OA11000A

OA11000A - Cooking aid of the bar type

Info

Publication number: OA11000A
Application number: OA9900063A
Authority: OA
Inventors: Valerie Guillain-Beauvois
Original assignee: Nestle Sa
Priority date: 1998-03-20
Filing date: 1999-03-19
Publication date: 2003-03-03
Also published as: JP2000060505A; AU759559B2; IL128749A0; AR015550A1; ID22264A; HUP9900701A3; CA2262793A1; RU2216259C2; GT199900041A; TR199900605A2; AU2123899A; TR199900605A3; NZ334732A; CO5050307A1; PL332066A1; EP0950358A1; ZA992189B; HU9900701D0; BR9902015A; CZ97899A3

Abstract

A culinary additive product in the form of a bar with an irregular surface comprises visual elements (8-50 wt.%), contained in a binder comprising fat (15-35%) and a dehydrated base (20-70%). Independent claims are also included for: (1) the preparation comprising mixing the ingredients, shaping the mixture, cutting and cooling; and (2) an apparatus for the preparation of the culinary product.

Description

Cooking aid of the bar type w u U U

The subject of the présent invention is a cooking aid ofthe bar type, a process for its préparation and a plantfor carrying out the process. US-A-4060645 (Risler et al.) describes a dehydratedproduct in the form of grains instantly soluble in waterwhich hâve a continuous porous texture and a smoothsurface which can be obtained by extruding, in a vesselwhere a subatmospheric pressure exists, a food materialcomprising fruit, vegetable or seed extracts, starches,gums or alginates, méat, fish or yeast extracts, and/orprotein hydrolysates, for example. US-A-4946693 (Risler et al.) describes a food productconsisting of a dehydrated mass in the form of a powderor of flakes of milk, fat, gelatinized starch, méat andvegetable extracts or protein hydrolysates, for example,and of a filling of partially dehydrated vegetable, méator pasta pièces, for example, this filling beingpackaged separately.

The aim of the présent invention is to provide a cookingaid in an attractive individual form having, in itsmass, visually identifiable pièces of vegetables, méator other filling, fat and pulvérulent flavouringingrédients, for example.

To this effect, the cooking aid of the bar typeaccording to the présent invention has the shape of abar with an irregular surface and comprises 8-50% byweight of visual components held in a cernent consistingof 15-35% fat and 20-70% dehydrated base.

Likewise, the process for the préparation of a cookingaid of the bar type according to the présent inventioncomprises the successive steps of mixing the visualcomponents with the molten fat and the dehydrated base, 011000 - 2 - forming a rolled-out product from the mixture obtained,cutting and cooling.

Finally, the plant for carrying out the process for thepréparation of a cooking aid of the bar type accordingto the présent invention comprises a device for mixingthe visual components with the molten fat and thedehydrated base, a device for forming a rolled-outproduct from the mixture obtained, a cutting device anda cooling device.

The cooking aid according to the présent invention -effectively has ail the desired ingrédients in one andthe same bar of attractive appearance because of theidentifiable visual components or pièces within itsmass. The visual components are just coated with cernenttherein. The cooking aid has a loose structure and acapacity to break up easily which increases as afunction of the percentage of visual components.

The process and the plant according to the présentinvention make it possible to préparé this cooking aidin a simple manner and in a limited number of steps.

In the présent disclosure, the expression "in the formof a bar" should be understood as having the shape of abar of relatively small size, with a parallelepipedalsection and a few cm in length, for example.

The expression "visual components" should be understoodas components whose size is sufficiently large and whosecolour exhibits sufficient contrast relative to that ofthe cernent to be distinguished with the naked eye.

The term "cernent" should be understood as a mass ofhomogeneous texture and colour capable of ensuring thecohésion of the cooking aid after cooling despite itshigh content of visual components. 011000 3

The cooking aid according to the présent inventiontherefore comprises 8-50% by weight of visualcomponents held in a cernent consisting of 15-35% fatand 20-70% dehydrated base.

In this cooking aid, the visual components may bedehydrated pièces of any food product which can be takeninto considération as a filling.

These visual components may be in particular pièces ofone or more vegetables, fruits, aromatic herbs, méats,fish and/or crustacea, spices and/or whole or crushedseeds, for example.

The fat may comprise at least one vegetable fat and/orone animal fat, hydrogenated or otherwise andsupplemented or otherwise with an antioxidant.

This fat preferably is of a type or has a compositionsuch that it is solid at room température, in otherwords at a température of between about 20 and 30°C, forexample. A hydrogenated palm fat which has a meltingpoint of between 41 and 46°C is particularly suitable inthis regard.

