NL1016715C2 - Method for preparing a chewable mass and chewable product. - Google Patents

Description

Method for preparing a chewable mass and chewable product.

The invention relates to a process for preparing a chewable mass in which a mixture containing at least gluten and water is kneaded.

Chewable masses in which gluten is used as a chewing gum base are known from Dutch patent application 7205956 (= BE 781199, CA 969414 or DE 2232218). It is stated therein in the introduction that the reason why such chewing gum species are abundant lies in the fact that chewing gum based on gluten has excellent properties in comparison with chewing gum in which another basis, for example polyvinyl acetate and chicory rubber, is used. Furthermore, it is stated that such use of gluten is beneficial because it is an edible natural product and because it is a protein that is harmless to the human body. In the event of accidental swallowing, gluten is therefore harmless to the human body and serves as a food product.

Nevertheless, it is stated in the above-mentioned Dutch patent application that chewing gum based on gluten has disadvantages, for example because gluten has too low a visco-plasticity, as a result of which the chewing gum prepared therewith is too soft to be chewed pleasantly. In order to eliminate these (alleged) disadvantages of gluten, according to the above-mentioned Dutch patent application more than 10% denatured gluten is used as the basis for chewing gum. As an advantageous method for the preparation of (partially) denatured gluten, it is indicated that a homogeneous mixture of 100 parts by weight of gluten and more than about 100 parts by weight of water (therefore more water than gluten) is heated until the desired degree of denaturing is achieved.

On the basis of the state of the art described above, people will not be inclined to use vital gluten in a chewing gum base because one could then expect that a product with unsatisfactory chewing properties would be obtained.

According to the invention, this prejudice is overcome. It has been found that a chewable mass with desired properties can be prepared by kneading a mixture containing at least gluten, sugar (s) or sugar substitute (s) and water until the gluten molecules (protein molecules twisted into each other) have such a 101 6 71 5 2 have undergone a degree of "unraveling" that a chewable product with the desired properties is obtained.

Incidentally, WO 94/17673 mentions chewing gum compositions containing wheat gluten. The description of the state of the art on pages 1-3 of this document is to be regarded as incorporated herein. This discussion of the state of the art is concluded with the following: "Despite the use of gluten in other fields, gluten's use in the chewing gum field has been hampered by a number of organoleptic factors, and no gluten-based chewing gum has gained wide acceptance in the American market, regardless of the advantages of a degradable, edible chewing 10 eraser. "

The invention of WO 94/17673 is based on the combination of gluten with a texturizing agent that serves to modify the elastic network structure of the gluten without destroying the matrix and to assist in uniform hydration of the gluten . Whey and rice proteins are used as such "texturizing agents". In this reference, there is no question of unraveling the gluten molecules within the meaning of the present invention.

The object of the invention is to obtain edible, nutritious and easily digestible chewing gum products with a personally decisive ending chewing time, which have a good taste and sweetening power and which have good organoleptic properties.

In the method according to the invention, the following kneading conditions are used in particular: a) temperature: 50-80 ° C; b) shear or knee energy: 50-800 kJ, preferably 100-600 kJ, for example 300 kJ, per 25 kg mixture; c) kneading time 5-50 minutes, preferably 10-30 minutes.

In the process according to the invention, a mixture is preferably used which contains at least: 30-60% by weight gluten; 10-50% by weight of sugar (s) or sugar substitute (s); 10-30% by weight of water; 4016715 3 wherein said amounts are based on the total weight of the mixture, and optionally other usual components, the sum of all components being 100% by weight.

In the chewable mass according to the invention, the usual sugars or sugar substitutes are used, on the one hand as a sweetener, and on the other hand as a structure maker. The amount of sugar will generally be somewhat lower than the amount of gluten in the mixture from which the chewable mass according to the invention is prepared. Preferably, the gluten / sugar weight ratio will be in the range of 1: 1 to about 3: 2.

In the method according to the invention, gluten of all types can be used, but wheat gluten, in particular unaltered vital wheat gluten, is preferred.

A fructose-containing glucose syrup is preferably used as sugar, but all kinds of usual sugars or sugar mixtures or sugar substitutes are possible.

In addition to the above-mentioned ingredients, the usual ingredients and additives for chewable masses according to the state of the art can be included in the mixture according to the invention, for example rice starch, hardened coconut fat, gum arabic and the like.

It is also possible to extend the shelf life of the product with anti-micro-biological agents or anti-oxidants. It goes without saying that the taste and the color of the chewable product can be adjusted by adding suitable flavoring and / or coloring agents.

