GB1564000A

GB1564000A - Edible compositions

Info

Publication number: GB1564000A
Application number: GB42329/75A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Gist Brocades NV
Current assignee: Gist Brocades NV
Priority date: 1975-10-15
Filing date: 1975-10-15
Publication date: 1980-04-02
Also published as: BE847280A; CA1099143A

Description

(54) EDIBLE COMPOSITIONS (71) We, GIST-BROCADES N.V., a Dutch body corporate of 1 Wateringseweg, Delft, Holland, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to a new method for the preparation of foodstuffs of the type generally called "snacks", and more particularly to potato-based snacks, and to snacks when so prepared.

It is to be understood that the expression "snacks" as used herein is not to be confused with the ordinary significance of the product called "chips" i.e. rods or slices cut from unboiled potatoes, which are baked in heated fat or oil, preferably in two stages. The snacks according to the invention in one of its forms may show similarity with the product normally called "potato crisps", which is widely used as a snack with a drink. It may also show some similarity with other snacks called "shoe strings" or "potato puffs".

The preparation of crisps is well-known and according to one method described in British Patent Specification 1261730 a dough is prepared from starch-containing components, e.g. a mixture of potato starch and potato flour, the dough is compressed into flakes, the flakes are gelatinised by cooking them for between 1 to 10 minutes in steam at atmospheric pressure, and the moisture content of the gelatinised flakes is then reduced by drying the flakes in a hotair drying chamber to obtain crisps in the form of flakes. This method gives a product of a type consumed in considerable quantities, but the method involves the use of steam and this requires special equipment normally not available in factories.

Moreover, it is not easy for housewives to prepare crisps in such a way.

It is known from, for example, British Patent Specification 1273999 to add yeast to potato flour for the purpose of lowering the reducing sugar content in the potato flour before processing a dough into potato snacks. It is also known from British Patent Specification 1316148 to add yeast to flour and water for the purpose of developing, in conjunction with an acidified whey, the necessary acidity of a dough containing other ingredients, which dough is held for a period of up to 7 hours before processing into desired forms and then baked to give crackers, snack foods and like partiallyleavened bakery products.

It has now been found after research and experimentation that a snack of light structure and pleasant taste can be obtained from starch-containing material (e.g. potato flour and potato starch) by adding to it yeast and a sugar fermentable by the yeast, preparing a dough from such a mix, and thereafter processing the dough into snacks of desired shapes and sizes.

Thus, the present invention is concerned with a new method for the production of snacks which comprises the steps of adding a combination of an active yeast, preferably bakers' yeast, and a sugar fermentable by said yeast to a starch-containing component, forming a dough from such a mix using water, dividing the dough into pieces of desired size, fermenting the pieces of dough for a sufficient period of time and temperature to form a light structure of appropriate size for a snack, and frying the pieces of fermented dough in heated edible oil or fat.

This method is very suitable to be carried out on an industrial scale, also by factories lacking part of the equipment normally present in larger factories, and by housewives. It requires limited and in general uncomplicated equipment. The yeast component gives the snack product a special structure and a very good taste due to the products formed by the yeast and modified by the frying or baking process.

Moreover, the snack does not have any, or substantially any, oily taste, Due to the fermentation of the divided dough pieces the snacks have a very light structure, which is appreciated by the consumer. The snacks may be hollow or porous.

By the term "starch-containing component" as used in this specification is meant any vegetable polymerised carbohydrate product. Examples of such carbohydrate products are potato flour and potato starch, and corn, buckwheat, tapioca and rice flour, and soya meals, and mixtures thereof. Preferred sources of starch are dried potato flour and potato starch. A mixture of dried potato flour and potato starch is preferably used in the ratio of 20 to 80 parts, preferably 40 to 60 parts, of dried potato flour, and 80 to 20 parts, preferably 60 to 40 parts, of potato starch, the said parts being by weight. This mixture may partially be replaced by a starch product of another origin.

