ES2802879A1 - PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING A PROCESSED FRUIT AND / OR VEGETABLE WITH HIGH DURABILITY - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention is encompassed within the production of packaged food products based on vegetables and/or fruits, highly nutritious, with high durability as well as easy handling and transportation with utility to combat malnutrition and malnutrition of the population. The invention refers specifically to a process for obtaining said packaged foods that is characterized by maintaining a pasteurization temperature during the stages of mixing the ingredients, packaging and until cooling prior to the storage process of the final product.

Description

DESCRIPTION

PROCEDURE FOR OBTAINING A PROCESSED FRUIT AND / OR VEGETABLE WITH HIGH DURABILITY

Field of the invention

The present invention is encompassed within the production of food products packed based on vegetables and / or fruits, highly nutritious and with high durability, useful for combating malnutrition and malnutrition of the population.

Background

According to the WHO, malnutrition refers to deficiencies, excesses or imbalances in a person's energy and / or nutrient intake. The term malnutrition encompasses two broad groups of conditions. One is "malnutrition" - which includes stunting (shorter than age-appropriate height), wasting (lower than age-appropriate weight), underweight (lower than age-appropriate weight) ) and micronutrient deficiencies or deficiencies (lack of important vitamins and minerals). The other is overweight, obesity, and diet-related non-communicable diseases (heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and cancer).

Malnutrition affects people in all countries. About 1.9 billion adults are overweight, while 462 million are underweight. An estimated 41 million children under the age of 5 are overweight or obese, 159 million are stunted, and 50 million are wasted. To this burden must be added the 528 million women (29%) of reproductive age who suffer from anemia, half of whom could be treated with iron supplements.

Many families do not have the resources to buy enough nutritious foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, meat or milk, or do not have access to them, while foods high in fat, sugar and salt are cheaper and more available easily, leading to the rapid rise in overweight and obesity among children and adults in both rich and poor countries.

Ultimately, malnutrition, in any of its forms, poses considerable risks to human health. Malnutrition contributes to about a third of all child deaths. Rising rates of overweight and obesity around the world are associated with an increase in chronic diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. These diseases are increasingly affecting the poor and the most vulnerable.

In order to tackle this social problem, there are many proposals and technical solutions developed by companies and governments. However, the packaged food products intended for these purposes and known in the state of the art do not exceed the technical requirements necessary for their proper and effective use.

Patent WO2007064185 describes a method for obtaining fruit creams packed in glass jars that comprises: a) selecting the fruit in a state from green to ripe, regardless of size, b) washing the fruit with chlorinated tap water, c ) crushing the fruit and pitting it, d) sifting the fruit, e) sterilizing the fruit cream / pulp, f) adding ingredients, g) homogenizing the ingredients to form an emulsion, h) raising the temperature of the emulsion, and i ) pack the emulsion.

Spanish patent ES 2561613 refers to a method for making a stable fruit-based puree composition, which comprises the step of adding to a stabilized fruit pulp composition, a composition comprising a thickening base to produce a puree composition stable. The product of this invention has a shelf life at about room temperature of at least 65 days.

Spanish patent ES 2537072 describes a method to enhance the food safety and longevity of fresh fruit and / or fresh vegetables, which has been subjected to a mechanical reduction to provide in this way a food product still at least in part substantially fresh, a method that comprises or includes at least (1) washing the mechanically reduced food product; (2) submit at least any mechanically altered surface of the mechanically reduced product under UV light and (3) subjecting the mechanically reduced food product to sub-lethal heating (not higher than 60 ° C) in an aqueous environment, so that the heating reduces the production of ethylene and decreases but do not stop the respiration of the food product, in which steps (2) and (3) can be performed in any order or simultaneously. The products thus obtained have a shelf life of 25 days stored at room temperature.

