WO2000008951A1

WO2000008951A1 - Texture base for a food product

Info

Publication number: WO2000008951A1
Application number: PCT/EP1999/004075
Authority: WO
Inventors: Mark Randolph Jacobson; Kim Carleton Krumhar; Nikhil Prasad; Dharam Vir Vadehra
Original assignee: Societe Des Produits Nestle Sa
Priority date: 1998-08-12
Filing date: 1999-06-14
Publication date: 2000-02-24
Also published as: CO5210932A1; AU4609599A

Abstract

A texture base for a food product containing a thickener, fat, casein and optionally an emulsifier and/or mouthfeel-enhancer together with from about 60 to 90 % by weight of water. Methods of making the same and a food product containing the texture base.

Description

TEXTURE BASE FOR A FOOD PRODUCT

The present invention relates to a texture base for a food product and more particularly to a texture base which can be supplied in a variety of forms depending on the intended end use.

We have developed a new and improved texture base for a food product containing a thickener, fat and casein together with from about 60 to 90% water, optionally containing an emulsifier and/or mouthfeel-enhancer. The texture base has the texture, mouthfeel, appearance and consistency of high content cheese sauces and fondues.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a texture base for a food product containing a thickener, fat and casein together with from about 60 to 90% by weight of water based on the total weight of the texture base.

Preferably, the amount of thickener may vary from about 0.5 to 10% by weight, the amount of fat may vary from about 4 to 20% by weight and the amount of casein may vary from about 0.1 to 10% by weight, with all weights being based on the total weight of the texture base.

The texture base may advantageously contain an emulsifier. The amount of emulsifier is preferably from about 0.1 to 3%, and more preferably from about 0.5 to 2% by weight based on the total weight of the food texture base.

Optionally, the texture base may contain a mouthfeel- enhancer to improve the texture and consistency of the texture base. The mouthfeel enhancer may be, for instance, substances such as a maltodextrin, carboxy-methyl cellulose, or inulin. The mouthfeel enhancer may be used in an amount from about 0.05 to 15%, and preferably from about 3 to 10% by weight based on the total weight of the texture base. A variety of thickeners are suitable for use in the present invention, including modified and unmodified starches such as corn, waxy maize, potato, tapioca, wheat, rice, pea and barley. The thickener may also be a gum such as xanthan, propylene glycol alginate, carboxyraethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose, an alginate such as sodium alginate, carrageenan, gelIan, locust bean gum, guar gum, and pectin. Mixtures of gums, starches, or gums and starches may also be used. Advantageously, a mixture of native and modified waxy maize starch may be used a ratio of from about 1:2 to 1:8, preferably from about 1:3 to 2:7.

The fat may be any food-grade fat or oil, for example, a vegetable oil such as soybean oil, olive oil, corn oil, rapeseed oil, coconut oil, palm oil, canola oil, or an animal fat such as milk fat. Partially or fully hydrogenated fats and oils may also be used. The fat may be homogenized to provide suitable opacity and creaminess where required. If desired, an emulsifier may be used to aid in the dispersion of the fat. Examples of suitable emulsifiers that can be used to aid in the dispersion of the fat include but are not limited to lecithin, modified lecithin, mono- and di-glycerides, diacetic acid esters of monoglycerides (DATEM) , sucrose esters, sodium or calcium steoryl lactylates, ethoxylated monoglycerides, succinylated monoglycerides, sorbitan monoglycerides, propylene glycol monoesters, citric acid esters of monoglycerides or acetylated monoglycerides.

A suitable source of casein is rennet casein or acid casein, preferably rennet casein. The casein may be dispersed with an appropriate emulsifying salt or mixture of salts. Salts of organic acids or other weak acids can be used. This would include, for example, sodium diphosphate, sodium triphosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, sodium citrate, sodium polyphosphate, and preferably sodium triphosphate or sodium diphosphate. The casein dispersion may be accomplished by mixing the emulsifying salts with the casein or a suspension thereof under appropriate conditions of heat and shear which may readily determined by the person of ordinary skill in the art with routine experimentation. For example, rennet easily disperses under agitation and in the presence of the emulsifying salt at temperatures greater than 160°F (71°_C) . The amount of water is preferably from about 70 to ₈5% and more preferably from about 72 to 80% by weight based on the total weight of the texture base.

