AU742635B2 - Mayonnaise premix and process for the preparation thereof - Google Patents

Description

P:\OPERI bmU3581-97 303 spc doc-4)VI 1/01l -1-

SPECIFICATION

MAYONNAISE BASE AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING IT BACKGROUND ART The present invention relates to a novel mayonnaise *o base and a method for producing it.

ooo 10 The flowchart of Fig. 1 shows one typical example of the conventional production of mayonnaise, which is as follows: Vinegar (suitably diluted with water) and egg yolk :(emulsifier) are, while being stirred, mixed with seasonings and spices (these are generally soluble in water), to which is added vegetable oil (salad oil) with further stirring to give an oil/water emulsion.

o* However, this method is complicated, as it comprises many steps.

In addition, in this method, since egg yolk is used as the emulsifier, the flavor of the product mayonnaise inevitably deteriorates due to the deterioration of the egg yolk, even though the product mayonnaise is stored in a sealed container.

In order to solve the latter problem, homemade mayonnaise is the most desirable. However, the making of mayonnaise at home is also complicated like its industrialscale production as above.

Accordingly, for example, a mayonnaise base has been proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 48- 36373. Using this mayonnaise base, one can produce homemade W mayonnaise with ease.

P:\OPEMXbnV3S1-97 303 sp.dOc4)2I 1/1)1 -2- The mayonnaise base is produced by mixing 4 g of mustard paste in 4 g of water with 1 g of vinegar, 1.4 g of white oil extract, 2.4 g of edible salt, 6.6 g of sugar and 0.6 g of glutamic acid in that order with stirring, and it contains spices and seasonings which are additives to mayonnaise.

Using this mayonnaise base, mayonnaise is produced as follows: mayonnaise base is put into a cylindrical 0 container, to which is added one egg yolk and 15 cc of 0'"'"vinegar. These are stirred in the vertical direction to give a fine-grained mixture, which is further stirred in the vertical direction with dripping thereto 90 cc of salad oil through the space between the bottom hole of the concave cap 0000 15 and the stirring rod to give a creamy paste. Then, 7.5 cc of vinegar is added to the paste, and with further stirring 0 in the same manner as above, 90 cc of salad oil is dripped e:o in. Thus mayonnaise is obtained.

However, though not requiring the addition of the additives, seasonings and spices, this method is also troublesome in that it requires the addition of egg yolk and the addition of vinegar and salad oil which must be weighed accurately and that the latter addition must be effected in two stages. In addition, this method requires a special stirrer (for example, equipped with a rotatable net) for stirring the ingredients. As compared with the conventional production of homemade mayonnaise, the use of the mayonnaise base is not so advantageous, though not requiring the addition of seasonings and spices to the base.

P:\OPER\KbmU358I-97 303 sp.doc4)2/1 1/)1 -3- DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Given the situation as above, advantageously at least one embodiment of the present invention provides a mayonnaise base, with which is easily produced fresh homemade mayonnaise without requiring the addition thereto of weighed vinegar and salad oil and without requiring any special stirrer.

Advantageously another embodiment of the present invention provides a method for producing the mayonnaise 10 base, which is much easier than any other conventional methods for producing mayonnaise in industrial lines.

Having the constitution mentioned below, the mayonnaise :i base of the invention has solved the problems in the prior art as above.

According to a first embodiment of the invention, there is provided a mayonnaise base capable of being stirred with *only at least one egg by a consumer to give mayonnaise, said mayonnaise base comprising vegetable oil, vinegar and an emulsifier (except egg yolk) along with other seasonings (except vinegar) and spices, wherein the mayonnaise base is stored in an oxygen-free container.

Preferably, the mayonnaise base is stored in a widemouth bottle in such an amount that corresponds to one egg for giving mayonnaise, and the size of the wide-mouth bottle is such that the bottle thus filled with the mayonnaise base corresponding to one egg still has at least an empty space that corresponds to about one egg. Using the bottle filled with the mayonnaise base in that condition, it is more easy to produce homemade mayonnaise.

Also preferably, the mayonnaise base contains a combination of a nonionic surfactant as the emulsifier and xanthane gum and gelatinized starch as the emulsion stabilizer thickener. Containing those, the storage stability of the fresh mayonnaise base is improved, and in addition, the mayonnaise base is more easily mixed with eggs to give mayonnaise.

The use of eggs (egg yolk) as the emulsifier for mayonnaise is the fixed knowledge of those skilled in the field of mayonnaise production. Anyone skilled in the art has considered that egg yolk could not be emulsified with a mixture comprising salad oil and an aqueous component of seasoned vinegar. Therefore, the technical idea of adding eggs to a mayonnaise base just before using the thus-formed mayonnaise is beyond the common sense of those skilled in the art. We, the present inventors have found that, when a mayonnaise base is he-emulsified with a hardly-deteriorating emulsifier for food, Sit can be formed into mayonnaise by adding eggs thereto just before using the thus-formed mayonnaise. Our finding is just a tradition of so-called Columbus' egg that Columbus stood a raw egg on its end on the table after having slightly cracked the end. On the basis of this our finding, we have completed the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a flowchart showing a conventional method for producing mayonnaise.