Spanish patent ES2445321 refers to a process to manufacture a packaged edible product, which comprises: a) obtaining an aqueous mixture comprising pulp of tamarind fruit ( Tamarindus nilotica) and nebneb fruits ( Acacia nilotica), b) adjusting the pH of the aqueous mixture obtained in this way to a value between 3.6 and 4.8, adding a weak organic acid, c) cooking said mixture at a temperature above approximately 80 ° C, d) adjusting the pH of the resulting mixture to a value between 3.6 and 4.8, adding a weak organic acid, e) cooling the cooked mixture to a temperature of at least approximately 65 ° C, f) packaging and sealing the mixture obtained in this way , and g) pasteurizing the resulting hermetically sealed containers at a temperature of approximately 92 ° C, in order to obtain a packaged edible product, whose duration at room temperature is estimated to be up to 120 days.

Therefore, there is a need to provide packaged foods with high nutritional value and greater durability, easy to handle and transport that can be administered to remote populations affected by malnutrition.

The present invention refers to a process for obtaining packaged foods based on fruit and / or vegetables, which, unlike the procedures known in the state of the art, eliminates the exposure of the product to room temperature prior to packaging, in such a way that the resulting product has a high nutritional value and a much higher durability, which facilitates its handling, storage and transport.

Description of the invention

The present invention refers to a process for obtaining a packaged food product, based on fruits and / or vegetables that is characterized by maintaining a certain pasteurization temperature during the stages of: mixing the ingredients and packaging until the cooling of the final product, in such a way that the product is not exposed to room temperature before being packaged. This feature of the process of the present invention in combination with other features of the process provides substantial advantages in the packaged product resulting from the process.

The present invention also refers to the product resulting from the process of the invention and refers to a food packaged based on fruit and / or vegetables, with high nutritional value and high durability, easy to handle and transport.

In a particular embodiment, the present invention refers to a process for obtaining packaged fruit and / or vegetable products with improved nutritional and organoleptic properties.

In another particular embodiment, the present invention refers to a process for obtaining processed and packaged fruit and / or vegetable-based products whose durability at room temperature is at least two years.

In another particular embodiment, the present invention refers to a process for obtaining said products adapted for consumption in populations ranging from children from 3 years to adults of any age.

In another particular embodiment, the present invention refers to a process for obtaining food products based on fruit and / or vegetables packed with improved or enriched nutritional and organoleptic properties that additionally comprise other nutrients such as: vegetable proteins and / or animals, dairy products, vegetable fibers, sugars, micronutrients and / or vitamins.

The fruit-based products of the present invention are free of chemical preservatives, additives or colorants and ultimately they are natural products in the form or consistency of juice or puree or cream or cream or cream of fruits and / or vegetables with high nutritional power. .

In another particular embodiment, the present invention refers to a process for obtaining a product as described in the previous paragraphs that has a minimum durability of two years, which allows its application, fulfilling adequate aseptic and sensory conditions, in remote locations to combat starvation or malnutrition of disadvantaged populations.

Therefore, a particular embodiment of the present invention refers to a process for obtaining a food product based on fruit and / or vegetables that is characterized by comprising the following steps:

a) Washing of fruit and / or vegetables.

b) Selection of fruit and / or vegetables.

c) Washing on a conveyor belt.

d) Boning and pulping.

e) Grinding the fruit and / or vegetables until obtaining a homogeneous product mixture formed by fruit and / or vegetables, in the form of liquid, cream, puree or cream, of variable texture and consistency.

f) Sifting of the homogeneous mixture obtained in the previous stage through a stainless mesh filter (0.5-1.5 mm).

g) Enzymatic deactivation of the homogeneous mixture from the previous stage through cooking at a temperature of 95 - 105 ° C.

h) De-aerate the mixture by stirring under vacuum at -0.3 - 0.6 bar.

i) Pasteurization of the mixture at a temperature of 98-113 ° C.

Optionally, followed by packaging and storage.

j) Mixing and stirring of the product obtained in step i) with the addition of an antioxidant and optionally, other functional ingredients for each specific formulation, in the mixing preparation tanks.

k) Transfer of the homogeneous mixture of fruit and / or vegetables, optionally functionalized as obtained in stage j), from the mixture preparation tanks to the packaging and closing area, through a closed tubular installation or tunnel where the Room temperature is kept controlled between 95 ° C / - 3 ° C.

l) Packaging of the product in the packaging and closing area at an ambient temperature of between 95 ° C / - 3 ° C.

m) Pasteurization of the packaged product at a temperature of 95 ° C for 5 -7 minutes.

n) Cooling of the product; Y

o) Drying and storage of the final product.