A basic recipe for a mixture from which a good chewable mass can be prepared according to the invention is as follows: 40-50% by weight of dried wheat gluten; 30-40% by weight of fructose-containing glucose syrup; 3-5% by weight of rice starch; 3-5% by weight of hardened coconut fat; 5-10% by weight of spray-dried gum arabic; 10-18% by weight of water.

A sugar substitute can be used instead of fructose-containing glucose syrup, for example xilitol in an amount of, for example, 20-30%. The amount of up to 6 715 4 gum arabic can then be somewhat higher, for example 5-15% by weight, while the amount of water can also be higher, for example 15-25% by weight.

The kneading of the starting mixture according to the invention takes place in conventional kneading machines, for example a continuously operating single-screw kneading machine. The kneading machine is then heated to the desired temperature between 50 and 80 ° C. The shear force (shear force) or kneading energy is set by means of kneading speed and capacity. The dosing can be done batchwise, but preferably continuously.

In the following examples, ten tests are described which are representative of the method according to the invention. In all cases a good chewable product with desired organoleptic properties is obtained.

Test 1 Test 2 Test 3 Test 4 Test 5

Raw materials wt% wt% wt% wt% wt% wheat gluten 46 44 42 40 40 fructose / glucose syrup 36 35 34 33 32 rice starch - 5 5 5 5 coconut fat - - - - 3

Gum arabic - 5 10 10 water 18 16 14 12 10 water content 27.5 25 23.4 21.4 19.2

Test 6 Test 7 Test 8 Test 9 Test 10

Raw materials wt% wt% wt% wt% wt% wheat gluten 46 44 42 40 40 xilitol 29 28.5 27.2 26.4 25.6 coconut fat - ... 3

Gum arabic - 5 10 15 15 water 25 22.5 20.8 18.6 16.4 water content 27.3 25 23.4 21.4 19.2

The water content is a calculated value, depending on the raw materials used.

15

Preparation method: LR100-15D continuous kneader from Buss; filled with low shear elements; speed is 25-50 r.p.m .; 1016715 capacity is 15 kg per hour; structure and hardness determined by one of rheology equipment (UDS and a Texture Analyzer); chew duration determined by an indicative panel; 5 shelflife determined by: 1. on various shelf-life climate chambers; 2. tested for microbiological and 3. for oxidative properties.

1016 715

Claims (10)

Method for preparing a chewable mass in which a mixture containing at least gluten and water is kneaded until the gluten molecules have undergone a degree of unraveling such that a chewable product with the desired properties is obtained, in particular the the following kneading conditions are applied: a) temperature: 50-80 ° C; b) knee energy: 50-800 kJ per kg of mixture. The method of claim 1, wherein the kneading time is 5-50 minutes. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mixture comprises: 30-60% by weight gluten; 10-50% by weight of sugar (s) or sugar substitute (s); 10-30% by weight of water; Wherein said amounts are based on the total weight of the mixture, and optionally other conventional components, the sum of all components being 100% by weight. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the gluten / sugar weight ratio is in the range of 1: 1 to 3: 2. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the gluten is from wheat. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the gluten is unchanged vital wheat gluten. 7. Method as claimed in one or more of the foregoing claims, wherein fructose-containing glucose syrup is used as sugar. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein rice starch, hardened coconut fat and / or gum arabic are used as other components. 9. Method according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein anti-microbiological agents, antioxidants, flavorings and / or colorants are included in the mixture. A chewable product based on a chewable mass that can be obtained according to the method of one or more of the preceding claims. 1016 715 COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) REPORT ON NEWNESS RESEARCH OF INTERNATIONAL TYPE IDENTIFICATION OF THE NATIONAL APPLICATION FEATURE OF THE APPLICANT OR OF THE AUTHORIZED N043692 ABA Dutch application no. Date of the request for an international type examination by International Institution (ISA) request for an international type examination no. SN 36293 EN I. CLASSIFICATION OF THE SUBJECT (if different classifications are applied, specify aldassification syntools) ) According to the International Classification (IPC) lnt.CI.7: A23G3 / 30 A23J3 / 14 II. TECHNICAL FIELDS EXAMINED Minimum Documentation Examined Classification System Ciassication Symbols lnt.CI.7: A23J A23G Documentation other than the minimum documentation investigated, to the extent that such documents are included in the investigated areas _ III. Q NO RESEARCH POSSIBLE FOR CERTAIN CONCLUSIONS (comments on supplement sheet) IV * □ LACK OF UNIT OF INVENTION (comments on supplement sheet) Form PCT / ISA 201 a (11/2000)