Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Products per se – or processes of preparing or treating... – Basic ingredient is starch based batter – dough product – etc.
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-16
2001-03-06
Bhat, Nina (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Products per se, or processes of preparing or treating...
Basic ingredient is starch based batter, dough product, etc.
C426S618000, C426S623000, C426S449000, C426S805000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06197361
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to gelatinized cereal product which contains oligosaccharide in the form of inulin; especially in the form of natural sources of inulin such as chicory. In sue, the cereal product has a beneficial effect in the gastro-intestinal tract of the consumer and hence upon the consumer as a whole. The invention also relates to a process of producing the cereal product and to methods of promoting beneficial effects in the gastro-intestinal tracts of humans and animals. The cereal product is particularly suitable for use as a pet food.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Oligosaccharides such as inulin and various fructo-oligosaccharides are reported to promote the growth of bifido- and lacto-bacteria in the gastro-intestinal tract at the expense of pathogens such as
Clostridium perfringens.
For example, see Gibson et al; 1994;
Food Microbiology,
11(6), 491-498. Although most reported experimentation has been carried out in vitro, there have been reports that these oligosaccharides have a similar effect in the gut of rats and humans. Further, promoting the growth of bifido- and lacto-bacteria through the use of oligosaccharides is reported to have various beneficial effects on animals and humans. These beneficial effects include the prevention or treatment of diarrhea, and increased growth; improved ability to breed, and enhanced health.
These beneficial effects have resulted in use of oligosaccharides, particularly fructo-oligosaccharides, in human foods and feeds for live stock. For example, International patent application WO 94/27617 discloses the use of a caramel which contains fructo-oligosaccharides in animal feed to enhance the health of live stock. However, reports of the use of inulin also exist. For example Japanese patent application 63-309147 discloses the use of a purified inulin in the feed for younger animals to prevent diarrhea after weaning and to increase body weight. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,852 discloses the use of inulin in the form of treated chicory as a feed for live stock.
Although the primary focus for oligosaccharides has been human foods and feeds for live stock, the use of fructo-oligosaccharides in a veterinary diet for pets has also been suggested (Willard et al; 1994,
Am. J. Vet. Res.,
55, 654-659). Further, products containing fructo-oligosaccharide are on the market; for example the Eukanuba product (The IAMS Company).
For the products which contain inulin, the inulin is usually purified from plants which contain higher concentrations of inulin; such as chicory, Jerusalem artichoke, leek and asparagus. Otherwise, the plant material is treated in some form or another prior to use. A reason for the purification or treatment is that the plants themselves are reported to have bitter flavors which result in palatability problems; see for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,852. This is particularly the case with chicory where the bitter flavors are believed to be due to the concentrations of sesquiterpene lactones such as lactucin and lactucopicrin in chicory. Also, it is generally believed that more accurate control of the amounts added may be obtained with purified product. Various procedures for purifying the inulin or treating the plant material have been reported. Usually however they include the steps of chopping up the plant, extracting it, and hydrolyzing it with acids or enzymes. The hydrolysate is then collected and condensed to obtain the inulin. For example, Japanese patent application 63-309147 disclosed grinding chicory tubers, partially hydrolyzing them with acids, and then drying the hydrolysate with or without neutralization.
Unfortunately, fructo-oligosaccharides and purified inulin greatly add to the cost of the products. Consequently, for pet foods, their use has been confined to specialty veterinary products such as the Eukanuba product and to pet treats. Similarly, for human foods, their use has been confined to specialty products.
Therefore there is a need for a cereal product which has the properties of food which contain fructo-oligosaccharides and purified inulin, which is palatable to humans and animals, and which may be inexpensively produced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, in one aspect, this invention provides a cereal product which comprises a gelatinized starch matrix which contains an amount of a plant material which is a source of inulin, sufficient to provide at least about 0.25% by weight inulin, on a dry matter basis.
It has been surprisingly found that adding a natural plant material which is a source of inulin to the usual ingredients of gelatinized cereal products and then gelatinizing the ingredients does not adversely affect the palatability of the food to humans and pets. This is despite the presence of sesquiterpene lactones such as lactucin and lactucopicrin in the plant materials. The gelatinisation of the ingredients of the cereal products surprisingly appears to remove or destroy these compounds. Also, trials indicate that dogs may find the cooked food even more palatable than commercially available foods. Given that these plant materials were thought to be highly unpalatable to animals, this result is extremely surprising. Cats find the cooked food at least as palatable as commercially available foods. It is also surprisingly found that gelatinizing of the ingredients does not result in any significant degradation of the shorter chain oligosaccharides of inulin. Therefore, it is believed that the gelatinized cereal product retains the properties of unprocessed inulin.
The plant material preferably comprises an inulin-rich plant material such as chicory or Jerusalem artichoke, or both; especially chicory. The gelatinized cereal product preferably contains sufficient of the plant material such that it comprises at least 0.5% by weight of inulin on a dry matter basis. The maximum amount is inulin is preferably about 10% by weight on a dry matter basis. The gelatinized cereal product preferably includes at least about 0.01% by weight of kestose; 0.01% by weight of nystose and 0.01% by weight of fructosyl-nystose. More preferably kestose, nystose and fructosyl-nystose make up at least about 0.1% by weight of the gelatinized cereal product; for example the gelatinized cereal product may include at least about 0.04% by weight of kestose; 0.04% by weight of nystose and 0.04% by weight of fructosyl-nystose.
Preferably, the gelatinized matrix further includes protein. The gelatinized cereal product preferably comprises an extrusion cooked product. The extrusion cooked product may be in dried pellet form, dried expanded form, or flaked form.
In a further aspect, this invention provides a process of preparing a gelatinized cereal product which contains at least about 0.25% by weight of inulin on a dry matter basis, the process comprising gelatinizing a starch source, a protein source, and a plant material which is a source of inulin to form a gelatinized starch and protein matrix which contains the inulin.
Preferably the starch source, protein source, and plant material are extrusion cooked and then extruded. Further, the extrudate may be dried.
In another aspect, this invention provides a method of increasing the digestibility of a cereal product comprising incorporating a plant material which is a source of inulin into the cereal product.
In a yet further aspect, this invention provides a method of decreasing fecal volume of a pet, the method comprising feeding the pet a gelatinized cereal product which contains an amount of a plant material which is a source of inulin, sufficient to provide at least about 0.25% by weight inulin, on a dry matter basis.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Embodiments of the invention are now described, by way of example only.
The invention provides a gelatinized cereal product which contains an amount of a plant material, which is a source of inulin, sufficient to provide at least about 0.25% by weight inulin, on a dry matter basis. The plant material used may be any suitable source of inulin; for example chicory, Jerusalem
Anantharaman Helen Gillian
Ballevre Olivier
Rochat Florence
Bell Boyd & Lloyd LLC
Bhat Nina
Nestec S.A.
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