CA1046339A

CA1046339A - Process and apparatus for making a fried formed chip

Info

Publication number: CA1046339A
Application number: CA197,348A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Verne E. Weiss; Glenn M. Campbell; Gerald L. Wilson
Original assignee: General Mills Inc
Current assignee: General Mills Inc
Priority date: 1973-04-27
Filing date: 1974-04-10
Publication date: 1979-01-16
Also published as: NL7405640A; FR2226936A1; CH594358A5; JPS5639857B2; DE2420534A1; JPS5029764A; US4096791A; BE814313A; IE39379B1; AU6780774A; FR2226936B1; GB1464158A; IE39379L; ATA352874A; IT1008490B; US3935322A; LU69943A1; AT343448B

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

Method and apparatus for preparing a chip-type snack is disclosed. A dough is prepared and sheeted. An elongated shaped ribbon of connected dough pieces is cut from the dough sheet. The ribbon is passed through a deep fat fryer and then severed into individual chips.

Description

104~339 The present invention provides a method of preparing chip-type snacks comprising: mixing a farinaceous material and water to form a farinaceous dough, said water being present in an amount sufficient to provide a dough having sufficient cohesiveness to stick together as a sheet and less than that amount of water that would result in the dough sticking to equipment, the moisture content of said dough being about 25 to 45 percent by weight; forming the dough into a ribbon having alternating wide portions and narrow portions; frying the ribbon of dough in an oil bath, said oil bath having an entrance and an exit, said ribbon extending con-tinuously from said entrance to said exit, thereby frying said ribbon;
removing the ribbon from said oil bath and then separating the ribbon at the narrow portions to provide individual chips.
A further aspect of ~he present invention also provides a method of preparing chip-type snacks comprising; mixing a farinaceous material and water to produce a dough, said farinaceous material being a member selected from the group consisting of potato material, wheat flour, rice flour, and corn grits, said water being present in an amount of between 25 and 45 percent, basis total weight of dough; sheeting the dough to a thickness of about 0.015 to 0.06 inches; cutting the dough sheet into a ribbon includ-ing alternating wide portions of 1 to 2 inches and narrow portions of 1/8 to 3/8 inches; frying the ribbon by passing said ribbon through a bath of hot oil, said ribbon extending continuously from the entrance to the exit of said bath; removi~g the fried ribbon from said bath; and separating said ribbon at said narrow portions, said wide portions thereby producing individual fabricated chips.
In accordance with the presen~ invention there is also provided a method for preparing fabricated potato~chips comprising mixing at least one member of the group consisting of potato flakes and potato granules with water to form a dough, said water being present in an amount of from 25 to 45 percent based on the total weight of the dough, sheeting said B

~0~3~9 dough, cutting said sheeted dough to produce a continuing ribbon, transport-ing said ribbon through a ho~ oil bath thereby frying said ribbon, said ribbon extending from the entrance to the exit of said bath and then separating said ribbon into individual potato chips.

