WO2003033355A1

WO2003033355A1 - Method for packaging a pasty product and for dispensing it whipped state

Info

Publication number: WO2003033355A1
Application number: PCT/FR2002/003181
Authority: WO
Inventors: Philippe Riviere; Stéphane SILVENTE; Frank Tonon; Véronique ANDRE-LINET
Original assignee: Rsa Riviere Silvente Et Associes
Priority date: 2001-09-19
Filing date: 2002-09-18
Publication date: 2003-04-24
Also published as: FR2829748A1; FR2829748B1

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for packaging a consistent but malleable pasty product (PS), and for dispensing it under pressure in whipped form. Said method consists in: a) arranging the product in liquid state in a container (1) and selecting a propellant gas substantially insoluble in the liquid product; b) injecting into the container (1) a whipping gas soluble in the liquid product (PL), the amount of whipping gas injected being determined on the basis of the degree of whipping desired for dispensing, the container being stirred to solubilization of the whipping gas in the liquid product; c) reducing the temperature so that the product is provided with packaging consistency in the container; d) dispensing the product through an opening of the dispensing member (3), said product being whipped at the desired degree by expansion of the whipping gas.

Description

PROCESS FOR THE PACKAGING OF A PASTY PRODUCT AND ITS DISTRIBUTION IN THE FILLED STATE

The invention relates to a process for the packaging of a pasty product, consistent but malleable, and for its distribution under pressure in the expanded state, the expansion rate being able to be chosen independently of the consistency of said pasty product.

When it is desired to distribute a pasty product, of greater or lesser consistency, in the expanded state, that is to say in the form of an aerated foam, it is known from US Pat. No. 4,421,778 to 10 put the product in the expanded state in the container where it is then kept at freezing temperature and from where it is extrudable at this temperature. In the container, this product therefore contains a large proportion of air and the risk during storage is to observe a deflation of the product and its compaction, which results not only in a modification of the product dispensed but also a difficulty in dispensing. as soon as the abundance is no longer sufficient.

To avoid this drawback, one could imagine putting the product to be conditioned in the liquid state in the packaging container and then introducing into this container a propellant 20 slightly soluble in said liquid product, after which the container would be cooled. at the dispensing temperature ^" of the product, temperature at which it is pasty; in this case, the product is conditioned in the pasty state, not expanded and is extradited under the pressure of the propellant gas: at the outlet of the dispensing, the product would be set in the expanded state by the expansion of the propellant dissolved in said product, however, this procedure is not satisfactory for two reasons: firstly, the amount of propellant dissolved in the product is difficult to control, so that the expansion obtained is not constant and the quantity of gas remaining available for propelling the product is therefore not as no longer constant; and, on the other hand, the quantity of propellant dissolved in the product is obviously a function of the pressure of the gas, which is imposed by the extradibility of the pasty product, from which it follows that, for a 35 given product, the state of expansion likely to be obtained at the distribution is necessarily linked to the pressure of the propellant gas and to the nature of said gas.

The object of the present invention is to propose a method for packaging and distributing a pasty, consistent but malleable product, by which, on the one hand, the said product can be packaged in a pressurized container with sufficient pressure taking into account the viscosity of the product and, on the other hand, one can choose the rate of expansion of the product at the outlet of the pressurized container regardless of the pressure required for propelling the product out of the container. Thanks to such a process, it becomes possible in particular to distribute a frozen dessert, such as that described in European patent 878 998 or in the French patent application filed on the same day as the present application by the same applicant, by choosing the rate abundance that is desired for the product dispensed at the outlet of the container; it is, in fact, desirable not to distribute such a frozen dessert in the form of a compact dough, but it is also desirable to avoid distribution in the form of an overly aerated foam.

The invention is based on the fact that two different gases are chosen for distribution, one of which has the propulsion function and the other the expansion function. The propellant gas is substantially insoluble in the product to be dispensed when put in the liquid state while the swelling gas is highly soluble in said liquid product. The expansion of the product dispensed will therefore depend on the quantity and the solubility of the expanding gas introduced into the container, while the ejection of the product will depend on the pressure of the propellant gas introduced into the container.

