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Characteristics and Rehydration | Process Plant Facilities
| Advantages, Attributes and Uses |
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Oregon Potato Company produces dehydrofrozen potato products for use as an ingredient in soups, chowders,
pot pies, stews, casseroles and salads. A wide range of cut sizes are available as stock items.
Special products can be produced to satisfy unique customer needs. Dehydrofrozen potatoes provide a uniform consistency year round for various quality attributes. Customers also save on storage and shipping because each pound of dehydrofrozen yields up to two pounds of ready to use potatoes. If converting from raw use, the customer eliminates waste disposal, product losses, and the labor involved in peeling and cutting the fresh produce. Dehydrofrozen product performs well in canning or retort processes without loss in texture quality. There are many variations in the methods used for rehydrating dehydrofrozen potatoes. Customers' individual processes may be unique. Several methods are discussed here, but each application must be tested by the user to confirm rehydration rates and characteristics. Oregon Potato Company is happy to provide technical help at any time to maximize efficient use of dehydrofrozen products. |
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| Product Characteristics and Rehydration |
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Dehydrofrozen potatoes consist only of potatoes and sodium acid pyrophosphate, which is a chelating agent
that prevents greying that sometimes occurs with potatoes. No sulfites are used in the process. Color and flavor of the rehydrated products are typical of freshly prepared potatoes. Texture is slightly firm but tender. The potato piece will withstand slight finger pressure before breaking apart. Rehydration ratios vary from about 1.6:1 to 2.0:1 depending on the cut size and the rehydration techniques. As a rule large cuts such as 1/2" x 1" x 1" will have the lower ratios, while a 3/8" cube will rehydrate to about 2.0:1. Dehydrofrozen potatoes may be rehydrated prior to final use, or may be added to a formulation in the frozen state with rehydration occurring during cooking or retorting. With the latter situation, one must always compensate for water uptake of the potatoes in the formulation. When a product is rehydrated prior to use, many variations can be used. A standard method is to bring water to a boil, add potatoes and then simmer at about 200 degrees F. for 15-20 minutes. Several users will soak the product in an ambient temperature or warm water for up to one hour prior to a final simmer. The presoak generally will allow a shorter final simmer prior to use. To maintain firmness of the rehydrated product, the final product should be drained and cooled in cold water. This will tend to firm the product. Addition of some food grade acid to the cooling water will also aid in firming the product if that is desired. When product is rehydrated in a formulation other than water, the uptake of water from a soup stock, gravy, or sauce must be accounted for to avoid excess thickening. Any combination of presoak, partial cook, etc. can be employed with the final rehydration and in those cases only partial compensation of formula liquid is required. In order to accomplish consistency, the rehydration ratios of the cut being used are important. It is best that end users test their rehydration system or technique to see how much water is absorbed in each step. Oregon Potato Company Technical Services department would be happy to assist you in maximizing rehydration capabilities dependent on each users' flexibility and limitations. Retorting of product with dehydrofrozen potatoes will usually allow for rehydration ratio increases of 0.2 units over the open kettle rehydration methods. Dehydrofrozen products work well in retort systems without product deterioration. |
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Dehydrofrozen Dices | Dehydrated Flakes | Dehydrated Grind
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