Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Products per se – or processes of preparing or treating... – Gels or gelable composition
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-21
2003-07-22
Bhat, Nina (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Products per se, or processes of preparing or treating...
Gels or gelable composition
C426S399000, C426S509000, C426S521000, C426S522000, C426S524000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06596335
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a ready-to-eat rice pudding formulation and method of preparation using ultra-high temperature during processing and packaging in a manner which results in sterility or a relatively-low level of microbiological activity.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Ready-to-eat food products are becoming increasingly more popular. In particular, consumers look for products which are packaged in individual or multiple serving size containers, require minimal preparation time and are extended shelf life, refrigerated products. Further, as consumers have become more health conscious, there is a tendency toward purchasing ready-to-eat food products which are wholesome and have a homecooked taste. Among the commonly purchased types of ready-to-eat food products are desserts, including puddings. One of the more popular puddings because of nutritional value as well as taste is rice pudding. However, rice pudding tends to have a shorter shelf life than other types of ready-to-eat pudding formulations due to the fact that the amylopectin fraction in rice starch causes retrogradation/firming during refrigerated storage.
Aseptically-packaged, ready-to-eat puddings are conventionally prepared by batching and homogenizing the ingredients and then subjecting the resultant pudding formulation to ultra-high temperature (“UHT”) processing. Rice pudding formulations are typically manufactured with a long grain rice or a raw milled medium grain rice. Long grain rice survives UHT processing better than raw milled medium grain rice. However, while long grain rice yields intact kernels with acceptable texture immediately after processing, over a relatively short time (e.g., 30 days) in refrigerated storage, the texture of the long grain rice kernels becomes unacceptably firm and mealy. Raw milled medium grain rice sustains more damage than long grain rice during UHT processing, resulting in fewer intact kernels immediately after processing. Rice kernel texture is initially soft and desirable, however, pudding texture tends to be somewhat starchy or pasty due to starch leached from damaged rice kernels. Over time in refrigerated storage, raw milled medium grain rice kernels become firm, but less firm than long grain rice stored under the same conditions. Rather than unacceptable firmness, raw milled medium grain rice kernels in UHT pudding applications develop an unacceptable mealy, grainy texture over time in refrigerated storage.
Conventional rice pudding products, such as Kozy Shack rice pudding, are batch pasteurized rather than UHT processed. In the batch pasteurization process, all ingredients, including rice, milk, sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt are added into batch cooker and heated up to 190° F. for over 30 minutes. Then the products are hot filled, vacuum-sealed, and cooled to 45° F. The heating time and temperature conditions for batch pasteurization are less severe than for the UHT process and therefor spores survive the batch pasteurization process. Regular milled medium grain rice can keep its integrity well in batch pasteurization process. The overall shelf life ranges from 60-75 days depending on the pack size.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,788,075 to Joseph et al. discloses a method for producing aseptically-packaged puddings. According to the invention, conventional pudding ingredients are homogenized and then subjected to a high-temperature, short-time treatment sufficient to render the formulation commercially sterile and to fully gelatinize the starch contained in the formulation. U.S. Pat. No. 5,238,699 to King et al. discloses a ready-to-eat UHT low
o fat pudding in which calcium-sensitive, thermally-irreversible gelling hydrocolloids such as calcium alginate are utilized as a total or partial replacement for the fat component. U.S. Pat. No. 5,221,549 to Leshik discloses the incorporation of polyphosphate into a UHT low
o fat pudding to reduce the amount of protein aggregation which results from the heat treatment. However, all of these patents fail to disclose a pudding formulation containing rice wherein the rice maintains its integrity and soft texture during extended refrigerated shelf life.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a ready-to-eat rice pudding wherein the rice maintains a soft texture throughout storage for at least 60 days of refrigerated storage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Thus, it is a purpose of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art and thereby provide a ready-to-eat rice pudding comprising a pudding formulation wherein the rice component of the rice pudding formulation comprises 2-16% by weight of dry parboiled medium grain rice based on the total rice pudding formula weight.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method for preparing a ready-to-eat rice pudding comprising combining water, a source of soluble calcium, a thickening agent, a sweetener and an emulsifier to form a slurry; subjecting the slurry to homogenization; adding a parboiled medium grain rice to the slurry to form a rice and slurry mixture and cooking the rice and slurry mixture at a temperature of at least 230° F. for a period of time effective to produce sporecidal activity and to produce a rice pudding product which has a relatively-low level of microbiological activity. The rice pudding product which possesses a low microbial count is suitable for refrigerated distribution and will achieve at least 60 days refrigerated storage. Sporecidal activity for purposes of this disclosure is defined as a heat treatment which is effective to kill spores but may not necessarily kill all spores. The method further provides for cooling the pudding formulation; and packaging the pudding formulation. Other rice pudding formulations which incorporate a protein such as soy may be produced without the incorporation of a source of soluble calcium.
In another preferred embodiment of the invention, a method for preparing a ready to eat rice pudding comprises preparing a pudding formulation comprising 45-75% by weight water, 0.5-25% by weight sweetener, 0-10% by weight milk fat, 1.5-10% by weight non-fat milk solids, 0-10% by weight egg yolk, 0.2-1.5% by weight thickening agent and 0.05-0.5% by weight emulsifier/stabilizer based on total weight of the rice pudding formula. 2-16% by weight of dry parboiled medium grain rice based on the total rice pudding formula is added to form a rice and slurry mixture which is then cooked at a temperature of at least 230° F. for a period of time effective to produce sporecidal activity and to produce a rice pudding product which has a relatively-low level of microbiological activity. The resultant pudding is cooled to a temperature of 32-140° F. and packaged.
In yet another preferred embodiment of the invention, a ready-to-eat rice pudding having a refrigerated storage life of at least 60 days comprises a pudding formulation comprising water, a source of soluble calcium or protein, a thickening agent, sweetener and an emulsifier and 2-16% by weight of dry parboiled medium grain rice based on the total rice pudding formula weight, the rice pudding being prepared in an ultra high temperature process wherein the rice and pudding formulation are cooked at a temperature of at least 230° F. for a period of time effective to produce sporecidal activity and to produce a rice pudding product which has a relatively-low level of microbiological activity.
It is, therefore, an object of the invention to provide a ready-to-eat rice pudding formulation produced in an ultra high temperature process which maintains a soft rice texture throughout storage for at least 60 days of refrigerated storage.
Further objects of the invention will become apparent from the detailed description that follows.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In accordance with the invention, an ultra-high temperature (“UHT”), i.e., above 230° F., processed and packaged pudding having a rice level of from 2 to 16% (by weight of dry rice based on the total rice pudding formula weight) is prepared using a comb
Leshik Richard R.
Lo Chih-Yang G.
MacDonald Jane L.
McPherson Andrew E.
Messick Donald L.
Bhat Nina
Kraft Foods Holdings, Inc.
Larson & Taylor PLC
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