A particular embodiment of the present invention is also a process as defined in the previous paragraph, characterized in that in step j), the mixture is preheated to a temperature of 35 ° C - 50 ° C through steam jackets provided in the mixing tank.

A particular embodiment of the present invention is also a process as defined in the preceding paragraphs, characterized in that in step j), the mixture is stirred at about 2,500 rpm.

A particular embodiment of the present invention is also a process as defined in any of the preceding paragraphs characterized in that in step j) ascorbic acid is added as an antioxidant in a proportion of 0.06% by weight (that is, 0.06 grams of ascorbic acid per 100 grams of finished product).

A particular embodiment of the present invention is also a process as defined in any of the preceding paragraphs, characterized in that in step j) other functional ingredients and / or mixtures thereof are added, selected from the group comprising: vegetable proteins and / or animals, dairy products, vegetable fibers, sugars, micronutrients or vitamins.

A particular embodiment of the present invention is also a procedure as defined in any of the preceding paragraphs, characterized in that in stage k) the tubular installation connects the mixing preparation tanks to the packaging and closing area, preventing the fruit and / or vegetable mixture comes into contact with room temperature or another temperature different from a temperature between 95 ° C / - 3 ° C.

It is also a particular embodiment of the present invention a packaged food product, based on fruit and / or vegetables that comprises between 75-90% by weight of fruit and / or vegetables with respect to the total weight of the product and optionally, other functional ingredients and / or mixtures thereof, selected from the group comprising: vegetable and / or animal proteins, dairy products, vegetable fibers, sugars, micronutrients or vitamins.

Also a particular embodiment of the present invention is a packaged food product as defined in the previous paragraph, characterized in that it comprises in% by weight with respect to the total weight of the product:

0 - 10% vegetable protein

0 - 20% dairy product

0 - 8% sugars; Y

0 - 2% vegetable fibers.

Likewise, a particular embodiment of the present invention is a packaged food product as defined in any of the preceding paragraphs, characterized in that it is presented in a form adapted for oral administration.

Also a particular embodiment of the present invention is a packaged food product as defined in any of the preceding paragraphs that is presented in a form selected from the group comprising: cream, puree, bound soup and cream.

Additionally, it is also a particular embodiment of the present invention a packaged food product as defined in any of the previous paragraphs, characterized in that the fruits and / or vegetables can be selected from the group that includes Paraguayan, peach, apple, grape, pear, plum , persimmon, strawberry, raspberry, medlar, apricot, carrot, pumpkin, kale, tomato, broccoli, beet, etc. And finally, it is also a particular embodiment of the present invention a packaged food product as defined in any of the preceding paragraphs characterized in that it is packaged in a Doypack® type package.

Detailed description of the invention

Through extensive experimentation, it has been possible to develop a process to obtain products with the consistency of juice or puree or cream or cremogenated fruit and / or vegetables packaged with improved nutritional and organoleptic properties that have a minimum durability of two years, which which allows its application, fulfilling adequate aseptic and sensory conditions, in remote places to combat famine or malnutrition of disadvantaged populations.

The products obtained through the process of the present invention find utility for consumption in populations ranging from children from 3 years to adults of any age. The food products obtained are natural products in the form or with the consistency of juice or puree or cream or cream of fruits and / or vegetables with high nutritional power.

They are packaged products that maintain the nutritional and organoleptic properties of natural fruits and vegetables, which can optionally be improved, enriched or functionalized through the incorporation of other functional ingredients or nutrients and / or mixtures thereof, selected from the group comprising: vegetable and / or animal proteins, dairy products, vegetable fibers, sugars, micronutrients or vitamins. They are products that are free of chemical preservatives, additives or colorants.

Non-limiting examples of fruits and / or vegetables that can be used for the purposes of the present invention are: Paraguayan, peach, apple, grape, pear, plum, persimmon, strawberry, raspberry, medlar, apricot, carrot, pumpkin, kale, tomato, broccoli, beet, etc.

