MXPA96005133A - Compositions of almidon-oil no separab - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a stable and non-separable composition constituted by starch and oil, which can be prepared, in the absence of external dispersing or emulsifying agents, by complete solubilization of an aqueous dispersion of the starch at elevated temperatures and incorporating the oil in the non-deteriorated starch under conditions of high turbulence. The resulting dispersions form soft gels that can be easily converted to fluids to be flushed by application of heat. Upon drying, these dispersions generate solid compositions that are readily redispersed in water to form uniform acceptable dispersions that are not greasy yet slip to the touch. These compositions are useful as thickening agents, suspending agents, fat substitutes and seed coatings. They are receptive to the addition of a variety of immiscible water materials, such as essential and volatile oils, food flavorings, medicinal products, agricultural chemicals and similar

Description

NON-SEPARABLE STARCH-OIL COMPOSITIONS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD DB THE INVETION. Aqueous starch dispersions have a number of practical applications in food products. In addition to their use as thickeners certain starch derivatives, particularly the partially hydrolyzed starches commonly referred to as maltodextrins, find use as fat substitutes, since their rheological properties and taste sensation simulate those of fats and oils. The preference for low-fat and fat-free foods by the health conscious consumer has dramatically increased the market in recent years by these starch-based fat-mimicking agents. This invention relates to compositions based on edible starch having a continuous aqueous phase and a dispersed oil or lipid phase and to a simple and continuous process for its preparation. The dispersed oil phase is stable and does not separate at prolonged rest. The stability of these compositions with respect to the separation of water and oil phases is due to the unique cooking process used for their preparation and does not require emulsifying or dispersing agents. These compositions have unique properties making them suitable for use as thickening agents, suspending agents, coating materials and REF: 23428 particularly as fat substitutes in food products. Still further, products prepared in accordance with this invention can be dried and subsequently re-hydrated to result in compositions which substantially have the same properties as the undried dipersions. DESCRIPTION OF PREVIOUS TECHNIQUE Starch is a high molecular weight polymer composed of repeating 1,4-a-D-glucopyranosyl units (anhydroglucose units or AGU) and is typically a mixture of linear and branched components. The linear component, amylose, has a molecular weight of several hundred thousand; while the molecular weight of the branched amylopectin is in the order of several million. Although normal corn starch contains approximately 25% amylose, commercially available varieties of corn starch are in the range from 0% amylose (waxy corn starch) to about 70% (high corn starch). amylose content). Starch occurs in living plants in the form of discrete granules in the range of about 5 to 40 microns in diameter, depending on the source of the plant. It is well known that starch, as it is isolated from the plant in its native state, is insoluble in water at room temperature, due to strong hydrogen bonding between the polysaccharide macromolecules. Areas of crystallinity within starch granules also inhibit water solubility. When a suspension in water of granular starch is heated, granules at first absorb and slowly and reversibly water with limited swelling. Then, at a defined temperature, which is typically about 70 ° C, the granules swell rapidly and irreversibly; and the areas of crystallinity within the granule are lost. The temperature at which this occurs is commonly referred to as the gelatinization temperature. Near the gelatinization temperature, a measurable percentage of the starch, in particular the amylose component, becomes soluble and diffuses out of the granule matrix and into the surrounding water. As the temperature increases beyond about 70 ° C, a greater percentage of the starch becomes soluble and the granules become highly swollen and partially broken, until at a temperature of about 90 to 100 ° C, a viscous dispersion is obtained of starch in water However, despite this external appearance of solubility, starch is only partially soluble in water and exists substantially as highly swollen granules and granule fragments that are easily separated from the starch solution, for example by centrifugation. In fact, when the corn starch is heated in water at 95 aC, only about 25% of the starch actually dissolves, the rest being present as swollen granules and granule fragments. Real solutions of starch in water, without remaining granules and fragments of granules are difficult to prepare using conventional cooking techniques, but can be easily prepared by passing starch-water sludge through a cooking pot by continuous steam injection. Injection cooking has been used commercially for decades to prepare starch solutions for non-food applications, for example in the paper industry. The method involves pumping a sludge of aqueous starch through a hole where it contacts a jet of steam with high pressure. Unlike conventional cooking, which tends to preferentially solubilize the amylose component, cooking with steam injection dissolves amylopectin as well as amylose. Starch concentrations somewhat higher than those desired in the final dispersion, are used to allow dissolution of cooked dispersions with condensed steam. Injected or jetted starch solutions that have dried, are often difficult to re-disperse in water and generally do not produce lump-free pastes having the uniform consistency required for food applications. Basically, there are two types of cooking pots with steam injection commercially employed and these are discussed in an article by R. E. Klein and D. A. Brodgly, Pulp & amp;; Paper (Pulp and Paper) Volume 55, pages 98 to 103, May 1981. The first of these provides a procedure referred to as thermal injection cooking. In this procedure, the amount of steam added to the aqueous starch sludge is carefully controlled to achieve complete vapor condensation during the cooking process. No excess steam was used. The second of these provides a procedure that is referred to as cooking with excess steam injection. In cooking with excess steam injection, the steam entering the heating zone of the cooking pot exceeds the amount required to reach the desired cooking temperature. The turbulence caused by the passage of this excess steam through the heating zone, in this way acts to promote mechanical shearing of the starch and break down the polysaccharide molecules, especially those having the highest molecular weight. This not only leads to complete and total polysaccharide solubility but also to a lower apparent viscosity of the starch, as compared to conventional thermal injection or batch cooking. An inherent property of the starch pastes obtained by standard firing process is their tendency to form firm, rigid genes at prolonged rest. The tendency of starch to gel pastes to gel increases with the ratio of amylose: amylopectin in the granule. In general, it is accepted that gel formation, that is backing off, is caused by the aggregation of starch molecules through hydrogen bonds. Retraction and aggregation occurs more easily with amylose than with amylopectin, because amylose is a straight chain polymer with little or no branching. However, under refrigeration, amylopectin will also be added over time and will contribute to the gel-forming property of the starch. Aqueous dispersions or emulsions of lipid or oil used in food products are commonly of the water-in-oil variety, ie lipid or oil is the continuous phase, while the aqueous phase consists of microcosmic aqueous droplets dispersed evenly in the oil. These compositions are normally prepared for use as edible spreads and can not be subsequently dried and rehydrated. The general method used to prepare these compositions is first to prepare an oil dispersion in an aqueous phase and then to cause a phase inversion to occur by vigorous mixing. Numerous techniques for the preparation of these water-in-oil emulsions have been illustrated in the art, for example in U.S. Patents. Nos. 4,536,408; 4,849,243; 4,882,187; 4,883,681; 4,917,915; and 5,194,285. Compositions of this general type wherein the oil is the continuous phase and the water is the dispersed phase are considered outside the scope of this invention. Starch monoesters of the hydrophobic constituted succinates have been employed to stabilize oil and water emulsions, as illustrated by PC Trubiano in "Modified Starches: Properties and Uses" (Modified Starches: Properties of Use) CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL 1986 , page 131 and by 0. B. Wurzburg in Cereal Foods World Volume 31, 1986, page 897. These starch derivatives are prepared by esterifying the hydroxyl substituents of starch through reaction with alkyl anhydrides, alkenyl, aralkyl or aralkenyl succinic. High solids dispersions of these low viscosity starch derivatives can be spray dried to produce a powder having up to 40-50% encapsulated oil. In general, it has been recognized that undifferentiated starches do not function as oil-water emulsifiers. In this aspect, Trubiano, above, comments on page 139 that in salad dressings "emulsions made with untreated starch, but having the same viscosity, show very large drops of oil, which can coalesce and separate over time. "Kimball et al, in US Patent No. 2,471,434 (describes the preparation of a dry powdery butter by mg starch or flour with water, gelatinizing the starch by heating the boiling mixture. , mg in an edible fat and finally spray drying the mixture to give circumscribed fat globules inside a dry gelatinized starch or encapsulating layer In US Patent No. 3,769,038, Mitchel et al. describe the preparation of a sponge of fat, ie a fat-containing starch compound, which can contain up to 92% fat in an outwardly dry form.Compositions of this type are prepared by adding pre-gelatinized starch and fat to the water, mg to form a dispersion of starch, water and fat, and then freeze drying the product.It is significant that the patent illustrates that it is preferable not to co-cook mixtures of donut-fat but gelatinize the starch in water first before mg with the fat. Furthermore, the fat is not completely emulsified with the starch matrix in the form of fine droplets but can be squeezed out of the sponge by mechanical means. Braceo (US Patent No. 4,088,792) describes a process for the preparation of an edible cream, wherein an aqueous mixture comprising 10 to 35% by weight of starch, at least 5% by weight of proteins and at least 5% by weight of fat (of which at least 1% consists of emulsifying fat) is homogenized at a temperature of 70 to 90 ° C, and preferably not exceeding 120 ° C. The presence of emulsifying proteins and fats such as monoglycerides and lecithins is essential, suggesting that without the beneficial emulsifying effects of these substituents, the starch alone would not be able to maintain the fat constituent in an emulsified state. In the patent of the U.S.A. No. 4,159,982, Hermansson, describes modified starch products prepared by linking starch with proteins, specifically a casein or caseinate to form complex. The complexes are prepared by heating starch with an aqueous dispersion of protein at a temperature that exceeds the starch gelatinization temperature. The resulting modified starch does not have the gummy, sticky properties of the unmodified starch and also functions as an emulsion stabilizer. The presence of protein in the composition is essential for liquid emulsion stabilization, suggesting that starch alone will not work in this capacity. The preparation of low-fat oil emulsions having the properties of a non-flowable margarine has been described by Miller et al. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,520. These compositions preferably contain 20 to 28% fat, based on the entire weight of the emulsion. Unlike most margarines described in the prior art, fat is the discontinuous phase. In addition to fat, critical components of these compositions are: 1) an oil-dispersible or oil-soluble lipoidal emulsifier and 2) a water-soluble or water-dispersible thickener such as starch, gum or cellulose derivative. Emulsions are prepared by homogenizing the components in water at elevated temperatures. By cooling. Bosco et al. (U.S. Patent No. 4,468,408) describes an oil-in-water emulsion with butter flavor, useful as a low fat liquid spreadable product. The composition of Bosco et al. Comprises a dispersed phase, containing less than 40%, based on the weight of the spreadable product, and a continuous aqueous phase containing 0.1 to 4% of an emulsifier system consisting of both lipophilic and hydrophilic emulsifiers. . The components of the composition are mixed in water, homogenized and cooled to give the final composition. In the patent of the U.S.A. No. 4,615,892, Morehouse et al. Describe dry compositions prepared from oil-in-water emulsions. These compositions can be re-constituted with water by the consumer to give a butter-like spreadable product. Oil-in-water emulsions are first prepared by using a starch hydrolyzate with low dextrose equivalent (D.E. less than about 25, preferably about 5 to 10) to replace a substantial portion of the oil or fat. The starch hydrolysates (maltodextrins) used to promote the water-in-water oil emulsion formation required are highly water soluble and exhibit a low tendency to form rigid gels. The emulsions are stirred under select conditions to avoid phase inversion. Upon drying, the malodextrin provides a protective film for the fat droplets. Reimer (U.S. Patent No. 5,080,921) illustrates a low calorie fat substitute, comprising a dispersed phase in the form of protein-liquid aggregates and a continuous aqueous phase containing non-added protein, carbohydrate and emulsifier. The composition is prepared by mixing the components of the formulation together in water and then applying heat to partially denature the protein. Fung (U.S. Patent No. 5,082,684) discloses a low calorie fat substitute prepared by combining an oil or fat with an aqueous phase which becomes non-flowable by the addition of a gel-forming composition such as a natural gum. Water-binding compositions such as soluble carbohydrates can also be added. Unlike the compositions of the invention described herein, an emulsifier is an essential ingredient of these prior art compositions. In the patent of the U.S.A. No. 5,158,798, Fung et al. Illustrate a carbohydrate fat extender that is added to the composition of Fung above; and a portion of the fat is replaced with an incompletely digestible fat magnet.

