Abstract
The invention comprises various embodiments of processes by which cookable food product may be prepared and the consumable product that may be made through the uses of those processes. Advantageously, a food product may be made through the processes that is lower starch and more nutritious than food product made through conventional food processes. The system and methods may be used to make a cookable food product and a consumable food product from plantain or another type of starchy fruit or vegetable.
Claims
1. A method of producing a low-starch cookable plantain food product comprising the steps of: (a) mashing a first plantain to product a first plantain mash; (b) removing a first liquid from the first plantain mash to produce a first drier plantain mash and a first removed liquid; (c) mashing a second plantain to produce a second plantain mash; (d) removing a second liquid from the second plantain mash to produce a second drier plantain mash and a second removed liquid; (e) separating a starch portion from the second removed liquid to produce a plantain liquid supernatant; and (f) returning the plantain liquid supernatant to the first drier plantain mash to obtain a low-starch cookable plantain mash usable to produce the low-starch cookable plantain food product.
2. The method of producing a low-starch cookable plantain food product according to claim 1 wherein the second plantain is a ripe plantain.
3. The method of producing a low-starch cookable plantain food product according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: shaping the cookable plantain food product to produce a shaped cookable plantain food product; and cooking the shaped cookable plantain food product to produce the consumable plantain food product.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0032] FIG. 1 illustrates a flow chart of one of the preferred embodiments of the invention by which a cookable plantain food product may be produced
[0033] FIG. 2 illustrates a flow chart of one of the preferred embodiments of the invention by which a cookable plantain food product may be produced;
[0034] FIG. 3 illustrates a flow chart of one of the preferred embodiments of the invention by which a cookable plantain food product may be produced;
[0035] FIG. 4 illustrates a flow chart of one of the preferred embodiments of the invention by which a cookable plantain food product may be produced;
[0036] FIG. 5 illustrates a flow chart of one of the preferred embodiments of the invention by which a cookable plantain food product may be produced
[0037] FIG. 6 illustrates a flow chart of one of the preferred embodiments of the invention by which a consumable plantain food product may be produced; and
[0038] FIG. 7 illustrates a flow chart of one of the preferred embodiments of the invention by which a consumable plantain food product may be produced.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0039] In the following description, for purposes of explanation, specific numbers, materials, and configurations are set out in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. It will be apparent, however, to one having ordinary skill in the art that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known features may be omitted or simplified so as not to obscure the present invention. Furthermore, reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the invention. The appearances of the phrase “in one embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment.
[0040] Certain embodiments of the present invention are directed to a process by which a cookable plantain food product may be made. The term “cookable plantain food product” includes that which may be produced from one or more of the following described processes and that may be used promptly, or stored, packaged, and/or distributed for later use to prepare a consumable food product. Certain other embodiments provide a process by which consumable food products may be prepared from the embodiments of the cookable food product. The present invention also includes certain embodiments of the cookable food product. Additionally, the present invention includes certain embodiments of the consumable food product.
[0041] The following description and drawings will make reference to plantain. However, embodiments of the present invention may be used to produce cookable food product and consumable food product from another type of starchy fruits and vegetables including but not limited to bananas, corn, yam, African sweet potatoes, rice, cow peas, black eye peas, red beans, chick peas, potatoes, cassava, and cocoa yams. These other starchy fruits and vegetables will be termed “starchy vegetable” for purposes of this application.
[0042] FIG. 1 illustrates a flow chart 100 of one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention of a process by which a cookable plantain food product may be produced. To produce a cookable plantain food product according to the process illustrated in FIG. 1, one or more plantains are peeled and then mashed to produce a plantain mash 110. A variety of methods may be used to mash the peeled plantains including chopping, grinding, mixing, and blending. Accordingly, for purposes of this application, the term “mash” does not mean that only one or more conventional processes by which a mash is typically produced—that is, beating, crushing, and/or mixing—will be used or that water or some other liquid will always be mixed with the plantain or that heat or some other method of cooking will be applied or utilized. Advantageously, certain embodiments of the present invention may use plantains that may be unripe, ripe, or a combination of unripe and ripe.
