DEHYDRATED FRUIT OR VEGETABLE FOOD PRODUCT OF CRUNCHY TEXTURE AND CLUSTER FORM, AND PRODUCTION METHOD AND APPARATUS THEREOF

摘要

A food product based on dehydrated fruit or vegetable, and a method and equipment assembly for its production thereof, and use of said product as a tidbit or snack or as an additional or complementary ingredient in meals or in various food products such as cereals. The food product is comprised of substantially dry clusters of dehydrated and puffed fruit or vegetable pieces having an appealing shape and size, a crunchy texture and a palatable consistence. To produce the product, prepared fruit or vegetable pieces are dehydrated and puffed, the pieces are then homogeneously mixed with a liquid binder suitable for human or animal consumption and formed into clusters by compression-molding; then the clusters are dried to the desired end moisture contents. The main part of the equipment assembly for producing the product is a cluster forming device.