Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23G—COCOA; COCOA PRODUCTS, e.g. CHOCOLATE; SUBSTITUTES FOR COCOA OR COCOA PRODUCTS; CONFECTIONERY; CHEWING GUM; ICE-CREAM; PREPARATION THEREOF
  • A23G1/00—Cocoa; Cocoa products, e.g. chocolate; Substitutes therefor
  • A23G1/30—Cocoa products, e.g. chocolate; Substitutes therefor
  • A23G1/32—Cocoa products, e.g. chocolate; Substitutes therefor characterised by the composition containing organic or inorganic compounds
  • A23G1/44—Cocoa products, e.g. chocolate; Substitutes therefor characterised by the composition containing organic or inorganic compounds containing peptides or proteins
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23G—COCOA; COCOA PRODUCTS, e.g. CHOCOLATE; SUBSTITUTES FOR COCOA OR COCOA PRODUCTS; CONFECTIONERY; CHEWING GUM; ICE-CREAM; PREPARATION THEREOF
  • A23G3/00—Sweetmeats; Confectionery; Marzipan; Coated or filled products
  • A23G3/34—Sweetmeats, confectionery or marzipan; Processes for the preparation thereof
  • A23G3/36—Sweetmeats, confectionery or marzipan; Processes for the preparation thereof characterised by the composition containing organic or inorganic compounds
  • A23G3/44—Sweetmeats, confectionery or marzipan; Processes for the preparation thereof characterised by the composition containing organic or inorganic compounds containing peptides or proteins
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23J—PROTEIN COMPOSITIONS FOR FOODSTUFFS; WORKING-UP PROTEINS FOR FOODSTUFFS; PHOSPHATIDE COMPOSITIONS FOR FOODSTUFFS
  • A23J3/00—Working-up of proteins for foodstuffs
  • A23J3/04—Animal proteins
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23J—PROTEIN COMPOSITIONS FOR FOODSTUFFS; WORKING-UP PROTEINS FOR FOODSTUFFS; PHOSPHATIDE COMPOSITIONS FOR FOODSTUFFS
  • A23J3/00—Working-up of proteins for foodstuffs
  • A23J3/04—Animal proteins
  • A23J3/08—Dairy proteins
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23J—PROTEIN COMPOSITIONS FOR FOODSTUFFS; WORKING-UP PROTEINS FOR FOODSTUFFS; PHOSPHATIDE COMPOSITIONS FOR FOODSTUFFS
  • A23J3/00—Working-up of proteins for foodstuffs
  • A23J3/04—Animal proteins
  • A23J3/12—Animal proteins from blood
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
  • A23L13/00—Meat products; Meat meal; Preparation or treatment thereof
  • A23L13/40—Meat products; Meat meal; Preparation or treatment thereof containing additives
  • A23L13/42—Additives other than enzymes or microorganisms in meat products or meat meals
  • A23L13/424—Addition of non-meat animal protein material, e.g. blood, egg, dairy products, fish; Proteins from microorganisms, yeasts or fungi
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
  • A23L13/00—Meat products; Meat meal; Preparation or treatment thereof
  • A23L13/40—Meat products; Meat meal; Preparation or treatment thereof containing additives
  • A23L13/42—Additives other than enzymes or microorganisms in meat products or meat meals
  • A23L13/43—Addition of vegetable fats or oils; Addition of non-meat animal fats or oils; Addition of fatty acids
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
  • A23L29/00—Foods or foodstuffs containing additives; Preparation or treatment thereof
  • A23L29/20—Foods or foodstuffs containing additives; Preparation or treatment thereof containing gelling or thickening agents
  • A23L29/275—Foods or foodstuffs containing additives; Preparation or treatment thereof containing gelling or thickening agents of animal origin, e.g. chitin
  • A23L29/281—Proteins, e.g. gelatin or collagen

Definitions

• This invention relates to the preparation of microparticulate suspensions stabilised in heat-set gels for food applications.
• Thermally induced gelation occurs when restricted protein unfolding yields soluble polypeptide segments capable of specific interactions which form a well ordered three-dimensional network able to entrap large amounts of water.
• the ability of unfolded proteins to associate and form a gel depends upon the protein, its amino acid composition and molecular weight, the protein concentration, heating temperatures and rates and a critical balance between attractive and repulsive forces.
