Process of making misted microwavable pancakes

A process for improving the tenderness of cooked pancakes that are microwaved. The process includes applying water to the cooked pancake so that the moisture of each pancake is increased by about 6%-to-12% to about 45%-to-52% by weight.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a process for making an improved cooked 
microwavable pancake and to an improved cooked microwavable pancake 
product. 
Commercially prepared pancakes that have been cooked and then frozen tend 
to dry out when heated in a microwave oven. The resulting dried out 
pancakes have a texture that is unacceptably tough to many consumers. 
Indeed, pancake toughness is responsible for the highest rate of consumer 
complaints directed to the quantity of commercially prepared microwavable 
pancakes. 
Pancake recipes having ingredients of wheat flour, corn flour, sugar or 
high fructose corn syrup, buttermilk, salt, leavening egg, shortening, and 
about 41% water tend to produce pancakes that are tough in texture when 
cooked and heated in a microwave oven. Pancake recipes having a higher 
water content produce pancakes that are sometimes not as tough. 
Unfortunately, the high water recipes do not lend themselves to 
conventional commercial production methods. The high water recipes produce 
pancakes that are fragile and that fall apart when flipped on a griddle 
surface. The high water recipes also produce pancakes that wrinkle when 
the pancakes are removed from the griddle surface. 
Approaches to obtaining a desired food texture have been attempted for food 
products other than pancakes. The Bergstrom et al. U.S. Pat. No. 
5,049,398, issued Sep. 17, 1991, describes a method for improving the 
crust and crumb properties of a yeast leavened bread. The method includes 
mixing an anti-staling dough conditioner, 20-to-100 parts of flour having 
a pregelatinized starch component, and about 7-to-30 parts of water into a 
bread material prior to baking the bread. 
The Matson et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,035,904, issued Jul. 30, 1991, describes 
a method for achieving a desired degree of toughness in bread. The method 
includes adding a texturizing agent to bread dough. The texturizing agent 
is selected from a group that includes surfactants, hydrogen 
bond-breakers, fast acting oxidants, enzymes, and disulfidereactants. 
The Mendoza et al. patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,565,014, issued Feb. 23, 1971, 
describes a device for spraying a roll of a tortilla-making machine with 
water. The water spray aids in preventing tortilla dough from sticking to 
the roll. 
The Atwell et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,933,196, issued Jun. 12, 1990, describes 
a method for controlling the texture of microwave brownies. The method 
includes regulating the steam retention properties of a brownie batter. 
The steam retention properties are adjusted by use of an emulsifier in the 
brownie batter. 
The Buckley U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,542, issued Dec. 18, 1990, describes a 
method for precooking fast foods such as french fried potatoes for use in 
a non-fat environment like a microwave oven. The Buckley patent describes 
a method that includes transporting the fast food by conveyor to several 
cooking stations One of the cooking stations sprays the precooked food 
with heated oil. The heated oil may be mixed with either water or air and 
is sprayed under pressure at elevated temperatures. Spraying the fast food 
with oil confers to the food an appearance, taste and texture like a 
conventionally cooked fast food. However, the fast food is not saturated 
with oil as it would be if immersed in a heated vat. 
The Huang Hua-Fing, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,935,252, issued Jun. 19, 1990, 
describes a package for cooking a waffle in a microwave oven. The package 
includes a mechanism for allowing moisture to escape from the package. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention includes a process for applying water to a cooked 
pancake in order to render the pancake more tender and palatable when 
heated in a microwave oven. The process of the present invention includes 
applying water to the microwavable pancake in order to increase the 
moisture of the cooked pancake by about 6-to-12percent by weight. 
The product of the present invention is a microwavable cooked pancake 
having a moisture level of about 45%-to-52% due to application of water to 
the cooked pancake. The moisture level is stable for at cooked pancake. 
The pancake of the present invention also has an improved tenderness and 
mouthfeel when compared to other microwavable cooked pancakes.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The present invention includes a process for improving the texture of 
cooked pancakes that are heated in a microwave oven. The present invention 
also includes a cooked pancake product having an improved tenderness when 
heated in a microwave oven. 
