Patented June 23, 1953 2,643,190

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,643,190 PROCESS...FOR, ROASTING AND SALTNG NUTS Frank E. Hageman, Chico, Calif. No Drawing. Application November 18, 1950, Serial No. 196,528 4 Claims. (C. 99-127) 1. 2 This invention relates to a process for roasting a process that will overcome all of the above ob and salting nuts, and to the resultant product. jections. One of the objects of the invention is a process As to the product resulting from the present for roasting and salting nuts without requiring process, the nuts have a distinctive pleasing the use of oil or fat in the roasting or salting 5 Crispness not heretofore obtained and are full step, thus eliminating the chance for rancidity flavored and uniformly Salted, and without the of oil or fat to develop. taint or suggestion of oil or fat that is foreign Another object of the invention is the pro to the nut itself, for the reason that no such oil vision of a process for salting nuts, such as al or fat is present. Thus the nuts will keep and monds and other nuts having similar character O their keeping characteristics are even better than istics, and fixing such salt in the nuts during With unroasted nuts for the reason that some the roasting process, whereby there will be no Of the ingredients of the nuts themselves that loose or free Salt and also whereby such nuts may tend to deteriorate with age when sub may be polished without losing their salted jected to the atmosphere, are changed in the flavor. roasting process. A still further object of the invention is the Other objects and advantages will appear in provision of a salted, roasted nut that is uni the description. formly flavored with salt and which salt is fixed In detail, a saline solution of about 20% com in the nut so as not to become lost by rubbing InOn Salt (Sodium chloride) and about 80% water with other nuts during handling and shipping 20 is provided, which will be called a 20% salt solu in cans, cartons or bags, and also, which nut is tion. This solution is preferably formed by free from oils or fats foreign to the nut and are heating the Water to about 200 F. and then add clean and may be handled without contaminat ing the Salt and stirring the Water until the Salt ing the fingers. is dissolved therein. The usual present commercial process for 25 The above 20% salt solution at a temperature roasting nuts is to roast them in oil, such as of about 80° F. is the solution in which the nuts, cottonseed or other oil, after which they are With their skins. On then, are immersed for a salted and packed. In homes shelled nuts are period of about 5 minutes, with gentle agitation usually roasted in an oven or on the stove in the in order to insure uniform application of the presence of some fat, such as butter, although solution to the nuts during said five minute they are Sometimes roasted in the commercial 30 period. manner in oil. After roasting, the nuts are The nuts are next removed from the Solution salted. A thin film of oil forms an adherent for and are passed through a conventional drying the salt. Unshelled nuts that are roasted in the drum in order to remove the free surface mois shell, such as peanuts, are not salted. ture from the nuts in the shortest time. The nuts that are roasted in the commercial At the end of this drying step, while the Sur way must be eaten promptly or the oil or fat face Inoisture is gone and the Surfaces of the that is adhered thereto will become rancid. nuts are completely dry, there is still some of the Also, Such nuts are not usually uniformly Salted, Solution moisture in the skin. It is therefore to inasmuch as some of the Salt adhered thereto 40 be understood that the drying step merely dries Will drop off and Such salt as may be dissolved off the surface of the skin but does not remove in the oil or fat will tend to drain off. all of the solution that has Soaked into the skin. A further very noticeable fact is that there The purpose of drying the skin is to prevent the is a considerable Waste in the salt used for salt ing nuts commercially. For example, in the case nuts from Sticking to the roaster walls. How 45 ever, it is essential that a residue of the mois of hermetically sealed cans of nuts, after the nuts ture (Solution) remains in the skin at the time have been enptied, there is a considerable resi of the following roasting step, as will herein dence of loose salt, or salt in oil or fat. after appear, and for that reason the nuts should It is also a fact that heretofore the Salting of be Subjected to the roasting step before such nuts has followed the polishing step for the moisture has evaporated or has substantially obvious reason that the Salt Would be removed evaporated. by said step if the salt were first applied, even After the free surface moisture has been re though it were adhered thereto by Some Surface moved from the nuts, they are placed within applied oil or fat. an electric or gas heated high pressure, rotating One of the objects of the present invention is 55 cylinder, steel roaster that has been heated to 2,643,190 3 4. about 180° F. before the roaster is loaded, and it is obvious that a longer time would be re the roaster is preferably filled to about 2% of its quired to raise the roasting pressure and tem capacity to allow for agitation of the nuts during perature to the desired degree. And certain nuts Said roasting step. may require different times and temperatures. After the roaster is