MX2008009804A - Improvement of cold liquid solubility of fat-containing powders - Google Patents

Abstract

A fat-containing powder according to the present invention comprises up to 50%fat, whereby the fat surface of the powder particles is associated with a particulate flowing agent.

Description

- - SOLUBILITY IMPROVEMENT IN COLD POWDER LIQUID CONTAIN GREASE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the field of powders, in particular fat containing powders having an improved solubility in cold liquid (for example water) and to a method for making said powders.

BACKGROUND During the last decades there has been an increasingly large market of powders which are instantaneously soluble in cold liquids. Said powders are found in applications in the elaboration of beverages or liquid foodstuffs based on dry and pulverized nutritional ingredients. The dilution or reconstitution of the powders in liquids can be separated into four stages, specifically wettability, immersion / sinking, dispersion and dissolution. Although there are no defined limits between these individual reconstitution stages, wettability is commonly considered to be the most influential factor since it controls the penetration of water / liquid into bulk powder.

Many investigations have shown that the wettability is altered mainly by the contact angle of the powder with the solvent which in turn depends on the fat content of the powder and the particle size of the powder. Other factors that can alter the wettability of powders in terms of liquid penetration include the porosity of the powder, the viscosity of the liquid and the surface tension between the liquid and the powder. In this regard, it has been known for a long time that an agglomerated powder, that is to say a powder in which single particles of larger granules or agglomerates have been formed have improved wettability when mixed with water than as in the case of the common powder. For example, the document of E.U.A. 3,821,436 describes powders that are to be used in foods which flow freely, are not hygroscopic and are easily water soluble in hot and cold liquids. The examples herein show that the wettability and hence the solubility in water at 9 ° -10 ° C is altered by the size of the particles. However, agglomeration is not sufficient in the case of powders containing grease since these tend to have a thin layer of grease on the surface of the particles, making them repellent to cold water. In reality, the grease-coated surface of the powder will be hydrophobic resulting in a high contact angle of the powder with respect to the liquid which will therefore render the powder less wettable and less soluble. Furthermore, if the melting point of the grease is greater than the temperature of the solvent, these powders will show an even worse wettability. Until now, the solution to this problem is the use of surface active agents (surfactants) such as soy lecithin, for example, which can modify the surface properties of these powders. However, the use of surfactants can also negatively alter other properties of these powders such as flowability and may even affect the organoleptic properties (for example the characteristic soy taste). An object of the present invention is to improve the solubility of fat-containing powders in a cold lipid such as, for example, water.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION This objective is obtained by means of the characteristics of the independent claims. The dependent claims further develop the central idea of the present invention.

