GB2493008A - Baked snack comprising oleaginous seeds and oil - Google Patents

Abstract

A baked snack comprises 35-60% by weight oleaginous seeds and seed oil, 5-25% wheat flour, 5-25% fibrous cereal, 5-25% whole apple, 7-15% binding agent and 0.5-5% salt. Preferably, the binding agent is egg, the fibrous cereal is oat and the oleaginous seed is sesame. The baked snacks are suitable as a nutritive supplement for undernourished adults, especially those with a mental illness such as dementia. The snacks are slow baked at temperature lower than 170ºC. This desiccates the product and maintains the nutritious qualities of the ingredients. The texture of the snack engages the muscles of mastication when consumed which helps prolong the use of activities of daily living (ADLs).

Description

Baked Snack as a Nutritive Supplement

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a baked snack which can be used as a nutritive supplement. More particularly, though not exclusively, the present invention relates to a baked snack for use in stabilising weight in undernourished older adults and maintaining activities of daily living (ADL5). The invention also relates to processes for making such snacks.

Backciround of the Invention Oral Nutritional Supplements or SIPS are known in the art and are prescribed to patients only when a patient shows signs of malnutrition. These SIPs are in the form of liquid pharmaceutical supplements which contain a complete balance of macronutrients, vitamins and minerals making them a complete food, i.e. a meal replacement. These liquid pharmaceutical supplements are given as a drink and presented generally in a carton and with a straw.

This medical solution is currently focused on complete nutritional and pharmaceutical intervention without considering the psycho-social needs or abilities of the patient. These currently available treatments do not take into consideration and do not incorporate ADLs in their administration. ADLs are daily self-care activities which include feeding oneself, grooming and personal hygiene. Due to cost considerations, SIPs are prescribed when there is a medical definition of malnutrition. This is too late for adults diagnosed with a mental illness as by the time they are malnourished they have irreversibly lost many ADL5 at this stage, including eating independently. As oral nutrition supplements tend to be in liquid form and presented with a straw, this does not allow patients to continue to use basic ADL skills such as chewing and eating, which are important for social inclusion. Chewing uses similar muscles to speech and this is also important in helping retention of communication skills (Clinical implications of cross-system interactions. McFaland DH, Tremblay P. Semin Speech Lang. 2006 Nov; 27(4):300-9). In addition to this, presenting a person with a food stuff which looks different from other members of a group, for example, in a care home environment, tends to stigmatise that person and lead to social exclusion. Additionally, the presentation of SIPs requires assistance by a formal carer or nurse which further disables ADLs and increases social exclusion.

Also known in the art are methods of increasing the calorie intake of a patient by increasing the use of cream in food preparation and also providing cakes, sweets, chocolate and the like to the patient when there is a risk of developing malnutrition.

These solutions are low cost but are usually a poor provider of micronutrients.

Fats tend to be saturated which can exacerbate any heart problems. If the foods are sugary, they often cause sharp rises in blood glucose levels which then cause an equally sharp drop.

There exists, therefore, a need for a low cost, prophylactic intervention that can be given at an earlier point, i.e. whenever an older adult diagnosed with a mental illness may be at risk, before the adult becomes malnourished.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention therefore seeks to provide a snack, and a process of baking such a snack, that can be used as a supplement within a normal eating pattern. The physical health of an older adult is maintained for longer, enabling them to function with less intensive medical intervention. Additionally, the physical characteristics of this snack enable normal eating habits to be maintained, especially during stressful events. In addition, the presentation of the snack (for example, as a biscuit) reduces social exclusion.

Accordingly, in a first aspect, the invention provides a baked snack having a multi-texture comprising: 5-25% by weight of wheat flour; 5-25% by weight of fibrous cereal; 5-25% by weight of whole apple or apple pomace and apple juice mixed to an equivalent composition of whole apple; 35-60% by weight of oleaginous seeds and seed oil; * 7-l5% by weight of binding agent; 0.5-5% by weight of salt.

The wheat flour may be plain flour or self raising four. Preferably the wheat flour is self raising flour and more preferably, there is no additional raising agent present.

