WO2015014744A1

WO2015014744A1 - Use of succinoglycan in frozen food or feedstuff products

Info

Publication number: WO2015014744A1
Application number: PCT/EP2014/066035
Authority: WO
Inventors: Claire DE SAINT-AUBERT; Graham Sworn; Rei IWATA
Original assignee: Dupont Nutrition Biosciences Aps
Priority date: 2013-07-31
Filing date: 2014-07-25
Publication date: 2015-02-05
Also published as: JP2016525362A

Abstract

The present invention relates to frozen compositions such as food or feedstuff products and a process for the preparation thereof, and further relates to a process for stabilization of said frozen composition. The invention further relates to the use of succinoglycan for increasing the viscosity and/or for stabilizing a composition against separation after at least one freeze/thaw cycle, and a process for obtaining a stabilized thawed product.

Description

USE OF SUCCINOGLYCAN IN FROZEN FOOD OR FEEDSTUFF PRODUCTS FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to frozen compositions such as food or feedstuff products and a process for the preparation thereof, and further relates to a process for stabilization of said frozen composition. The invention further relates to the use of succinoglycan for increasing the viscosity and/or for stabilizing a composition such as food or feedstuff products against separation after at least one freeze/thaw cycle, and a process for obtaining a stabilized thawed composition such as a food or feedstuff product.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Freezing is a very common technique for preserving food. With certain notable exceptions, frozen food is usually thawed prior to use or further processing (e.g., cooking). Thawing is accomplished satisfactorily by leaving the frozen foodstuff to stand at room temperature (RT), or by application of conductive or convective heat to the frozen foodstuff.

However, the freezing and thawing may affect the food in a detrimental way. For instance, the appearance and organoleptic impact of the food should resemble that of the fresh food counterpart, notwithstanding the freezing, thawing and heating to which the frozen food may be subjected. The physical appearance of a food, such as an emulsion, is a very important parameter, and the consumer expects that a frozen product after thawing is visually stable such as does not break and/or separate. This means for example that where the food is in the form of an emulsion or comprises an emulsion it is important that the emulsion be stable notwithstanding the temperature stresses to which it is subjected.

A problem with for example many oil-in-water emulsions is the lack of physical stability under low temperature conditions. During freezing ice crystals are formed within dispersed water droplets forcing the droplets closer together and inducing rupture of a thin film between the droplets. This causes the droplets to flow together and coalesce upon thawing.

Emulsions are typically formed and stabilized by the addition of an emulsifier and many effective emulsifiers are known. Emulsions can be further stabilized by the addition of viscosity modifying agents and many effective viscosity modifying agents are also known. However, there is still a need for an improved stabilizing agent for compositions, such as food and feedstuff products, that undergoes freezing and thawing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It has been found by the present inventors that adding succinoglycan to a water solution provides an increase in viscosity and in appearance of gel like particles after a freezing and thawing cycle. This may be used to increase the viscosity of a composition compared to the viscosity of the same composition before freezing, and thereby further stabilize the composition. The present inventors have also found that adding succinoglycan to an emulsion such as mayonnaise, the mayonnaise is more stable against separation and/or breaking after freezing than in the absence of succinoglycan or compared with addition of xanthan.

So, in a first aspect the present invention relates to a frozen composition such as a food or feedstuff product comprising succinoglycan.

In a further aspect, the present invention relates to a process for preparing a composition such as a food or feedstuff product as disclosed herein comprising the steps of adding succinoglycan to obtain said composition, and freezing said composition.

In a further aspect, the present invention relates to the use of succinoglycan for stabilizing a composition such as a food or feedstuff product against separation after at least one freeze/thaw cycle of said composition.

In a further aspect, the present invention relates to the use of succinoglycan for increasing the viscosity of a composition such as a food or feedstuff product after at least one freeze/thaw cycle of said composition.

In one aspect, disclosed herein is a process for stabilizing a composition such as a food or feedstuff product against separation after at least one freeze/thaw cycle of said composition comprising the step of adding succinoglycan before freezing and then freeze said composition to obtain a composition as disclosed herein, and thawing said composition.

In a further aspect, disclosed herein is a process for obtaining a thawed composition such as a food or feedstuff product stabilized against separation comprising the step of adding succinoglycan to obtain a composition as disclosed herein, and thawing said composition. DETAILED DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Definitions

In accordance with this detailed description, the following abbreviations and definitions apply, It should be noted that as used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, reference to "a protein" includes a plurality of such proteins, and reference to "the composition" includes reference to one or more compositions and equivalents thereof known to those skilled in the art, and so forth.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. The following terms are provided below.

In one preferred embodiment, the composition as described herein is a food or feedstuff product.

When discussing viscosity of compositions as disclosed herein, these parameters are generally determined by use of the methods and apparatus specifically referred to in the examples. For example, viscosity is generally measured using a Brookfield LVT dial reading viscometer at the indicated spindle speed (typically from 0.3 rpm to 60 rpm).

The term "stabilized against separation" as used herein means to prevent or substantially reduce phase separation, breaking, ripening, aggregation and/or inversion of a system. This may be determined by any method known to the skilled person such as by visual inspection of a system.

The "composition" may, for example, comprise or be a water-in-oil or oil-in-water emulsion.

The term "frozen" as used herein in relation to for example a composition means that the temperature of the composition is below the freezing point of the composition in question, typically to 0°C such as between -40°C and below 0°C, such as between -30°C and below 0°C.

The term "freezing" as used herein in relation to for example a composition means to change the temperature of said composition to a temperature of the composition below the freezing point of the composition in question, typically to 0°C such as between -40°C and below 0°C, or such as between -30°C and below 0°C.

The term "thawing" as used herein in relation to for example a composition means to change the state from a frozen state by gradual warming to a temperature above the freezing point of the composition in question, typically to above 0°C such as to a temperature between above 0°C and 100°C, such as to a temperature between 5°C to 25°C.

The term "at least one freeze/thaw cycle" as used herein in relation to for example a composition means a step where the temperature of the composition is changed to a temperature below the freezing point of the composition in question, typically to 0°C or to below 0°C, and then kept at this temperature for a certain time, and then changed to above the temperature of the freezing point of the composition in question, typically to above 0°C again such as to a temperature between -40°C and below 0°C, or such as between -30°C and below 0°C and then to a temperature between above 0°C and 100°C, such as to a temperature between 5°C to 25°C. In the present context, the term "an increase in viscosity" in relation to viscosity of a composition as disclosed herein refers to a comparison of the viscosity before freezing which is lower than the viscosity after freezing. In one aspect, an increase in viscosity is at least an increase of 5%, such as at least 10% or such as at least 20%.

The term "food" as used herein refers to an edible material suitable for human consumption. The term "feedstuff" as used herein refers to an edible material suitable for non-human animal consumption.

Disclosure of the invention

Succinoglycan

Succinoglycan (also named SGG herein) is an anionic polysaccharide, with a molecular backbone consisting of repeatedly 3 D-glucose units and 1 galactose unit, with side-chains of 4 D-glucose units on which both succinate acid and pyruvate acid units are present.

Succinoglycan has a high molecular weight, up to 9.10⁵ Dalton (in 0.1M aqueous NaCI at 25° C). Succinoglycan expresses a very high degree of pseudoplastic flow, which stretches from gel like behaviour when at rest to a very low viscous fluid upon pouring and pumping. In one aspect, succinoglycan gum may be prepared as a biosynthesised gum made by fermentation of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. More particularly, said strain of Agrobacterium tumefaciens I- 736 has been deposited under the provisions of the Budapest Treaty with the National Collection of Cultures of Microorganisms (CNCM) on Mar. 1, 1988, under No. 1-736. This strain originates from the National Collection of Phytopathogenic Bacteria and is recorded under No. CNBP 291 in the 1974 catalog of the organism curator. The strain Agrobacterium tumefaciens, a producer of succinoglycan, has also been deposited at the National Collection of Cultures of Microorganisms (CNCM) Institut Pasteur under the provisions of the Budapest Treaty by DANISCO FRANCE S.A.S., 20 Rue de Brunei, F-75017 Paris, France and carries the reference CNCM 1-4789 on 25 July 2013. Succinoglycan may be prepared as for example described in US 5,348,675 or US 5,252,727, or a commercial available succinoglycan may also be used. In one aspect, the succinoglycan is obtained from said Agrobacterium tumefaciens CNCM 1-4789.

In one aspect, succinoglycan is used in a solid form. The succinoglycan may for example be used in the form of a powder. Succinoglycan may in another aspect be used in the form of a dry mix with sugar. In another aspect, the succinoglycan is added either hydrated separately or with other hydrocolloids or ingredients, optionally during heating.

In one aspect, the succinoglycan is comprised in a composition as disclosed herein in an amount from 0.01% (w/w) to 1% (w/w) succinoglycan based on the amount of the composition. In one aspect, the succinoglycan is comprised in a composition as disclosed herein in an amount from 0.01% (w/w) to 0.5% (w/w) succinoglycan based on the amount of the composition. In one aspect, the succinoglycan is comprised in a composition as disclosed herein in an amount from 0.05 % (w/w) to 0.4 % (w/w) succinoglycan based on the amount of the composition. In one aspect, the succinoglycan is comprised in a composition as disclosed herein in an amount from 0.07 % (w/w) to 0.4 % (w/w) succinoglycan based on the amount of the food composition. In one aspect, the succinoglycan is comprised in a composition as disclosed herein in an amount from 0.07 % (w/w) to 0.3 % (w/w)

succinoglycan based on the amount of the composition. In one aspect, the succinoglycan is comprised in a composition as disclosed herein in an amount from 0.1 % (w/w) to 0.4 % (w/w) succinoglycan based on the amount of the composition. In one aspect, the

succinoglycan is comprised in a composition as disclosed herein in an amount from 0.1 % (w/w) to 0.3 % (w/w) succinoglycan based on the amount of the composition. In one aspect, the succinoglycan is comprised in a composition as disclosed herein in an amount from 0.1 % (w/w) to 0.2 % (w/w) succinoglycan based on the amount of the composition. Usage

In a further aspect, the present invention relates to the use of succinoglycan for stabilizing a composition such as a food or feedstuff product against separation after at least one freeze/thaw cycle of said composition. In a further aspect, the present invention relates to the use of succinoglycan for increasing the viscosity of a composition such as a food or feedstuff product after at least one freeze/thaw cycle of said composition.

The term "for stabilizing a composition such as a food or feedstuff product against separation after at least one freeze/thaw cycle of said composition" refers to the resistance to freezing and thawing, and more specifically, the property of being a stable composition such as a stable emulsion when frozen and then thawed. In the aspect, where the composition is an emulsion, the resistance to freezing and thawing refers to the oil phase and water phase being unlikely to separate or break. In one aspect, the composition such as a food or feedstuff product resists change in its properties over time. The oil-in-water emulsions can therefore be suitably used as emulsified foods that are frozen for preservation or like purposes, and thawed for eating, drinking or cooking (emulsified foods for frozen foods), and for example used in emulsified seasonings (emulsified seasonings for frozen foods).

In one aspect, the composition is still stable against separation after having been frozen for at least 1 week, such as at least for 1 month, such as at least 2 months, such as at least for 3 months, such as at least for 4 months, such as at least for 5 months, such as at least for 6 months.

The exact dosage of succinoglycan used is dependent on the desired viscosity and/or stability of the resulting composition such as a food or feedstuff composition. In one aspect, addition of succinoglycan may increase the viscosity at increasing dosage level. In one aspect, addition of succinoglycan may increase the stability of the composition at increasing dosage level.