The process for improving the texture of cooked microwavable pancakes 
includes preparing a pancake batter and cooking the batter with a griddle 
to form a cooked pancake. The cooked pancake is then transported by a 
conveyor from the griddle. While on the conveyer, water is applied to the 
cooked pancake. The pancake is then frozen and packaged. 
Pancake batters suitable for use in the present invention include but are 
not limited to batters for buttermilk pancakes, blueberry pancakes, and 
maize pancakes. In one embodiment, the buttermilk pancake batter included 
ingredients described in Table 1. In a second embodiment, the blueberry 
pancakes were made from a batter that included ingredients described in 
Table 2. In a third embodiment, the maize pancakes were made from a batter 
that included ingredients described in Table 3. The three batter 
embodiments included a water content within an approximate range of 
32-to-41 percent. 
TABLE 1 
______________________________________ 
FORMULA: BUTTERMILK PANCAKES 
Ingredients 
______________________________________ 
Flour 35-45% 
Water 32-38% 
High Fructose Corn Syrup 
13-23% 
Vegetable Oil 1-8% 
Buttermilk Solids 1-5% 
Salt .1-1.2% 
Soda .4-1% 
Sodium Aluminum Phosphate 
.2-.5% 
Albumin .1-1% 
Monocalcium Phosphate 
.1-.4% 
Egg Yolk Solids .1-1% 
______________________________________ 
TABLE 2 
______________________________________ 
FORMULA: BLUEBERRY PANCAKES 
Ingredients 
______________________________________ 
Flour 35-45% 
Water 32-38% 
High Fructose Corn Syrup 
13-23% 
Blueberries 5-10% 
Vegetable Oil 1-8% 
Buttermilk Solids 1-5% 
Salt .1-1.2% 
Soda .4-1% 
Sodium Aluminum Phosphate 
.2-.5% 
Albumin .1-1% 
Monocalcium Phosphate 
.1-.4% 
Egg Yolk Solids .1-1% 
______________________________________ 
TABLE 3 
______________________________________ 
FORMULA: MAIZE PANCAKES 
Ingredients 
______________________________________ 
Flour 34-45% 
Water 36-41% 
High Fructose Corn Syrup 
13-23% 
Corn Flour 1-10% 
Vegetable Oil 1-8% 
Buttermilk Solids 1-5% 
Salt .1-1.2% 
Soda .4-1% 
Sodium Aluminum Phosphate 
.2-.5% 
Albumin .1-1% 
Monocalcium Phosphate 
.1-.4% 
Egg Yolk Solids .1-1% 
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The prepared pancake batter was then added to the heated griddle. By the 
term "griddle" is meant any device having a relatively flat surface used 
to cook pancakes. A griddle also includes a device having an upper platen, 
a lower platen and a conveyor located between the upper platen and the 
lower platen to convey the batter between the platens. Both the upper 
platen and the lower platen include a relatively flat heated surface that 
faces the conveyor. The pancake batter is simultaneously cooked on one 
side by the upper platen and on the other side by the lower platen as the 
batter is transported by the conveyor. The arrangement permits the pancake 
batter to be cooked on the two sides without being flipped. Any other 
griddle embodiment conventionally used to make pancakes is suitable for 
use in the process of the present invention. 
The pancake is typically formed into a circular shape. In one embodiment, 
the pancake batter was heated by the griddle for 75 seconds on one side 
and for 45 seconds on the other side. 
In one preferred embodiment, pancakes cooked by the griddle had a diameter 
ranging from about 4.15 inches to about 4.50 inches. The preferred 
pancakes each had a thickness ranging from about 0.22 inches to about 0.25 
inches. The pancakes had a weight within a range of about 37-to-37.8 grams 
each, when the pancakes were cooked and ready for transfer from the 
griddle. 
