Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
164 words
A process for making corn chips comprising the steps of: (a) comminuting hydrated corn having a moisture content of about 30% to about 40%; (b) separately comminuting hydrated starch material, said starch material selected from the group consisting of dehydrated potatoes, tapioca starch, corn starch and mixtures thereof; (c) mixing the corn and starch materials into a dough, the ratio of corn to starch material on a dry weight basis being from about 95:5 to about 80:20, said dough having a moisture content of about 30% to about 55%; (d) extruding the dough with a cooking extruder to provide a dough residence time in said cooking extruder of from about 5 to about 15 minutes and a dough outlet temperature of from about 180° F. to about 190° F., the starch in said hydrated corn having a high degree of gelatinization and base solubility after extrusion; (e) forming the dough into a sheet; (f) cutting the sheet into segments; and (g) deep-frying the segments.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
164 words
A process for making corn chips comprising the steps of: (a) comminuting hydrated corn having a moisture content of about 30% to about 40%; (b) separately comminuting hydrated starch material, said starch material selected from the group consisting of dehydrated potatoes, tapioca starch, corn starch and mixtures thereof; (c) mixing the corn and starch materials into a dough, the ratio of corn to starch material on a dry weight basis being from about 95:5 to about 80:20, said dough having a moisture content of about 30% to about 55%; (d) extruding the dough with a cooking extruder to provide a dough residence time in said cooking extruder of from about 5 to about 15 minutes and a dough outlet temperature of from about 180° F. to about 190° F., the starch in said hydrated corn having a high degree of gelatinization and base solubility after extrusion; (e) forming the dough into a sheet; (f) cutting the sheet into segments; and (g) deep-frying the segments.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the corn is hydrated by cooking at about 140° F. (60° C.) to about 212° F. (100° C.) for about 30 minutes to about 4 hours.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the corn is hydrated by cooking at about 180° F. (82.2° C.) to about 190° F. (87.8° C.) for about 30 to about 50 minutes.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
38 words
A process according to claim 3 additionally comprising the step of further hydrating the comminuted corn at a temperature of about 150° F. (65.6° C.) to about 170° F. (76.7° C.) for about 24 to about 48 hours.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
A process according to claim 4 wherein the comminuted corn is further hydrated at a temperature of about 160° F. (71.1° C.) to about 170° F. (76.7° C.) for about 24 to about 36 hours.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 5 wherein the corn is comminuted by cutting it with a cutting mill.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the starch material is derived from dehydrated potatoes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process according to claim 7 wherein the starch material is hydrated to a moisture content of about 60% to about 75%.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process according to claim 7 wherein the starch material is hydrated by heating at about 115° F. (46.1° C.) to about 125° F. (51.7° C.) for about 5 to about 10 minutes.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the dough is formed into a sheet by milling to a thickness of about 0.024" (0.06 cm.) to about 0.030" (0.076 cm.).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
165 words
A process for making corn chips comprising the steps of: (a) hydrating corn masa to a moisture content of about 30% to about 40%; (b) separately comminuting hydrated starch material, said starch material selected from the group consisting of dehydrated potatoes, tapioca starch, corn starch and mixtures thereof; (c) mixing the corn masa and starch material into a dough, the ratio of corn to starch material on a dry weight basis being from about 95:5 to about 80:20, said dough having a moisture content of about 30% to about 55%; (d) extruding the dough with a cooking extruder to provide a dough residence time in said cooking extruder of from about 5 to about 15 minutes and a dough outlet temperature of from about 180° F. to about 190° F., the starch in said hydrated corn having a high degree of gelatinization and base solubility after extrusion; (e) forming the dough into a sheet; (f) cutting the sheet into segments; and (g) deep-frying the segments.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
165 words
A process for making corn chips comprising the steps of: (a) hydrating corn masa to a moisture content of about 30% to about 40%; (b) separately comminuting hydrated starch material, said starch material selected from the group consisting of dehydrated potatoes, tapioca starch, corn starch and mixtures thereof; (c) mixing the corn masa and starch material into a dough, the ratio of corn to starch material on a dry weight basis being from about 95:5 to about 80:20, said dough having a moisture content of about 30% to about 55%; (d) extruding the dough with a cooking extruder to provide a dough residence time in said cooking extruder of from about 5 to about 15 minutes and a dough outlet temperature of from about 180° F. to about 190° F., the starch in said hydrated corn having a high degree of gelatinization and base solubility after extrusion; (e) forming the dough into a sheet; (f) cutting the sheet into segments; and (g) deep-frying the segments.