The dehydrated base may comprise food materials infinely subdivided form chosen according to theircapacity to confer adéquate flavour or texture on thecooking aid, for example.

This dehydrated base may comprise in particularflavouring agents such as sugars, saits, spices, fruit,vegetable or méat extracts, protein hydrolysates, yeastautolysates, products of the Maillard reaction orflavour molécules, taste-enhancing agents such as 5'-nucleotides or glutamate, and/or binding agents such asstarches, maltodextrins, gums or alginates, for example. 011000 4

The cooking aid may finally comprise technologicaladditives such as lecithin, which is used to enhance theplasticity of the initial mixture, for example.

To carry out the process for the préparation of acooking aid according to the présent invention, it ispossible to add the dehydrated base to the molten fat,to mix and to add the visual components after mixing,for example. The température of the molten fat may beabout 50-70°C, for example.

The température of the mixture of the visual componentswith the molten fat and the dehydrated base ispreferably adjusted to a value such that it hasadéquate plastic properties for the formation of arolled-out prôduct, without being either too liquid ortoo hard. A température of about 35-45°C can berecommended in this regard.

It is possible to form a rolled-out product from themixture by lamination and/or extrusion, for example,the main considération being that little pressureshould be exerted on the mixture during the operation.

It is possible to form a rolled-out product from themixture by causing it to pass between two or threecontiguous rollers and/or between a transfer table andone or two successive rollers, the rollers and/or thetable being preferably smooth and capable of beingregulated in terms of température, for example. Thetempérature of the rollers may be adjusted to a valueof between 3 5 and 50 °C, and that of the table to avalue of between 10 and 40°C, for example.

It is thus possible to form a rolled-out prôduct fromthe mixture which is 5 to 30 mm thick, preferably 8 to20 mm thick, for example. 011000 - 5 -

It is possible to eut the strip longitudinally in orderto form bands having the desired width of the bar,especially a width of 5-50 mm, preferably 15-30 mm, forexample. It is also possible to eut the bandstransversely, in order to obtain individual bars,especially bars 30-120 mm long, for example.

In a spécifie embodiment of the présent process, atendency of the bar to break up is reduced by sprayingor coating liquid fat or remelting fat at the surfaceof the bar.

It is then possible to cool the bars, especially bycausing them to pass through a cooling tunnel in whichair at 5-10°C is circulated, for example.

In the plant for carrying out the process for thepréparation of a cooking aid according to the présentinvention, the device for mixing the visual componentswith the molten fat and the dehydrated base maycomprise a jacketed mixer, in particular a band mixer,for· example. A jacketed mixer can serve simultaneously as a devicefor adjusting the température of the mixture to anappropriate value, in particular by circulating acooling fluid at about 30-70°C, for example.

The mixing device may be connected to the device forforming a rolled-out product through transportingmeans, preferably thermoregulated, such as a beltconveyor or an Archimedean screw, the belt or the screwending above a hopper for supplying the device forforming a rolled-out product, for example.

The device for forming a rolled-out product may be ofthe laminating machine and/or extruder type and maycomprise two or three contiguous rollers and/or atransfer table surmounted by one or two successive 011000 - s - rollers, the rollers and the table being preferablysmooth and thermoregulated, for example.

The cutting device may comprise longitudinal cuttingmeans comprising in particular rotating knives mountedon a rotating transverse axis, these knives rotating inlongitudinal slits provided in a cutting table providedin the extension of the transfer table, for example.

These knives may comprise self-cleaning blades rotatingat very high speeds, in particular at more than 3000révolutions per min, for example. The spacing of theknives or the distance between successive knives on theaxis may be adjusted as a function of the widfh whichit is desired to give the bars.

The cutting device may comprise, in addition,transverse cutting means comprising in particular aguillotine or a water jet cutting System.

Finally, a cooling device may be provided in the formof . a tunnel featuring cold air circulation throughwhich the cooking aids may be transported by a conveyorbelt which collects them at the outlet of the cuttingdevice, for example.

The plant for carrying out the process for thepréparation of a cooking aid according to the présentinvention is described below with reference to theaccompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic side view of an embodimentof the plant.

In the embodiment represented in Figure 1, the présentplant comprises a mixing device (1,2), a device forforming a rolled-out product (5-9), a cutting device(10-14) and a cooling device (15). 011000 - 7 -

The mixing device comprises a jacketed band (2) mixer(1). It is connected to the device for forming arolled-out product through an Archimedean screw (3)ending above a feed hopper (4).

The device for forming a rolled-out product is of thelaminating machine type and comprises two contiguousrollers (5,6) followed by a transfer table (7)surmounted by two successive rollers (8 and 9) . Thegaps between the two contiguous rollers and thenbetween the rollers and the table decrease gradually soas to form a rolled-out product having a graduallyreduced thickness to a desired final value.

