Method of preserving color of vegetable pasta products

Claim 1

A method of preserving the color and texture of fresh green vegetable pasta comprising: (a) subjecting fresh green vegetable matter to an aqueous alkaline solution for a period of time and at a temperature sufficient to hydrolyze or partially hydrolyze the methyl and phytyl ester groups of the chlorophyll contained in the green vegetable matter, whereby the methyl and phytyl ester groups of the chlorophyll are converted to the respective alkali salts, wherein the pH of the alkaline solution is maintained between 9.0 and 11.0 by addition of sufficient buffer and wherein the buffer comprises a cation selected from the group consisting of calcuim, sodium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, copper and aluminum; (b) preparing a puree of the hydrolyzed vegetable matter of step (a) wherein the pH is maintained between 9.0 and 11.0; (c) blending a mixture comprised of glutinous flour, the puree of hydrolyzed vegetable matter of step (b), and water, to form a green alimentary vegetable paste, wherein the pH of said alimentary vegetable paste is above 7.0 and below 9.0; (d) extruding by internal pressure said green alimentary vegetable paste through holes in an extruder die having a plurality of holes, or by sheeting said green alimentary vegetable paste by pressing it between rollers; and (e) drying extruded or sheeted green alimentary vegetable paste to produce vegetable paste which retains the green color of the vegetable matter.

Claim 2

A method of preserving the color and texture of fresh green vegetable pasta comprising: (a) subjecting fresh green vegetable matter to an aqueous alkaline solution for a period of time and at a temperature sufficient to hydrolyze or partially hydrolyze the methyl and phytyl ester groups of the chlorophyll contained in the green vegetable matter, whereby the methyl and phytyl ester groups of the chlorophyll are converted to the respective alkali salts, wherein the pH of the alkaline solution is maintained between 9.0 and 11.0 by addition of sufficient buffer and wherein the buffer comprises a cation selected from the group consisting of calcuim, sodium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, copper and aluminum; (b) preparing a puree of the hydrolyzed vegetable matter of step (a) wherein the pH is maintained between 9.0 and 11.0; (c) blending a mixture comprised of glutinous flour, the puree of hydrolyzed vegetable matter of step (b), and water, to form a green alimentary vegetable paste, wherein the pH of said alimentary vegetable paste is above 7.0 and below 9.0; (d) extruding by internal pressure said green alimentary vegetable paste through holes in an extruder die having a plurality of holes, or by sheeting said green alimentary vegetable paste by pressing it between rollers; and (e) drying extruded or sheeted green alimentary vegetable paste to produce vegetable paste which retains the green color of the vegetable matter.

Claim 10

A method of preserving the color and texture of fresh green vegetable pasta comprising: (a) drying and milling fresh green vegetable matter to produce a vegetable powder; (b) subjecting the vegetable powder to an alkaline solution for a period of time and at a temperature sufficient to hydrolyze or partially hydrolyze the methyl and phytyl ester groups of the chlorophyll contained in the green vegetable matter, whereby the methyl and phytyl ester groups of the chlorophyll are converted to the respective alkali salts in an amount sufficient to secure color and texture retention, wherein the pH of the solution is maintained between 9.0 and 11.0 by the addition of sufficient buffer; (c) blending the product of step (b) with a mixture comprised of glutinous flour and water, to form a green alimentary vegetable paste wherein the pH of the green alimentary paste is above 7.0 and below 9.0; (d) forming a green alimentary vegetable pasta from the green alimentary vegetable paste of step (c); and (e) drying the green alimentary vegetable pasta of step (d), whereby the green color is preserved in the vegetable pasta.

Claim 11

A method of preserving the color and texture of fresh green vegetable pasta comprising: (a) drying and milling fresh green vegetable matter to produce a vegetable powder; (b) subjecting the vegetable powder to an alkaline solution for a period of time and at a temperature sufficient to hydrolyze or partially hydrolyze the methyl and phytyl ester groups of the chlorophyll contained in the green vegetable matter, whereby the methyl and phytyl ester groups of the chlorophyll are converted to the respective alkali salts in an amount sufficient to secure color and texture retention, wherein the pH of the solution is maintained between 9.0 and 11.0 by the addition of sufficient buffer; (c) blending the product of step (b) with a mixture comprised of glutinous flour and water, to form a green alimentary vegetable paste wherein the pH of the green alimentary paste is above 7.0 and below 9.0; (d) forming a green alimentary vegetable pasta from the green alimentary vegetable paste of step (c); and (e) drying the green alimentary vegetable pasta of step (d), whereby the green color is preserved in the vegetable pasta.

Claim 23

A method of preserving the color and texture of fresh green vegetable pasta comprising: (a) subjecting fresh green vegetable matter which has a sodium or potassium content equal to or greater than 100 milligrams per 100 grams of dried fresh green vegetable matter to a buffer solution, wherein the pH of the buffer solution is maintained above 7.0 and wherein the cation of the buffer solution is selected from the group consisting of calcium, magnesium, zinc, potassium, sodium, copper, and aluminum; (b) preparing a puree of the vegetable matter wherein the pH is maintained between 9.0 and 11.0; (c) blending a mixture comprised of glutinous flour, the puree of vegetable matter prepared by step (b), and water, to form a green alimentary vegetable paste, wherein the pH of said green alimentary vegetable paste is above 7.0 and below 9.0; (d) extruding by internal pressure said green alimentary vegetable paste through holes in an extruder die having a plurality of holes, or by sheeting said vegetable paste by pressing it between rollers to produce a green alimentary vegetable pasta; and (e) drying the extruded or sheeted green alimentary vegetable pasta of step (d), which retains the green color of the vegetable matter.

Claim 24

A method of preserving the color and texture of fresh green vegetable pasta comprising: (a) subjecting fresh green vegetable matter which has a sodium or potassium content equal to or greater than 100 milligrams per 100 grams of dried fresh green vegetable matter to a buffer solution, wherein the pH of the buffer solution is maintained above 7.0 and wherein the cation of the buffer solution is selected from the group consisting of calcium, magnesium, zinc, potassium, sodium, copper, and aluminum; (b) preparing a puree of the vegetable matter wherein the pH is maintained between 9.0 and 11.0; (c) blending a mixture comprised of glutinous flour, the puree of vegetable matter prepared by step (b), and water, to form a green alimentary vegetable paste, wherein the pH of said green alimentary vegetable paste is above 7.0 and below 9.0; (d) extruding by internal pressure said green alimentary vegetable paste through holes in an extruder die having a plurality of holes, or by sheeting said vegetable paste by pressing it between rollers to produce a green alimentary vegetable pasta; and (e) drying the extruded or sheeted green alimentary vegetable pasta of step (d), which retains the green color of the vegetable matter.