<B><U>USE</U></B> The present invention relates to a process for the preparation of a dairy foodstuff. In particular the invention relates to a process for the preparation of a dairy foodstuff comprising contacting a liquid dairy product with an emulsifier composition comprising an emulsifier. Emulsifier compositions comprising blends of emulsifiers and additional components such as stabilisers are known in the art. For example GB-A-1082283 (to a predecessor of the present applicant) relates to a particulate combined emulsifier and stabiliser composition. The composition is used in the preparation of edible and drinkable products, such as dairy products. GB-A-1082283 teaches that the combined system may be obtained by spray-drying, although drying on belts or drums is also envisaged. This process provides a composition in an integrated (encapsulated) form to make the powder composition more convenient for use. Systems such as that of GB-A-1082283 provide an integrated emulsifier composition comprising a hydrocolloid encapsulated by an emulsifier. These compositions are typically in the form of small uniform beads. These beads, however, consist mainly of emulsifier having a lower specific gravity (0.9 glcm) than liquid dairy products such as milk or ice cream mix. When hydrocolloids are also present in the composition, the hydrocolloids typically have a specific gravity of approximately 1.3 glcm3, and the total specific gravity of the beads remains lower than the liquid dairy product such as milk or ice cream mix. Moreover, the beads often also contain small air bubbles which decrease the specific gravity of the beads. Avoiding the incorporation of bubbles has proved difficult. Beads of an emulsifier composition having a lower specific gravity than the liquid dairy product will float to the top of the mixing tank. This effect is particularly observed if the agitator used in the mixing tank is not sufficiently strong to keep the beads in suspension. The addition of the integrated products to liquid dairy products such as milk or ice cream mix takes place at temperatures below the melting point of the emulsifier. Quite often the mixing equipment is not sufficiently efficient to keep the low density beads of the prior art in suspension and a proportion of the beads will float to the top of the tank. This is a problematic because the emulsifier products are consequently not well distributed in the liquid. Even distribution is important when the liquid is pumped through a pasteuriser and homogeniser where the emulsifier composition is heated and finally goes into solution. If the concentration and/or concentration distribution of the emulsifier is not correct during these production steps, the emulsion formed will have an incorrect composition and the performance of the final food product will be affected negatively. Moreover, if the agitation in the mixing tank is so poor that a substantial portion of product will lie on top of the liquid, these deposits will block the pasteurising equipment as they attempt to pass therethrough, typically during the emptying of the tank. According to Stokes Law the speed of buoyancy of a bead is a function of the diameter of a bead raised to the second power. With this law in mind it may be possible to solve the buoyancy problem discussed above by decreasing the particle size of the emulsifier/emulsifier composition. The disadvantage of this proposed solution, however, is that the free-flowing properties of small beads are lower than larger beads and the tendency to form lumps in the bags during storage is also increased when small beads are present. The present invention alleviates the problems of the prior art. In one aspect the present invention provides the use of a disintegration improver for improving disintegration in a liquid dairy product of an integrated emulsifier composition comprising an emulsifier and the improver. The present invention solves the problems of the prior art by providing an emulsifier composition which has reduced buoyancy in a liquid dairy product whilst retaining desirable flow properties prior to addition to the liquid dairy product. This solution is provided by a emulsifier composition comprising an emulsifier and a disintegration improver. The composition may be provided in particulate form having a particle size exhibiting acceptable flow properties. On contact with a liquid dairy product the disintegration improver assists in the disintegration of the particle, for example by swelling until the particle "bursts", to provide a fragmented product of reduced particle size. In accordance with Stokes Law the fragmentation of the particle will reduce the buoyancy thereof.
By the term "disintegration improver" it is meant a material which increases the degree of or the rate of separation of the integrated constituents of an emulsifier composition in to discrete constituents.