Food or feedstuff

The frozen compositions such as food or feedstuff products as disclosed herein are made in a similar fashion to prior products except that succinoglycan is added before freezing of said product. In formulating the frozen compositions such as food or feedstuff products as disclosed herein, typical pH modifiers, such as citric acid or maleic acid, hydrocolloids such as starch, other hydrocolloids, sweeteners, such as natural and high intensity sweeteners, preservatives, such as sodium benzoate, flavorings such as flavor emulsion bases, other common additives such as sodium citrate and ascorbic acid, and colorings, may also be added to the compositions of the present invention. In one aspect, the composition as disclosed herein comprises at least one further hydrocolloid.

Processes for blending the various ingredients of the compositions and producing the food products disclosed herein are well-known in the art and include but are not limited to dry blending and wet blending such as in agglomeration/hydration followed by drying (e.g., spray drying, fluidized bed drying or drum drying). It is also well-known that water quality may vary widely across the consumer market, thus, sequestration agents such as sodium hexametaphosphate may be added to the compositions in order to allow for consistency and ease of use in differing markets. The compositions as disclosed herein typically have a pH from between 1 to 8, depending on the field of use, where the lower end is e.g. useful for toilet cleaners etc, and the higher end values are useful in food and feedstuffs. Preferred pH values are about 1, about 1.5, about 2.0, about 2.5, about 3.0, about 3.5, about 4.0, about 4.5, about 5.0, about 5.5, about 6.0, about 6.5 and about 7.0. In one aspect the composition disclosed herein is a food or feedstuff product. In a further aspect, the composition such as a food or feedstuff product is a food product. In one aspect the food or feedstuff product is a feedstuff product. The foodstuff may be solid or liquid. In some cases, the foodstuff may transform during cooking or freezing from a solid to a liquid. Furthermore, foodstuffs comprising a combination of liquid and solid components are also encompassed by the present invention.

In one aspect, the composition such as a food or feedstuff product disclosed herein is selected from the group consisting of an emulsion, a dough, a ready-meal, a dessert, a sauce, a soup, and a dressing.

In one aspect, the food or feedstuff is a sauce. In general a sauce is a liquid, creaming or semi-solid food served on or used in preparing other foods. Sauces are not normally consumed by themselves; they add flavor, moisture, and visual appeal to another dish. In one aspect, the sauce is selected from the group consisting of bechamel sauce, and hollandaise sauce. Sauces for salads are often called "dressings". The current invention is also directed to soup. Soup is primarily a liquid food, generally served warm (but may be cool or cold), that is made by combining ingredients such as meat and vegetables with stock, juice, water, or another liquid. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling solid ingredients in liquids in a pot until the flavors are extracted, forming a broth.

The current invention is also directed to a dessert such as ice cream. Ice cream is a frozen dessert such as a frozen whipped dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners. In some cases, artificial flavourings and colourings are used in addition to, or instead of, the natural ingredients.

The current invention is also directed to emulsions. In one aspect, the composition such as a food or feedstuff product disclosed herein is a is an oil-in-water emulsion or a water-in-oil emulsion. An emulsion is a colloid consisting of a stable mixture of two immiscible phases, typically liquid phases in which small droplets of one phase are dispersed uniformly throughout the other. A typical emulsion is an oil and water emulsion, such as a water-in-oil or oil-in-water emulsion. Emulsions may, for example, be industrial emulsions such as water- containing crude oils emulsified by addition of surface active substances, or oil containing water, edible emulsions such as mayonnaise and salad cream or edible oil-in-water emulsions such as margarine. Emulsions are typically formed and stabilized by the addition of an emulsifier and many effective emulsifiers are known. Emulsions can be further stabilized but the addition of viscosity modifying agents and many effective viscosity modifying agents are known.

