Process for preparing food dressings

Details Process for preparing food dressings Process for preparing food dressings

1999-02-12

2001-06-12

Wong, Leslie (Department: 1761)

Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products

Products per se, or processes of preparing or treating...

Noncarbohydrate sweetener or composition containing same

C426S573000, C426S589000, C426S602000, C426S804000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06245372

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates in general to the art of food dressings and their preparation, and more particularly, to food dressings which are substantially free of fat and calorie containing ingredients, as well as to a process for preparing same.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In recent years, food manufacturers have responded to growing consumer demand for providing food products that are fat free. Today's consumers concerned with their appearance and health are attempting to maintain slimmer and youthful physiques. However, most food products that claim to be “fat free” are not calorie free. Many of these products contain sugar and carbohydrates, so although the product contains no actual fat, the food product may have a high caloric content. For example, see Bauer, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,286,510; Singer, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,681; and Ambjerg Pedersen, U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,901. Consumers are being confused by the many products that claim to be “fat free” and believe that these food products will help them achieve their weight and health goals, when they may in turn lead to weight gain because of their high caloric content.
To many consumers attempting to keep their weight down or maintain a good physique, salads are an essential part of their diet. Salads have a low caloric content and constitute one of the few ordinary types of food which are almost universally recommended for people on low calorie diets. The majority of people consuming salads enhance the salad's flavor by adding a food dressing. Food dressings are conventionally very high in caloric content, and even those food dressings which claim to be “fat free” contain calories due to their sugar and carbohydrate content. It is desirable, therefore, to provide a food dressing which contains no oil, sugar, carbohydrates or cholesterol so as to be truly calorie free, as well as fat free.
Calorie free food dressings which include a sugar substitute to replace the sugar are known from Nosarevich, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,916,383 and Bondi, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 2,916,384. The use of sugar substitutes such as aspartame, saccharin and Acesulfame-K in other food products such as fruit spreads to provide a reduced calorie product is known from Antenucci, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,397,588. However, using a sugar substitute in place of sugar raises concerns regarding contamination of the food dressing. Much less of the sugar substitute by weight is required to replace the sugar in food dressings because typical sugar substitutes are many times sweeter than sugar. Thus, the amount of solids in the food dressing are severely decreased when using sugar substitutes, which results in a greater water activity in the food dressing. Food products with high water activity are breeding grounds for microorganisms such as bacteria. These food dressings are known to be sterilized, such as by heating to an elevated temperature, to prevent the growth of microorganisms in the food dressing. However, sugar substitutes typically are heat-sensitive, and will decrease in sweetness level if exposed to high temperatures as are often required during the sterilization process.
Accordingly, there is unsolved need for a food dressing which is calorie free by containing one or more sugar substitutes, as well as optionally being fat free, and for a process for preparing same by which the growth of microorganisms in the food dressing is inhibited while preventing degradation of the heat-sensitive sugar substitute.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of the present invention is to provide a calorie free food dressing which contains one or more heat-sensitive sugar substitute such as aspartame, sucralose, saccharin, Acesulfame-K and mixtures thereof. Another object of the present invention is to provide a process for preparing a food dressing in which the sugar substitute containing mixture is maintained in a sterilized, substantially bacteria free environment at a temperature below ambient to prevent degradation of the sugar substitute during manufacture. Another object of the present invention is to provide a calorie free food dressing which is additionally fat free.
The process of the invention generally includes the introduction of concentrated flavors, spices and herbs into a first container to form a first product. An aqueous emulsion is formed in a second container including a sugar substitute and a thickening agent to form a second product. The first product is heated to a sterilization temperature while the second product is maintained in a chilled state below ambient temperature. The first and second products are combined to form the finished calorie free product having a temperature which prevents degradation of the sugar substitute.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention there is described a process for preparing a food dressing containing a sugar substitute, the process comprising the steps of preparing a first mixture of food dressing ingredients, preparing a chilled second mixture of food dressing ingredients containing a sugar substitute and water at a first temperature below ambient temperature; heating the first mixture to a second temperature higher than room temperature and sufficient to substantially sterilize the first mixture, and combining the heated first mixture with the chilled second mixture to provide a food dressing at a third temperature lower than the second temperature which substantially prevents degradation of the sugar substitute.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention there is described a process for preparing a food dressing comprising mixing flavors, spices and herbs in a first container to form a first mixture; chilling water to a temperature between 40-65° F.; mixing the water, a sugar substitute and optionally a thickening agent and an emulsion forming agent in a second container to form a second mixture, the second mixture comprising greater than about 75% by volume of the food dressing; heating the first mixture to a temperature between about 160 and 180° F.; and combining the first mixture and the second mixture to form the food dressing.


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