RU2292154C2 - Frozen sweet product and method for production thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: confectionary industry, in particular ice-cream production.

SUBSTANCE: claimed product contains (mass %) fat 2-12; sweeteners 10-25; defatted dry milk matters 2-15; starch 0.5-3; and water 45-85. Product is obtained by freezing at temperature from -3°C to -7°C and has overrun ratio of 70-130 %. Method for production of frozen sweet product also is disclosed.

EFFECT: frozen sweet products with reduced cost and increased resistance to temperature differential without losses of organoleptic characteristics.

11 cl, 1 dwg, 4 tbl

Description

The present invention relates to the field of frozen sweet foods and, in particular, to ice cream.

Ice cream is traditionally made using ingredients such as fat, skimmed milk solids, sweeteners, emulsifiers and water. The various ingredients are homogenized, then the mixture is pasteurized, cooled, and (optionally) ripened at a temperature of about 2 to 4 ° C and deep frozen under stirring with air injection to ensure a degree of overrun from 75 to 120%.

In most cases, starch is often used as a thickener and / or binder in the food industry due to its physicochemical and rheological properties. Therefore, numerous documents describe the use of native or gelatinized starch, physically or chemically modified or unmodified starch in frozen sweet foods as a fat substitute or structurant.

Frozen sweet foods are valued primarily for their creamy taste and buttery texture. However, in order to maintain an optimum oiliness index, these products must be stored and transported under gentle conditions. During storage, sale or transportation, temperature fluctuations, even slight ones, can occur. This is especially true in cases where the consumer buys a frozen sweet product, but does not immediately consume it and it takes some time between the removal of the product from the deep freezing section and placing it in a home freezer. In such circumstances, significant or partial thawing of the product may occur, followed by repeated freezing. These cycles of temperature fluctuations cause the growth of ice crystals in the product, resulting in the formation of a crystallization structure of the product. Such a structure and the feeling of ice crystals in the tongue when consuming a product in food, along with a deterioration in its appearance, negatively affect or, in other words, reduce the commercial quality of the product, which immediately affects consumer demand.

As additives that enhance stability, preserve the creamy taste and resistance of frozen sweet foods to temperature extremes, various gums and / or emulsifiers were used. Among them are guar gum, carob bean flour or guar flour, alginates, carboxymethyl cellulose, xanthan, carrageenan, artificial or natural emulsifiers such as egg yolk. Milk proteins contained in milk solids also participate in this stabilization due to their water-binding ability.

However, the use of gums has the disadvantage that in some cases the texture of the product becomes somewhat hard or rubbery. Moreover, the addition of such stabilizing compounds is often poorly perceived by the consumer, so their use is regulated by food law. Additives such as skimmed milk solids and / or milk proteins or their derivatives are quite expensive.

To solve the problem, the present invention provides an inexpensive composition of frozen sweet foods, which is able to increase their resistance to temperature changes without compromising their organoleptic properties.

The present invention relates to a frozen sweet product, in particular ice cream containing fat, sweeteners, skim milk solids, water and starch, characterized in that the total amount of starch and skim milk solids in it is from 2.5 to 18%, and the fact that the mass ratio between starch and skimmed solids of milk is from 0.03 to 1.5.

The frozen sweet product according to the present invention contains from 2 to 12% fat, from 10 to 25% sweeteners, from 2 to 15% fat-free milk solids, from 0.5 to 3% starch, and from 45 to 85% water.

By the percentage of components in the description of the invention is meant% by weight with the exception of the degree of overrun, which is expressed in volume%.

According to the invention, the partial replacement of traditionally used skimmed milk solids with starch allows to achieve significant cost savings and at the same time increase the stability of the product to temperature extremes. In addition, the resulting product has a creamy taste and an oily consistency similar or even superior to those of a traditional product. In addition to economic advantages, the present invention can simultaneously improve the pleasantness of frozen sweet foods in use, as well as their texture and organoleptic properties.

The starch used in the composition of the product according to the invention may be native starch or chemically or physically modified starch. This can be, for example, native starch of corn, rice, potato, tapioca, or a mixture thereof, or chemically modified starches of the same cultures, for example, hydroxypropylated starches. The gelatinization temperature of such starches is from about 50 to 85 ° C, the grain size is from about 3 to 100 microns.

In addition to starch, the production of a frozen sweet product according to the invention uses skim milk solids, for example in the form of skimmed milk powder or condensed skim milk. It can also be dry or condensed skimmed sweet whey or a commercially available mixture of milk powder and whey proteins, the functionality of which is controlled by means of a special treatment that causes their denaturation. An example is the Nollibel mixture.

Frozen compositions according to the invention may (optionally) include one or more emulsifiers in an amount of from 0.2 to 0.3%, which facilitate the emulsification of various ingredients in the manufacturing process. As emulsifiers, for example, mono- or diglycerides or polysorbates or mixtures thereof can be used.