Rubens (U.S. Patent No. 5,149,799) discloses an apparatus and method for preparing a pre-gelatinized, spray-dried starch, wherein the resulting starch contains a greater degree of whole granules, without breaking, than a starch prepared by drying by conventional spray or drum drying processes. Although it is mentioned that other ingredients such as emulsifiers, flavors, colors or fats can be added to the starch sludge before drying, presumably in smaller amounts, the patent illustrates that the total breakdown and solubility of the starch granules as it would be found during cooking with steam injection, generates inferior products for food applications. Doane et al. (U.S. Patent No. 4,911,952) discloses a method for encapsulating various agents such as agricultural chemicals and food constituents within a starch matrix. After the starch is cooked by injection, any of several additives, including vegetable oils can be mixed in the cooked dispersion by slow mixing such as in a sigma blade mixer. In the patent of the U.S.A. No. 5,131,953 (same as European Patent Application EP 366,898), Kasica et al. Illustrates the preparation of pre-gelatinized starches by a method using thermal injection cooking. This process produces a pre-gelatinized starch having a molecular weight as determined by intrinsic viscosity, which is not substantially less than that of an uncooked native starch. The ultra-fast drying time, coupled with the fact that the superheated starch solution is not vented to the atmosphere or cooled before spray drying, minimizes the association of starch molecules (eg flashback) and results in a starch that dissolves or disperses easily in water. When the starch contains substantial amounts of amylose (for example 70% amylose), aqueous dispersions of the pregelatinized starch form firm gels upon standing. These gels exhibit gel strength superior to that observed when using drum drying, suggesting that drum drying should be avoided if pre-gelatinized starches with maximum solubility or dispersibility in water are sought. COMPENDIUM PB THE INVENTION Our invention is based on the discovery that stable and non-separable compositions comprising microscopic droplets of oil uniformly distributed through a starch phase, can be prepared in the absence of emulsifying or dispersing agents, by gelatinizing starch in the presence of water under conditions that will completely solubilize the starch and then intimately mix the oil in the starch-water solution under conditions of high turbulence before the starch has a chance to regress. The resulting emulsions are characterized by the following properties: 1) they are stable and do not undergo phase separation in their oil water components, at prolonged rest; 2) at prolonged rest, form soft gels that can easily be converted back to fluids that can be emptied, by the application of heat; 3) can be dried, for example by the use of a drum dryer, to result in solid compositions that are not oily to the touch; and 4) the dry compositions are rapidly hydrated and easily re-dispersed in water to form uniform, stable, free-dispersions that are similar in properties to aqueous compositions that have never dried. The uniformity and lubricity of the starch-water-oil compositions of this invention make them suitable for use in foods such as thickening agents, suspending agents and fat substitutes. Also, the presence of oil component in these compositions causes them to function as emulsifying and dispersing agents and makes them receptors to the addition of a variety of immiscible materials in water., for example additional liquid materials, volatile and essential oils and food flavorings, anti-oxidants, medicinal agents, agricultural chemicals, etc. The compositions are also useful as seed coatings, since the oil component provides a significant level of compatibility between the dry composition and the waxy coating found in many varieties of seeds. According to this finding, an object of the invention is to provide a novel class of starch-based compositions that have uniformity in oil and are dispersed in stable form at levels of up to at least 65% of the starch-oil composition. In the dry state, these compositions are essentially not oily to the touch, particularly those that are loaded with less than about 29% oil by weight of the combined starch and oil. In aqueous dispersion, the compositions of the invention have a non-greasy yet slippery texture. It is also an object of the invention to provide a process for the efficient and easy preparation of the starch / oil compositions present. other objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following discussion. DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 shows surfaces of fracture films with ethanol extraction prepared from compositions containing 20 parts of oil per 100 parts of starch, FIG. 1A illustrates the product of Example 1, wherein the starch and oil were cooked with co-injection. FIG. IB shows the product of example 2, wherein the starch is cooked by injection separately and then mixed with oil. FIG. 2 shows surfaces of fracture films extracted with hexane prepared from compositions containing 40 parts of oil per 100 parts of starch, as described in example 30. FIG. 2A shows the product prepared by steam injection in standard excess; and FIG 2B shows the product prepared by the subsequent addition procedure described in Example 30. DESCRIPTION BTAT.TADA OF THE INVENTION The compositions of this invention are preferably prepared from unmodified starches which are obtained from grains of cereal, such as starch, wheat and rice or from root crops such as potatoes and tapioca. Although any variety of starch available for the preparation of such compositions is convenient, the skilled artisan will recognize that differences in branching and molecular weight can cause differences in physical properties among the many known varieties of starch. This, in turn, can lead to differences in the properties of the final material compositions. An unmodified starch is one that has not been altered by chemical treatment or reduced in molecular weight by reaction with acids or enzymes. Unmodified starches are less expensive than modified starches, and their use in foods is less restrictive, because they have never been treated with potentially toxic chemicals. Modified starches can however be used to prepare the compositions of this invention, if certain properties are desired which are not obtained with unmodified starches. Starches of a particular plant variety having amylose and amylopectin components in varying proportions may also be employed, for example waxy maize starch having an amylose content of essentially 0% and corn starch having an amylose content greater than 50%. 25% that is characteristic of starch of dent varieties. In the most preferred embodiments of this invention, the amylose content of the starch is less than 35%. Although the starch is preferably used in the preparation of the compositions of this invention, cereal flour can also be used. Cereal flour is a finely ground flour that is obtained from corn, wheat, oats or other cereal grains and essentially consists of the starch and protein components of the endosperm portion of the grain. Lipid (or fat) is a broad term that refers to substances that are found in living cells and that consist only of a non-polar hydrocarbon portion or a hydrocarbon portion with polar functional groups (see "Encyclopedia of Chemistry" ), third edition, CA Ha pel and GG Hawley, eds., 1973, page 632). Most lipids are insoluble in water and are soluble in fatty solvents, such as ether and chloroform. Fats are a major addition of the lipid family. fats are glycerol esters of fatty acids that are primarily palmitic, stearic, oleic and linoleic; although many other fatty acids are found in nature. Most fats exist as glycerol triesters. The Chemical Dictionary of Hackh, fourth edition, G. Grant ed. , 1969, P 470 define oil as a liquid immiscible in water generally combustible and soluble in ether. Oils are classified into three categories: 1) graris substances of plant and animal organisms; 2) volatile or essential oils, that is, the odorant principles of plant organisms; and 3) mineral oils, fuel oils and lubricants, ie petroleum-derived carbides and their products. Although any lipid is suitable for the preparation of compositions of this invention, preferred are: edible and fluid vegetable oils, for example soybean oil, canola oil and olive oil, and semi-solid hydrogenated vegetable oils, for example the material commonly distributed on the market with the brand "Crisco"; fats of animal origin, such as bait butter or lard; and refined and non-toxic mineral oils commonly referred to as paraffinic oils. Although the following description describes the invention primarily with reference to the division of oil as the incorporated lipid, it will be understood that the term "oil" is often used herein interchangeably with the terms "lipid" and "fat" and that others lipids (ie fats and hydrocarbons) may therefore be replaced. Although it will be appreciated by the person skilled in the art that emulsifying fats are contemplated to fall within the scope of the terms "lipid" and "fat" as used herein, the process of the invention does not require the inherent properties and ulsifiers. of these materials to produce the highly dispersed starch / oil products of the invention. The use of volatile or essential oils is limited only by their volatility; since they tend to escape as volatile vapors during the preparation process instead of being retained within the composition. To avoid loss due to volatility, these volatile or essential oils and flavorings can be added as "additional oil" to the compositions of this invention after the cooking process but before drying, provided that the drying of the composition is carried out at temperatures sufficiently low The starch, non-volatile oil, and water compositions that are prepared in accordance with this invention readily absorb volatile or essential oils and flavors when added in that manner. Furthermore, the aggregate agent remains trapped for prolonged periods of time within the substantially dry starch matrix and is stable with respect to evaporation loss. The added agent is released immediately when the starch matrix is scraped or broken. The compositions of the invention are prepared from starch and oil in amounts in the range from about 5 parts of oil to about 900 parts of oil by weight per 100 parts of starch (about 5-90% of the combined composition of starch). on a dry weight basis). Although it is evident that less than 5 parts of oil per 100 parts of starch can also be employed, it is questionable whether for most applications, the presence of oil in these small amounts will lead to sufficient improvements in the properties of the composition containing starch, to justify the costs associated with processing. The upper limit for the oil content of the final composite composition is dictated by the point at which the oil begins to separate from the recovered product. A dry composition that has an oily character towards the outside would be objectionable for many applications since it would be difficult to grind or shred this product to a particular small size. In addition, a particle composition that has an oily character towards the outside will tend to cake and will be resistant to flow. Although in one embodiment of the invention an oil level approaching 90% based on the combined weight of oil and starch (can be obtained, for most applications, the upper oil limit will not exceed 75 parts of oil per 100 parts by weight of the starch (40%). Preferred compositions are constituted by about 20 parts to 40 parts of oil per 100 parts by weight of starch (18 to 19%). The usual and probably the fastest method for preparing the compositions of this invention is to first prepare a starch mezcal, oil and water by rapidly stirring the components of the mixture together or close to room temperature. When the agitator is stopped, these mixes tend to separate almost immediately into an upper phase, which consists substantially of oil and a lower phase consisting substantially of starch in water. Therefore, it is convenient to quickly feed the dispersion to the cooking pot in order to minimize this preparation. The pH of the dispersion is typically in the gamma from 5 to 7 and can optionally be adjusted to any desired range by the addition of an acid or base, typically hydrochloric acid or sodium hydroxide. The concentration of starch in water is typically in the range of about 10 to 15% by weight, although concentrations as high as about 35% by weight can be employed. The upper limit for the concentration of starch in water is dictated only by the high viscosity of the cooked dispersion of starch, oil and water. Starch concentrations less than about 10 to 15% can also be used; However, with lower solids levels, larger amounts of water must be removed during the recovery of the product, and in this way the cost associated with the drying process will increase. The preferred cooking is carried out with a pot with injection of excess steam [see R.E. Klem and D.A. Brogly, Pulp & Paper (Pulp and Paper), volume 55 pages 55, pages 98-103 (May 1981)] under conditions necessary to achieve complete breakdown of starch granules and complete solution in water of both amylose starch and amylopectin components. We consider that the unique physical properties of the products of this invention are not only due to the fact that the starch is completely soluble in water by the cooking operation, but also to the partial molecular breakdown of the starch and the intense mixing and turbulence found by the dispersion of starch oil and water, as it is subjected to the cooking process with injection of excess steam. These turbulent and high shear cooking conditions, coupled with the high temperatures and pressures used for cooking, constitute a unique processing system that not only emulsifies the oil in the aqueous starch solution, but also provides an emulsion of starch, oil and water that will not separate in phases even after prolonged rest. The term "emulsion" in the context of this invention refers to miera-sized oil droplets uniformly trapped within a matrix of starch or water-starch. It is surprising that stable emulsions of this nature, wherein oil domains such as the discontinuous phase are substantially uniformly dispersed throughout the continuous aqueous starch phase, can be obtained without the addition of an external emulsifying agent. The expression "substantially uniform dispersion" is intended to mean that the dispersion or emulsion of oil in starch is homogeneous. For example, a random sample of a preparation, on a scale of a few milligrams, will contain approximately the same proportion of oil to starch as any other sample of that size. The term "external emulsifying agent" is used herein with reference to an agent apart from the major components themselves, these external emulsifying agents are intended to promote the emulsification of the oil in the aqueous starch system. The products of this invention are distinguished from oils "Encapsulated" where relatively large oil droplets are circumscribed within a protective layer of starch. We consider that the high shear cooking conditions that are unique to the process described can cause some complexing between the components of the starch and oil mixture to occur, which may contribute to the observed stability of the injection-cooked emulsion. This complexing will not be possible under milder cooking conditions, such as those typically encountered in thermal injection cooking. The evidence of complexing is apparent when the compositions of this invention are compared to those prepared by replacing starch with dextran (see example 39). Dextran is a polysaccharide constituted by glucose units analogous to starch; however, the dextran glucose units are linked to (1-6) and therefore are unable to form helical inclusion complexes with hydrophobic materials. When products analogous to those of the invention are made from dextran, they are characterized by a remarkable separation of oil. The viscous nature of a starch-cooked starch solution when the temperature is reduced below 100 ° C will also help keep the miera-sized oil droplets in the form of a uniform dispersion and inhibit their agglomeration when the compositions of this invention are they put into practical use for example in food. Although the conditions of cooking with injection can be varied by a person skilled in the art according to the particular starch variety and the particular oil employed, preferred cooking conditions for these compositions are in the range of about 130 to 150 ° C, with a vapor pressure of approximately 1.41 to 3.58 Kg / cm2 gauge (20 to 50 psig) inside the cooking pot and a pump speed of approximately 0.75 to 2.0 liters per minute Typical conditions are 140 ° C with a pressure of steam of 2,312 Kg / cm2 gauge (40 psig) and a pumping speed of approximately 1.1 1 / min The pressure in the steam line that enters the pot to achieve these conditions would be 4.57 to 4.92 kg / cm2 gauge (65 At 70 psig.) Thus, the excess steam circulating through the pot above and above that required to maintain the desired cooking temperature, should be at least approximately 1.05 Kg / c manometric (15 psig) and preferably between approximately 1.76 to 2.11 Kg / cm2 gauge (25 and 30 psig). Under these conditions, sufficient turbulence is provided in the cooking pot to maintain the oil in an emulsified state. The high steam pressure used during the cooking process is released suddenly as the cooked dispersion leaves the cooking pot with injection. This release of instantaneous pressure promotes the molecular degradation of the starch and results in an immediate drop in temperature of the starch solution cooked at 100 ° C or lower. The drop in temperature of the solution causes a marked increase in the solution viscosity. This higher viscosity in turn is responsible for keeping the emulsified oil droplets, uniformly suspended in the starch-water phase and reduces their tendency to separate and coalesce. The products within the scope of this invention will be characterized by oil droplets having a maximum diameter in the order of about 100 microns. Typically, there will be a distribution of oil droplet sizes in the range from less than one to about 25 microns preferably with 95% of the oil droplets and more preferably to 95% by weight of the oil droplets that are less than 10 microns in size These sizes of oil droplets can be achieved by proper control of emulsification and product recovery conditions. Smaller oil droplets have a reduced tendency to coalesce, and the formation of these smaller sizes of oil droplets is thus preferred. For purposes of this invention, oil droplets less than 10 microns in diameter will be considered as "miera size". The amount of oil used with respect to starch, the concentration of solids in water and the cooking conditions are all chosen in such a way that the hot injection cooked dispersion is in the form of a free-flowing, volatile fluid, but that It has a viscosity significantly higher than that of water itself. Higher line pressures and higher vapor pressures within the cooking pot than those described above, will cause a higher level of molecular breakdown of the starch and thus reduce the final viscosity of the cooked dispersion with injection. The vapor pressure in this way can be varied to alter the physical properties of the final product. Subsequent to preparing the cooked oil / starch emulsion, the products of this invention are recovered under conditions that will stabilize the distribution of the oil droplets in the starch phase. By allowing the emulsion to cool to below 100'c or lower, preferably to about 95 ° C, prior to drying the recoil and concomitant viscosity increase in the final product is promoted. After the material leaves the cooking pot by excessive steam injection, this cooling occurs very rapidly under atmospheric conditions.as previously described. The cooling step also provides favorable conditions for molecular complexing between the starch and the lipid components. While this link to any particular theory of operation is not desired, it is considered that helical inclusion complexes are formed in the products of the invention. Complexes of this type are well known and are possible with starch because the starch polymer formed from repetitive glucose units has its hydrogen atoms located within the helix, thus giving the helical cavity a hydrophobic surface necessary for compatibility with host molecules such as fat or oil. This complexed oil is not easily extracted from the dry product with organic solvents and is characterized as "tightly bound" oil as further described in Example 30 below. The formation of helical inclusion complexes with triglyceride oils has not been previously reported in the literature. We have also unexpectedly discovered that by slow agitation of the aqueous emulsion during or after cooling, the viscosity of the emulsion becomes significantly higher than when the emulsion remains unstirred. The person skilled in the art of polysaccharide chemistry will appreciate that the pH of the aqueous dispersion of starch and oil during firing and drying will influence the viscous properties of these compositions when employed in various applications such as food. As the pH during processing is abated, the starch will incur increased amounts of acid-induced hydrolytic degradation. This will lead to lower viscosities and also probably to a reduced tendency towards gel formation. A person skilled in the art in this manner can prepare a variety of different compositions from the same mixture of starch and oil by simply varying the pH over a sufficiently large latitude during firing and drying.