In general terms, the amount of fruit and / or vegetables comprises between 70-95% by weight with respect to the weight of the final product. Preferably, the proportion of fruit and / or vegetables in the final product is present between 75-90%, more preferably between 80-85%.

Optionally, the formulation of the fruit and / or vegetable product of the present invention may additionally comprise other nutrients, such as, vegetable proteins, selected from the group consisting of: cereals, soybeans and peas, as well as mixtures thereof, Dairy products, such as whole milk powder, sugars, selected from the group consisting of: white sugar and grape concentrate, micronutrients, such as encapsulated iron and vitamins, selected from the group consisting of: vitamin A, E, C B1, B2, B3, B9, B9, B12, B8, B5.

In general terms, the final product comprises vegetable protein in an amount between 0-10% by weight relative to the weight of the final product. Preferably, said amount is between 4-8% by weight. The product can also include dairy products in an amount between 0-20% by weight relative to the weight of the final product, more preferably said amount is between 2-10% by weight. The product may also include sugars in an amount from 0-8% by weight relative to the weight of the final product, more preferably, between 4-5% by weight. The product can also include vegetable fibers in an amount between 0-8%, preferably 1.4-1.9%. The product can also include a vitamin complex in an amount of 0.3% by weight (0.3 grams per 100 grams of product). This amount translates to 7.5% of the recommended daily allowance for all the vitamins that are included. These vitamins include: vitamin A (60 ^ g), vitamin E (0.9 mg), vitamin C (6.0 mg), thiamine (0.08 mg), riboflavin (0.11 mg), niacin ( 1.2 mg), vitamin B6 (0.11 mg), folic acid (15.0 ^ g), vitamin B12 (0.19 ^ g), biotin (3.75 ^ g), pantothenic acid mg). The Product could also include 50% of the recommended daily amount of iron per serving, which translates to 7 mg of iron per 100 grams of finished product.

The food products described in the present invention are presented in liquid or solid form of different texture, in the form of cream, puree, mixed soup, or cream, and are designed for oral administration.

Regarding the procedure for obtaining the products of the present invention, it is characterized by comprising two phases, the first consisting of obtaining a product in liquid or solid form of different textures, such as cream, puree, soup linked, or creaming of fruits and / or vegetables and the second phase consisting of obtaining a packaged product, comprising the fruit and / or vegetable product obtained in the first phase, optionally functionalized, with improved nutritional and organoleptic properties and minimum durability of 2 years at room temperature.

The first phase of the process takes place in a common fresh fruit processing plant / facility and comprises the following steps

a) Washing of fruits and / or vegetables in their natural state in a raft or through showers. The vegetables and / or fruits arrive in pallets and / or boxes from the field or conservation chambers and enter the production process of the plant through an automatic pallet turner and / or wheelbarrow turners to a passing belt where they are They screen for contaminants that can come in the pallets / boxes such as rocks, leaves, branches and others. After this screen, they go to a pond with water and an elevator with pressure showers that wash the fruit / vegetables and unload them on the selection belt.

b) Selection of the fruits and / or vegetables washed in the previous stage. On the selection belt, the fruits / vegetables that meet the quality requirements are sifted and those that do not are diverted to other processes. Although the general rule is to discard the rotten pieces, the quality requirements vary depending on the specific species that is being processed (eg: diseases such as rust, thrips, smallpox; signs of poor condition such as snacks, stones; use that he is going to give the cream like biological, conventional, baby food, etc.). The parts that are not included in the process are diverted for the manufacture of livestock feed.

c) Washing of the fruits and / or vegetables selected in the previous stage on a conveyor belt. The fruits / vegetables to be processed are washed using pressure showers and / or rollers.

d) Boning and pulping of fruits and / or vegetables after washing. Depending on the fruit / vegetable they pass to the pitting area by twisting or blade or pulping in which the separation of the pulp from other residues such as seeds, peels and others is achieved, all with the aim of subsequently passing the pulpseed through a mesh.

e) Grinding the fruit and / or vegetables until obtaining a homogeneous mixture of product formed by fruit and / or vegetables in the form of liquid, cream, puree or cream, of variable texture and consistency. Grinding is carried out in kettles fitted with a roller mixer / grinder fitted with hammers.

