1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a snack food product obtained from carrots and more particularly to a snack food product obtained by slicing and immer¬ sion frying raw carrots.

2. Description of the Prior Art "

The prior art is well aware of deep-fried or hot oil fried food products of high starch content such as deep-fried potatoes. In fact, hot oil fried thin slices of potatoes, commonly known as "potato chips" have gained tremendous popularity by the consum¬ ing public. Other hot oil fried food products of high starch content have also attained popularity and commer¬ cial success particularly recently? corn chips and corn or wheat flour based "tortilla" chips represent typical examples. As is well known in the food orocessing indus- try and also by the consuming public , potato chips and deep-fried corn and wheat flour based chips have a sub¬ stantially indefinite shelf-life , and do not require refr igeration.

Wi th reσard to non-oredominantly starch based , roods, such as vegetables and fruits, the snack or instant food manufacturing industry has met so far only very limited success in preparing from them flavorful

and popular deep-fried items of substantially inde¬ pendent shelf-life. Thus, in contrast to an abundance on the market place of such products as deep-fried potato chips, corn chips and the like, the only fruit based deep-fried snack food having a substantially indefinite shelf-life which has gained even a limited acceptance by the consuming public, comprise fried chips or slices of bananas.

Thus, the prior art food processing industry has by-and-large failed to- provide a palatable vegetable or fruit based deep-fried snack food item of substan¬ tially indefinite shelf-life. The reason for this is readily understood when the typical composition of raw potatoes, and corn (maize), on the one hand, and bananas and carrots on the other hand, is considered.

TA3 E

WATER CARSOYHYDRATΞS PROTEIN FAT Starch Sugars

POTATO 75-80% 15-20% 2-3% 0.1%

CORN (Maize) 12-15% 60-72% 9-10% 3-5%

3ANANA (ripe) 71% trace 20% 1.1% trace

CARROTS 88.2% 9.7% 1.1% 0.2% ( redominantly sugars)

For a more detailed description of the compo¬ sition of several foodstuffs including the above-noced potatoes, corn, bananas and carrots reference is made to the book edited by R. J. Priestley, Effects of Heating on Foodstuffs, Applied Science Publishers Ltd., London, 1979.

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As is apparent from an inspection of TABLE I, in contrast to starch based foods which readily lend themselves to deep-frying, carrots and ripe bananas contain practically no starch. Instead their carbo- hydrate content is present as sugars.

A further comparison between bananas, which have been fried in the prior art albeit with limited success and carrots, is further noteworthy. It is apparent from TABLE I, that carrots have a significantly higher water content than bananas, and contain only approximately one-half as much sugar. Furthermore, carrots have a high carotenoid pigment content, which are known to be susceptible to oxidation when exposed to high temperature. Thus, it can be well understood that the following factors have discouraged the prior art from deep-frying carrots. Considering that it is important to .remove a large portion of the water content of a raw vegetable for the purpose of preserving it in a deep-fried state, the extraordinarily high water content of raw carrots was probably thought to be difficult to be removed in a deep-frying process. The lack of starchy components in carrots as compared to potatoes and corn, places carrots into an altogether different class than these readily friable products. Furthermore, the natural sugar content of the carrots was probably not thought of as being high enough to affect preserva¬ tion of a deep-fried carrot product. Finally, the unique flavoring and carotenoid pigment content of carrots was probably thought of as not being suitable to survive a deep-frying process. with regard to the sugar content of carrots as compared to bananas, it is noted that although bananas have approximately twice as high a sugar content as carrots, it is still customary to add external sugar to fried banana chips. The extra sugar

undoubtedly contributes to the preservation of the fried banana chips.

In sharp contrast to the above-summarized state of the prior art, it was found in accordance with the present invention that deep or immersion fried slices of carrots of delicious flavor and indefinite shelf life may be obtained when the several parameters of a novel process for preparing the same are correctly observed. Furthermore it was found that carrot chips fried in accordance with the present invention have a substantially indefinite shelf-life without the use of preservatives or refrigeration, when kept under dry conditions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide from carrots a food product of substantially indefinite shelf-life.

It is another, object of the present invention to provide a food product particularly adapted for con¬ sumption as a snack food which comprises relatively thin, deep-fried slices of carrots.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a process for deep-frying slices of carrots to yield a highly palatable food product par¬ ticularly adapted for consumption as a snack food.