Examples of food products which may be prepared containing the texture base of the present invention include, but are not limited to, cheese sauces, flavored and seasoned cheese and cheeseless sauces, dips, fondues, pizza toppings, confectionery and sweet sauces, and soups, for frozen, chilled and shelf-stable applications. The texture base may be varied to make a wide variety of textures and consistencies available to chefs and food service operators for food products. In order to create the finished food products such as sauces, one or more of a variety of functional edible additives such as flavors, seasonings, cheese, inclusions, flavor enhancers, colors, acidulants, opacifying agents or fat mimetics, all of which are well known to those skilled in the art, may be added in an effective amount to impart an enhancement to the texture base. The finished food product may typically comprise from about 40 to 98% by weight of the texture base. The present invention also provides such a food product comprising from about 40 to 98% by weight of a texture base as hereinbefore described together with an effective amount of one or more of these functional edible additives.

The resulting food product can be supplied with a variety of textural attributes based on variation and concentration of the ingredients as well as in the processing. Textural analysis indicates that the use of rennet casein in cheese sauces allows control of the thixotropy, a key parameter associated with the perception of elasticity, cohesive texture and perceived cheese content. The amount of the thickener, e.g. starch, and the selection of the particular starch thickener, may be used to achieve and control the desired viscosity. By carefully regulating the thickeners and casein levels, almost total control of sauce texture can be achieved.

The texture base may be prepared in a number of ways readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Typically, the 5 process for preparing the texture base comprises dispersing the casein, then blending with fat and part of the thickener with part of the water to develop a creamy smooth consistency, adding the remainder of the water and the remainder of the thickener and heating at a temperature of from about 35°C to 10 65 °C with agitation.

If starch is used as the thickener, it is essential that it is added below about 55°C to prevent formation of small, partly gelatinized inclusion bodies in the sauce texture base.

The finished blend may be thermally processed e.g. , at 15 about 85°C to 100°C with continuous mixing, e.g. , for a minimum of about 5 minutes to produce the appropriate texture before it is packaged and refrigerated prior to use. Alternatively, the blend may be aseptically processed, retorted and packed in shelf-stable packaging for use. 0 The present invention also provides a process for preparing a food product which comprises mixing an effective amount of one or more functional edible additives with from about 40 to 98% by weight of a texture base as hereinbefore defined. 5

EXAMPLES

The following Examples further illustrate the present invention:

0 Example 1

A cheesy, long-textured sauce base is prepared having the following constitution:

Water 75.1% 5 Rennet casein 2.5%

Soybean oil 10.0%

Native waxy corn starch 1.2% Modified waxy corn starch 4.8%

Maltodextrin DES 6.0% Disodiu phosphate

Duohydrate 0.4% 100.0%

Rennet casein, fat, half the starch and disodium phosphate duohydrate are added, to half the water in a blender under low speed agitation for 3-5 minutes after which time the mixture develops a thick and creamy consistency and a white color. The remaining process water is added, the temperature is brought to about 50°C, and the remaining starch and maltodextrin are added with low speed mixing.

The finished blend is thermally processed at about 95°C with continuous mixing for 10 minutes to produce the appropriate texture base after which it is packaged and refrigerated.