The frozen sweet products of the present invention may contain stabilizers, for example, carob bean flour, guar flour, alginates, carboxymethyl cellulose, xanthan, carrageenan, which can be used individually or as a mixture in an amount of from 0.1 to 0.5%, preferably 0.25%.

The fat used may be vegetable or animal hydrogenated or otherwise processed. It may be a mixture of vegetable fats, for example palm, coconut or palm kernel oils, hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated.

As sweeteners, sucrose, glucose, fructose or glucose syrup with different dextrose equivalents (DE) from 20 to 40 or a mixture thereof can be used. Additives such as colorants, for example beta-carotene, and / or flavors or fragrances traditionally used in frozen sweet foods, such as vanilla or chocolate, may also be included in the product formulation of the invention.

Frozen sweet products according to the invention may contain non-fat dry solids of milk, sweeteners, fat and water. A proportional ratio of ingredients, such as starch and skimmed milk solids, allows for increased product stability, as well as a significant reduction in product prices. This cost saving is achieved by partially replacing the traditionally used skimmed milk solids with starch. In this case, the organoleptic properties of the frozen compositions according to the invention do not deteriorate compared to traditional products. The creamy taste and oily consistency of the products are improved and, in particular, are better preserved during storage. In the frozen compositions according to the invention, the use of starch instead of part of skimmed milk solids allows to achieve a decrease in the rate of melting of finished products and increase their resistance to temperature extremes.

Frozen compositions according to the invention may have a solids content of from 25 to 45%, preferably from 30 to 40%, more preferably from 33 to 36%. Compositions according to the invention may optionally (optionally) contain additives such as, for example, fruits or slices of fruits, or nuts or hazelnuts, whole or grated.

The present invention relates to a method for the production of frozen sweet foods, comprising the following steps:

- dispersing, heat treating and homogenizing the ingredients of the frozen sweet product of the present invention at a temperature, pressure and for a period of time sufficient to hydrate and gelatinize the starch and pasteurize the mixture,

- cooling the mixture to a temperature of from 2 to 8 ° C,

- ripening of the mixture at a temperature of from 2 to 6 ° C without stirring,

- milling at temperatures from -3 to -7 ° C, providing a degree of overrun from 70 to 130%,

- hardening the mixture with deep freezing to a temperature of from -20 to -40 ° C.

The stage of maturation of the mixture can be carried out (optional) with stirring.

The ingredients included in the frozen sweet product according to the present invention can be dispersed, for example, at a temperature of about 60-70 ° C for about 15-30 minutes. The mixture can be subjected to heat treatment and homogenization, for example, at a temperature of about 70-75 ° C and a pressure of about 140-220 bar. The stages of dispersion, heat treatment and homogenization allow for hydration and swelling of starch.

The mixture can then be pasteurized by methods known to those skilled in the art, for example, at a temperature of about 80-90 ° C. for 10-30 seconds. The stage of homogenization - heat treatment can be carried out at a pasteurization temperature, which in fact will ensure pasteurization of the mixture. Then the mixture can be cooled to about 2-8 ° C by known methods. After that, it is possible to carry out the maturation of the mixture, for example, for 4 to 48 hours at a temperature of about 2-6 ° C under stirring conditions or without stirring. After the maturation stage, the mixture can be milled at a temperature of from about -3 to -7 ° C under stirring with gas injection to achieve a degree of overrun of about 70-130%, for example. Then, the frozen mixture can be quenched by freezing at a temperature of from about −20 ° C. to −40 ° C., for example.

After the maturation stage, the frozen compositions can, for example, be extruded in the form of knels with a greater or lesser degree of overrun, in an extruder with a cooling system used in the industrial production of ice cream, with or without gas injection.

To assess the effect of partial replacement of skimmed milk solids with starch, various microscopic and macroscopic studies of the texture of products can be carried out.

Ice Cream Melting Measurement

Samples for melting are carried out both on samples stored at -30 ° C, and on samples that were subjected to temperature extremes.

Standard temperature difference: samples originally stored at -30 ° C are exposed to a temperature cycle of -10 / 20 ° C for 7 days. After 7 days, the melting parameters of the samples that were subjected to a temperature difference are evaluated.

The temperature during the melting test is set at 20 ° C in a chamber saturated with moisture. Before the sample, the samples are tempered overnight at -20 ° C. Each ice cream sample is removed from the mold and placed on a wire rack over the scales. The duration of the test is approximately 30 to 240 minutes. The mass of the unmelted product is recorded over time. The measured parameters are as follows:

M: the amount of product in wt.% That flowed through the grate at the end of the test.

S: time required for draining 1% of the initial mass of the product.