The present invention therefore relates to a process for packaging a pasty product, consistent but malleable, and for its distribution under pressure in the expanded state, process in which the product is placed in a container equipped with a dispensing member then, after having put said dispensing member in the closed position, said container is pressurized by a propellant gas at a pressure sufficient to ensure proper distribution taking into account the consistency of the product to be dispensed and the characteristics of the member distribution, characterized in that: a) a propellant gas that is substantially insoluble in the product to be dispensed is chosen when the latter is put in the liquid state; b) to generate the proliferation of the product during its distribution, a profusion gas different from the propellant gas and at least partially soluble in the product to be distributed is chosen when the latter is put in the liquid state, the quantity of profusion gas used being defined as a function of the degree of expansion desired during distribution, the dissolution of the expansion gas in the liquid product to be dispensed being ensured by bringing the expansion gas into contact with said liquid product and stirring of said liquid product; c) after having placed in the container the product to be dispensed liquid and the teeming gas, it ensures the passage of said product in a pasty state and then its distribution by opening the dispensing member, said pasty product swelling to the desired degree by expansion of the swelling gas, which is dissolved therein.

According to a first way of operating, the liquid product is first put in place in the container, and then the loading with the expansion gas is ensured in said container and its dissolution in the liquid product. After loading into the container of the product to be dispensed, put in the liquid state and of the teeming gas, the temperature can be lowered so that the product takes on its pasty packaging consistency in the container; advantageously, after said loading but before said lowering of temperature, the closed container is placed in a position such that the loaded liquid product is placed, by gravity, on the side of the dispensing member, so that this is avoided, in all cases, an abrupt exit of gas during the distribution of the product.

In the process which has been defined above, it is possible, according to a first variant, to use, as container, a rigid container, into which the product to be packaged is introduced in the liquid state and into which is then injected, simultaneously or successively, the quantity of expanding gas required to obtain the desired expanded state of the product dispensed and the propellant at the pressure desired for the distribution. In such a case, the injection of the two gases is preferably carried out by the dispensing member placed in the high position; it is agitated, simultaneously or subsequently, to ensure the dissolution of the expanding gas; the container is turned over so that the liquid product comes into the region of the dispensing member in the low position; and the container is cooled to bring the product to be dispensed to its pasty dispensing consistency. However, this variant has some drawbacks relating to the distribution because the pasty product of the zone, which is located at the level of the distribution member, is preferentially ejected, so that, when the propellant comes into contact with the member dispensing, there is generally a relatively large amount of undistributed product inside the container; this residual product cannot be dispensed since, consequently, the propellant gas leaves through the dispensing member. This is the reason why, according to the invention, a second and a third variant of the first way of operating has been proposed which can be used for the method according to the invention.

According to the second variant, a rigid container containing a flexible pocket is used. According to a first mode of implementation of this second variant, said flexible pocket is used as a container, said pocket defining a volume connected to the dispensing member, it is placed in a rigid container, on which the fixing member is fixed. distribution associated with the container, and the propellant gas is injected into said container, outside of the pocket, the expanding gas being introduced into the pocket by the dispensing member.

According to a second embodiment of this second variant, a rigid container is used, as container, fitted internally with a flexible pocket connected to the outside by a plug secured to the container, it is placed in the container, to through the dispensing member, on the outside of the bag, the product in the liquid state and the teeming gas and the propellant gas is then injected into the bag through the plug.

For this second variant and mainly for its first mode of implementation, it is preferable to inject the propellant in two stages, firstly at a pressure Pi, before the introduction of the gas expanding to establish a pressure P ₂ greater than Pi, then a second time at a pressure P ₃ greater than the pressure created by the introduction of the expanding gas.

