Shelf-stable filled pasta and methods of making

Abstract

A shelf-stable filled pasta and a method of making same, the method comprising providing an acid-treated or acid-containing tillable pasta piece having a pH of about 4.6 or less; inserting filling into the tillable pasta piece; exposing the filling in the filled pasta piece to microwave or radio frequency radiation to reduce the water activity in the filling to about 0.85 or less; sealing the filled pasta piece in a package; and pasteurizing the filled pasta piece at any point in the process after the filling has been inserted into the fillable pasta piece. The shelf-stable filled pasta is a pasta made by the foregoing method.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A method of manufacturing filled pasta capable of storage without refrigeration or freezing, comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing a fillable pasta piece having a pH of about 4.6 or less;    b) inserting a filling into said fillable pasta piece to form a filled pasta piece;    c) exposing the filling in said filled pasta piece to microwave or radio frequency radiation to reduce the water activity of the filling to about 0.85 or less;    d) sealing said filled pasta piece in a package; and    e) pasteurizing said filled pasta piece at any point after said inserting a filling step.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said filling includes a water activity depressant.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein said water activity depressant is selected from the group consisting of sugars, salts, gums, alcohol, alginates and humectants.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the water activity is reduced to 0.80 to 0.85.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said exposure to microwave or radio frequency radiation lasts from 15 to 70 seconds.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the filled pasta piece has a shelf life of at least nine months.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said fillable pasta piece is formed by first laminating uncooked pasta dough.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said filled pasta piece is pasteurized with steam before being exposed to microwave or radio frequency radiation.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising an additional pasteurizing step after said sealing.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said sealing comprises flushing said package with a gas containing nitrogen and substantially lacking oxygen.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said pH of said fillable pasta piece is reached by addition of an edible acid.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein said edible acid is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, lactic acid, fumaric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid and glucono delta lactone.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said pH of said fillable pasta piece is reached by immersion in a solution containing an edible acid.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said edible acid is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, lactic acid, fumaric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid and glucono delta lactone.  
     
     
         15 . A shelf-stable filled pasta produced by a process comprising the steps of: 
 a) providing an acid-treated or acid-containing fillable pasta piece having a pH of about 4.6 or less;    b) inserting filling into said tillable pasta piece to form a filled pasta piece;    c) exposing the filling in said filled pasta piece to microwave or radio frequency radiation to reduce the water activity of the filling to about 0.85 or less;    d) sealing said filled pasta piece in a package; and    e) pasteurizing said filled pasta piece at any point after said inserting a filling step.    
     
     
         16 . The shelf-stable filled pasta of  claim 15 , wherein said filling includes a water activity depressant.  
     
     
         17 . The shelf-stable filled pasta of  claim 15 , wherein the water activity is reduced to 0.80 to 0.85.  
     
     
         18 . The shelf-stable filled pasta of  claim 15 , wherein the filled pasta piece has a shelf life of at least nine months.  
     
     
         19 . The shelf-stable filled pasta of  claim 15 , wherein said filled pasta piece is selected from the group consisting of tortellini and ravioli.