• Cross-linking is essential for gel formation; hydrogen bonding, ionic and hydrophobic interactions and covalent disulphide bonding are critical intermolecular interactions for gel formation.
• the difference observed between globular proteins in their ability to form gels reflects different types of protein-protein interactions and the number and extent of interactive sites in the protein aggregates.
• Beta- lactoglobulin is considered to be the most important whey protein for gelation since it is capable of forming uniform gels of high breaking strength due largely to its ready ability to enter into disulphide-mediated cross-linking upon heating.
• Egg white proteins are widely used in food preparations requiring high gel strength and heat-set properties, although the bonding is exclusively non- covalent. Special conditions in terms of electrostatic repulsion between the protein molecules are required for gelation and may be achieved by manipulating the pH, type of salt and salt concentration. Blood plasma proteins are often incorporated into manufactured meat products to effect improvement in water holding capacity through formation of a gelled structure.
• gellable proteins in food systems has been described widely as thickening, binding and water binding agents.
• Emulsions of greater firmness were achieved by the process described in Australian Patent No. 578,879, which involved emulsifying a lipidic substance with gellable whey protein, such as whey protein concentrate, and heating strongly.
• gellable whey protein such as whey protein concentrate
• the protein-to-lipid ratio was selected according to the nature, firmness of texture and nutritional properties required in the products.
• the firmness of products was also influenced by the heating temperature. For a cream type product, heating at a temperature of the order of 90 ⁇ C at atmospheric pressure for a treatment time of about 15 minutes was required.
• gelled products may be obtained in which contain the microparticulate ingredients in suspension and which are of much greater firmness than the products obtained by the process of Australian Patent No. 578,879.
• the microparticulate suspension may consist in whole or part of an emulsion of a fat or oil.
• the gel strength of the gelled food products described by this invention may be modulated by the concentration of the protein and other factors.
• the product At a level of fat/oil around 5-10% w/w in the gel the product has "fat-like” qualities (mouthfeel, opacity, juiciness etc), in other words it behaves like a "low-fat” fat. Surprisingly in (or below) this fat content range the dispersed fat has little effect on the strength of the gel, and thus rheological characteristics can be largely determined by the protein content and solvent composition.
• the gel holds a large quantity of water tightly and if the fat is well homogenised there is no free fat leakage.
• the product can be sliced, diced, chopped or minced and because the gel is formed by heating at around 90 °C this "low-fat" fat can be used as fat replacement in comminuted products that are to be heated.
• a gelled food product comprising a microparticulate suspension of an edible food ingredient in a heat-set gel.
• the invention provides a gelled food product comprising an enriched beta-lactoglobulin, more preferably the beta fraction.
• a process for the preparation of a microparticulate suspensions entrapped in heat-set gel comprises the steps of:
• microparticulate suspension or dispersion of edible food ingredients in the aqueous medium may be prepared by any suitable process, e.g. by homogenisation so that the particle size is reduced to an effective diameter within the range 100 to 100,000 nanometers.
• the size of the dispersed particle may be optimised in relation to their buoyancy in, and interaction with the gellable protein solution when the two are mixed.
• Step (b) involves selection of a thermally gellable protein which should dissolve or disperse in an aqueous medium at a concentration in the range of 10 to 150 g/L of true protein.
• a protein should have a gel breaking strength at least equal to that of gelled egg white with an equivalent protein concentration when heated at 90 °C for 30 minutes.
• the protein may be in its natural state or isolated by any suitable method which enables its heat gelation properties to be retained.
• suitable proteins may be sourced from egg white, blood serum or whey, or mixtures thereof. Enriched beta-lactoglobulin in the form of beta- fraction prepared according to Pearce (1988), is the most preferred protein.
• the protein may be added to the microparticulate suspension or dispersion in the solid or liquid state.
• the proteins may be dissolved or dispersed in water or any other suitable aqueous or non-aqueous liquid before mixing with the microparticulate suspension or dispersion.
• the gel strength may be modified by adjustment of the concentration of protein.
• step (b) other components soluble in an aqueous medium may be added to provide modulation of the strength of the gelled product after heating or sensory qualities including saltiness, sweetness, colour and flavour.
• the strength of the heat-set gel has been shown to be dependent on the pH, the sodium ion content and the calcium ion content (Mulvihill and Kinsella, 1987).