It is understood that the substance called "dried potato flour" should not be confused with the substance normally called "potato starch". By "dried potato flour" is meant dried mashed potatoes (e.g. peeled potatoes that are gently crushed so as not to break the cells, and dried on drying cylinders or spray-dried. It is also possible to use a product obtained by boiling potatoes, mixing the boiled potatoes, after removal of the water, to a crumbly product and drying that product). Potato starch is a product obtained by drying starch of potatoes at relatively low temperatures so that gelatination of the starch does not occur.

It is advantageous to use the above indicated mixture of potato starches in order to obtain a dough that can suitably be handled or processed.

It is an advantage of the invention that starches other than those derived from the potato may be used. In years when the potato harvest is disappointing and potatoes become expensive, the replacement of potato starch in the snacks by, for example, corn starch may be considered.

The active yeast, preferably a bakers' yeast, as used in the method according to the invention, is present in an amount of 5 to 20 ", preferably 8 to 12 /ns by weight based on the amount of the starch-containing components in the mix. These percentages are indicated for so-called 'compressed bakers' yeast', a product normally containing about 70 S of moisture. It is obvious that active dried bakers' yeast, which normally has a moisture content of less than 10% by weight, may also be used in such small amounts as will be indicated by its activity ratio as compared to the compressed form of yeast.

For fermenting the dough a small amount of a sugar fermentable by the active yeast is used. Examples of suitable fermentable sugars are sucrose and glucose; sucrose is preferred because of its lower cost. An amount of sugar of 0.5 to 5, preferably 1 to 40-/n, by weight based on the starch content of the mix is sufficient to obtain a suitable dough fermentation. Sugar that is not fermented in the dough is important for the colour formation in the final snack, and the amount of sugar and yeast present in the dough may be adapted so that, after a predetermined fermentation time and temperature, the fried snack has the desired combination of structure and colour.

However, if the fermentation time is exceeded (e.g. by a production break) the colouration becomes too little for consumer satisfaction. The colouration may vary from dark brown to a light 'potato chip like' colour according to the amount of sugar in the divided pieces of dough before they are fried.

According to an aspect of the present invention, proteinaceous material is included in the mix from which the snacks are produced, the proteinaceous material replacing a part of the starch-containing component. The use of proteinaceous material is advantageous in order to obtain a snack having a more balanced ratio of carbohydrate and protein. Up to 45%, preferably up to 25% by weight of the starch-containing component may be replaced by preteinaceous material.

Examples of suitable proteinaceous materials are vegetable proteinaceous materials such as gluten, soya protein isolate, soya protein isolate sodium salt, and hydrolysed proteins. When using corn starch or starch materials other than those derived from the potato, it is preferable to use a certain amount of gluten to obtain the desired dough consistency. An amount of 10% to 40% of gluten is preferred. When the starch-containing component is (i) buckwheat meal preferably 10% to 40% by weight of the buckwheat meal is replaced by gluten, and when it is (ii) rice meal a good handable dough is obtained when 20% to 40% of the rice meal is replaced by gluten.

When using soya meal, it is preferred to mix it with another starch-containing component, such as corn meal. A mixture of up to 40% of soya meal and 60 Sn or more of corn meal is very suitable when also using a certain amount of gluten.

Other substances (for example tasteimproving agents, may also be added to the starch, yeast and sugar mix. Normally a small amount of salt enhances the taste of the final snack, but also other substances may be added in small amounts, such as spices, e.g. curry, paprica and/or meat spices. A small amount of a nonfermentable sugar such as lactose may also be added to give the final product a sweet taste, and a suitable colour if desired.

Furthermore, animal proteins may be added in order to give the snack a special taste.

Examples of useful animal proteins are cheese, anchovy paste, yeast extract, hashed meat and hydrolysed proteins.

