FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This application is directed to crispy edible products and processes of making the same. More particularly, the present invention is directed to food products including crispy pulses and processes of making the same.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Food products with a light and airy texture have been obtained by extrusion technology, where starches are expanded or puffed as they come out of a die, by puffing gun technology, or by frying. Drawbacks of extrusion technology and puffing gun technology include a high capital expenditure and limited product formats. A drawback of frying is that the product is typically calorie-laden with a higher-than-desired fat content. Conventional baking is only able to provide a light and airy texture to certain foods.

A crisping mechanism for traditional grains, such as rice and popcorn, is to temper the material to a low moisture to control steam explosion within the structure and obtain the final desired texture.

Typically, a bean that is soaked and/or insufficiently cooked and then dried has a hard and glassy texture, which is not preferred by consumers, when eaten and is normally not eaten in this form.

It would be desirable to provide a crispy food product that is from a natural source, that is healthy, that is shelf-stable, and that is easily and inexpensively produced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Exemplary embodiments are directed to healthy, tasty, crispy food products from pulses and to processes of making a healthy, tasty, crispy food product from pulses without the use of extrusion technology or frying.

Exemplary embodiments employ control of moisture content, temperature, cooking time, and cooking pressure to cook pulses under high moisture conditions that are then dried to a crispy texture.

Among the advantages of exemplary embodiments is that a crispy pulse is produced from inexpensive ingredients, without expensive equipment, such as extrusion equipment, and without compromising the nutritional level relative to the raw pulse, from which the crispy pulse is produced, such as occurs by frying.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following more detailed description of the preferred embodiment, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.