• Other ions may also be influential, for example potassium and magnesium ions.
• Such additional components may be added as such at step (b) or dissolved or dispersed with the protein before addition.
• the usual approach is to mix a proportion of the microparticulate suspension from (a) with the protein (in solid form or as a solution or dispersion) so as to provide a maximum volume of suspended microparticulates of about 30% by volume and to achieve a gellable protein concentration in the range 10 to 150 g/L of true protein.
• the volume of suspended microparticulate is less than 15% and the protein content corresponds to between 50 and 110 g/L of true protein.
• incorporation of air should be avoided, unless air bubbles are a specific requirement in the final product.
• step (c) the mixture from step (b) is heat treated, preferably at a temperature in the range 25 to 100 °C for from 5 to 120 minutes, more preferably in the range 60 to 90 °C for from 15 to 60 minutes.
• step (d) One suitable heat treatment method is to place the solution in a vessel which is preferably closed but not hermetically sealed, and which, if required, may be in the form of a moulding device. Heat treatment may also be carried out by any other suitable method.
• the gellable protein is natural egg white
• the gelled product after heating without the microparticulate suspension is white .and opaque; consequently the product containing suspended microparticles will also be opaque.
• conditions of pH and ionic content have been described which allow the major protein of egg white ovalbumin, to be heat-set as either transparent or opaque gels (Hegg et al 1979).
• heat-induced protein gels from blood plasma proteins may vary according to the level of protein fractionation of the product. While gelled whole plasma protein is opaque, conditions have been described in which blood serum albumin gels may be transparent (Yasuda, et.al. 1986). A comparison of the properties of heat-induced gels from egg albumin and bovine plasma proteins showed that plasma proteins produced a gel which was strong and elastic whereas egg albumin protein gels were fragile and brittle (Hickson, et al, 1982).
• the gelled product after heating in the absence of a microparticulate suspension may be clear or opaque dependent upon the concentration of metal ions such as sodium and calcium ions (Mulvihill & Kinsella, 1987; Pearce, 1991). Consequently conditions of ionic content in the protein solution produced in the second step of the process may be selected so that the microparticulate suspension may be stabilised in a clear or opaque medium.
• the size and content of microparticulate component may also affect the appearance of the gelled product as, for example, when fat or oil is finely dispersed in the gel the product is white and opaque.
• the nature of the selected microparticulate component may demand specific pretreatment in the preparation of the dispersion (step (a)) prior to mixing with the gellable protein solution.
• step (a) for example, in the dispersion of fats or oils into a microparticulate state, homogenisation in the presence of an emulsifying agent may be necessary.
• the emulsifier may be the same protein as the gellable protein, if the latter displays good emulsifying properties in addition to high performance gelation.
• the emulsifier may be another protein, provided that it does not interact adversely with the gellable protein and reduce its gelling performance, or it may be a naturally-occuring emulsifying substance, a chemical emulsifier, or a combination of these, provided that it does not interact detrimentally with the gellable protein.
• salt and/ or suitable sweeteners, flavourants and colorants may be added togetiier with the gellable protein in step (b).
• the sensory properties of the gelled food product of the invention may be modified, for example to simulate the sensory qualities of fat.
• the content and composition of emulsified fat or oil in the microparticulate suspension may be varied to allow selection of the nature of the gelled food product when used in a fat replacer.
• lipid-soluble flavourants and/or colorants may be included in the suspension in step (a).
• the physical properties of gel strength, texture and opacity of the gelled food product may also be varied by adjustment of the protein and mineral contents.
• microbubbles of gas may be included or generated in the gellable mixture so that when stabilised by heat-setting, the gel may have an aerated, spongy texture.
• the firmness of the product is determined by the concentration of gellable protein.
• the firmness of the product is independent of the concentration of dispersed microparticulates.
• This example shows that the firmness of the product is determined by the concentration of gellable protein.
• Aqueous solutions of ⁇ -fraction, a product derived from cheese whey (obtained by a thermal fractionation process and containing 75% protein on a dry matter basis and 65% of d e protein being ⁇ -lactoglobulin) were prepared at pH 6.8 at different protein concentrations in the range 5.5 to 9.0% w/w. Aliquots (50mL) of ⁇ -fraction solutions were placed and sealed in dialysis tubing bags having a diameter of 30mm. Each bag containing protein solution was heated at 90 °C for 30 minutes and cooled in running tap-water for 1 hour.