- - For this purpose, the present invention proposes, in a first aspect, a powder composition containing fat which is soluble in cold liquids. The grease surface of the powder particles is associated with a particulate flow agent. More specifically, the invention provides powder particles which can be covered with grease. The surface of the particles has been associated with the particles of a flow agent having a smaller average diameter size. According to a second aspect of the invention, a method for improving the solubility of fat-containing powders is provided, which comprises the step of adding a particulate flow agent to the powder. In addition, according to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided the use of a particulate flow agent to improve the solubility of fat-containing powders in cold liquids. The invention will now be described in detail by means of an illustrative embodiment of the invention and the figure of the appended drawings. The percentages indicated in the description are related to percentages by weight, unless otherwise stated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURE Figure 1 shows a single powder particle as can be found in the powder composition of the present invention. The powder particle comprises a greasy surface to which the particles of the flow agent can adhere. Although the dimensions of Figure 1 have not been drawn to scale, the particles of the flow agent are in any case smaller than the powder particles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Preferably, a powder containing grease according to the present invention may comprise at least 0.1% up to 50% fat. The surface of the powder particles is associated with a particulate flow agent. This is shown schematically in Figure 1. As can be seen in the figure, the particles of the flow agent are smaller in size compared to the powder particles. This allows the powder particle to be contacted with various flow agent particles, such as those that are closely associated with the surface of the powder particle. This results in a powder particle which is surrounded by adhering flow agent articles. The intermolecular forces between the powder particle surface and the flow agent particles are such that they generate a close association between the powder particle and the flow agent particles. It is this "coating" * of the powder particle with the particles of flow agent which is suspected to improve the solubility in cold water of the powders containing grease.This adhesion of the particles of flow agent to the powder particles results in a modification of the surface properties of the powder In the case of powders containing grease, the hydrophobic surface character of the powders containing grease is modified resulting in a more hydrophilic surface, which makes the powder more soluble in cold liquids The wettability properties in the flow agent are considered to determine the wettability of the "coated" fat-containing powders It is also suspected that the coupling of the flow-agent particles to the powder particles increases the wettability of dust in cold liquids A decrease in wettability - one of the stages in the reconstitution of dust - inevitably will facilitate the solubility of the powder. For the improvement of the solubility, the porosity of the particles of the flow agent and as a consequence to the density of the flow agent are also important. The greater the porosity (and therefore the lower the density), the better the solubility will be. Preferably, the flow agent has a vibrated density less than 100 g / 1. A low vibrational density of the flow agent is advantageous in the coating of the powder particles since then a smaller amount of flow agent is needed for the same effect. According to the present invention, the particulate flow agent can be selected from silica, sodium silicoaluminate, aluminum silicate and the like. Preferably it is the silica (silicon dioxide) having an average particle diameter size of less than 300 microns, more preferably less than 200 microns, even more preferably between 1 and 20 microns, and much more preferably between 2 and 7 micrometers. The average diameter size of the powder itself can be, for example, in the range of 100 to 500 microns, preferably 200 to 400 microns. The dimensions of the particulate flow agent are therefore smaller than the dimensions of the powder in order to make a coating possible as shown in Figure 1. Without wishing to be bound by any theory, it is considered that the use flow which are of small diameter provide the advantage that the Van-der-Waals forces are large enough to fix the particles of flow agent on the surface of the particle containing fat. This has the beneficial effect of modifying the properties of the powder surface making it more hydrophilic and therefore more water soluble, in particular more soluble in cold water (having a temperature, for example, of 5 ° C). The particulate flow agent present in a powder composition according to the invention is preferably present in an amount of 0.1% to 10% by weight, more preferably 1% to 5% by weight of the powder. The exact amount will also depend on the fat content of the powder. The lower the fat content, the lower the amount of flow agent that is needed. The synergistic advantage conferred by the use of small size flow agents in the amounts described in the above is an unexpected improvement in the fluidity and wettability of the powder that is obtained. A powder composition containing fat according to the present invention may comprise from 0.1% to 50% fat, whereby the source of fat is of animal and / or vegetable origin. In applying the invention, the fat can be selected from low melting greases, high melting greases or combinations thereof. By the term "low melting point" fat is meant any fat having a melting point below 0 ° C. Examples of such fats are tallow, soybean oil, vegetable oil, rapeseed oil, rapeseed oil, cottonseed oil, coconut oil, medium chain triglyceride oil, etc. By means of grease with "high melting point" we mean any grease which has a melting point higher than 0 ° C. Examples of such "high melting fat" are butter fat, tallow, hydrogenated tallow, hydrogenated oils, palm oil, peanut oil, etc. According to the invention, a combination of fats with high melting point and low melting point can be used in a proportion ranging from 0: 1 to 3: 1. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the ratio of fat with high melting point to fat with low melting point is 2: 1. It has surprisingly been found that a combination with fats with high and low melting point such that the total fat content consists of 2/3% by weight of fat with high melting point and 1/3% by weight of fat with low melting point improves the solubility in cold water of the powders. This effect is unexpected in view of the knowledge that the melting point of fat is usually considered as a critical factor in the solubility of cold solvent. In addition, the combination offers the surprising advantage that less flow agent is needed to obtain the solubility in cold water compared to the amount needed when only high melting greases are used independently. The combination of high and low melting greases is selected to take into account the physical properties and taste and has the advantage of providing better stability to the powder composition and also offers a considerable cost advantage. The powder composition of the present invention can be constituted of at least one additional constituent that is selected from proteins and carbohydrates. The preferred source of carbohydrates are, for example, maltodextrins which can be used in the powder composition of the invention up to 60%, up to 75%. A preferred source of protein is provided by non-fat milk solids (MSNF), which may be present in the composition in amounts up to 60%. The powder composition of the present invention may further comprise stabilizers. These may include carob flour, guar flour, alginates, carboxymethylcellulose, xanthan, carrageenan, gelatin, starches, egg albumin, soy albumin used alone or in the form of a mixture in an amount of 0.1% to 0.7%. Other optional additional ingredients include emulsifiers which may include mono- and diglyceride distilled monoglycerides, monoglyceride acetic acid esters, organic acid esters of monoglycerides, sorbitan esters of fatty acids, propylene glycol esters of fatty acids, polyglycerol esters of fatty acids, soybean lecithin, divided lecithin and any combination of the above in an amount of 0.1% a 1%. The powder composition may further comprise vitamins, minerals, colorants such as β-carotene, for example and / or any type of flavoring which may contain a sweetening agent such as dextrose or sucrose, for example. The powder compositions of the present invention when mixed with liquids provide instant beverages such as coffee, chocolate, fruit drinks, milk-based beverages, combinations, edible liquids, etc. The powder compositions of the present invention can be further mixed with other dry ingredients such as, for example, instant coffee granules, sugar, etc. to form a powder blend composition (e.g., coffee blends). They can also form the basis of formulas for infants. The improvements in wettability and solubility in cold liquids of the fat-containing powders of the invention are all more surprising in view of the fact that flow agents are traditionally used to prevent cake formation (i.e. powders) in common powders. The invention also provides superior effects in comparison with common powders found in the art which are normally limited to the use of low melting greases and which are coated with surfactants - traditionally used as "surface modifiers" in powders containing fat - which can affect the taste and fluidity of powders that contain fat. To carry out the process of the invention, the fat-containing powder can be manufactured according to means well known in the art. For example, a combination of ingredients can be mixed with water or another liquid ingredient to form a uniform dispersion. The mixture is pasteurized and evaporated to approximately 35% -75% solids, depending on the composition, after which the concentrate is homogenized and finally dried. The drying temperature can vary between 70 ° C and 100 ° C, based on the composition, the content of carbohydrates in fats, the total solids of the concentrate, etc. The composition can be dried in a conventional spray dryer to form a uniform powder. The particulate flow agent can then be added to the manufactured powder and mixed thoroughly so that the dust particles, in particular the oily surface of the powder particles, are associated with the particulate flow agent. This provides the advantage that no additional processing is required (such as, for example, agglomeration). The resulting powder has modified reconstitution properties without any additional costly processing step. The invention is described in the following with reference to the examples of the preferred embodiments and the modes of formulation. However, various adaptations and / or modifications may be made and still remain within the scope of the present invention.