These and other objects and advantages are attained by cross-cutting a carrot preferably at an oblique angle relative to its general longitudinal axis into approximately 0.04- - 0.08-inch- hick slices and imme sion-frying the slices for approxima ely 1 - 2 minutes in a bath of a suitable edible oil of approxi¬ mately 300 - 400° . The resulting fried carrot chips have a delicious flavor and a substantially indefinite shel -life without the use of preservatives or refriger- ation crovided thev are kept under drv conditions.

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The objects and features of the present invention are set forth in the appended claims. The present invention may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts.

3RIΞF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a side view, substantially true in dimensions, of a slug of carrot particularly adapted for use as a raw material for preparing the snack food product of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side view schematically illus¬ trating a slicing step in the process of the present invention;

Figure 3 is a schematic, perspective view of the food product of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a schematic top view showing a preferred embodiment of the slicing step of the process of the present invention.

Figure 5 is a view schematically shewing a frying step in the process of the present invention,- and

Figure 6 is a view schematically showing the overall process of preparing the food product of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED ΞM30DI ENT

The following specific tion taken in conjunc¬ tion with the drawings sets forth the preferred embodi¬ ment of the invention in such a manner that any person skilled in the food processing arts can use the inven¬ tion. The embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is the best mode contemplated by the inventor for carrying out his invention in a commercial environment, although it should be understood that various modifica¬ tions can be accomplished within the parameters of the resent invention.

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Referring now to the drawing Figures, and particularly to Figure 1, a slug or piece 12 of a raw carrot which is particularly adapted for preparing the novel food product of the present invention, is illus¬ trated. The novel food product or fried carrot chip 14 of the present invention is most advantageously prepared from carrots which are at least approximately 1-3/4 inch in diameter. The above-noted diameter is measured at the widest point of the carrot substantially adjacent to its end where the green parts (not shown) of the carrot are- joined, using such a relatively large carrot as a raw- material is advantageous because it was found in experience that smaller carrots yield fried chips 14 which, although not entirely unacceptable, curl up too readily in the frying- process and crumble too readily thereafter.

Although there is no upper limit to -the diame¬ ter of a carrot that may be used in the practice of the ^• present invention, carrots larger than 3 inches in diame¬ ter are usually not available. Thus, for the aforemen¬ tioned reasons "jumbo carrots" of approximately 1-3/4- - 3 inches in diameter are used in the practice of the present invention. A variety of carrots, generally known as the Denver type jumbo carrot, is particularly adapted for this purpose.

Prior to a cutting or slicing step of the process of the present invention, the carrots are washed in a manner customary in the food processing industry. The carrots are also trimmed by cutting off the end having the green part of the carrot plant.

3ecause, as was stated above, too small slices of carrots tend to crumble in the frying process and thereafter, it is advantageous in accordance with the present invention, to trim the carrots into slugs or

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pieces 12 of approximately 4 inches in length. This is accomplished by cutting off, and discarding, at least for the purposes of the present invention, a narrower tapered end of each carrot which is in excess of the above-noted approximately 4 inches. Trimming the carrots and cutting them into the approximately 4-inch- long slugs 12 is accomplished on state-of-the-art machinery (not shown) which need not be described here. Referring now to Figures 2 and 4, a slicing step in the process of the present invention is illus¬ trated. In order to obtain very good quality fried carrot chips 14 it is desirable ^' to first obtain raw carrot slices 16 cut at an oblique angle relative to a general longitudinal axis of the carrot. The general longitudinal axis of the carrot is shown on Figure 1 and bears the reference numeral 18. A slice 16 cut at a 45° angle is best shown on Figure 2. Cross-cutting or slicing the carrot pieces 12 at an oblique angle is important and advantageous because in this manner a larger slice 16 is obtained than if the carrot was sliced at a right angle relative to its longitudinal axis 18. As it was explained above, in the practice of the present invention it is desirable to obtain rela¬ tively large slices 16. The oblique angle at which the pieces or slugs

12 of carrots are cut is preferably in the 30 - 60° range. It is apparent from an inspection of Figures 1 and 2, that the higher the angle (up to 90°) the smaller is the slice 14 obtained. Too small or flat angle, on the other hand, results in a plurality of carrot slices 16 and fried carrot chips 14 in which ^" the distribution between the inner core and meat of the carrot is grossly uneven. The inner core and the meat of the carrot are schematically shown on Figure 3, and respectively bear the reference numerals 20 and 22.