Measuring the viscosity of mixtures for frozen sweet foods

The viscosity measurement of the mixture is carried out during its maturation, for example, at a temperature of about 4 ° C. The measuring probe is introduced into the mixture and connected to an electric motor, which drives it at a predetermined constant speed.

Viscosity can be measured at about 4 ° C using a Brookfield LVT-DV2 viscometer. The rotation speed of the sample can be set, for example, about 30 revolutions per minute.

The viscosity value is read from the display of the viscometer. This viscosity can be expressed in Pa · s or as a multiple.

Sizes of ice crystals in ice cream and their size distribution

An aliquot of ice cream is mixed with an equivalent amount of glycerol and observed under a microscope at a temperature of -10 ° C. Measurements can be carried out in a chamber at -10 ° C, equipped with a microscope and a camera. It is by this method that the average crystal diameter (in microns) can be measured in finished products and in products that have been subjected to a temperature drop. Knowing the average diameter of the crystals, it is easy to estimate the crystal growth that occurred in the product.

Embodiments of the invention include, for example, frozen bars, ice cream, frozen yogurt and any frozen sweet foods or desserts with a greater or lesser degree of overrun.

Therefore, it can be observed that samples containing, for example, 1.5% starch and 6% non-fat dry solids of milk have a uniform viscosity compared to a control sample traditionally containing 10% non-fat dry solids of milk and not containing starch. The mixture after the maturation stage does not show a tendency to phase separation and no signs of the formation of a jelly-like structure, it can be pumped.

With regard to resistance to temperature differences, the measured parameters indicate a slowdown in the melting rate of samples containing starch, compared with a traditional product.

Frozen sweet products according to the invention are characterized by increased stability and organoleptic properties comparable to those of traditional products. The products according to the invention retain their organoleptic properties, i.e. creamy taste and oily texture, during storage in the frozen state, transportation, sale and, most importantly, at temperature changes that adversely affect these organoleptic properties. In these products, in fact, a decrease in crystal growth is observed in comparison with traditional products, which determines their oily consistency, which remains even under adverse storage conditions, which cause the formation of ice crystals, which can lead to the formation of a crystallization and sandy structure. This functionality allows predicting the production, storage and sale of products according to the invention in terms of time, volumes and capacities of storage chambers.

Therefore, the frozen sweet product according to the present invention is characterized in that it retains an oily consistency and is characterized by a decrease in crystal growth at a temperature drop, followed by repeated freezing.

The expression "reduction in crystal growth" should be understood to mean an increase in the average diameter of ice crystals of less than 50% after the temperature difference (see table 4).

The following is a description of the present invention, specific non-limiting examples of its implementation and variants of the formulations. However, various simplifications and / or modifications of the invention are possible within the scope of the claimed claims. Production of various samples

Various examples of the production of a frozen sweet product constituting the subject of the present invention are provided in accordance with the formulations shown in table 1 (see below).

The various ingredients are dispersed at 65 ° C. and then hydrated at 60 ° C. for 20 minutes. The mixture is preheated to a temperature of 72 ° C, at which the starch present is gelatinized, which is actually the purpose of heating. The mixture is then homogenized under a pressure of 180 bar in a homogenizer traditionally used in the manufacture of ice cream, after which it is pasteurized at 86 ° C for 20 seconds. After cooling to 5 ° C, the mixture matures for 24 hours at 4 ° C without stirring. In conclusion, the mixture is frozen at a temperature of about -5 ° C with a degree of overrun of 100%. The resulting ice cream is quenched at -30 ° C by traditional methods.

Table 1 Example 1 Example 2 Example 3 Example 4 Example 5 Nollibel 10 6 6 6 0 Skimmed milk powder 0 0 0 0 10 Oxypropylated Potato Starch 0 1,5 0 0 0 Hydroxypropyl Tapioca Starch 0 0 0 1,5 0 Native corn starch 0 0 1,5 0 0 Cremodan 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 Vegetable Fat Polawar 8 8 8 8 8 Sugar fourteen fifteen fifteen fifteen fourteen Dextrose equivalent glucose syrup DE 38-42 four 5 5 5 four Water 63.5 64.5 64.5 64.5 63.5

Nollibel: A mixture of milk powder and functional whey proteins.

Cremodan: a mixture of emulsifiers and stabilizers.

Polawar: A mixture of fractionated and partially hydrogenated vegetable fat from coconut kernels (copra).

Fluctuations in viscosity of mixtures

The drawing shows the viscosity values of the mixtures and the limits of its fluctuations at the maturation stage at 4 ° C.

All mixtures are homogeneous after 24 hours of maturation, i.e. they do not observe phase separation, despite the absence of mixing. Mixtures remain fluid, i.e. they can be pumped, and do not form a gel. You can notice only a slight increase in viscosity over the period of time in which measurements are taken. In addition, the range of viscosity values is very narrow and lies within the viscosity values in the control examples (examples 1 and 5).