The cutting device is provided in an extension of thetransfer tablé after the last laminating roller (9) andit comprises longitudinal cutting means (10) andtransverse cutting means (12).

The longitudinal cutting means comprise rotating knives (10) mounted on a rotating transverse axis (11) . Theseknives rotate in longitudinal slits provided in acutting table made in the extension of the transfertable (7) . The spacing of the knives is adjustableaccording to the width which it is desired to give thebands eut out of the rolled-out product.

The transverse cutting means comprise a guillotine(12) .

The individual bars (13) eut out of the bands by theguillotine fall on a conveyor belt (14) whichtransports them through a cooling tunnel (15) featuringcold air circulation.

The cooking aid of the bar type according to theprésent invention is intended to be used as a seasoningfor cooking any dish such as méat, vegetable or pasta.It is particularly well suited to commercialization as 011000 - 8 - an accompanying dish for pasta or rice, in particularas an accompanying dish for oriental pasta, in the verypacket containing these types of pasta. Finally, it isalso suitable for the préparation of clear brothsenriched with a coloured filling.

The cooking aid according to the présent invention andthe process for its manufacture are illustrated belowwith the aid of examples in which the percentages areindicated by weight.

Example 1 A cooking aid is prepared with the aid of a plantsimilar to that represented in Figure 1, except for thefact that in’ place of the laminating machine typedevice as represented, a press with smooth rollers isused which is marketed under the name FORMPRESS type GPby the German company BEPEX-HUTT.

The following ingrédients are mixed in a band mixer, in% by weight of the mixture :

Hydrogenated palm fat 30% (melting point 44-46°C)

Fine sait 43%

Sodium glutamate 2%

Ground white onion 9%

Flavouring agent giving ameat-like flavour 3%

Glucose syrup 1%

Dehydrated carrots (6x6x2 mm) 6%

Freeze-dried onion (3x3x3 mm) 4%

Dehydrated parsley leaf 2%

To préparé this mixture, the hydrogenated palm fat ismelted and heated beforehand to a température of58.5°C. The température of the mixer jacket is 011000 - 9 - maintained at 50’C. The band rotâtes at 12 révolutionsper min. The ingrédients are thus mixed for 12 min. A sandy but cohesive mass having a température of5 41.5°C is obtained as mixture. A rolled-out product 12 mm thick is formed from themixture. It is longitudinally eut into bands 25 mmwide. The bands are then eut into bars 3 5 mm long and 10 they are cooled to room température.

The cooking aid thus obtained has the shape of a bar ofrectangular section and with an irregular surface inwhich the coloured vegetables corne out well on a pale 15 yellow cernent background.

Claims

10 011000 Claims

1. Cooking aid having the shape of a bar with anirregular surface and comprising 8-50% by weightof visual components held in a cernent consistingof 15-35% fat and 20-70% dehydrated base.

2. Cooking aid according to Claim 1, in which thevisual components are dehydrated pièces of one ormore vegetables, fruits, aromatic herbs, méats,fish and/or crustacea, spices and/or whole orcrushed seeds.

3. Cooking aid according to Claim 1, in which the fatcomprises at least one vegetable fat and/or oneanimal fat, hydrogenated or otherwise andsupplemented or otherwise with an antioxidant, andit is solid at room température.

4. Cooking aid according to Claim 1, in which thedehydrated base comprises food materials in finelysubdivided form.

5. Process for the préparation of a cooking aidaccording to one of Claims 1-4, comprising thesuccessive steps of mixing the visual componentswith the molten fat and the dehydrated base,forming a rolled-out product from the mixtureobtained, cutting and cooling.

6. Process according to Claim 5, in which thetempérature of the mixture of the visual componentswith the molten fat and the dehydrated base isadjusted to a value such that it exhibits suitableplastic properties for the formation of a rolled-out product.

7. Process according to Claim 6, in which thedehydrated base is added to the molten fat, mixed, 011000 - 11 - the visual components are added after mixing, andthe température of the mixture is adjusted to 35-45°C.

8. Plant for carrying out the process for the préparation of a cooking aid according to one ofClaims 5-7, comprising a device for mixing thevisual components with the molten fat and thedehydrated base, a device for forming à rolled-out 10 product from the mixture obtained, a cutting device and a cooling device.

9. Plant according to Claim 8, in which the device forforming a rolled-out product is of the laminating 15 machine and/or extruder type with smooth rollers.

10. Plant according to Claim 8, in which the cuttingdevice comprises longitudinal cutting means andtransverse cutting means.