GB569345A - Improvements in or relating to flavouring materials and methods of preparing same - Google Patents

Abstract

Volatile water-immiscible flavouring substances, such as oil of bitter almonds, ionone, lemon, lime or cassia oil, are prepared in dry stable form for addition to foods by emulsifying in an aqueous solution of an edible hydrophilic colloid, such as gelatin, pectin, polyvinyl alcohol or a common gum, which, when dried, is impervious to the substance, forming or applying on the emulsion surface membranes, which are pervious to water but impervious to the substance, and drying, the ratio of dry thickness of the surface membranes to total dry thickness of the emulsion being less than .7. The surface membranes may consist of the material known under the Registered Trade Mark "Cellophane," polyvinyl alcohol, predried gelatin or other colloid or may be formed by case-hardening the emulsion. In the latter case, the surfaces may be dried by a current of air, preferably heated and circulated at high velocity, and are preferably treated initially with a dehydrating or coagulating agent, such as alcohol, acetone, ether or aluminium chloride. The emulsion is preferably formed into sheets, which may be dried in trays or may be made self-sustaining for drying on both sides. As an example, 10-50 per cent solutions of gelatin, containing not less than 1 per cent of the flavouring by weight, may be used, the wet thickness of the sheets being proportioned in inverse ratio to the gelatin concentration to provide dry sheet thicknesses of .1 to .05 inch and the ratio of the dry thickness of the surface layers to the total dry thickness from .5 to .2. Diluents, such as alcohol, volatility-restrainers, such as coconut oil, and anti-oxidants may be incorporated. The properties of the matrix substance may be modified by chemical reactions or by the action of enzymes, e.g. pectin may be dimethoxylated or calcium added thereto and gelatine may be hydrolysed. The dried sheets may be coated, as with polyvinyl alcohol, for storage or may be ground to a powder, particularly for addition to dried food products. U.S.A. Specification 2,258,567 is referred to.