• a microparticulate dispersion of butter oil in water was prepared by two stage homogenisation at 17.2 and 3.5 MPa at 50 °C, using ⁇ -fraction to stabilise the emulsion at an oil.protein ration of 10:1.
• the dispersion was mixed with solutions of ⁇ -fraction (as in Example 1 (a)) to yield a final concentration in the range 7.0 to 11.0% w/w of protein and a final oil content of 5% w/w. Aliquots of each mixture were heated to stabilise the microparticulate dispersion in a gelled protein matrix under conditions as used in Example 1 (a). Gel breaking strength was measured as in Example 1 (a). Results are shown in Table 2.
• Example 1 A microparticulate dispersion of butter oil was prepared as in Example 1 (b). Aliquots of the dispersion were mixed with ⁇ -fraction solution so that the final protein concentration was 9.4% w/w and the final oil concentration in the range 1.0 to 9.0% w/w. Portions of each mixture were heated to stabilise the microparticulate dispersion in a gelled protein matrix under conditions as used in Example 1 (a). Gel breaking strength was measured as in Example 1 (a). Results are shown in Table 3.
• a microparticulate dispersion of cocoa powder was prepared by vigorous stirring of the powder in water. Aliquots of the dispersion were mixed with ⁇ -fraction solution so that the final protein concentration was 9.4% w/w and the final cocoa powder concentration in the range 1 to 5% w/w. Portions of each mixture were heated to stabilise the microparticulate dispersion in a gelled protein matrix under conditions as used in Example 1 (a). Gel breaking strength was measured as in Example 1 (a). Results are shown in Table 4.
• EXAMPLE 3 This example shows that when an oil is the dispersed microparticulate, the firmness of the product is independent of the source and physical characteristics of the oil.
• Microparticulate dispersions of oils and fats were prepared as in Example 1(b). Aliquots of each oil or fat dispersion were mixed with ⁇ - fraction solution so that the final concentration of protein was 9.4% w/w and final oil /fat concentration was 5 % w/w. Portions of each mixture were heated to stabilise the microparticulate dispersion in a gelled protein matrix under conditions as used in Example 1 (a). Gel breaking strength was measured as in Example 1 (a). Results are shown in Table 5.
• This example shows that the clarity of gelled product prepared from ⁇ - fraction as the gellable protein is modulated by mineral content.
• Example 1 (a) Aqueous solutions of ⁇ -fraction were prepared as in Example 1 (a). At 9.4% w/w protein concentration the concomitant concentration of sodium and calcium chlorides were equivalent to 0.004 and 0.064% w/w respectively.
• Sodium chloride " i calcium chloride were added to aliquots of the ⁇ -fraction to achieve concentrations in the range 0.004 to 0.200% w/w sodium chloride and 0.064 to 0.100% w/w calcium chloride.
• a portion of each ⁇ -fraction solution was heated to effect gelation of protein as described in Example 1 (a). Gel breaking strength was measured as in Example 1 (a). Clarity of gels was determined using a Minolta Chromameter on freshly cut slices of gelled product and recorded as L* values, a measure of reflectance. Results are shown in Tables 6 and 7.
• microparticulate suspensions may be stabilised in heat-set ⁇ -fraction gel sweetened with sucrose.
• a microparticulate suspension of cocoa butter was prepared as in Example 1(b). Aliquots of the dispersion were mixed with ⁇ -fraction solution and with sucrose solution so that the final concentration of protein was 9.4% w/w, so that the final concentration of oil was 5.0% w/w and that the final sucrose concentration was in d e range 4 to 12% w/w. Portions of each mixture were heated to stabilise die microparticulate suspension in a sweetened gel protein mixture under conditions as used in Example 1(a). Gel breaking strength was measured as in Example 1 (a). Results are shown in Table 9.
• microparticulate suspensions may be stabilised in heat-set gels of proteins derived from various sources.
