Vegetable noodles and methods for making the same

Abstract

The present disclosure features dried vegetable noodles having an increased shelf life and methods of making dehydrated vegetable noodles. The noodles are dry, shelf stable cut vegetable noodles (cut from whole produce, not extruded) and are lower in carbohydrate calories and higher in nutritional value than traditional grain-based noodles. The process results in a food safe, extended shelf stable singularized noodle that is nutritious, convenient and versatile.

1 .- 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A method of making a dehydrated vegetable noodle, the method comprising:
 contacting a vegetable with a solution comprising a first antimicrobial agent;   contacting the vegetable with a second antimicrobial agent, wherein the first antimicrobial agent and the second antimicrobial agent are different;   cutting the vegetable to form noodle shaped vegetable material;   spinning the noodle shaped vegetable material to remove liquid from the noodle shaped vegetable material, thereby forming a vegetable noodle;   heating the vegetable noodle at a temperature between about 110° F. and about 165° F.; and   providing a shelf stable, dehydrated vegetable noodle.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the vegetable is zucchini, potato, sweet potato, spaghetti squash, summer squash, winter squash, butternut squash, parsnip, turnip, rutabaga, cucumber, carrot, bullseye beet, golden beet, red beet celeriac, kohlrabi, pumpkin, daikon, eggplant, radish, breadfruit, apple, durian, jack-fruit, mango, melon, papaya, pineapple or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the first antimicrobial agent comprises hypochlorite solution, ozone, hydrogen peroxide, peroxyacetic acid or a combination thereof, and wherein the second antimicrobial agent comprises hypochlorite solution, ozone, hydrogen peroxide, peroxyacetic acid or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the dehydrated vegetable noodle has a shelf life of at least 6 months. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the step of contacting the vegetable with the second antimicrobial agent is before or after the step of cutting the vegetable. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the spinning is at about 400 rpm to about 1200 rpm. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the heating step comprises heating at a first temperature sufficient to remove at least 86% of moisture from the vegetable noodle; and heating at a second temperature sufficient to kill a microorganism. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein the microorganism is a gram positive bacteria, a gram negative bacteria, mold, or yeast. 
     
     
         29 . A dehydrated vegetable noodle made from the method of  claim 21 . 
     
     
         30 . A composition comprising the dehydrated vegetable noodle of  claim 21 , and optionally one or more flavor additives, one or more preservatives or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         31 . A kit comprising the dehydrated vegetable noodle of  claim 21 , and instructions for preparing a noodle recipe. 
     
     
         32 . A method for making a dehydrated vegetable noodle comprising:
 contacting a vegetable with a solution comprising a first antimicrobial agent;   cutting the vegetable to form noodle shaped vegetable material;   spinning the noodle shaped vegetable material to remove liquid from the noodle shaped vegetable material, thereby forming a shelf stable dehydrated vegetable noodle.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  further comprising contacting the vegetable with a second antimicrobial agent that is a different than the first antimicrobial agent. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the first antimicrobial agent or the second antimicrobial agent comprises hypochlorite solution, ozone, hydrogen peroxide, peroxyacetic acid or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32  further comprising heating the vegetable noodle at a temperature between about 110° F. and about 165° F. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the spinning is at about 400 rpm to about 1200 rpm. 
     
     
         37 . A method of dehydrating vegetable noodles, the method comprising:
 incubating the vegetable noodles at a first temperature sufficient to remove at least 86% of moisture from the vegetable noodles; and   incubating the vegetable noodles at a second temperature sufficient to kill a microorganism, thereby forming shelf stable dehydrated vegetable noodles.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the first temperature is between about 110° F. and about 130° F., and wherein the second temperature is between about 130° F. and about 160° F. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37  further comprising singularizing the vegetable noodles. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the vegetable noodles are singularized on a conveyor belt assembly.