US4713252A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process for producing a semi-moist fruit product and the products therefrom
Assignee: Maine Wild Blueberry Co
•
Filing: 1986-10-24
•
Granted: 1987-12-15
•
Expires: 2006-10-24
Abstract
Abstract A semi-moist fruit product produced by a sugar-syrupping processing used in conjunction with wash-rinsing, surface air-drying and freeze-drying particularly adapted for use with blueberries, cherries and other similarly constituted fruits, whereby, liquid within the fruit is removed from the fruit through osmotic pressure exchange and is replaced by sugar molecules and an equilibrium is reached, thereafter through washing, rinsing and blotting of excess syrup, the process ensures independent individual dried fruit from sticking together, followed by freezing, vacuuming drying and packaging.
Inventors
- 👤 Amr A. Ismail
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 11:34
CPC Classifications
A; A23; A23B; A23B7/00; A23B7/02; A23B7/022; A23B7/024; A23B7/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 25
Claim 1
Independent Claim
158 words
A process for producing a sweetened, semi-moist fruit product having a moisture content in the range of 10% to 40% comprising: (a) coating fresh or frozen fruit with an effective amount of sugar to initiate nondestructive osmotic fluid-sugar exchange; (b) continuing the nondestructive osmotic fluid-sugar exchange within the fruit in which fruit juices migrate outward from the fruit and sugar migrates into the fruit by the osmotic exchange until the sugar concentration reaches an equilibrum across the fruit, without disturbing the natural skin of the fruit to produce a mixture of sugared fruit and sugared fruit syrup, (c) separating the syrup from the fruit; (d) rinsing the fruit to remove surface sugar and syrup from outside the fruit; and (e) drying the sweetened fruit in a vacuum atmosphere of up to 400 microns Hg and suddenly releasing the vacuum atmosphere within 1 to 2 minutes to collapse the fruit to a relatively wrinkled solid, chewy and palatable condition.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
158 words
A process for producing a sweetened, semi-moist fruit product having a moisture content in the range of 10% to 40% comprising: (a) coating fresh or frozen fruit with an effective amount of sugar to initiate nondestructive osmotic fluid-sugar exchange; (b) continuing the nondestructive osmotic fluid-sugar exchange within the fruit in which fruit juices migrate outward from the fruit and sugar migrates into the fruit by the osmotic exchange until the sugar concentration reaches an equilibrum across the fruit, without disturbing the natural skin of the fruit to produce a mixture of sugared fruit and sugared fruit syrup, (c) separating the syrup from the fruit; (d) rinsing the fruit to remove surface sugar and syrup from outside the fruit; and (e) drying the sweetened fruit in a vacuum atmosphere of up to 400 microns Hg and suddenly releasing the vacuum atmosphere within 1 to 2 minutes to collapse the fruit to a relatively wrinkled solid, chewy and palatable condition.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
48 words
The process as set forth in claim 1 in which the osmotic sugar exchange is continued until the Brix of the syrup outside the fruit is from 35% to 40% and the soluble solids reading of the juice within the said sweetened fruit is from 22% to 27%.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
The process is set forth in claim 1 in which said rinsing of the fruit according to step (d) is water at a temperature ranging from 40° F. to 70° F. to condition the fruit for subsequent freeze-drying.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
The process as set forth in claim 3 in which the sugared fruit is only rinsed sufficiently to remove surface syrup and sugar from the fruit without causing dilution of the sugar in the fruit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process as set forth in claim 4 in which excess free surface liquid is removed from the fruit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process as set forth in claim 5 in which said free surface liquid is removed by an air stream.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
The process as set forth in claim 4 after rinsing the fruit according to step (d) including drying the sugared fruit so that it contains up to 65% moisture, by weight, to minimize freeze-drying time according to step (e).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process as set forth in claim 1 in which the ratio of fruit to sugar, by weight, is 3 to 1.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process as set forth in claim 1 in which the fruit comprises wild (lowbush) blueberries.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
16 words
The process as set forth in claim 1 in which said fruit comprises cultivated (highbush) blueberries.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process as claimed in claim 1 in which said fruit comprises cherries.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
60 words
The process as set forth in claim 1 in which sugared fruit and sugared fruit syrup is from 50 to 60% and 40 to 50%, by weight respectively, of the mixture when the Brix of the syrup outside the fruit is 35 to 40% and the soluble solids readings of the juice within the fruit is from 22 to 27%.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
The process as claimed in claim 1 in which said sugared fruit, after being rinsed according to step (d) is individually quick frozen so that the frozen fruit is free flowing.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The process as claimed in claim 1 in which said sugared fruit is vacuum frozen.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process as claimed in claim 1 in which the drying of the sweetened fruit is effected in a freeze-drying vacuum atmosphere.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process as claimed in claim 1 in which the dried fruit is coated with an anti-caking agent.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
41 words
The process as claimed in claim 1 in which the sugared fruit of step (d) is rinsed by dipping the fruit in a water bath at a temperature of up to 70° F. and for a period of from 10-20 seconds.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
40 words
The process as claimed in claim 1 in which said sugared fruit syrup of step (c) is diluted with water and is freeze-dried until the moisture level reaches from 1-2% and the dried sugared fruit syrup has a crystalline form.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
The process as set forth in claim 1 in which said osmotic fluid sugar exchange is effected at room temperature of about 70°-80° F.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
36 words
The process as set forth in claim 1 in which said fruit, while subject to osmotic sugar exchange of step (b) is subjected to gentle mixing and an elevated temperature not in excess of 140° F.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
10 words
The product as produced by the method of claim 1.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
17 words
The product as produced by the method of claim 9 and wherein said fruit comprises wild(lowbush) blueberries.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
17 words
The product as produced by the method of claim 10 and wherein said fruit comprises cultivated(highbush) blueberries.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
16 words
The product as produced by the method of claim 11 and wherein said fruit comprises cherries.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2415995A
Cited
US2419877A
Cited
US2724487A
Cited
US2647059A
Cited
US2785071A
Cited
US3406078A
Cited
US3356512A
Cited
US3501319A
Cited
US4002772A
Cited
US3806610A
Cited
US3800049A
Cited
US3843810A
Cited
US3833747A
Cited
US3930034A
Cited
US3931434A
Cited
US4041184A
Cited
US4096283A
Cited
US4355050A
Cited
US4298623A
Cited
US4341803A
Cited
US4402988A
Cited
DE3316647A1
Cited
US4551348A
Cited
US4542033A
Cited
US4562085A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1990-12-14 | 1991-06-15 | 1991-12-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-12-14 | 1995-06-15 | 1995-12-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-12-14 | 1999-06-15 | 1999-12-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |