FOOD SUBSTRATES COATED THEREWITH

FIELD

[0001] This disclosure relates to coatings for food substrates, and particularly to vegetable- containing coatings for selected food substrates and the resulting coated substrates.

BACKGROUND

[0002] There is a need to expand the range of natural, healthy prepared foods, including particularly snack foods, by providing new healthy coated food substrates that may serve as snack foods and for other purposes. It is very important to ensure that these new healthy coated food substrates are flavorful and attractive so that they obtain wide acceptance. Coatings within the present teaching meet these needs because they are natural and inherently healthy, because they produce coated substrates that are also natural and have enhanced taste, color and overall appearance, and because they are sure to experience strong consumer acceptance and demand.

SUMMARY

[0003] Embodiments of the invention, together with objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood with reference to the following description. These embodiments comprise new, healthy coatings for food substrates and the enhanced coated food substrates prepared with these coatings. Embodiments also comprise methods for making the coatings.

Vegetables and Vegetable Powders

[0004] The vegetables that may be used in making the vegetable coating include pulses as well as any other vegetables (other than potato and corn) that are either available in powder form or can be reduced to powder form by drying (in air or by freeze-drying) and milling. Currently, the following vegetables are preferred: red beet, parsnip, green pea (Pisum sativum), horseradish, broccoli, carrot, sweet potato, spinach, bell pepper, cauliflower, cabbage and pulses. Preferred pulses are beans, lentils, chickpeas, and green peas. [0005] The vegetables are used in comminuted form. The particle size of the comminuted vegetables should be between about 50 and 500 μιη and preferably will be between about 100 and 200 μιη. Particle size is currently believed to be critical to ensure proper adhesion of the coating to the substrate.

Coating Composition

[0006] The coating should be applied as a batter containing flours, starches, salts, and sugar. The coating batter may optionally also include rising agents, oils, colors, and anti-caking agents.

[0007] Optionally, vegetable pieces in the range of about 0.5-2 mm in largest cross-section can also be included in the coating composition. When such vegetable pieces are included, they should be present at a level of about 0.1-5.0 percent by weight of the total coating weight and preferably about 0.5- 1.5 percent by weight of the total coating weight. The vegetable pieces may be one or more of red beet, parsnip, green pea (Pisum sativum), horseradish, broccoli, carrot, sweet potato, spinach, bell pepper, cauliflower, cabbage and pulses.

[0008] The coating compositions will contain the following ingredients in the noted by weight based on the total weight of the coating:

[0009] The sugar may be in an icing or crystal form. The salt may be in a micro or table form. The waxy corn and waxy potato starch may be native or instant. Either waxy corn or potato starch combinations thereof are used, so long as the total level is in the range of about 15- 50% by weight. The cornstarch may be native or instant. [0010] One vegetable coating batter that has been successfully employed in coating a peanut substrate in a drum coating process is set forth below:

Food Substrates and Coating Process

[0011] The food substrate may be a snack substrate such as nuts, treenuts, seeds, chips, rice cakes, popcorn, crackers, tortillas, and extruded snacks, and snack substrates developed in the future. The substrate may also be made of or comprise poultry, beef, pork or fish. Currently, peanuts and tree nuts without shell are preferred substrates.

[0012] Any currently available coating method can be used such as a continuous nut coating process like that provided by a Kuipers nv line or an appropriate horizontal or vertical drum coating process. Batch coating processes may also be used. Once the coating is applied it can be set by baking in an oven or by frying in a deep fat fryer at a temperature of about 150 - 200 °C and preferably at a temperature of about 160-170 °C. Less preferably, the coated food substrate can be fried.

[0013] Vegetable coatings as described above, when applied to substrates as taught herein, will adhere well to the substrates. And, the resulting coated substrates will be natural and inherently healthy, and will have greatly enhanced taste, color and overall appearance. These new coated substrates will experience strong consumer acceptance and demand.

[0014] The use of any examples or exemplary language provided herein is intended to better illuminate the invention and does not pose a limitation on its scope. It should be understood that the illustrated embodiments are exemplary only, and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the invention. Recitation of ranges of values herein are intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein.