MANUFACTURE OF FREEZE-DRIED BREAKFAST AND DESSERT FOODS

Quickly rehydratable and nutritious breakfast and dessert foods have been developed using freeze-drying. The freeze-dried wheat porridge (dalia), rice pudding (kheer) and vanilla custard contained 11.2-12.2% protein and provided 428, 447 and 403 Kcal/100 g, respectively. These are also rich in Ca+2 and P-5 (306 to 325 mg/100 g and 316.8 to 385 mg/ 100 g. respectively). These were stable for 6-9 months at 37-degrees-C, when packed in paperfoil-polythene-laminate flexible pouches. They exhibited a rehydration ratio of 1:3. Dalia and kheer could be rehydrated satisfactorily at 45-degrees-C. 70-degrees-C and in boiling water in 20, 10 and 5 min, respectively. Custard could be instantly rehydrated at 5-degrees-C and 45-degrees-C or at higher temperatures, if required.