Spreadable gelled food product

Details Spreadable gelled food product Spreadable gelled food product

1999-01-26

2002-07-09

Bhat, Nina (Department: 1761)

Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products

Products per se, or processes of preparing or treating...

Gels or gelable composition

C426S575000, C426S658000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06416805

ABSTRACT:

This invention relates to spreadable gelled food products and process for the production of the same.
Syrups, such as honey, maple syrup, molasses, sugar cane syrups, and other viscous syrups principally containing sucrose, glucose, fructose and/or other sugars dissolved in water, find wide application as industrial food ingredients, in cooking, beverages, and as spreads. Syrups referred to here typically contain at least about 50%, and generally 70% or more, of dissolved sugars and are substantially self-preserving.
Of all the syrups, honey has a particularly universal appeal. Whilst it has many uses as an industrial food ingredient and in cooking and beverages, honey is used most widely as a spread on bread, toast or crackers and the like.
When used as a spread, honey has one much disliked aspect—that of being very runny or fluid. When spooned from a jar it is difficult to stop the honey from dribbling where it is not wanted. This aspect is even more unpopular when honey is applied to hot toast. The honey becomes even more fluid due to its absorption of heat and consequent reduction in viscosity. As a result, the honey dribbles on to the fingers and the clothes of the consumer, as well as on his plate or the table. Similar problems are found with other syrups.
Clearly, it is of advantage to be able to supply to consumers honey and other syrups in such a form that the above negative aspects of fluidity, especially at an elevated temperature, are overcome. Such an idea is not of itself new. Thus, it is traditional to convert honey to a candied form resulting in the formation of sugar crystals, preferably very fine crystals. The viscosity of candied honey is much higher than normal honey and therefore the tendency to run off toast or bread is reduced. However, candied honey (also referred to as creamed honey) often suffers from the opposite negative aspect in being so viscous that it is spread only with diffculty, often resulting in breakage of slices of bread or toast on which it is spread. This problem is a particular problem in cold weather, when candied honey becomes even more viscous.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Several references exist which describe efforts to produce honey products which overcome the runny character of honey when used as a spread. Zelenak (Hungarian Patent T41974) describes a gelled honey requiring use of carrageenan, water, pH adjustment with citric acid, potassium sorbate as preservative, a buffer salt such as disodium hydrogen or sodium hexametaphosphate as well as some xanthan gum or sodium alginate. The final preferred soluble solids content of the gelled honey product was 65%. Thus the honey content in the final product was somewhat diluted—no doubt as a consequence of the water required to dissolve the carrageenan and other gums and salts prior to mixing with honey.
Brain et al (U.S. Pat. No. 4,532,143) produced a semi-gelled honey using a mixture of two different pectins preferably at a final soluble solids content of 62-68%, the final composition being substantially free of supplemental acid or alkaline earth metal cations.
A minimum of 0.5% pectin was necessary to obtain the benefits of the invention the preferred range being 0.5-2%, more especially 0.75-1.25% of the pectins. The product finally was pasteurised. During processing the product is subject to high temperatures, such as from about 66° C. to 94° C. (150° C.-200° F.).
It is a characteristic of honeys that exposure to elevated temperatures results in deterioriation of flavour aroma and colour. The higher the temperature and the longer the exposure the more severe will be the quality deterioration. Temperatures in excess of about 60° C. can be deleterious. A safer range is 50 to 55° C. or even 45-46° C. Quality aspects which can be lost as a consequence of excessive heating include loss of delicate flavour character, loss of brilliance and clarity and darkening of colour. Excessive heating can result in development of opacity to some degree. It can also result in the more rapid development of hydroxymethylfurfural which has a deleterious effect on honey quality.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention has as its main aim the production of a form of syrup, particularly honey, whereby the syrup loses to a substantial extent its tendency to be runny or fluid (especially at warm temperatures) without involving the mandatory use of added acids, salts, buffers or other mineral salts and not requiring the mandatory use of pectins, gums or other hydrocolloids or of mixtures of hydrocolloids other than agar-agar (agar). Surprisingly, it has been found that use of very low levels of agar, in amounts sufficient to form a gel, can be effective in changing the physical characteristics of the syrup as required. It is possible to produce a well-gelled form of honey or other syrup having a tender melting texture in the mouth but with a stable gel structure in storage even for extended periods as well as in a warm or hot situation as, for example, on hot toast. Thus, as little as 0.05% of agar will produce an acceptable result. From about 0.2 to 0.5% w/w, of agar in the final preparation is preferred. Agar may be used in excess of this indicated range if required. Because of the low concentration of hydrocolloid required, a relatively small amount of water or other aqueous solutions will suffice to pre-dissolve the agar before mixing with syrup. As a consesquence, a composition having a very high proportion of syrup, such as honey, results.
In accordance with a first aspect of this invention there is provided a spreadable gelled syrup composition which comprises said syrup, and agar in an amount sufficient to form a gel. The syrup is preferably honey. Some examples of other syrups which may be used in the invention include maple syrup, molasses, sugar cane syrup (sometimes known as “golden syrup” and “treacle”) and malt extract. The composition may additionally contain added water in which the agar is initially pre-dissolved.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention there is provided a process for the production of a spreadable gelled syrup composition which comprises dispersing solubilised agar through a syrup at a temperature which is above the gelation temperature of the agar, and thereafter cooling the composition so as to allow formation of a gel.
In accordance with a further aspect of this invention there is provided a process for the production of a spreadable gelled syrup composition which comprises dissolution of agar in water in the presence of heat, warming a syrup to a temperature which is above the gelation temperature of agar, and dispersing the dissolved agar uniformly in the warm syrup, and thereafter cooling the composition so as to allow formation of a gel.
In a further aspect there is provided a process for the production of a spreadable gelled honey composition which comprises dispersing solubilised agar through honey at a temperature which is above the gelation temperature of the agar and which is not deleterious to the honey, and thereafter cooling the composition so as to allow formation of a gel. On cooling to ambient temperature (between about 15° C. to about 30° C.) the composition remains fluid and non-gelled for about six hours or longer.
In a further aspect of the invention there is provided a process for the production of a spreadable gelled honey composition which comprises dissolution of agar in the presence of heat, warming honey to a temperature which is above the gelation temperature of agar and which is not deleterious to the honey, and adding the dissolved agar to the honey so as to disperse the agar therethrough, wherein on cooling to ambient temperature (between about 15° C. to about 30° C.) the resultant honey composition remains fluid and non-gelled for about 6 hours or more, after which gelation develops.
In contrast, according to the invention as presently claimed, a syrup, preferably honey, is heated to a temperature between 35° C. and 60° C. being a temperature non-deleterious to the syrup in particular honey solution, and above the gelation tempe

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Spreadable gelled food product does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Spreadable gelled food product, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Spreadable gelled food product will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2830283