f) After crushing, the homogeneous mixture is subjected to sieving through a stainless mesh filter (0.5-1.5 mm) provided in the installation, to eliminate unwanted particles and ensure the uniformity of the homogeneous fruit mixture and / or vegetables.

g) Cooking of the homogeneous mixture of fruits and / or vegetables at 95-105 ° C in the heating section for its enzymatic deactivation. Once the mixing process is completed, the product is transported to the heating section, where the temperature is increased to 95 - 105C ° for enzymatic deactivation, through a scraped surface heat exchanger system.

h) De-aerate the homogeneous mixture of fruits and / or vegetables by stirring in a vacuum at -0.3 - 0.6 bar and transport to the heating section. The de-aeration process is carried out in the mixing tank in order to eliminate the oxygen present in the homogeneous mixture, since it could act on tannins, essential oils and lipids, causing changes in flavor and color, in addition to causing loss of vitamin C. In this way, the proliferation of microorganisms is also avoided.

i) Next, in the heating section, the homogeneous mixture of fruits and / or vegetables is pasteurized at a temperature of 98 - 113 ° C and the product is stored in drums for further processing in the second phase of the procedure. .

The second phase of the process is carried out in a clean room adjacent to the previous facility and comprises the following stages:

j) The product obtained in the first phase of the process of the present invention is transferred in drums to the clean room and poured into tanks for the preparation of mixtures and equipped with stirring and mixing devices. In this stage, the product obtained in stage i) is added and mixed with an antioxidant, such as ascorbic acid in a proportion of 0.06 grams per 100 grams of finished product, and optionally, the product is functionalized by adding and mixing it with other functional ingredients for each specific formulation. The mixture is preheated to a temperature of 35 ° C - 50 ° C through steam jackets provided in the mixing tank and is stirred at around 2,500 rpm (RPM), until a homogeneous mixture of fruits and / or vegetables that are optionally functionalized with other ingredients.

k) Transfer of the product obtained in stage j), homogeneous mixture of fruits and / or vegetables, optionally functionalized, from the mixture preparation tanks to the packaging and closing area through a closed tubular installation or tunnel where the temperature The environment is kept controlled at a temperature between 95 ° C / -3 ° C by means of a heat exchanger provided in the tubular installation, and it is constantly homogenized with a built-in homogenizer at 150-200 bars to maintain a uniform texture. This tubular installation connects the mixing preparation tanks to the packaging and closing area, preventing the fruit and / or vegetable mixture from coming into contact with room temperature or another temperature other than 95 ° C / - 3 ° C.

l) Once in the packaging area of the tubular installation or tunnel, the product is hot-packed at a temperature between 95 ° C / - 3 ° C in a horizontal packaging device provided in the tubular installation, to eliminate oxygen from the product and decrease pasteurization time once packaged. The packaging step may comprise shaping a container, filling it with the product and sealing the container.

m) After leaving the packaging machine, proceed with the pasteurization of the packaged product, through a pyrotubular steam exchanger at a temperature of 95 ° C for 5 -7 minutes, provided on the maintenance, pasteurization and cooling belt of the clean room .

n) Once the previous phase has concluded, the product is cooled down to about 30 ° C by means of water showers provided below on the maintenance, pasteurization and cooling belt of the clean room. After the last cooling stage, the product reaches 13 ° C. The tubular installation or tunnel has two shower circuits at different temperatures: first stage at 20-35 ° C and second stage at 7-15 ° C, depending on the recipe, the time will be between 7 and 15 minutes per cooling stage . The parameters to control in this stage are, on the one hand, the temperature of the product, which is carried out through the verification of the correct operation of the temperature probes and, on the other hand, the speed of the web must be controlled tunnel, which will mark the duration of the product in the cooling stage.

o) Finally, the final product is dried, placed in boxes and stored in the area set up for this purpose. At the exit of the cooling tunnel, drying is carried out using different turbines: the first by means of a 4.00 meter straight diffuser at the exit of the tunnel and the rest in a cordless container dryer with straight nozzles oriented at different angles to guarantee the drying of the entire container, directly affecting the bottom of the container. At the exit of the dryer, the packaging area would enter through an automatic system with a box erector and robotic packer, sealing and labeling the box once the process is finished and palletizing with an anthropomorphic robot, after the automatic wrapping of the pallet, the Pallet finished and properly labeled. The tiles on the pallet as well as the height will depend on the box format and type of product.

