Particulate natural fruit product and method of making same

摘要

The present invention relates to a novel method of making a non-liquid fruit product (fruit chip) which has a natural fruit flavor and which can be formed in desired individual or discrete configurations and sizes. A method of making a dry particulate natural fruit chip product comprising: (a) adding a fruit ingredient and water to a heated kettle; (b) adding buffer, sugar and pectin to the fruit ingredient and water; (c) boiling the buffer, sugar and pectin fruit ingredient and water mixture to hydrate the pectin; (d) adding liquid sugar to the mixture and continuing to boil the mixture until excess water is boiled away; (e) adding sugar to the mixture in the kettle to reduce the temperature of the mixture and increase solids concentration; (i) transporting the mixture from the kettle through a heat exchanger to raise the temperature of the mixture; (g) adding acid and flavoring mix to the mixture and mixing the acid/flavour into the mixture; (h) passing the mixture into a heated depositor and dispensing the mixture onto a surface in the form of discrete fruit chips; (i) retaining the fruit chips on the surface until they lose heat and form a stable gel; (j) transporting the gelled fruit chips through a zone to remove excess moisture and enhance gel strength of the fruit chips; and (k) transporting the fruit chips through a cooling zone so that the fruit chips lose further heat and reach ambient temperature.