The fibrous cereal may be oat, rye, barley, millet, wheat, rice or maize.

Preferably the fibrous cereal is oat.

The oleaginous seed may be any oleaginous seed, for example, sesame seed, linseed, rape seed (or canola seed) or sunflower seed. Preferably the oleaginous seed is sesame seed.

Preferably, the seed oil is rape seed oil or olive oil.

Preferably the binding agent is egg.

Preferably, the snack is presented as a serving size containing from 200kcal to 400kcal.

Preferably, an individual portion contains from 5Okcal to 400kcal.

Preferably, at least one serving is presented as a packaged product that excludes moisture.

A second aspect of the present invention provides a process for the production of the baked snack described in the first aspect, comprising: a) mixing of the ingredients described in the first aspect to form a dough; b) forming portions of desired shape and size, either before or after step C); c) baking the dough at a temperature lower than 170°C.

The temperature may be between 110°C and 170°C. Preferably, the temperature is between 135°C and 145°C.

The snack may be baked for a period of at least 15 minutes at a temperature of between 110°C and 170°C, preferably between 135°C and 145°C.

A third aspect of the present invention provides a baked snack for use as a nutritive supplement for either i) stabilising weight; or ii) engaging the muscles of mastication in an adult.

Preferably, the baked snack is for use as a nutritive supplement for i) stabilising weight; and ii) engaging the muscles of mastication in an adult.

The baked snack is particularly suitable for an adult at risk of becoming undernourished.

In particular, the adult may have a mental illness diagnosis.

Optionally, the mental illness is dementia.

Preferably, the consumption of said snack maintains the ADL5 of the undernourished adult beyond the symptoms of the mental illness.

Preferably, the snack is consumed within a normal eating pattern.

Brief Description of the Drawings

An aspect of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the drawings, of which: Figure 1 illustrates a hypothetical pathway of an adult with dementia illustrating a series of stressful events. At each of these points the baked snack could be introduced to decrease risk of undernutrition due to the physiological impact of these stressful life events.

Detailed Description

One embodiment of the invention will now be more fully described.

The baked snack described herein has multi-texture properties which include: * a short texture -"short" is used to define baked products with a high fat to flour ratio, an example of a short baked product is shortbread; and * a rough texture -the rough texture is achieved by the oats, sesame seed and other oleaginous seeds; and * a crunchy, chewy texture -the snack is crunchy yet sufficiently soft to be chewable but not sticky.

The combination of these different textures results in a unique multi-textured snack, with a consistent texture, which engages the muscles of mastication when consumed.

The baked snack may be presented in the form of a bar, a slab which can be broken in to two or more bars, a biscuit or as mini bite-size biscuits, for example. "Bite-size" is considered to be small enough to fit in the mouth or be consumed in one mouthful.

The range of natural ingredients in the basic mixture have been chosen to maximise the beneficial effects for people with dementia. Nutrients such as antioxidants, minerals or vitamins in purified chemical form have not been included in the basic mixture described herein as scientists and doctors are unsure of the exact mechanisms of dementia. Although it is known, for example, that the mineral balance is unusual in patients suffering from dementia, it is not known how this occurs. By using the natural ingredients described herein, which are high in naturally occurring minerals and antioxidants, the adult body is more likely to be able to absorb and utilise the minerals and antioxidants as required, for example, the iron that is used to fortify cereals can be toxic or may not be absorbed at all.

The basic mixture is used as a carrier for natural flavours which confer additional health benefits enabling a choice of product based on taste and health needs.

The basic mixture comprises wheat flour which is preferably a self raising flour.

This is advantageous because as well as being a raising agent this also adds sodium. The mixture also contains fibrous cereal, for example oats, which may be whole or milled. Oats help to slow sugar absorption as well as adding soluble fibre and minerals. They are also a good ingredient for creating a textured snack.

The use of whole apple or apple pomace helps to soften the product whilst slowing down the sugar absorption and increasing the fibre content of the baked snack. Apple pomace is the pulpy material which remains after the juice has been extracted from the fruit and can be mixed with apple juice to form an equivalent composition of whole apple. Alternatively, grated apple may be used.

