Edible nut and fruit granule product and process

• US 4,670,284 A
• Filed: 05/28/1985
• Issued: 06/02/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: William Berkoff
• Original Assignee: William Berkoff
• Inventors: Berkoff, William
• Primary Examiner(s): YEUNG, GEORGE CHAN PUI
• Application Number:
  US06/738,267
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 426/633, 426/507, 426/518
• US Class Current: 426/633
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 25/10 Peanut butter
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 25/30 Mashed or comminuted products, e.g. pulp, pastes, meal, powders; Products made therefrom, e.g. blocks, flakes, snacks; Liquid or semi-liquid products A23L25/10 and A23L25/40 take precedence

Abstract

Peanuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts and similar hard, dry roastable nuts with raisins or currants or both are maintained stable at granular sizes from 015 to 120 screen sizes. Raisins or currants or both are wetted in a heated liquid having the substantial effect of removing surface sugars and oils. The raisins, currants or both are treated further either by simultaneously wetting in the presence of flaxseeds or by pressing to a damp-dry state. The raisins, currants or both are mixed with a hard, dry roasted nut before granulating into from 015 to 120 screen sizes.

Claims

1. A granular edible product in granule sizes of at least 035 screen size consisting of the granulated mixture of:

a. at least one fruit selected from the group consisting of raisins and currants, which have been wetted in hot liquid of at least approximately 110 degrees Fahrenheit until a substantial amount of oil and surface sugar are removed therefrom; and

b. at least one hard nut selected from the group consisting of peanuts, almonds, Brazil nuts and hazelnuts which have been dry-roasted until the nuts have become substantially hard and brittle.

2. The edible food product of claim 1 wherein the quantity of raisins, currants or both is present at from one ounce to six ounces per pound by weight of the total mixture, and the quantity of hard nuts is present at from fifteen ounces to nine ounces per pound by weight of the total mixture.

3. A granular edible product in granule sizes of at least 035 screen size consisting of the mixture of:

a. from one ounce per pound to five ounces per pound by weight of the total mixture of at least one fruit selected from the group consisting of raisins and currants which has been wetted in liquid heated to a predetermined temperature which is sufficient to remove a substantial amount of oil and surface sugar from said fruit; and

b. from fifteen ounces per pound to eleven ounces per pound by weight of the total mixture of hard nuts selected from the group consisting of peanuts, almonds, Brazil nuts and hazelnuts which have been dry-roasted until the nuts have become substantially hard and brittle.

4. The product of claim 3 wherein said fruit has been wetted in heated liquid at from approximately 110 degrees Fahrenheit to the boiling point of said liquid.

5. The product of claim 3 wherein said liquid is water.

6. The product of claim 3 wherein said fruit comprises black raisins.

7. The edible food product of claim 3 wherein said fruit has been wetted with heated liquid in the presence of flaxseeds.

8. The edible food product of claim 3 wherein said raisins or currants are pressed dry to a substantially damp-dry state and the raisins or currants are shakened loose from each other before and during mixture with nuts.

9. The product of claim 3 wherein the nuts have been roasted at from approximately 300 degrees to 600 degrees Fahrenheit.

10. The product of claim 3 wherein the product has granule shapes in the range of from 035 screen size to 120 screen size.

11. A process of producing a granulated food product comprising:

a. wetting at least one fruit selected from the group consisting of raisins and currants in heated liquid heated to a predetermined temperature sufficient to remove a substantial amount of oil and surface sugar from said fruit;

b. roasting nuts selected from the group consisting of peanuts, almonds, Brazil nuts and hazelnuts until the nut becomes hard and crispy;

c. mixing to form a mixture from one to five ounces per pound by weight of the total mixture of the selected wetted fruit with from fifteen to eleven ounces per pound by weight of the total mixture of the selected nuts; and

d. grinding the mixture and forcing it through a screen to form a granular formation of granules having granule sizes of at least 035 screen size.

12. The process as claimed in claim 11 where in the grinding step, the mixture is granulated to sizes in the range of from 035 to 120 screen size.

13. The process of claim 11 where in the wetting step, the further treating comprises wetting the fruit in the presence of flaxseeds placed in the heated liquid.

14. The process of claim 13 wherein the flaxseeds comprise two pounds per fifty gallons of heated liquid.

15. The process of claim 11 wherein after the wetting step, the further treating of the fruit comprises pressing until substantially in the dry state and the wetted fruit comprises individual granules, and further shaking the granular formation maintaining the individual granules loose from each other before and during the mixing step.

16. The process as claimed in claim 15 where in the wetting and pressing steps, the fruit is wetted in water at from 110 degrees Fahrenheit to the boiling point thereof.

17. The process of claim 11 wherein said wetting step takes approximately ten minutes.

18. The process of claim 11 wherein the fruit consists of raisins.

19. The process of claim 11 wherein the nut comprises peanuts.

20. The process of claim 11 where in the roasting step, the nuts are dry roasted at from 300 to 600 degrees Fahrenheit.