[0043] According to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, liquid is removed from the plantain mash to produce a drier plantain mash and a removed liquid 120. To remove the liquid from the plantain mash, a variety of methods may be used. For example, the plantain mash may be suspended on a material—including, but not limited to metal or plastic mesh, cheese cloth, paper, or cloth filter—and the liquid allowed to drip from the mash. The plantain mash may also be confined in some volume such as with a different material and pressure applied—for example, by hand or by a mechanical press—to squeeze out the liquid. Alternatively, the plantain mash may be spun and, by this spinning process, the liquid drawn from the mash.
[0044] The removed liquid produced through step 120 is preferably retained because it contains quantities of the important minerals and vitamins found in plantain fruit. However, the removed liquid also contains starch. The embodiment of the process illustrated in FIG. 1 includes separating a starch portion from the removed liquid to produce also a plantain liquid supernatant 130—also termed a “low starch liquid supernatant”. A variety of methods may be used to accomplish the separation of a starch portion from the liquid. For example, the removed liquid may be allowed to remain in a container in a non-agitated state for a period of time that is sufficient to permit the generally heavier starch component to settle to the bottom of the container and the plantain liquid supernatant to stratify in an above layer. A starch portion may be separated from the removed liquid, for example, by drawing off the plantain liquid supernatant from the higher starch liquid portion. The starch portion can thereby be segregated and managed as needed. As an alternative to or as an addition to the previously described passive method of performing the separation, the removed liquid may be rotated such that the generally heavier starch component is layered, clumped, or pelleted generally separate from the remaining portion of the removed liquid. Upon the separation and removal of the starch from the removed liquid, the remaining portion of the removed liquid—the “plantain liquid supernatant”—will include less starch relative to the removed liquid.
[0045] The embodiment of the process illustrated in FIG. 1 includes returning the plantain liquid supernatant to the drier plantain mash to produce an enhanced plantain mash and thereby a cookable plantain food product 140. Advantageously, by returning the plantain liquid supernatant to the drier plantain mash, some of the minerals and vitamins that were captured in the liquid that was removed during the removal step, may be added back to the plantain mash but now without amounts of the starch. As a result, the enhanced plantain mash is nutritious and has less starch, fewer carbohydrates, and fewer calories than plantain mash simply produced by the mashing of plantains with water or the mashing of plantains and washing the mash with water.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 De-Starched Raw Plantains De-Starched Plantain Plantain with USDA Value Plantain Pulp Liquid Liquid Nutrient Unit per 100 g Value per 100 g Supernatant Supernatant Proximates Energy kcal 122 50.8 3.81 55.5 Protein g 1.3 0.372 0.423 0.591 Total lipid (fat) g 0.37 0.026 0.006 0.071 Carbohydrate, by g 31.89 12.3 0.5 13.1 difference Fiber, total dietary g 2.3 2.38 <0.75 1.48 Sugars, total g 15 <0.1 g 0.3 <0.1 Minerals Calcium, Ca mg 3 19.5 1.51 15.1 Iron, Fe mg 0.6 0.137 <0.0500 0.187 Magnesium, Mg mg 37 4.45 28.9 23.2 Potassium, K mg 499 <4.93 328 207 Sodium, Na mg 4 <4.93 <2.50 <2.48 Vitamins Vitamin C, total mg 18.4 5 5.8 <1.0 ascorbic acid Vitamin A, RAE * μg 56 see below see below see below Vitamin A, IU * IU 1127 see below see below see below Lipids Fatty acids, total g 0.143 0.012 0.003 0.022 saturated Fatty acids, total g 0.032 <0.007 <0.002 0.016 monounsaturated Fatty acids, total g 0.069 0.013 0.003 0.031 polyunsaturated Cholesterol mg 0 <1.00 <1.00 <1.00 * Total Vitamin A 84 IU 175 IU 382 IU Vitamin A from <100 IU <100 IU <100 IU Retinol Vitamin A From 84.4 IU 175 IU 382 IU Carotene
[0046] Table 1 above provides various information regarding raw plantains and plantains processed through the described steps to produce a lower starch, lower calorie, and lower carbohydrate cookable plantain food product. The column of Table 1 titled “Raw Plantains USDA Value per 100 g” provides nutrition data from the National Nutrient Database (Standard Reference Release 26) of the National Agricultural Library for raw, green, peeled plantains. The second column—titled “De-Starched Plantain Pulp Value per 100 g”—provides nutrition data for the drier plantain mash processed according to the inventive steps—that is, a plantain processed according to the described methods to produce a plantain mash from which liquid has been removed. The third column provides nutrition data for the plantain liquid supernatant—that is, the liquid removed from the plantain mash and from which a starch portion has been removed to produce the drier plantain mash. The fourth column provides nutrition data for the “de-starched” plantain mash but with the plantain liquid supernatant added back.
