Nutrient-fortified, reduced-calorie fruit and/or vegetable food product and processes for making same

Abstract

A reduced-calorie fruit and/or vegetable spread product, optionally fortified with additional nutrients, including whole, natural fruit(s) and/or vegetable(s), or combinations thereof, having improved flavor, texture (e.g., mouth feel), color, and nutritional value as compared to fruit and/or vegetable spread products made with conventional processes. More particularly, the present invention includes a fruit and/or vegetable spread product having reduced caloric and carbohydrate content and having increased soluble dietary fiber content, optionally fortified with vitamins, minerals and other nutrients, and processes for making, or preparing, the same.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A fruit and/or vegetable spread product comprising 
 (a) 0.5-5% pectin;    (b) 0.5-3% soluble dietary fiber optionally fortified with nutrients selected from one or more vitamins, minerals, prebiotics, or probiotics;    (c) 12-20% sweetener; and,    (d) 25-80% of at least one fruit and/or at least one vegetable or combination thereof.    
     
     
         2 . The fruit and/or vegetable spread product of  claim 1 , wherein the soluble fiber is inulin.  
     
     
         3 . The fruit and/or vegetable spread product of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one fruit or at least one vegetable or combination thereof is present in an amount from about 25 percent to about 75 percent of the total product.  
     
     
         4 . The fruit and/or vegetable spread product of  claim 2 , wherein the fruit includes at least one of strawberries, blueberries, boysenberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries, mangos, peaches, pineapples, plums, kiwis, apricots, grapes, apples and mulberries.  
     
     
         5 . The fruit and/or vegetable spread product of  claim 2 , wherein the vegetable includes at least one of carrots, tomatoes, hicma, beets, onions, garlic, zucchini, avocados, and herbs.  
     
     
         6 . The fruit and/or vegetable spread product of  claim 2 , wherein the fruit and vegetable are present in combination.  
     
     
         7 . The fruit and/or vegetable spread product of  claim 6 , wherein the fruit includes at least one of strawberries, blueberries, boysenberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries, mangos, peaches, pineapples, plums, kiwis, apricots, grapes, apples and mulberries and the vegetable includes at least one of carrots, tomatoes, hicma, beets, onions, garlic, zucchini, avocados, and herbs.  
     
     
         8 . The fruit and/or vegetable spread product of  claim 1  wherein the soluble fiber is inulin fortified with nutrients selected from one or more vitamins, minerals, prebiotics, or probiotics.  
     
     
         9 . The fruit and/or vegetable spread product of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one fruit or at least one vegetable or combination thereof is present in an amount from about 25 percent to about 75 percent of the total product.  
     
     
         10 . The fruit and/or vegetable spread product of  claim 8 , wherein the fruit includes at least one of strawberries, blueberries, boysenberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries, mangos, peaches, pineapples, plums, kiwis, apricots, grapes, apples and mulberries.  
     
     
         11 . The fruit and/or vegetable spread product of  claim 8 , wherein the vegetable includes at least one of carrots, tomatoes, hicma, beets, onions, garlic, zucchini, avocados, and herbs.  
     
     
         12 . The fruit and/or vegetable spread product of  claim 8 , wherein the fruit and vegetable are present in combination.  
     
     
         13 . The fruit and/or vegetable spread product of  claim 12 , wherein the fruit includes at least one of strawberries, blueberries, boysenberries, raspberries, blackberries, cherries, mangos, peaches, pineapples, plums, kiwis, apricots, grapes, apples and mulberries and the vegetable includes at least one of carrots, tomatoes, hicma, beets, onions, garlic, zucchini, avocados, and herbs.