A first difficulty in implementing this second variant comes from the fact that it is necessary to ensure sufficient attachment of the bag so that it remains in place reliably when pressure is put inside: reliability has was, in this respect, improved by injecting the propellant in two stages, as indicated above, because the difference in relative pressure exerted on the bag is, at first, equal to Pi, then after injection of the teeming gas, equal to P ₂ -Pι and, in the second step, equal to P3-P ₂ . However, if the attachment of the bag is thus made more reliable, there remains a second difficulty because the bag, either during filling of the container, or during dispensing, undergoes a compression phase during which it form of folds, which can constitute incipient fractures of the pocket and generate the formation of small volumes isolated from the main volume of the pocket, small volumes whose contents can no longer be subsequently dispensed.

This is the reason why, according to the invention, a third variant has been proposed for implementing the method, a variant which avoids the drawbacks mentioned above for the second variant. According to this third variant, a rigid cylindrical container is used as a container in which there is a sliding piston which divides the container into two compartments, one of which is closed by the dispensing member while the other has a plug allowing the injection of the propellant gas, the liquid product and the expanding gas being introduced into the container by the dispensing member. Mainly when it is necessary to package and distribute a food product, preferably, a metal container and a sliding piston are used, which can without any difficulty undergo a conventional sanitizing treatment; advantageously, the container and the sliding piston are made of the same metal, which avoids any problem of differential expansion and maintains good sliding of the piston in the container. However, the piston can also be made of plastic, for example polypropylene, it being understood that if the product to be dispensed is food, the plastic used must be authorized for food packaging.

Advantageously, in this third variant, use is made of a piston capable of sliding in the container, in a gas-tight or non-gas-tight manner, and the propellant is injected in two separate stages by the injection of the swelling gas; it is possible to inject propellant gas through the plug at a pressure Pi, then the swelling gas through the nozzle at a pressure P ₂ greater than Pi and finally propellant gas by the plug at a pressure P ₃ greater than the pressure created by the introduction of the expanding gas, the piston then coming to bear on the liquid product: the expansion rate of the dispensed product is determined by the amount of expanding gas injected by the dispensing member (expressed in g of gas per 100 g of product to dispensing, for example) and the pressure P ₂ is defined to optimize the filling time of the container. In the same optics of optimization, to ensure the rapid solubihsation of the swelling gas in the product in the liquid state, one can shake the container during the injection of the swelling gas. During or after the injection of the propellant gas at the pressure P ₃ at the start of dispensing, provision may be made to stir the container in order to perfect, at the pressure P ₃ , the dissolution of the abundant gas in the liquid phase. Advantageously, a pressure Pi of between 30% and 60% of the pressure P _{2 is used} .

According to a second way of operating in a first step, the product to be dispensed is prepared, put in the liquid state and charged, at a pressure P ₂ higher than atmospheric pressure, with abundant gas and, in a second step, poured said liquid product loaded into the container and the propellant gas is injected into said container to pressurize the product to be dispensed at a pressure P ₃ greater than P ₂ .

When the product to be dispensed is a food product, so that the conservation of the product during storage takes place in a satisfactory manner, the container is generally sanitized before the aseptic product is aseptically placed in said container; one must, of course, choose acceptable propellant and abundant gas taking into account existing food standards; according to the invention, it is advantageously possible to choose dinitrogen (N ₂ ) as the propellant gas and nitrous oxide (N ₂ 0) as the expansion gas. When the packaged food product is a frozen dessert, so that the product takes on its packaging consistency, its temperature is preferably lowered to a value less than or equal to -10 ° C. The process according to the invention can also be used for packaging and dispensing products which are pasty at room temperature and which have to be heated to bring them to the liquid state.

To better understand the object of the invention, we will now describe, by way of purely illustrative and nonlimiting examples, three modes of implementation shown schematically in the accompanying drawing and corresponding to the packaging of a frozen dessert .

In this drawing: FIGS. 1a to 3a represent three stages of the method according to a first variant of the invention; Figures 2a to 2f show six steps of the method according to a second variant of the invention; Figures 3a to 3h show eight stages of the method according to a third variant of the invention.

