Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Product with added vitamin or derivative thereof for...
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-16
2002-10-22
Pratt, Helen (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Product with added vitamin or derivative thereof for...
C426S073000, C426S074000, C426S097000, C426S098000, C426S099000, C426S103000, C426S516000, C426S518000, C426S583000, C426S618000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06468568
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to encapsulated calcium having increased bioavailability and to other encapsulated minerals and encapsulated vitamins for use as an ingredient for the fortification of foods. The present invention also relates to methods for making the encapsulated mineral and vitamin ingredients and to food products, such as yogurt and ready-to-eat cereals, containing it.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The fortification of foods with minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, zinc, and selenium or vitamins, such as vitamin C to achieve a Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) generally results in textural, taste, odor, color, separation, or inactivation, problems in the foods. Processing problems may also occur due to the presence of large amounts of minerals or vitamins in food compositions. In the fortification of foods with calcium, the low solubility of many calcium compounds, particularly the ones which are the more economical to employ, leads to low absorption into the blood stream as well as difficulty in their incorporation into foods. Calcium compounds tend to impart a chalky, gritty mouthfeel, off-flavors, and undesirable browning or discoloration. In addition, the form of calcium or the interaction, reaction, or complexing of calcium with proteins or other food components, during storage, or during heating or cooking in the preparation of the food may hinder or substantially prevent its absorption into the bloodstream or produce undesirable side-products.
Calcium plays an important role in blood coagulation, nerve transmission, muscle contraction, and heart function. Protection against high blood pressure, colon cancer, and the degenerative bone disease known as osteoporosis have been attributed to calcium. Approximately one percent of the body's calcium circulates in the blood and the rest is present in bones and teeth. The U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of calcium is 1000 mg for adults and children 12 or more years of age. The RDA for pregnant and lactating women is 1200 mg. However, the average calcium intake is only about one-third of the required daily allowance. If dietary sources of calcium do not provide sufficient amounts of calcium to the blood, calcium is depleted from the bones to compensate for the insufficient amounts. Age related bone loss and fracture rates in patients with osteoporosis may be reduced with high dietary intake of calcium.
The ability of different individuals to utilize the calcium in food may vary considerably. For example, a high protein diet may result in about 15% of the dietary calcium being absorbed. A low protein diet may result in only about 5% of the dietary calcium being absorbed. Phytic acid in cereal grains interferes with calcium absorption by forming insoluble calcium phytate in the intestine. Oxalates in foods, such as spinach and rhubarb, may similarly interfere with calcium absorption.
Other intestinal factors that influence the absorption of calcium include pH, the calcium:phosphorus ratio, the presence of free fatty acids which occurs when fat absorption is impaired, and the amount of vitamin D. Generally, the more alkaline the contents of the intestines, the less soluble are the calcium salts. Also, a high calcium:phosphorus ratio favors the formation of tricalcium phosphate rather than the more soluble, better absorbed forms. If either calcium or phosphorus is taken in excess, excretion of the other is increased. The optimal ratio is 1:1 when the intake of vitamin D is adequate. On the other hand, vitamin D promotes the absorption of calcium from the intestine.
Although milk has been a major source of calcium for infants and young children, many teenagers and adult Americans are consuming lesser amounts of it. The calcium content of milk and other beverages may be increased to facilitate meeting of the U.S. RDA for calcium.
For example, calcium enrichment or fortification of milk is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,871,123, 4,701,329, 4,840,814, and 4,851,243. In U.S. Pat. No. 2,871,123 calcium carbonate is used as a calcium source in the production of a canned calcium-enriched concentrated milk product for dilution to make infant formula. Carrageenan gum is used for suspension of the calcium carbonate. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,701,329 and 4,851,243 disclose the production of calcium-enriched and phosphorus-enriched fortified milk by the addition of tri-basic calcium phosphate, carrageenan and guar gum to fresh milk, effecting hydration of the gums, and assuring uniform distribution of the added materials in the milk. U.S. Pat. No. 4,840,814, discloses the preparation of calcium-enriched milk or toned milk by adding a water soluble calcium salt of an organic acid to thermally sterilized milk or toned milk, and adjusting the pH value of the obtained mixture to 6.6 or above.
Beverages and beverage concentrates nutritionally supplemented with solubilized calcium are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,737,375 and 4,740,380. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,737,375 the beverages and concentrates are substantially free of a sugar alcohol and contain specified levels of total edible acids selected from mixtures of citric, malic and phosphoric acid. U.S. Pat. No. 4,740,380 discloses a clear, calcium-fortified aqueous acidic beverage. The beverage comprises an aqueous solution of an organic calcium compound such as calcium gluconate at a pH of about 4 and below wherein the calcium compound content does not exceed the solubility limit of the compound in water. An inorganic calcium salt can be used alone or in combination with an organic calcium compound to form an acidic beverage provided the pH is adjusted with an organic acid.
However, when incorporating calcium into liquids, the source of calcium, usually an inorganic salt in finely divided form, tends to settle out upon extended storage. Also, the use of soluble sources of calcium or even the use of suspended sources of calcium tends to result in off flavors, adverse appearance, and undesirable increases in viscosity. Generally, the more soluble the salt or the more finely divided it is so as to improve suspendability, the quicker or more easily its taste will be detected. Also, solubilization of the calcium increases the likelihood of it being complexed with or interacting with other components of the beverage or of other foods consumed with it. The complexation or interaction of the calcium may result in it being less susceptible to absorption into the blood.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,676,583 discloses the production of an aseptic calcium-enriched soy bean curd by adding a calcium hydroxide-sucrose complex as coagulant to the soy bean milk, sterilizing the resulting mixture by heating, adjusting the pH value of the sterilized product to weakly acidic, charging the sterilized product into a container under an aseptic condition and sealing the opening of the container. The calcium hydroxide-sucrose complex is coagulated with the soybean milk by heating. When the calcium hydroxide-sucrose complex used as coagulant is insufficient to provide the required extent of calcium enrichment, calcium lactate may be added in an aseptic atmosphere after the sterilization process at the time of pH adjustment.
Calcium compounds have been utilized in baked goods, such as crackers, as components of leavening agents, pH adjusters, yeast foods, and for their nutritive value. U.S. Pat. No. 4,196,226 discloses a leavening acid comprising alkali metal aluminum phosphate granules having a calcium rich outer surface for improving flow and dusting properties. The product may be used as a leavening acid in moist doughs, and liquid batters such as pancake batters. U.S. Pat. No. 4,678,672 to Dartey et al discloses the use of calcium and ammonium carbonates and bicarbonates in leavening systems for the production of reduced calorie crackers. Various emulsifiers are disclosed as replacements for fat. Magnesium and/or calcium carbonates are taught as acid-neutralizing constituents in British patent 335,214 for dough or flour compositions which contain persulphates and bromates. Calcium carbonate is
Jarl Thomas
Lakkis Jamileh
Leusner Steven J.
van Lengerich Bernhard H.
General Mills Inc.
Hollander Barry I.
O'Toole John A.
Pratt Helen
Taylor Douglas J.
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