For most applications, however, a Ph is preferred within the range of 5 to 7 during processing. As discussed previously, the oil has a tendency to separate from the starch and water in the precooked dispersion. We unexpectedly discovered that the mixed dispersion of the starting components can be stabilized by the addition of product of the invention, which has already been recovered. This recycle stream or "subsequent addition" may be material, which is obtained directly at the outlet of the cooking pot with steam injection, or which is recovered as a dry ground product. The amount of recycled material in this preferred embodiment should be in excess of about 1% of the dispersion on a dry weight basis in order to have a noticeable effect on the stability of the mixture. Typically, the subsequent addition material will constitute 10 to 25% of the dispersion, as reported in example 30 below, the initial dispersion stabilization imparted by the subsequent addition material results in both a higher percentage of the oil becoming strongly bound in the starch matrix and also in more than 95% of the original oil that is incorporated into the final product. It is through this approach that products have 50 to 70 parts of oil per 100 parts of starch, by weight (33 to 41%) that are prepared more easily.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, it is contemplated that the oil is not added until after the aqueous starch dispersion leaves the cooking pot with injection. However, it is critical that the oil be added while the starch dispersion is in a non-receding form. It is also critical for the oil to mix with the dispersion under conditions of high shear and turbulence, proportional to those that occur with the cooking pot itself when operating under the conditions described above. We have discovered that a "Waring" mixer provides a sufficient amount of mechanical shear on a laboratory scale, to intimately mix the oil with the hot starch dispersion. It is envisaged that a colloidal mill can also be used for this purpose. It was especially surprising to discover that fully solubilized starch could be "locked" in a non-recoiling manner by drying the material briefly after it leaves the cooking pot with injection. It is then possible to re-disperse the dried starch in water and introduce oil under shear and turbulence conditions, thereby forming an emulsion comparable to that produced by co-cooking the starch and oil or adding the oil just after cooking as described above. described earlier. It is anticipated that this modality will be especially useful for entrapment of volatile oils and other oils that are sensitive to heat.

The dispersions of starch, oil and water resulting from cooking with injection can be used as thickeners, suspending agents and fat substitutes without further processing. However, economics dictates that the emulsions are dried and distributed on the market as a substantially dry powder. Although drying can be carried out by any method known to those skilled in the art, drum drying is the preferred method. Typically, drum drying conditions for starch-oil compositions are 1.4 to 4.2 Kg / cm2 (20 to 60 psig) gauges inside the drums with a drum rotation of 2 to 6 rpm. Preferred conditions are approximately a vapor pressure of 2.11 Kg / cm2 gauge (30 psig) inside the drums and a drum rotation speed of 4 rpm. For purposes of this invention, a composition that is dry when its moisture level (free water) is less than about 20% is considered. Typically, the recovered products will dry to approximately 5 to 12% moisture. Dry compositions can then be ground, crushed or pulverized to any desired particle size. It will be appreciated by the skilled person in the art that other drying methods may be employed provided that the cooked starch and oil dispersion is first allowed to cool to below 100 ° C, while still in the form of a fluid aqueous dispersion, in order to provide the appropriate conditions for molecular complexing between starch and oil as discussed above. Dry products can then easily be re-dispersed in water by high shear mixing, to result in the useful aqueous compositions of this invention. As previously stated, the dry compositions of this invention have unique properties that can be tailored to specific end uses by proper selection of the ingredients, proportions and processing conditions. For the most part, these compositions hydrate rapidly and give dispersions that are not only uniform and viscous but also possess considerable lubricity. Exceptions are high recoil products prepared from starch with high amylose content that are not easily re-dispersible and tend to remain granular particles. Dispersions that have a sufficiently high solids content to yield viscous pastes at room temperature will be thin enough to be emptied when heat is applied. Hot dispersions will then resolidify when cooled. These properties are analogous to those of a typical fat or meltable butter. When the emulsions / oil are prepared at solids contents that are approximately 20%, the resulting products tend to be thick and sticky, suggesting utility as adhesives.

The properties of the compositions of this invention thus make them convenient to incorporate into a variety of food formulations. Without limitation, formulations in which the compositions of the invention can be incorporated as a fat replacement, include sour cream, yogurt, ice cream, cheese, cheese spreads, cake mixes, biscuits, dry roasted peanut coatings, dressings for salads, meats, margarine, powdered fat, instant sauces, jams and the like. For these applications, the compositions can be formulated with from about 5% to about 70% by weight of the starch. Other food uses for the compositions of this invention are as carriers for volatile flavors and flavors and as low fat coatings, to improve the taste and ease of popping of popcorn in a microwave oven. In the field of health care products, the compositions of the invention are useful as carriers or vehicles in cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and personal care products. Without limitation, examples of these formulations include lotions and creams for hands and body, bath oils, shampoos and conditioners, tanning lotions, lipsticks, eye shadows, foot powder, medicinal oils, vitamins, antibiotics, antifungal agents and similar.

Similarly, in the seed coating technique, these compositions are useful as carriers for antifungal agents, herbicides, hematocides, growth regulators, hormones, nutrients, germination stimulators and other active agents as is known in the art. As dispersing or emulsifying agents, the starch products of a processed oil with or without a protein additive will be useful in the food industry to emulsify additional oils or volatile agents, flavors, odors, fresh fruit extracts and the like. These materials and ulsified will also find application in agriculture, such as for coating of fruits and vegetables for retarding the deterioration or inhibition of oxidation and for protection of buds and bulbs. They can also be used in the production of scratch and smell cushions. Industrial applications for the compositions of the invention include formulation of adhesives such as paint thickeners, inks, waxes, paint removers, lubricants, organic pigments, and drilling muds and as a starch filler in plastic formulations with increased compatibility for hydrophobic additives and plastics . The following examples further illustrate the invention, but are not to be construed as limiting the invention, which are defined by the claims.

Example 1 This example describes a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein 20 parts by weight of soybean oil per 100 parts of starch are co-cooked and then evaluated as either an aqueous dispersion or a dry product. Approximately 400 ml of distilled water are placed in a "Waring" mixing bowl and 80.0 g of refined food-grade soybean oil ("Wesson oil", Hunt-Wesson Inc.) is added. This amount of oil is calculated equal to 20 parts of oil per 100 parts of starch in the formulation. The mixture is formulated at the highest rate per minute, and the thick oil-water dispersion is washed in a 4 liter flask with enough water to give a total water volume of 3 liters. The oil-water phases are separated almost immediately, when stirring is stopped. 400 grams, dry base of food grade corn starch (A.E. Staley Mfg., Co.) is then slowly added to the stirred water-oil mixture. The resulting mixture of oil, water and starch is then cooked by injecting excess steam by passing it through a steaming pot with continuous steam injection, model Penick & Ford laboratory, operated with a steam pressure in the line of 4.57 ± .3515 Kg / cm2 gauge (65 ± 5 psig). The cooking was carried out at 1440 ° C (285 ° F) with a steam pressure of 2812 kg / cm2 (40 psig) inside the cooking pot. The pumping speed of the starch sludge through the cooking pot was approximately 1.1 liters per minute. The cooked dispersions of starch, water and oil are collected in an ar flask and then transferred to a 4-liter stainless steel warming mixer, mixed for 30 seconds at the highest speed and transferred back to the flask. of water. This mixing step was carried out in such a way that the expression had the same shear history as the dispersion prepared in example 2, where the oil was mixed in the starch solution after baking. Procedures described in other examples below that are declared to have been made according to the procedure of Example 1, do not employ this additional mixing step unless indicated. A portion of the cooked dispersion with hot injection is emptied into a flask and allowed to sit and cool without agitation. After standing for 22 hours at room temperature, the dispersion had a pH of 5.2. The Brookfield viscosity, measured at 30 rpm with the standard No. 3 spindle, was 600 cp. Corn starch alone, when cooked with oil injection and allowed to cool under the same conditions, produces a Brookfield viscosity of 1150 cp. There was no separation of oil when resting.

Another portion of the hot dispersion was emptied into a polyethylene sheet and allowed to dry at room temperature to form a continuous brittle film. No free oil is observed on the film surface. A portion of the film is broken to expose a fresh fracture surface, and the specimen is soaked in absolute ethanol for 15 minutes to extract trapped oil. The fracture surface with extracted oil was then examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to reveal holes or voids in the continuous starch phase that were previously occupied by trapped oil (see Figure 1A). The remaining hot dispersion is dried in a 45.7 by 30.5 cm (18 x 12") diameter double drum dryer heated with steam at 2.11 Kg / cm2 gauge (30 psig) and rotated at 4 rpm. drums in the form of flakes and large fragile leaves, and the dry solid was not oily to the touch.The product was then coarsely ground by passing it through a "Retsh" mill and the product was found not to be oily to the touch. Moisture content of the ground product was 6.2% as determined by weight loss after vacuum drying for 4 hours at 100 * C over P20s The crushed product is sifted to obtain a fraction passing through a 12 mesh screen but retains by 20 mesh. The moisture content of this fraction was 8.0.

