Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Surface coated – fluid encapsulated – laminated solid... – Dry flake – dry granular – or dry particulate material
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-17
2001-10-23
Bhat, Nina (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Surface coated, fluid encapsulated, laminated solid...
Dry flake, dry granular, or dry particulate material
C426S293000, C426S305000, C426S443000, C426S654000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06306447
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an integrated composition comprising an emulsifier and an edible fibre.
BACKGROUND
Integrated blends of emulsifiers and additional components such as stabilisers are known in the art. For example GB-A-1082283 (to a predecessor of the present applicant) relates to a particulate combined emulsifier and stabiliser composition. The composition is used in the preparation of edible and drinkable products.
GB-A-1082283 addresses the problems of providing mixtures of emulsifier and stabiliser. GB-A-1082283 discusses that emulsifier and stabilisers are commonly used in the production of foodstuffs, either alone or in combination. It is described that emulsifiers alone may give an unsatisfactory effect and therefore fail to form a satisfactory dispersion, emulsion or suspension. It is described that stabilisers are generally hydrophilic. On hydration prior to dispersion/dissolution in aqueous media, it is often found that stabilisers have a tendency to form lumps. This tendency to form lumps has been addressed by the use of wetting agents or suspension of the stabilisers in anhydrous organic liquids such as ethyl alcohol. Both of these proposed solutions are discussed as being disadvantageous.
GB-A-1082283 also describes how combinations of stabiliser and emulsifier have previously been provided in the form of a simple mixture of the two components. However, separation may occur in transit resulting in the problems of the individual components previously discussed and, in addition, incorrect dosing on use because of variation in the amounts of the components within a given batch.
GB-A-1082283 addresses the problems discussed by providing a particulate combined emulsifier and stabiliser composition. The composition is provided in an integrated (encapsulated) form to make the powder composition more convenient for use. GB-A-1082283 teaches that the combined system may be obtained by spray-drying, although drying on belts or drums is also envisaged.
The products of GB-A-1082283 have been used in the industry for the preparation of highfat cakes. In highfat cakes the whipability of the cake batter is not critical.
Whilst the teachings of GB-A-1082283 have been useful in the provision of stabiliser and emulsifier to foodstuffs, there is a desire to provide a stabiliser and emulsifier combination which provides further improved properties of foodstuffs or which may be readily used in low fat products, such as low fat bakery products.
The supply of stabiliser/emulsifier combinations has also been achieved by the provision of cake gels and cake hydrates. These systems have a number of well recognised disadvantages. They are inconvenient to use and may require preparation by the end user (this involves hydration and subsequent handling of a greasy gels). Moreover, the shelf life of bakery products prepared with such systems, such as cakes, is rather short. Yet further disadvantages include the limited possibilities of modifying cake texture and surface, no possibility of adding extra water to the cake recipe and it is not possible to use them in a full cake mix.
Powdered sponge improvers have also been provided. However, like cake gels and cake hydrates, the shelf life of bakery products, such as cakes, prepared with such systems is rather short. Moreover, there are limited possibilities of modifying cake surface and texture and there a limited possibility of adding extra water to the cake recipe.
Systems comprising emulsifiers integrated with additional components are know in the art. For example, GB-A-1062423 discloses the integration of cellulose, a non-dietary fibre, and an emulsifier. The components are integrated by methods such as spray drying.
EP-A-0153870 relates to a powder product comprising one or more surface-active substances applied on a carrier. The carrier may be selected from bran products such as beanbran. The surface active material may be an emulsifier. A product is obtained by extrusion of the surface-active substance and carrier.
WO-A-95/20328 teaches a composite of a particulate cellulose and one or more surfactants such as an emulsifier absorbed onto the surface of this cellulose.
U.S. Pat. No. 5658609 relates to a fat replacer system using an emulsifier and in one alternative a vegetable fibre. The system is prepared by spray drying the components together.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention can be to alleviate problem(s) of the prior art.
In one aspect the present invention provides a process for the preparation of composition comprising at least one emulsifier and at least one edible fibre, the process comprising i) providing an initial composition comprising the emulsifier in a melted form and the edible fibre, ii) spray crystallising the initial composition such that the emulsifier crystallises and the emulsifier and the edible fibre are integrated.
By the term “integrated” it is meant that at least some particles of the composition of tie present invention comprise both the emulsifier and the edible fibre. Preferably by the term it is meant that the edible fibre is encapsulated by the emulsifier.
The term “edible fibre” is commonly used in the art and is analogous to the term “dietary fibre”. By the term “edible fibre” it is meant the edible parts of plants, or analogous carbohydrates, that are resistant to digestion and absorption in the human small intestine with complete or partial fermentation in the large intestine. This is the consensus definition of the American Association of Cereal Chemists (AACC) Dietary Fibre Definition Committee.
Emulsifiers used in the preparation of products such as whipped products are generally in the &agr;-crystal form, which facilitates the uptake of water in to the composition. When the composition is contacted with water the emulsifier quickly brings the water into the composition. It is generally understood that spray dried emulsifier products are able to provide emulsifier in the &agr;-crystal form. This is because spray-drying retains emulsifier provided in the &agr;-crystal form predominantly in that form. In view of this understanding in the art prior art systems have typically used spray drying to produce an integrated system. A significant disadvantage of using spray drying however is that large amounts of water or other solvents are removed from the composition during the drying process. The removal of water/solvent is at a substantial energy cost. A further significant disadvantage is that spray crystallisation requires the addition to the composition to be sprayed of a carrier material. This material, which does not add to the functionality to the final product, adds to production and transport costs. Moreover, the carrier material, if incorporated in a final food product may have to be declared as an additive in an ingredients list.
It has been surprisingly found that by spray crystallising the initial composition an integrated composition is obtained in which channels are formed in the emulsifier. When contacted with water, the water will access this channel system. These channels allow for improved ingress of the water into the integrated composition. The improved ingress provides more rapid disintegration of the product and improved functional properties. This result is surprising and allows for the provision of an integrated product which has acceptable disintegration properties yet does not require production by energy consuming techniques such as spray drying.
The spray crystallised products of the present invention provide further advantages. Spray crystallisation provides particles which are more uniform and generally more spherical in shape than particles produced by alternative methods. These more regular and more spherical particles have improved flow properties compared to the alternatively produced products. In particular extruded products provide irregular or jagged particles. Such particles have poor flow properties. Moreover, spray crystallisation allows for the production of particles larger than those which
Bhat Nina
Danisco A/S
Frommer Lawrence & Haug
Kowalski Thomas J.
LandOfFree
Integrated emulsifier and edible fiber does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Integrated emulsifier and edible fiber, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Integrated emulsifier and edible fiber will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2605861