Method of Shaping Fried Farinaceous Dough Products After Removal From The Frying Medium

Claim 2

IN THE PROCESS OF PREPARING SHAPED, CRISP SNACK FOODS FROM COHERENT FARINACEOUS DOUGHS, SAID PROCESS COMPRISING PREPARING A COHERENT FARINACEOUS DOUGH, SHEETING SAID DOUGH, CUTTING SAID SHEET INTO DESIRED SNACK FOOD PIECES, COMPLETELY FRYING SAID DOUGH PIECES IN A FRYING OIL TO A FINAL MOISTURE CONTENT OF 12 PERCENT OR LESS, AND REMOVING SAID COMPLETELY FRIED DOUGH PIECES FROM THE FRYING OIL, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING SHAPING SAID DOUGH PIECES INTO A DESIRED UNIFORM GEOMETRICAL SHAPE AFTER REMOVAL FROM THE FRYING OIL BUT BEFORE SAID FRIED DOUGH PIECES BECOME RIGID.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein the fried dough has a moisture content of from 1 to 5 percent.

Claim 4

The process of claim 1 wherein the fried dough moisture content is 3 percent or less.

Claim 5

The process of claim 1 wherein said dough sheet has a thickness of from 0.010 inch to 0.040 inch.

Claim 6

The process of claim 4 wherein said sheet thickness is from 0.014 inch to 0.030 inch.

Claim 7

The process of claim 1 wherein the farinaceous dough is a dough selected from the group consisting of corn, potatoes, wheat, rice, barley, oats, rye, and mixtures thereof.

Claim 8

The process of claim 6 wherein the farinaceous dough is a potato dough.

Claim 9

The process of claim 7 wherein the potato is prepared from dehydrated potatoes.

Claim 10

The process of claim 8 wherein the potato dough comprises from 20 to 70 percent by weight of moisture.

Claim 11

The process of claim 9 wherein the potato dough comprises from 30 to 60 percent by weight of moisture.

Claim 12

The process of claim 10 wherein shaping occurs within about 20 seconds after removal of the dough pieces from the frying oil.

Claim 13

The process of claim 11 wherein shaping occurred within 10 seconds after removal of the dough piece from the frying means.

Claim 14

The process of claim 11 wherein frying is deep fat frying for from 5 seconds to 60 seconds at a temperature above 212*F.

Claim 15

The process of claim 13 wherein frying is at a temperature of from 300*F to 375*F for from 7 seconds to 15 seconds.

Claim 16

A process of making a uniform shaped potato chip from dehydrated potatoes, said process comprising the steps of: a. preparing a coherent workable dough comprising from about 20 to about 70 percent by weight of moisture; b. sheeting said dough; c. completely frying at least a portion of said dough sheet to a final moisture content of 12 percent or less; d. removing said fried dough sheet portion from the frying medium; and e. shaping the fried sheet portion into a desired uniform geometrical shape after complete frying and removal from the frying medium, but before the fried dough becomes rigid.

Claim 17

A process of making a uniform shaped potato chip from dehydrated potatoes, said process comprising the steps of: a. preparing a coherent workable dough comprising from about 20 to about 70 percent by weight of moisture; b. sheeting said dough; c. completely frying at least a portion of said dough sheet to a final moisture content of 12 percent or less; d. removing said fried dough sheet portion from the frying medium; and e. shaping the fried sheet portion into a desired uniform geometrical shape after complete frying and removal from the frying medium, but before the fried dough becomes rigid.

Claim 18

A process of making uniform shaped farinaceous material-based snack foods, comprising: preparing a farinaceous dough, forming the dough into a sheet, cutting thE dough into pieces, stacking the pieces, completely frying the stacked pieces to a final moisture content of 12 percent or less, removing the fried stacked pieces from the frying medium and thereafter shaping the pieces into a desired uniform geometrical shape by applying, after complete frying and removal from the frying medium but before said pieces become rigid, a compressing force from oppositely disposed mating molds positioned at the top and bottom of said stack.

Claim 19

A process of making uniform shaped farinaceous material-based snack foods, comprising: preparing a farinaceous dough, forming the dough into a sheet, cutting thE dough into pieces, stacking the pieces, completely frying the stacked pieces to a final moisture content of 12 percent or less, removing the fried stacked pieces from the frying medium and thereafter shaping the pieces into a desired uniform geometrical shape by applying, after complete frying and removal from the frying medium but before said pieces become rigid, a compressing force from oppositely disposed mating molds positioned at the top and bottom of said stack.

Claim 20

A process of making uniformly shaped farinaceous material-based snack foods, comprising: preparing a dough, sheeting the dough, cutting the sheet into pieces, passing the pieces through a deep fat frying bath, while restraining the lateral side portions thereof against displacement, and after complete frying to a final moisture content of 12 percent or less and removal from the frying medium but before said pieces become rigid, shaping said fried dough pieces into a desired uniform geometrical shape.

Claim 21

A process of making uniformly shaped farinaceous material-based snack foods, comprising: preparing a dough, sheeting the dough, cutting the sheet into pieces, passing the pieces through a deep fat frying bath, while restraining the lateral side portions thereof against displacement, and after complete frying to a final moisture content of 12 percent or less and removal from the frying medium but before said pieces become rigid, shaping said fried dough pieces into a desired uniform geometrical shape.