In fact, best results are obtained when the slices 16 are cut an an angle of approximately 45° which is shown on Figures 1 and 2. Figure 2 schematically shows a slicing blade 24. Slicing of the pieces or slugs 14 of the carrots at the above discussed oblique angle may be accomplished by various means. Nevertheless, in the commercial scale practice of the present invention it was found desirable to specifically adapt a state-of-the- art rotary cutting machinery 26 for this purpose. This is schematically shown and described with reference to Figure 4.

The rotary cutting machinery or rotary cutter 26 has a stationary drum 28 which incorporates a plurality of spaced blades 30. Slots 32 are provided between the material of the stationary drum 28 and the blades 30 through which a just cut-off slice 16 leaves the rotary cutter 26 and falls on a suitable conveyor belt 34, shown on Figure 6. According to standard practice in the art, the width of the slots 32 may be adjusted so as to regulate the thickness of the cut-off slices 16. On the illustration of Figure 4 for the sake of simplicity, the slots 32 are schematically shown as being between the blades 30, and adjustable mounting of the blades 30 is not shown.

A rotating drum 36 is disposed inside the stationary drum 28 and is rotated at a high speed about a substantially vertical axle 38. A slot 40 is provided in the wall 42 of the rotating drum 36 through which an object to be sliced, such as a potato or a carrot, is pushed by centrifugal force against the stationary blades 30. The object may be delivered and fed into the rotating drum 36 by a suitable conveyor belt (not shown) .

In accordance with the present modification of the above-described state-of-the-art rotary cutter 26, an insert tray 44 is fixedly positioned inside the rotat¬ ing drum 36. The insert tray 44 has a channel 46 which leads ^' to the slot 40 in the wall 42 of the rotating drum 36. It is readily apparent from Figure 4 that in the event the channel 46 is not disposed radially in the rotating drum 36, but at a desired angle relative to a tangent of the rotating drum 36, then an object such as the carrot slug 12 disposed in the channel 46 and pressed against the blades 30 by the centrifugal force, is cut at the desired angle.

In the process of the present invention the channel 46 is disposed -at approximately 45° angle rela¬ tive to the tangent of the rotating drum 36, as is shown on Figure 4. Consequently, approximately 45° bevel cut slices are obtained.

With regard to the thickness of the raw carrot slices ^' 16 used in the process of the present invention, the following is noted. The thickness of the slices 16 is important, and in accordance with the present inven¬ tion is approximately in the 0.04- - 0.08-inch range. The most preferred thickness of the slices 16 is approx¬ imately 0.06-inch.

In the event the slices 16 are substantially less than 0.04-inch thick, then the slices curl up and crumble too readily in the subsequent frying process. In the event the slices are substantially more than 0.08- inch thick, it is difficult to fry them well in the subsequent frying step, and too long frying time may be required. *

Referring now to Figures 5 and 6, the frying step in the process of the present invention is dis¬ closed. A number of conventionally used edible oils

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such as corn oil, peanut oil, cottonseed oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, safflower oil and others may be used, although safflower oil is preferred.

The frying step is a critical step in the process of the present invention in that its parameters must be relatively strictly adhered to in order to avoid overfrying and burning the carrot slices 16, on the one hand, and undercooking them on the other hand. The frying step is conducted in a bath 48 of the aforesaid edible oils, preferably safflower oil is used and is kept between approximately 300 - 400 ^β F. The average dwelling time of the carrot slices 16 in the hot oil bath 48 is approxima ely 1 - 2 minutes.

As will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, the actual temperature and average dwelling time of the carrot- slices 16 in the hot oil bath 48 is dependent on their thickness. In the most preferred embodiment of the process of the present invention the oil is safflower oil, the thickness of the carrot slices 16 is approximately 0.06-inch, the oil bath 48 is kept at approximately 365 ^β F, and the average dwelling time of the slices 16 in the oil bath 48 i ^* s approximately 1 minute and 27 seconds.

