising a stator having a plurality of ports along its periphery and a cutting knife mounted in each port, and an impellor arranged in use to advance potatoes past the cutting knives to remove slices of potato from the potatoes, the apparatus being characterised in that cutting knives with even cutting edges are alternated in the stator with cutting knives having corrugated cutting edges.

19. Apparatus according to claim 18 in which the corrugated cutting edges are of convoluted form.

20. Apparatus according to claim 18 in which the corrugated cutting edges are of serrated form.

21. Apparatus for use in the preparation of potato chips, substantially as herein described with reference to figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

22. A method of preparing a food product substantially as described in either example herein.

23. A food product whenever prepared by a method as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 17 and 22, or using apparatus as claimed in any of claims 18 to 21.

24. Any novel feature described herein or any novel combination of hereindescribed features.