Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Products per se – or processes of preparing or treating... – Gels or gelable composition
Reexamination Certificate
2001-08-17
2004-05-18
Bhat, N. (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Products per se, or processes of preparing or treating...
Gels or gelable composition
C426S575000, C426S578000, C426S592000, C426S593000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06737098
ABSTRACT:
The present invention concerns a thermoreversible food product.
The term “thermoreversible” is intended to mean that which is convertible from a gel phase at room temperature to a liquid phase at a temperature elevated above room temperature. The term “thermoreversible” also includes the preferred term “thermointerchangeable” as that which is convertible from a gel phase at room temperature to a liquid phase at a temperature elevated above room temperature and is reconvertible back to a gel phase when cooled to room temperature.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a food product which is gelled at room temperature and which, following heating in a microwave, has completely melted.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bilayered food product in which both layers are gelled at room temperature and in which, following heating in a microwave, both layers are completely melted, but remain as substantially separate liquid layers.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a bilayered food product in which colour migration between the two layers is substantially eliminated, after the food product has been microwaved.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a multilayered food product, in which all layers are gelled at room temperature and in which, following heating in a microwave, at least two of the layers are completely melted, but remain substantially separate liquid layers, and in which colour migration, between those layers, is substantially eliminated.
The food product may be, for example, a coffee liqueur product, having a base layer containing coffee and alcohol and having a top layer containing an animal fat or a mixture thereof, a vegetable fat or a mixture thereof or a mixture of animal and vegetable fats. It is envisaged that both layers of such a food product may be melted to their respective liquid phases and heated by means of a microwave.
In a first embodiment, the invention provides a food product having a top layer comprising less than 70%, preferably less than 65%, more preferably less than 60%, most preferably less than 50%, (w/w) water and an amount of at least one top thermoreversible setting agent sufficient to maintain the top layer in a gel phase at room temperature whilst permitting thermoreversion to a liquid phase at a temperature elevated above room temperature, with the proviso that sodium caseinate is substantially absent.
Preferably, the top layer contains 40-65% (w/w) water, more preferably 40-50% (w/w) water.
More preferably, the top layer contains at least 40% (w/w) water.
By “room temperature”, we mean at or below 23° C. By “temperature elevated above room temperature”, we mean that the temperature in the relevant layer is, following heating by microwave, at or above 40° C., preferably at or above 45° C., more preferably at or above 50° C., most preferably at or above 55° C.
Preferably, the food product additionally includes a base layer comprising at least one base thermoreversible setting agent in an amount sufficient to maintain the base layer in a gel phase at room temperature, whilst permitting thermoreversion to a liquid phase at a temperature elevated above room temperature.
Advantageously, the top layer additionally comprises at least one top emulsifier and more than 15% (w/w) fat. More advantageously, the top layer contains more than 20% (w/w) fat and most advantageously 20-40% (w/w) fat. The fat can be of animal or vegetable origin, or a mixture thereof.
Preferably, the at least one top thermoreversible setting agent is combined with the at least one top emulsifier selected from at least one mono-glyceride of a fatty acid or mixtures thereof; at least one di-glyceride of a fatty acid or mixtures thereof; at least one sucrose ester or mixtures thereof; or mixtures of two or more of mono-glycerides, di-glycerides and sucrose esters. More preferably, the top layer contains 0.1 to 1.75% (w/w) of the at least one top thermoreversible setting agent. Even more preferably, the base layer contains 0.1 to 3.5% (w/w) of the at least one base thermoreversible setting agent.
In a conventional cream liqueur system, sodium caseinate is used as an emulsifier and as a stabiliser. However, in a microwavable food product, which is the subject of the present invention, the co-presence of sodium caseinate and alcohol causes skin formation when the food product is microwaved. It was, therefore, necessary to preclude the use of sodium caseinate.
It is believed that the present invention overcomes the problem of colour migration by providing a top layer having less than 70% (w/w) water—this reduces hydrogen ion migration, which is accompanied by colour migration, from the base layer to the top layer, which hydrogen ion migration affects the pH of the top layer and may also be accompanied by a breakdown in the stability of the top layer's emulsion, causing it to lose its thermoreversibility.
Suitable emulsifiers should not form a skin on the upper surface of the top layer when the top layer is heated—it is thought that such skin formation is related to denaturation of a proteinaceous emulsifier, so that such emulsifiers should be avoided. Suitable emulsifiers must be comestible and include, but are not limited to, mono-glycerides of fatty acids, di-glycerides of fatty acids, sucrose esters or mixtures thereof. Sucrose esters endow good stability, but their organoleptic properties need to be improved.
Suitable top and base thermoreversible setting agents must be comestible and include, but are not limited to, gelatine, agar, gellan gum, methyl celluloses, guar gum, carrageenan (preferably kappa and/or iota carrageenan), gum arabic, xanthan gum, locust bean gum or mixtures thereof. When the thermoreversible setting agent is gelatine, the top layer may contain 0.75 to 1.75% (w/w), more preferably 1.0 to 1.5% (w/w) gelatine and the base layer may contain 1.5 to 3.5% (w/w), preferably 2.0 to 3.25% (w/w), more preferably 2.25 to 2.75% (w/w) gelatine. When the thermoreversible setting agent is carrageenan, the top layer may contain 0.1 to 1.0% (w/w), preferably 0.25 to 0.75% (w/w) carrageenan and the base layer may contain 0.1 to 1.5% (w/w), preferably 0.2 to 0.75% (w/w) carrageenan. If a mixture of carrageenans is used, they may be present in a ratio of 2:1 to 1:2, preferably 1.5:1 to 1:1.5 (ratio of kappa to iota carrageenan).
Gelatine is obtained from collagen found in animal tissues, including the skin, tendons and ossein of bones.
In a second embodiment, the invention provides a cream liqueur food product having a top layer comprising (i) less than 70% (w/w) water; (ii) more than 15% (w/w) fat; (iii) at least one top emulsifier; and (iv) at least one top thermoreversible setting agent, the at least one top emulsifier and the at least one thermoreversible setting agent being sufficient to maintain the top layer in a gel phase at room temperature, whilst permitting thermoreversion to a liquid phase at a temperature elevated above room temperature, with the proviso that the, or each, top emulsifier or setting agent is not sodium caseinate.
The invention also provides a method for forming a layer of a food product, comprising at least one thermoreversible setting agent and/or at least one emulsifier, the method comprising the steps of providing a first liquid phase at a temperature below room temperature; providing a second liquid phase comprising an amount of at least one setting agent and/or at least one emulsifier sufficient to maintain a mixture of the first and second liquid phases, when mixed in a thermoreversible gel phase at room temperature with the proviso that the, or each, setting agent and/or emulsifier is not sodium caseinate, the second liquid phase being at a temperature raised above room temperature; and mixing the first and second liquid phases to obtain the top layer.
By “raised temperature” is meant a temperature at or above 30° C., preferably at or above 35° C.
It will be appreciated that, if the food product comprises a top layer and a base layer, the aforemention
Devine Elizabeth
Ward Conor
Bhat N.
Saint Brendan's Irish Cream Liqueur Company Limited
Van Dyke Gardner, Linn & Burkhart, LLP
LandOfFree
Thermoreversible food product does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Thermoreversible food product, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Thermoreversible food product will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3262734