In formulating the compositions disclosed herein, emulsifiers may be used. In the food technology are any of the numerous chemical additives that facilitate two non-miscible liquids to form an emulsion, as in the mixture of oil and water in margarine, shortening and salad dressing.

Preferred emulsifiers may be selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol monostearate (PGMS), sodium stearoyl lactylate (SSL), calcium stearoyl lactylate (CSL), monoglycerides, diglycerides, monodiglycerides, polyglycerol esters, lactic acid esters of monoglycerides, lactic acid esters of diglycerides, lactic acid esters of monodiglycerides, polysorbate, sucrose esters of monoglycerides, sucrose esters of diglycerides, sucrose esters of monodiglycerides, diacetyl tartaric acid esters of monoglycerides, diacetyl tartaric acid esters of diglycerides, diacetyl tartaric acid esters of monodiglycerides (DATEM), citric acid esters of monoglycerides, citric acid esters of diglycerides, citric acid esters of

monodiglycerides (CITREM) and combinations thereof. The emulsion may be a single emulsion, such as an oil-in-water emulsion or a water-in-oil emulsion. Further the emulsion may be a double emulsion, such as an oil-in-water in oil emulsion or a water in oil-in-water emulsion. In a further aspect, the composition disclosed herein is in the form of a double emulsion. Preferred double emulsions may be selected from mayonnaise, low fat spread, peanut butter, hazelnut butter, chocolate spread, and spread containing hazelnut and cocoa. Preferred feeds in accordance with the present invention may be selected from poultry feed, aqua culture feed, bovine feedstuff and porcine feedstuff. A preferred feedstuff is a feedstuff pellet for fish.

Process In one aspect, disclosed herein is a process for preparing a frozen composition such as a food or feedstuff product as disclosed herein comprising the steps of adding succinoglycan to obtain said composition, and freezing said composition. In one aspect, said composition is frozen to below the freezing point of the composition in question.

In one aspect, disclosed herein is a process for stabilizing a composition such as a food or feedstuff product against freezing and thawing (such as at least one freeze/thaw cycle) comprising the step of adding succinoglycan to further composition ingredients before freezing.

In a further aspect, disclosed herein is a process for obtaining a thawed composition such as a food or feedstuff product stabilized against separation comprising the step of adding succinoglycan to obtain a composition as disclosed herein, and thawing said composition.

In one aspect, the food or feedstuff product is frozen for at least 1 day before being thawed. In another aspect, the food or feedstuff product is frozen for at least 2 days before being thawed. In one aspect, the food or feedstuff product is frozen for at least 15 days before being thawed. In another aspect, the food or feedstuff product is frozen for at least 30 days before being thawed.

In one aspect, the food or feedstuff product is frozen at a temperature below 0°C. In another aspect, the food or feedstuff product is frozen at a temperature between -40°C and below 0°C, or such as between -25°C and below 0°C.

Specific numbered embodiments of the invention : Embodiment 1. A frozen composition, in particular a frozen food or feedstuff, comprising succinoglycan.

Embodiment 2. A composition in the form of a frozen food or feedstuff product comprising succinoglycan.

Embodiment 3. The composition according to any one of embodiments 1-2 comprising 0.01% (w/w) to 1% (w/w) succinoglycan based on the amount of the composition.

Embodiment 4. The composition according to any one of embodiments lor 3, which is a food or feedstuff product.

Embodiment 5. The composition according to any one of embodiments 1-4, which is selected from the group consisting of an emulsion, a dough, a ready-meal, a dessert, a sauce, a soup, and a dressing.

Embodiment 6. The composition according to any one of embodiments 4-5, wherein the food is selected from whipped frozen desserts such as an ice cream.

Embodiment 7. The composition according to any one of embodiments 1-6, which is or comprises an emulsion.

Embodiment 8. The composition according to embodiment 7, wherein the emulsion is an oil-in-water emulsion or a water-in-oil emulsion.

