Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Products per se – or processes of preparing or treating... – Basic ingredient lacteal derived other than butter...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-11
2002-07-30
Paden, Carolyn (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Products per se, or processes of preparing or treating...
Basic ingredient lacteal derived other than butter...
C426S657000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06426110
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the field of dry creamer powders for use in the food industry.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Dry creamer powders are useful in the food industry as an economical and convenient replacement for liquid dairy products. As compared with liquid milk or cream, dry creamer powders have increased stability and ease of handling. A common use for creamer powders is their addition to hot beverages such as coffee or tea, where they provide a visual whitening effect and a palatable improvement. Creamer powders are further utilized as a milk substitute in the preparation of diverse food products such as sauces, beverages, shakes, foaming beverages, soups, salad dressings, food coatings, baked goods, puddings, confections, ice cream, frozen confections, and non-baked food products.
Compositions for dry creamer powders generally are known. A creamer powder composition usually comprises a dried emulsion of carbohydrate, fat or oil, and protein with added emulsifiers, stabilizers, and/or buffers. Most creamer powders are designed to be soluble in hot beverages. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,926 describes a typical hot-water soluble, non-dairy creamer composition that includes (by weight) 35-65% carbohydrate, 20-40% fat, 3-15% protein, emulsifiers and stabilizers. An example of a creamer powder that is soluble in cold water is described in publication WO 98/07329. This publication discloses a creamer powder composition that includes (by weight). 30-70% carbohydrate, 25-45% fat and 0.5-6% protein, emulsifiers and stabilizers. A creamer powder, whether soluble in hot or cold water, typically has carbohydrate and fat as major components by weight, and protein is a relatively minor component.
The edible fat in a creamer powder composition may be a fat or oil derived from animals or plants. Most typically, the edible fat is a vegetable fat or oil that is bland and neutral in taste. Coconut oil, for example, has been widely used. The WO 98/07329 publication discloses a cold water soluble creamer powder that uses sunflower oil, canola oil, or rapeseed oil.
Currently, an emphasis exists on the restriction of carbohydrate in the human diet as an aid to weight reduction. Restriction of carbohydrates in foods also may be recommended for people with medical conditions such as diabetes, epilepsy, and inherited disorders of carbohydrate metabolism. It is generally accepted in the food industry, however, that creamer powders contain a range of 30%-70% by weight carbohydrate for flavor, bulking or stability of the powdered emulsion. Few creamer powders have a carbohydrate content lower than 35% by weight. U.S. Pat. No. 6,020,017 discloses a range of 5-35% carbohydrate, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,446,164 discloses a range of 5%-40% carbohydrate.
Therefore, a need exists in the food industry for a creamer powder that is low in carbohydrate content for the preparation of nutritious, carbohydrate-restricted foods.
It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a composition for a creamer powder that has a low carbohydrate content.
The source of water-soluble protein in powdered creamers is usually a milk product, such as sodium caseinate (U.S. Pat. No. 4,046,926), whey protein (U.S. Pat. No. 4,446,164), or dry milk solids (U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,674). Although alternative sources of water-soluble proteins are known, these patents each disclose unsuccessful attempts to replace sodium caseinate with other water-soluble proteins in creamer powder compositions. Further, the '674 patent discloses that calcium caseinate is insoluble and is not preferred for use in a creamer powder.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,600 teaches that improved whitening can be obtained by replacing an amount of the sodium caseinate, up to 60%, with a soy protein derivative such as soy protein isolate, soy protein concentrate, or modified soy flour. However, the total protein in this creamer powder composition is only 5.25% by weight.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a composition for a creamer powder that is low in carbohydrate and high in protein content.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a composition that allows for variation in the source of soluble protein.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a composition for a creamer powder that is low in carbohydrate and high in protein content by weight, and disperses easily in either hot or cold water-based liquids.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, the carbohydrate component of a dry creamer powder composition can be decreased significantly relative to the protein and fat components. Combinations of water-soluble protein, carbohydrate, and edible fat, appropriately emulsified and stabilized, can be processed to form a creamer powder that has less than approximately 5% carbohydrate by weight. Preferably, the creamer powder is stable in powder form, and also may be easily dispersed in hot or cold water-based liquids.
The creamer powder in one embodiment comprises high oleic vegetable oil as the preferred edible fat and calcium caseinate as the preferred water-soluble protein. In another embodiment, the creamer powder composition utilizes sources of water-soluble proteins other than milk-derived casein proteins. In yet another embodiment, the creamer powder composition contains mixtures of animal and plant water-soluble proteins.
The creamer powder may be utilized as an ingredient in foods where reduction of carbohydrate content and a nutritious food product are desired. Three embodiments disclose the use of the present invention as an ingredient in dry mix soup compositions. A further embodiment discloses the utilization of the creamer powder in a beverage.
The present invention may be useful in the preparation of foods, not only for people desiring weight reduction, but also for people with medical conditions requiring restriction of carbohydrate intake.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, the carbohydrate component is decreased significantly relative to the protein and fat components of a dry creamer powder. Combinations of edible fat, water-soluble protein, carbohydrate and optional additives, appropriately emulsified and stabilized, are disclosed to form a creamer powder that has less than approximately 5% carbohydrate by weight.
The creamer powder of the present invention may contain from about 30% to 70% by weight of an edible fat component. The content of edible fat preferably ranges from about 40% to about 55%. Very preferably, the edible fat content is approximately 50%.
Edible fats suitable for use may include fats or oils from animal and/or vegetable sources. These edible fats may include saturated fats, monounsaturated fats, and/or polyunsaturated fats. A vegetable oil, preferably a monounsaturated vegetable oil, is favored.
The mono-unsaturated vegetable oil is very preferably non-hydrogenated to limit the content of trans fatty acids. Partially hydrogenated vegetable fats or oils may produce trans fatty acids. Since trans fatty acids are associated with an increase in low-density lipoproteins (LDL) in vivo, they should be restricted in nutrition for good health.
The term “long length fatty acids” as used herein refers to fatty acids with hydrocarbon chains ranging from fourteen to twenty-two carbons in length.
It is further preferred that the vegetable oil contains a high content by weight of oleic fatty acids. Oleic acid is an unsaturated fatty acid with a hydrocarbon chain that is eighteen carbons in length. The oleic acid fatty acid content of the vegetable oil preferably is at least 70% by weight. It is most preferred that the oleic acid content of the vegetable oil is approximately 85% by weight.
Monounsaturated, non-hydrogenated vegetable oils that are very preferred comprise sunflower oil, soybean oil, and canola oil. For example, a particularly preferred non-hydrogenated, mono-unsaturated sunflower oil is “TRI-SUN Extra AS100” from Ingredients International (AC Humko, 1115 Tiffany St., Boycev
Global Health Sciences, Inc.
Lyon & Lyon LLP
Paden Carolyn
LandOfFree
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