Process for removing the peels from cooked mashed potatoes which may subsequently be dehydrated

Claim 2

A PROCESS FOR PREPARING A DEHYDRATED POTATO PRODUCT WHEREIN THE POTATOES ARE PEELED WITH A PAIR OF CYLINDRICAL PRESSING DRUMS MOUNTED IN PARALLEL TANGENTIALLY ADJACENT RELATIONSHIP, BOTH OF THE PRESSING DRUMS HAVING OPENINGS THEREIN, SAID PROCESS COMPRISISNG PLACING PIECES OF COOKED POTATO HAVING PEEL ON THEM BETWEEN THE PRESSING DRUM , ROTATING BOTH OF THE DRUMS WITH THE ROTATION OF ONE OF THE DRUMS BEING AT A HIHGER SURFACE SPEED THAN THE OTHER TO PROVIDE A SHEARING ACTION FOR SEVERING THE LIGAMENTS OF EDIBLE POTATO THAT EXTEND THROUGH THE OPENINGS FROM THE ADJACENT PEELING THEREBY FORCING COOKED EDIBLE PORTIONS OF THE POTATO, EXCEPT THE PEEL, THROUGH THE OPENINGS IN THE DRUMS AND RETAINING THE PEELINGS ON THE SURFACE OF THE DRUMS, WHEREBY THE SPEED DIFFERENTIAL PROVIDED BY THE DIFFERENT SURFACE SPEEDS OF THE DRUM IS ADAPTED TO INCREASE THE YIELD OF THE PROCESS BY REMOVING AN ADDITIONAL FRACTION OF THE POTATO FROM THE PEEL AND THEREAFTER DRYING THE MASHED POTATO BY EXPOSING THE POTATO MASH TO A DRYING MEDIUM TO OBTAIN A NON-PASTY DEHYDRATED POTATO.

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein the potatoes are exposed to a cortex discoloration inhibitor agent prior to passing between the pressing elements to prevent the discoloration of the edible portions of the potato that pass through the openings when the potatoes are cooked before removal of the peels.

Claim 4

A process of preparing a dehydrated potato product wherein the potatoes are peeled with a pair of parallel pressing drums having openings through them and being mounted adjacent to one another for rotation upon their longitudinal central axes, the process comprising cutting the potatoes into pieces that are about one-fourth to three-fourths of an inch in thickness, blanching the cut potatoes in water sufficiently warm to swell the starch granules without appreciably softening the potatoes, exposing the potatoes to a cortex discoloration inhibiting agent prior to mashing the potatoes, cooling the potatoes to a temperature of about room temperature or lower, thereafter exposing the potatoes to sufficient heat to cook them to the point where they reach a consistency capable of being mashed, placing the cooked potatoes having peel on them between the pressing drums, rotating the pressing drums in opposite directions, whereby successive portions of the drums converge toward one another thereby forcing the cooked portions other than the peel of the potato through the openings therein, retaining the peels on their surfaces and thereafter dyring the mashed potato by exposing the potato mash to a drying medium to obtain a non-pasty dehydrated potato and the surfaces of the drums travel at different speeds, whereby shearing action is provided between the drums for severing the ligaments of edible potato that extend through the openings from the adjacent peelings.

Claim 5

A process of preparing a dehydrated potato product wherein the potatoes are peeled with a pair of parallel pressing drums having openings through them and being mounted adjacent to one another for rotation upon their longitudinal central axes, the process comprising cutting the potatoes into pieces that are about one-fourth to three-fourths of an inch in thickness, blanching the cut potatoes in water sufficiently warm to swell the starch granules without appreciably softening the potatoes, exposing the potatoes to a cortex discoloration inhibiting agent prior to mashing the potatoes, cooling the potatoes to a temperature of about room temperature or lower, thereafter exposing the potatoes to sufficient heat to cook them to the point where they reach a consistency capable of being mashed, placing the cooked potatoes having peel on them between the pressing drums, rotating the pressing drums in opposite directions, whereby successive portions of the drums converge toward one another thereby forcing the cooked portions other than the peel of the potato through the openings therein, retaining the peels on their surfaces and thereafter dyring the mashed potato by exposing the potato mash to a drying medium to obtain a non-pasty dehydrated potato and the surfaces of the drums travel at different speeds, whereby shearing action is provided between the drums for severing the ligaments of edible potato that extend through the openings from the adjacent peelings.

Claim 6

A process of preparing potatoes wherein the center portion of the potato is removed and sliced into pieces for making french fried potatoes or the like, the remaining outer portions of the potatoes are then further processed to prepare a dehydrated potato product wherein the potatoes are peeled with a pair of parallel pressing drums having openings through them and being mounted adjacent to one another for rotation upon their longitudinal central axes, said process comprising blanching said remaining outer portions of the potatoes in water sufficiently warm to swell the starch granules without appreciably softening the potatoes, exposing the potatoes to a cortex discoloration inhibiting agent prior to mashing the potatoes, cooling the potatoes to a temperature of about room temperature or lower, thereafter exposing the potatoes to sufficient heat to cook them to the point where they reach a consistency capable of being mashed, placing the cooked potatoes having peel on them between the pressing drums, rotating the pressing drums in opposite directions, whereby successive portions of the drums converge toward one another thereby forcing the cooked portions other than the peel of the potato through the openings therein, retaining the peels on their surfaces and thereafter drying the mashed potato by exposing the potato mash to a drying medium to obtain a non-pasty dehydrated potato.

Claim 7

A process of preparing potatoes wherein the center portion of the potato is removed and sliced into pieces for making french fried potatoes or the like, the remaining outer portions of the potatoes are then further processed to prepare a dehydrated potato product wherein the potatoes are peeled with a pair of parallel pressing drums having openings through them and being mounted adjacent to one another for rotation upon their longitudinal central axes, said process comprising blanching said remaining outer portions of the potatoes in water sufficiently warm to swell the starch granules without appreciably softening the potatoes, exposing the potatoes to a cortex discoloration inhibiting agent prior to mashing the potatoes, cooling the potatoes to a temperature of about room temperature or lower, thereafter exposing the potatoes to sufficient heat to cook them to the point where they reach a consistency capable of being mashed, placing the cooked potatoes having peel on them between the pressing drums, rotating the pressing drums in opposite directions, whereby successive portions of the drums converge toward one another thereby forcing the cooked portions other than the peel of the potato through the openings therein, retaining the peels on their surfaces and thereafter drying the mashed potato by exposing the potato mash to a drying medium to obtain a non-pasty dehydrated potato.