B ,~

~o~ 9 SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention includes method and apparatus for preparation of a dough material, sheeting and cutting the dough material into a ribbon of chips, frying the ribbon of chips and then severing the fried ribbon into individual chips.
THE METHOD OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The dough may be prepared from any of various parti-culate starchy food materials such as potato granules, potato flakes, wheat flour, rice flour, corn grits and the like. The dough, when preparing fabricated potato chips, may be prepared from a 1:1 mixture of potato flakes and potato granules. The dough may be prepared solely from either potato flakes or potato granules or any mixture thereof. Alternatively, the dough may be prepared from any other potato material or other farinaceous material. The dough may have various other added ingredients. The total moisture content is such that the dough has satisfactory handling characteristics. In other words, the dough has sufficient cohesiveness to stick together as a sheet but not 80 much adhesiveness that it sticks excessively to equipment. Water is added to the starchy food material in an amount sufficient to form a dough. The total moisture content of the dough may vary somewhat depending on the particular starchy food material being used but will preferably be in the range of 25 to 45 percent. The term "percent" and the like, as used herein, will mean by weight unless otherwise indicated. The most preferred moisture level is about 40 percent.
The dough is sheeted to any suitable thickness. The thickness typically will be about 0.025 inch; however, the preferred thickness may be in the range of 0.010 inch. A
more preferred dough sheet thickness is about 0.015 to o.o6 inch. The dough sheet may be cut into any desired shape of connected dough pieces (i.e., unfried chips) such as round ~0~;39 or oval. The pieces remain connected by a narrow portion which is large enough to permit processing of the ribbon of connected dough pieces through the fryer without separation or breakage of the ribbon. The connecting portion may be small enough to permit easy separation of the chips after removal from the fryer. The connecting portion for chips having a 1 to 2 inch diameter may typically be 1/8 to 3/8 inch.
The ribbon is transported through a bath of hot oil to fry the ribbon using any desired type of fryer. The moisture content during frying is reduced, for example, to less than 5 percent. Any type of frying oil may be used such as cottonseed oil, coconut oil, peanut oil and the like. The temperature of the frying oil is sufficient to fry the dough sheet to form fried chips but not so high as to burn the oil (i.e., below the smoke point of the oil). During frying, the dough is puffed or expanded and flavor is developed. The dough typically will expand about 100% in thickness during frying.
In other words, the final thickness of the puffed chip may be about twice that of the unpuffed dough. The amount of expan-sion may be increased or decreased, if desired, such as by confining the dough. The frying oil may be at a temperature of about 250to 410F., preferably about 320to 380F., typically 350F. The frying time will generally be about 5 to 30 seconds, preferably 8 to 20 seconds.
The ribbon is removed from the frying oil and separated into individual chips. The fried chips may be separated by any desired method, for example, by cutting them apart with a knife.
The preferred method for separating the chips is described in copending application, Serial No. 355,231, U. S. Patent No.3,937,848.

~A

~04~ 39 In the disclosed method the ribbon is permitted to become brittle or friable after removal from the fryer. In other words, the fried ribbon is pliable immediately upon leaving the fryer and becomes brittle or friable after about 5 to 10 seconds.
Although the exact mechanism is not fully known, it is believed that the change from the pliable state to the friable state is a result of two factors, namely, cooling and dehydration.
The change appears to be irreversible in the absence of the addition of major amounts of water. The friable chips are then separated such as by applying a moment force perpendicular to the ribbon (i.e., bending the ribbon) causing a fracture across the connecting portion.
APPARATUS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