It will be understood that for the emulsifier composition of the present invention to be "disintegrated" on contact with a liquid dairy product, the composition prior to contact will be an integrated composition. By the term "integrated" it is meant that at least some particles of the composition of the present invention comprise both the emulsifier and the disintegration improver. Preferably by the term it is meant that the disintegration improver is encapsulated by the emulsifier. Preferably, the disintegration improver is non-gelling. More preferably the emulsifier composition consists essentially of non-gelling constituents. The presence of gelling constituents may result in the formation of a gel around the emulsifier composition. This gel coat retards water penetration into the composition and prevents complete disintegration. The buoyancy of gel coated emulsifier composition is substantially the same as the non-disintegrated composition. In this preferred aspect of the present invention the absence of a gelling disintegration improver or gelling constituent allows free access for the liquid to penetrate to the core of the beads providing for improved or complete disintegration. Preferably, the disintegration improver is selected from hydrocolloids, fibres and combinations thereof. The hydrocolloid may be ionic or non-ionic. Preferably, the hydrocolloid is selected from alginate, carrageenan, carboxymethyi cellulose<B>(CIVIC),</B> guar gum, locust bean gum (LBG), xanthan gum, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), methyl cellulose (MC), cellulose ethers including hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), pectin, starch including native and modified starch, both pregelatinated and non-pregelatinated, including starch from corn, potato, tapioca, wheat, and rice, gelatin, agar, and combinations thereof. More preferably, the hydrocolloid comprises at least pregelatinated starch. Preferably, the disintegration improver is a fibre. In a further aspect the present invention provides a process for the preparation of a dairy foodstuff, the process comprising contacting a liquid dairy product with an integrated emulsifier composition, wherein the integrated emulsifier composition comprises an emulsifier and a disintegration improver, wherein the disintegration improver is a fibre. In a further aspect the present invention provides a dairy foodstuff comprising a dairy product and an integrated emulsifier composition, wherein the emulsifier composition comprises an emulsifier and a fibre. Preferably, the fibre of the present invention is selected from sugar beet fibre, apple fibre, pea fibre, wheat fibre, oat fibre, barley fibre, rye fibre, rice fibre, other non-starch polysaccharide fibres, and combinations thereof. More preferably the fibre comprises at least sugar beet fibre or wheat fibre. Preferably the emulsifier is selected from propylene glycol monostearate (PGMS), sodium stearoyl lactylate (SSL), calcium stearoyl lactylate (CSL), monoglycerides, diglycerides, monodiglycerides, polyglycerol esters, lactic acid esters, polysorbate, sucrose esters, diacetyl tartaric acid esters of mono-diglycerides (DATEM), citric acid esters of monoglycerides (CITREM) and combinations thereof. In a particularly preferred aspect the emulsifier is selected from monoglycerides, diglycerides, monodiglycerides, and mixtures thereof. In this aspect the problems of these types of emulsifier, which have a low density compared to liquid dairy products, are particularly alleviated. Although the use of monoglycerides, diglycerides, and monodiglycerides in liquid dairy products has been desirable because they may be sourced from natural raw materials, they are buoyant in liquid dairy products. Thus the problems of the prior art discussed above have been observed. The present invention alleviates these problems. The emulsifier of the composition of the present invention may also be selected from DIMODAN including DIMODAN B 727 and DIMODAN PV, GRINDSTEDTM CITREM, GRINDSTEDTm GA, GRINDSTEDTM PS such as GRINDSTEDTM PS 100, GRINDSTEDTM PS 200, GRINDSTEDTM PS 300, GRINDSTEDTM PS 400; RYLOTM (manufactured and distributed by DANISCO CULTOR), including RYLOTM AC, RYLOTM CI, RYLOTM LA, RYLOTM MD, RYLOTM MG, RYLOTM PG, RYLOTM PR, RYLOTM SL, RYLOTM SO, RYLOTM TG; and combinations thereof. In one aspect the emulsifier is other than polysorbate, or more generally other than a hydrophilic emulsifier. In a further aspect the emulsifier composition is substantially free of polysorbate, or more generally is substantially free of a hydrophilic emulsifier. These emulsifiers are not well accepted by the end users and/or by national legislation. Preferably the disintegration improver is swellable in a liquid dairy product. Preferably the disintegration improver is swellable in a liquid dairy product. In a further aspect of the present invention, the emulsifier composition further comprises a stabiliser. The stabiliser may be an ionic hydrocolloid or a non-ionic hydrocolloid. Preferably, the stabiliser is selected from alginate, carrageenan, carboxymethyl cellulose <B>(CIVIC),</B> guar gum, locust bean gum (LBG), xanthan gum, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), methyl cellulose (MC), cellulose ethers including hydroxy propyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), pectin, starch including native and modified starch, both pregelatinated and non-pregelatinated, including starch from corn, potato, tapioca, wheat, and rice, gelatin, agar, and combinations thereof. In a further aspect of the present invention, the emulsifier composition consists essentially of the emulsifier, the improver and the stabiliser. In a further aspect of the present invention, the emulsifier composition comprises the emulsifier, the disintegration improver and the stabiliser, wherein each of the emulsifier, improver and stabiliser are integrated together in the composition. In a highly preferred aspect of the present invention, the emulsifier composition consists essentially of the emulsifier, the disintegration improver and the stabiliser, wherein each of the emulsifier, improver and stabiliser are integrated together in the composition. In a preferred aspect the integrated emulsifier composition comprising the emulsifier and disintegration improver are prepared by a process comprising (i) providing an initial composition comprising the emulsifier in a melted form and the disintegration improver, ii) cooling the initial composition such that the emulsifier crystallises and the emulsifier and the disintegration improver are integrated.
