Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Surface coated – fluid encapsulated – laminated solid... – Dry flake – dry granular – or dry particulate material
Reexamination Certificate
2000-08-15
2002-11-26
Bhat, Nina (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Surface coated, fluid encapsulated, laminated solid...
Dry flake, dry granular, or dry particulate material
C426S658000, C426S661000, C426S570000, C426S571000, C426S564000, C426S565000, C426S569000, C426S605000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06485767
ABSTRACT:
This application is an application under 35 U.S.C. Section 371 of International Application Number PCT/FR98/02228, filed on Oct. 16, 1998.
The present invention relates to the use, in dry form, of cellulose microfibrils combined with at least one polyhydroxylated compound, as an additive in food formulations.
Microfibrillar cellulose is a product that is well known and used in many fields, such as the food sector, since it gives the media in which it is present specific properties in terms of viscosity and stability, for example.
In general, cellulose microfibrils are used in the form of dispersions, which correspond, in fact, to the form in which they are obtained by carrying out fibrillation operations.
Thus, European patent EP 295 865 proposes the use of cellulose microfibril suspensions containing parenchymal cells as an additive for food formulations. These microfibrils are obtained by carrying out a process which consists in treating, in a first step, the plant pulp at an acidic or basic pH, and then, in a second step, in carrying out a heat treatment at high temperature for a short period. The pulp thus treated is then subjected to a mechanical shear so as to obtain microfibrils, which are then separated and optionally blanched. This process has the particular feature of entirely removing the pectins and hemicelluloses present at the surface of the microfibrils.
European patent application EP 726 356 proposes, inter alia, to use, as an additive in food formulations, essentially amorphous cellulose microfibrils whose surface is charged with carboxylic acids.
Although the advantage of microfibrils is, of course, not brought into doubt here, the fact that they are used in the form of dispersions of relatively low concentration (conventionally less than 10%, by dry weight, of microfibrils) does not represent an advantage as regards the storage (location and stability of the suspension) or even the use (metering).
Now, microfibrils are not compounds which can be dried without specific precautions. If such is the case, microfibrils in dry form are not redispersible, on account of the very strong hydrogen bonding which binds the fibrils together.
It is thus known practice to carry out the drying of the said microfibrils in the presence of additives. However, the amounts generally used are very high. It is not uncommon for these contents to represent at least 50% by weight, or even 100% by weight, relative to the weight of microfibrils.
This may be disadvantageous, especially for cellulose microfibrils which have specific rheological properties that are different from those of the additive added. The reason for this is that the additive introduced in such amounts masks the rheological profile of the microfibrils in a certain manner.
As may be observed, no food formulations obtained from cellulose microfibrils in dry form which are readily redispersible are currently available.
Thus, a subject of the present invention is the use, in dry form, of a combination of essentially amorphous cellulose microfibrils having a degree of crystallinity of less than or equal to 50%, with at least one polyhydroxylated compound, as an additive for food formulations, the content of this combination being greater than 0% and less than 20% by weight relative to the total weight of the food formulation.
It has been observed that the combined cellulose microfibrils, in dry form, used according to the invention are, in the first place, readily redispersible. The term “readily” means that it is not necessary to use high shear means such as those resulting from the use of a machine of Ultra-Turrax type.
In addition, combined microfibrils, in dry form, once redispersed, regain at least 50% of their initial viscosity.
Moreover, it has been found that the dried, combined microfibrils have very good texturizing properties, i.e. they have a twin role as stabilizer and thickener in the formulation into which they are introduced.
The dried combined cellulose microfibrils can also legitimately at least partially replace fats for the preparation of reduced-fat formulations.
It should be noted that the organoleptic properties of the dried, combined cellulose microfibrils are such that they give the formulation similar consistency and unctuousness to those of the products which they replace.
The dried combined cellulose microfibrils similarly have noteworthy overrun properties. In other words, the incorporation of combined microfibrils gives the overrun formulations very large stability and foam-elasticity properties.
The dried combined microfibrils similarly have the advantage of replacing one or more products, which simplifies the use of the formulation.
In addition, the amounts of dried combined microfibrils, relative to the additive(s) which they replace, are lower.
It should be noted that the dried combined microfibrils can be used as substitutes for animal gelatin, usually of bovine origin, which represents an appreciable advantage in terms of health.
Other advantages and characteristics of the present invention will emerge more clearly on reading the description and the examples which follow.
As has been indicated previously, a subject of the present invention is the use, in dry form, of a combination of essentially amorphous cellulose microfibrils with at least one polyhydroxylated compound as an additive for food formulations.
The expression “essentially amorphous” refers to microfibrils whose degree of crystallinity is less than or equal to 50%. According to one specific variant of the present invention, the degree of crystallinity is between 15 and 50%. Preferably, the degree of crystallinity is less than 50%.
The cellulose microfibrils forming part of the composition of the formulation according to the present invention are obtained from cells preferably consisting of at least about 80% primary walls. Such characteristics are present with cellulose based on parenchymal cells. For example, citrus fruit, such as lemons and grapefruit in particular, and sugar beet, are plants comprising such cells.
Preferably, the amount of primary walls is at least 85% by weight. More particularly, cellulose derived from sugar beet pulp is used.
According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the microfibrils are surface-charged with carboxylic acids and acidic polysaccharides, alone or as a mixture.
The term “carboxylic acid” refers to simple carboxylic acids, as well as salts thereof. These acids are preferably chosen from uronic acids, or salts thereof. More particularly, the said uronic acids are galacturonic acid, glucuronic acid or salts thereof.
As acidic polysaccharides, mention may be made of pectins, which are more particularly polygalacturonic acids. These acidic polysaccharides can be present as a mixture with hemicelluloses.
One very advantageous embodiment of the invention consists of microfibrils whose surface is at least charged with galacturonic acid and/or polygalacturonic acid.
It should be noted that it is not a case here of a simple mixture between the said microfibrils and the acids and polysaccharides, but rather a strict combination between these two types of compound. The reason for this is that the process for preparing the microfibrils is such that the acids and polysaccharides are not totally separated from the fibres, but instead still remain at the surface thereof, giving them quite specific properties. Thus, it has been observed that it was not possible to obtain the same properties if these acids and/or polysaccharides were totally separated from the microfibrils during their preparation in order for them to be added thereafter.
The cellulose microfibrils moreover have a cross section of between about 2 and about 10 nm. More particularly, the microfibril cross section is between about 2 and about 4 nm.
The specific microfibrils forming part of the composition of food formulations have such characteristics on account of the use of a quite specific preparation process, which will now be described.
It should be noted that this process has been described inter alia in patent applicati
Cantiani Robert
Knipper Magali
Vaslin Sophie
LandOfFree
Use of cellulose microfibrils in dry form in food formulations does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Use of cellulose microfibrils in dry form in food formulations, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Use of cellulose microfibrils in dry form in food formulations will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2961725