[0047] The Table 1 data shows that by removing the starch, the plantain mash is lower in carbohydrates and calories than raw plantain. The data shows also that the liquid removed from plantain mash—which in many conventional processes is not retained—includes significant levels of protein, vitamins, and minerals. The data shows also that when the liquid supernatant is added back to the de-starched mash, the nutritional level of the mash increases without significantly increasing the carbohydrates and calories and therefore permitting a low starch, low carbohydrate, low calorie, yet nutritious cookable plantain food product to be manufactured.
[0048] FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of the process that largely includes many of the steps of the process embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1. The embodiment of the process illustrated in FIG. 2, however, differs as following. The FIG. 2 embodiment does, like the FIG. 1 embodiment, include returning the plantain liquid supernatant to the drier plantain mash to produce an enhanced plantain mash 240. However, a blending step 250 is added in which one or more food components are introduced to the enhanced plantain mash to produce a complemented cookable plantain food product. For purposes of this application, the term “blending” is not limited to simply the step of mixing the food components into the enhanced plantain mash but may comprise or include one or more other steps including the “dusting”, coating, covering, applying, inserting, or layering of one or more food components with the enhanced plantain mash 240 or the curing or soaking the enhanced plantain mash with one or more food components. Certain food components that may be added to the enhanced plantain mash may include leavening agents, oil, and/or vinegar and possibly some additional fresh water to alter the moisture content of the mash. Alternatively, or in addition, other flavorings, seasonings, or components may be blended with the enhanced plantain mash including but not limited to the following: sesame seeds, coconut chips or flakes, chocolate chips, peanut or other nut butter or powder, chili pepper, fruit juice, flour, other spices and seasonings, vitamins, minerals or whole food product, such as legumes, fruit, vegetables or grains. A cookable plantain food product can be prepared as a result of the blending step 250 that can satisfy a wide variety of needs and purposes and from which a consumable plantain food product can be produced having a wide range of texture, appearance, and nutrition levels and flavor, aroma, and taste profiles.
[0049] FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of a process much like the processes illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. The FIG. 3 process, however, includes a first step in which liquid is added to peeled plantain to produce a plantain mash 310. The liquid may be, but is not limited to fresh water. This step may be advantageous in that the addition of the liquid to the plantain and the mashing of the mixture to produce a plantain mash 320 may cause a greater amount of starch to go into solution and thereby be present in the removed liquid so that the starch is separable from the removed liquid during step 340 to produce a cookable plantain food product that is lower in starch. In addition, a blending step—such as the one 250 described above with respect to the FIG. 2 process—may be added to the process shown in FIG. 3 so that one or more additional food components may be blended with the drier plantain mash to which is added the plantain liquid supernatant is added in order to produce a cookable plantain food product having widely different qualities and characteristics.
