Processed food and a method for making a processed food product for mass distribution

• US 6,165,522 A
• Filed: 05/13/1999
• Issued: 12/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Alfredo S. Lira
• Original Assignee: Alfredo S. Lira
• Inventors: Lira, Alfredo S.
• Primary Examiner(s): BHAT, NINA NMN
• Application Number:
  US09/311,486
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 426/556, 426/500, 426/94, 426/501
• US Class Current: 426/94
• CPC Class Codes: A21C 9/063 Applying a folding, wrapping, rolling action A21C9/045, A21C9/061 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A21D 13/10 Multi-layered products
• CPC Class Codes: A21D 13/32 filled or to be filled after baking, e.g. sandwiches
• CPC Class Codes: A21D 13/42 Tortillas
• CPC Class Codes: A23P 20/20 Making of laminated, multi-layered, stuffed or hollow foodstuffs, e.g. by wrapping in preformed edible dough sheets or in edible food containers

Abstract

A food product suitable for high volume production is formed of varied layers such as breads or doughs, vegetables, dairy products, meats and various spices and sauces. The product may be mass produced with a minimum of manual labor and includes an edible outer shell or casing made of a pliable material and a filling generally made of a different food product such as meat, vegetables, eggs, cheeses, various sauces or combinations of these ingredients. The pliable first layer forms an outer "shell" or crust which is covered with a pliable second layer of desirable food ingredients. The two layers are then rolled together about a common axis to form a spiral, layered food product having alternating "layers" of crust and filling. Additional layers may be added as additional ingredients are desired for the final product. The resulting food product is a rolled product having uniform layers of ingredients throughout the product assembly.

Claims

1. A layered, spirally wound food product of the type suited for providing a mass produced, high volume product of consistent serving size, appearance and quality, the food product comprising:

a. a shell layer made of a pliable edible sheet material and having a longitudinal dimension and a width dimension and having a base area to receive a food ingredient and outer edge areas extending beyond the base area;

b. a filler layer made of at least one cooked food ingredient and placed after cooking on the base area of the shell layer such that the outer edge areas of the shell layer are exposed;

c. a first outer edge area of the shell layer being rolled over onto the filler layer; and

d. the filler layer and the shell layer being rolled toward an outer edge area opposite the first outer edge area to form a rolled product having spirally interleaved layers of edible sheet material and at least one cooked food ingredient.

2. A food product as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filler layer is within the width dimension of the shell layer.

3. A food product as claimed in claim 2, wherein the filler layer is within the longitudinal dimension of the shell layer.

4. A food product as claimed in claim 1, wherein the filler layer is within both the width dimension and the longitudinal dimension of the shell layer.

5. A food product as called for in claim 1, wherein at least one outer edge area of the shell layer is adapted to be folded onto the filler layer.

6. A food product as called for in claim 5, wherein the outer edge area of the shell layer is adapted to be folded onto the said one outer edge area, whereby the filler layer is circumscribed by the shell layer to form the generally cylindrical product.

7. A food product as called for in claim 1, wherein said filler layer is made of a single food ingredient.

8. A food product as called for in claim 1, wherein said filler layer is made of multiple food ingredients in a homogeneous mixture.

9. A food product as called for in claim 1, wherein said filler layer is a sheet material.

10. A food product as called for in claim 1, wherein said filler layer is made of multiple food ingredients blended into a single sheet layer of cooked food material.

11. A food product as called for in claim 1, said shell layer comprising a generally circular tortilla.

12. A food product as called for in claim 11, wherein the filler layer is generally circular and is of a diameter smaller than the tortilla.

13. A food product as called for in claim 12, wherein the filler layer is placed on the shell layer in generally concentric circular layers.

14. A food product as called for in claim 11, the filler layer comprising an egg mixture.

15. A method for making a spirally wound food product comprising a shell layer made of a pliable edible sheet material and a filling layer made of at least one cooked food ingredient the shell layer and the filler layer being wound about a common axis to form spirally wound, interleaved layers of edible sheet material and at least one cooked food ingredient, the method comprising the steps of:

a. blending flour, shortening and salt to form a shell dough;

b. compressing the dough into a shell sheet of predetermined thickness;

c. heating the shell sheet to a desired finished temperature to form the pliable, edible sheet material;

d. simultaneously blending a filling product containing at least one food ingredient;

e. compressing the filling product to form a filling sheet of predetermined thickness;

f. heating the filling sheet to cook same to a finished temperature;

g. placing the cooked filling sheet superimposed on the shell sheet;

h. rolling the pliable edible shell sheet and superimposed cooked food ingredient filling sheet together about a common axis to form a rolled product having spirally interleaved layers of edible sheet material and at least one cooked food ingredient; and

i. securing the spirally interleaved layers of edible sheet material and at least one cooked food ingredient together in the spiral.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of gluing the layers together in the spiral.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the shell sheet is of a generally circular configuration.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the filling sheet is of a generally circular configuration.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the shell sheet is of a greater diameter than the filling sheet.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the filling sheet and shell sheet are disposed concentrically when the cooked filling sheet is superimposed on the shell sheet.