Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Products per se – or processes of preparing or treating... – Fat or oil is basic ingredient other than butter in emulsion...
Reexamination Certificate
1997-11-24
2002-02-19
Paden, Carolyn (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Products per se, or processes of preparing or treating...
Fat or oil is basic ingredient other than butter in emulsion...
C426S658000, C426S804000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06348228
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is concerned with spread products, in particular with spread products of low fat content, and processes for their preparation.
Many attempts have been made to formulate low fat spread products. Amongst the various reasons why such products are desired is the wish to reduce the caloric content of the spread and other dietetic considerations.
A substance that has widely been applied as a fat extender is water. This use of water has, for example, led to the introduction of so-called halvarines. If relatively high levels of water are used, often thickening agents and/or gelling agents are used for avoiding adverse effects of the high water level.
For example EP 298 561 (Unilever N. V.) describes the preparation of edible plastic dispersions not having a continuous fat phase, said composition including at least two gelling agents forming two gel-forming compositions.
EP 509 707 discloses low fat spreads containing a combination of water soluble starch, alginate and ion source. Spreads according to this document may optionally contain 1 to 15% of a soluble vegetable fibre. An example of a suitable fibre for this purpose is INULIN which is for example marketed under the trade name FIBRULINE.
JP 267450/90 (Ajinimoto Co. Ltd.) discloses the use of polyfructan as a fat or oil substitute in food products. Preferred polyfructans are low caloric polysaccharides of the inulin type, which are mainly composed of beta-2,1-bonds).
Polysaccharides of the Inulin type are for example marketed under the trade name Raftiline™ and Fibruline™, these materials may advantageously be used in food products because they favourably contribute to the fibre content. A problem with the use of oligofructose materials is that when they are used in spreads, especially at high levels, sometimes they give rise to an undesired sweet off-taste. Also the appearance of spreads with relatively high levels of oligofructose materials is not always optimal.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the object of the present invention to formulate low fat spread products having a good flavour, texture and appearance. Surprisingly it has been found that these high quality, low fat products can be obtained if specific levels of oligofructose materials are used in combination with a narrowly defined level of fat.
Accordingly the present invention relates to a water-continuous spread comprising:
(A) a structuring amount of oligofructoses; and
(B) from 0.1 to 7 wt % of fat.
Although applicants do not wish to be bound by any theory it is believed that the good quality of the product may be caused by the fact that the oligofructose forms a network structure of connected oligofructose particles, while the fat is present as globules between this network. Surprisingly, the levels of ingredients as specified above provide the good quality of the spread.
For the purpose of the invention, preferably oligofructoses are used. Most preferred are materials containing one (terminal) sucrose unit, the remaining groups mainly being fructose units. Also the oligofructose is preferably of the beta-2,1 type, more specifically it is inulin which may be obtained from plants such as e.g. Compositae species and fructans obtained from various micro-organism as e.g.
Aspergillus sydowii. Especially preferably inulin materials derived from Jerusalem artichoke of chicory are used. Preferably commercially available inulin materials like Raftiline or Fibruline are used. Other suitable oligofructoses are e.g. irisin and lycorisin.
The (weight) average degree of polymerisation of the oligofructose material is preferably from 6 to 100, more preferred 7 to 30, most preferred 8 to 25. Compositions of the invention contain a structuring amount of oligofructoses. For the purpose of the invention, structuring amounts of oligofructoses are levels at which the oligofructose material is no longer soluble in the system, but is present as discrete particles which may provide structure to the product. The structuring amount of oligofructoses can suitably be determined by any suitable technique, for example by mixing all ingredients other than oligofructoses and then gradually adding oligofructoses while measuring the viscosity. At a certain level of oligofructoses a structure is formed by the oligofructoses. This may be evidenced e.g. by a change in melting temperature or an increase of viscosity. For the purpose of the invention any levels of oligofructoses above the level where a structure begins to form are referred to a structuring amounts.
The structuring amount of oligofructoses may depend on the type of oligofructoses used and the remaining ingredients of the product. For inulin type oligofructoses, in particular those derived from Jerusalem artichoke or chicory, the structuring amount is generally more than 15 wt %, for example 17 to 70 wt %, more preferred 20 to 50 wt %. For other oligofructoses similar structuring amounts apply.
Accordingly in a second embodiment of the invention there is provided a water-continuous spread comprising:
(A) more than 15 wt % of oligofructoses; and
(B) from 0.1 to 7 wt % of fat.
Preferably the particle size of the oligofructose agglomerates in the spread is in the order of magnitude of 0.5 -20, preferably 1-5 micrometer which can be effected by suitable processing. The size of the primary oligofructose particles preferably is in the order of magnitude of 50 to 500 nm.
Compositions of the invention comprise from 0.1 to 7 wt % of fat, more preferred the level of fat is more than 0.5 wt % and less than 4 wt %, most preferred are fat levels from 1 to 3 wt %.
Throughout this specification the terms oil and fat are used interchangeably. They are meant to include triglycerides of natural or synthetic origin such as soybean oil, sunflower oil, palm oil, fish oil, rapeseed oil, coconut oil, and hydrogenated, fractionated and/or interesterified triglyceride mixtures as well as edible substances that are physically similar to triglycerides such as waxes, e.g. jojoba oil and poly fatty acid esters of mono- or di-saccharides, and that can be used as replacement for or in admixture with triglycerides.
Preferably the fat is present in the form of small fat globules or crystals, having a volume weighted mean diameter of less than 20 gm, more preferred from 0.1 to 5 gm, most preferred from 0.5 to 2 gm. The presence of these small fat particles in low fat spreads of the invention has the distinct advantage of providing an improved appearance to the product.
In a very preferred embodiment of the invention at least part of the fat is dairy fat. Preferably at least 10 wt % based on the total weight of the fat is dairy fat, more preferred more than 50 wt %, most preferred more than 90 wt % or even 100 wt %. The dairy fat can be derived from any dairy source such as whole milk, semi-skimmed milk, skimmed milk, (cultured) buttermilk, butter milk powder, skimmed milk powder, (Greek) yoghurt, quark, (low fat) fromage frais, (low fat) cottage cheese, butter, (Philadelphia) cream cheese, (double) cream, Ricotta cheese etc.
In another preferred embodiment of the invention the fat is derived from non-dairy creams.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The use of fat sources wherein the ratio of fat to protein is high, for example butter fat, cream cheese and dairy cream or non-dairy cream, is preferred. These materials provide an excellent flavour to the product. Preferably fat sources are used, wherein the weight ratio of fat to protein is more than 5:1, more preferred more than 10, most preferred from 50:1 to 1000:1.
For optimising the flavour of the spreads of the invention it is especially preferred that the dairy fat is incorporated in the product by using at least 5 wt % of a dairy ingredient in the spread. The optimum level of dairy ingredients will be dependent on the type and fat level of the dairy product. Also combinations of dairy products may be used.
If whole milk, semi skimmed milk, skimmed milk or combinations thereof are used, the total level thereof is preferably from 40 to 85 wt % of the composition, m
McGowan, Jr. Gerard J.
Paden Carolyn
Van den Bergh Foods Co., division of Conopco, Inc.
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