Referring to the drawing, it can be seen that, for all the figures, there has been designated by 1 as a whole a cylindrical metal container which has a bottom and an upper part 2 attached by crimping to the side wall of said container; in the central zone of this part 2 is also added by crimping a cup, which carries, in its center a dispensing member 3 comprising a rotary mechanism, which allows its opening or closing, by action on a maneuvering fin 3a. Although this is not described in the examples corresponding to the drawing, one could, of course, use, in place of the aforementioned rotary mechanism, a translatable pusher. It was found that good results were obtained for dispensing when the dispensing member 3, in its open position, was crossed by a flow of product of substantially constant section. The dispensing member 3 comprises, at the outlet, a nozzle for conforming the section of the rod of dispensed product. The packaged product has been designated by PL when it is in the liquid state and by PS when it is in the pasty state, consistent but malleable. For the three variants shown on the drawing, the propellant used is dinitrogen and the abundant gas is nitrous oxide.

In all the examples, the product placed in container 1 has the following formulation (% by weight): Sunflower oil 14.5%

Whole milk powder 5%

Dairy derivative (origin = dairy serum; it contains 41% protein and 22% lactose) 4%

Glucose 8% Glucose syrup (containing 35% glucose and 65% glucose polymers having 2 to

10 monomer units) 10%

Emulsifier E 471 0.3%

Gelatin 0.2% CMC about 0.03%

MCC about 0.27%

Glycerol 1.5%

Sorbitol 1.5%

Egg yolk 2% Strawberry flavor 0.2%

Whole liquid milk (qs 100%) 52.5%

Before the product is placed in the container 1, in a known manner, asepticization of the said container is carried out since the packaged product is food. For its installation, the product, the formulation of which has been given above, is brought to a temperature of 3 ° C., temperature at which it is in the liquid state. When the packaging of the liquid product PL is complete, the entire container is brought to the freezing temperature of -18 ° C., temperature at which said product is in the pasty state designated by PS in the drawing. The pressure established in the container 1 by the gases which are introduced into it is, at the start of distribution, of 10 ⁶ pascals. The internal volume of the container 1 is approximately 1. liters and the volume of liquid product introduced into the container for subsequent distribution is approximately 0.6 liters. To obtain an expansion rate considered to be satisfactory, about 4.5 grams of N ₂ 0 are injected into the container, for the three variants. In the first variant shown in FIGS. 1a to 1c, it can be seen that the liquid product PL is introduced into the container 1 by the dispensing member 3 placed in the open position (FIG. 1a) and that is then injected into the container 1, still by the dispensing member 3, the dinitrogen and the N ₂ 0. The dinitrogen is first injected under a pressure of ³ × 10 ⁵ pacals, then the N ₂ 0 is injected under a constant pressure of 6 × 10 ⁵ pascals and the container 1 is stirred for 5 minutes to ensure the dissolution of N ₂ 0 in the liquid product, the dinitrogen being practically insoluble in said liquid product (FIG. 1 b). The container 1 is then turned over to place the nozzle 3 in the low position and frozen at -18 ° C. to bring the product to be dispensed into a pasty state.

In FIGS. 2a to 2f, the various stages of a method according to the second variant of the invention are shown. In this variant, the container 1 has on its bottom a plug 4 through which the injection of the dinitrogen, which constitutes the propellant gas, can be carried out. At the crimping, on the container 1, of the cup which carries the dispensing member 3, a flexible pocket 5 has been fixed inside the container 1 (see FIG. 2a). The liquid product PL is then introduced into the bag 5 through the dispensing member 3 (see FIG. 2b). The dispensing member 3 is closed and the dinitrogen is injected at a pressure of 3 × 10 ⁵ pascals through the plug 4 (see FIG. 2c). The quantity of N ₂ 0 required is injected by the dispensing member at a pressure of 6 × 10 ⁵ pascals (see FIG. 2d). The container 1 is stirred for 5 minutes to dissolve the N ₂ 0 in the liquid product PL and the container 1 is inverted to bring the dispensing member 3 to the low position, so that the product comes into contact with the distribution organ. The container 1 is brought to the freezing temperature of -18 ° C. (see FIG. 2e), finally, via the plug 4, nitrogen is introduced at the pressure of 10 ⁶ pascals (see FIG. 2f). During filling, the pressure in the container 1 is therefore passed from atmospheric pressure to pressure Pi of 3 × 10 ⁵ pascals then to pressure P ₂ of 6 × 10 ⁵ pascals, then it is lowered by dissolution of N ₂ 0 in the phase liquid and it rose to the pressure P ₃ equal to 10 ⁶ pascals by the final injection of dinitrogen. Figures 3a to 3h show the different steps of the third variant of the method according to the invention. In this variant, the container 1 has on its base a plug 4 identical to that used for the second variant and it internally comprises a sliding piston 6 which is not gas-tight (see FIG. 3a). In the drawing, there is shown, for the sake of simplification, a piston 6 whose circular face is planar; however, in known manner, it is possible to use a piston, the circular face of which is shaped so as to present in its center a cavity making it possible to accommodate the part of the dispensing member 3, which protrudes inside the container. 1: in this way, the emptying rate of the container is improved during distribution.