Rape seed oil (also known as canola oil) or alternatively olive oil contain monounsaturated fats which increase high-density lipoprotein or HDL in the blood. A monosaturated fat source is preferable as monosaturated fats are more beneficial than saturated or polyunsaturated fats. Saturated fats make human cell walls rigid and as a result, molecules have difficulty in passing across the cell membrane. Polyunsaturated fats are also undesirable as the fats break down quickly, neither state is desirable in people with dementia. Sesame seeds, which are particularly high in minerals, are used to provide micronutrients as well as adding texture and flavour to the snack. Other oleaginous seeds, for example, linseed, rape seed and sunflower seed, may also be used to bulk out the basic mixture. The oleaginous seeds may be whole, chopped or grounded/milled. For example, the addition of ground sunflower seed adds micronutrients and vitamin E to the mixture.

when egg is added to the mixture it acts as an emulsifier and the egg white provides a high quality protein. Salt is added to create a more isotonic product and it is also a flavour enhancer, as well as acting as a preservative.

The fat profile has been chosen to minimise the risk of heart disease. There is not a high sugar load and any sugar present will be slowly absorbed due to the presence of fat and soluble fibre.

Further natural ingredients may include: flavouring agents, sweeteners, fruits, vegetables, nuts, pulses, milk, herbs or flowers (for example lavender).

Different flavours may be added to the basic mixture to enhance the flavours already present, or simply to act as the sole flavour component. In some cases, these added ingredients may also result in a more textured biscuit. As adults age their food and taste preferences may change and the flavours below are representative of popular flavours amongst older adults. Suitable alternative snack flavours will be known to a person skilled in the art. Table 1 demonstrates exemplary sweet and savoury flavours which can be incorporated into the basic mixture:

Table 1

Flavour Nutritional Value Hmato and Herb tomatoes are very high in antioxidants which are easily released when baked.

Cheese and Onion Milk is added to the basic mixture for moisture, which in addition to the cheese, adds calcium.

Prunes and Treacle the prunes can soften bowel movements and the treacle contains various minerals. This combination of ingredients is known to soften bowel movement.

Chocolate and Sour Cherries or this combination is high in Cranberries antioxidants.

Apricot and Honey Dried apricots are a good source of iron.

Each serving size contains between 200kcal and 400kcal and is considered to be a high calorie snack. One serving is equal to one "snack" which may take the form of, for example, a bar, a slab which can be broken in to two or more bar serving sizes, a pack of two biscuits or a bag of mini bite-size biscuits.

The individual portions may contain between 5Okcal and 400kcal. An individual portion containing SOkcal may be in the form of a single mini bite-size biscuit, whereas an individual portion containing 400kcal may be in the form of a bar.

The baked snacks are produced by feeding the dry ingredients into a mixer and then adding the wet ingredients which include the binding agent, oil and the apple pomace/apple juice mix. Alternatively, all the ingredients may be added together and then mixed. The ingredients are mixed until a uniform mixture is achieved, forming a dough.

The dough is then formed into individual portions and there are several ways this may be achieved. For example, the dough may be rolled out to form a sheet of a desired thickness, for example 1cm, and then pressed into individual shaped portions by means of a presser of a desired shape and size. Any excess dough may then be removed, or alternatively, the cut portions may be transferred to another sheet in preparation for baking. This sheet may be, for example, a baking tray or a continuous sheet such as those used in a commercial bakery.

Alternatively, the dough may be rolled into a cylinder and then cut into individual portions of a desired shape and size. These portions are then baked in the oven.

A further method is to extrude the dough onto a baking sheet in individual portions, before being baked. Other suitable methods of snack formation will be known to those skilled in the art.

The dough is then baked in an oven at a temperature of less than 170°C, preferably between 135°C and 145°C, for at least 15 minutes, preferably for 20 to 30 minutes until the snacks are baked through. The oven may be a continuous tunnel type oven or a static oven.

The ingredients are slow baked which desiccates the product to improve shelf life and acceptability. As a result of slow baking, more of the heat volatile micronutrients will remain and unstable polyunsaturated fats are less likely to denature, thereby maintaining the nutritious qualities of the ingredients.