Twenty grams, dry basis, of the crushed but unscreened product containing 6.2% moisture, are dispersed in 200 ml of distilled water. The mixture is stirred in a "Waring" mixer at the highest speed for 45 seconds, transferred to a 500 ml flask and heated to a boil in a microwave oven (approximately 2 minutes heating time) to give a dispersion that was uniform and free of lumps. The hot dispersion was then allowed to cool with periodic agitation and Brookfield viscosities were measured at various temperatures (spindle No. 3, 30 rpm) at 80, 50 and 30 ° C, the Brookfield viscosities were 52, 102 and 236, respectively. After the mixture settled in a flask covered by 18 ° C at room temperature, the viscosity was 1460 cp. Cooling the dispersion at 5 ° C for an additional 26 hours increased the Brookfield viscosity to 2970 cp. The dispersion remained uniform and creamy and there was no apparent separation of oil from the aqueous phase. Example This example describes a variation of the method of Example 1, wherein the composition has approximately the same 20: 100 ratio of oil to starch used in Example 1, is prepared by first dissolving starch in water by firing by injection and then subsequently mixing Soybean oil in the resulting starch solution. 400 grams, dried base of food grade corn starch from A. E. Staley was slowly added with stirring to 3 liters of distilled water. The resulting water-starch slurry is then cooked by injection under the conditions employed in Example 1 to give a solution containing 10.0% starch solids as determined by freeze drying. 3 liters of the cooked starch solution by hot injection, are placed in a stainless steel "Waring" mixer of 4 liters capacity, and 57 g of the same soybean oil used in Example 1 were added. This amount of oil equals 19 parts per 100 parts of starch. The mixture is then stirred in the mixer for 30 seconds at the highest speed. A portion of the hot dispersion of starch, oil and water is emptied into a flask and allowed to sit and cool without agitation. After standing for 21 hours at room temperature, the dispersion had a pH of 5.2; and the Brookfield viscosity, spindle No. 3, 30 rpm, was 1110 cp. There was no separation of oil when resting. Another portion of the hot dispersion was emptied into a polyethylene sheet and allowed to dry at room temperature. No free oil is observed on the film surface. The resulting continuous brittle film is broken to expose a fresh fracture surface, which was examined by SEM as in example 1 (see Figure IB). It is apparent from a comparison of Figures 1A and IB that the oil is spread finer in the form of smaller droplets, when it is co-cooked in a mixture of starch, oil and water. The remaining hot dispersion was drum dried and the product is milled coarsely as in Example 1. The dried solid was not only oily to the touch. The moisture content of the crushed product was 5.8%. The crushed product is sifted to obtain a fraction that passes through a larger sieve but is retained by 20 mesh. The moisture content of this fraction was 8.1%. 20 grams, dry base, of the crushed but unscreened product containing 5.8% moisture, are mixed with 200 ml of water and heated to boiling in a microwave oven as described in Example 1. The dispersion was uniform and creamy and there was no apparent separation of oil from the aqueous phase. Brookfield viscosities measured at 80, 50 and 30 ° C were 56, 104 and 192 cp, respectively. As in Example 1, Brookfield viscosities were then measured after 18 hours at room temperature (1900 cp) and after an additional 26 hours at 5 ° C (3660 cp) It is apparent that the Brookfield viscosities of the compositions produced by the method of Example 2 were generally superior to those produced by the co-firing method of Example 1.

Ejenplo 3 A dispersion of 160 g of soybean oil in 3 liters is prepared using the technique described in Example 1. This amount of oil is calculated equal to 40 parts of oil per 100 parts of starch. 400 grams, dry base of food grade corn starch from A. E. Staley were added; and the resulting mixture of starch, oil and water was cooked by injection under the conditions described in Example 1. A portion of the hot dispersion is emptied into a flask and allowed to stand and cool without agitation. After standing for 21 hours at room temperature, the dispersion had a pH of 5.1; and the Brookfield viscosity (spindle No. 3, 30 rpm) was 820 cp. There was no apparent separation of oil when resting. Another portion of the hot dispersion was emptied into a polyethylene sheet and allowed to dry at room temperature to form a continuous brittle film. The surface of this film was examined for oil droplets by SME (not shown) and it was apparent that only a few small droplets of oil, with a size range up to about 30 microns in diameter, were collected on the film surface. In contrast, the SME (not shown) of a film prepared from the dispersion of cooked starch with injection, without added oil, was characterized by a homogeneous, uniform appearance surface.

The above-prepared film was also broken to expose a fresh fracture surface, which was examined by SEM (not shown) as in Example 1. It is apparent that compositions prepared according to this embodiment of the invention contain oil droplets, in the range of size from a few microns to approximately 30 microns, was dispersed evenly within the starch matrix. In contrast, the SEM (not shown) of the fracture surface of the aforementioned film prepared from a dispersion of starch cooked by injection without added oil, was uniform and flat without cavities some analogous to those caused by the emulsified oil. The remaining hot oil containing dispersion was drum dried and the product is milled coarsely as in Example 1. The dried solid was not oily to the touch. The crushed product was sieved to obtain a fraction that passes through a larger sieve but was retained by 20 mesh. The moisture content of this fraction was 3.6%. 20 grams of the crushed but unscreened product were mixed with 200 ml of water and heated to boiling in a microwave oven as described in Example 1. Brookfield viscosities measured at 80, 50 and 30 ° C were 40, 88 and 140 cp, respectively. As in Example 1, Brookfield viscosities were then measured after 18 hours at room temperature (1020 cp) and after an additional 26 hours at 5 ° C (1780 cp). The dispersion was uniform and creamy and there was no apparent separation of oil from the aqueous phase. Example 4 This example describes a composition having approximately the same 40: 100 starch oil ratio used in Example 3, but where the composition is prepared by first dissolving starch in water by firing by injection and then subsequently mixing soybean oil in the resulting starch solution. 400 grams, dried base of food grade corn starch from A. E. Staley, was added slowly with stirring to 3 liters of water. The resulting slurry is then cooked by injection under the conditions employed in Example 1 to give a solution containing 9.24% starch solids as determined by freeze drying. 3 liters of the cooked starch solution by hot injection, are placed in a stainless steel "Waring" mixer of 4 liters capacity, and 114 g of the same soybean oil used in example 1 were added. This amount of oil is equal to 41 parts per 100 parts of starch. The mixture was then stirred in the mixer for 30 seconds at the highest speed. A portion of the hot dispersion of starch, oil and water is emptied into a flask and allowed to sit and cool without agitation. After standing for 21 hours at room temperature, the dispersion had a pH of 5.2; and the Brookfield viscosity, spindle No. 3, 30 rpm, was 1710 cp. Although some droplets of oil were apparent on the surface of the dispersion, there was no significant separation of oil from the mixture. Another portion of the dispersion containing hot oil was emptied into a polyethylene sheet and allowed to dry at room temperature to form a continuous brittle film. The surface of this film was examined by SME (not shown) and revealed a moderate adherence to oil droplets, with a size range of up to approximately 120 microns in diameter. The film was also broken to expose a fresh fracture surface, which was examined by SEM (not shown) as in Example 1. This fracture surface was characterized by a labyrinth of irregularly shaped oil cavities having an average size of approximately 30 to 70 microns. A comparison of the products of this Example with those of Example 3 reveals that when the oil is added to the 40% level after cooking with injection it is not so finely dispersed through the final product that when the oil is co-cooked with starch. The remaining hot oil containing dispersion was drum dried and the product is milled coarsely as in Example 1. The dried solid was not only oily to the touch. The shredded product was sieved to obtain a fraction that passed through a Mayan sieve 12 but was retained by 20 mesh. The moisture content of this fraction was 3.2%. 20 grams of the crushed product but not sifted were mixed with 200 ml of water and heated to boiling in a microwave oven, as described in the pJ 1 axis. Brookfield viscosities measured at 80, 50 and 30 ° C were 4 '2 and 144 cp, respectively. As in Example 1, the Brookfield viscosities were then measured after 18 hours at room temperature (1280 cp) and after an additional 26 hours at 5 ° C (1780 cp). The dispersion was uniform and creamy, and there was no apparent separation of oil from the aqueous phase. Example 5 This Example describes a control composition having approximately the same proportion of oil, starch used in Example 1; however, the composition was prepared by cooking oil and starch together in an autoclave with conventional agitation. A dispersion of 40 g of oil in 1800 ml of water is prepared as in Example 1. 200 grams, dry basis of food grade corn starch from AE Staley are added, and the resulting slurry is transferred to a stirred autoclave "Agnadrive AE "4-L, manufactured by" Autoclave Engineers ". The autoclave was stirred at 140-150 ° C for 30 minutes, and the hot reaction base was discharged into a water flask.

A portion of the hot dispersion is emptied into a flask and allowed to sit and cool without agitation. Unlike the products cooked with injection, this dispersion quickly sets to a viscous gel on cooling. After standing for 4 hours at room temperature, the gelled dispersion (pH 5.2) was too viscous for Brookfield viscosity determination. The remaining hot dispersion was drum dried and the product is milled coarsely as in Example 1. The crushed product is screened to obtain a fraction that passes through a 12 mesh screen but is retained by 20 mesh. The moisture content of this fraction was 7.2%. 20 grams of the ground product but not sifted are mixed with 200 ml of water and heated to boiling in a microwave oven as described in Example 1. Brookfield viscosities measured at 80, 50 and 30 ° C were 356 and 1120 cp respectively. At 30 ° C the dispersion was too viscous for measurement with spindle No. 3; however, it was measured at a viscosity of 6600 cp with spindle No. 4 at 30 rpm. After standing overnight at room temperature, the dispersion was set to a rigid gel; and the viscosity in this way was not measurable. Example ß This Example describes a control composition having approximately the same proportion of oil, starch used in Example 3; however, the composition was prepared by cooking oil and starch together in an autoclave with conventional agitation. A dispersion of 80 g of oil in 1800 ml of water is prepared as in Example 1. 200 grams, dry base of food grade corn starch from AE Staley were added, and the resulting slurry is transferred to the same autoclave used in the Example 5. The autoclave was stirred at 136-146 ° C for 30 minutes, and the hot reaction mass was discharged into a Dewar flask. A portion of the hot dispersion was emptied into a flask and allowed to settle and cool without agitation. After the dispersion would stand for about 1 to 1.5 hours at room temperature, the temperature was 35 ° C and the dispersion was a gel that was too viscous for Brookfield viscosity determination. Another portion of the hot dispersion was emptied into a polyethylene sheet and allowed to dry at room temperature to form a continuous brittle film. The film was broken to expose a fresh fracture surface, which was examined by SEM as in Example 1. The SEM showed large cavities of coarse dispersed oil. The remaining hot dispersion was drum dried and the product is milled coarsely as in Example 1. The crushed product is screened to obtain a fraction that passes through a 12 mesh screen but is retained by 20 mesh. The moisture content of this fraction was 6.0%. 20 grams of the crushed but unscreened product were mixed with 200 ml of water and heated to boiling in a microwave oven, as described in Example 1. Brookfield viscosities measured at 80, 50 and 30 ° C were 170, 390 and 2300 cp, respectively. After standing overnight at room temperature, the dispersion was set to a gel, and the viscosity in this manner was not measurable. Example 7 This Example compares the ease of oil extraction of the samples described in Examples 1 to 6. A low percentage of oil extracted with hexane indicates that the oil droplets are well dispersed within the starch phase; while a high percentage of extractable oil suggests a coarse dispersion of relatively large oil droplets accompanied by some migration of oil to the surface of the dried product. The procedure used for hexane extraction was as follows: A sludge of 5,000 g of sample in 59 ml of hexane is prepared in a 125 ml Erlenmeyer flask. The mixture is stirred magnetically for 15 minutes and then allowed to sit for 5 minutes to allow the solid to settle. A 25 ml portion of the hexane solution is evaporated to dryness in a tared aluminum tray, and the percentage of extractable oil per hexane is calculated. Samples used for extraction were those that pass a 12 mesh screen but are retained by 20 mesh. The results in Table I show that the starch-oil compositions prepared by cooking - co-injecting starch, oil and water are mixed more intimately and thus more resistant to oil extraction than the compositions prepared by adding oil to a pre-cooked starch solution or compositions prepared by conventional cooking of starch, oil and water in an autoclave. At the upper oil level, the autoclave sample showed the most poor oil extraction resistance. Example 8 Twenty grams of each of the products of the Example 3 and Example 4, which were not sieved to separate the products into discrete particle sizes were added to 200 ml of distilled water in a "Waring" mixer. Mixtures were agitated at the highest speed for 15 seconds and allowed to stand for approximately 30 minutes and were shaken again at the highest speed for 15 seconds. Dispersions were uniform, free of lumps, and did not exhibit oil separation from the aqueous phase. The dispersions were drained on glass plates covered with a release film ("Warrens Ultracast PU Patent No. 74968", SD Warren, S, Portland, Maine) and allowed to dry in a humidity bed of 50% RH 40 ° C. . The films were fragile and continuous. No free oil was observed on the film surfaces. Dry films were passed through a Wiley mill equipped with 20 mesh screen and then samples were screened through a 40 mesh screen, to obtain products that pass mesh 20 but were retained by 40 mesh. The moisture contents of both products were in the range of 8.2 to 8.4%. Hexane extractions of both products were carried out by a procedure similar to that described in Example 7. Values in percent of the oil initially present that was extractable by hexane were 16.2% and 23.3% for the products derived from compositions of Examples 3 and 4 respectively. These experiments show that the improved stability of the composition prepared by co-injection firing for starch, oil and water towards separation is retained even after re-dispersing the composition in water and drying. Example 9 This Example is carried out under the same conditions as Example 3, and shows the effect of replacing a commercial maltodextrin for starch with an oil to polysaccharide ratio of 40 to 100. US Pat. No. 4,615,892 shows that maltodextrins function to promote the emulsification of oil and water mixtures. Therefore, it can be expected that this control composition will contain oil that is better emulsified, or at least emulsified just like the oil present in the composition prepared according to the invention. A dispersion of 80 g of soybean oil in 1500 ml of water is prepared using the technique in Example 1. 200 grams, maltodextrin dry base "maltin 40" (Grain Processing Corp., Muscatine, IA) were slowly added, the Acidic dispersion (pH 3.5) is neutralized to pH 6.23 by adding 19 drops of 0.7N sodium hydroxide solution. The resulting dispersion is then cooked with injection under the conditions described in Example 1. A portion of the hot dispersion is emptied into a flask and allowed to sit and cool without agitation. Droplets of oil began to separate from the dispersion almost immediately. After the dispersion lay for approximately 22 hours at room temperature, and the dispersion had a pH of 5.15; and the Brookfield viscosity (spindle No. 3, 30 rpm) was only 12 cp. Contrary to what is illustrated in the patent of the U.S.A. No. 4,615,892 the substitution of maltodextrin by a starch in the process of the invention gave a cooked dispersion that is separated into oil and water phases, upon standing. Furthermore, the drying of the cooked dispersion of amylodextrin, oil and water resulted in a dry composition containing drops of oil separated on the surface. Another portion of the hot dispersion was emptied into a polyethylene sheet and allowed to dry at room temperature. The product surface was covered with separate oil. The remaining hot dispersion was drum dried as in Example 1. The oil was separated from the maltodextrin-water phase during drying. The inability of the maltodextrin-based product to retain oil, either in the aqueous phase or the dried material, is a direct result of the property of hot maltodextrin dispersions in not increasing viscosity or recoil upon cooling. This example is therefore considered a model either to use a starch that is too thin or to dry a hot aqueous dispersion of starch and oil without first cooling below about 100 ° C. Example 10 This example shows the results of mixing soybean oil with cooked starch solution with injection, which contains approximately 28% solids in a sigma mix under low shear, low turbulence conditions, employed in the prior art (Examples 46 to 51 of U.S. Patent Doane et al. No. 4,911,952).