loaded, it is closed and the 5 Anyone skilled in the art can readily deter heat is continued until the pressure has reached mine exactly when the nuts, of whatever kind, 210 lbs. per Square inch. As Soon as this pressure are roasted. Some concerns roast the nuts sold is reached, the heat is turned off and the pressure by them more than others. valve is opened to reduce the pressure. As soon The steps that must be included are the de as the pressure is down to about 5 lbs. per square lo position of the Sodium chloride Solution in the inch, the roaster is opened and the nuts are skins of the nuts so that they will hold a removed therefron. quantity of the same after the surface moisture This release of pressure through the valve be is removed, then the enclosing of the nuts hav fore Opening the roaster makes possible the re ing Said Solution Within their skins within an moval of the nuts without danger of damage to 15 enclosed heated Space, and then applying suffi product or operator. With this precaution, the cient heat to within said space to elevate the physical characteristics of the nuts are the same temperature therein to at least the boiling point as at the start, except that the nuts are roasted of Water at the pressure that is created within to the desired degree and the salt that was in the Said Space until said nuts are roasted to the de moisture is driven ino the nuts. 20 sired degree, and then stopping the roasting. The reduction in pressure after the pressure As long as the temperature within the enclosed has reached 210 lbs. per square inch, should be Space is at least that of the boiling point of wa done as rapidly as possible Without impairing ter at whatever pressure is created through the the physical characteristics of the nuts, in order conversion of the water into steam, there will be to prevent over roasting, and also the nuts should 25 no condensation and when the relief valve is be rapidly cooled in mediately after removal from Opened the steam will be exhausted. Hence it the gun until their temperature is about 80° F. is impossible to define exactly the roasting time, A conventional air cooling System is suitable for and the pressure and temperature to meet every this step. condition, but the fundamental steps as above Immediately after the nuts have been cooled 30 Outlined can be readily practiced by anyone to Say 80° F., they may be passed through a con skilled in the art. ventional vacuum cleaning and polishing system. It may be pointed out that while the roasting This polishing and cleaning step is preferably may be carried out by first enclosing the nuts in done While the nuts are Warm, or say about a cold apparatus, the nuts will be too dry and 80 F., because at Such temperature the natural 35 tough, because the nuts will be subjected to too Oil of the nut is Warm and releases dust and other long a drying period before the moisture is con substance more readily than after the nuts are verted into steam. By heating the roaster to cold. within about 20 to 40 degrees of the boiling point For best results the nuts should be packaged of water, preferably 180°, the boiling tempera in vacuum sealed tins immediately after they :) ture of water will be quickly reached and with it have been cleaned and polished to avoid the the rise in temperature and pressure resulting product absorbing Such moisture as would be ab from the conversion of the water into steam. SOrbed from the air after cooling, although any In the final product, the Solid salt residue from of the usual packaging materials for nuts may the solution is driven into the nut itself due to be used, such as regenerated cellulose bags or the pressure applied to the nuts in the roasting bags of rubber hydrochloride or chlorinated rub step. The flavor and texture are not impaired ber. by reason of oils or fats that are foreign to the The temperatures and times given above are nuts and because of the manner in which the those that are preferred. Obviously they may Salt is applied and distributed. be varied. For example, the temperature of the The final cooling of said nuts from about salt solution in which the nuts are soaked may O the roasting temperature to about 80° F. should be from about 70 F. to about 80° F. and the time be preferably accomplished in from about 1 to of immersion may vary accordingly. The hotter 2 minutes time to insure against over roasting. the Solution, the shorter the time required. The Also the time for drop in the final pressure in important thing is that the temperature of the the roaster to atmospheric pressure or to about Solution and the time of immersion should not 5 5 5 lbs, per Square inch, should be accomplished be so hot and so long as to cause the skins on at about the rate of 25 lbs. per second. the nuts to peal off or break away. The reason the roaster is opened before at The strength of the Salt Solution may vary mospheric pressure is finally reached or at about somewhat, but the strength herein given is pre 5 lbs. per Square inch is to reduce the time be ferred in most instances, the desired result being 60 tween the end of the roasting step and the to uniformly salt the auts with a predetermined cooling Step to a minimum, and the opening of amount for each pound of nuts. In this way the gun while the pressure therein is still at about the user will not find some nuts too salty and 5 lbs. per Square inch is not detrimental to the others not salty enough. nuts. For all practical purposes, the pressure As