Fig. 2 is a flowchart showing one embodiment of a method for producing the mayonnaise base of the invention.

BEST MODES OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Now, one embodiment of the invention is described hereinunder with reference to the drawing of Fig. 2. Unless otherwise specifically indicated, "parts" referred to hereinunder are "parts by weight".

Also unless otherwise specifically indicated, the static viscosity as referred to herein was measured with a B-type viscometer using a No. 6 rotor at 2 rpm at The mayonnaise base of the invention is formed into mayonnaise by a consumer who adds thereto eggs and stirs them, and is characterized in that it consists indispensably of vegetable oil, vinegar and emulsifier along with other sesonings and spices and is stored in an oxygen-free container.

The vegetable oil includes, for example, safflower oil, rape oil, soybean oil, corn oil, cotton seed oil, olive oil, and white oil extract (essential oil) from those oils.

Preferred is white oil extract from safflower oil or rape oil, which is generally referred to as salad oil.

The vinegar includes, for example, polished rice vinegar, unpolished rice vinegar, vinegar from other cereals, sake lees vinegar, alcohol vinegar, apple vinegar and grape vinegar, which can be used either singly or as combined.

However, the vinegar is preferably based on apple vinegar and rice vinegar. The acid degree of the vinegar may be from 4.5 to preferably from 4.5 to 5.5 The emulsifier is not specifically defined, provided that it is accepted as an additive to food. However, in order to obtain the mayonnaise base as an o/w emulsion, the emulsifier is preferably a nonionic surfactant generally having an HLB (hydrophilic-lipophilic-balance) value of from 8 to 18, preferably from 10 to 13, more preferably about 11. Using such a nonionic surfactant as the emulsifier, it is easy to obtain the mayonnaise base as an o/w emulsion. Two different components may be combined to give a two-component emulsifier having an HLB value falling within the defined range.

The nonionic surfactant satisfying the above-mentioned requirement includes, for example, alkylpolyoxyethylene ethers, alkq arbonyloxy-polyoxyethylenes, esters of fatty acids with 6 polyalcohols, fatty acid-polyalcohol-polyoxyethylenes, and esters of fatty acids with sucrose (see "Handbook of Chemistry", Application Section, 3rd Revision, edited by the Chemical Society of Japan, published by Maruzen Co. on March 1980, page 968).

One embodiment of the two-component emulsifier is comprised of a polyglycol ester surfactant and lecithin (phosphatidyl choline).

The basic composition of the mayonnaise base of the invention comprises 100 parts by weight of vegetable oil, from to 50 parts by weight of vinegar, and from 0.5 to 5 parts by weight of emulsifier.

The seasonings include, for example, edible salt, sugar and other various sweeteners, soy sauce, mirin (sweet sake), sodium glutamate, amino acids, and various soup stocks.

The spices include, for example, mustard, pepper, lemon juice, and other flavorings.

In addition to those indispensable ingredients mentioned above, the mayonnaise base may further contain emulsion stabilizer/thickener. When lightly stirred with eggs, the mayonnaise base gives delicious mayonnaise with suitable ,viscosity, even though any other seasonings are not added thereto. The suitable viscosity may be from 30 to 200 Pa*s rom 30,000 to 200,000 cps), preferably from 70 to 140 Pa-s (fro 70,000 to 140,000 cps), more preferably from 90 to 110 7 i Pa.s (from 90,000 to 110,000 cps) in terms of the static viscosity at 20 "C When mixed with eggs, the viscosity of the mayonnaise base is generally lowered. Therefore, it is desirable that the mayonnaise base has a viscosity higher than the intended viscosity of the mayonnaise to be formed by adding eggs to the mayonnaise base, by from 30,000 to 50,000 Pa*s (cps).

As the emulsion stabilizer/thickener, used is natural gum. The natural gum includes, for example, corn starch, guar gum, locust bean gum, rice starch (these are seed gums); potato starch, arrowroot starch (these are tuber and rhizome gums); algin, carrageenan, agar (these are seaweed extracts); pectin (this is an plant extract); arabic gum (this is a secreted gum); xanthane, dextran (these are fermented gums); carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyalkylmethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, starch phosphate, hydroxyethylated starch, hydroxypropylated starch, oxidized starch, dextrinated starch (these are processed gums); and even cellulose (see "Maruzen Polymer Encyclopedia" translated by T. Mita, published by Maruzen on September 20, 1994, page 238). Of those, preferred is a combination of xanthane and gelatinized (a -)starch, as favorably controlling and stabilizing the viscosity of the mayonnaise base. In addition, the mayonnaise base containing the combination of the two gives more delicious mayonnaise, R n mixed with eggs. The degree of gelatinization of the 8 gelatinized starch may be 95 or more, preferably 98 or more.