EXAMPLES Recipe A (fat with high melting point) Recipe B (mixture of fat with high and low melting point) Recipe C (fat with low melting point) The recipes described in the above show good solubility in cold water.

Example 2: Comparative Examples The following comparative tests show the influence of particle size and the density of different blowing agents on the solubility in cold water of a powder containing fat. The tests are carried out in a powder according to recipe A, where the flow agent is modified for each test. The reconstitution behavior of the powder is evaluated by an adapted dissolution test. 18 g of the powder are poured into a beaker with 150 ml of cold water (at a temperature below 5 ° C). The sinking performance of the powder is observed in a first time interval of 5 seconds. The amount of non-dissolvable powder is determined by sieving after an additional 15 seconds of stirring with a spoon. The sieve is drawn and evaluated. A zero or less amount of residue in the sieve means good solubility in cold water. Flow agent: silica, 100 μl particle size, vibrated density 280 g / 1.

Table 1 Flow agent: silica, particle size 5 μp ?, vibrated density 75 g / 1.

- - Table 2 Flow agent: aluminum silicate, particle size 5 μp ?, vibrated density 300 g / 1. Table 3 Flow agent: silica, particle size 3 μp ?, vibrated density 70 g / 1.

Table 4 Flow agent: silica, particle size of 15 μp ?, vibrated density 175 g / 1.

Table 5 From the above tables, it is evident that a small particle size as well as a low vibrational density (high porosity) is desirable to obtain solubility in cold water.

