A characteristic of edible oil may be evaluated using a spectrometer. For example, optical reflectance data may be obtained from edible oil in situ in a frying apparatus housing the edible oil, the reflectance data corresponding to a specified range of infra-red wavelengths. A model profile corresponding to the characteristic being assessed may be obtained, such as from a repository housing a secured library of such profiles. The model profile may define a regression vector for use in transforming the reflectance data to generate a value corresponding to the characteristic being assessed. A criterion may be applied to the value to establish a simplified representation of the characteristic for presentation to a user for assessment of oil quality.

Food preparation includes utilizing food immersion into low temperature cooking fluids, high temperature cooking fluids, or a combination of applications thereof. Foods are generally closely wrapped in vented, pliable, formidable outer skins. An example construction of such an outer skin is provided, as are examples of food preparation processes.

Food holding, mounting, and/or positioning devices, with particular application to, although not necessarily limited to, supporting unitary articles of food, including, but not necessarily limited to, deep frying large fowl, including Thanksgiving Day sized turkeys. A simplified cooking liquid filtering apparatus. A method and apparatus to simplifies, and makes more accurate, cooking liquid dispensing, and measurement. Example devices use liquid to cook foods, with particular application to, but not limited to, deep frying large unitary food articles, including, but not limited to, large fowl, including Thanksgiving Day sized turkeys. Further example devices store, dispense, and measure pourable materials, including both liquid and dry materials. An informational device, with particular applications to, but not limited to, provides instructions, and more particularly, although not limited to, providing operating instructions for household cooking devices.

A robotic kitchen assistant for frying includes a robotic arm, a fryer basket, and a robotic arm adapter assembly allowing the robotic arm to pick up and manipulate the fryer basket. The robotic arm adapter includes opposing gripping members to engage the fryer basket. A utensil adapter assembly is mounted to the handle of the fryer basket, and the opposing gripper members are actuated to capture a three-dimensional (3D) feature of the utensil adapter assembly. The robotic arm adapter assembly can include an agitator mechanism to shake the fryer basket or another utensil as desired. Related methods are also described.

A food frying treatment apparatus includes: a frying oil circulation mechanism, which makes frying oil flow out from a frying oil tank on a downstream side and makes the frying oil flow in the frying oil tank on an upstream side by a frying oil inflow device, which ejects the frying oil in an upward direction from a bottom portion side of the frying oil tank; a frying food transport mechanism including a first transport mechanism, which transports the food fed into the frying oil tank on the upstream side in a floating state on a surface of the frying oil, and a second transport mechanism, which transports a frying food subsequently to the first transport mechanism in an immersed state below the surface of the frying oil in the frying oil tank; and a fried food collection mechanism, which collects a fried food from the frying oil tank.

Method for continuously making kettle style potato chips. A continuous cooking process is disclosed without regard or need to mimic the U-shaped temperature-time profile typically used to create kettle-style fried potato chips. Potato slices are placed directly into hot oil of a single continuous fryer having multiple temperature zones, with no flume frying prior to placement therein and without regard to a monolayer arrangement. Cool oil from the end of the continuous fryer to the upstream portion of the fryer ensures continuous achievement of an initial low temperature profile, lower than that of previous methods. A further dip in temperature profile is achieved as water evaporates from the slices. The potato slices are then further fried in the downstream portion of the fryer in one or more regions having increased hot oil temperatures, which occur through the injecting of hot oil into the downstream portions.

[Problem to be Solved]

An object of the present invention is to provide instant fried noodles having a lower fat or oil content than general instant fried noodles.

[Solution]

Instant fried noodles having a porous structure including a smaller number of pores and having a lower porosity are provided by inhibiting formation of a layered gluten network structure within noodle strings. Thus, a fat or oil content of the fried noodles can be lowered.

Provided are an oil and fat composition for heat cooking that has an exceptional effect of suppressing negative aspects caused by using edible oil and fat in heat cooking, and an edible material for the same.

This oil and fat composition for heat cooking contains an n-3 edible oil and fat in which the amount of n-3 fatty acid in the total amount of constituent fatty acids is 30 mass % or more and 80 mass % or less, and a base oil and fat consisting of an edible oil and fat other than the n-3 edible oil and fat, the oil and fat composition being characterized in that 0.01 mass % or more and less than 1 mass % of the n-3 edible oil and fat is contained in the oil and fat composition.

A plant protein-based whole-cut fried chicken nugget is prepared from raw materials including peanut protein, wheat protein, seasonings, water-retaining agent, and coating flour in proportions measured in parts by weight. The preparation method of the plant protein-based whole-cut fried chicken nugget includes mixing the raw materials uniformly according to the proportions, subjecting to high-moisture extrusion treatment, boiling the resulted extrudate with water for an appropriate period, then coating with flour, placing in a frying pan at an appropriate temperature, and frying for an appropriate period. The plant protein-based whole-cut fried chicken nugget has a golden surface, a strong aroma, a crispy outside and tender inside, good elasticity and chewiness, no beany taste, high protein content, and rich nutrition.

A method of reducing oil and/or fat uptake of a fried food comprises the steps of: A) contacting food i) with a batter comprising starch and a cellulose ether or ii) with a breading composition comprising a cellulose ether or iii) first with a batter comprising starch and then with a breading composition comprising a cellulose ether, B) contacting the battered or breaded food obtained in step A) with an aqueous liquid being different from the batter and breading composition in step A), C) optionally freezing the battered or breaded food obtained in step B), and D) frying the battered or breaded food obtained in step B) or C).