Dehydration and drying are some of the oldest methods of preserving food and other biological materials such as proteins and both live and dead live microorganisms or their metabolites. The invention disclosed herein seeks a method of further improving the process of preserving biological material by combining the freezing or freeze-drying process with a partial infrared dehydration step. By using infrared radiation energy to perform simultaneous blanching and dehydration, the drying speed is greatly increased and better cellular and molecular integrity is maintained. The invention herein is also particularly useful in connection with cannabis and hemp.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a konjak gel with a shrimp-like texture, a shrimp-like food using the konjak gel, and a dried, shrimp-like food that has a shrimp-like texture and can be easily reconstituted using, for instance, hot water. This solution involves a porous structure-containing konjak gel including the following features (A) to (G): (A) a glucomannan content of 3.5 to 12 wt %; (B) a moisture content of 70 to 90 wt %; (C) a gel long side of 7 to 20 mm; (D) a gel thickness of 0.5 to 1.5 mm; (E) a porosity of 9 to 17% as measured for pores of 100 μm.sup.2 or larger in a gel cross section; (F) a largest pore porosity of 3 to 6% in the gel cross section; and (G) the gel having undergone freeze denaturation. The problem is also solved by a method for producing a shrimp-like food containing the konjac gel and a substrate made of glucomannan, or a shrimp-like, vacuum-freeze-dried food containing the konjac gel and a substrate containing a pulverized konjak gel material or a substrate containing a puffing agent.

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a means for efficiently producing a plant protein concentrate to be utilized in foods, beverages, etc. The present invention also addresses the problem of raising the utility value of plant proteins and contributing to the improvement of quality in existing uses and the discovery of new uses by making it possible to produce a plant protein concentrate having improved physical properties (especially solubility). The yield of plant protein is improved by treating a plant protein raw material such as peas, soybeans, almonds, etc., with a protein deamidase.

The present invention addresses the problem of providing a means for efficiently producing a plant protein concentrate to be utilized in foods, beverages, etc. The present invention also addresses the problem of raising the utility value of plant proteins and contributing to the improvement of quality in existing uses and the discovery of new uses by making it possible to produce a plant protein concentrate having improved physical properties (especially solubility). The yield of plant protein is improved by treating a plant protein raw material such as peas, soybeans, almonds, etc., with a protein deamidase.

An apparatus and method for dehydrating a quantity of previously air popped corn so as to maintain its crunchiness includes a support ring having an upstanding continuous peripheral wall configured to nest atop an upper edge of a receptacle, the upstanding continuous peripheral wall being complementary to an open top of the receptacle and defining an interior area. A distribution conduit having a cylindrical configuration is coupled to an inner surface of the support ring and has opposed upstream and downstream ends defining a channel therebetween. The upstream and downstream ends are open and the distribution conduit has an elongate configuration and is oriented axially relative to the support ring. A blow-drying device may be releasably mounted in the upstream end of the distribution conduit for generating a heated air stream and blowing the generated heated air stream from the upstream to the downstream end when energized.

Disclosed is a natural compound sweetener, comprising mogroside V, rebaudioside A, natural tea theanine and dietary fibre. The method for preparing the sweetener comprises the steps of: (1) dissolution, filtration, concentration and sterilization: dissolving the mogroside V, rebaudioside A, natural tea theanine and dietary fibre in water, filtering, concentrating in a vacuum, and sterilizing to obtain a sterilized solution; and (2) paste-collection, drying and granulation: carrying out paste-collection on the sterilized solution obtained in the step (1), vacuum drying the collected liquid paste, and drying and then granulating the dry powder to obtain the sweetener.

Disclosed is a natural compound sweetener, comprising mogroside V, rebaudioside A, natural tea theanine and dietary fibre. The method for preparing the sweetener comprises the steps of: (1) dissolution, filtration, concentration and sterilization: dissolving the mogroside V, rebaudioside A, natural tea theanine and dietary fibre in water, filtering, concentrating in a vacuum, and sterilizing to obtain a sterilized solution; and (2) paste-collection, drying and granulation: carrying out paste-collection on the sterilized solution obtained in the step (1), vacuum drying the collected liquid paste, and drying and then granulating the dry powder to obtain the sweetener.

This disclosure relates to laminas and uses of same, the lamina made of at least 90% w/w dried, adhered together vegetables, the lamina withstanding disintegration during storage and allowing disintegration when cooked.

The present invention relates to a closed processing system for treating elongated food products, comprising: a housing bounding a process space, a transport path for displacing the elongated food products through the process space, at least one airflow generator for generating an airflow in the process space, and at least one detector for detecting process conditions in the process space, wherein the detector includes at least one pressure sensor for detecting the relative airflow pressure in the process space compared to the ambient air pressure and wherein the system is arranged to control the process conditions by adjusting the at least one airflow generator based on the detected process conditions. The present invention further relates to a method for treating elongated food products.

The present invention relates to a closed processing system for treating elongated food products, comprising: a housing bounding a process space, a transport path for displacing the elongated food products through the process space, at least one airflow generator for generating an airflow in the process space, and at least one detector for detecting process conditions in the process space, wherein the detector includes at least one pressure sensor for detecting the relative airflow pressure in the process space compared to the ambient air pressure and wherein the system is arranged to control the process conditions by adjusting the at least one airflow generator based on the detected process conditions. The present invention further relates to a method for treating elongated food products.