Seven hundred and fifty grams dry basis of food grade corn starch from AE Staley was slowly added with stirring to 1500 ml of distilled water and the resulting slurry is then cooked by injection under the conditions employed in Example 1. A portion of 1143 g of the hot dispersion containing 28.1% of starch solids is added to a Readco steam-jacketed sigma double arm mixer with a .946 1 (one quart) working capacity (Teledyne Readco, York, PA). The mixing was preheated by passing steam through the jacket. Soybean oil (107.4 g) was added to the hot starch dispersion to give an oil concentration of 33.4 parts per 100 parts of starch, and the mixer was allowed to stir and cool with the removed cover, to allow the water to settle. will evaporate from the dispersion. Although the oil initially appeared to be thoroughly mixed in the aqueous starch pastes, the dough was frozen after stirring for 50 minutes (43 ° C) in lumps coated with starch gel oil which could not be effectively stirred. The mixture was stirred for an additional hour; however, the product was not homogeneous and a large part of the oil was still present as a separate phase. The drum drying of the mixture generates a product with a visibly oily surface. Air drying of the mixture in a forced air oven at 30 * C, produces dry starchy callus lumps covered with excess oil.

Example II This Example shows the results of mixing soybean oil with a solution of cooked starch by injection containing about 10% solids in a sigma mixer under low shear, low turbulence conditions, employed in the prior art (Examples 46 to 51 of the US Patent of Doane et al. No. 4,911,952). Two hundred grams of food grade corn starch, dry base of A. E. Staley were added slowly with stirring to 1500 ml of distilled water. The resulting sludge is then cooked by injection under the conditions employed in Example 1; and 691 g of the hot dispersion containing 9.86% starch solids are added to the sigma mixer described in Example 10. The mixer is preheated by passing steam through the jacket. Soybean oil (26.4 g) was added to the hot starch dispersion to give an oil concentration of 38.7 parts per 100 parts of starch, and the mixer was allowed to stir and cool to 29'c for a period of 3 hours with the cover on site. The resulting dispersion had oil droplets on the surface and had a Brookfield viscosity of 2990 cp (spindle No. 3, 30 rpm). When a portion of the dispersion is allowed to dry at room temperature, the resulting film was oily on the surface.

Example 12 This example describes the properties of cooked starch with injection in the absence of oil. Two hundred grams dry base of food grade corn starch, from A. E. Staley, were added slowly with stirring to 1500 ml of distilled water. The resulting slurry is then cooked by injection under the conditions employed in Example 1 to result in a solution containing 9.88% starch solids. A portion of the hot solution is emptied into a flask and allowed to sit and cool without agitation. After standing for 23 hours at room temperature, the dispersion had a pH of 5.0 and the Brookfield viscosity (spindle No. 3, 30 rpm) was 1150 cp. The remaining hot expression was drum dried and the product ground coarsely as in Example 1. The moisture content of the milled sample was 3.94%. 20 grams, dry base of the coarsely milled product are mixed with 200 ml of water and heated to boiling in a microwave oven, as described in Example 1. Brookfield viscosities measured at 80, 50 and 30 ° C, were 88, 160 , and 316 cp respectively, (spindle No. 3, 30 rpm). After standing for 18 hours at room temperature, the dispersion exhibits a smooth gel structure which could be broken by shaking with a spatula. The Brookfield viscosities (spindle No. 3, 30 rpm) was 30 to 40 cp.

Example 13 This Example shows the feasibility of firing high-solids mixtures of starch and oil by injection. A dispersion of 300 g of soybean oil in 3 liters of distilled water is prepared using the technique in Example 1. This amount of oil is calculated equal to 20 parts of oil per 100 parts of starch in the formulation. 1500 gram dry base of corn starch "" Pure dent 8-700"from Grain Processing Corp. are added, and the resulting mixture of starch, water and oil is cooked by injection under the conditions described in Example 1. The hot dispersion It was extremely sticky and cohesive, suggesting that it is possible to use it as a starch based adhesive.A portion of the hot dispersion is emptied into a flask and allowed to sit and cool without stirring.After standing for 22 hours at room temperature, the dispersion It was in the form of a thick paste having too high a viscosity to be measured with the Brookfield viscometer.There was no apparent separation of oil on standing.Other portion of the hot dispersion was emptied onto a polyethylene sheet and left to dry at room temperature to form a brittle or brittle sheet, continuous.There were no traces of oil on the film surface.

The remaining hot dispersion was drum dried, and the product was coarsely milled as in Example 1. The milled product had a moisture content of 5.0% and was not oily to the touch. 20 grams dry base of coarse ground product with 200 ml of water and heated to boiling in a microwave oven, as described in Example 1. The dispersion was uniform and free of lumps. Brookfield viscosities measured at 80, 50 and 30 ° C were 92, 168 and 316 cp, respectively (spindle No. 3, 30 rpm). After standing for 18 hours at room temperature, the dispersion was uniform and free of gel and exhibited a Brookfield viscosity of 1956 cp. (spindle No. 3, 30 rpm). Example 14 This example shows how the product properties can be easily varied with starch-oil dispersions boiled by injection, gently stirred while the dispersions are allowed to cool. A dispersion of 80 g of soybean oil in 1500 ml of distilled water is prepared using the technique described in Example 1. This amount of oil is calculated equal to 40 parts of oil per 100 parts of starch in the formulation. 200 grams dry base of corn starch food grade A.

E. Staley were added; and the resulting mixture of starch, water and oil is cooked by injection under the conditions described in Example 1. The cooked dispersion by hot injection is then divided into two portions which will be designated as "stir" and "without stirring". A portion of the dispersion without hot stirring is emptied into a flask and allowed to sit and cool if stirred. After standing for 3 hours, the dispersion (27 ° C) exhibits a Brookfield viscosity of 728 cp (spindle No. 3, 30 rpm). After standing for 22 hours at room temperature, the dispersion had a pH of 4.83 and the Brookfield viscosity (spindle No. 3, 30 rpm) was 940 cp. There was no apparent separation of oil when resting. Another portion of the hot unstirred dispersion is emptied onto a polyethylene sheet and allowed to dry at room temperature to form a brittle or brittle continuous film. There were no traces of oil on the film surface. The remaining hot dispersion was drum dried, and the product is milled coarse as in Example 1. The ground product had a moisture content of 3.59% and was not oily to the touch. 20 grams, dry base of the ground product was mixed with 200 ml of water and heated to boiling in a microwave oven, as described in Example 1. The dispersion was uniform and free of lumps. Brookfield viscosities measured at 80, 50 and 30 * C were, 48, 88 and 152 cp respectively, (spindle No. 3, 30 rpm). After standing for approximately 20 hours at room temperature, the dispersion was uniform and free of gel and exhibited a Brookfield viscosity of 912 cp. (spindle No. 3, 30 rpm). To prepare the stirred portion, 661 g of the hot injection cooked dispersion are placed in the sigma mixer described in Example 10. The mixer is preheated by passing steam through the jacket. The cover is placed in the sigma mixer, the steam line is disconnected from the jacket and the mixture is allowed to stir and cool at 29 ° C for a period of 3 hours. The Brookfield viscosity of the stirred and cooled dispersion was 3188 cp (spindle No. 3, 30 rpm). When a portion of this stirred and cooled dispersion is placed in a flask and allowed to stand for an additional 19 hours without agitation, the Brookfield viscosity was 6700 cp (spindle No. 4, 30 rpm). A portion of the dispersion that was stirred and cooled for three hours, polyethylene sheet was emptied and left to dry at room temperature to form a brittle or brittle continuous film. There were no traces of oil on the film surface. The remaining hot dispersion that was stirred and cooled for three hours was drum dried and the product ground coarsely as in Example 1. The ground product had a moisture content of 2.98% and was not oily to the touch. 20 grams dry base of the milled product was mixed with 200 ml of water and heated to boiling in a microwave oven, as described in Example 1. The dispersion was uniform and free of lumps. Brookfield viscosities measured at 80, 50 and 30 ° C were 128, 400 and 18166 cp (spindle No. 3, 30 rpm). After standing for approximately 20 hours at room temperature, the dispersion formed a gel. After the gel was stirred with a spatula it exhibited a Brookfield viscosity of 7860 cp (spindle No. 4, 30 rpm). The properties of an aqueous dispersion, prepared by reconstitution of a drum dried product in water, are also easily altered by slight agitation. 30 grams dry base of coarse and dry ground product in drum with 3.59% isolated from the dispersion without hot stirring prepared above, are mixed with 300 ml of water and heated to boiling in a raicroonde oven as described in Example 1. A portion of this hot dispersion is emptied into a bottle with screw cap and allowed to sit and cool for 3 hours without stirring; while the remaining dispersion is allowed to cool with slow agitation. The stirred sample had a Brookfield viscosity of 1166 cp, compared to 300 cp for the sample that was allowed to cool without agitation. Brookfield viscosities measured after the two dispersions rested overnight at room temperature were 1948 cp and 340 cp, respectively. These differences in viscosity are surprising and difficult to explain by the teachings of the prior art.

EXAMPLE 15 This Example shows the results obtained when waxy maize starch is replaced by normal corn starch in the firing process with soybean oil at the 40% level. A dispersion of 80 g of soybean oil is prepared in 1500 ml of distilled water, using the technique described in Example 1. This amount of oil is calculated equal to 40 parts of oil per 100 parts of starch in the formula. Two hundred grams, dry base, waxy Maize Starch "Amioca" from National Starch & Chemical Corp., are added; and the resulting mixture of starch, oil and water is cooked by injection under the conditions described in Example 1. A hot dispersion portion is emptied into a flask and allowed to stand and cool without agitation. After standing for 3 hours, the dispersion (26ßC) exhibits a Brookfield viscosity of 296 cp (spindle No. 3, 30 rpm). There were small droplets of oil on the surface of the dispersion. After standing for 22 hours at room temperature, the dispersion had a pH of 5.94, and the Brookfield viscosity was 320 cp (spindle No. 3, 30 rpm). Another portion of the hot dispersion is emptied onto a polyethylene sheet and allowed to dry at room temperature to form a continuous brittle film. There was no significant accumulation of oil on the surface of the film. The remaining hot dispersion was drum dried and the product ground coarsely as in Example 1. The milled product was not oily to the touch. A portion of 737 g of the hot dispersion is allowed to stir and cool in a sigma mixer as described in Example 14. The viscosity of the stirred dispersion was similar to that of the dispersion allowed to cool without agitation. A portion of the stirred and cooled dispersion is emptied into a polyethylene sheet and allowed to dry at room temperature to form a brittle film. Unlike the sample without shaking, there was a significant accumulation of oil on the surface of the film. By dripping the dispersion as in Example 1, it also generates a product with oily areas. In this way, when preparing products from waxy starch at high oil levels (> 40%) the appropriate selection of post-cooking processing conditions is important. In comparison, a 133.3 g dry sludge of Amioca Waxy Starch from National Starch and Chemical Corp., in 1000 ml of distilled water is cooked by injection in the absence of added oil under the conditions described in Example 1. A portion of the hot dispersion is emptied into a flask and allowed to sit and cool overnight without agitation. The pH of the cooled dispersion was 6.3, and the Brookfield viscosity was 360 cp (spindle No. 3, 30 rpra).