The process for obtaining the products according to the present invention is characterized in that once the final product to be packaged has been obtained, it is transferred to the packaging area and the packaging process takes place at room temperature. controlled of 95 ° C / - 3 ° C equal to the temperature reached by the product in the tubular installation. That is, from obtaining the mixture to be packaged until the conclusion of the packaging process, the temperature of the product is maintained in a controlled manner at 95 ° C / - 3 ° C. This characteristic of the process of the present invention results in substantial advantages in the final product, increasing the stability and durability of the product while maintaining the nutritional and organoleptic properties of natural fruits and vegetables.

Said process is further characterized in that, optionally, in step j) the homogeneous mixture of fruits and / or vegetables can be functionalized, enriched or improved. For this purpose, vegetable protein, milk powder, sugar, micronutrients, vitamins, etc. are additionally added, after which the pH of the mixture is adjusted to between 3 - 5, preferably 3.7 - 4.1, by adding of citric acid monohydrate.

Likewise, as mentioned in step i), the product, a homogeneous mixture of fruits and / or vegetables, is subjected to a pasteurization process, which can preferably be carried out by means of a tubular heat exchanger that reaches a temperature of between 98 - 113C °, with subsequent cooling below 30 ° C and aseptic packaging in such a way that the product obtained in i) can be stored for 15 to 36 months depending on the type of container and product, to carry out the second phase of the process. next. That is, the present invention optionally contemplates that the first and second phases can be performed discontinuously if desired.

Regarding the packaging of the product, the possibility of selecting a type of container appropriate to the circumstances of use is contemplated, among which are: flexible bag-type containers, plastic containers, etc.

Preferably, the use of plastic containers is contemplated, such as "Doypack®" type bags, (a bag that allows the product to be displayed vertically on itself, that is, a bag with a wide or flat bottom that remains in vertical position) that will serve as a packaging unit and that is formed, filled and heat sealed within the tubular installation or tunnel through a horizontal packaging system. The packaging process in this case repeats the previously detailed steps and does not interrupt the pasteurization temperature reached in stage i) .In this case, the process contemplates the provision of temperature control devices at the entrance of the packaging system that measure the temperature of the container to recirculate the packed product when it has suffered temperature drops with respect to the 95 ° C / -3 ° C index.

At this point the containers circulate between two plates where they are individually subjected to mechanical pressure at an average height of the same, for a certain time to check if such pressure is maintained and verify the state of the welds, rejecting those containers whose welds give way. The pressure exerted on the container causes an opening of the base of the "Doypack®" container, which exposes its surface onto which compressed air is projected to ensure its drying and prevent the proliferation of bacteria and mosses, maintaining a temperature below 30 ° C.

The production process has a recirculation system to ensure in-line pasteurization when temperatures below the desired and / or rejection are detected in any sector of the circuit to eliminate the product that does not meet the standard set, either before or after packing.

The durability of the product is extendable up to 5 years of useful life, thanks to the heat treatment and the packaging method. The only thing that reduces the shelf life of the product is its organoleptic deterioration, due to the migrations of particles from the film that makes up the container.

To this end, the packaging methodology produced at high temperatures and with a nozzle that is introduced directly into the package formed simultaneously, causes the product not to come into contact with air at any time while the package is instantly sterilized when come into contact with the product at 95 ± 3 ° C. Thanks to this fact, the durability of the product increases considerably.

All the stability tests carried out on the products according to the present invention have shown positive in product stability, which translates into high food safety.

