Low-calorie, low-fat snack nuts

摘要

The Present Invention is an uncoated reduced fat, high fiber, high protein, and low calorie roasted snack peanut. The uncoated snack peanuts are manufactured using a physical process comprising expelling the oil from nutmeat kernels (defatting) using a novel pressing process that takes less than a minute. The defatting process deforms the nuts. The peanuts are reformed to their original shape using water. Then the reformed nuts are annealed using cold water to produce hardened nuts. The peanuts are then dried and roasted using state-of-the-art technology. Prior art processes that expel the oil from nuts and reconstitute them produce nuts that easily break and flake. Most of these nuts have an undesirable taste. By contrast, the uncoated, defatted peanuts of the Present Invention have hardness, texture, taste, aroma, and a physical appearance closely approximating that of natural nuts. The shelf life is improved relative to the prior art processes.