WO1999008545A1

WO1999008545A1 - Pureed pastries and baked goods

Info

Publication number: WO1999008545A1
Application number: PCT/US1998/015406
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kathie L. Sheldon
Original assignee: Hormel Foods Corporation
Priority date: 1997-08-15
Filing date: 1998-07-24
Publication date: 1999-02-25
Also published as: AU8588298A

Abstract

A method of preparing a baked food item that has the visual appearance of a non-pureed baked food item comprises the steps of saturating the item with an aqueous ionic solution, applying an aqueous gellan gum dispersion to the softened baked food item, and freezing the baked food item. The pureed baked good can be consumed without the need for chewing and has a low amount of free water to reduce the danger of aspiration.

Description

PUREED PASTRIES AND BAKED GOODS

FIELP OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to pureed baked food items that have the visual appearance of a solid baked food item. The invention also relates to methods of making such pureed baked goods.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many patients in healthcare facilities have difficulties swallowing or chewing food. To accommodate such patients, these facilities commonly puree various foods to eliminate the need for chewing and to make them easier to swallow. In a typical pureeing process, a liquid is added to the food to assist in formation of the puree and to make the food easier to swallow. This practice has two important drawbacks: the presence of free water can lead to aspiration by the patient.

Attempts have been made to overcome one or more of these problems by pureeing food products and then re-forming them into a shape that is intended to resemble the original food product. While this method may be suitable for meats, vegetables, and the like, this is difficult to accomplish with a baked good, such as a roll, cookie or a piece of cake. Heeps, U.S. Patent No. 5,384,150 describes a process for making a cooked pureed meat product wherein a meat product is ground or chopped to obtain a reduced particle size. Food starches are added to the ground or chopped meat and liquid is added to create the desired consistency. Upon heating the pureed meat product, the starches absorb the liquid and allow the pureed meat product to retain its shape. There is a need for a way to prepare pureed baked goods that have relatively low free water content and a pleasing visual appearance. Such items would help in providing an appealing, well balanced diet to persons with chewing and/or swallowing difficulties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides a method of preparing a pureed baked food comprising the steps of saturating the baked food with an aqueous ionic solution, applying an aqueous gellan gum dispersion to the baked food and freezing the baked food. The invention also provides pureed baked goods that have the visual appearance of a solid baked good.

As used herein, the term "pureed baked good" is used to refer to a baked good such as a roll, bagel, English muffin, waffle, pancake, French toast, cake, donut, bread, muffin, cookie and the like that has been softened to a degree that chewing is not required before swallowing the food. Preferably the pureed baked good of the invention contains limited free water because this not only results in difficulties in handling the pureed baked good but because the danger of aspiration increases with the amount of free water present.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The pureed baked good of the invention, which has the visual appearance of a non-pureed baked good, is prepared by a process that does not require comminution and subsequent reforming of the baked good. The process therefore allows for the production of a wide variety of pureed baked goods, such as rolls, cookies, pancakes, waffles, French toast, muffins, donuts, cakes, breads and the like, that heretofore could not be readily produced in pureed form.

In the process of the invention, the baked good is softened by saturating the baked good with an aqueous ionic solution. The aqueous ionic solution is a water solution that contains positive ions such as, for example, sodium, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. The water softens the baked good, while the ions that are present in the solution interact with the gellan gum that is applied to the baked good in a later step. Although any non-toxic source of positive ions can be used as part of the aqueous ionic solution it is generally preferred to use a sugar as the source of ions because sugars have water binding properties and can give a desirable flavor to the baked good. Any of the known sugars or polyhydric alcohols can be used, including but not limited to, the pentoses, xylose, arabinose, glucose, galactose, mannose, fructose, sorbose, lactose, maltose, dextrose, sucrose, maltodextrins, high fructose corn syrup, molasses, honey, maple syrup and brown sugar. Of these, glucose, fructose and sucrose are generally referred sources of ions. If desired, other ingredients such as flavoring agents may be added to the aqueous ionic solution. A sufficient amount of the ion source should be used to provide a sufficient number of positive ions to interact with the gellan gum without imparting undesirable qualities, such as an overly sweet taste, to the baked good. In general, the aqueous ionic solution contains about 3 to 20 wt-% of a sugar or other ion source, preferably about 5 to 15 wt-%.

