GB2081294A

GB2081294A - A process for producing a butter-like product

Info

Publication number: GB2081294A
Application number: GB8124257A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Unilever PLC
Current assignee: Unilever PLC
Priority date: 1980-08-08
Filing date: 1981-08-07
Publication date: 1982-02-17
Also published as: GB2081294B; NL8004520A; FR2488105A1; DE3131416A1; FR2488105B1; BE889902A

Abstract

A process for producing a butter- based product, comprising (a) freezing concentrated natural cream and keeping the cream in the frozen state at a temperature ranging from -10 DEG to -30 DEG C for a period preferably longer than 24 hours, and (b) heating the cream to a temperature preferably exceeding 65 DEG C to achieve phase inversion to a w/o emulsion. Preferably the emulsion is cooled to 24-29 DEG C and an aqueous phase optionally containing proteins, sorbic acid or sodium sorbate, sodium chloride and a colorant is added. The concentrated cream is preferably soured before freezing.

Description

SPECIFICATION A process for producing a butter-based product The invention relates to a process for producing a butter-based product in which an oil-in-water (o/w) emulsion in the form of cream is converted into a water-in-oil (w/o) emulsion, which is subsequently worked and cooled under conditions such that a product having the desired texture and plasticity is obtained.

More particularly the invention relates to a lowcalorie, butter-like product, by which is understood a product having a fat content lower than the fat content of natural butter, particuiarly a product having less than 65% of fat and preferably a product having a fat content ranging from 30 to 50%.

There is an existing need of spreads for bread which meet the continually increasing demand for low-calorie products which, moreover, have the organoleptic properties of natural butter and, if possible, good keeping qualities, i.e. they must have a shelf life of at least 3 weeks at 100C.

A process has now been found that results in products which to a great extent meet the abovementioned requirements.

In its most general form. the process according to the invention is characterized in that cream used as the starting material is frozen at 000 or lower and subsequently heated to a temperature of at least 650C and preferably 75-850C, at which the fat separates from the emilsion and the proteins present lose their ability to stabilize the o/w emulsion. Because of the selective fat crystallization that occurs, the volume of the fat surrounded by protein increases, the protein coating then being completely or partly destroyed, as a result of which the proteins iose their ability to stabilize the o/w emulsion.

This selective crystallization appears to fullest advantage during a certain storage period at the low temperature mentioned. Depending on the butter fats present, the composition of which varies subject to the season, a freezing temperature of =100 to =300C and a storage period of 24-36 hours will be suitable.

In the process according to the invention the cream is preferably concentrated to a fat content of 6080%. The cream is concentrated for example by evaporation of water, preferably under mild conditions, preferably at a temperature of about 400 C, or, idealiy for organoleptic reasons, by applying centrifugal forces.

Starting from concentrated cream is recommended in order, on the one hand, to keep the energy needed on freezing as limited as possible and, on the other hand, to facilitate the various treatments the cream has to undergo, such as pumping, stirring, heating up, without having to resort to viscosity-increasing agents.

Further it is preferable to start from bacteriologically soured cream. The appropriate bacteria to be used for this are known from the literature. The bacteriological souring is carried out to the extent that the cream acquires a pH ranging from 4.6 to 5.5. This souring results in that the protein coating that surrounds the fat droplets dispersed in the cream is at least partly destroyed. Thus, the souring has the effect of facilitating the destabilisation of the o/w emulsion.

As soured cream cannot be concentrated, it is recommended that the cream be concentrated before the souring. A cream concentrate obtained by centrifugation, whereby the milk proteins are removed, contains sufficient lactose to allow bacteriological souring. However, the concentration of the lactose is such that after addition of the water phase used for producing a low calorie butter-based product, the final concentration of the lactose in the spread is about the same as in natural butter, whereby a butterlike taste is achieved in the final product.

During the heating of the frozen cream according to step (b) of the process according to the invention, at least part of the fat separates out.

In order to prevent re-emulsification to an o/w emulsion, the heated mixture should be cooled to such an extent that sufficient fat solidifies.

Preferably the mixture is cooled to 24--290C, whereby at least part of the fat crystallizes out.

For the preparation of a low-calorie butter according to the invention a suitable amount of an aqueous phase is added to the cooled mixture, as a result of which the content of fat is brought to a value of preferably less than 65% and ideally between 30 and 50%.

