Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Surface coated – fluid encapsulated – laminated solid... – Readily identifiable fruit or vegetable derived
Patent
1997-07-14
2000-05-30
Pratt, Helen
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Surface coated, fluid encapsulated, laminated solid...
Readily identifiable fruit or vegetable derived
426303, 426304, 426310, 426573, 426575, 426615, 426616, 426654, A23L 105, A23L 10532
Patent
active
06068867&
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to the preservation of food and agricultural products. More particularly, the invention relates to a hydrocolloid protective coating which provides improved protection of the product and thereby extending its shelf-life.
The invention also relates to other aspects e.g. to a method for producing the coating and to food and agricultural products protected by the coating.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The need to prolong shelf-life of food products, in particularly fresh produce, without harming quality, is well recognized. Many coating formulations are disclosed in the literature.
One of the known methods for coating fresh produce such as onions and edible fungi is to form a coating by applying to the exterior surface of an onion or fungi a gelation solution comprising a hydrocolloid, such as sodium alginate and cross linking the hydrocolloid on the surface by a solution comprising a gelation inducing agent, such as CaCl.sub.2.
The so obtained coating is both biodegradable and edible and provides a protective coating to the treated vegetable. U.S. Pat. No. 3,865,962 discloses a process for coating raw onion products by immersion of the onion in an aqueous dispersion containing water soluble algin and subsequently treating the coated onion with an aqueous calcium ion to induce gelation.
EP 277 448 discloses an edible coating containing gelatin and polysaccaride. A cross-linking agent containing calcium ions is used for obtaining the coating.
However, none of the prior arts disclose a coating containing in its matrix a compound having a specific reference to the surface of the product to be coated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved coating for food and agricultural products.
A more specific object is to provide a coating tailored to the specific food or agricultural product.
Another object of the invention is to control the hydrophobicity of the coating and its chemical compatability to the skin surface, thereby improving adhesiveness to the product and thus resulting in better control of the modulated atmosphere surrounding the coated product.
The invention provides a protective coating for food or agricultural product comprising 5-85% dried hydrocolloid gel, together with 0.2-50% of at least one natural compound isolated from the surface layers of said product, or at least one protective compound substantially similar thereto.
The invention also provides a method for producing a protective coating for food and/or agricultural product comprising applying to the external surface of said product a gelation solution comprising a hydrocolloid and, optionally, a solution comprise a gelation inducing agent, wherein at least one of said solutions further comprises at least one natural compound isolated from the surface layers of said product, or at least one compound substantially similar thereto.
Application of a gelation inducing agent is essential to the invention when the hydrocolloid undergoes gelation only in the presence of a gelation inducing agent. However, with hydrocolloids such as agar or gelatin, which undergo gelation without a gelation inducing agent, the application of a solution containing said agent is not required.
The gelation inducing agent can be applied first and the hydrocolloid solution thereafter, or alternatively, the hydrocolloid solution is applied first and the gelation inducing agent is applied subsequently thereafter.
It was found that the addition of an agent which reduces the surface tension of the coating causes a better compatability between the coating and the surface free energy of the coated food. Example of such an agent is ethanol, which may be added to the gelation inducing agent or the food product may be immersed in such agent prior to producing the coating.
The natural compound isolated from the surface layers of the product, or the protective compound substantially similar thereto, can be incorporated into the gelation solution comprising the hydrocolloid, o
REFERENCES:
patent: 5128159 (1992-07-01), Sayles
patent: 5156866 (1992-10-01), Sato et al.
patent: 5198254 (1993-03-01), Nisperos-Carriedo et al.
patent: 5376391 (1994-12-01), Nisperos-Carriedo et al.
Hershko Varda
Nussinovitch Amos
Rabinovitch Haim D.
Pratt Helen
Yissum Research Development Company of the Hebrew University of
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