Method and system for modifying raw foods, and raw food product made thereby

Abstract

A method for modifying a quality of a fruit includes cutting a live stem attached to a live fruit at a cut distance from the fruit, producing a cut end of the stem, contacting only the cut end of the stem with a solution comprising at least one mobile and quality-modifying food ingredient while protecting the fruit from contact with the solution, and keeping the cut end of the stem in contact with the solution for an incubation time sufficient to allow absorption and transport of the food ingredient into the fruit, the food ingredient conferring a modified quality upon the fruit. A system for practicing the method and an edible raw plant product produced by the method are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for modifying a quality of a fruit, comprising:
 cutting a live stem attached to a live fruit at a cut distance from the fruit, producing a cut end of the stem;   contacting only the cut end of the stem with a solution comprising at least one mobile and quality-modifying food ingredient selected from the group consisting of acesulfame-K, sucralose, steviosides, neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, nonivamide, allicin, maltol, ethyl maltol, methyl anthranilate, methyl salicylate, vanillin, anthocyanin, betalain, norbixin, gingerol, theobromine, theophylline, ginsenosides, caffeine, carmine, chlorophyllin, and betanin, while protecting the fruit from contact with the solution; and   keeping only the cut end of the stem in contact with the solution for an incubation time sufficient to allow absorption and transport of the mobile and quality-modifying food ingredient into only interior tissues of the fruit, the mobile and quality-modifying food ingredient modifying a sensory characteristic of the fruit.   
     
     
         2 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the solution contains at least one compound that promotes introduction of the mobile and quality-modifying food ingredient into the fruit, the at least one compound being selected from the group consisting of cyclodextrin, sucrose, surfactant, ethanol, polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, potassium hydroxide, polyethylene glycol, propylene glycol, hydrochloric acid and citric acid. 
     
     
         3 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the cut distance is from 1-50 cm, and the incubation time is from 2-72 hours. 
     
     
         4 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the food ingredient comprises a dissolved food ingredient that (i) can be absorbed into the cut end of the stem, (ii) transported through a vascular system into the fruit without being fully degraded or metabolized and without causing noticeable damage to the fruit, and (iii) is capable of modifying a sensory characteristic of the fruit. 
     
     
         5 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising removing from the fruit the cut end of the stem that was contacted with the solution. 
     
     
         6 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the fruit is selected from the group consisting of tomato, carrot, celery, lettuce, parsley, potato and strawberry. 
     
     
         7 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein:
 cutting the live stem comprises separating the fruit and an attached portion of the stem from a living plant; and   contacting the cut end of the stem with the solution comprises immersing a portion of the stem and the cut end in the solution.   
     
     
         8 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the mobile and quality-modifying food ingredient is selected from the group of mobile and quality-modifying food ingredients consisting of acesulfame-K, sucralose, steviosides, neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, nonivamide, and allicin, and wherein the modified sensory characteristic is taste. 
     
     
         9 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the mobile and quality-modifying food ingredient is selected from the group of mobile and quality-modifying food ingredients consisting of maltol, ethyl maltol, and methyl anthranilate, and wherein the modified sensory characteristic is aroma. 
     
     
         10 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the mobile and quality-modifying food ingredient is selected from the group of mobile and quality-modifying food ingredients consisting of caffeine, theobromine, theophylline, and ginsenosides, and wherein the modified sensory characteristic is stimulating activity. 
     
     
         11 . A method in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the mobile and quality-modifying food ingredient is selected from the group of mobile and quality-modifying food ingredients consisting of betalain, norbixin, carmine, chlorophyllin, and betanin, and wherein the modified sensory characteristic is color. 
     
     
         12 . An edible raw plant product produced by the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         13 . An edible raw plant product, comprising:
 a modified raw fruit, having interior tissues and an exterior skin, containing only within the interior tissues and not on the skin a detectable amount of at least one food ingredient infused only through a stem of the fruit, the at least one food ingredient imparting a detectably modified sensory characteristic to the raw fruit compared to an unmodified raw fruit of the same type.   
     
     
         14 . A raw plant product in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the food ingredient is selected from the group consisting of steviosides, sucralose, acesulfame-potassium, and neohesperidin dihydrochalcone, and the modified sensory characteristic is a new taste, the new taste being enhanced sweetness. 
     
     
         15 . A raw plant product in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the food ingredient is selected from the group consisting of caffeine, theobromine, theophylline, and ginsenosides, and the modified sensory characteristic is stimulating activity. 
     
     
         16 . A raw plant product in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the food ingredient is selected from the group consisting of capsaicin, dihydrocapsaicin, nonivamide, gingerol, piperine, and allicin, and the modified sensory characteristic is a new flavor, and the new flavor is pungency. 
     
     
         17 . A raw plant product in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the food ingredient is selected from the group consisting of carmine, norbixin, chlorophyllin, and betanin, and the modified sensory characteristic is a new color. 
     
     
         18 . A raw plant product in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the food ingredient is selected from the group consisting of vanillin, maltol, ethyl maltol, methyl anthranilate, and methyl salicylate, and the modified sensory characteristic is a new aroma. 
     
     
         19 . A raw plant product in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the edible raw fruit is selected from the group consisting of carrot root, celery stem, tomato fruit and lettuce leaf, and the food ingredient is sucralose. 
     
     
         20 . A raw plant product in accordance with  claim 13 , wherein the edible raw fruit is a tomato fruit, and the food ingredient is selected from the group consisting of acesulfame-potassium and capsaicin.