According to a modification of the aforedescribed method of the present invention for the production of snacks, instead of, or in addition to, the incorporation of sugar with the starchcontaining material and active yeast there is used an enzyme capable of acting on the starch-containing component to form therefrom a sufficient amount of a sugar from the starch components fermentable by the active yeast, such as an amylase. An amount of 20 to 100 ppm, preferably 30 to 70 ppm, of amylase (preferably a-amylase), based on the content of the starchcontaining component, may be used. The use of an amylase may be of advantage for the colour formation in the snacks. The addition of an enzyme to the mix instead of a sugar prolongs the fermentation time of the pieces of dough and this may be of advantage if there is a production break when the snacks are being produced.

As indicated above, the amount of fermentable sugar in the mix influences the colour of the final snack. The more sugar the darker brown the final snack. If the sugar is supplied by decomposition of the starch by the amylase, and the yeast present ferments a part of the sugar, an equilibrium will be achieved after a certain fermentation time, and after achieving the equilibrium the fermentable sugar content is substantially constant. That means that if the dough is fried after achieving this equilibrium a snack of a substantially consistent colour is obtained after frying or baking, independent of the further length of the fermentation time.

Water is added to the aforedescribed mixes to give a satisfactory dough, for example 50 to 150 parts by weight of water per 100 parts of starch-containing component and, if present, proteinaceous material.

Before fermenting the dough, it is divided up into pieces, such as rods, flakes, small balls, cushions, wafers, stars or strings.

Suitably the dough is flattened to a sheet 0.5 mm to 3 mm thick and the desired shapes of the pieces are produced from the sheet by conventional means, e.g. by cutting or punching. Extrusion, although applicable, may in many cases advantageously be avoided, saving equipment.

Although fermentation of the pieces of dough may be carried out at ambient temperatures, the pieces of dough are preferably fermented at somewhat increased temperatures, e.g. from 20 to 400C, preferably from 250 to 350C. The fermentation time depends on the temperature, but a fermentation period of 5 to 60 minutes, preferably 5 to 45 minutes, will normally be sufficient. A preferred range of temperature and time is 250 to 35"C for 30 to 40 minutes.

After fermentation in the dough pieces are fried in-' heated edible oil or fat. All oils or fats which are normally used for frying purposes may be used.

Examples of suitable oils are arachidic oil, cocos oil and lard.

The thus fried pieces of product, generally of the usual size for snacks, are ready for consumption, but may, if desired, be salted or covered with powdered sugar or small amounts of dip sauces, etc. The product is a very fine-tasting snack which will be appreciated by the consumer, generally with a drink.

The fat content of the snack product after the dough pieces are fried is generally below 25%, normally below 20%, by weight.

Snacks prepared by the method according to this invention may be obtained from a pre-mix which comprises a preponderant proportion of a starch containing component and optionally a proteinaceous material, active dried yeast (preferably bakers' yeast), and a sugar fermentable by said active yeast and/or an enzyme capable of forming such a sugar from the starch-containing component. The amounts of the components to be used are as indicated hereinbefore. This pre-mix, which may be sold, for example in stores etc., is very suitable to be used in the method according to the invention, when carried out by, for example, housewives. It is sufficient to add some water, mix the dough, divide the dough into pieces of desired shape and size, ferment the pieces of dough and fry the pieces in a heated edible frying oil or fat. The housewives will have no trouble with weighing the necessary amounts of the components for the resulting snack. Another advantage of the pre-mix is that it can be stored for relatively long periods of time, provided that the pre-mix is stored in the unopened package (in a nitrogen atmosphere or in vacuo). The premix will normally be sold in packaged form, preferably in an air-tight package. Care should be taken that the active dried yeast in the package, which is the most sensitive component, will not be deactivated to a too great extent, which may be achieved in several ways, e.g. by introducing a nitrogen atmosphere or a vacuum, or in a way similar to that described in British Patent Specification 1431047 by replacing the air in the package by an adsorbing gas, e.g.

carbon dioxide, which is partially adsorbed by the contents of the package, so that, when a flexible package material is used, the flexible material eventually closely encloses the contents of the package.