The baked good is contacted with the aqueous ionic solution for a sufficient amount of time to allow the baked good to become softened and saturated by the solution. An even distribution of the solution throughout the baked good also helps to provide uniform ionic interaction with the gellan gum. The amount of aqueous ionic solution applied and the length of time the baked good is exposed to the aqueous ionic solution will vary according to various factors such as the size, texture and density of the baked good. A relatively small and/or thin baked good such as a cookie will require less exposure, while a relatively dense baked good such as a muffin will require longer exposure. In general, the baked good is soaked in the aqueous ionic solution for about 5 to 60 seconds. The solution can be applied by soaking, spraying, dipping, or any other means known to those of skill in the art. For example, the baked good can be placed on a continuous production line, or the baked goods can be placed into individual trays or containers or a multi-pocketed tray into which the aqueous ionic solution is then placed. After the baked good has been softened by the aqueous ionic solution, an aqueous gellan gum dispersion is applied to the softened baked good. Gellan gum is a multi-functional polysaccharide consisting of glucose, gluconic acid and rhamnose units. In forming a dispersion of gellan gum and water, it is important that the gum be completely hydrated. The presence of positive ions in the water assists in the gellation of gellan gum but inhibits the hydration process. Therefore, sequestrants are typically used in formation of the hydrated gellan gum dispersion. Examples of commonly used sequestrants include sodium citrate and calcium chloride. In general, a dispersion is used that contains about 0.4 to 1.0 wt-% of gellan gum, preferably about 0.55 too 0.75 wt-%. Heat may be applied if necessary to achieve complete hydration of the gellan gum. The hydration temperature is generally dependent upon the level of ions present. For example, if the gum is dispersed in deionized water, hydration is easily achieved by heating to 75 °C. In regular tap water, the hydration temperature will depend at least in part upon the concentration and types of ions in solution. The presence of sequestrants such as sodium citrate in the water can reduce the hydration temperature substantially. The hydrated gellan gum dispersion is then applied to the softened baked good. The softened baked good can be coated or saturated with the hydrated gellan gum dispersion, depending on factors such as the size and density of the food item. For example, a relatively thin food such as a cookie or a cracker may only require coating with the gellan gum dispersion, while a denser food such as a muffin may require saturation in order to maintain the structure of the final product. The method and timing of application of the hydrated gellan gum dispersion will depend on these factors and other factors understood to those of skill in the art. For example, the gellan gum dispersion can be applied by spraying, coating, dipping, soaking or any other desired method, and the time of exposure can range from about 5 to 60 seconds. After the hydrated gellan gum dispersion has been applied to the softened food product it will typically have a glossy appearance.

The hydrated gellan gum in the dispersion interacts with the positive ions that are present in the softened baked good. This interaction gives the gellan the ability to form a gel. Upon gellation, the water present in the softened food product is trapped within the gel structure and the gel also supports the shape of the baked good, allowing it to retain the visual appearance of a non-pureed product. Gel formation may be induced by exposure to heat, although this may not be necessary depending on the amount of gellan gum dispersion used, the concentration of gellan in the dispersion, and other factors known to those of skill in the art. After exposure to the gellan gum dispersion, the pureed baked good is frozen.

The freezing step allows the pureed product to be handled for storage and shipping. The pureed baked good can be prepared for serving by simply thawing the baked good or by reheating if desired. In some instances, such as with larger, denser items such as muffins or breads, heating may be necessary both to completely thaw the item and to activate gellation of the gellan gum. Heating can be accomplished by any method known in the art such as by baking, microwaving, and so on, but it is preferred to heat the pureed baked good in an oven. Typically, the baked good is reheated by placing in an oven at about 350° to 375 °F until an internal temperature of 160° to 180 °F is achieved. Heating to this temperature both ensures that the pureed baked good is completely thawed and that gel formation is complete. After thawing and/or heating, the baked good can be moved with a spatula to the serving plate and eaten.

The invention is further described by reference to the following examples, which are understood to be illustrative and not limiting of the invention.