Examples:

Example 1: Making fruit cream with milk

The exact formulation of the product called milk fruit is composed of 85% strawberry cream, 10% milk powder, 4.44% sugar, 0.5% citric acid and 0.06% ascorbic acid. The steps to follow from the beginning of the production process include: Reception of the strawberry in planchets that are turned over in the dump line. The strawberries with advanced signs of rot are discarded and destined for the production of animal feed, while the others continue along the line, passing through showers with tap water where they are washed. Strawberries are stoneless fruits, so they go directly to the crushing line, where a roller crusher with hammers crushes the fruits by mechanical force. The strawberry ground is collected through pipes to transport it to the cooker. The strawberry cream is passed through a cooker where the temperature is raised to 95 ° C in order to enzymatically deactivate the fruit. This cooker has sieves, the first of 3 mm and the second of 1.5 mm, through which the strawberry passes until it is completely homogeneous. After this, de-aeration is carried out under a pressure of 0.38 bar, in order to eliminate oxygen and prevent the proliferation of microorganisms. The strawberry is transported by the same network of pipes to the heating zone. The pasteurization temperature and time will depend on the flow rate (L / h) of the production. For example, for a production flow rate of 11,000 liters per hour, the minimum maintenance outlet temperature will be 93.99 ° C for 0.84 minutes. To ensure complete pasteurization, the temperature is maintained at 95 ° C for 1 minute, and then it is sent to the filler. This shipment causes the cream to cool down to 40 ° C. The filler packages the strawberry at 40 ° C in aseptic bags, which are placed in drums. Approximately 210 kg (net weight) of strawberry are filled per drum. If necessary, these drums are stored in refrigeration chambers for later use. With a durability of 18 months. For a production of 1,000 kg of Fruit-Milk, 850 kg of strawberry cream are required, which will be suctioned into one of the tanks. Likewise, 100 kg of powdered milk, 44.4 kg of sugar, 5 kg of citric acid and 0.6 kg of ascorbic acid are added (all manually), while stirring at 2,500 rpm and heating to 40 ° C . Once it is verified that all the physicochemical parameters correspond to those tabulated in the technical data sheet (pH 3.9-4.1, ° BRIX 23-26 and consistency 10-13 Bostwick), the mixture is transferred to the network of pipes that increases the temperature up to 97 ° C while passing through a homogenizer at 200 bars. This process takes 15 minutes. Once the programmed temperature has been reached, the filling machine begins, which simultaneously forms the containers with the Doypack® form. The filling is done at 93 ° C at a speed of 45 containers per minute. To ensure complete pasteurization of the product, the finished packages are kept at this temperature for 7 minutes by means of a maintenance tunnel with water showers. After this time, the containers are cooled in two stages: the first, with recirculated tap water, up to 30 ° C, and the second, with chilled tap water, up to 13 ° C. The total cooling process is 30 minutes. When the containers leave the maintenance tunnel, they pass through the dryer and the units are packed and stored.

Example 2: Product durability test

The stability test for the Fruit Mix with batch MFV2319 was carried out as follows:

A) 5 samples are incubated at 32 ° C for 7 days and their pH is measured against a control sample (3.91) and its value (3.93) is noted. As the difference between this value and that of the control is less than 0.5, we continue with the next step.

B) Another 5 samples are incubated at 32 ° C for 21 days and their pH is measured against a control sample (3.94), and its value (3.92) is noted. Since the difference between this value and the of the control is less than 0.5, it is deduced that the colony formation is <100 and it is declared as stable product.

This stability translates into up to 5 years of useful life.

Example 3: Comparative durability test against a product not obtained through the process of the invention

A) Processed fruit cream that is packaged at room temperature (25 ± 3 ° C) in order to take advantage of the fruit's own micronutrients. Shelf life test: 5 samples are incubated at 32 ° C for 7 days and their pH is measured against a control sample (3.80) and its value (3.53) is noted. As the difference between this value and that of the control is less than 0.5, we continue with the next step.

Another 5 samples are incubated at 32 ° C for 21 days and their pH is measured against a control sample (3.83), and its value (3.10) is noted. Since the difference between this value and that of the control is greater than 0.5, it is deduced that there has been microbiological growth.

To evaluate the exact shelf life of this product, a sample (without incubation) is analyzed every day against a fresh control, assessing its physicochemical properties. At 36 days there is a sudden change in these properties.