Preferably the initial composition of the above preferred process is substantially free of free water. By the term "free water" it is meant watee which is not incorporated within one of the constituents of the initial composition. For example, water may be present in the disintegration improver of the present invention. This is not free water. By the term "substantially free of free water" it is meant having a free water content of preferably less than 20 wt%, preferably less than 15 wt%, preferably less than 10 wt%, preferably less than 5 wt%, preferably less than 2 wt %, more preferably less than 1 wt%, more preferably less than 0.5 wt%, yet more preferably less than 0.1 wt%.
It is to be appreciated that the product obtainable and/or obtained by the process of the present invention is encompassed by the present invention. Accordingly in further aspects the present invention provides # a composition obtainable by the process of the present invention # a composition obtained by the process of the present invention # dairy product comprising or prepared from a composition obtainable by or obtained by the process of the present invention. In a broad aspect the present invention provides a process for the preparation of a dairy foodstuff, the process comprising contacting a liquid dairy product with an integrated emulsifier composition, wherein the emulsifier composition comprises an emulsifier and a disintegration improver. The disintegration improver is preferably selected from hydrocolloids, fibres and combinations thereof. The present invention may be used in the preparation of any number of products, in particular food products such as ice cream, acidifed milk products, flavoured milk products, for example cocoa milk, milk juice (a composition comprising milk and fruit juice) and dressings. The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following Example. <B><U>EXAMPLE</U></B> 30 g sugar is brought into solution in 465 g skimmed milk. The temperature of the milk is 20-25 C. 5 g of the product to be tested is added during vigorous agitation. The agitation continues for 30 minutes. 5 minutes after the agitation has stopped, the particles that have floated to the top are transferred to a filter. The milk is washed away with pure water and the residue is dried and its mass determined. Using the above test, we have obtained the following figures:
Sample No Constitution of Sample Residue 1 RECODANTm CM Emulsifier & Stabiliser System 4.79 g (reference) 2 RECODANTm CM Emulsifier & Stabiliser System 3.38 g + 10% beet fibres incorporated 3 RECODANTm CM Emulsifier & Stabiliser System 2.94 g + 10% pre-gelatinised, unmodified starch 4 RECODANTm CM Emulsifier & Stabiliser System 1.80 g + 30% pre-gelatinised, unmodified starch 5 RECODANTm CM Emulsifier & Stabiliser System 2.08 g + 10% wheat fibres RECODANTM CM Emulsifier & Stabiliser System is an integrated composition comprising available from Danisco Cultor, Denmark. From the test it can easily be seen that by disintegration of the beads into smaller particles the buoyancy is decreased and less product is floats to the surface of the milk product. This decrease in buoyancy keeps the particles in suspension during process and provides a more even distribution in the mix during processing. All publications mentioned in the above specification are herein incorporated by reference. Various modifications and variations of the described methods and system of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Although the invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments. Indeed, various modifications of the described modes for carrying out the invention which are obvious to those skilled in chemistry or related fields are intended to be within the scope of the following claims.