Method and apparatus for smoking food products

• US 8,574,648 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2010
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lamb-Weston, Inc. (Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Conagra Foods LAMB Weston Incorporated (Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Joly, Ghislaine M., Leitner, Michael S., Dihel, Deborah, Pack, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): LEFF, STEVEN N
• Application Number:
  US12/814,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20100316777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• Field of Search: 426/231, 426/233, 426/235, 426/314, 426/465, 426/466, 426/469, 426478-481
• US Class Current: 426/231
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 4/044 Smoking; Smoking devices
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 4/052 Smoke generators ; Smoking apparatus A23B4/056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 7/144 in the form of gases, e.g. fumigation; Compositions or apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 19/12 of potatoes
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 27/16 Onions
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 27/27 Smoke flavours

Abstract

A method and apparatus for smoking food products includes a method or apparatus configured to provide a pH level of a smoked food product. The determination of the pH level of the smoked product provides an objective measure of the amount of smoke received by the food product, as well as an indication of the agreeability of the flavor of the food product. Based on the determination of the pH level, the method and apparatus can be adjusted to provide a more consistent, high quality smoked food product.

Claims

1. A method of smoking food products comprising:

providing a food product for smoking;

determining a desirable range of pH levels for the food product to achieve as a result of smoking;

smoking the food product in a smoking apparatus;

testing the pH level of the food product after it has been smoked;

comparing the tested pH level to the desired range of pH levels;

in response to determining that the tested pH level falls outside of the desirable range of pH levels, adjusting at least one parameter of the smoking apparatus to increase or decrease the amount of smoke received by the food product, wherein the amount of smoke is detected by a laser configured to measure opacity of air in the smoking apparatus.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting at least one parameter of the smoking apparatus includes varying an amount of smoke delivered, via a smoke generator, to a smoking area of the smoking apparatus.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting at least one parameter of the smoking apparatus includes varying an air intake and an air exhaust.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting at least one parameter of the smoking apparatus includes varying a speed of a conveyer of the smoking apparatus.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting at least one parameter of the smoking apparatus includes varying the humidity within the smoking apparatus.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the food product is onion, wherein the onion has an initial pH from about 5.4 to about 5.8, wherein the desirable range of pH levels for the onion to achieve as a result of smoking is from about 4.29 to about 4.46.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the desirable range of pH levels for the onion to achieve as a result of smoking is about 4.36.

8. A method of smoking food products, the method comprising:

determining a desired smoke intensity level for a food product type, wherein the food product type is at least one member of a group consisting of;

onion, potato, sweet potato, pepper, asparagus and green bean;

determining a desirable range of pH levels to be achieved as a result of smoking, wherein the desirable range corresponds to the desired smoke intensity level for the food product type;

conveying a product stream having the product type through a smoking apparatus;

testing the pH of the product stream after it has been smoked;

receiving a result of the testing on a computer controlled feedback device that is in communication with the smoking apparatus; and

in response to determining that the tested pH of the food product stream falls outside of the desirable range of pH levels, causing the computer controlled feedback device to vary at least one parameter of the smoking apparatus to increase or decrease the amount of smoke received by the food product stream, wherein the amount of smoke is detected by a laser configured to measure opacity of air in the smoking apparatus.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein causing the computer controlled feedback device to vary at least one parameter of the smoking apparatus includes causing the computer controlled feedback device to vary an amount of smoke delivered, via a smoke generator, to a smoking area of the smoking apparatus.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein causing the computer controlled feedback device to vary at least one parameter of the smoking apparatus includes causing the computer controlled feedback device to vary an air intake and an air exhaust.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein causing the computer controlled feedback device to vary at least one parameter of the smoking apparatus includes causing the computer controlled feedback device to vary a speed of a conveyer of the smoking apparatus.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein causing the computer controlled feedback device to vary at least one parameter of the smoking apparatus includes causing the computer controlled feedback device to vary the humidity within the smoking apparatus.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the desirable range of pH levels to be achieved as a result of smoking is from about 4.29 to about 4.46.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the desirable range of pH levels to be achieved as a result of smoking is about 4.36.

15. A method of smoking food products, the method comprising:

determining a desirable range of pH levels to be achieved as a result of smoking, wherein the desirable range corresponds to a desired smoke intensity level for a food product type;

testing a pH of a food product having the food product type after it has been smoked;

in response to determining that the tested pH of the food product falls within the desirable range of pH levels, causing a computer controlled feedback device to maintain at least one parameter of the smoking apparatus to maintain the amount of smoke received by the food product, wherein the amount of smoke is detected by a laser configured to measure opacity of air in the smoking apparatus.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein causing the computer controlled feedback device to maintain at least one parameter of the smoking apparatus includes causing the computer controlled feedback device to maintain an amount of smoke delivered, via a smoke generator, to a smoking area of the smoking apparatus.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein causing the computer controlled feedback device to maintain at least one parameter of the smoking apparatus includes causing the computer controlled feedback device to maintain a speed of a conveyer of the smoking apparatus.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein causing the computer controlled feedback device to maintain at least one parameter of the smoking apparatus includes causing the computer controlled feedback device to maintain the humidity within the smoking apparatus.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the desirable range of pH levels to be achieved as a result of smoking is from about 4.29 to about 4.46.