EXAMPLES Example 1 - Preparation of Pureed Cookies:

A sugar solution was prepared by combining 1200 grams of water and 200 grams of sugar with stirring until a uniform solution was formed. A gellan gum dispersion was prepared by combining 1200 grams of water with 7.2 grams of Kelcogel® K3B408 (available from NutraSweet Kelco Company, San Diego, California). The Kelcogel® was combined with the water and allowed to stand for at least 5 minutes.

A variety of pre-baked cookies were obtained from Best Maid, River Falls, Wisconsin. The cookies were soaked in the sugar solution and the gellan gum dispersion for the times indicated in Table 1.

Cookie Tvpe Sugar solution Gellan Dispersion

Oatmeal 60 sec 60 sec

Sugar 10 sec 10 sec

Peanut Butter 10 sec 10 sec

Molasses 10 sec 10 sec

The cookies were then frozen solid. The cookies were ready to use after thawing.

Example 2 - Preparation of Pureed Sweet Rolls:

A sugar solution and gellan gum dispersion were prepared as in Example 1.

Frozen sweet rolls were obtained from Pioneer, San Antonio, Texas. The sweet rolls were thawed overnight in the refrigerator and then soaked in the sugar solution for

60 seconds and in the gellan gum dispersion for 60 seconds. The rolls were then frozen solid. The pureed sweet rolls were prepared by placing the frozen pureed rolls on a pan coated with non-stick spray, covering them with aluminum foil and heating in an oven at 350 °F for 30 minutes.

Example 3 - Preparation of Pureed Pancakes. French Toast, and Waffles: A sugar solution was prepared by combining 1000 grams of water with 50 grams of sugar and stirring until uniform solution was obtained. A gellan gum dispersion was prepared as described in Example 1. Frozen waffles were obtained from Pioneer; frozen pancakes and French toast were obtained from Buddies Kitchen, Bumsville, MN. The frozen baked goods were thawed overnight in the refrigerator. The waffles were soaked in the sugar solution for 8 to 10 seconds and in the gellan gum dispersion for 8 to 10 seconds. The pancakes were soaked in the sugar solution for 8 seconds and the gellan gum dispersion for 8 seconds. The French toast was soaked in the sugar solution for 30 seconds and the gellan gum dispersion for 30 seconds. The waffles, pancakes and French toast were then frozen solid. The pancakes were reheated by placing the frozen pancake on a coated pan coated with non-stick spray, covering with foil, and heating in an oven at 350 °F for 18 to 20 minutes. The waffles and French toast were reheated by placing the item on a nonstick spray coated pan, covering with foil, and heating at 350 °F for 20 to 22 minutes.

The above specification and examples provide a complete description of the invention. Since many embodiments of the invention are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides solely in the claims hereinafter appended.

Claims

I CLAIM:

1. A method of preparing a pureed baked food comprising the steps of:

(a) saturating a baked food with an aqueous ionic solution;

(b) applying an aqueous gellan gum dispersion to the baked food; and

(c) freezing the baked food.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the aqueous ionic solution comprises an aqueous sugar solution.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the aqueous ionic solution comprises an aqueous solution of fructose, glucose, sucrose, or a combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the aqueous ionic solution comprises an aqueous sucrose solution.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the aqueous ionic solution further comprises a flavoring agent, a coloring agent, or a combination thereof.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the gellan gum dispersion further comprises sodium citrate.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the baked food is saturated by the gellan gum dispersion.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising heating the baked food.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the baked food item comprises a cookie, a pastry, a muffin, a donut, a waffle, a pancake, French toast, bagel, cake, bread, or English muffin.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the food item is placed in a tray and remains in the tray throughout the process.

11. A method of preparing a pureed baked food item comprising the steps of:

(a) saturating the food item with an aqueous sucrose solution;

(b) applying an aqueous dispersion of gellan gum to the food item;

(c) freezing the food item; and

(d) reheating the food item.

12. A pureed baked food item prepared according to the method of claim 1.

13. A pureed baked food item prepared according to the method of claim 11.

14. A pureed baked food item that has the visual appearance of a non-pureed baked food item.