The ratio of xanthane to a -starch, xanthene/a starch, may be from 1/9 to 5/5, preferably from 3/7 to 4/6.

Now, one example of the composition of the mayonnaise base of the invention is mentioned below. This had a static viscosity of 14 Pa-s (14,000 cps), and gave mayonnaise having a static viscosity of 10 Pa-s (10,000 cps) when mixed with eggs.

Vegetable oil (safflower oil) 70 parts Vinegar (apple vinegar) 15 parts Water 8.5 parts Sodium glutamate 0.2 parts Edible salt 2 parts Sugar 0.2 parts Lemon juice 0.5 parts Pepper 0.4 parts Mustard 1.5 parts Soy sauce 0.1 parts Emulsifier(*) 1 part Xanthane gum 0.1 parts Gelatinized starch 0.5 parts Total 100 parts Polyglycol ester surfactant (having HLB of 11).

A method for producing the mayonnaise base having the composition mentioned above comprises the following steps, forhich referred to is Fig. 2.

Water and vinegar are mixed and heated, in which xanthane is then dissolved.

After the mixture of has been heated at 60 to 'C emulsifier is added thereto.

The other ingredients except vegetable oil are added to the mixture of stirred, and dissolved therein.

With stirring, vegetable oil is added to the mixture of and emulsified therein.

The mayonnaise base thus produced in the manner mentioned above is put into 200-mi, wide-mouth bottles in an amount of 100 mi/bottle. One egg may be added to the mayonnaise base in each bottle, and mixed to give mayonnaise.

The empty space of 100 ml of each bottle corresponds to one egg, in which one egg added to the bottle can be well mixed with the mayonnaise base to give mayonnaise. In general, the empty space is filled with nitrogen in order to protect the mayonnaise base from being deteriorated.

The mayonnaise base thus produced can be used, for example, as follows: Merely mixing the mayonnaise base with eggs with lightly stirring them with a spoon or chopsticks, anyone can produce fresh and delicious homemade mayonnaise without adding ereto weighed vinegar and salad oil and without using any spel al stirrer. In accordance with the consumers' request, -0 oc4~11 0 P:\OPER\Kbm33581-97 31113 sp.doc-A4)211 I0 11 either whole eggs or only egg yolk or albumen may be added to the mayonnaise base.

The method for producing the mayonnaise base of the invention is shown in Fig. 2 and, as compared with the conventional method for producing mayonnaise shown in Fig. 1, is significantly simplified in industrial-scale production lines.

The bottled mayonnaise base of the composition as produced according to the method mentioned above, after 10 having been stored at 37 C for 3 months, had not deteriorated at all with respect to both its taste and its color.

The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia.

Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps.

Claims (1)

12- THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS: 1. A mayonnaise base capable of being stirred with only at least one egg by a consumer to give mayonnaise, said mayonnaise base comprising vegetable oil, vinegar and an emulsifier (except egg yolk) along with other seasonings (except vinegar) and spices, wherein the mayonnaise base is stored in an oxygen-free container. 2. The mayonnaise base as claimed in claim 1, wherein the oxygen-free container is a wide-mouth bottle and the mayonnaise base is present in such an amount that only one egg is required to provide mayonnaise, and wherein the size of the wide-mouth bottle is such that the bottle thus filled with the mayonnaise base still has at least an empty space that corresponds to about one egg. 3. The mayonnaise base as claimed in claim 1, wherein the emulsifier is a nonionic surfactant. 4. The mayonnaise base as claimed in claim i, comprising eo 20 100 parts by weight of vegetable oil, from 5 to parts by weight of vinegar, and from 0.5 to 5 parts by weight of emulsifier. The mayonnaise base as claimed in claim 1, further comprising xanthane gum and gelatinized starch as emulsion stabilizer/thickener. 6. The mayonnaise base as claimed in claim 1, comprising 100 parts by weight of vegetable oil, from 5 to parts by weight of vinegar, and from 0.5 to 5 parts by weight of emulsifier, from 0.001 to 0.005 parts by weight of xanthane gum, and from 0.001 to 0.01 parts by weight of gelatinized starch. 7. A method for producing a mayonnaise base of claim i, comprising adding emulsion stabilizer/thickener to vinegar and heating them with stirring, adding SRz emulsifier thereto with stirring, then adding thereto other seasonings and spices with stirring, further P:\OPER\Kbm\33581-97 31)3 spc.doc-02/1 I/I -13- adding thereto vegetable oil, then emulsifying the resulting mixture, thereafter putting the resulting emulsion in a container, and sealing the container in an oxygen-free condition. 8. A method as claimed in claim 7, wherein water is added to the emulsion stabilizer/thickener and vinegar. 9. A method as claimed in claim 7, substantially as hereinbefore defined. A mayonnaise base prepared by the process of any one of i 10 claims 7 to 9. 11. A mayonnaise base as claimed in claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore defined. S 15 DATED this 2nd day of November, 2001 Morita Co., Ltd. By DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Attorneys for the Applicant