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.

A food product includes a thread obtained from a tuber that is wound and twisted in such a way to form a spherical ball. A production method for the food product provides for placing the spherical ball in a perforated spherical mold. A device for producing the food product allows formation of the spherical ball inside the mold.

A method of making a porous, crunchy, dehydrated, vegetable, meat or seafood snack product. A piece of vegetable, such as potato, sweet potato, carrot, beet or parsnip, or a piece of meat or seafood, is frozen, forming ice crystals within the piece of food. The frozen piece is exposed to microwave radiation in a microwave-vacuum dehydrator at a vacuum pressure at which the boiling point of water is above 0 C., causing the frozen piece to thaw and water to evaporate from the thawed piece. The evaporation leaves pores that were formed by the ice crystals within the piece of food, resulting in a porous, crunchy, dehydrated snack product.

A method of making a porous, crunchy, dehydrated, vegetable, meat or seafood snack product. A piece of vegetable, such as potato, sweet potato, carrot, beet or parsnip, or a piece of meat or seafood, is frozen, forming ice crystals within the piece of food. The frozen piece is exposed to microwave radiation in a microwave-vacuum dehydrator at a vacuum pressure at which the boiling point of water is above 0 C., causing the frozen piece to thaw and water to evaporate from the thawed piece. The evaporation leaves pores that were formed by the ice crystals within the piece of food, resulting in a porous, crunchy, dehydrated snack product.

A method of storing potatoes comprises storing a plurality of endodormant or ecodormant potatoes in a first gaseous environment including carbon dioxide in an amount of from greater than the amount of carbon dioxide present in atmospheric air to up to 5 mol % based on the composition of the first gaseous environment; and in a subsequent storage step storing the potatoes in a second gaseous environment including carbon dioxide in an amount of from 0.03 to 2 mol % based on the composition of the second gaseous environment, the first and second gaseous environments having different carbon dioxide contents. The method may comprise: monitoring the dormancy of the potatoes; in response to eye movement of a potato, changing the first gaseous environment to a second gaseous environment; maintaining a level of carbon dioxide in the second gaseous environment below a selected threshold to control sugar content of the potatoes.

The invention relates to method and a device for preparing a carbohydrate and/or protein product by subjecting a carbohydrate and/or protein to a heat treatment after a few ingredients have been added.

The invention relates to method and a device for preparing a carbohydrate and/or protein product by subjecting a carbohydrate and/or protein to a heat treatment after a few ingredients have been added.

A system for measuring smoke absorption into food products includes a surrogate that reacts to a presence of smoke in air ambient to the surrogate and the food products; and the surrogate is configured to change a state to a preselected degree after an exposure to the smoke for a time sufficient to effect a predetermined amount of smoke absorption by a selected food product. A method of making the system for measuring smoke absorption into food products includes placing the surrogate in air ambient to the surrogate in a smokehouse where the food products are to be smoked, configuring the surrogate to change a state after an exposure to the smoke for a time sufficient to effect a predetermined amount of smoke absorption by the food products; and measuring the change of state of the surrogate.

A system for measuring smoke absorption into food products includes a surrogate that reacts to a presence of smoke in air ambient to the surrogate and the food products; and the surrogate is configured to change a state to a preselected degree after an exposure to the smoke for a time sufficient to effect a predetermined amount of smoke absorption by a selected food product. A method of making the system for measuring smoke absorption into food products includes placing the surrogate in air ambient to the surrogate in a smokehouse where the food products are to be smoked, configuring the surrogate to change a state after an exposure to the smoke for a time sufficient to effect a predetermined amount of smoke absorption by the food products; and measuring the change of state of the surrogate.

The present invention in its broadest aspect relates to a method for reducing glycoalkaloid content and turbidity of an aqueous phase comprising compounds selected from two or more of PA, PI, PPO, LipO, pectin, lipid, glycoalkaloid and phenolic compounds of which at least one compound is selected from PA, PI, LipO and PPO; a) providing an aqueous phase comprising compounds selected from two or more of PA, PI, PPO, LipO, pectin, lipid, glycoalkaloid and phenolic compounds of which at least one compound is selected from PA, PI, LipO and PPO; and b) performing one or more steps to reduce the concentration of solanine in the dry matter of the aqueous phase with at least 15 percent, such as at least 20% such as at least 25% and to achieve an optical density at 620 nm of the remaining aqueous phase of less than 0.7; such as less than 0.5; such as less than 0.3; such as less than 0.2 such as less than 0.1 and thereby obtaining an aqueous phase having reduced glycoalkaloid content and turbidity compared to an untreated aqueous phase.