Process for the production of a ready to eat shelf-stable packaged focaccia

Abstract

A shelf-stable ready-to-eat packaged focaccia, is described having appearance and organoleptic qualities comparable to those of a fresh focaccia, which has a relative humidity comprised between 25 and 32%, preferably 27% and water activity (a w ) comprised between 0.85 and 0.92, preferably 0.89, and blind holes on its surface having depth of at least 50% of the thickness of the focaccia. A process for the production of a ready-to-eat shelf-stable packaged focaccia is also described which comprises the steps of: a) preparing a dough for focaccia comprising, by weight based on the total weight of the dough, 40-60% flour, 20-35% water, 7-16% vegetable oils and/or fats and/or fractions thereof, of which 1-6% extra virgin olive oil, 0.5-4% yeast, 0.1-3% salt, 0-15% at least one organoleptically characterising ingredient; 0-0.1% at least one baking processing aid, 0-0.8% at least one emulsifier and 0-1.5% dietary fibres; b) extrusion of the dough thus prepared thus obtaining a plurality of sheets of extruded raw dough for focaccia, and subsequent lamination of the plurality of sheets of raw dough for focaccia thus obtaining a layer of laminated raw dough for focaccia; c) first leavening of the layer of laminated raw dough for focaccia thus obtained at a temperature comprised between 20 and 30° C.; d) shaping of the layer of leavened raw dough for focaccia thus obtained forming a plurality of blind holes on the surface of the dough and filling of the holes with a saline solution;

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A shelf-stable and ready-to-eat packaged focaccia, with a shelf-life of at least 60 days, with appearance and organoleptic characteristics comparable to those of a fresh focaccia, which contains, by weight based on the final weight of the focaccia, extra virgin olive oil in a quantity of at least 6% and has relative humidity comprised between 25 and 32%, preferably 27%, and water activity (a w ) comprised between 0.85 and 0.92, preferably 0.89, and blind holes on its surface having depth of at least 50% of the thickness of said focaccia. 
     
     
         23 . The focaccia according to  claim 22  wherein said relative humidity and water activity are substantially homogeneous across said focaccia. 
     
     
         24 . The focaccia according to  claim 22 , wherein said focaccia comprises, by weight based on the final weight of the focaccia, flour in a quantity comprised between 50 and 60%, preferably about 56%; vegetable fats and/or oils and/or fractions thereof in a quantity comprised between 12 and 20%, preferably about 17%, of which extra virgin olive oil in a quantity comprised between 6 and 10%, preferably about 9%; yeast in a quantity comprised between 2 and 4%, preferably about 3%; salt in a quantity comprised between 1.0 and 2.3%, preferably about 2%, at least one organoleptically characterising ingredient in a quantity comprised between 0 and 15%; at least one baking processing aid in a quantity comprised between 0% and 0.1%; at least one emulsifier in a quantity comprised between 0 and 0.8%; and dietary fibres in a quantity comprised between 0 and 1.5%. 
     
     
         25 . The focaccia according to  claim 24 , wherein said flour is selected from any cereal flour, preferably in the group consisting of durum wheat, soft wheat,  turanicum  wheat ( Triticum turgidum  ssp.  turanicum ), rye, corn, rice, spelt, barley, sorghum, millet, oats, triticale, buckwheat,  quinoa , and mixtures thereof, more preferably soft wheat flour. 
     
     
         26 . The focaccia according to  claim 24 , wherein said vegetable fats and/or oils and/or fractions thereof are selected in the group consisting of palm, olive, sunflower, high oleic sunflower, canola oils and/or fats and combinations thereof, preferably a mixture of extra virgin olive oil and palm fat and/or vegetable margarine. 
     
     
         27 . The focaccia according to  claim 26 , which comprises a quantity of extra virgin olive oil comprised between 6 and 10% and a quantity of palm fat and/or vegetable margarine comprised between 6 and 10%. 
     
     
         28 . The focaccia according to  claim 24 , wherein said at least one baking processing aid is an ascorbic acid and/or enzyme based baking improver; said at least one emulsifier is selected from mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids and/or lecithin; and said dietary fibres are selected from the group consisting of guar fibres, wheat fibres, sugar cane fibres, and combinations thereof, preferably guar fibre. 
     
     
         29 . The focaccia according to  claim 24 , wherein said focaccia consists of, by weight based on the final weight of the focaccia, flour in a quantity comprised between 50 and 60%; vegetable fats and/or oils and/or fractions thereof in a quantity comprised between 12 and 20%, of which extra virgin olive oil in a quantity comprised between 6 and 10%; yeast in a quantity comprised between 2 and 4%; salt in a quantity comprised between 1.0 and 2.3%; at least one baking processing aid in a quantity comprised between 0 and 0.1%; at least one emulsifier in a quantity comprised between 0 and 0.8%; dietary fibres in a quantity comprised between 0 and 1.5%; and sufficient water to reach 100%. 
     