BjenplQ 16 This example shows the results obtained when corn starch with a high amylose content (amylose content: 70%) is replaced by normal corn starch in the cooking process by injection with soybean oil. A dispersion of 80 g of soybean oil in 1500 ml of distilled water is prepared using the technique described in Example 1. This amount of oil is calculated equal to 40 parts of oil per 100 parts of starch in the formulation. Two hundred grams, dry base of "Amylomaize VII" from American Maize Products Co., are added; and the resulting mixture of starch, water and oil is cooked by injection under the conditions described in Example 1. The dispersion cooked by hot injection is then divided into two portions, which will be designated "stirred" and "not stirred". A portion of the hot unstirred dispersion is emptied into a flask and allowed to sit and cool without agitation. After standing for approximately 3 hours, the dispersion hardened into a rigid, crumbly gel. Allowing the material to sit for 22 hours at room temperature does not greatly change the appearance of this gel. The oil could be squeezed out of the gel by rubbing it between the fingers. Another portion of the dispersion without shaking, warm is emptied on a polyethylene sheet and allowed to dry to a film at room temperature. The resulting brittle film showed a large amount of oil on the surface. The remaining hot non-stirred dispersion was drum dried and the product ground coarsely as in Example 1. The milled product had a moisture content of 4.09% and was not oily to the touch. Twenty grams, dry base of milled product are mixed with 200 ml of water and heated to boiling in a microwave oven, as described in Example 1. Brookfield viscosities measured at 80, 50 and 30"C, were 100, 1060 and 3280 cp After standing for approximately 18 hours, the coarse paste remained sufficiently soft to spread, although it had a somewhat granular appearance.The viscosity was too high to be measured with the Brookfield viscometer.No excess oil was separated from the paste When it was rubbed between the fingers, to prepare the stirred portion, 735 g of the cooked dispersion by hot injection was allowed to stir and cool in a sigma mixer over a period of 3 hours, as described in Example 14. The mixture The resultant was characterized by a viscosity that was too high to be measured with the Brookfield viscometer, but was nonetheless creamy and could easily be smeared with a spatula. it was left to stand for an additional 19 hours at room temperature, remained uniform and spreadable, and no oil was separated when the paste was rubbed between the fingers. A portion of the stirred and cooled dispersion was spread on a polyethylene sheet and allowed to dry to a film at room temperature. Only a small amount of the separated oil was apparent on the surface of the film. The remaining dispersion was drum dried and the product ground coarsely as in Example 1. Tumbling this dispersion was difficult due to its high viscosity and some of the oil was separated from the product during drying. Twenty grams, dry basis, of milled product (moisture content: 5.41%) were mixed with 200 ml of water and heated to boiling in a microwave oven as described in Example 1. The dispersion had a grainy appearance. Brookfield viscosities, measured at 80, 50 and 30 * C were 48, 88 and 100 cp (spindle No. 3, 30 rpm). There were droplets of oil on the surface of the dispersion. After standing for approximately 18 hours at room temperature, the dispersion had a granular, inhomogeneous appearance (Brookfield viscosity: 1200 cp). The results of this example suggest that, for most applications, the preferred starch for use in the invention would have less than about 35% amylose content. Example 17 This example describes the cooking by injection of potato starch with soybean oil.

A dispersion of 80 g of soybean oil in 1500 ml of distilled water is prepared using the technique described in Example 1. This amount of oil is calculated equal to 40 parts of oil per 100 parts of starch in the composition. Two hundred grams, dry base of potato starch, are added from Sigma Chemical Co .; and the resulting mixture of starch, water and oil is cooked by injection under the conditions described in Example 1. The dispersion cooked by hot injection is then divided into two portions, which will be designated as "stirred" and "unstirred". A portion of the hot dispersion, without stirring, is emptied into a flask and allowed to settle and cool without agitation. The Brookfield viscosity, measured after 3 hours, was 1664 cp (spindle No. 3, 30 rpm). After an additional 22 hours at room temperature, the Brookfield viscosity increased to 3918 cp. There was no separation of oil when resting. Another portion of the hot unstirred dispersion is emptied onto a polyethylene sheet and allowed to dry to a film at room temperature. No free oil is observed on the film surface. To prepare the stirred dispersion, 729 g of the cooked dispersion with hot injection is allowed to stir and cool at 30 ° C in a sigma mixer for a period of 3 hours as described in Example 14. The Brookfield viscosity of the The resulting stirred dispersion was 1290 cp. The dispersion was set to a soft gel after standing for an additional 22 hours, and consistent readings with the Brookfield viscometer could not be obtained. Then separation of oil when resting. Example 18 This example describes the cooking with injection of wheat starch with soybean oil. A dispersion of 80 g of soybean oil in 1500 ml of distilled water is prepared using the technique described in Example 1. This amount of oil is calculated equal to 40 parts of oil per 100 parts of starch in the composition. Two hundred grams, dry base, of wheat starch from Sigma Chemical Co., are added; and the resulting mixture of starch, water and oil is cooked by injection under the conditions described in Example 1. The cooked dispersion by hot injection is then divided into two portions, which will be designated as "stirred" and "unstirred". A portion of the hot dispersion, without stirring, is emptied into a flask and allowed to settle and cool without agitation. The Brookfield viscosity measured after 3 hours was 1004 cp (spindle No. 3, 30 rpm). After an additional 22 hours, the Brookfield viscosity increased only to 1104 cp. There was no separation of oil when resting. Another portion of the hot unstirred dispersion is emptied onto a polyethylene sheet and allowed to dry to a film at room temperature. No free oil is observed on the surface of the film. To prepare the stirred dispersion, 740 g of the cooked dispersion by hot injection is allowed to stir and cool at 30 ° C in a sigma mixer over a period of 3 hours, as described in Example 14. The Brookfield viscosity of the dispersion resulting stirrer was 2484 cp. After an additional 22 hours at room temperature, the Brookfield viscosity was increased to 3176 cp. There was no separation of oil when resting. Example 19 This example describes the cooking by injection of 100 parts of corn starch with 5 parts of soybean oil. A dispersion of 20 g of soybean oil in 3 liters of distilled water is prepared using the technique described in Example 1. Four hundred grams, dry base, food grade corn starch from A. E. Staley are added; and the resulting mixture of starch, oil and water was boiled by injection under the conditions described in Example 1. A portion of the hot dispersion is emptied into a flask and allowed to sit and cool overnight without stirring. The pH of the dispersion was 5.10 and the Brookfield viscosity was 900 cp (spindle No. 3, 30 rpm). There was no separation of oil from the starch-oil phase. The hot dispersion was drum dried and subjected to coarse grind similar to Example 1. The milled product was not oily to the touch. fileaplp 20 This example describes the injection cooking of 100 parts of corn starch with 50 parts of soybean oil, stabilized by the addition of antioxidants. Five hundred grams of soybean oil are stabilized against oxidation by the addition of 2000 IU of vitamin E (alpha tocopherol) and 40,000 IU of beta carotene. A dispersion of 100 of this stabilized oil in 1500 ml of distilled water is prepared using the technique described in Example 1. Two hundred grams of food grade corn starch from A. E. Staley are added; and the resulting mixture of starch, oil and water is cooked by injection under the conditions described in Example 1. A portion of the hot dispersion is emptied into a flask and allowed to stand and cool without agitation. After standing at room temperature for 2 days, there was no separation of oil from the starch-water phase. The pH of the dispersion was 5.23 and the Brookfield viscosity was 1572 cp (spindle No. 3, 30 rpm). The hot dispersion was drum dried and subjected to coarse grinding as in Example 1. Although the drum-dried solid exhibited a uniform, rather slippery feel, there appeared to be little or no oil separated on the surface of the product.

Example 21-23 These examples describe the cooking of corn starch injection with 5 parts, 20 parts and 50 parts of butter per 100 parts of starch. A dispersion of 20 g, 80 g or 200 g of butter in 3 liters of distilled water is prepared using the technique described in Example 1. The water is heated to melting and the butter is softened. Four hundred grams, dry base, food grade corn starch from AE Staley are added, and the resultant mixtures of starch, water and butter are cooked by injection under the conditions described in Example 1. A portion of each hot dispersion is poured into a flask and let it sit and cool near room temperature without agitation. The pH and Brookfield viscosity of each of these dispersions is illustrated in Table II. Each of the hot dispersions is drum dried and coarse ground as described in Example 1. The milled products were not oily to the touch. Example 24-26 These examples describe the cooking by injection of corn starch with different vegetable oils. 20 parts of oil per 100 parts of starch are used. A dispersion of 80 g of vegetable oil in 3 liters of distilled water is prepared using the technique described in Example 1. In Example 26, the water is heated to melt and soften the "Crisco". Four hundred grams, dry base of food grade corn starch from A. E. Staley are added; and the resulting mixtures of starch, water and oil were boiled by injection under the conditions described in Example 1. A portion of each hot dispersion is emptied into a flask and allowed to stand and cool near room temperature without agitation. The pH and Brookfield viscosity of each of these dispersions is illustrated in Table III. Each of the hot dispersions is drum dried and coarsely milled as described in Example 1. The milled products were not oily to the touch. Example 27 # This example describes the cooking by injection of corn starch with 20 parts of soy protein and 20 parts of canola oil per 100 parts of starch. Four hundred grams, dry base of food grade corn starch from A. E. Staley and 80 g dry base of soy protein were mixed dry together; and the starch-protein mixture was then added with stirring to 2 liters of distilled water. Eighty grams of canola oil were then mixed with one liter of distilled water as described in Example 1; and the oil-water dispersion is added to the aqueous dispersion of starch and protein. The resulting mixture was boiled by injection under the conditions described in Example 1. A portion of the hot dispersion is emptied into a flask and allowed to settle and cool without agitation. After standing overnight at room temperature, the mixture showed no separation of the oil and water phases. The dispersion was uniform and fibrous and showed no traces of gel. The pH was 6.50 and the Brookfield viscosity was 1040 cp (spindle No. 3, 30 rpm). The hot dispersion was drum dried and ground coarsely as in Example 1. The milled product was not oily to the touch. Example 28 This example describes the injection cooking of oatmeal with 20 parts of soybean oil per 100 parts of flour. A dispersion of 80 g of soybean oil in 3 liters of distilled water is prepared using the technique described in Example 1. Four hundred grams, dry basis, of oatmeal from National Oats Co., are added; and the resulting mixture of flour, oil and water is cooked by injection under the conditions described in Example 1. A portion of the hot dispersion is emptied into a flask and allowed to stand and cool near room temperature, without agitation. The pH of the cooled dispersion was 6.02; the Brookfield viscosity was 864 cp (spindle No. 3, 30 rpm); and there was no separation of oil. The hot dispersion was drum dried and coarsely milled as in Example 1. The milled product was not oily to the touch.

Example 29 This example describes the cooking by injection of corn starch with 40 parts of paraffin oil per 100 parts of starch. A dispersion of 160 g of white paraffin oil (Saybolt viscosity 125/135) in 3 liters of distilled water was prepared using the technique described in Example 1. Four hundred grams, dry base, food grade corn starch from AE Staley Add to; and the resulting mixture of starch, water and oil was boiled by injection under the conditions described in Example 1. A portion of the hot dispersion was emptied into a flask and allowed to stand and cool at room temperature for 22 hours. The pH of the cooled dispersion was 4.88; the Brookfield viscosity was 896 cp (spindle No. 3, 30 rpm); and there was no separation of oil. Another portion of the hot dispersion was emptied onto a polyethylene sheet and allowed to dry at room temperature to a continuous brittle film. No separated oil was observed on the film surface. The remaining hot dispersion was drum dried and ground coarsely as in Example 1. The milled product was not oily to the touch. Example 30 The effect of the cooking conditions on the amount of both oily loosely bound (easily extracted) and strongly bound, was studied. Three cooking procedures as described below were compared. Steam Injection Procedure in Excess Standard. A sample was prepared by initially mixing 50 g of soybean oil per 100 g of starch and cooking by excess steam injection, essentially as described in Examples 1 and 3. This sample, together with samples of the material prepared in accordance with Example 1 (20% oil) and Example 3 (40% oil) were chosen for the bound oil test described below. Cooking Procedure with Thermal Invection. Mixtures of 40 and 20 g of soybean oil per 100 g of corn starch were prepared essentially as described in Examples 1 and 3. The operation of the cooking pot by steam injection in excess employed in Examples 1 and 3 , it is modified to simulate a cooking process with thermal steam injection. Using a line pressure of 4.57 kg / cm2 man. (65 psig), the aqueous starch-oil mixture is started in the cooking pot and then the counter pressure valve closes slowly until the temperature inside the pot was 154 ° C, corresponding to a steam pressure of 4.43. kg / cm2 man. (63 psig). Under these conditions, there was barely enough positive vapor pressure to allow material flow through the device. The cooked dispersion of starch, water and oil is connected in a Dewar flask and then drum dried and subjected to coarse grinding as described in Example 1, Excess Steam Invoice Cooking Procedure with Subsequent Addition. A formulation was prepared from an initial mixture of 20 g of soybean oil per 100 g of corn starch essentially as described in Example 1. The cooked dispersion is then drum dried and subjected to coarse grinding in a mill " Retsch. " Initial mixtures containing already 75 g of soybean oil and 25 g of ground material prepared above by 100 g of corn starch or 40 g of soybean oil and 25 g of ground material per 100 g of corn starch, were dispersed in water and cooked by excessive steam injection as described in Examples 1 and 3. Oil Analysis. Approximately 1 g (of precise weight) samples of each of the materials described above were extracted twice with 40 ml of hexane by decantation. The hexane was evaporated in tared flasks and the weight of the extracted oil was determined gravimetrically. The extracted sample is added in 80 ml of water, the sample is heated to boiling and then cooled to room temperature. Approximately 200 units of amylase was added and the reaction was allowed to proceed at room temperature for at least 2-3 hours. The sample was transferred to a separatory funnel and extracted with 2 or 3 40 ml portions of hexane.; the hexane was evaporated in a tared flask and the oil weighed. The total recoverable oil (expressed as percent by weight of the total sample) is the amount of dry extraction plus that extracted after hydrolysis. The results are reported in Table IV below. It is apparent from Table IV that approximately 75-85% of the original amount of added oil could be recovered from samples cooked under standard excess steam conditions. The recovery of samples cooked by the "thermal" process was much lower, less than 60% of the original quantity added. The recovery of "after-addition" samples exceeded 95%. It is considered that the low oil recovery for the "thermal" process was the result of oil that is separated from the cooked dispersion during the slow exit from the cooking pot. In the outlet pipe between the output of the cooking pot and the counter pressure valve, the material is at temperatures approaching those of the cooking pot. The material flow rate in this pipe is very slow due to the low pressure differential (.14 kg / cm2 man. (2 psig)) between the steam line and the cooking pot. Accordingly, the exit material is not substantially subjected to turbulence during this period, and the oil is freely separated from the dispersion of thin aqueous starch.