Once cooked, the pancakes were transferred from the griddle and were 
immediately placed on a wire conveyor of conventional design. While on the 
conveyor, the pancakes were sprayed with a single spray nozzle that 
applied water to a surface of one side of the preferred pancake. The water 
was most preferably applied during a single pass of the pancake under the 
spray nozzle. 
An acceptable range of temperature for the water is about 35.degree. 
F.-to-75.degree. F. The water used to spray each pancake is acceptably 
either potable water or demineralized water. 
The spray nozzle is most preferably set up prior to a pancake cooler so 
that the pancakes are sprayed while warm. In one embodiment, pancakes had 
a temperature within a range of about 80.degree. F.-to-170.degree. F. 
The water applied in the form of a spray in the process of the present 
invention includes either a heavy mist having fine droplets or a coarse 
spray having drops of water. In one embodiment, water was sprayed from an 
18 GGSS full jet spray nozzle manufactured by Spraying System Co. of 
Wheaton, Ill., at a rate of about 720 gms-to-770 gms per minute. The 
process of the present invention most desirably adds about 3.5 grams of 
water to each pancake of the preferred embodiment. For all pancakes, drops 
and droplets of water were applied to increase the moisture of the pancake 
about 6-to-12% to about 45-to-52% by weight. 
The water spray was preferably applied by one spray nozzle. However, in an 
acceptable alternative, the water spray is applied to the pancake surface 
by two or more consecutively arranged spray nozzles as the pancake is 
transported by the conveyer. The water spray nozzle is preferably 
positioned above an upper surface of the pancake so that drops and 
droplets of water fall down onto the upper surface. In one preferred 
embodiment, the nozzle was located about 6 inches above the surface of the 
pancake. Alternatively, the spray nozzle can be positioned below a lower 
surface of the pancake so that drops of water are sprayed upwards onto the 
lower surface. 
Each pancake was suitably sprayed on either the upper surface, the lower 
surface or both the upper and lower surfaces. For two or more spray 
nozzles, nozzles are acceptably arranged to spray either downwardly or 
upwardly in order to spray both surfaces. 
Water can also be applied to the cooked pancake as a water curtain. The 
water curtain refers to a substantially continuous sheet of water. The 
water curtain is suitably made by a manifold and a pipe having a plurality 
of orifices, holes or slots, sized and arranged so that water passing 
through the orifices converges to form a curtain of water. The manifold 
equalizes water flow through the plurality of orifices. The water curtain 
also adds about 3.5 gms of water to each pancake of the preferred 
embodiment. Water of the water curtain preferably has a temperature within 
the range of about 80.degree. F.-to-170.degree. F. 
Water can also be applied to the cooked pancake by a roller. The roller 
preferably has a moist radial surface that contacts the surface of the 
pancake and transfers water from the roller to the pancake. As in other 
embodiments, the roller also adds about 3.5 gms of water to each pancake 
of the preferred embodiment. Water transferred from the roller to the 
pancake also has a temperature of about 80.degree. F.-to-170.degree. F. 
Alternatively, water can be applied to the cooked pancake by exposing the 
pancake to a steam chamber. As in other embodiments, pancakes of the 
preferred embodiment are exposed to the steam chamber long enough to apply 
about 3.5 gms of water to each pancake. 
Water should be uniformly applied to each cooked pancake in a manner to add 
about 6-to-12 weight percent of water to each cooked pancake. If the 
pancake is sprayed or rolled or steam-treated on two sides, the total 
amount of water applied to the pancake is still about 6-to-12 weight 
percent or enough water to increase the total moisture content of the 
pancake to about 45%-to-52% by weight. 
Freezing and packaging the misted pancake is acceptably performed by any 
conventional method. By "misted pancake" is meant any pancake formed by 
the process of the present invention. In one embodiment, the pancake was 
blast frozen. In one other embodiment, the pancake was packaged in a poly 
bag with two other pancakes. The poly bag was heat sealed. The poly bag 
was then placed in a carton. 
In one preferred embodiment of the misted pancakes of the present 
invention, the pancakes have a weight greater than the weight of unmisted 
pancakes as illustrated in Table 4. The height and diameter of the misted 
pancakes are also compared to unmisted pancakes in Table 4. 
