PROCESS OF PRODUCING LARGE DEHYDRATED ONION PIECES

• US 3,607,316 A
• Filed: 12/08/1966
• Issued: 09/21/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1966
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jaquelin H. Hume
• Original Assignee: Jaquelin H. Hume
• Inventors: Hume, Jaquelin H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Raymond N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hunter, J. M.
• Application Number:
  US04/601,293
• Time in Patent Office: 1,748 Days
• Field of Search: 99/204,100
• US Class Current: 426/640
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 7/02 Dehydrating; Subsequent reconstitution dried cooked potatoes A23L19/12

Abstract

Producing large dehydrated onion pieces by submerging large cut onion pieces in a liquid, repeatedly drawing a vacuum over the liquid in order to remove at least one epidermol membrane and subsequently drying.

Claims

1. A process for producing a dehydrated onion product having all uncut surface dimensions of at least about three-sixteenth inch comprising the steps of peeling, rooting, and topping the onion, removing the epidermis from at least one side of the layers of the onion, and then drying said layers in pieces of desired size.

2. A process according to claim 1 in which the epidermis is loosened by submerging the layers in a liquid, drawing a vacuum over the liquid, and then releasing the vacuum while keeping the layers submerged.

3. A process according to claim 2 in which each onion layer is in discrete sections before submerging and the loosened epidermis is removed from the sections by agitation.

4. A process according to claim 3 in which the concave epidermis is loosened from the submerged sections and the sections and removed epidermis then mutually isolated.

5. A process according to claim 2 in which the liquid contains sufficient dissolved solid material to prevent substantial osmotic loss of soluble onion solids to the liquid.

6. A process according to claim 5 in which the dissolved solid material is essentially sucrose. evaporation

7. A process according to claim 5 in which the dissolved solid material includes one or more additives for incorporation into the layers.