The temperature the snack is baked at is low to minimise the oxidative and thermal breakdown of the unsaturated fat bonds which takes place over a wide temperature range. Therefore, it is understood that the baking temperature will depend on the nature and quantity of the fats present and also on the antioxidants present. Due to the low baking temperature, the baking time is extended to minimise microbial and fungal growth. A person skilled in the art will appreciate that the optimal baking time is also dependent on the packaging, desired shelf life and the baking temperature.

The individual snacks are then cooled which may take place at room temperature or below room temperature. For example, the snacks may be passed onto a cooling conveyor or placed onto a cooling rack.

Once the individual snacks have cooled they are then packaged, using for example, a packing machine. The snacks may be packaged individually, in pairs or together as a larger pack or the mini bite-size snacks may be packaged in a bag, such as those used to package crisps. Each snack will be packaged in such a way so as to exclude moisture to prolong the shelf life of the product.

The baked snacks of the present invention are designed as a nutritive supplement which is intended to supplement the diet and provide nutrients, such as vitamins, minerals, fibre, fatty acids or amino acids. These nutrients may be missing or may not be consumed in sufficient quantities in an adult's diet. The snacks do not contain the right balance of nutrients required for optimum health, and they are therefore not a complete supplement or meal replacement.

The snacks are used as a nutritive supplement for stabilising weight and/or engaging the muscles of mastication in an adult. The snacks are high in nutrients and are of a high calorie content and therefore suitable for use as a weight stabiliser by increasing the energy intake in adults who are at risk of becoming undernourished. Undernourished adults are considered to be those who consume too few essential nutrients or those who use or excrete them more rapidly than they can be replaced. There is an increased risk of undernourishment associated with mental illnesses, for example dementia.

Once an adult becomes undernourished, they fall in to a negative cycle whereby their illness is exacerbated and ADL5 decrease. This causes further deterioration in health. Often these adults who are undernourished will eventually become malnourished. Consumption of the snacks described herein has been shown to stabilise weight in adults at risk of becoming undernourished. The snacks also help to maintain the ADL5 beyond the symptoms of the mental illness.

The baked snacks described herein are multi-textured and therefore require the consumer to engage their muscles of mastication, i.e. the muscles in the jaw used for chewing. This can be particularly beneficial to an adult who may eventually lose the ability to use these muscles due to a decrease in health brought on by a mental illness. By regularly consuming the baked snacks, i.e. as a snack between meal times, the adult engages and strengthens said muscles. Regular consumption of the snacks not only strengthens the muscles in the jaw so that patients can consume solid food for a longer period than they would normally have been able to, but consumption also helps to prevent loss of speech, as the muscles which are engaged through chewing are also used during speech. The result is that the adult maintains or at least reduces the rate of decrease of their ADL5 beyond the symptoms of the mental illness. The snacks can be introduced multiple times along the disease pathway of an adult suffering from dementia, i.e. when an adult is coping with an increase in stress caused for example, by bereavement, relocation, infection or illness (shown in Figure 1).

The baked snack is presented and consumed as a normal food product which reduces the risk of social exclusion and maintains normal eating habits. The snack can therefore be consumed independent of assistance, including for example, an informal carer, formal carer or nursing staff. Further advantages include the accessibility of the snack; the snack can be accessed by a normal consumer or by an institution, i.e., the snack is not a controlled substance. Due to the snack's discrete portions, the consumption of the snack can be easily monitored and measured, for example, by a carer.

The baked snack described herein is designed for consumption by adults suffering from dementia, however the snacks may also suitable for other members of the population who may need to stabilise or increase their body weight. Adults suffering from dementia tend to be older members of the population and therefore they also tend to have increased dental problems, such as ill-fitting dentures or dental pain. The consistent multi-texture of the snack requires only gentle chewing and the snacks are therefore particularly suitable for older adults suffering from dental problems. In addition, when the oleaginous seeds and oats are milled this reduces the risk of aggravating existing dental problems.

The snacks of the present invention are designed to be consumed as a snack within a normal eating pattern. A normal eating pattern may be considered, for example, to consist of 3 meals and 2 or 3 snacks a day, in the sequence of: breakfast; snack; lunch; snack; dinner; snack.

