Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Surface coated – fluid encapsulated – laminated solid... – Sugar or carbohydrate containing
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-29
2004-03-09
Hendricks, Keith (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Surface coated, fluid encapsulated, laminated solid...
Sugar or carbohydrate containing
C127S030000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06703057
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a granulated sugar product and a process for making such a product and, in particular, to a product intended to be used as a substitute for granulated sugar.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many and varied attempts have been made over a number of years to produce a granulated sugar product with similar appearance to sugar, the same sweetness and half the bulk density. The product should, when dispensed by a variety of measures eg., spoons, deliver less, preferably, only half or less, of the weight for the same sweetness when compared with granulated sugar. The product should also exhibit the “crunch” and reflective appearance of granulated sugar.
The present invention has been made from a consideration of this problem and in order to provide a granulated sugar product having one or more of the above-mentioned characteristics.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a granulated sugar product comprising a core material substantially of a granulated first sugar material and a surface material substantially of a second sugar material, wherein the second sugar material is less dense than the first sugar material and wherein the density of the first sugar material is in the range of 0.60-1.20 g/cm
3
and wherein the density of the second sugar material is in the range of 0.01-0.55 g/cm
3
, and wherein the surface material comprises substantially a second sugar, dextrins, sorbitol, mannitol, starch, cellulose, inulin, glycogen, xylitol, levoglucason or maltol (and ethyl derivative).
The density of the first sugar material is preferably in the range of 0.70-1.10 g/cm
3
, more preferably, in the range of 0.75-1.05 g/cm
3
, even more preferably, in the range of 0.80-1.00 g/cm
3
, and most preferably, in the range of 0.85-0.95 g/cm
3
.
The density of the second sugar material is preferably in the range of 0.02-0.50 g/cm
3
, more preferably, in the range of 0.04-0.40 g/cm
3
, even more preferably, in the range of 0.05-0.35 g/cm
3
, still more preferably, in the range of 0.05-0.30 g/cm
3
, and most preferably, in the range of 0.10-0.20 g/cm
3
.
The surface material may cover only some or all of the surface of the first sugar granule. The product may also incorporate a sweetener, preferably a high intensity sweetener.
In this manner, a granulated sugar product can be provided with an overall bulk density less than the bulk density of the granulated first sugar and, therefore, act as a lighter alternative to the first sugar product whilst maintaining the granulated form and “crunch.” Furthermore, by the use of appropriate quantities of sweeteners, a lighter product with the same sweetness as the first sugar may be obtained.
The overall bulk density of the granulated sugar product before packing is preferably in the range of 0.10-0.65 g/cm
3
, more preferably, in the range of 0.15-0.55 g/cm
3
, even more preferably, in the range of 0.20-0.50 g/cm
3
, and most preferably, in the range of 0.25-0.45 g/cm
3
. Following packing, the overall bulk density of the granulated sugar product is preferably in the range of 0.20-0.90 g/cm
3
, more preferably, in the range of 0.30-0.80 g/cm
3
, even more preferably, in the range of 0.40-0.70 g/cm
3
, and most preferably, in the range of 0.44-0.60 g/cm
3
.
The reduction in calories per unit volume of the granulated sugar product with respect to traditional sugar is preferably in the range of 5-60%, more preferably, in the range of 10-50%, even more preferably, in the range of 15-40%, and most preferably, in the range of 20-30%.
Preferably, the first sugar is sucrose but any granulated sugar product may be used. By granulated is meant such products as would include, for instance, commercial table sugar and caster sugar but not icing sugar. Thus, typically granulated may imply having crystals of at least 0.1 mm or between about 0.1 mm and 1.0 mm, more preferably 0.2 mm and 0.8 mm and including specifically caster sugar having crystals in the range 0.27 to 0.34 mm and conventional granulated or table sugar having crystals in the range 0.60 to 0.67 mm. Preferably, the crystal sizes are in the range 0.27 mm to 0.67 mm.
The second sugar may be selected from any sugar product. Preferably, it may be selected from sucrose, glucose (dextrose, anhydrous & mono), fructose, lactose (anhydrous and hydrated), maltose, Ribose, galactose, dried glucose syrups, grape sugar, arabinose, raffinose, mannose, rhaimnose, iso-maltose, gentobiose, trehalose, cellobiose, neohesperidose, maltotriose, parose, neokestose, stachyose.
The sweetener may be any sweetener. Preferably, the sweetener is selected from sorbitol (E420), mannitol (E421), isomalt (E953), maltitol (E965), lactitol (E966), xylitol (E967), acesulfame K (E950), aspartame (E951), cyclamic acid and sodium and calcium salts (E952), saccharin and its sodium, potassium and calcium salts (E954), thaumatin (E957), neohesperidine DC (E959).
More preferably, the sweetener is aspartame and/or acesulfame K and/or other high intensity sweeteners. The high intensity of the sweetener is defined in terms of its sweetness compared with sugar on a weight basis. Preferably, the high intensity sweetener is at least 30 times, typically 200/300 times or at least 100 times, as sweet as sugar on a weight basis. Preferably, the product comprises two sweeteners, typically both aspartame and acesulfame K. In general aspartame tastes good but tends not to be heat stable whereas acesulfame K is heat stable but does not taste good. The product may include a liquid component such as water. The amount of added liquid typically determines the consistency of the mixture. Preferably, the surface material is in a powder form. More preferably, the surface material comprises a foam dried material.
Preferably, a surface material having a lower calorific density compared with sucrose is used. The lower calorific density may be due to the chemical or physical form of the surface material or both. Preferably, a low density maltodextrin is used. Preferably, the maltodextrin is in power form and most preferably the maltodextrin comprises foam dried maltodextrin. Foam drying is a know process comprising pumping gas under pressure into the feed to spray drier prior to the sugar being spray dried. Foam dried sugar has a honeycomb effect which gives it a significantly reduced bulk density. Thus, preferably a sugar that is fluffy and light is used.
Preferably, the product comprises the first sugar in the range of 60-90% by weight, more preferably, 75-85% by weight. Preferably, the surface material is 10-40% by weight, more preferably, 15-25% by weight. Preferably, the sweetener, typically aspartame and/or acesulfame K, is 0.1-1.0% by weight, more preferably, 0.1-0.5% by weight. Preferably, about 0.4% sweetener or about 0.2% each of aspartame and acesulfame K is used. Preferably about 0.18 to 0.22% each of aspartame and acesulfame K is used.
According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a method of producing a granulated sugar product comprising mixing a core material of a granulated first sugar and a surface material in such a manner as to result in agglomeration of the mixture, wherein the surface material is less dense than the first sugar material and wherein the surface material comprises substantially a second sugar, dextrins, sorbitol, mannitol, starch, cellulose, inulin, glycogen, xylitol, levoglucason or maltol (and ethyl derivative). Preferably, the components of the mixture are as described above with respect to the first aspect of the invention. Preferably, the mixing is by means of a low shear mixer or slow speed blender. Alternatively, a batch or continuous agglomerator may be used. Preferably, liquid, typically water, is added to the mixture during mixing. The liquid may be added by spraying atomised liquid onto the mixture. Advantageously, the liquid turns the mixture into a slurry, but, preferably, does not dissolve the majority of the granulated first sugar or, preferably, the majority of the surface ma
Chapman and Cutler LLP
Hendricks Keith
Parnova Enterprises Limited
LandOfFree
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