TABLE 4 
______________________________________ 
Griddle #5 
Griddle #3 
Control Misted 
______________________________________ 
A. Frozen Pancake Weights 
X-bar 37.4 gms 41.4 gms 
R-bar 0.8 0.6 
1 Sigma (indiv) 0.43 0.32 
1 Sigma (estimated) 
0.41 0.32 
B. Frozen Pancake Stack Heights 
X-bar 1.49 in 1.80 in 
1 Sigma (indiv) 0.08 0.07 
n 6 8 
C. Frozen Pancake Maximum Diameters 
X-bar 4.27 in 4.38 in 
R-bar 0.24 0.16 
1 Sigma (indiv) 0.12 0.12 
1 Sigma (estimated) 
0.12 0.09 
______________________________________ 
The misted pancake product of the present invention is a more tender 
pancake than an unmisted pancake when heated in a microwave oven. The 
misted pancakes of the present invention were tested for tenderness using 
an Accuforce shear test and a hedonic test. 
The Accuforce shear test indicated that Accuforce shear pounds were much 
less for misted pancakes than for pancakes which had not been misted as 
illustrated in FIG. 1. Specifically, misted pancakes had an Accuforce 
shear of only about 0.5 pounds while unmisted pancakes had a shear of over 
1 pound. Also, the Accuforce shear showed virtually no reduction within a 
120 day period following the making and blast freezing of the pancakes as 
illustrated in FIG. 1. 
The Accuforce shear test was performed on an Ametek Accuforce II Model No. 
HL4434-6-25 pd instrument manufactured by Ametek, Inc. of Largo, Fla. 
Other test equipment included a Chatillion LTCM-4 Light Capacity Tester 
stand manufactured by Chatillion, John & Sons, Inc. of Greensboro, N.C., 
having a speed set at setting 8, a top cell and a bottom cell. The top 
cell included a metal bracket, having three sides, attached to the Ametek 
Accuforce. The top cell also included a wire cutter that cut through a 
stack of pancakes. The wire cutter was attached to two opposing sides of 
the metal bracket. The wire cutter included a circumference of about 0.038 
inches. The force to which the wire cutter was subjected was measured by 
the Ametek Accuforce tester. 
The bottom cell included a plastic block mounted on a base of a screw 
driven platform. The plastic block included a slot having a width of about 
1/2 inches. The plastic block had a height of about 2 inches. 
To perform the Accuforce shear test, the Ametek Accuforce instrument was 
set to read pounds of force to which the wire cutter was subjected as the 
cutter passed through a stack of pancakes. The instrument was also set to 
read within a suitable range of pounds of force. All prior instrument 
readings were cleared. In one test, a stack of three buttermilk pancakes 
was placed on a plastic plate and heated in a microwave oven. Immediately 
after removing from the microwave oven, the stack was cleanly cut with a 
sharp knife into three sections. A first cut was made along a chord of the 
circular pancake stack, positioned about 1-1/4 inches inward from an edge 
of the pancake. A second cut was made along a chord positioned about 1-1/4 
inches from an opposite edge of the pancake. The second cut was parallel 
to the first cut. The two cuts made a first outside section, a second 
middle section and a third opposing outside section of the stack of 
pancakes. 
Once the stack of pancakes was cut into the three sections, the first 
outside section was placed on the lower cell. The first outside section 
was positioned so that the wire cutter cut across the width of the first 
section. The wire cutter made two cuts. One cut was made about one inch 
from an upper edge of the first outside section. The second cut was made 
about one inch from a lower edge of the first outside section. The second 
middle section was positioned so that the wire cutter cut about 1-1/4 
inches from an upper edge of the second middle section and about 1-1/4 
inches from a lower edge of the second middle section. The third outside 
section was cut in the manner described for the first outside section. 
Measurements were made of pounds of force required to pass the wire cutter 
vertically through the stack of pancakes of each section at the two 
positions described. 