to the roasting step, it is apparent that the may be said to be at substantially atmospheric temperature and pressure may vary. Where preSSure when the gun is opened. a pressure roaster 12 feet in length and 12 inches I claim: in diameter with walls 4% inches in thickness is 1. The process of roasting and salting shelled, loaded to % capacity and at a starting tempera- to unskinned nuts comprising the steps of: adding ture of the air or space within said roaster at an aqueous sodium chloride solution to the skin about 180° F., the pressure of 210 lbs. per square of Said nuts at atmospheric pressure for absorp inch will be reached within about 7 to 9 minutes tion of Said solution by said skins, then enclosing where the nuts are unskinned almonds Of aver Said nuts having Said solution in their skins age size. If the gun were to be only half loaded, 75 Within a preheated space the temperature of

2,643,190 5 6 which is Substantially above that of the boiling an enclosed, preheated Space the temperature of point of Water at atmospheric pressure at the which at the time of Said enclosure of said nuts time Said nuts are so enclosed, then raising the therein is below but relatively close to the tem heat Within said space sufficiently to elevate perature of the boiling point of Water at at the temperature therein to at least the boiling imospheric pressure, thereafter elevating the tem point of Water at the pressure created within perature within said space to at least the tem said Space created solely through the conversion perature of boiling Water at the pressure solely of the water in said skins and nuts into steam created within said space due to the conversion and keeping said nuts in said space and at Said of the Water within said skins and nuts to steam temperature and pressure until they are roasted 10 and holding said nuts. Within said space at to the desired degree, thereafter exhausting said said temperature and pressure until they are Steam and removing said nuts from Said enclosed roasted to the desired degree, then rapidly but Space and rapidly cooling them. progressively exhausting the gases within said 2. The process of roasting and salting shelled, Space until Substantially atmospheric pressure is unskinned nuts that includes the steps of; Soak 5 reached and immediately thereafter cooling said ing said nuts in a Substantially Saturated aqueous nuts to about 80° F. Within a period of from sodium chloride solution at atmospheric pres about One to two minutes. sure until said solution has penetrated into the 4. The process of roasting and Salting shelled, skin of said nuts thereafter removing said nuts unskinned nuts that comprises the steps of in from said solution and removing the free Sur 20 mersing Said nuts for about five minutes in a Sub face moisture only from said skins leaving With stantially Saturated aqueous solution of sodium in the latter that which has been absorbed there chloride that is at a temperature of about 80° F., by, then enclosing said nuts having said Solution thereafter renoving said nuts from Said Solution within their skins within an enclosed preheated and removing the free Surface moisture only space having a temperature relatively close to 25 from said skins leaving the moisture of absorp but below 212 F. at the time Said nuts are en tion within the skins, then enclosing said nuts closed therein, then raising the temperature of With Said noisture of absorption within said said Space and the nuts enclosed therein to at Skins Within an airtight space that is at a ten least the boiling point of Water at Whatever perature of about 180° F. at the time said nuts pressure is created within said space due solely 30 are enclosed therein, the volume of nuts so en to the conversion of the Water in Said skins and closed being adapted to fill substantially two nuts to steam and holding Said nuts within Said thirds of said space, then elevating the tempera space at said temperature and pressure until ture Within Said space to at least the boiling they are roasted to the desired degree, there point of Water at the pressure created within after relatively rapidly reducing said pressure to Said Space due Solely to the conversion of said atmospheric pressure and immediately removing moisture of absorption into steam and until said said nuts from said space and rapidly cooling pressure is Substantially 210 lbs. per square inch, them to about atmospheric temperature at a holding said nuts within Said Space at said ten rate substantially faster than would occur perature and pressure until they are roasted to through exposure of said nuts to the atmos 40 the desired degree, and thereafter rapidly but phere. progressively exhausting the gases within said 3. The process of roasting and Salting shelled, Space to about atmospheric temperature and unskinned nuts that comprises the steps of: rapidly cooling said nuts to about 80° F. immersing said nuts in a substantially Saturated FRANK E. HAGEMAN. aqueous solution of sodium chloride at atmos pheric pressure for a period of about five minutes References Cited in the file of this patent and immediately thereafter removing said nuts UNITED STATES PATENTS from said Solution and removing the free Sur Number Name Date face moisture only from their skins leaving 713,918 Potter ------Nov. 18, 1902 therein the amount absorbed by Said skins during 50 1,505,605 Sawkins ------Aug. 19, 1924 said immersion, then enclosing said nuts Within 1,585,128 Smith ------May 18, 1926