Melting Tests:

table 2 Samples stored at -30 ° C Solids content (%) S (min) Vibration limit M (%) Vibration limit Example 1 36.5 31 thirty Example 2 35.6 31 0.00% 24 -20.00% Example 3 35.9 49 58.06% 21 -30.00% Example 4 35.9 48 54.84% 19 -36.67% Example 5 36.5 fifty 61.29% 40 33.33% Table 3 Samples after temperature difference Solids content (%) S (min) Vibration limit M (%) Vibration limit Example 1 36.5 26.5 51 Example 2 35.6 44 66.04% 40 -21.57% Example 3 35.9 52 96.23% 34 -33.33% Example 4 35.9 43 62.26% 25 -50.98% Example 5 36.5 40 50.94% 53 3.92%

Tables 2 and 3 show that all samples containing starch begin to melt later (S values are always higher, the increase can be up to 100%, or equal) than the control, and the percentage of molten product at the end of the test is always less than in the control . These conclusions are true not only for products stored at -30 ° C, but, which is especially important, also for products subjected to temperature differences.

Crystal Size and Crystal Growth

Table 4 The average diameter of the ice crystals (microns) Growth after temperature difference Storage at -30 ° C After a temperature difference μm % Example 1 32 49 16 53 Example 2 thirty 45 fifteen 49 Example 3 32 42 10 31 Example 4 31 44 13.5 43 Example 5 thirty fifty 19.5 67

Table 4 shows the average diameter of ice crystals in various frozen foods. It can be observed that in products containing starch, the average diameter of ice crystals is less than in control, especially after a temperature difference. Samples with starch show a tendency to increase the size of crystals, but to a much lesser extent than in the control. An analysis of the size and size distribution of ice crystals shows that the partial replacement of skimmed milk solids with starch increases the stability of the samples at a temperature difference.

Sensory analysis

The texture and taste of the five samples were evaluated by a group of specially trained tasters.

A questionnaire distributed among group members contained descriptive attributes for:

- textures

- sweet taste

- smell.

All characteristics of the texture contain a full description of its sensory perception, reflecting the differences between products. Judging by the descriptions of taste and smell, the products did not seem to significantly differ in these indicators. Moreover, starch samples received a higher mark for the creamy taste noted in them.

Samples with starch (compared with control samples) are characterized by a more pronounced aftertaste, have a slightly harder and more uniform consistency, did not melt so fast, were less cold and somewhat more rubbery, which probably indicates the presence of crystals in the control sample. This confirms that samples containing starch can better withstand temperature extremes.

Claims (11)

1. Frozen sweet product containing by weight from 2 to 12% fat, from 10 to 25% sweeteners, from 2 to 15% fat-free milk solids, from 0.5 to 3% starch, and from 45 to 85% water, obtained by freezing at temperatures from -3 to -7 ° C, providing a degree of overrun from 70 to 130%. 2. The frozen sweet product according to claim 1, characterized in that the starch is selected from the group comprising native starch of potato, corn, tapioca or rice, or a mixture thereof. 3. The frozen sweet product according to claim 1, characterized in that the starch is a chemically or physically modified starch. 4. The frozen sweet product according to claim 1, containing one or more emulsifiers. 5. The frozen sweet product according to claim 1, characterized in that it contains at least one stabilizer selected from the following group: carob bean flour or guar flour, alginates, cellulose, xanthan, carrageenans. 6. The frozen sweet product according to claim 1, characterized in that the skimmed milk solids are selected from the group consisting of skimmed milk powder or condensed milk, skimmed milk powder or condensed skimmed milk, a milk powder and whey protein produced by the industry. 7. The frozen sweet product according to claim 1, characterized in that the sweeteners are selected from the group consisting of sucrose, glucose, fructose or glucose syrups or a mixture thereof. 8. The frozen sweet product according to claim 7, characterized in that the glucose syrups have a dextrose equivalent DE from 20 to 40. 9. A frozen sweet product according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that it retains its oily consistency and is characterized by a decrease in the growth of ice crystals during a temperature drop, followed by repeated freezing. 10. A method of manufacturing a frozen sweet product according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising the following steps: dispersing, heat treating and homogenizing the ingredients that make up the frozen sweet product at a temperature, pressure and for a period of time sufficient to hydrate and gelatinize the starch and pasteurize the mixture, cooling the mixture to a temperature of from 2 to 8 ° C, maturation of the mixture at a temperature of 2 to 6 ° C without stirring, milling at temperatures from -3 to -7 ° C, providing a degree of overrun from 70 to 130%, hardening the mixture by deep freezing to a temperature of from -20 to -40 ° C. 11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the stage of maturation of the mixture is carried out with stirring.