It will be obvious that the pre-mix may also contain additonal components, e.g.

those discussed hereinbefore. Those additional components are added in dry form, which is necessary for the stability of the yeast.

As indicated hereinbefore, the yeast to be used in the pre-mix is an active dried yeast, preferably one that is easily distributed into a dough when mixed with the starch component(s), and a suitable form of a useful active dried bakers' yeast is that described in British Patent Specification 1230205 or 1321714.

The invention further relates to the snack products as obtained according to the method of the invention.

The invention is illustrated by the following Examples.

EXAMPLE 1 Ingredients: Parts dried potato flour 50 potato starch 50 sucrose 2 compressed bakers' yeast 10 salt 2 water 120 About three quarters of the amount of water is heated to boiling point and added to 20 parts of the potato starch for gelatinisation. The remainder of the water is used to dissolve the sugar, salt and compressed yeast. The gelatinised potato starch, the sugar and salt solution as well as the yeast suspension are mixed with the dried potato flour and the remainder of the potato starch into a homogeneous mass at a temperature of about 30"C. The dough is divided into the desired pieces by extrusion, and fermented for 10 to 15 minutes at the same temperature. The fermented pieces of dough are then fried in a heated frying oil to a crispy product.

The average fat content of several samples prepared according to this Example is 18%, estimated by hexane extraction.

EXAMPLE 2 Ingredients: Parts dried potato flour 80 potato starch 20 sucrose 2 compressed bakers' yeast 10 salt 2 water 120 The procedure of Example 1 is followed, except that 10 parts of the potato starch are used for gelatinisation.

EXAMPLE 3 Ingredients: Parts dried potato flour 20 potato starch 80 sucrose 4 compressed bakers' yeast 20 salt 2 water 120 The procedure of Example I is followed, except that the fermentation time after extrusion is 10 minutes.

EXAMPLE 4 Ingredients: Parts dried potato flour 25 potato starch 50 pre-gelatinised starch 5 gluten 20 compressed bakers' yeast 10 amylase (50 000 SKB) [based on the starch and protein content] 50 ppm water 60 The ingredients are mixed to a homogeneous mass at about 30"C. The dough is rolled into a sheet having a thickness of about 0.5 to about 2.0 mm.. The sheet of dough is then divided into small elongated pieces of the desired sizes and forms, and fermented for 20 to 30 minutes at the same temperature. After fermentation the pieces of dough are fried in heated oil to a crispy product.

EXAMPLE 5 The same procedure is followed as described in Example 4 except that 2 parts of sucrose are added to the recipe. After frying the pieces of fermented dough in heated oil a crispy product is obtained.

EXAMPLE 6 Ingredients: Parts corn starch 80 gluten 20 sucrose 2 compressed bakers' yeast 10 water 60 The ingredients are mixed into a homogeneous dough at about 25"C. The dough is rolled out into a sheet of a thickness of about 1 mm and then divided into pieces having a width of about 10 mm and a length of about 50 mm. The dough pieces are fermented at the same temperature for about 40 minutes and fried in heated oil to a crispy product.

EXAMPLE 7 Ingredients: Parts buckwheat flour 85 gluten 15 sucrose 4 compressed bakers' yeast 15 water 60 The ingredients are mixed into a homogenous dough at 25"C. The dough is rolled into a sheet of 1 mm thickness and dough pieces are cut out of the sheet with pastry cutters of several shapes with either plain or fluted edges (diameter of cutters 20 to 50 mm). The pieces of dough are then fermented at the same temperature for 25 to 30 minutes and then fried in heated oil to a crispy product.

EXAMPLE 8 Ingredients: Parts rice flour 70 gluten 30 sucrose 2 compressed bakers' yeast 10 water 60 The ingredients are mixed into a homogeneous mass at 300 C. The dough is extruded through orifices of 3 to 5 mm diameter, and the strings obtained are cut into pieces of about 50 mm in length. The dough pieces are fermented at the same temperature for about 25 minutes and then fried in heated oil to obtain a crispy product.

