Patent ID: 8414940
Filing Date: 2013-04-09
Classification: A21D,A23L,A23Y

Abstract:
1. A process for reducing acrylamide production from a reaction of free asparagine and sugars in a cooked, starch based processed food, the process comprising: (a) adding a raw, uncooked processed food comprising asparagine and sugars to a fermenter with an outlet strainer for straining fermented food, the fermenter containing an aqueous medium having a pH between about 4 and 8, wherein the aqueous medium contains the uncooked processed food and the aqueous medium comprises: (i) a microorganism used for food fermentations for metabolizing sugars in the uncooked processed food, (ii) yeast extract for fermentation by the microorganism, and (iii) a neutralizing agent comprising a food-grade acid or an alkali metal hydroxide; (b) agitating the aqueous medium while fermenting the uncooked processed food in the aqueous medium so as to ferment the sugars in the uncooked processed food sufficiently to reduce the acrylamide production upon cooking of the uncooked processed food; (c) removing the aqueous medium from the uncooked processed food in the fermenter through the outlet strainer; (d) washing the uncooked processed food from step (c); and (e) baking or frying the uncooked processed food, thereby forming a fermented and cooked food that contains less acrylamide than without the fermentation; wherein no sugars are added to the processed food through steps (a) to (e), and wherein: