Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Surface coated – fluid encapsulated – laminated solid... – Isolated whole seed – bean or nut – or material derived therefrom
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-09
2001-06-26
Paden, Carolyn (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Surface coated, fluid encapsulated, laminated solid...
Isolated whole seed, bean or nut, or material derived therefrom
C426S099000, C426S631000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06251448
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to the production of chocolates and compound coatings having a unique texture and mouthfeel while being eaten.
BACKGROUND ART
In order to make a candy product that is palatable to the consumer, the texture or mouthfeel of the candy product is often varied. For example, foaming confectionary products are available. This method of varying the mouthfeel of the product depends on the reaction of two ingredients, such as an acid and sodium bicarbonate, when the product is placed in the mouth.
Candy products containing chocolate or compound coatings are well known. Compound coatings having a chocolate flavor are commonly used as a replacement for chocolate in candy products, mainly for cost or price reasons but also so that the texture or mouthfeel of compound coatings may be varied.
The texture of the compound coating is typically varied by varying the melting profile of the fat used in the compound coating. The melting profile of the fat can be changed by varying the type of fat used, the level of hydrogenation of the fat, fractionation of the fat and/or esterification of the fat. In addition, the texture of the confectionary coating can be varied by varying the amount and/or kind of emulsifier.
Flavored compound coatings often do not have the texture of the product whose flavor they exhibit. For example, peanut butter flavored compound coatings often lack the cloyiness or sticky texture of real peanut butter.
Hydrocolloids have been used in the food industry as a thickening agent and stabilizing agent in a variety of food products. For example, hydrocolloids are used in salad dressings and pectin jellies. The hydrocolloids are also useful in preparing low fat or no fat confections. In all these uses the hydrocolloids are present in water based food products and exist in their hydrated state. However, water can cause problems in chocolate or compound coatings.
For example U.S. Pat. No. 5,607,716 discloses a “water and sugar based” confection which is a caramel and includes hydrocolloids. Other foodstuffs referred to include fudge, nougat, toffee, creams, gums and jellies. All these products are water based materials.
WO 93/17,582 discloses edible dispersions used as a fat substitute. The product has continuous and gel dispersed phase containing hydrocolloids. The gel is formed from an aqueous solution.
European Patent No. 522,704 discloses hydrated micro particles of cocoa dispersed in an aqueous sugar solution that can be used, for example, as a low fat icing.
European Patent No. 515,864 discloses a water and sugar based high solids confectionary useful in foodstuffs such as confectionary products and jellies, especially low fat and no fat confections.
WO 91/19,424 discloses a fat substitute comprising micro-particulate beads of hydrous hydrocolloid gel. The micro-particulate beads may be used as a fat substitute for ice cream, pudding, cheesecake, dips, salad dressings and the like.
European Patent No. 434,025 discloses the preparation of crispies by extrusion of a hydrocolloid and/or raw fiber, oat bran, sugar substitute, starch and wheat flour. The crispies product initially has a high moisture content and is dried to a final moisture content of 4 percent. The crispies may be coated with chocolate.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,849,395 discloses modified hydrocolloids useful as a suspending or gelling agent for chocolate syrup or fruit syrups. However, chocolate, milk or plain, or compound coatings only contain a trace of water. This, is declared in McCance, R. A., Widdowson, E. M., 1960, “The Composition of Foods,” H.M.S.O., London, pp. 100-101. This is because chocolate and compound coatings cannot tolerate moisture for the reasons of texture, stability, and microbiological safety.
As noted above, flavored compound coatings often do not have the texture of the product whose flavor they exhibit. Thus, there is a need for compound coatings which provide a texture more like the product whose flavor they exhibit. In addition, it is desirable to make candy products having unique and novel textures that are attractive to consumers. The present invention provides such products.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a chocolate or compound coating having a unique texture and mouthfeel. The chocolate or compound coating includes a hydrocolloid in an amount sufficient to modify the texture or mouthfeel of the composition.