Embodiment 9. The composition according to any one of embodiments 1-8, which is in the form of a double emulsion.

Embodiment 10. The composition according to embodiment 9, wherein the double emulsion is an oil-in-water in oil emulsion or a water in oil-in-water emulsion

Embodiment 11. The composition according to any one of embodiments 1-10, which composition is selected from mayonnaise, low fat spread, peanut butter, hazelnut butter, chocolate spread, and spread containing hazelnut and cocoa. Embodiment 12. The composition according to any one of embodiments 1-11, which composition is selected from the group of a mayonnaise, bechamel sauce, and hollandaise sauce.

Embodiment 13. The composition according to embodiment 11, which is a mayonnaise.

Embodiment 14. The composition according to any one of embodiments 1-12, wherein the sauce is selected from the group of bechamel sauce, and hollandaise sauce.

Embodiment 15. The composition according to any one of embodiments 1-14, which has been thawed.

Embodiment 16. The composition according to any one of embodiments 1-15, which has an increased viscosity, in particular compared to a composition without succinoglycan.

Embodiment 17. The composition according to any one of embodiments 1-8, wherein said composition is stable against separation for at least 1 week of freezing, in particular compared to a composition without succinoglycan.

Embodiment 18. A process for preparing a composition such as a food or feedstuff product according to any one of embodiments 1-17 comprising the steps of adding succinoglycan to obtain said composition, and freezing said composition. Embodiment 19. Use of succinoglycan for stabilizing a composition such as a food or feedstuff product against separation after at least one freeze/thaw cycle of said composition, in particular compared to a composition without succinoglycan.

Embodiment 20. Use of succinoglycan for increasing the viscosity of a composition such as a food or feedstuff product after at least one freeze/thaw cycle of said composition, in particular compared to a composition without succinoglycan.

Embodiment 21. The use according to any one of embodiments 19-20, wherein said composition is as further defined in any one of embodiments 1-17. Embodiment 22. A process for stabilizing a composition such as a food or feedstuff product against separation after at least one freeze/thaw cycle comprising the step of adding succinoglycan before freezing and then freeze said composition to obtain a composition according to any one of embodiments 1-17, and thawing said composition. Embodiment 23. The process according to embodiment 20, wherein said composition is stable against separation for at least 1 week of freezing, in particular compared to a composition without succinoglycan.

Embodiment 24. A process for obtaining a thawed composition such as a food or feedstuff product stabilized against separation, comprising the step of adding succinoglycan to obtain a composition according to any one of embodiments 1-15 and thawing said composition.

Embodiment 25. The process according to embodiment 22, wherein said composition has been frozen for at least one week before thawing.

All publications mentioned in the above specification are herein incorporated by reference. Various modifications and variations of the described compositions, methods and system of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in connection with specific preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the invention as claimed should not be unduly limited to such specific embodiments. Indeed, various modifications of the described modes for carrying out the invention which are obvious to those skilled in biochemistry, microbiology and molecular biology or related fields are intended to be within the scope of the following claims.

EXAMPLES EXAMPLE 1 Freeze-thaw effect of succinoglycan (SGG) in water

In the following example succinoglycan was added in water and submitted to a freeze thaw cycle as described below: DAY 1 :

Three succinoglycan solutions at 3 different concentrations (0.1, 0.25 and 0.5% (w/w)) were prepared as follow: 500 ml_ solution (using deionized water) is prepared in a 1000 ml_ low shape beaker with thick walls; a 65 mm propeller is used and adjusted to the closest of the bottom of the beaker. Succinoglycan is added at 500 rpm and the speed is then raised to 1000 rpm for 45 minutes.

After 45 min stirring in total, the solutions are transferred into a 250mL high shape beaker and left on bench for at least 10 min.