[0050] FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of a process much like the above described processes. The FIG. 4 process, however, includes a step in which liquid is added to and mixed with the drier plantain mash 450 and a step in which additional liquid is removed from the plantain mash (the “additional removed liquid”) to produce a drier plantain mash 460. The FIG. 4 process includes also a step 470 in which an additional starch portion is removed from the additional removed liquid to produce an additional plantain liquid supernatant—also termed an “additional low starch liquid supernatant”. Step 480 of the FIG. 4 process is combining the plantain liquid supernatant and the additional plantain liquid supernatant to form a combined liquid supernatant and combing that with the drier plantain mash to produce the enhanced plantain mash and therefore a cookable plantain food product. The steps 450 through 470—adding additional liquid to the drier plantain mash, obtaining additional removed liquid from the plantain mash to produce a drier plantain mash, segregating an additional starch portion from the additional removed liquid to provide an additional plantain liquid supernatant—may be repeated as desired so that more and more starch may be removed from the mash but, because the larger and larger amounts of additional plantain liquid supernatant are added back to the mash with the plantain liquid supernatant, amounts of the protein, vitamins, and minerals that were in the beginning plantain mixture are returned to the mash and a cookable plantain food product that is lower in starch yet nutritious is produced. The blending step—that is, adding additional food components to the drier plantain mash described above—may also be used with respect to the FIG. 4 process.
[0051] FIG. 5 illustrates another certain embodiment of the present invention in which ripe plantains are preferably used. Ripe plantains are sweeter, softer, and, compared to green or unripe plantains, often do not require added liquid in order to prepare a manageable mash. As a result, the process illustrated in FIG. 5 may include a first step of mashing peeled ripe plantain fruit to produce a uniform plantain mash 510. In order to produce a wide range of cookable plantain fruit products from this mash, the starch that was removed during the separate processing of unripe or partially ripe plantains, for example, according to the processes illustrated in FIG. 1 through FIG. 4—the “new starch”—, may be added to the ripe plantain mash 520. A consumable plantain food product made from the FIG. 5 process may be sweeter than consumable plantain food products made by other conventional processes and the processes illustrated in FIG. 1 through FIG. 4. Additionally, the consumable plantain food product may be gluten free—because no flour is needed to improve the manageability of the mash, and can be made crunchy due to the addition of the new starch.
[0052] FIG. 6 illustrates a flow chart 600 of an embodiment of the invention by which a consumable food product may be prepared from a cookable food product. The cookable food product may be made from plantain or another type of starchy vegetable, as that termed is defined for purposes of this application. The FIG. 6 process includes a first step of shaping the cookable food product—produced such as through the processes illustrated in FIG. 1 through FIG. 5—to produce a shaped cookable food product 610. To shape the cookable food product, for example, the enhanced mash may be pounded, kneaded, rolled, or subjected to a similar management process so that the mash may be shaped. One such shape is a planar shape. To produce such a planar shape, the enhanced mash is preferably managed to be thin. Such a planar shape may be cut into pieces of any desired shape. In certain embodiments, a formed shape cookable plantain food product may be prepared into a formed shape, such as a parallelepipedal, cylindrical, prismatic, parallelogram sheet. In certain embodiments the formed shape cookable food product may be cut into pieces that represent one or more serving sizes. In certain embodiments the formed shape cookable food product that is cut into multiple serving sizes may then be cut with proliferation, groove or similar cutting slots for future cutting locations or fully cut into individual pieces. The shaped cookable food product may then be additionally seasoned as desired.
[0053] FIG. 7 illustrates one preferred embodiment in which a consumable food product is produced from the cookable food product. The FIG. 7 process includes preparing a cookable food product 710 such as through the processes described in FIG. 1 through 6 by using plantain or another type of starchy vegetable. A variety of processes may be used to accomplish the producing step 720 including baking, frying, grilling, boiling, steaming or similar form of cooking such that the temperature of the cookable food product is increased to undergo a physical transformation by a chemical reaction caused by heat. The cookable food product may be additionally seasoned as desired. The consumable food product may then be served for immediate consumption or stored for consumption at a later time. Alternatively, the consumable food product may be prepared for storage for cooking and consumption at a later time.
[0054] While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific exemplary embodiments of the invention have been shown by way of example in the drawings and have been described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit the disclosure to the particular embodiments disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