It is recommendable that the added aqueous phase has a temperature lying between 24 and 290C. The aqueous phase may contain proteins such as sodium caseinate, viscosity-increasing agents such as hydrocolloids, preserving agents such as sorbic acid, and/or emulsifiers such as monoglycerides. Preferably the aqueous phase is adjusted to pH 5-6.

It is important that the aqueous phase be added with careful stirring, and in such a way that free fat is present in the mixture at all times. the presence of free fat can be determined by adding a fatsoluble colorant, for example Sudan Ill Red, to the surface of a sample.

When care is taken that the temperature of the mixture is kept within the range of 24--290C and the mixing is done carefully with,. a suitable slowly rotating stirrer, the formation of a w/o emulsion can be effected without disturbance.

The w/o emulsion obtained is subsequently worked and cooled, use being made of apparatus of the Votator-type.

For example, two so-called A-units (scraped coolers) may be combined with a so-called C-unit (crystallizer). The number of rotations, the input and output temperatures and the material fed through should be chosen such that a product having the desired properties is obtained. The use of Votator apparatus has been described in the literature. Adaptations of these known apparatuses for producing the products according to the invention are trivial and fall outside the scppe of the present application.

The invention will now be illustrated in the following Example.

EXAMPLE Cream (fat content 33%) was heated at 400C to evaporate part of the water and was subsequently centrifuged to obtain a concentrated cream (fat content 73%).

This concentrated cream was pasteurized at 780C for 5 minutes, subsequently cooled to 280C and inoculated with a bacterial culture. After 7 hours a pH value of 4.6 was reached.

The soured cream was filled into plastic containers, deep-frozen at -200C and held at this temperature for 30 hours. Subsequently the frozen cream was gradually heated to 780C, whereby practically all the fat separated out. The mixture was then cooled to 270C, whereby part of the fat crystallized.

To this mixture an aqueous phase (T= 270C, pH = 5.4) was added consisting of 1.5% sodium caseinate, 1.5% skim milk powder, 0.4% of a hydrocolloid, 0.3% sodium chloride, 0.2% sodium sorbate and water up to 100%, and constituting 60% of the total composition. The percentages are weight percentages based on the total composition.

The aqueous phase was gently stirred into the previously mentioned mixture, care being taken that free fat was continually present, which was checked with the colorant Sudan Ill Red and indicated the presence of a w/o emulsion.

The mixture was introduced into Votator apparatus, the mixture being treated consecutively in so-called A, A and C units, until a product having the desired texture was obtained. The product was stable after a storage period of 1 month at 100C.

Claims

1. A process for producing a butter-based product, in which an oil-in-water emulsion in the form of cream is converted by phase inversion into a water-in-oil emulsion, which is subsequently worked and cooled, characterized in that the phase inversion is effected by (a) freezing the cream at at least -100C and (b) heating the frozen cream to a temperature of at least 650(=, at which the fat separates from the emulsion and the proteins present lose their ability to stabilize the oil-in-water emulsion.

2. A process according to claim 1, characterized in that the starting material is concentrated natural cream.

3. A process according to claim 2, characterized in that the starting material is crnam concentrated to a fat content of 65 to 80%.

4. A process according to claims 1-3, characterized in that a cream is used that has first been concentrated and subsequently bacteriologically soured to a pH of 4.6-5.5.

5. A process according to claims 1-4, characterized in that the cream is held at least 24 hours at a temperature of -1 00C to -300C.

6. A process according to claims 1-5, characterized in that the frozen cream is heated to 75-850C.

7. A process according to claim 1, characterized in that the heated cream is allowed to cool to 24-290C.

8. A process according to any one of the preceding claims 1-7, characterized in that a low-calorie, butter-based product is prepared by: (c) allowing the heated cream obtained according to step (b) to cool to a temperature at which at least part of the fat crystallizes out and (d) subsequently bringing the fat content to a value of less than 65% by the addition of a suitable amount of an aqueous phase.

9. A process according to claim 8, characterized in that the aqueous phase is added to the mixture with careful stirring, and in such a way that free fat is present in the mixture at all times.

10. A process according to claim 8, characterized in that aqueous phase is added in such an amount as to obtain a product having a fat content of 3050%.

11. A process according to claim 8, characterized in that the aqueous phase added has a temperature of 24-290C.

12. A process according to claim 8, characterized in that the aqueous phase has a pH of 5-6 and contains proteins, hydrocolloids, preserving agents and/or emulsifiers.