LOW-TEMPERATURE, FORCED-CONVECTION, STEAM-HEATING OF NUTS

摘要

Apparatus and methods for heat-treating almonds and other nuts and food products with steam at atmospheric pressure. The amount of condensation on and the consequent water uptake of almonds is limited by heating the almonds in a low-temperature gaseous atmosphere including a steam mixture and forming a forced-convection path through the almonds. The limited water uptake prevents the almond skins from blistering. A forced-convection steam cooker conveying food products on a foraminous conveyor belt the cooker forces the steam mixture downward through the food product along a portion of the cooker and upward along another portion of the cooker for a more uniform heat treatment.

主权项

1. A method for heat-treating almonds, comprising:
conveying almonds through a heating chamber on a foraminous conveyor belt; forcing a substantially homogeneous gaseous atmosphere comprising a steam mixture along a convection path through the foraminous conveyor belt and the almonds in the heating chamber to heat the outer skins of the almonds and limit the amount of water condensation on the skins to prevent the wrinkling of the skins; maintaining atmospheric pressure in the heating chamber; controlling the temperature of the gaseous atmosphere in the heating chamber to a heating temperature of less than 85° C.; controlling the dwell time of the almonds in the heating chamber as a function of one or more of the heating temperature, the length of the heating chamber, the speed of the conveyor belt, and the thickness of the mat of almonds on the conveyor belt.