Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Products per se – or processes of preparing or treating... – Plant material is basic ingredient other than extract,...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-10-18
2004-04-13
Hendricks, Keith (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Products per se, or processes of preparing or treating...
Plant material is basic ingredient other than extract,...
Reexamination Certificate
active
06720021
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to nut spreads having reduced fat and calories and the process for making the same. More particularly, it relates to low-viscosity peanut spreads employing nut solids with mono-modal particle size distribution and non-digestible fat. Nut spreads made with these compositions have a flavor and texture comparable to full-fat nut spreads.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional peanut and other nut butters or spreads consist of a mixture of solid nut particles, liquid oil, flavorants (e.g., a sweetener such as sugar, high fructose corn syrup or honey, and salt), and a stabilizer. Peanut butters typically contain about 50% oil and about 50% solids. Peanut butters are nutritious but are high in fat and calories. Thus, it would be desirable to produce a peanut butter or spread product that has a reduced level of fat and calories.
Significantly increasing the solids to oil ratio is one means used in the past to lower the fat content of peanut spreads. Increasing solids to oil ratio is often achieved by adding a non-nut dry ingredient. In reduced-fat peanut spreads, the dry ingredient commonly used is corn syrup solids. These products have a non-fat solids/oil ratio that is about 2:1. Additionally, these products tend to have a low level of peanut solids. In reduced-fat peanut spreads, the amount of peanut paste used is only 60% versus more than 85% in full-fat nut butters. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,737, a reduced-fat and reduced-calorie peanut spread is made by using a total non-fat solids/total oil (triglyceride oil plus a low-calorie or no-calorie triacylglcerol oil) ratio ranging from 2.01:1 to about 2.71:1. Like the reduced-fat nut spreads, the level of fat-free nut solids in this application is limited to a maximum level of 34%. To maximize peanut flavor, maximize a soft, spreadable texture and minimize in-process viscosity, a preferred range of 25-29% peanut solids is disclosed. The viscosity of these products is relatively high (6000 to 50,000 cP (centipoise)). Rheologically, the viscosity of peanut butters/spreads is highly influenced by the amount of nut solids in the product, especially when the non-fat solids to total oil ratio exceeds 2. As a result, these products tend to have less peanut flavor and have a less spreadable, less creamy, and stickier texture.
It is desirable to have a non-fat solid/total oil ratio that is closer to that of full-fat nut spreads (about 1:1). Doing so simplifies processing and allows for a product texture that is closer to that of full-fat nut butters. To achieve this ratio, non-digestible fat like polyol fatty acid polyesters have been used. Polyol fatty acid polyesters have the ability to provide fat-like properties but have the advantage of being non-digestible in the human digestive system and hence contribute no calories. Since peanut butter is a viscous suspension, it is desirable to replace the peanut oil with a completely liquid polyol polyester. Unfortunately, regular ingestion of moderate to high levels of completely liquid forms of these polyol polyesters can produce an undesirable oil loss, namely leakage of the polyol polyester through the anal sphincter. In general, control of passive oil loss is achieved by adding an anal leakage control agent such as solid fat to the liquid polyol polyester. For example, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,480,667; 5,158,796; 5,194,281; and 5,085,884. In the aforementioned patents, the nature of the anal leakage control agent is such that passive oil loss control is achieved yet the food product has minimized waxiness in the mouth. Waxiness relates to how the fat composition is sensed in the mouth and specifically relates to the sensation of a product having a relatively high level of fat solids.
A method for making reduced-calorie peanut products by replacing peanut oil with polyol fatty acid polyesters is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,536,524. This disclosure describes only the method but does not describe the actual product properties required to make a good tasting peanut spread. Specifically, it does not teach how to overcome the undesirable effects on peanut flavor and texture caused by replacing peanut oil with a polyol polyesters containing an anti-leakage control agent. Because of the viscous nature of peanut butter, the addition of an agent to prevent leakage results in a very high product viscosity which, in turn, causes a loss of peanut flavor display, loss of spreadability, and an undesirable waxy mouth feel. Thus, a reduced-fat and calorie peanut spread made with a non-caloric fat replacement oil that has good peanut flavor and texture has not been achieved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a low-fat and low-calorie nut spread having good nut flavor and texture. The nut spread has at least 50% less fat and 33% fewer calories than full-fat peanut butter, yet has the flavor and texture of a full-fat nut butter or spread. The nut spread has a non-fat solids to total oil ratio that is less than about 2.0:1. The present invention provides a process for making the nut spread. The process comprises the steps of:
(1) providing a nut paste;
(2) defatting a portion of the nut paste to form a defatted nut flour;
(3) milling the defatted nut flour so that the nut solids have a mono-modal particle size distribution to form a mono-modal nut solids flour;
(4) refatting the mono-modal nut solids flour with a non-digestible oil to form a refatted paste mix;
(5) combining a second nut paste portion, nut chunks, or a mixture thereof with the refatted paste mix to form a fluid mix; and
(6) reducing the viscosity of the fluid mix to form the nut spread.
The preferred process for making the nut spread comprises reconstituting nut solids that have a mono-modal particle size distribution where the D
50
and D
90
sizes are less than about 15 and about 35 microns, respectively, with oil substitute, followed by blending with peanut paste or peanut chunks. Preferably, the level of fat-free nut solids is from about 34% to about 45%. The apparent viscosity of the nut is less than about 4500 cP. The nut spread comprises at least about 20% oil substitute, preferably olestra that contains an anal leakage controlling agent.
Preferably, the nut solids are finely milled by passing them through a roll refining mill. This reduces the nut solids to a mono-modal particle size distribution. In one embodiment, the nut solids have a mono-modal particle size distribution with a median particle size of about 10 microns or less wherein more than 90% of the particles are less than about 30 microns in size (D
90
is less than 30 microns). The nut spread is suitable for use as a filling in snack products.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A. Definitions
While this invention will be generally described in terms of peanuts and peanut butter, it should be readily apparent that other materials such as almonds, pecans, walnuts, cashews, filberts, macadamia nuts, Brazilians, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, soybeans, and mixtures thereof could be utilized in this invention. The term “nut” as used herein encompasses these nuts and oil seeds and mixtures thereof.
As used herein, “nut paste” means a suspension of nut solids and oil resulting from the milling of nuts, wherein such milling ruptures the nut oil cells.
As used herein, the term “nut spread” means a spreadable food product made primarily from nut solids and fat/oil, plus other optional ingredients such as nut butter stabilizers, flavorants, flavor enhancers, bulking agents, emulsifiers, and mixtures thereof. Nut spreads include, but are not limited to, “nut butters” and “peanut butters” as defined by the standard of identity of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
As used herein, the term “fat” refers to fat and/or oil. While the terms “fat” and “oil” are used somewhat interchangeably, the term “fat” usually refers to triglycerides that are solid or plastic at ambient temperature, while the term “oil” usually refers to triglycerides that are liquid or fluid at ambient temperature.
The term “non-digestible” fat or
Sackenheim Richard Joseph
Tavares Eugene Francisco
Trout James Earl
Wong Vincent York-Leung
Hendricks Keith
Jones Melody A.
The Procter + Gamble Co.
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