Example 2 A cheese sauce is prepared having the following constitution:

Water 8. . 45%

Cheese 10 , . 00% Rennet Casein 2 . . 00%

Soybean oil 10. . 00%

Modified waxy maize starch 7 . . 00%

Carboxymethyl cellulose 0. , 10%

Trisodium phosphate 1. , 00% Cheese flavor 1. . 30%

Emulsifier, Panodan 150 DATEM

Esters, mono and di-glycerides 0. 15%

100 . 00%

The rennet casein, trisodium phosphate, carboxymethyl cellulose and emulsifier are blended in a portion of the water at 180°F (82°C) together with salt, flavor and vinegar in appropriate amounts to satisfy consumer preferences. The oil is added to this blend, and the mixture is further blended under high agitation to facilitate emulsification of the oil. The cheese is then added to the emulsion, then another portion of the water is_ added to cool the mixture to 150°F (65.5°C). A slurry of one or more colors in an appropriate amount to satisfy consumer preferences, starches, and a third portion of the water is prepared, and added to the cheese emulsion. The final mixture is heated to 282°F (139°C) for 10 seconds, then rapidly cooled to room temperature. The resulting texture base has a good cheese sauce texture and good flavor without off-flavors.

Claims

1. A food texture base containing a thickener, fat and casein together with from about 60 to 90% by weight of water based on the total weight of the food texture base, wherein the thickener, fat and casein are present in combination in a texture enhancing amount.

2. A texture base according to claim 1 wherein the amount of thickener is from about 0.5 to 10% by weight based on the total weight of the texture base.

3. A texture base according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the amount of fat is from about 4 to 20% by weight based on the total weight of the texture base.

4. A texture base according to any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the amount of casein is from about 0.1 to 10% by weight based on the total weight of the texture base.

5. A texture base according to any of claims 1 to 4 wherein the texture base contains an emulsifier.

6. A texture base according to claim 5 wherein the emulsifier is present in an amount of from about 0.1 to 3% by weight based on the total weight of the texture base.

7. A texture base according to any of claims 1 to 6 wherein the texture base also contains a mouthfeel-enhancer.

8. A texture base according to claim 7 wherein the mouthfeel-enhancer is present in an amount of from about 0.05 to 15% by weight based on the total weight of the texture base .

9. A process for preparing a sauce texture base that contains a thickener, fat and casein together with from about 60 to 90% by weight of water based on the total weight of the food texture base, wherein the thickener, fat and casein are present in combination in a texture enhancing amount, which method comprises dispersing casein, blending the dispersed casein with the fat and part of the thickener with part of the water to develop a blend having a creamy, smooth consistency, adding the remainder of the water and the remainder of the thickener to the blend to form a mixture and heating the mixture at a temperature of from about 35┬░C to 65┬░C with agitation to form the sauce texture base.

10. The process according to claim 9, wherein starch is used as the thickener, and is added at a temperature of below about 55┬░C to prevent formation of gelatinized inclusion bodies in the sauce texture base.

11. The process according to claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the sauce texture base is thermally processed at about 85┬░C to 100┬░C with continuous mixing for a time sufficient to produce the desired texture.

12. The process according to claim 11, wherein the thermally processed sauce texture base is packaged and refrigerated prior to use.

13. The process according to claim 11 or claim 12, wherein the thermally processed sauce texture base is aseptically processed, retorted and packed in shelf-stable packaging for use .

14. A food product comprising from about 40 to 98% by weight of a texture base as claimed in claim 1 together with an effective amount of one or more functional edible additives .

15. A food product according to claim 15 in the form of a cheese sauce, a flavored or seasoned cheese or cheeseless sauce, a dip, a fondue, a pizza topping, a confectionery or sweet sauce, or a soup for frozen, chilled and shelf-stable applications .

16. A process for preparing a food product which comprises mixing an effective amount of one or more functional edible additives with from about 40 to 98% by weight of a texture base according to claim 1.

17. A food texture base containing a thickener, fat and casein together with from 60 to 90% by weight of water based on the total weight of the food texture base.

18. A process for preparing a sauce texture base according to claim 17 which comprises dispersing the casein, then blending with fat and part of the thickener with part of the water to develop a creamy smooth consistency, adding the remainder of the water and the remainder of the thickener and heating at a temperature of from 35┬░C to 65┬░C with agitation.