It should be expressly understood that while the temperature of the oil bath 48, the thickness of the carrot slices 16 and the average frying time may vary in the hereinbefore—described ranges, a given thickness of the slices 16 in the aforesaid range requires careful selection and adherence to a particular oil bath 48 temperature and average frying time. Generally speak¬ ing, thicker slices 16 require longer frying t»ime or a hotter oil bath 43, or both.

The frying step may be performed in state-of- the-art machinery, which must, however, be adapted for

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the unique requirements of the process of the present invention. The frying machinery used in the present invention is schematically shown on Figure 5 and bears the reference numeral 50. The frying machinery or fryer 50 is described here only to the extent necessary to understand the present invention, and to point out the differences between it and state-of-the-art fryers (not shown), generally used for frying potato chips (not shown), corn chips (not shown) and the like.

Thus, the fryer 50 comprises a container for the oil bath and the oil bath 48 is heated by direct gas flame in a plurality of substantially horizontally dis¬ posed ducts. On Figure 5 for the sake of simplicity ^' of illustration, only one duct 52 is shown. The oil is continuously filtered and circulated in the fryer 50 by means of a pump 54 in such a manner that filtered oil enters the fryer 50 at the same end where the raw carrot slices 16 enter the fryer 50. Oil is taken out of the fryer 50 at the end of the fryer 50 where the fried carrot chips 14 leave. Thereafter the oil is passed through a filter 56.

State-of-the-art fryers for potato chips, corn chips and the like incorporate bladed stirrers or pad¬ dles which stir the hot oil move the potato chips from one end of the container to the other as the frying process progresses, and assist in relatively even frying of the chips.

The fryer 50 used in the process of the present invention also has bladed stirrers or paddles as the above-noted state-of-the-art fryers. However, it was found in accordance with the present invention, that best results are obtained when in approximately the first 70% of the dwelling time of the carrot chips 16 in the oil bath 48 rotation of the stirrers or paddles 58

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is very vigorous. Thus, the paddles 58 in the fryer 50 are rotated significantly faster than .in state-of-the- art fryers used for making potato chips. Although for the sake of simplicity of illustration Figure 5 shows only one paddle 58, in the fryer 50 particularly adapted for practicing the present invention 4 - 6 paddles 58 may be provided.

In the initial stages of the frying step, the carrot slices 16 lose a substantial amount of their water content in the form of steam, and this results in a tendency for the slices 16 to rise to the surface of the hot oil bath 48. The slices 16 also have a tendency to stick to one another. igorous rotation of the stir¬ rers or paddles 53 results in relatively even frying of the slices 16 in spite of the above-noted rising and sticking tendency.

It was also found in accordance with the present invention that during approximately the last 30% of the dwelling time of the carrot slices 16 in the hot oil bath 48 it is advantageous for the slices 16 to be entirely submerged in the oil bath 43. For this purpose a continuously running, endless belt 50 is partially submerged in the oil bath 48. The endless belt 60 is located substantially adjacent to the end of the fryer 50 where the fried carrot chips 14 leave the fryer 50. The endless belt 60 has a plurality of blades 52 attached thereto, as shown on Figure 5, and the moving blades 62 insure substantially complete submersion of the carrot slices 15 during the approximate last 30% of their dwelling time in the hot oil bath 48.

After the frying step is completed, the fried carrot chips 15 leave the fryer 50 on a suitable con¬ veyor belt 64 which is only schematically illustrated on Figure 5.

With reference to Figure 6, two additional steps which may be practiced in the preparation of the novel fried carrot chips 14 of the present invention, are shown. Thus after frying, the carrot chips 14 may be salted in a state-of-the-art rotating salter 66. Thereafter, the carrot chips 14 may be subjected to visual inspection on a conveyor belt 68, shaking table (not.shown), or the like. Finally the carrot chips 14 are packaged in state-of-the-art packaging machinery (not shown) .

Surprisingly and in contrast to the expecta¬ tions of the prior art, when the carrot slices 16 are fried in the above-described manner in careful observ¬ ance of the above-noted precautions and parameters, the resulting carrot chips 14 have a very pleasant flavor, and crispy texture.

What has been described above is a novel food product prepared from carrots and particularly adapted for use as a snack food item, and a process of preparing said novel food product. Several modi ications of the above-noted process and product may become readily apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the above disclosure. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should be interpreted solely from the follow- ing claims. // // //

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