Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Products per se – or processes of preparing or treating... – Foam or foamable type
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-01
2004-03-30
Bhat, Nina (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Products per se, or processes of preparing or treating...
Foam or foamable type
C426S570000, C426S588000, C426S591000, C426S474000, C426S477000, C426S516000, C426S518000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06713113
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a soluble foamer ingredient which, upon addition of a liquid, induces the formation of or forms a foam. The invention also relates to a soluble foamer ingredient for producing enhanced foam in foodstuffs and beverages. In particular the invention relates to a soluble creamer ingredient. The invention also relates to a soluble creamer powder which contains the soluble creamer ingredient, and a soluble beverage powder which contains the soluble creamer powder. The soluble beverage powder may be of the instant “cappuccino” type.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Soluble foamer or creamer powders which, upon addition of a liquid, are able to provide a creamy foam have many uses. For example, these creamer powders may be used to provide milk shakes and cappuccino beverages. They may also have food applications such as desserts, soups, and sauces.
Soluble coffee beverage products which produce cappuccino beverages are particularly well known. Usually these products are a dry mix of a soluble coffee powder and a soluble beverage creamer. The soluble beverage creamer contains pockets of gas which, upon dissolution of the powder, produce foam. Therefore, upon the addition of water or milk (usually hot), a whitened coffee beverage, which has a foam on its upper surface, is formed; the beverage resembling, to a greater or lesser extent, traditional Italian cappuccino. Examples of these gassed soluble beverage creamers are described in European patent applications No 0154192, 0458310 and 0885566. Soluble beverage creamers which contain inorganic foaming agents are also available.
Ideally, to closely resemble a traditional Italian cappuccino, a light, fluffy and stable foam should form on the surface of the beverage. However, quite often the foam produced by many soluble cappuccino powders is not light and fluffy. Further, the amount of foam produced is often less than that ordinarily found on a traditional cappuccino. The amount of foam may, to some extent, be increased by increasing the amount of soluble beverage creamer in the coffee beverage product. However this influences the flavor of the beverage which is not always desirable.
Therefore there is still a need for a soluble beverage creamer which is able to provide a good, stable foam upon reconstitution.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, in one aspect, this invention provides a powdered soluble foamer ingredient which comprises a matrix containing carbohydrate and protein and entrapped gas, the gas being present in an amount to release upon addition of liquid at least about 1 ml of gas at ambient conditions per gram of soluble foamer ingredient.
The soluble foamer ingredient provides the advantage that, when included in a soluble foamer powder, it is able to generate or induce the formation of much greater volumes of foam than conventional foaming powders, such a as conventional foaming creamer powders.
Preferably the gas is present in an amount to release about 1.5 ml to about 25 ml of gas at room temperature per gram of soluble foamer ingredient; for example about 1.8 ml to about 20 ml. More preferably from about 6 ml to about 18 ml.
In the present context ambient conditions refer to standard temperature and pressure conditions (STP). The release of gas is determined as described in the examples.
In another aspect, this invention provides a powdered soluble foamer ingredient for producing enhanced foam in foodstuffs and beverages, the ingredient comprising a matrix containing carbohydrate and protein and entrapped gas under pressure, the ingredient being obtainable by subjecting porous particles of the matrix to an atmosphere of the gas at a raised pressure and a temperature above the glass transition temperature of the particles; and quenching or curing the particles.
In preferred embodiments of the invention the powdered soluble roamer ingredient is a powdered soluble creamer ingredient.
In further aspect, this invention provides a soluble creamer powder which comprises a soluble creamer ingredient having a matrix containing carbohydrate and protein and entrapped gas, the soluble creamer powder generating a foam of volume at least about 2.5 ml/g of soluble creamer powder when reconstituted in liquid.
Preferably the soluble creamer powder generates a foam of volume of about 5 ml/g of soluble creamer powder to about 40 ml/g of powder when reconstituted in liquid. More preferably a foam volume from about 8 ml/g of powder to about 35 ml/g of soluble creamer powder is generated when the soluble creamer powder is reconstituted in liquid. For example, the soluble creamer powder may generate a foam of volume of about 7 ml/g to about 20 m/g when the powder is reconstituted in hot water. Preferably, the foam volume is from about 10 ml/g of powder to about 30 ml/g of powder when reconstituted in hot water. The foam volume will depend on the amount of soluble roamer ingredient in the powder. Further, the foam volume may depend on the liquid composition and temperature.
Upon dissolution in hot or cold water, the soluble creamer powder forms a light, fluffy and stable foam. Further, the soluble creamer powder may provide at least twice as much foam per unit weight as do conventional creamers.
In an additional aspect, this invention provides a soluble food powder which comprises a soluble foamer ingredient having a matrix containing carbohydrate and protein and entrapped gas, the soluble food powder generating a foam of volume at least about 5 ml ml/g of soluble foamer ingredient when reconstituted in liquid.
In yet another aspect, this invention provides a soluble beverage powder, the soluble beverage powder comprising a soluble coffee powder and a soluble creamer ingredient or creamer powder as defined above. The invention also provides a soluble beverage powder, the soluble beverage powder comprising a soluble beverage base powder such as e.g. cocoa or malt powder and a soluble creamer ingredient or creamer powder as defined above.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Preferred embodiments of the invention are now described by way of example only. This invention provides a soluble foamer ingredient which is able to generate large amounts of gas per unit weight. Therefore the soluble foamer ingredient may be used in soluble foamer powders to produce increased amounts of foam when the foamer powder is reconstituted with liquid. In the following the invention will be described with reference to a soluble creamer ingredient, which is one of the preferred applications of the present invention. It will however be appreciated that the invention also may have other applications such as beverages, desserts, sauces, soups etc.
The soluble creamer ingredient is primarily a matrix containing carbohydrate, protein and entrapped gas. The carbohydrate in the matrix may be any suitable carbohydrate or carbohydrate mixture. Suitable examples include lactose, dextrose, fructose, sucrose, maltodextrin, corn syrup, starch, modified starch, cyclodextrin, dextrose, fructose, and the like, and mixtures of these carbohydrates. Mixtures containing maltodextrin are particularly preferred. For example, the carbohydrate may be a mixture of about 40% to about 80% by weight of maltodextrin, sucrose and lactose. Sucrose preferably provides about 5% to about 30% by weight of the mixture. Lactose preferably provides about 5% to about 30% by weight of the mixture. Maltodextrin preferably provides 10% to 50% by weight of the mixture.
The carbohydrate preferably provides about 40% to about 98%; more preferably about 60% to about 95% by weight of the matrix; and even more preferably about 70% to about 90% by weight.
The protein in the matrix may be any suitable protein or protein mixture. Suitable examples include milk proteins (casein or whey, or both), soy proteins, wheat proteins, gelatine, caseinates, and the like. A particularly suitable source of protein is non-fat milk solids. These solids may be provided in dry or liquid form (as skimmed milk). Another suitable source of protein is sweet whey; for example in
Bisperink Christiaan
Schoonman Annemarie Johanna Endrika
Ufheil Gerhard
Vuataz Gilles
Bhat Nina
Nestec S.A.
Winston & Strawn LLP
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