By presenting this product as a prophylactic measure, many cases of malnutrition should be avoided and hence the spiralling care costs associated decrease.

The following Example illustrates a certain embodiment of the invention: Example 1: Basic Mixture Ingredient Grams (g) Self raising flour 125 Oats 75 Grated apple 100 Rape seed oil 125 Sesame seeds 100 Ground sunflower seeds 100 Egg 50 Salt 5 The dry ingredients (flour, oats, seeds and salt) were mixed together. The grated apple, oil and egg were then added, and mixing continued to obtain the biscuit dough.

The biscuit dough was then rolled out to form a sheet with a thickness of 1cm and then cut into cylindrical pieces with dimensions of 55mm x 55mm x 6mm The biscuit dough was then baked in a conventional oven at 150°C for 20 minutes. Once baked, the biscuits were removed from the oven and allowed to cool at room temperature for 45 minutes.

Claims (1)

1. <claim-text>Claims 1. A baked snack having a multi-texture comprising: * 5-25% by weight of wheat flour; S 5-25% by weight of fibrous cereal; * 5-25% by weight of whole apple or apple pomace and apple juice mixed to an equivalent composition of whole apple; * 35-60% by weight of oleaginous seeds and seed oil; * ]-l5°lc by weight of binding agent; O.5-5% by weight of salt.</claim-text> <claim-text>2. The baked snack of claim 1, wherein the wheat flour is self raising flour.</claim-text> <claim-text>3. The baked snack of claim 2, wherein there is no additional raising agent present.</claim-text> <claim-text>4. The baked snack of claim 1, wherein the fibrous cereal is oat.</claim-text> <claim-text>5. The baked snack of claim 1, wherein at least one of the oleaginous seeds is sesame seed.</claim-text> <claim-text>6. The baked snack of claim 1, wherein the seed oil is rape seed oil or olive oil.</claim-text> <claim-text>7. The baked snack of claim 1, wherein the binding agent is egg.</claim-text> <claim-text>8. The baked snack of any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the snack is presented as a serving size containing from 200kcal to 400kcal.</claim-text> <claim-text>9. The baked snack of any of claims 1 to 7, wherein an individual portion contains from SOkcal to 400kcal.</claim-text> <claim-text>10. The baked snack of claim 8, wherein at least one serving is presented as a packaged product that excludes moisture.</claim-text> <claim-text>11. A process for the production of the baked snack of any of claims 1 to 7, comprising: a) mixing of the ingredients of any of claims 1 to 7 to form a dough; b) forming individual portions of desired shape and size, either before or after step C); c) baking the dough at a temperature lower than 170°C.</claim-text> <claim-text>12. The process of claim 11, wherein the temperature is between 110°C and 170°C.</claim-text> <claim-text>13. The process of claim 11, wherein the temperature is between 135°C and 145°C.</claim-text> <claim-text>14. The process of claim 11, wherein the dough is baked for a period of at least 15 minutes at a temperature according to claim 12 or 13.</claim-text> <claim-text>15. A baked snack according to any of claims 1 to 10, for use as an oral nutritive supplement for i) stabilising weight; or ii) engaging the muscles of mastication in an adult.</claim-text> <claim-text>16. The baked snack for use of claim 15, for i) stabilising weight; and ii) engaging the muscles of mastication in an adult.</claim-text> <claim-text>17. The baked snack for use of claim 15 or 16, wherein the adult is at risk of becoming undernourished.</claim-text> <claim-text>18. The baked snack for use of any of claims 15 to 17, wherein the adult has a mental illness diagnosis.</claim-text> <claim-text>19. The baked snack for use of claim 18, wherein the mental illness is dementia.</claim-text> <claim-text>20. The baked snack for use of claim 19, which maintains the ADLs of the undernourised adult beyond the symptoms of the mental illness.</claim-text> <claim-text>21. The baked snack for use according to any of claims 15 to 20, wherein the snack is consumed within a normal eating pattern.P101 599G BO 1 ci. d oc</claim-text>