Patent ID: 9615601
Date: 2017-04-11
CPC Classifications: A23B,A23L,A23P,A23V

Claim:
1. A process for the application of a predetermined amount of oil to food pieces, comprising: (a) providing a plurality of cut or shaped food pieces; (b) treating the food pieces with an enzyme treatment consisting of an effective amount of at least one starch-degrading enzyme; (c) blanching the treated food pieces to deactivate the starch-degrading enzyme; (d) applying an emulsion consisting essentially of oil and water to the blanched treated food pieces for a time sufficient to provide a predetermined amount of oil to the food pieces and so that the food pieces have an initial moisture level after applying the oil-water emulsion; and (e) reducing the initial moisture level by heating the emulsion-treated food pieces in at least one oven or drier wherein the pieces are heated in two stages at an oven/drier temperature of about 375° F. to about 400° F. for a time of about 2 to about 20 minutes, and then at an oven/drier temperature of about 200° F. to about 275° F. for a time of about 5 to about 14 minutes to a final moisture level of from about 0.2 to about 10% by weight to provide a finished food product, wherein the food pieces are not cooked/fried in hot oil, and wherein the finished food product has the taste, texture and/or appearance of a finished food product made by a step wherein the food pieces are cooked/fried in hot oil, less than 150 ppb acrylamide.