Apparatus suitable for carrying out the present invention is shown in the drawings.
IN THE DRAWINGS:
FIGURE I shows a schematic view of apparatus for the present invention;
FIGURE II shows a dough preparation section for the present invention;
FIGURES III and IV show a dough sheeting section;
FIGURES V-VII show a dough cutting section for the present invention;
FIGURES VIII-X show various views of a fryer for use in the present invention;
FIGURE XI shows a chip severing section for the invention;
FIGURE XII shows a ribbon of connect dough pieces prior to frying.
The apparatus 10 (FIGURE I) of the present invention includes a mixing section 11, sheeting section 12, cutting ~C~ 39 section 13, frying section 14 and finishing section 15.
The mixing section 11 may include any type of apparatus suitable for the preparation of a dough such as from dehydrated potato material, typically potato granules, and water. The mixing section 11 may be a continuous auger mixer 21 (Figure II) or alternatively a paddle mixer. The auger mixer 21 may include a hopper 22, a barrel 23, a cut flight screw auger 24 and a motor 25. The screw auger 24 may be suitably supported at each end by bearings 26 and 27. The screw auger is rotatably driven by electric motor 25. The potato material may be added to the hopper 22 and is gradually pulled down into the barrel 23 by the screw auger 24. A water line 28 supplies the desired amount of water to the mixer 21.
The auger 24 intimately mixes the potato material and the water to form the dough. The water is present in an amount sufficient to form a dough that will stick together or, in other words, remain cohesively fused. Preferably, the water is not present in an amount so great as to make the dough adhesive and create sticking problems during processing. The water typically may be present in an amount of from about 25 to 45 percent, preferably about 40 percent by weight, based on the total weight of the dough. The added moisture is permitted to equilibrate through-out the dough, for example, by providing a residence time for the dough in the mixer of about 5 to 10 minutes.
The dough may be sheeted using any desired sheeting apparatus such as the sheeting section 12 ( Figures I, III and IV) which may include a support frame 31, a pair of smooth rolls 32, 33 and a hopper 34. The support frame 31 may be prepared from sheet or plate metal and includes a pair of side walls 35 and 36, as well as a front wall 37 and a rear wall 38. The rolls 32 and 33 are rotatably supported in frame 31 such as ~04i>;3~9 by bearings 30 and 40. The rolls 32 and 33 may be metal rolls which are rotatably driven by motor 41. The rolls 32 and 33 are spaced to provide the desired thickness of dough sheet.
In the preparation of fabricated potato chips, the thickness of the dough sheet may be about 0.02 to 0.03 inch.
The dough sheet 42 may be cut into a ribbon of dough pieces with each piece remaining connected to the adjacent pieces, see FIGURE XII. One type of cutting apparatus is a recipro-cating punch. Another type of apparatus 13 for cutting the ribbon is shown in FIGURES V-VII and further is shown and des-cribed in patent application, Serial No. 355,233, U.S. Patent No. 3,872,752. The cutting apparatus 13 includes a support frame 43, a cutter roll 44, a smooth roll 45 and a transfer roll 46. The support frame 43 may be constructed of sheet metal and may include a rear wall 47, a front wall 48 and a pair of side walls 49 and 50. The cutter roll 44 may be a metal drum mounted on a shaft 51 which is rotatably supported in suitable bearings in walls 49 and 50 (not shown). The cutter roll 44 may be prepared from a metal drum by machining away the surface thereof to leave a pair of cutting ridges 52 and 53 (FIGURE VII).
The ridges 52 and 53 have sufficient depth to cut through the dough sheet 42. The smooth roll 45 may be a metal drum mounted on a shaft 54 which is rotatably supported in side walls 49 and 50 such as by bearings (not shown). The smooth roll 45 abuts against the ridges 52 and 53 of roll 44 thereby providing a cutting surface. The transfer roll 46 may be a metal drum mounted on a shaft 55 which is rotatably supported in side walls 49 and 50 such as by bearings (not shown). The rolls 44, 45 and 46 may be driven by an electric motor (not shown). If desired, the rolls 44, 45 and 46 may be provided with vacuum ports for positively gripping of the dough sheet 42. The smooth ~A

