Process for preparing a fat replacer by enzymatic digestion of a

Details Process for preparing a fat replacer by enzymatic digestion of a Process for preparing a fat replacer by enzymatic digestion of a

1996-12-20

1999-06-15

Paden, Carolyn

Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products

Fermentation processes

Of farinaceous cereal or cereal material

426 52, 426804, A23L 1105

Patent

active

059120312

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of food ingredients by enzymatic digestion of cereals. More particularly, the invention relates to the enzymatic solubilisation under controlled conditions of the starch component of ground cereal, especially wheat flour. Products made according to the process of the invention contain a high concentration of dextrins together with finely dispersed protein, and are useful as fat replacers in the food industry, for example in baked products (e.g. cakes), dairy products and meat products.
It is known to degrade cereal products with starch- and/or protein-degrading enzymes under various conditions. The products of such degradation, or "digestion", depend on many factors, including the identities of the starting material(s) and enzyme(s) used, and the temperature, pH and substrate concentration in the material to be digested.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,219 discloses a process in which an aqueous slurry of a finely milled cereal is digested with an .alpha.-amylase enzyme ("G-Zyme G995" or "Taka-lite") at a pH of 5.5-7.5 and at a temperature of 60-100.degree. C., preferably 95.degree. C., for a period generally of 1-10 minutes. The enzyme is then inactivated by heating to 140.degree. C. under pressure, or by acidification at pH 3.5-4.0 at 95.degree. C. for about 10 minutes. The soluble fraction is separated from the insoluble residue by filtration or centrifugation. A substantially pure amylodextrin composition is then extracted from the water-soluble fraction by precipitation using a water-miscible organic solvent, e.g. ethanol.
The medical problems (notably heart disease) which may result from a diet high in fats, particularly saturated fats, are well documented. Consequently, the food industry has expended much effort in searching for alternatives to fats as food ingredients. Depending on the application, such fat replacers must fulfil certain requirements relating inter alia to their physico-chemical behaviour in the foods concerned and to their palatability. A wide variety of fat replacers is available, including purified dextrins, which may be obtained according to the process in the aforementioned U.S. patent.


SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

We have now surprisingly found that by using particular conditions when digesting an aqueous slurry of a ground cereal with an .alpha.-amylase enzyme, the starch component of the cereal can be degraded in order to produce a product containing comparatively high concentrations of dextrins together with finely dispersed protein. The product has properties which make it highly suitable for use as a fat replacer in food, without further refining steps such as those taught in the aforementioned U.S. patent.
According to one aspect of the present invention, we therefore provide the use as a fat replacer in food of the product of a process comprising the steps of: solids content of 10 to 45 weight percent; .alpha.-amylase enzyme, whereby the enzymatic digestion is effected without any significant protein degradation; and said use. An important feature is that the protein content of said product is not removed prior to said use.
The ground cereal used in the process may be any cereal commonly employed in the art, for example wheat, oats, barley, rice, maize and sorghum. Wheat flour is the preferred ground cereal for the process.
The preferred temperature for the enzymatic digestion is 65-85.degree. C., more preferably around 70.degree. C. Proceeding with the digestion at these moderate temperatures allows the process to be more accurately controlled, so that the product contains the desired substances, notably dextrins. Dextrins are intermediate products obtained in the transformation of starches into maltose and d-glucose. Complete digestion of starches by .alpha.-amylases leads to maltose. This disaccharide may be degraded to the monosaccharide glucose in known manner using amyloglucosidase enzymes at lower pH (around 4.0-5.0).
Deactivation of the enzyme in step (c) of the above process is prefe

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