A system and methods are provided for removal of undesired portions of a fruit or vegetable, such as removal of calyxes from strawberries before they are flash frozen. An automated process for high-throughput fruit or vegetable calyx removal includes a loading system, an identification system, and a removal system. The loading system is configured to transport the fruit or vegetable through the automated process. The loading system may also orient the fruits or vegetables along an axis of the fruit and or align the fruit or vegetables in a desired pattern, orientation, and/or arrangement. The identification system is configured to locate the calyx and determines calyx position data and an optimal cutting path for individual fruit. The removal system uses data received from the identification system to separate the calyx from the fruit or vegetable.

The present invention relates to a method for modifying the resistance profile of a spinach plant to Peronospora farinosa f sp. spinaciae, comprising introducing a WOLF allele or a resistance-conferring part thereof into the genome of said spinach plant, or modifying an endogenous WOLF allele in the genome of said spinach plant. A WOLF allele encodes a CC-NBS-LRR protein that comprises in its amino acid sequence: the motif “MAEIGYSVC” at its N-terminus, and the motif “KWMCLR” for alpha-type WOLF proteins or “HVGCVVDR” for beta-type WOLF proteins. The invention relates to the WOLF alleles referred to in Table 3. The invention further provides a method for selecting a spinach plant comprising a novel WOLF gene that confers resistance to Peronospora farinosa f sp. spinaciae in a spinach plant and a method for identifying a WOLF allele that confers resistance to one or more pathogenic races of Peronospora farinosa f. sp. spinaciae in a spinach plant and to primers for use in these methods.

A food processing apparatus (10) is disclosed for reducing a sugar content of a food product (1). The food processing apparatus comprises a food processing compartment (30) including a blade arrangement (28) and a fluid release valve (37); a base (20) including a motor (22) arranged to drive the blade arrangement; a heating arrangement (40, 42) for heating a food product in the food processing compartment with steam, the heating arrangement comprising a water tank (40) in fluid communication with the food processing compartment (30) and a heating element (42) thermally coupled to said water tank and under control of said controller (60; and a controller (60) arranged to control the motor and the heating element. The controller is arranged to control the heating element such as to heat the food product in the food processing arrangement with steam for a defined period of time; and control the motor to blend the food product upon termination of the heating of the food product for said defined period of time and upon releasing steam condensate generated during the heating of the food product from the food processing compartment through said fluid release valve. Also disclosed is a method of for reducing a sugar content of a food product (1) with such a food processing apparatus.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a preserved food item (1) from a raw material (2), in particular for producing a snack product, comprising the following steps: treating the raw material (2) by applying an electric field; bringing the treated raw material (2) into contact with an aqueous medium (3); and preserving the raw material (2) into a food item (1) after the step of bringing into contact. In order to avoid occurring impurities during the production of preserved food items and to provide a consistent product quality the invention comprises the following method steps: determining a measured value (4) characterizing a product property of the preserved food item (1) and/or an ingredient of the aqueous medium (3); and outputting a control signal (5) as a function of the determined measured value (4). The present invention further related to and installation (6) for producing a preserved food item (1) from a raw material (2), Installation (6) for producing a preserved food item (1) from a raw material (2).

A method is described for making a treated fruit having improved flavor, texture, and/or yield over thermally pasteurized fruit. The method includes providing a packaged premix that includes fruit with pectin methylesterase, calcium, and sugar, tempering the premix to produce tempered fruit, then treating the tempered fruit with high pressure pasteurization.

Methods of heating compositions comprising at least 20% (w/w) individually distinguishable edible inclusions are provided herein. The method of heating as disclosed herein comprises applying a first ohmic heating treatment to the composition, wherein the composition has at the end of the first ohmic heating treatment a temperature from 60° C. to 95° C.; applying a first holding step to the composition, wherein the temperature of the composition is at most 5° C. lower than the temperature of the composition after the first ohmic heating treatment; applying a second ohmic heating treatment to the composition, wherein the composition has at the end of the second ohmic heating treatment a temperature ranging from 75° C. to 110° C.; and applying a second holding step to the composition, wherein the temperature of the composition is at most 5° C. lower than the temperature of the composition after the second ohmic heating treatment, wherein the steps are performed as a continuous process with an initial back pressure of at least 4 bar.

Provided herein are compositions with enhanced protein content, proteins with high solubility, protein combinations and methods for the preparation thereof.

An example modular meal system includes two or more modular meal components. Example modular meal components include a tray, a meal component disposed within the tray, and a sauce component disposed within the tray. The meal component is selected from a protein component, a starch component, a vegetable component, an appetizer component, and a dessert component. Each modular meal component is configured and/or formulated to reach at least 165° F. or at least 167° F. when heated from frozen for a heating time period within the range of from about 20 minutes to about 60 minutes and at a heating temperature within the range of about 350° F. to about 450° F.

Described are dried cranberries with reduced sugar content, while retaining a desired sweetness and texture, and methods of making such dried cranberries. Dried cranberries include erythritol and a sweetener that interferes with erythritol crystallization.

An ingredient-containing liquid seasoning packed in a hermetically sealed vessel includes ingredients and a seasoning liquid. The ingredients are swollen in the seasoning liquid, and a size of the swollen ingredients ranges from 3 to 60 mm. The ingredient-containing liquid seasoning includes 20 to 80% by mass of the swollen ingredients on a wet weight basis.