The oil recovered from all the samples was primarily "loose bound", ie recoverable by extraction of the dry sample with hexane. "Strongly bound" oil, ie one that can be recovered only after hydrolysis of starch enzyme, constitutes 4-6% of the original sample weight (starch + oil) for both standard excess steam and cooking with excess steam injection thermal. However, for the products prepared by the subsequent addition process, the tightly bound oil exceeds 9% of the original sample weight. The SEMs of Figures 2A and 2B compare the fracture surfaces extracted with hexane from films prepared by the standard procedure (Example 30B) and the subsequent addition process (Example 30G), respectively. It is readily apparent that the subsequent addition procedure produced a number of oil droplets of smaller and increased size, as compared to the standard process. It is considered that the milled recycled material promotes the dispersion of the oil in the aqueous starch system and inhibits the normally rapid separation of the oil from the aqueous phase, between the time the stirring is stopped and the material is introduced into the cooking pot by injection. As a result, the steam entering the cooking pot is more highly dispersed than that of the standard process, and a higher percentage of the oil becomes strongly bound in the starch matrix. The fact that more than 95% of the added oil can be recovered from products prepared by the subsequent addition process, supports the theory that the low oil recoveries observed for products prepared by the standard procedure are undoubtedly caused by separation of the oil phase of water before cooking and not by loss of oil due to steam volatilization. Example 31 This example shows the reduction in molecular weight of starch, as measured by intrinsic viscosity, which results from passing a slurry of starch in water through the cooking pot by injection of excess steam, used to prepare the compositions of this invention (see Example 1). A slurry of 133.3 g dry base, of the same waxy corn starch employed in Example 15, is prepared in 1 liter of water containing 7.50 g of dipotassium salt of piperazine-N, N'-bis (2-ethanesulfonic acid) is say buffer PIPES. The pH is adjusted to 7.16 by the addition of 0.5 ü hydrochloric acid, and the sludge is passed through the cooking pot with injection at a steam pressure of .703 kg / cm2 man. (10 psig) (116 * C) inside the cooking pot. The pressure of the steam line was 4.55 kg / cm2 man. (65 psig). Ten grams of the cooked solution with hot injection, contains 9.46% total solids, is placed in a 100 ml volumetric flask, 0.2 g sodium azide is added to inhibit the growth of microorganisms and the flask is diluted to the 100 mark. ml with dimethyl sulfoxide. The intrinsic viscosity as determined in dimethyl sulfoxide: water 90:10 was 115 cc / g, as opposed to 220 cc / g for waxy maize starch that was not passed through the steam cooker. A sample of waxy corn starch boiled by injection at a vapor pressure of 7.03 kg / cm2 man. (100 psig) (170 ° C) inside the cooking pot and a steam line pressure of 8.79 kg / cm2 man. (125 psig), had an intrinsic viscosity of only 81 cc / g, indicating a greater reduction in molecular weight of starch under the strictest cooking conditions. Example 32 This example demonstrates the ability of the compositions of this invention to encapsulate volatile oils and flavors and to stabilize them against evaporation until they are used. A. A mixture of 80 g of soybean oil, 400 g (dry basis) of food grade corn starch was prepared from A. E. Staley Mfg. Co., and 3 liters of distilled water and boiled by injection by a procedure similar to that of Example 1. The hot injection cooked dispersion is drum dried and the substantially dry product is coarsely milled as in Example 1. Twenty grams of this composition are dispersed in 200 ml of water in a "Waring" mixer, and the dispersion is then heated in a microwave oven of 85-90 ° C. The hot dispersion is returned to the "Waring" mixer and stirred until a temperature of 50 ° C is reached. Ten grams of limonene are added and the solution is stirred at full power for 2 minutes and then emptied onto a sheet to result in a thin brittle film after air drying. Although the dry film had no limonene odor, a strong limonene odor was released when the film was scraped or broken. This encapsulation property is maintained in the film for periods of up to six weeks under normal ambient temperature conditions. B. A composition similar to Example 27 (starch: soy protein: canola oil - 100: 20: 20 parts by weight) is drum dried and the powder reconstituted 10% solids. Two hundred grams of this compound are mixed with 100 g of fresh strawberries in a "Waring" mixer and heated in a microwave oven to 90 * C. The heated material is emptied into a sheet and allowed to air dry. The dry film had no smell but the scratched or broken film released the smell of fresh strawberries and also produces a taste of strawberries to taste. EXAMPLE 33 This example demonstrates the ability of the compositions of this invention to accept additional oils and flavors and function as a low-fat, flavor-enhancing coating for micro-wave popcorn. A dry drum and coarse grind composition contains 20 parts of butter per 100 parts of corn starch, by weight is prepared by a procedure similar to that used in Example 22. Sixty grams of this composition are dispersed in 400 ml of water in a "Waring" mixer, and the resulting dispersion is heated in a microwave oven to 85-90"C. The hot dispersion is returned to the mixer and stirred until a temperature of 50 ° C is reached. the following ingredients: 10 g of olive oil, 75 g of table salt, 20 g of a commercial butter flavor additive (diacetyl in maltodextrin) and 1 g of α-tocopherol.The resulting mixture is formulated at full power for 1 minute Twenty grams of this dispersion is stirred with 70 g of popcorn and the seeds were allowed to air dry.The coating showed no tendency to flake off the surfaces of the seeds during handling. Free flow was placed in a bag of microwave popcorn and popped into popcorn in a microwave oven for 2.5-3.5 minutes. They turned out some flavorful butter flavored popcorn, which have less than 1.0 g added fat in the whole bag.

EXAMPLE 34 This example illustrates the use of the compositions of this invention in the preparation of low fat ice cream. A standard low fat ice cream formulation is prepared from the following ingredients: 484 g of 0.5% skim milk, 100 g of sugar, 1.9 g of vanilla extract and 0.4 g of table salt. To the above formulation, 0, 2, 5 and 10% by weight of a dry drum and coarsely milled composition prepared according to this invention are added from 20 parts either soy oil or butter per 100 parts of starch. Mixtures were shaken in a "Waring" mixer for 1 minute, transferred to an ice cream making machine "Oster" of 2 liters capacity, and frozen with continuous agitation in the ice cream machine for 30 minutes. Ice creams containing the compositions of this invention were clearly superior in taste sensation and creamy compared to the control sample having 0% additive. After cooling for 24 hours, ice creams containing the compositions of this invention had much better melting properties and less of the undesirable icing sensation that was characteristic of the control sample.

EXAMPLE 35 This example illustrates the use of compositions of this invention in the preparation of low fat cakes. A white cake is prepared from the following recipe according to the 10-90 method of the American Association of Cereal Chemists Method: 82.5 g of white cake flour, 70 g of sugar, 6.0 g dry milk without fat, 1.5 g of table salt, 2.9 g of baking powder, 4.5 g of egg white, 70 g of water and 25 g of butter ("Crisco"). This standard cake containing 25 g of butter was used as a control. For the test formulations, various butter substitutes were prepared. Starch-butter preparations containing 100 parts of starch: 20 parts of butter and 100 parts of starch: 50 parts of butter, were prepared as in Examples 22 and 23, respectively. A soybean-canola protein-starch preparation containing 100 parts of starch: 20 parts of soy protein: 20 parts of canola oil, was prepared as described in Example 27. The starch preparations: butter and starch: Soy protein: dried drum beans were reconstituted with skim milk in a suitable gel to replace the shortening. Each reconstituted gel was mixed into the liquid components of the cake mixture (70 g of water, 4.5 g of egg white) and subsequently, the dry ingredients were added and formulated with a hand mixer. Pastries were baked at 175"c until a test toothpick was free of dough, and the cakes were then cooled to room temperature.Although the test cakes were similar in taste to the control, cakes containing high levels (25 g. ) of the compositions of this invention tended to be coarse and gummy.All the formulations that have butter substitute gave cakes that were more bread type than the control cake.The loaf volumes of the test cakes were in the range from 73% of the control with whole fat (for a recipe containing starch: butter, 100: 50) to 86% of the integrated fat control (for a recipe containing starch: soy protein: 100% cane oil: 20:20) The specific formulations and relative cake volumes are given in Table V. Example 36 This example illustrates the use of the compositions of this invention for the preparation of salad dressings. repairs a salad dressing by forming 200 ml of commercial malt vinegar, 200 ml of distilled water and 5.0 g of a coarse and dry drum grind composition prepared in accordance with this invention from 20 parts in a "Waring" mixer. of soybean oil and 100 parts of starch of corn by a method similar to that of Example 1. Two grams of commercial lemon pepper slices are added and the mixture is allowed to sit in the refrigerator for 1 week. There was no separation or rupture of the oil-water emulsion and the tests in lettuce salads gave excellent adhesion and taste properties. Example 37 This example illustrates the use of compositions of this invention to prepare spreadable formulations that have similar properties to butter or margarine. Forty grams of the coarse and dry drum milled compositions prepared according to Example 23 from 50 parts of butter and 100 parts of corn starch, stir with 200 ml of water in a "Waring" mixer for 3 minutes at full power. The resulting dispersion was then heated in a microwave oven at about 94 ° C, and the hot mixture is returned to the mixer and stirred at full power for 5 minutes. Finally the dispersion is emptied into a plastic container and allowed to cool to room temperature. The cooled dispersion was creamy in texture and had good spreadable properties. These properties are retained after refrigeration and for periods of up to six weeks. Example 38 This experiment illustrates an embodiment for loading a high percentage of oil in products prepared according to the invention. A product of starch: soy protein: canola oil (100: 20: 20) is prepared as in Example 27. The dry drum powder is resuspended in 10% solids water and 50 ml of the suspension is added to 25 ml of soybean oil in a "Waring" mixer. After mixing for one minute, the emulsion is heated in a 90 ° C microwave oven and then mixed again in the "Waring" mixer for two minutes at high speed. An emulsion forms on cooling, which was stable for at least six weeks. Based on the total weight of solids (oil, starch and protein), the amount of oil in the system was 89%. Example 39 This example shows the differences in product properties that result when dextran is replaced by starch in the process of co-firing injection with soybean oil. These differences in product properties provide evidence for complexing between starch and oil in the compositions of the present invention. A mixture of 280.7 g of dextran (moisture content 12%) and 106.9 g of soybean oil is slowly added to 2 liters of water with rapid stirring. The amount of oil used corresponds to 43 parts of oil per 100 parts of dextran on a dry weight basis. The resulting dispersion was boiled by injection under the conditions employed in Example 1.

