Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Products per se – or processes of preparing or treating... – Gels or gelable composition
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-16
2003-10-14
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
C426S576000, C426S578000, C426S580000, C426S650000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06632468
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the art of foodstuffs. More particularly, the present invention relates to gel-based products that can be used to enhance the flavor and/or texture of consumable food items.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Reversible flavored gels have long been known for various applications in the food industry. Some relevant patent disclosures (in chronological order) are discussed below:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,561,333 discloses a reversible gel made from soybeans. A soybean material, e.g., soybean flakes, is treated to extract oil and alcohol solubles. It is said that the alcohol solubles are anti-gelling factors in the soybean flakes. The alcohol-extracted proteinaceous residue is then extracted with water to obtain a proteinaceous material suspended in aqueous solution. Insoluble fibrous material is then separated and in the remaining phase evaporated to dryness. That remaining material is capable of forming a reversible gel upon the addition of alcohol thereto. Suggested uses for the reversible gel are wines, cognacs, and so forth, as well as other flavors. At temperatures of approximately 30° C. or below, a stable gel forms. That gel will become liquid if reheated.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,016,278 describes a mozzarella cheese-like substitute of emulsified fat (with water) and a particular neutralized casein. The gel which is formed is remeltable to a stringy consistency at temperatures between about 20° F. and 130° F. This patent thus teaches that reversible gels can be made with protein emulsifiers, i.e., the particular neutralized casein, although the composition involved is one of a relatively high fat ratio.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,427,704 describes various gels based on a variety of gelling agents including alginates and gums. The particular invention of this patent is based on a combination of glucomannan and carrageenan.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,976 is directed to a reversible gel formed with konjak mannan and xanthane gum, although other gums are also mentioned. The reversible gel can be flavored and can exhibit a wide range of properties, including properties of a meltable cheese.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,567,454 discloses a nut butter (peanut butter) and jelly food slice. The peanut butter is contained between layers of the jelly, and the jelly has been gelled with conventional gelling agents, e.g., pectin, gelatin, and agar, so that it is not sticky and may conveniently be handled with the fingers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,681,602 discloses a heat-reversible gelled pizza sauce in disk form, which can be applied to a pizza crust. The disk is solid at room temperature or below but flows when the pizza is heated to higher temperatures. Among the categories of gelling agents described are proteins, and of these gelatin is a preferred gelling agent.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,690,990 is directed to a gelled spice-containing composition where the gelling agent can be conventional gums and gelatin but also may be casein. The spices are encapsulated in the composition and then used for providing flavors to various food products.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,858,426 discloses a meltable food product for applying seasonings to food or serving as a sauce for food. The product is designed to apply seasonings to food when it melts which occurs as the food is cooked. The product has a gel-like consistency and is comprised of water, a solidifying agent, a food base, and seasonings embedded in the product. Methods for making and using the product are also disclosed.
One feature that characterizes all of these disclosures is the application-specific nature of each gelled product. There is an unmet need for a broader, more flexible approach to gel-based products to enhance the flavor and/or texture of consumable food items.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a self-sustaining composite product comprising an edible gel having one or more flavoring and/or texturizing components distributed uniformly throughout. The products of this invention are substantially solid at ambient temperature and liquefy or otherwise change in texture at an elevated temperature.
A convenient configuration for the products of the present invention is a cylinder having size and consistency similar to that of canned jellied cranberry sauce. In another embodiment, the present products may have the form and consistency of slices of cheese. In both of these embodiments, the slices of product may be separated from one another by layers of paper or plastic, to facilitate handling. These products would not (necessarily) be initially “formed” on these separation layers.
The composite products of the present invention will preferably comprise 20-85 weight-% solids and 15-80 weight -% water or other edible liquids. Fats are optional ingredients, but when present will normally not exceed 40 weight-%. Gum content too is optional, but when present optimally ranges up to about 1 weight-%. Optimum pH for the composite products of the present invention ranges from 3 to 7. Low pH products should be used with caution. Protein content will preferably range from 3-12 weight-%, and starch content will preferably range from 3-20 weight-%. All of these ranges are optimum or preferred, rather than absolutely limiting of the present invention.
The present invention provides a composite food product comprising 0.3-20% (w/w) of at least one gelling agent selected from the group consisting of gelatin, egg white, egg white protein, albumin, wheat protein, whey protein, casein, soy protein, pea protein, starch, modified food starches, gellan gum, pectin, alginate, collagen, carrageenan, agar, and methylcellulose, and combinations of ingredients which combine to produce a gel, and 0.1-60% (w/w) of at least one flavoring component selected from the group consisting of sugars, salt, hydrolyzed proteins, spices, seasonings, vinegar, extracts, fruit juice, vegetable juice, juice concentrates, cheese, yogurt, cream cheese, sour cream, butter, smoke, malt, monosodium glutamate, enzyme modified cheeses, concentrated dairy products, natural flavors, artificial flavors, and high intensity sweeteners, and/or at least one texturing component selected from the group consisting of starches, modified food starches, guar gum, locust bean gum, xanthan gum, carrageenan, gum Arabic, maltodextrin, cellulose gum, corn syrup solids, whey proteins, milk proteins, casein, soy proteins, wheat proteins, meat proteins, plasma proteins, fats, oils, dextrins, mono-glycerides, di-glycerides, lecithin, and sugars. When the flavoring and/or texturing agent is a basic ingredient such as salt or sugar, additional flavoring and/or texturing ingredients will be incorporated into the compositions of this invention.
The composite food product of the present invention may further comprise 5-40% (w/w) at least one fat and/or oil component selected from the group consisting of soybean, milk, coconut, cottonseed, corn, sunflower, canola, palm, peanut, tallow, lard, and butter. When this component is present, it is most preferably 10-30% (w/w) partially hydrogenated soybean oil.
This invention also provides a method for preparing a flavored and/or controlled texture food item for service. The method of this invention comprises the steps of: providing a servable portion of an optionally cooked food item, providing a servable portion of the self-sustaining composite food product and contacting said servable self-sustainable food product portion with said servable food item portion to form a flavored and/or textured food item combination. The method may further comprise the step of heating the flavored and/or textured food item combination to prepare the flavored and/or textured food item for service.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Definitions
The terminology “self-sustaining” as applied herein to a product designates a product that requires no external support means. That differentiates the product of the present invention from the pizza sauce disk of U.S. Pat. No. 5,681,602, which is taught to be formed on a suitable non-edible surface or substrate. The terminology “distributed u
Immel Irwin W.
Klemaszewski Joseph L.
Morgan Ellen K.
O'Sullivan Maurice
Bhat Nina
Kerry Inc.
LandOfFree
Controlled-viscosity food flavoring system does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Controlled-viscosity food flavoring system, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Controlled-viscosity food flavoring system will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3161080