The PL product to be dispensed is put in place in the liquid state by introducing it through the dispensing member 3: the piston 6 is then in the low position (see FIG. 3b). Dinitrogen is injected at a pressure Pi equal to 3 × 10 ⁵ pascals below the piston 6, the introduction taking place through the plug 4 (see FIG. 3c). While stirring the container 1 (see arrows Fi F ₂ in FIG. 3d), the required quantity of N ₂ 0 is injected by the dispensing member 3 at a pressure P ₂ equal to 6 × 10 ⁵ pascals (see FIG. 3d); the injection time is defined experimentally so that at the pressure P ₂ , the desired weight of N ₂ 0 is introduced. In this case, nitrogen is injected through the plug 4 below the piston 6 at a pressure P ₃ greater than P ₂ (see Figure 3 e); we can shake the container 1, which is symbolized by the arrows F'i, F ' ₂ of Figure 3f, to perfect, at pressure P ₃ , the dissolution of N ₂ 0. We then turn the container to put the 'dispensing member 3 in the low position; the residual gas which was above the liquid phase, comes between the liquid phase and the piston 6 but passes over the piston 6, which is not gas tight, said piston 6 descending by gravity in contact with the liquid PL (see figure 3 g). The temperature of the container 1 is then lowered to the freezing temperature of -18 ° C., the product to be dispensed taking its pasty consistency of distribution, denoted PS in FIG. 3h. In this way, the product PS is distributed without risk of spitting at the outlet because all the gas has passed through the side of the piston 6 where the dispensing member 3 is not located.

Claims

1. Process for the packaging of a pasty product (PS), consistent but malleable, and for its distribution under pressure in the expanded state, process in which the product is placed in a container (1, 5) equipped with a dispensing member (3) then, after having put said dispensing member (3) in the closed position, said container is pressurized by a propellant gas at a pressure sufficient to ensure proper distribution taking into account the consistency of the product to be dispensed and the characteristics of the dispensing member (3), characterized in that: a) a propellant gas is chosen which is substantially insoluble in the product to be dispensed when the latter is put in the liquid state (PL); b) to generate the proliferation of the product during its distribution, a profusion gas different from the propellant gas and at least partially soluble in the product to be distributed is chosen when the latter is put in the liquid state, the quantity of profusion gas used being defined as a function of the degree of expansion desired during dispensing, the dissolution of the expanding gas in the liquid product to be dispensed (PL) being ensured by bringing the expanding gas into contact with said liquid product and agitating said liquid product (PL); c) after having placed in the container (1, 5) the product to be dispensed liquid (PL) and the gas profusion, it ensures the passage of said product in a pasty state and its distribution by opening the distribution member (3), said pasty product swelling to the desired degree by expansion of the swelling gas, which is dissolved therein.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the liquid product (PL) is first placed in the container (1, 5) and that gas loading is then ensured in said container abundant and its dissolution in the liquid product (PL).

3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that after loading into the container (1, 5) of the product to be dispensed put in the liquid state and of the teeming gas, the temperature is lowered so that the product takes in the container (1, 5) its pasty consistency of packaging.

4. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that after loading into the container (1, 5) of the product to be dispensed put in the liquid state and of the teeming gas and before lowering the temperature, the container is placed closed in a position such that the loaded liquid product (PL) is placed, by gravity, on the side of the dispensing member (3).

5. Method according to one of claims 3 or 4, characterized in that a rigid container (1) is used as container, into which the product to be packaged is introduced in the liquid state (PL) and into which is then injected, simultaneously or successively, the quantity of expanding gas required to obtain the desired expanded state of the product dispensed and the propellant at the pressure desired for dispensing.

6. Method according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that one uses, as container, a flexible pocket (5) defining a volume connected to the dispensing member (3), pocket that the a rigid container (1) is placed on which the dispensing member (3) associated with the container (5) is fixed and the propellant is injected into said container (1), outside the pocket (5), the gas being abundant being introduced into the pocket (5) by the dispensing member (3).

7. Method according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that one uses, as container, a rigid container fitted internally with a flexible pocket connected to the outside by a plug secured to the container, that l 'is placed in said container, through the dispensing member, outside of the bag, the product in the liquid state and the teeming gas and then the propellant gas is injected into the bag through the plug.

8. Method according to one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that the propellant gas is injected in two stages: firstly at a pressure Pi, before the introduction of the swelling gas to establish a pressure P ₂ greater than Pi, then a second time at a pressure P ₃ greater than the pressure created by the introduction of the swelling gas.

9. Method according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that one uses, as container, a rigid container (1) cylindrical, in which there is a sliding piston (6), which divides the container (1) into two compartments, one of which is closed by the dispensing member (3) while the other has a stopper (4) allowing the injection of the propellant gas, the liquid product (PL) and the expanding gas being introduced into the container (1) by the dispensing member (3).

10. The method of claim 9, characterized in that one uses a container (1) metal and a sliding piston (6) metal or plastic.

11. Method according to one of claims 9 or 10, characterized in that one uses a sliding piston capable of sliding in the container in a gas-tight manner and that the propellant is injected in two stages separated by injection of the teeming gas.

12. Method according to one of claims 9 or 10, characterized in that a sliding piston (6) capable of sliding in the container (1) is used which is not gas-tight and that the propellant gas in two stages separated by the injection of the expanding gas.

13. Method according to claim 12, characterized in that the propellant gas is injected by the plug (4) at a pressure Pi, then the expanding gas by the distribution member (3) at a pressure P ₂ higher at Pi and, finally, propellant gas through the plug (4) at a pressure P ₃ greater than the pressure created by the introduction of the expansion gas, the piston (6) then coming to bear on the liquid product (PL).

14. Method according to one of claims 8 or 13, characterized in that one uses a pressure Pi between 30 and 60% of the pressure P ₂ .

15. Method according to one of claims 2 to 14, characterized in that, to ensure rapid solubihsation of the swelling gas, the container (1) is agitated during the injection of said swelling gas.

16. The method of claim 15, characterized in that, during or after the injection of the propellant gas at the pressure P ₃ of the start of distribution, the container (1) is agitated to perfect, at the pressure P ₃ , the dissolution of the teeming gas in the liquid phase (PL).

17. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that, firstly, the product to be dispensed is prepared, put in the liquid state and charged, with a pressure P ₂ higher than atmospheric pressure, of abundant gas and, in a second step, said liquid product is poured loaded into the container and the propellant gas is injected into said container, to pressurize the product to be dispensed at a pressure P ₃ greater than P ₂ .

18. Method according to one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the packaged product is a food product, characterized in that the container (1, 5) is sanitized before the aseptic product is placed aseptically (PL) in said container.

19. Method according to one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that the dinitrogen is chosen as the propellant and the nitrous oxide as the profuse gas.

20. Method according to one of claims 1 to 19, in which the packaged product is a frozen dessert, characterized in that, in order for the product to assume its packaging consistency, its temperature is lowered to a value less than or equal to -10 ° C.