EXAMPLE 9 Ingredients: Parts tapioca flour 100 sucrose 2 compressed bakers' yeast 10 water 80 to 100 The ingredients are mixed into a homogeneous mass at 300C and then rolled into a sheet about 1 mm thick. The sheet is divided into pieces of the desired sizes, and then fermented for 30 minutes at the same temperature. The fermented pieces of dough are fried in heated oil to obtain a crispy product.

In the Examples the parts referred to are by weight.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A method for the production of snacks which comprises the steps of adding a combination of an active yeast and a sugar fermentable by said yeast to a starch containing component, forming a dough from such a mix using water, dividing the dough into pieces of desired size, fermenting the pieces of dough for a sufficient period of time and temperature to form a light structure of appropriate size for a snack, and frying the pieces of fermented dough in heated edible oil or fat.

2. A method according to claim 1 in which the active yeast is bakers' yeast.

3. A method according to claim I or 2 in which the starch-containing component is potato flour, potato starch, or corn, buckwheat, tapioca or rice flour, or soya meal, or a mixture of two or more of such substances.

4. A method according to claim 1 in which the active yeast is bakers' yeast and the starch-containing component is a mixture of dried potato flour and potato starch.

5. A method according to claim 4 in which the mixture of dried potato flour and potato starch-contains 20 to 80 parts of dried potato flour and 80 to 20 parts of potato starch, the said parts being by weight.

6. A method according to claim 4 in which the mixture of dried potato flour and potato starch contains 40 to 60 parts of dried potato flour and 60 to 40 parts of potato starch, the said parts being by weight.

7. A method according to any one of the preceding claims in which the amount of active yeast included in the mix is 5% to 20% by weight based on the starch-containing component(s), the amount of yeast being calculated as compressed bakers' yeast.

8. A method according to claim 7 in which the amount of active yeast included in the mix is 8% to 12% by weight.

9. A method according to any one of the preceding claims in which the fermentable sugar included in the mix is sucrose.

10. A method according to any one of the preceding claims in which the fermentable sugar included in the mix is glucose.

11. A method according to any one of claims I to 10 in which the amount of fermentable sugar included in the mix is from 0.5n e to 5% by weight based on the starch content of the mix.

12. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 10 in which the amount of fermentable sugar included in the mix is from 1% to 4% by weight based on the starch content of the mix.

13. A method according to any of the preceding claims in which part of the starchcontaining component of the mix is replaced by a proteinaceous material.

14. A method according to claim 13 in which up to 45% by weight of the starchcontaining component is replaced by proteinaceous material.

15. A method according to claim 13 in which up to 25% by weight of the starchcontaining component is replaced by proteinaceous material.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. EXAMPLE 7 Ingredients: Parts buckwheat flour 85 gluten 15 sucrose 4 compressed bakers' yeast 15 water 60 The ingredients are mixed into a homogenous dough at 25"C. The dough is rolled into a sheet of 1 mm thickness and dough pieces are cut out of the sheet with pastry cutters of several shapes with either plain or fluted edges (diameter of cutters 20 to 50 mm). The pieces of dough are then fermented at the same temperature for 25 to 30 minutes and then fried in heated oil to a crispy product. EXAMPLE 8 Ingredients: Parts rice flour 70 gluten 30 sucrose 2 compressed bakers' yeast 10 water 60 The ingredients are mixed into a homogeneous mass at 300 C. The dough is extruded through orifices of 3 to 5 mm diameter, and the strings obtained are cut into pieces of about 50 mm in length. The dough pieces are fermented at the same temperature for about 25 minutes and then fried in heated oil to obtain a crispy product. EXAMPLE 9 Ingredients: Parts tapioca flour 100 sucrose 2 compressed bakers' yeast 10 water 80 to 100 The ingredients are mixed into a homogeneous mass at 300C and then rolled into a sheet about 1 mm thick. The sheet is divided into pieces of the desired sizes, and then fermented for 30 minutes at the same temperature. The fermented pieces of dough are fried in heated oil to obtain a crispy product. In the Examples the parts referred to are by weight. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A method for the production of snacks which comprises the steps of adding a combination of an active yeast and a sugar fermentable by said yeast to a starch containing component, forming a dough from such a mix using water, dividing the dough into pieces of desired size, fermenting the pieces of dough for a sufficient period of time and temperature to form a light structure of appropriate size for a snack, and frying the pieces of fermented dough in heated edible oil or fat.