The misted pancakes of the present invention were tested for moisture 
content after the misted pancakes were frozen. A control group of 
unmisted, frozen pancakes was also tested for moisture content. A profile 
of the moisture content of misted pancakes of the present invention over 
time is illustrated in FIG. 2. FIG. 2 also includes a profile of moisture 
content of unmisted pancakes. 
The moisture content of the misted pancakes remained about 7% higher than 
unmisted pancakes throughout a six month period following the making of 
the pancakes and the freezing of the pancakes. The moisture data, 
illustrated in FIG. 2, indicates that once the pancakes are misted, the 
moisture added by spraying is not lost over the time interval when the 
pancakes are frozen. 
The misted pancakes of the present invention were more tender than the 
unmisted pancakes when heated in a microwave oven, as measured by a 
sensory panel in a hedonic test and illustrated in FIG. 3. The sensory 
panel also concluded that the misted, microwave-heated pancakes were less 
tough, had a higher perceived moisture and had a faster rate of breakdown 
in the mouth than the unmisted, microwave-heated pancakes. Also, the panel 
did not report any differences in flavor between misted and unmisted 
pancakes. 
The panel testing the pancake of the present invention included 72 members. 
The members on the panel owned microwaves, liked buttermilk pancakes and 
ate buttermilk pancakes. The panel members were served microwavable 
pancake products. The microwavable pancake products included a cooked 
buttermilk pancake made with the formula described in Table 1 and treated 
with water to increase the moisture by 6-to-12% (a "misted pancake"). The 
microwavable pancake products also included a cooked buttermilk pancake 
made with the formula described in Table 1, but not treated (an "unmisted 
pancake"). 
Each panel member ate samples from the microwave-heated pancake products. 
The samples were served in a random sequential monadic order. Butter and 
syrup were provided, and panel members were instructed to prepare the 
pancakes as they normally would. After tasting the pancakes, the panel 
members rated the pancakes for overall liking, tenderness and several 
other attributes. Data variants were analyzed by an analyses of variance 
to determine which samples differed significantly on the attributes 
tested. Data was statistically significant if the data fell within a 95% 
confidence level. 
The panel liked the misted pancakes significantly more than the unmisted 
pancakes. Also, the panel liked the texture and flavor of the misted 
pancakes more than the unmisted pancakes. The panel liked the color of the 
misted pancakes to about the same degree as the unmisted pancakes. The 
panel rated the toughness/tenderness, lightness/darkness and moistness of 
the misted pancakes as "just about right". The panel rated the unmisted 
pancakes as tougher and drier than the misted pancakes. 
Data variants obtained in the hedonic test were also analyzed with a 
Student-Newman-Keuls (SNK) statistical analysis. Data was statistically 
significant if the data fell within a 95% confidence level. The misted 
pancakes received a hedonic score of 6.0 in the SNK test. The misted 
pancakes were rated significantly higher than the unmisted pancakes that 
scored only 5.1 with respect to overall liking. The texture of the misted 
pancakes also scored significantly higher than the texture of the unmisted 
pancakes. The results obtained from the SNK statistical analysis are 
described in Table 5. 
TABLE 5 
______________________________________ 
Misted 
Unmisted 
______________________________________ 
Overall Liking* 6.0 5.1 
Dislike - Like 
Liking of Appearance 
6.4 6.1 
Dislike - Like 
Liking of Pancake Color 
6.7 6.6 
Dislike - Like 
Liking of Flavor* 6.0 5.1 
Dislike - Like 
Liking of Texture* 5.8 4.4 
Dislike - Like 
Lightness/Darkness* 3.0 3.2 
Too Light - Too Dark 
Dryness/Moisture* 3.1 2.3 
Too Dry - Too Moist 
Toughness/Tenderness* 
3.0 1.9 
Too Tough - Too Tender 
Sweetness 2.9 2.8 
Not Enough - Too Sweet 
______________________________________ 
The designation of an * in Table 5 denotes features that were 
significantly different at a 95% confidence level. 
Although the present invention has been described with reference to 
preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that 
changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit 
and scope of the invention.