104~139 roll 45, for example, may have vacuum ports 56 for gripping the waste portion 42a of dough sheet 42. A vacuum manifold 57 supplies a vacuum to ports 56 in a conventional manner. The vacuum, of course, is applied only over the zone where gripping of portion 42a is desired. The waste portion 42a may be recycled at any point prior to the sheeting section. Cutting roll 44 may have vacuum ports 58 and a vacuum manifold 59 for gripping the ribbon of chips 42b. The transfer roll 46 may have vacuum ports 61 and a vacuum manifold 62. The vacuum manifolds 57, 59 and 62 may be of con-ventional design. The ribbon and/or waste portion may be forcefully re- -moved from the rolls 44, 45, and 46, such as by a blast of air.
The fryer section may be a fryer substantially like that described and claimed in Canadian patent application Serial No. 197,346 entitled SNACK FRYER filed on even date herewith, which issued December 20, 1977 to General Mills Inc. Alternatively, the fryer may be of any type through which the ribbon may be passed during frying. The fryer section 14 (FIGURES VIII-X) may include a support frame 66, a frying tank 67, a con-veying wheel 68 and a continuous conveying belt system 69. The support frame 66 may be constructed from any structural material such as tubing, angle iron stock and the like for example by welding. The frying tank 67 may be constructed from sheet metal and is secured in frame 66 such as by bolts (not shown).
The tank 67 has an oil inlet pipe 64 for receiving heated oil from any suitable external heater (now shown). The tank 67 has an oil outlet pipe 65 for returning such oil to the heater. Any conventional frying oil heater may be used. Such heaters are typically of two types, direct external heaters and indirect external heaters. The direct external B - 7 _ heater applies heat, such as by a gas flame, directl~ to a condult through which the oil ls ~assing. The lndlrect externa]. heater applles heat to a condult through whi.ch a heat transfer fluld such as steam ls passlng. The heat trans~er fluld and the cooklng oll are both passed ~hr~ugh a heat exchanger in separate condults and the cooking oil plcks up heat energy rrom the heat transfer fluid. The lndirect external heater is preferred ln the present invention since more uni~orm heat is applied to the cooklng oil resulting in less degradation of the oil. The heaters in either case may be o~ a gas rlred type or o~ an electrical resistance type.
The conveying wheel 68 may lnclude a metal drum 71 whlch is supported on a shaft 72. The sha~t 72 may be rotatabl.y mounted in a palr of bearings 73 and 74 whlch are secured to support frame 66. The wheel 68 may have a row of gear teeth 76 and 77 at each side (See FIGURE IX) for purposes hereinafter described. The wheel 68 further includes a per-forated ~rying surface 78 which may be provided by wire screen or perforated metal 9heet The contlnuous conveylng belt system 69 may include a contlnuous link chaln 80 supported on gear wheels 81, 82, 83 and 84. Gear wheel 81 has a patr Or rows of gear teeth spaced substantlally the same as gear teeth rows 76 and 77 of wheel 68. ~ear wheel Bl 18 mounted on a shaft ~5 which is rotatably supported in bearings 86 and 87. The gear wheels 82 and 83 may be ldentical to gear wheel 81 The gear wheel 84 may be simllar, however, lt is mounted in such a manner that lt may be pivoted to tighten llnk chain 80. In other words, gear wheel 84 has a shaft 91 whlch is rotatably mounted ln bearings (not shown) ln levers 92 and 93. The levers 92 and 93 are secured to the flanges 94 and 96 o~ frame 66 by ~04~;39 plvot pin 97. A palr o~ pneumatlc cyllnders 98 and gn are provlded for drlvlng the gear wheel upwardly to tl~hten the chaln 80. The cyllnders 98 and 99 are secured to the ~upport ~rame 66 at the lower ends thereor and secured to lever~ 92 and 93 at the upper end~ thereor. The llnk chain 80 is de~lgned ror engagement with the varlous gear teeth on wheels 68, 81, 82, 83 and 84. Chaln 80 rurther include~ a perforated rrylng ~urrace lOl whlch mates wlth ~ur~ace 78 Or wheel 68.
The per~orated surrace 101 may be provided by wlre screen or perrorated metal ~heet whlch iB attached to each Or the links Or chaln 80. The surraces 78 and 101 may be shaped the same and rOr example may be rlat or seml-circular. Ir the surrace~
;, 7~ and 101 are seml-clrcular, surrace 78 may be convex and ~; .
surrace 101 may be concave, thereby matlng wlth each other.
The surraces 78 and 101 may be ~paced apart typically 1 0.03 to 0.07 lnch when rrylng a dough plece havlng a thlckness ¦ Or 0.02 lnch. The surraces 78 and 101 may be spaced apart typlcally o.o8 to 0.10 lnch when rrylng a dough plece havlng ~; a thlcknes~ Or 0.05 lnch. The perroratlons typlcally ~ay be . ~
; ~ 20 l/16 inch ln dla~eter and there are surrlclent perroratlons per lnch to provlde adequate contact Or the rlbbon with oll :
durlng ~rying. A drlp pan 100 may be provlded to catch any oll that may drlp rrom the belt system 69.
The ~lnlshlng ~ectlon 15 (FIGURES I and XI) may ~ lnclude a rlr~t conveyor 106, a salter 107, a ~econd conveyor ; ;~ ~ ~ 108 and a chlp separator 109. me conveyors 106 and 108 may be conventlonal contlnuous belt conveyors; however, they may be provlded wlth a plate such a~ 111 (FIGURE XI) ror upportlng the upper reach o~ the respectlve belt. In the oa~e Or a ghaped chlp, the belt conveyors may conrorm to the i~ ~
/~ shape Or the chips, The salter 107 may be Or any deslgn ~ ultable ror metering out the deslred amount Or ~alt or other :. ,~ g_ .
~ ~ ' -., ~ .

