Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Products per se – or processes of preparing or treating... – Plant material is basic ingredient other than extract,...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-15
2002-11-26
Cano, Milton I. (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Products per se, or processes of preparing or treating...
Plant material is basic ingredient other than extract,...
C426S573000, C426S661000, C426S518000, C426S804000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06485775
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to starchy food-based fine particles useful as a fat substitute in a variety of food products.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
For many years, doctors have recommended low fat diets. Accordingly, the food industry has directed substantial effort at finding fat mimetics which demonstrate the taste and mouth feel characteristics of fats without their detrimental properties. For example, a microcrystalline starch composition is disclosed as a fat substitute in U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,390. The product is prepared by disintegration of microporous starch granules produced by partial hydrolysis of granular starch. The starch composition is chemically modified as by absorption of a surface modifying agent or by reaction of the starch with a starch reactive etherifying or esterifying agent followed by disintegration of the starch granules to form subgranular fragments of crystalline starch having an average particle size of about 0.1 to about 10 microns. This process requires a number of steps including the formation of the microporous starch granules from granular starch together with the subsequent chemical modification of such granules prior to disintegration. Thus, this product is expensive to produce.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,344,663 describes a cookie dough that contains potato flour as a fat substitute used in amounts between 8 to 62 percent. The patent teaches that while potato flour is suitable for use in cookie dough, the grainy texture of the potato flour particulates is an undesirable property in smooth-textured food products such as cheese, yogurt, and ice cream.
Potato granules and flakes are commercially available sources of dehydrated potato product having known characteristics. However, they have not been used as a fat mimetic. There is a need for an inexpensive fat mimetic which does not have the detrimental effects of fat on the consumer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention a method is provided for preparing a starchy food-based fat substitute (or mimetic). As used herein, the terms “fat substitute” and “fat mimetic” refer to a food product suitable for use in place of fat. Preferably, the starchy food is potato (granules, flakes or fresh precooked), corn, rice, wheat or beans. The summary will refer to the conditions for treating potato granules as an example but such conditions also apply to the treatment of other starchy food starting materials. The granules are comminuted, preferably by dispersion in an aqueous liquid and homogenization. Preferably, the dispersed potato granules are held at an elevated temperature for sufficient time for swelling prior to homogenizing. The potato granules are homogenized at high pressure to comminute the potato granules to fine potato particles so that at least about 90% by weight of the fine potato particles have a diameter of less than about 50 microns. Homogenization preferably is performed at a pressure in excess of about 3,000 psig. The homogenized slurry can be used as is, or dried as a fine powder.
In another aspect, at least 90% by weight of the fine potato particles have a maximum particle size less than about 25 microns and more preferably less than 10 microns. In one embodiment, the fat substitute comprises an aqueous solution in which the particles are dispersed to form a slurry.
In a further aspect, the invention concerns a starchy food-based, fine particle fat substitute that, when prepared as a slurry, has viscosity properties that closely match that of liquid oils. Preferably, the viscosity of a 5% solution of the fat substitute decreases at least about 10% when the temperature is increased from 30° C. to 70° C. Preferably, a 5% solution of the fat substitute has a viscosity of about 20 cp or greater when prepared at 30° C. In one embodiment, when the fat substitute is formed by drying the comminuted fine particles to a powder, the dried fine particles include many aggregates. Preferably, at least about 50% by weight of the particles have a size between about 5 to 60 microns. (Each aggregate is counted as a single particle in this size range.)
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In accordance with the present invention, the fat substitute is made by comminuting the starchy food starting material to fine particles. As used herein, the term “starchy food” refers to a food with a major starch component but one that is not substantially all starch (e.g. the invention does not encompass the microcrystalline starch of U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,390). Prior to homogenization it can be used as the starting material for the slurry in the fresh precooked form prior to drying or may be dried prior to comminution to a fine powder. Suitable starchy foods include potatoes, corn, rice, wheat, and beans. Preferred predried potato products are potato granules and potato flakes.
As used herein, the term “potato granules” is broadly defined to encompass any products termed by that name in the potato industry. Potato granules are made from any potato tuber, including the Russet variety. A general description of potato granules and their method herein of formation is found in
Potato Processing
, 4th Ed., Talburt W. F. and Smith, O., (“Potato Processing”) published by Van Nostrand Reinhold Co., New York, N.Y., pp 535-555. Typically, potato granules are dehydrated single cells or aggregates of the potato tuber dried to about 6 to 7% moisture. Any of the granules made by the processes described in Talburt and Smith are encompassed by the term “potato granules.”
Typically, potato granules are formed by washing, peeling and slicing potatoes to a uniform thickness, and cooking. At this point, under a process known as the addback process, intermediate sized potato granules from the finishing end of the process are added back to the cooked product. The cooked potatoes and granule addback are mixed and mashed. They are then typically air-cooled, allowed to condition (equilibrate in temperature and moisture) and again mixed, and air-dried. The product is screened to a fine powder (the source of addback) with a final air-drying process. Most, and essentially all, of the original potato matrix normally is recovered excluding the skin.
In a typical potato granule process, at least about 90% of the granules have a particle size (in diameter) between about 50 and 150 microns. As used herein, all percentages refer to percentage by weight, unless specified otherwise. Potato granules typically include carbohydrates, protein, minerals, fat and fiber, in approximately the following proportions 80%, 8%, 3.6%, 0.6%, 1.4%. Granules are characterized by their ability to form mashed potatoes rapidly by mixing with hot or boiling water. They have well-known functional properties of water displacement, bonding activity in thermally processed foods, mashed potato characteristics, extruding/sheeting functionalities for snack foods and of applications in the baked food industry. Methods for making potato granules and their characteristics as set forth in the above chapter in Talburt and Smith are incorporated herein by reference.
As used herein, the term “potato flakes” is broadly defined to encompass any products termed by that name in the potato industry. Potato flakes are made from any potato tuber, including the Russet variety. A general description of potato flakes and their method of formation is found in Potato Processing. Unlike potato granules, a number of the cells are ruptured during processing. Any of the flakes made by the processes described in Potato Processing are encompassed by the term potato flakes.
Typically, potato flakes are formed by the following process. Fresh potatoes are washed, peeled, and sliced to a uniform thickness, and precooked to gelatinize starch within the potato cells. These blanched pieces are then cooled to retrograde gelatinized starch prior to dehydration. The cooled potato pieces are then subjected to a cook step to break intercellular bonds. After cooking, the potatoes are mashed while still hot. The resultant mash is applied to either single or double-drum d
Camin Henry J.
Johnson Lawrence G.
Norton Rick C.
Tinsley Joel R.
Williams Richard A.
Basic American, Inc.
Brezner David J.
Cano Milton I.
Dorsey & Whitney LLP
Madsen Robert
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