     
         30 . The focaccia according to  claim 22 , wherein said focaccia comprises one or more organoleptically characterising ingredients substantially homogeneously distributed both on the surface and in its entire thickness in a quantity comprised between 5 and 15%, by weight based on the total weight of the dough. 
     
     
         31 . The focaccia according to  claim 30 , wherein said organoleptically characterising ingredient is olives. 
     
     
         32 . The focaccia according to  claim 22 , wherein said focaccia comprises one or more organoleptically characterising ingredients prevalently placed inside said focaccia, in a quantity comprised between 5 and 15%, by weight based on the total weight of the dough. 
     
     
         33 . The focaccia according to  claim 32 , wherein said organoleptically characterising ingredient is tomato. 
     
     
         34 . The focaccia according to  claim 22 , wherein said focaccia comprises at least one organoleptically characterising ingredient on the upper surface. 
     
     
         35 . A process for the production of a ready-to-eat shelf-stable packaged focaccia having relative humidity comprised between 25 and 32%, and water activity (a w ) comprised between 0.85 and 0.92, which process comprises the steps of:
 a) preparation of a dough for focaccia comprising, by weight based on the total weight of the dough, 40-60% flour, 20-35% water, 7-16% vegetable oils and/or fats and/or fractions thereof, of which 1-6% extra virgin olive oil, 0.5-4% yeast, 0.1-3% salt, 0-15% at least one organoleptically characterising ingredient; 0-0.1% at least one baking processing aid, 0-0.8% at least one emulsifier and 0-1.5% dietary fibres;   b) extrusion of the dough thus prepared thus obtaining a plurality of sheets of extruded raw dough for focaccia, and subsequent lamination of said plurality of sheets of raw dough for focaccia thus obtaining a layer of laminated raw dough for focaccia;   c) first leavening of said layer of laminated raw dough for focaccia thus obtained at a temperature between 20 and 30° C.;   d) shaping of the layer of raw leavened dough for focaccia thus obtained forming a plurality of blind holes on the surface of the dough and filling said holes with a saline solution;   e) second leavening of the raw dough thus obtained at a temperature comprised between 30 and 37° C.;   f) oiling of the upper surface of the dough thus obtained with filling with the oil of said holes;   g) baking of the raw dough thus obtained in an oven at a temperature comprised between 210 and 240° C.; and   h) packaging of the focaccia thus obtained.   
     
     
         36 . The process according to  claim 35 , wherein said step a) of kneading comprises a first step wherein said flour, water, said optional at least one baking processing aid, said optional at least one emulsifier and/or said optional dietary fibres and said optional at least one organoleptically characterising ingredient are mixed; and a second step wherein said vegetable oils and/or fats and/or fractions thereof, yeast and salt are introduced into the dough thus formed. 
     
     
         37 . The process according to  claim 35 , wherein said step b) of extrusion and lamination is carried out with a passage of said dough in a “stress free” roller extruder thus obtaining a continuous layer of extruded raw dough, followed by the passage of said layer of extruded raw dough through a series of calibration rollers thus obtaining a sheet of extruded raw dough. 
     
     
         38 . The process according to  claim 37 , wherein said step b) of extrusion and lamination involves the superimposition of from 2 to 8 of said sheets of extruded raw dough, more preferably 4, thus obtaining a layer of laminated raw dough for focaccia with total thickness of 4-7 mm. 
     
     
         39 . The process according to  claim 37  wherein said step b) of extrusion and lamination comprises a step of dosing of at least one organoleptically characterising ingredient in a quantity comprised between 5 and 15% between two extruded sheets of raw dough for focaccia. 
     
     
         40 . The process according to  claim 39 , wherein said organoleptically characterising ingredient is tomato. 
     
     
         41 . The process according to  claim 35 , wherein said step c) of first leavening is carried out for a time between 25 and 35 minutes, at a temperature comprised between 20 and 30° C., and a relative humidity comprised between 55 and 65%. 
     
     
         42 . The process according to  claim 35 , wherein said step d) of shaping is carried out by poking said dough by means of a plurality of cylinders. 
     
     
         43 . The process according to  claim 35 , wherein said saline solution comprises from 25% by weight of salt based on the volume of the solution to saturation. 
     
     
         44 . The process according to  claim 43  wherein said saline solution is saturated and comprises about 35% by weight of salt based on the volume of the solution. 
     
     
         45 . The process according to  claim 35 , wherein said step e) of second leavening is carried out for a time comprised between 80 and 130 minutes, at a temperature comprised between 30 and 37° C., and a relative humidity comprised between 80 and 95%. 
     
     
         46 . The process according to  claim 35 , wherein in said step g) of baking the oven is of the convection type and the baking is preferably carried out for a time comprised between 13 and 19 minutes, at a temperature comprised between 210 and 240° C.