Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Products per se – or processes of preparing or treating... – Foam or foamable type
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-12
2001-01-30
Nessler, Cynthia L. (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Products per se, or processes of preparing or treating...
Foam or foamable type
C426S572000, C426S660000, C426S470000, C426S516000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06180158
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to food processing methods. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods for making aerated confections such as marshmallows.
BACKGROUND
Methods for preparing candies and confections, especially aerated confections such as marshmallows, often involve the preparation of a concentrated sugar syrup. Traditionally, the preparation of a sugar syrup involve three separate steps including (1) admixing dry sucrose and corn syrups with water to form a slurry, (2) heating to boiling to dissolve the sugars, (3) evaporating moisture to concentrate the syrup to the desired solids concentration. Generally, these steps are performed as separate steps and in batch mode. Batch processing allows for close control over the extent of crystals in the concentrated sugar syrup.
For example, sugar, water and corn syrup are first blended in an agitated kettle to form a slurry. Then, the slurry is heated in the kettle with agitation for an extended time to dissolve the sugar to form a dilute sugar syrup. Next, the sugar syrup is concentrated such as by flash evaporation in a separate piece of equipment or boiling for extended times in the kettle to achieve a concentrated sugar syrup of the desired moisture level.
The type and extent of agitation and rate of concentration are carefully controlled to achieve desired levels of sugar crystals in the syrup. The presence or absence of seed crystals in the concentrated sugar solution profoundly influences the properties of the finished product such as the texture of a dried marshmallow. As a result, the batches of concentrated sugar syrup have a limited “pot life,” i.e., must be used within a short time (e.g., 15 to 60 minutes).
The present invention provides improvements in methods for preparing sugar syrups, improvements to methods for preparing confections that involve preparing sugar syrups, and improvements to methods for preparing aerated confections.
In particular, the present invention provides improvements to the methods for preparing aerated confections that are described in copending commonly assigned U.S. Ser. No. 09/107,170 entitled “Multi-Colored Aerated Confectionery Products and Processes for Making” filed Jun. 11, 1998 which is incorporated herein by reference.
The present invention resides in part in the practicing of the three steps previously practiced as separate steps in batch mode in a single piece of equipment and in a continuous mode but with a short residence time. Also, a further improvement is that the present invention contemplates addition of solid sugar in a separate seeding step practiced after concentrating and cooling of the sugar syrup whereby close control over end product texture can be obtained.
An advantage of the present invention is that the limited and irregular pot life feature of batch processing is replaced by continuous processing to produce concentrated sugar syrups in short residence times of 1 to 5 minutes.
An additional advantage is that the present single step-continuous method of preparing a concentrated sugar syrup allows for short residence times to which the sugar syrup is exposed to high temperatures. As a result, flavored sugar sources such as concentrated fruit juices can be used while minimizing loss or degradation of associated flavors.
Still another advantage is provided by employing a separate seeding step whereby the sugar crystal properties of the sugar syrup can be closely controlled by simple control over the properties of the sugars being added.
Still another advantage resides in the close control over the texture of aerated confections provided by the present methods by virtue of the seeding of clear sugar syrups immediately prior to aeration.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In its principal method aspect, the present invention provides a continuous method for preparing an aerated confection, comprising the steps of:
A. continuously forming a clear concentrated sugar syrup in a single vessel by continuously admixing to form a sugar syrup slurry:
1) a first source of a nutritive carbohydrate sweetener,
2) a second source of a nutritive carbohydrate sweetener in the form of a sugar syrup,
3) sufficient amounts of water to form a sugar syrup slurry having a moisture content of about 20 to 30%;
cooking the sugar syrup slurry with agitation and indirect heat to dissolve the solids,
concentrating the sugar syrup by evaporating water as vapor and venting the vapor to form a concentrated clear syrup having a moisture content of about 8 to 18% and a discharge temperature of about 220 to 320° F. (104.5 to 160° C.),
wherein the residence time (“Rt”) of the syrup within the vessel ranges from about 1 to 5 minutes;
B. cooling the clear concentrated syrup without crystallization to form a cooled clear sugar syrup having a temperature of about 80 to 185° F. (26 to 85° C.);
C. admixing the clear cooled sugar syrup with about 1 to 30% (dry weight basis) of a foam structuring agent to form a liquid confection blend;
D. seeding the liquid confection blend with a dry sugar crystals in an amount ranging from 1 to 30% (dry weight basis) having a particle size of less than 150 &mgr;m to form a seeded liquid confection blend;
E. aerating the seeded liquid confection blend to form an aerated confection plastic foam having a density of about 0.1 to 0.4 g/cc and a temperature of about 105 to 160° F. (40 to 65° C.);
F. extruding the aerated foam at a temperature of about 105 to 150° F. (40 to 65° C.) to form a plastic aerated confection extrudate rope;
G. cooling the extrudate rope to solidify the confection to form a set aerated confection extrudate rope;
H. forming the set aerated confection extrudate rope into pieces; and
I. drying the pieces to a moisture content of about 1 to 5% to form dried aerated confection pieces.
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Langenfeld Mathew F.
Stinson James L.
van Lengerich Bernhard
Wilson Gerald L.
Zietlow Philip K.
Diederiks, Jr. Everett G.
General Mills Inc.
Nessler Cynthia L.
O'Toole John A.
Taylor Douglas J.
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