A portion of the cooked dispersion with hot injection is emptied into a 400 ml flask and allowed to stand and cool without agitation. After standing for approximately 22 hours at room temperature, the dispersion had a pH of 5.5, and the Brookfield viscosity, measured at 30 rpm with the standard No. 3 spindle was 488 cp. There were small droplets of oil on the surface. After standing for a total of 20 days at room temperature, there was significant separation of the aqueous and oil phases. The upper oily layer, 2.5 cm thick, was creamy and opaque; the lower layer measured 7 cm and was less opaque. Another portion of the hot dispersion was emptied into a polyethylene sheet and allowed to dry at room temperature to form a brittle, continuous film. Unlike analogous compositions prepared from starch, the dried dextran-oil film had oil droplets on the surface. The remaining hot injection cooked dispersion is drum dried as in Example 1. Unlike the analogous compositions prepared from starch, the dispersion does not dry well and contains some areas that only partially dried. These areas were separated from most of the material, which was then pulverized by drying by agitation in a Waring blender. When the dried and powdered product is extracted with hexane using the same procedure described in Example 30, the results were quite different from those observed for the starch-containing products illustrated in Table IV. The fraction of oil that was "loosely bound", ie recoverable by extraction of the dry product with hexane, constituted 21.0% of the original sample weight (starch + oil); while the oil "strongly bound" (only recoverable after hydrolysis of dextran enzyme) constitutes only 0.94% of the original sample weight. Total oil recovery (loosely bound + tightly bound) represents 72.8% of the oil added before firing with injection. EXAMPLE 40 This example demonstrates the use of mixtures of starches as opposed to a single generic variety of starch, to prepare compositions of this invention having viscoelastic properties that are not obtained from a single variety of starch. A dispersion of 180 g of soybean oil and 0.2 g of α-tocopherol in 3 liters of water is prepared using the technique described in Example 1. This amount of oil is calculated equal to 20 parts of oil per 100 parts of starch. total in the formulation. A mixture of 450 g, dry base of corn starch "Pure Dent 8-700", Grain Processing Corp., and 450 g, dry basis of waxy corn starch "Amioca" of National Starch and Chemical Corp., is added and the resulting mixture of starch, water, oil and antioxidant is cooked by injection under the conditions described in Example 1. The resultant cooked dispersion with injection was "longer" ie more fibrous and cohesive, than the comparable dispersions prepared from of dent corn starch alone in the absence of waxy corn starch. Starch pastes that are characterized as "long" versus "short" are discussed in an article by H.W. Leach in the text entitled Starch: Chemistry and Technolosy (Starch: Chemistry and Technology), R.L. Whistler and E.F. Paschall, editors, Academic Press, New York, 1965, Vol. 1, p. 302. These qualitative differences in viscoelastic properties can be detected by the taste sensation, when the starch-oil compositions of this invention were incorporated into food products such as ice cream. Example 41 This example shows that the starch-oil compositions of this invention can be isolated by spray drying as well as drum drying. A cooked dispersion was prepared by injection, from 40 parts of soybean oil per 100 parts of starch using the technique described in Example 3. The cooked dispersion by hot injection is divided into two portions. The first portion was drum dried and subjected to coarse grinding as described in Example 1. When this product is extracted with hexane using the procedure described in Example 30, "loosely bound" oil constitutes 15.0% of the original sample weight (starch + oil); while "strongly bound" oil constitutes 5.7% of the original sample weight. Total oil recovery (loosely bound + tightly bound) represents 72.6% of the oil added before firing with injection. The second portion of the cooked dispersion with hot injection was spray-dried at 145-150 ° C in a Yamato Pulvis Model GA-31 Mini Spray Dryer. When the spray-dried product is extracted with hexane using the procedure described in Example 30, "loosely bound" oil constitutes 9.1% of the original sample weight (starch + oil); while "strongly bound" oil constitutes 7.0% of the original sample weight. The total oil recovery (loosely bound + tightly bound) represents 56.4% of the oil added before firing with injection. Example 42 This example describes a variation of the method of Example 3, wherein an aqueous composition having the same 40: 100 ratio of oil to starch used in Example 3, is prepared by first dispersing starch cooked by injection and dry by drum in Water at room temperature and then mix soy oil in the resulting dispersion, using mixed with high shear. Procedures similar to this are useful for preparing compositions of this invention wherein the oil is either volatile or is unstable at high temperatures. A suspension of 400 g, dry base of food grade corn starch from AE Staley, in 3 liters of water, was boiled by injection, drum dried and subjected to coarse grinding under the conditions used in Example 1. Ten grams of This dried product was then added to 90 ml of water in a Waring blender bowl, and the mixture was stirred at the highest speed for 1 minute. Four grams of soybean oil were then added and the mixture was stirred at the highest speed for 2 minutes. The final temperature of the dispersion was 43 * C. A portion of the dispersion was emptied onto a polyethylene sheet and allowed to evaporate to dryness. The resulting brittle film showed no traces of oil on the surface. The film was broken to expose a fresh fracture surface, which was then extracted with hexane to remove oil. Examination of this fracture surface extracted with hexane by SEM showed mite-sized voids, indicating that the oil was intimately dispersed within the starch matrix in the form of mite-sized droplets. The remaining dispersion was emptied into a flask and allowed to stand for 4 days at room temperature without agitation. There was no apparent oil separation from the aqueous phase and the dispersion had a Brookfield viscosity of 1930 cp (spindle No. 3, 30 rpm).

Example 43 This example describes the preparation of taxol solutions in aqueous dispersions of starch-soybean oil compositions. Procedure A. A solution of 25 mg of taxol was prepared in 0.3 ml of hot ethanol and 0.7 ml of alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) was added with stirring in a homogenizer. Four milliliters of hot 5% aqueous dispersion (90ttC) of soy starch oil compound were added. The compound was prepared by: 1) cooking with injection of an aqueous mixture containing 100 parts of corn starch and 5 parts of soybean oil by weight; and 2) drum drying of the cooked dispersion with resultant injection. The final mixture was stirred vigorously in a homogenizer for 5 minutes with high shear and then transferred to a glass ampule. This dispersion could either be dried to a film or diluted with additional starch-oil compound. Procedure B. A solution of 500 mg of taxol in 5 ml of hot ethanol was prepared, and 8.0 ml of alpha-tocopherol (Vitamin E) are added with stirring in a homogenizer. Eighty milliliters of a 20% hot aqueous dispersion (80-90 * C) of a soybean oil-cooked starch compound was added twice, followed by 7 ml of a 10% aqueous dispersion of a starch-oil compound. Soybeans cooked once. Starch-soybean oil compounds were prepared by: 1) injecting an aqueous mixture containing 100 parts of corn starch and 20 parts of soybean oil, by weight (either one or two passages through a pot) of cooking with injection); and 2) drum drying of the cooked dispersions with resultant injection. The final mixture was stirred vigorously in a homogenizer for 5 minutes with high shear and then transferred to a glass container for storage. Electron micrograph scanning of dried films showed a honeycomb structure composed of oil droplets containing taxol, surrounded by thin starch walls. Example 44 This example describes the preparation of adhesives from urea, formaldehyde and starch-lipid compounds. A solution of 74 g of urea in 100 ml of water was prepared and 100 ml of 37% formaldehyde solution was added. To this turbid solution is added 50 g of a dry corn-liquid starch compound prepared by: 1) firing by injection an aqueous mixture containing 100 parts of cornstarch and 40 parts of either boiled linseed oil or lanolin weight; and 2) drying the cooked dispersion with the resulting injection. The mixture was stirred in a Waring blender until uniform and then allowed to stand for 1 to 2 hours. The resulting dispersion was coated on both sides of a .238 cm (3/32 inch) pine leaf, typically used for the preparation of plywood. This coated sheet was then placed between two sheets of uncoated wood and the composite board was pressed for 10 minutes at about 121 ° C. The resulting ply sheet was well bonded and was resistant to water when soaked overnight at room temperature.

Table I Source of g Oil / 100 g Procedure% Extractable Oil Example Sample of cooking starch for hexane 7A Example 1 20 Co-firing with injection 49.9 7B Example 2 19 First firing with injection 64.0 of starch 7C Example 3 40 Co-firing with injection 60.4 7D Example 4 41 First firing with starch injection 73.9 7E Example 5 20 Autoclave 57.7 7F Example 6 40 Autoclave 82.6 Table II Chilled dispersion properties g Butter viscosity separation Example per 100 g starch Brookfield pH, cp * phase 21 5 5.20 456 none 22 5 5.25 408 none 23 5 5.64 568 none * Spindle No. 3, 30 rpm. or Table III Properties of cooled dispersion viscosity separation Example Oil pH Brookfield, cp * of phase 24 Canola 5.25 808 none 25 Olive 5.28 744 none 26"Crisco" 5.13 972 none * Spindle No. 3, 30 rpm. or i Table IV Oil% by weight of extractable aggregate sample with hexane initially Percent Example g / 100 g% by weight Extr. After oil sample Dry Hydro. Total recovered from total starch sample dry in drum Standard cooking conditions with injection 30A 50 33.33 20.77 4.65 25.42 76.3 30B 40 28.57 18.56 5.67 24.23 84.8 vo? 30C 20 16.67 7.56 4.79 12.35 74.1 Cooking conditions with thermal injection 30D 40 28.57 12.53 4.03 16.50 58.0 30E 20 16.67 4.81 5.04 9.85 59.1 Cooking conditions with addition injection? 30F 65 39.39 29.34 9.33 38.64 98.2 30G 36 26.47 15.09 10.39 25.48 96.3 Table V Cake mixes with butter substitutes Cake volume Formulation Skim milk (g) (% control with whole fat) A. 5 g starch (cooked with injection, dry drum) 25 75 B. 5 g starch: butter (100: 20) 25 84 C. 2.5 g starch: butter (100: 50) 25 73 D. 10 g starch: antequilla (100: 20) 40 79 E. 25 g starch: butter (100: 20) 75 80 vo F. 5 g starch: soy protein: cañola (100: 20: 20) 25 86 G. 10 g starch: soybean roteína: canola (100: 20: 20) 40 85 H. 25 g butter 100 It is noted that in relation to this date, the best method known to the applicant to carry out the aforementioned invention, is that which is clear from the present description of the invention. Having described the invention as above, property is claimed as contained in the following:

Claims (24)

1. CLAIMS 1. A method for preparing a composition characterized by a uniform and stable distribution of lipids through a phase of continuous starch, the method is characterized in that it comprises the following steps: a. cooking an aqueous dispersion of starch under conditions that will completely solubilize the starch, to form an aqueous starch solution; b. maintaining the starch completely solubilized in the aqueous starch solution in an undamaged state, while combining the aqueous starch solution with a lipid under conditions of sufficient turbulence to produce an emulsion comprising lipid droplets dispersed evenly throughout the solution of aqueous starch; and c. recover the emulsion under conditions that stabilize the distribution of lipid through the emulsion.
2. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the lipid is already co-cooked with the starch or combined with the starch after leaving the cooking pot to form the emulsion, and wherein the recovery of the stage (c) it comprises the steps of cooling the emulsion under atmospheric conditions and drying the cooled emulsion.
3. 3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the drying method is drum-dried.
4. 4. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the emulsion is stirred under low shear conditions during or after cooling.
5. 5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the cooking method is cooking with excess steam injection.
6. 6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the fully solubilized starch is dried in an undamaged state and subsequently redispersed in water before combining with the lipid.
7. 7. The method according to claim 1, t characterized in that the combination of step (b) is conducted in the presence of added product that has been recovered from step (c).
8. 8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the added product is in the form of an aqueous emulsion or is dry.
9. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the lipid is selected from the group consisting of vegetable oils, essential oils, animal fats and mineral oils.
10. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the starch is selected from the group consisting of corn starch, wheat starch, rice starch, potato starch and tapioca starch.
11. 11. A product produced by the method of one of the preceding claims.
12. 12. A composition characterized in that it comprises a lipid distributed in a stable and substantially uniform form in a starch phase, in the absence of an external emulsifier.
13. 13. A composition according to claim 12, characterized in that the composition is an aqueous emulsion or a dry solid, wherein the starch paste i comprises completely ground starch granules.
14. 14. A composition according to claim 12, characterized in that the lipid is selected from the group consisting of vegetable oils, essential oils, animal fat and mineral oils.
15. 15. A composition according to claim 12, characterized in that the starch is selected from the group consisting of corn starch, wheat starch, rice starch, potato starch and tapioca starch.
16. 16. A composition according to claim 12, characterized in that the lipid is present in an amount of about 5 to 65% dry weight of the starch, preferably about 17 to 29% dry weight of starch.
17. 17. A formulation comprising the composition of claim 12, characterized in that the formulation is selected from the group consisting of food products, health care products, agricultural products and industrial products.
18. 18. A formulation in accordance with the claim 17, characterized in that the formulation is a food product and the composition of claim 13 is present as a coating in the product.
19. 19. A formulation in accordance with the claim 18, characterized in that the food product is selected from the group of nuts, legumes, cereals, preferably popcorn, fruits and vegetables.
20. 20. A formulation according to claim 17, characterized in that the formulation is a food product and wherein a liquid component that is normally present in the food product is totally or partially replaced with the composition of claim 12.
21. 21. A formulation according to claim 17, characterized in that the formulation is a food product and wherein the food product is selected from the group consisting of sour cream, yogurt, ice cream, cheese, cheese spreadable product, cake mix, dough mixture for cookies, salad dressing, meat, margarine, shortening powder, instant sauce and jams.
22. 22. A formulation according to claim 17, characterized in that the formulation is a product for health care and wherein the composition of claim 12 is a carrier or vehicle for active ingredients in the health care product. , and the product is chosen from the group consisting of hand lotion, hand cream, body lotion, body lotion, bath oil, shampoo, hair conditioner, suntan lotion, lipstick, eye shadow, talc, talcum powder, medicinal oil, vitamin, antibiotic and antifungal agent.
23. 23. A formulation according to claim 17, characterized in that the formulation is an industrial product and wherein the composition of claim 12 is a thickener and the product is selected from the group consisting of paint, ink, varnish, paint remover. , lubricant, organic pigment and drilling mud.
24. 24. A method for preparing a composition characterized by a uniform and stable distribution of lipids through a phase of continuous starch, the method is characterized in that it comprises the following steps: a. co-cooking an aqueous dispersion of starch and a lipid under conditions which will completely solubilize the starch, to form an aqueous solution of starch in the undamaged state and under conditions of sufficient turbulence to produce an emulsion comprising lipid droplets uniformly dispersed through of the aqueous starch solution; and b. recover the resulting emulsion under conditions that stabilize the lipid distribution in the starch phase.