Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Products per se – or processes of preparing or treating... – Gels or gelable composition
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-11
2004-07-06
Paden, Carolyn (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Products per se, or processes of preparing or treating...
Gels or gelable composition
C426S575000, C426S577000, C426S578000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06759073
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to compositions which are useful as stabilizer and thickener systems, as well as methods of their use. The compositions are useful as, for example, cosmetic, health care (including pharmaceutical and over-the-counter compositions), food, and beverage compositions, preferably food and beverage compositions. The present invention is further directed to methods of stabilizing such compositions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Stability is a critical parameter for compositions which comprise one or more materials such as, for example, opacifiers and nutrients. In an unstable composition, changes may occur over time which result in, for example, one or more of the following:
1) Separation of layers (phase separation), wherein the layers have different colors and/or densities; and
2) Increases in particle size of the material (e.g., flocculation or aggregation).
In such unstable compositions, the material may settle to the bottom of a container which holds the composition, which results in a “caking” formation (i.e., phase separation), float to the top of the container (for example, wherein the material is an oil), or otherwise separate. See e.g., Meunier and Mengual, “A New Concept in Stability Analysis of Concentrated Colloidal Dispersions (Emulsions, Suspensions, Foams, Gels)”, 4
th
World Surfactant Congress, Vol. 4, pp. 300-314 (1996).
Accordingly, stability of compositions is critically important since the materials thereof may provide benefits such as, for example, opacity or cloud (e.g., for the purpose of providing a desired appearance) and nutrition or other efficacious benefits. Wherein materials (which would normally deliver one or more of these benefits) are not stable in the corresponding composition, these benefits will be lost. For example, a composition exhibiting noticeable flocculation will be unpalatable and unattractive to the consumer. Additionally, a composition comprising a vitamin or mineral intended for ingestion will be less nutritive for the consumer wherein such vitamins and minerals are not stable in the composition (i.e., such vitamins and minerals will settle and not be ingested, or ingested at a decreased dosage). Therefore, it is critically important to provide stable compositions comprising materials such that the benefits of the materials are provided to the consumer.
Barey, U.S. Pat. No. 5,866,190, assigned to Systems Bio-Industries, issued Feb. 2, 1999, discloses compositions used for stabilizing non-milk, acidic beverages. The compositions comprise a specific composition of pectin and alginate. As disclosed therein, stability of exemplified compositions is measured upon a relatively short period of time, i.e., 50 days. Additionally, there is no disclosure of materials which provide the requisite viscosity for acceptability of the final composition. Additionally, the reference fails to disclose the stabilization of insoluble materials, e.g., insoluble vitamins and particles.
However, failures of previously described systems containing pectin and alginate have prompted the need for further research in the field. Excitingly, the present inventors herein have discovered that defined combinations of pectin and alginate can stabilize, for example, oils and/or dense and/or large particles (i.e., particles having a density of from about 1 to about 5 or a particle size greater than about 0.2 microns), over extended periods of time, e.g., at least about 75 days. As is taught herein, it has been found that such enhanced stability of these dense, large particles is critically dependent upon manipulation of pectin to alginate ratios and/or total pectin/alginate concentrations in the composition.
It has further been surprisingly discovered that a thickener can be included within these stabilizing systems. The thickener is unexpectedly compatible with the structure by providing additional viscosity to the finished product without disrupting or destabilizing such network. This is a critically important discovery, as viscosity is often a key feature of the finished composition, particularly in beverage compositions. In many cases, it has been discovered that up to a three-fold increase in viscosity can be achieved without compromising the three-dimensional stabilizing network. Additionally, it has been discovered that the total concentration of the stabilizing system can be decreased upon addition of the thickener herein, providing for increased efficiency of the stabilizing process and lower overall cost to the consumer of the product.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to compositions useful for providing stability to a finished product, e.g., a cosmetic, food, beverage, pharmaceutical, or over-the-counter health care product. The compositions herein comprise:
(a) a stabilizer system comprising a pectin compound and an alginate compound; and
(b) a cellulose compound.
Without intending to be limited by theory, the present inventors have surprisingly discovered that these select compositions provide enhanced stability of suspended materials through provision of a three-dimensional network formed by the pectin compound and the alginate compound. The present inventors have further discovered that the thickeners herein provided added viscosity to the composition, surprisingly without disrupting the network provided by the pectin compound and the alginate compound. Accordingly, the compositions provide both stability and viscosity without compromising the efficiency of either of these properties.
The present invention further relates to methods of stabilizing a product comprising incorporating into the product a composition as described herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to compositions useful for providing stability to a finished composition, e.g., cosmetic, health care (including pharmaceutical and over-the-counter compositions), food, and beverage compositions, preferably food and beverage compositions, and most preferably beverage compositions. The present invention is also directed to methods of their use.
Publications and patents are referred to throughout this disclosure. All references cited herein are hereby incorporated by reference.
All percentages are calculated by weight unless otherwise indicated. All percentages are calculated based on the total composition unless otherwise indicated.
All component or composition levels are in reference to the active level of that component or composition, and are exclusive of impurities, for example, residual solvents or by-products, which may be present in commercially available sources.
Referred to herein are trade names for components including, but not limited to, pectin compounds, alginate compounds, thickeners, and other optional components. The inventors herein do not intend to be limited by materials under a certain trade name. Equivalent materials (e.g., those obtained from a different source under a different name or catalog (reference) number) to those referenced by trade name may be substituted and utilized in the compositions and methods herein.
In the description of the invention various embodiments and/or individual features are disclosed. As will be apparent to the ordinarily skilled practitioner, all combinations of such embodiments and features are possible and can result in preferred executions of the present invention.
The products herein may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of any of the elements as described herein.
Definitions
As used herein, the symbol “&mgr;m” means micron, as is commonly understood in the art.
As used herein, density is expressed in g/cm
3
, as is commonly understood in the art.
As used herein, the terms “opacity” and “cloud” are synonymous. As one of ordinary skill will appreciate, the term “opacity” is most often utilized in, for example, paper industries. The term “cloud” is most often utilized in, for example, food and beverage industries. For simplicity, “opacity” and “cloud” may be interchanged herein without change in meaning.
The Compositions of
Downton Galen Edward
Heisey Matthew Thomas
Nunes Raul Victorino
Chuey S. Robert
McDow-Dunham Kelly
Paden Carolyn
Roof Carl
The Procter & Gamble Co.
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