Patent ID: 7081266

Claim:
A mixture of dehydrated potato flakes made by a process comprising the steps of: (a) cooking raw potato pieces under atmospheric pressure with steam for a time sufficient to swell the potato cells and starch granules and separate the potato cells from each other without breaking more than 60% of the starch cells inside the potato cells, wherein during said cooking: (i) the temperature of the potato pieces rises from about 65° F. to about 212° F. during the first one-third of the cooking cycle, and the temperature rise of from about 175° F. to about 212° F. occurs over a time period of more than about 10 minutes; and (ii) the temperature is maintained at about 212° F. during the remainder of the cooking cycle; (b) forming the cooked potato pieces into a potato mash; (c) drying the potato mash to a moisture content of from about 5% to about 10% to provide a dehydrated mash; and (d) comminuting the dehydrated mash to form potato flakes, wherein said comminuting comprises reducing the particle size to form a potato flake mixture wherein the potato flakes in the mixture have a particle size distribution such that: (1) from 60% to about 70% remain on a #100 U.S. screen; (2) from 20% to about 40% remain on a #40 U.S. screen; (3) from about 1% to about 3% remain on a #20 U.S. screen; and (4) from 1% to about 3% remain on a #16 U.S. screen.