Processed vegetables

Claim 1

A process for dehydrating a vegetable to a desired moisture content and a water activity level at 20° C. of from 0.45 to 0.85, comprising the steps of (a) partially dehydrating said vegetable, allowing at least 10% residual moisture to remain; (b) adding to and mixing with the partially dehydrated vegetable a predetermined volume, not exceeding 34.6% by weight of the combined weights of the vegetable and solution, of an aqueous solution containing a known quantity of at least one water activity controlling solute selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride and mixtures of sodium chloride and a sugar, said solution containing no other solutes other than flavorings, coloring substances, seasonings, preservatives, salts, nutritional supplements and anti-oxidants, the quantity of said solution being such that it is totally absorbed by said partially dehydrated vegetable, and the absorption being carried out above 10° C.; and (c) dehydrating said vegetable to a predetermined moisture content and said water activity level in a final dehydration step, the amounts of sugar and sodium chloride in said solution being such that the sugar content of the final dehydrated vegetable is less than 15% by weight and the sodium chloride content is 3-15% by weight.