Preferably, the hydrocolloid is a functional protein, a gum, a gel, a cellulosic material, a glucan, a starch, a clay or a mixture thereof. More preferably, the hydrocolloid is a gelatin, a carrageenan, a pectin, a cellulose, an alginate, a xanthan, or a mixture thereof, and most preferably is guar gum.
Advantageously, the hydrocolloid is present in an amount from about 0.1 percent to about 20 percent by weight of the composition, preferably from about 1 percent to about 10 percent by weight of the composition. The hydrocolloid has a particle size of between about 50 &mgr;m and about 500 &mgr;m, preferably, between about 70 &mgr;m and about 250 &mgr;m, and most preferably between about 80 &mgr;m and about 180 &mgr;m.
The chocolate or compound coating may have a moisture content of no more than about 5 weight percent, and preferably no more than about 2 weight percent.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
It has been surprisingly discovered that combining hydrocolloids with chocolate or compound coatings produces a product with a unique texture and mouthfeel when eaten.
By hydrocolloid is meant those substances which influence the physical properties of water. In particular, hydrocolloids are substances that swell and produce a viscous dispersion or solution when exposed to water. Hydrocolloids include functional proteins such as, gelatin, myosin, sarcoplasmic proteins, albumens, and globulins; gums, such as, galactomannans, glucomannans, and microbials; gels, such as, seaweed extracts, pectinaceous materials, and konjacs; and other macromolecular entities such as, cellulosics, glucans, starches, and clays.
Hydrocolloids which may be added to the chocolate or compound coating according to the present invention include, but are not limited to, acacia, acetan, acetylated distarch phosphate, acetylated starch, acid-thinned starch, adipic starch, agar (agar-agar), agaropectin, agarose, algin, alginate, alginic acid, amidated pectins, amorphophallus, amylopectin, amylopectin starch, amylose, arabic, arabica, arabinogalactan, arabogalactan, arracacha, arrowroot, beet pulp, beta glucan, bevo, British gum, cactus gum, carboxymethylethyl starches, carboxymethylcellulose, carboxymethylethylcellulose, carboxymethyl starch, cassia, chitin, chitosan, clay, collagen, combretum, curdlan, cydonia, Danish agar, dextran, dextrin, dulsan, distarch phosphate, ethylcellulose, ethylhydroxyethylcellulose, ethylmethylcellulose, eucheumas, ferlo, fibrinogen, flax seed, fucoidan, furcelleran, funoran, galactomannans, gatto, gelidium, gellan, ghatti, gigartinas, glucomannans, gluten, gracilarias, guluronics, gummifera, hashab, hemicelluloses, high amylose starch, hoblobo, hydrogenated starch, hydroxyalkylcellulose, hydroxyalkyl starch, hydroxyethylcellulose, hydroxyethylmethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, hydroxypropylmethylcellulos, hydroxypropyl starch, hypnean, iota carrageenan, iridaeans, isinglass, karaya, karroo, kelp, keltzan, konjac, kordofan, lakee, lambda carrageenan, laminaran, larch gum, linseed, locust bean, lupo, luposol, mannan, mannoglucuronoglycans, mannuronics, maracuya, mesquite, methylcellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, mucilage, mucin, mung bean, okra, oxidised starch, pea starch, pectic acid, plant exudates, potato pulp, potato starch, pregelatinized starches, propylated starch, propylene glycol alginate, prosopis seed, prosopis exudate, protopectins, prowashonupana barley, pullulan, psyllium, pyrodextrins, quince, quince seed, ramalin, rhamsam, St. Johns bread, salabreda, sandra beida, schizophyllan, scleroglycan, seaweed powders, semen cydonia, senna, seyal, sorghum, sterculia, suakim, succinoglyca
Best Eric
Budwig Christopher
DeStephen Stephen
Nestec SA
Paden Carolyn
Winston & Strawn
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