B) Functionalized fruit cream with cereal protein packed at 95 ± 3 ° C. Shelf life test: 5 samples are incubated at 32 ° C for 7 days and their pH is measured against a control sample (4.03) and its value (4.06) is noted. As the difference between this value and that of the control is less than 0.5, we continue with the next step.

Another 5 samples are incubated at 32 ° C for 21 days and their pH is measured against a control sample (4.02), and its value (4.03) is noted. As the difference between this value and that of the control is greater than 0.5, it is declared microbiologically stable.

It follows that the exact conditions of the process are those that lead to a high durability of the product.

Claims (12)

1.- A procedure for obtaining a food product based on fruit and / or vegetables that is characterized by comprising the following stages: a) Washing of fruit and / or vegetables. b) Selection of fruit and / or vegetables. c) Washing on a conveyor belt. d) Boning and pulping. e) Grinding the fruit and / or vegetables until obtaining a homogeneous product mixture formed by fruit and / or vegetables, in the form of liquid, cream, puree or cream, of variable texture and consistency. f) Sifting of the homogeneous mixture obtained in the previous stage through a stainless mesh filter (0.5-1.5 mm). g) Enzymatic deactivation of the homogeneous mixture from the previous stage through cooking at a temperature of 95 - 105 ° C. h) De-aerate the mixture by stirring under vacuum at -0.3 - 0.6 bar. i) Pasteurization of the mixture at a temperature of 98-113 ° C. j) Mixing and stirring of the product obtained in step i) with the addition of an antioxidant and optionally, other functional ingredients for each specific formulation, in the mixing preparation tanks. k) Transfer of the homogeneous mixture of fruit and / or vegetables, optionally functionalized as obtained in stage j), from the mixture preparation tanks to the packaging and closing area, through a closed tubular installation or tunnel where the Room temperature is kept controlled between 95 ° C / - 3 ° C. l) Packaging of the product in the packaging and closing area at an ambient temperature of between 95 ° C / - 3 ° C. m) Pasteurization of the packaged product at a temperature of 95 ° C for 5 -7 minutes. n) Cooling of the product; Y o) Drying and storage of the final product. 2. - A process according to claim 1, characterized in that in step j), the mixture is preheated to a temperature of 35 ° C - 50 ° C through steam jackets provided in the mixing tank. 3. - A process according to any of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that in step j), the mixture is stirred at about 2,500 rpm under vacuum at a pressure of 150-200 bars. 4. - A process according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that in step j) ascorbic acid is added as an antioxidant in a proportion of 0.06% by weight, 0.06 grams of ascorbic acid per 100 grams of final product. 5. - A process according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that in step j) other functional ingredients and / or mixtures thereof are added, selected from the group comprising: vegetable and / or animal proteins, dairy products, vegetable fibers, sugars, micronutrients or vitamins. 6. - A procedure according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that in stage k) the tubular installation connects the mixing preparation tanks to the packaging and closing area, preventing the fruit and / or vegetable mixture from entering contact with room temperature or another temperature different from a temperature between 95 ° C / - 3 ° C. 7. - Packaged food product, based on fruit and / or vegetables that comprises between 75 - 90% by weight of fruit and / or vegetables with respect to the total weight of the product and optionally, other functional ingredients and / or mixtures thereof, selected from the group that includes: vegetable and / or animal proteins, dairy products, vegetable fibers, sugars, micronutrients or vitamins. 8. - Food product according to claim 7, characterized in that it comprises in% by weight with respect to the total weight of the product: 0 - 10% vegetable protein 0 - 20% dairy product 0 - 8% sugars; Y 0 - 2% vegetable fibers 9. - Food product according to any of claims 7-8, characterized by being presented in a form adapted for oral administration. 10.

- Food product according to claim 9 that is presented in a form selected from the group comprising: cream, puree, bound soup and cream. 11. - Food product according to any of claims 7-10, characterized in that the fruits and / or vegetables can be selected from the group comprising: Paraguayan, peach, apple, grape, pear, plum, persimmon, strawberry, raspberry, medlar, apricot, carrot, pumpkin, kale, tomato, broccoli, beet, etc. 12. - Food product according to any of claims 7-11, characterized in that it is packaged in a Doypack® type container.