• Aqueous solutions of blood plasma proteins were prepared from commercial, spray dried powder at different concentrations of protein and at pH 6.8 as in Example 1 (a). Aliquots of protein solutions were heated to effect gelation as described in Example 1 (a). Gel breaking strength was measured as in Example 1 (a). Results are shown in Table 11. TABLE 11:
• Example 1(b) Aliquots of this dispersion were mixed with aqueous solutions of ⁇ -fraction, egg white protein (prepared using spray dried egg white powder) or blood plasma protein (prepared from blood plasma protein powder) to achieve final concentrations of protein of 9.4% w/w and final concentrations of oil of 5% w/w. A portion of each mixture was heated to stabilise the microparticulate suspension in a gelled protein matrix under the conditions used in Example 1 (a). Gel breaking strength was measured as in Example 1 (a). Results are presented in Table 12.
• a frankfurter /wiener-type sausage traditionally contains lean meat and fat in a finely comminuted and uniformly emulsified form with a typical fat content of about 22%.
• a gelled food product in accordance with the invention as fat replacer, as in this Example, the product had a fat content of
• the sausage mix containing the gelled food product was processed using traditional technology and provided a product which was satisfactory with respect to fat distribution, texture and other sensory attributes, but with a much lower fat content than the traditional product.
• a gelled food product containing microparticulate pork lard was prepared with a beta-fraction protein content of 8% w/w and a fat content (pork lard) of 12% w/w to provide die required texture and sensory quality in the final product.
• the beef and pork were chilled to 4-5 °C and minced separately tiirough a 10mm plate.
• the fat replacer Prior to the addition of the fat replacer, it was frozen to -20 °C.
• the minced beef, sodium chloride, sodium nitrite and sodium tripolyphosphate were placed in a silent cutter which was run at high speed for five revolutions of the bowl prior to the addition of half of the frozen fat replacer. After an additional 15 revolutions the minced pork plus the remainder of the fat replacer was incorporated together with the ascorbic acid, seasoning, garlic and beef extract. The emulsion was chopped in die cutter until it reached a temperature of 14 °C.
• the emulsion was filled into 24mm diameter sheep casings using a vacuum stuff er.
• the frankfurters were surface dried in a cooker /smokehouse at 50 °C and dien smoked at 65 °C for 1.5 hours followed by cooking to an internal temperature of 72 °C. When cooking was complete the frankfurters were showered to cool d em and then chilled overnight at 5 "C.
• Strasburg sausage traditionally contains coarsely chopped meat and fat distributed in a uniform meat and fat emulsion with a typical total fat content of about 30%.
• both chopped and emulsified fat have been replaced by the gelled food product of the invention to give a product containing 7% fat.
• the sausage mix containing gelled food product was processed into Strasburg sausage using traditional technology and resulted in a product with the appearance of a traditional Strasburg sausage and a satisfactory texture and other sensory attributes.
• the fat replacer used was prepared as described in Example 7.
• the beef and pork were chilled to 5 °C and minced separately through a 10mm plate.
• the fat replacer for the emulsion phase (1.25kg) was frozen to -20 °C.
• the fat replacer to be used in the non-emulsified form (2.0kg) was chopped from a chilled state at 5 °C.
• the beef, sodium chloride, sodium nitrite and sodium tripolyphosphate were chopped in a silent cutter at high speed for 10 revolutions of the bowl.
• the frozen fat replacer was added and chopped for a further 30 revolutions of the bowl.
• Seasonings, ascorbic acid and beef extract were added and chopped until the temperature of the emulsion was 10 °C.
• Coarsely cut (l-5mm) fat replacer and minced pork were added and mixed into the emulsion in the cutter at low speed for two revolutions of the bowl.
• the product was filled into 90mm diameter, moisture impermeable casings and cooked to an internal temperature of 68 °C. After showering to cool the product, it was chilled to 5 °C.

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• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Food Science & Technology (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Nutrition Science (AREA)
• Zoology (AREA)
• Biochemistry (AREA)
• Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
• Proteomics, Peptides & Aminoacids (AREA)
• Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
• Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
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• Molecular Biology (AREA)
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• Jellies, Jams, And Syrups (AREA)
• Edible Oils And Fats (AREA)

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• 1992
  • 1992-07-03 EP EP92914984A patent/EP0593613A1/de not_active Ceased
  • 1992-07-03 CA CA002112660A patent/CA2112660A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1992-07-03 IE IE219492A patent/IE922194A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1992-07-03 JP JP5501843A patent/JPH06508751A/ja active Pending
  • 1992-07-03 WO PCT/AU1992/000331 patent/WO1993000832A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
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