Claims (32)

1. Powdered composition containing grease, which is soluble in cold liquids, characterized in that the grease surface of the powder particles is associated with a particulate flow agent.

2. Powder composition as described in claim 1, wherein the particulate flow agent is selected from silica, sodium silicoaluminate, aluminum silicate or any combination thereof.

3. Powder composition as described in claims 1 and 2, wherein the particle size of the flow agent is less than the average powder particle size. .

Powder composition as described in claims 1 to 3, wherein the particulate flow agent has an average particle size of less than 300 microns.

5. Powder composition as described in any of the preceding claims, wherein the particulate flow agent has an average particle size of less than 200 microns.

6. Powder composition as described in any of the preceding claims, wherein the particulate flow agent has an average particle size of between 1 and 20 microns.

7. Powder composition as described in any of the preceding claims, wherein the particulate flow agent has an average particle size of between 2 and 7 microns.

8. Powdered composition as described in any of the preceding claims, wherein the particulate flow agent has a vibrated density of less than 100 g / 1.

9. Powder composition as described in any of the preceding claims, wherein the particulate flow agent is present in an amount of 0.1% to 10% by weight of the powder composition.

10. Powder composition as described in any of the preceding claims, wherein the particulate flow agent is present in an amount of 1% to 5% by weight of the powder composition.

11. Powder composition as described in any of the preceding claims, wherein the total fat content of the composition is between 0.1% and 50% by weight.

12. Powdered composition as described in claim 11, wherein the fat has a melting point lower than 0 ° C.

13. Powder composition as described in claim 11, wherein the fat has a melting point above 0 ° C.

14. Powder composition as described in claims 11 to 13, wherein the fat consists of a fat ratio with high melting point to fat with low melting point in the desired range 0: 1 to 3: 1.

15. Powdered composition as described in claims 11 to 14, wherein the total fat content consists of 2/3% by weight of fat with high melting point and 1/3% by weight of fat with melting point. low.

16. Powder composition as described in any of the preceding claims, wherein the composition comprises at least one additional constituent that is selected from proteins and carbohydrates.

17. Powdered composition as described in any of the preceding claims, wherein the composition comprises at least one additional ingredient that is selected from stabilizers, emulsifiers, vitamins, minerals, flavor modifiers, colorants, etc.

18. Powdered particles of a food ingredient, characterized in that the particles are the surfaces of the powder particles associated with the particles of a particulate flow agent having an average diameter smaller than the average powder particle diameter.

19. Powder particles as described in claim 18, wherein the particle size of the flow agent is at least ten times smaller than the average powder particle size.

20. Method for improving the solubility of fat containing powders in cold lipids, comprising the step of adding a particulate flow agent to the powder.

21. Method as described in claim 20, wherein the particulate flow agent is selected from silica, sodium silicoaluminate, aluminum silicate or any combination thereof.

22. Method as described in claims 20 and 21, wherein the particle size of the flow agent is smaller than the average powder particle size.

23. Method as described in claims 20 to 22, wherein the particulate flux agent has an average particle size of less than 300 microns.

24. Method as described in claims 20 to 23, wherein the particulate flow agent has an average particle size of between 2 and 7 microns.

25. Method as described in claims 20 to 24, wherein the particulate flow agent is present in an amount of 0.1% to 10% by weight of the powder composition.

26. Method as described in claims 20 to 25, wherein the total fat content of the composition is between 0.1% and 50% by weight.

27. Method as described in claim 26, wherein the proportion of fat with high melting point with respect to fat with low melting point is in the range of 0: 1 to 3: 1.

28. Use of a particulate flow agent to improve the solubility in cold water of a food and of powders with food ingredient.

29. Use as described in claim 28, wherein the particulate flow agent is selected from silica, sodium silicoaluminate, aluminum silicate or any combination thereof.

30. Use as described in claims 28 and 29, wherein the particle size of the flow agent is less than the average powder particle size.

31. Use as described in claims 28 to 30, wherein the particulate flow agent has an average particle size of less than 300 microns.

32. Use as described in claims 28 to 31, wherein the particulate flow agent is present in an amount of 0.1% to 10% by weight of the powder composition.