2. A method according to claim 1 in which the active yeast is bakers' yeast.

16. A method according to claim 13, 14 or

15 in which the proteinaceous material is a vegetable proteinaceous material selected from gluten, soya bean isolate, soya protein isolate sodium salt and hydrolysed vegetable proteins.

17. A method according to claim 13, 14 or 15 in which the proteinaceous material is gluten.

18. A method according to claim 13 in which from 10% to 40 Ó by weight of the starch-containing component of the mix is replaced by gluten when said component is other than a flour or starch derived from the potato.

19. A method according to claim 13 in which the starch-containing component of the mix is buckwheat meal and from 10% to 40 ' by weight of the buckwheat meal is replaced by gluten.

20. A method according to claim 13 in which the starch-containing component of the mix is rice meal and from 20% to 40% by weight of the rice meal is replaced by gluten.

21. A method according to any one of claims I to 20 or modification thereof in which the fermentable sugar is partially or wholly replaced by an enzyme capable of acting on the starch-containing component of the mix to form therefrom a sufficient amount of a sugar fermentable by the active yeast.

22. A method according to claim 1 or 21 which comprises the steps of mixing together suitable amounts of at least dried potato flour, potato starch, bakers' yeast, a sugar fermentable by said bakers' yeast or an enzyme capable of forming such a sugar from the aforesaid starch-containing substances, and water to form a dough, dividing the dough into pieces of desired size, fermenting the pieces of dough for a sufficient period of time to form a light structure of appropriate size for a snack, and frying the pieces of fermented dough in heated edible oil or fat.

23. A method according to claim 21 or 22 in which the enzyme is an amylase.

24. A method according to claim 21, 22 or 23 in which the amount of enzyme included in the mix is from 20 to 100 ppm based on the starch-containing component.

25. A method according to claim 21, 22 or 23 in which the amount of enzyme included in the mix is from 30 to 70 ppm based on the starch-containing component.

26. A method according to any one of the preceding claims in which 50 to 150 parts by weight of water per 100 parts of starchcontaining component, and if present proteinaceous material, is added to the mix to form a dough.

27. A method according to any one of the preceding claims in which taste-improving agents are added to the mix.

28. A method according to claim 27 in which the taste-improving agents are salt, spices, non-fermentable sugars and animal proteins.

29. A method according to any one of the preceding claims in which the dough is divided into pieces by forming a sheet of the dough and from the sheet pieces of desired sizes are cut or punched out, or the dough is directly divided into pieces of the desired size.

30. A method according to any one of the preceding claims in which the pieces of dough are fermented at a temperature of 20 to 400C for a period of 5 to 60 minutes.

31. A method according to any one of the preceding claims in which the pieces of dough are fermented at a temperature of 25 to 350C for a period of 5 to 45 minutes.

32. A method according to any one of the preceding claims in which the pieces of dough are fermented at a temperature of 25 to 35"C for a period of 30 to 40 minutes.

33. A method for the production of snacks according to claim 1 or 21 substantially as hereinbefore described with especial reference to any one of Examples 1 to 9.

34. Snacks prepared according to the method claimed in any one of claims 1 to 33.

35. Snacks according to claim 34 having a fat content below 25% by weight.