~04~ 39 flavoring onto the row of chips. The chip separator 109 may be a wheel that impinges against the individual chips thereby resulting in a fracture across the narrow portion 112 (FIGURE XII) between the chips. Such a chip separator is shown and claimed in Canadian Patent Application, Serial No, 197,351 filed April 10, 1974. The chips then fall into a container 113.
EXAMPLE I
The present invention was carried out by mixing dehydrated potato granules and dehydrated potato flakes in a 1:1 ratio in a continuous auger mixer substantially as shown in FIGURE II. The feed rate was about 236 grams per minute each of granules and flakes. The potato flakes had previously been ground so that not more than 10% were retained on a #20 United States Standard Sieve and not more than 15% passed through a #80 United States Standard Sieve. The bulk density of the flakes was about 37 pounds per cubic foot. Water was added to the mixer at the rate of 248 milliliters per minute. The retention time of the dough in the mixer was to 10 minutes. After mixing, the dough was passed through a Fitzmill*
equipped with a size 3B sc~een to homogenize the dough. The dough was sheeted to 0.025 inches and cut on a rotary cutter substantially as shown in FIGURES V-VII to provide a ribbon as shown in FIGURE XII. The ribbon was passed through a fryér substantially 8S shown in FIGURES VIII-X. The fried product was puffed to about twice its original thickness and had a tender texture and potato-like flavor. The fried ribbon was salted and broken apart into individual chips.
EXAMPLE II
Dough suitable for use in the present invention was prepared by mixing about 560 grams of a pregelatinized whole ground corn, 250 grams of water, and 10 grams of sodium * Trade Mark B -lo 104~39 chloride. The materials were mixed for about tw~ minutes in a planetary mixer (HobartW) and then sheeted to a thickness of about 0.025 lnches. The dough sheet was sultable for cutting into a rlbbon Or dough pleces and frylng to produce corn chips.
EXAMPLE III
Dough sultable for use in the present invention was prepared by mlxlng 90 pounds of corn grlts, 4.5 pounds defatted corn germ, 3.~ pounds vegetable oll, 0.9 pounds sodium chlorlde, 0.025 pounds Or calclum hydroxlde, coloring and seasoning. The mixture was fed to a James Cooker at the rate of 195 grams per mlnute and water was added at the rate of about 87 grams per mlnute. The cooked dough was sultable for sheeting and cutting lnto a rlbbon for frylng accordlng to the present lnvention.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A method of preparing chip-type snacks comprising:
mixing a farinaceous material and water to form a farinaceous dough, said water being present in an amount sufficient to provide a dough having sufficient cohesiveness to stick together as a sheet and less than that amount of water that would result in the dough sticking to equipment, the moisture content of said dough being about 25 to 45 percent by weight; forming the dough into a ribbon having alternating wide portions and narrow portions; frying the ribbon of dough in an oil bath, said oil bath having an entrance and an exit, said ribbon extending continuously from said entrance to said exit, thereby frying said ribbon;
removing the ribbon from said oil bath and then separating the ribbon at the narrow portions to provide individual chips.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the forming of said ribbon includes sheeting said dough to form a sheet having a thickness of about 0.015 to 0.06 inches.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said chip-type snack is fabricated potato chips and wherein said dough is sheeted to a thickness of about 0.02 to 0.03 inches.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said wide portions have a diameter of between about 1 and 2 inches and are connected by a narrow portion having a width of 1/8 to 3/8 inches.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the wide and narrow portions of said ribbon are formed by cutting said ribbon from said sheet.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said ribbon is molded during frying.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein said farinaceous material is dehy-drated potato material.

8. A method of preparing chip-type snacks comprising; mixing a farinaceous material and water to produce a dough, said farinaceous material being a member selected from the group consisting of potato material, wheat flour, rice flour, and corn grits, said water being present in an amount of between 25 and 45 percent, basis total weight of dough; sheeting the dough to a thickness of about 0.015 to 0.06 inches; cutting the dough sheet into a ribbon including alternating wide portions of 1 to 2 inches and narrow portions of 1/8 to 3/8 inches; frying the ribbon by passing said ribbon through a bath of hot oil, said ribbon extending continuously from the entrance to the exit of said bath; removing the fried ribbon from said bath;
and separating said ribbon at said narrow portions, said wide portions thereby producing individual fabricated chips.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said farinaceous material is potato material.

10. A method for preparing fabricated potato chips comprising mixing at least one member of the group consisting of potato flakes and potato granules with water to form a dough, said water being present in an amount of from 25 to 45 percent based on the total weight of the dough, sheeting said dough, cutting said sheeted dough to produce a continuing ribbon, transporting said ribbon through a hot oil bath thereby frying said ribbon, said ribbon extending from the entrance to the exit of said bath and then separating said ribbon into individula potato chips.