The solutions having a succinoglycan content at 0.25 and 0.5 % (w/w) look 'jellified'. After the lOmin : the viscosity was measured with a LVT Brookfield at RT: @ 1.5 rpm reading after 2 min @ 30 rpm reading after 1 min

Samples are then placed one night in the freezer (-18°C) DAY 2: The samples are taken out of the freezer and left to thaw at RT until the next day. DAY 3 :

The solution at 0.1 % looks now 'jellified' as well and the two other concentrations look even more jellified.

The samples are transferred into a 250 ml beaker and left on the bench for 10 minutes before viscosity measurement with a LVT Brookfield at RT.

@ 1.5 rpm reading after 2 min

@ 30 rpm reading after 1 min. This trial was repeated at 0.1% succinoglycan (w/w) but this time the succinoglycan solution was placed and stirred in a water bath at 80°C for 15 minutes. The solution was then left to cool at room temperature and the rest of the procedure remains the same as previously. This was to evaluate the impact of a heating step commonly used in culinary process. The results as shown in table 1 were obtained .

Table 1. Summary of results obtained in water.

Succinoglycan in a water solution with or without being heated showed an increase in viscosity and in appearance of gel like particles after thawing . This increase in viscosity compared with the viscosity before freezing was respectively 181 and 93% at 0.1% succinoglycan at low shear rate (1.5 rpm) and respectively 66 and 200% at high shear rate (30rpm) . This property could be beneficially exploited in different applications such as in bakery or in frozen dough. EXAMPLE 2

Freeze-thaw stability of succinoglycan in mayonnaise

In the following example succinoglycan or xanthan was added to a mayonnaise formulation as described below: Table 2 : Mayonnaise form

The procedure for making the mayonnaise is outlined below: Cold process: -Fill water in the mixer, and add the hydrocolloids

-Mix for lOminutes at 5.000 rpm using TK homo mixer to hydrate the hydrocolloids -Add all ingredients except oil

-Add oil little by little mixing at 8.000 rpm by TK homo mixer to emulsify

-Emulsify using pressure homogenizer (15M Pa)

-Store at 10°C for a night (0)

-Freeze at -25°C next day for a night.

-Thaw at 10°C for a night and keep at 10°C - (1).

-Freeze for a night and thaw for a night - (2)

-Freeze for a night and thaw for a night - (3)

-Measure viscosity of all samples from (0) to (3) on the same day after 3 repeat.

Compared with xanthan for which the emulsions show obvious creaming after freeze-thaw cycles, emulsions with succinoglycan are still stable after the freeze-thaw cycles. The viscosity of the samples was measured with a Brookfield viscometer at 30rpm and 10°C.

There is a decrease in viscosity of «70% for succinoglycan and «64 % for the samples with xanthan after the first cycle. However, the viscosity of the samples with xanthan is then constant while the viscosity of the samples with succinoglycan increases (increase of 37 % after the 3rd cycle compared to the viscosity obtained after the first cycle). This could be linked to the effect seen in the example 1 where the viscosity increased significantly by 50% at 0.1% succinoglycan. This increase in viscosity can help the stabilization of the emulsion.

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Claims

1. A frozen food or feedstuff product comprising succinoglycan.

2. The food or feedstuff product according to claim 1 comprising 0.01% (w/w) to 1% (w/w) succinoglycan based on the amount of the composition.

3. The food or feedstuff product according to any one of claims 1-2, which is or comprises an emulsion.

4. The food or feedstuff product according to claim 3, wherein the emulsion is an oil -i n- water emulsion or a water-in-oil emulsion.

5. The food or feedstuff product according to any one of claims 1-4, which is in the form of a double emulsion such as an oil-in-water in oil emulsion or a water in oil-in-water emulsion

6. The food or feedstuff according to any one of claims 1-5, which is selected from the group consisting of a mayonnaise, bechamel sauce, and hollandaise sauce.

7. The food or feedstuff product according to any one of claims 1-6, which has been thawed.

8. The food or feedstuff product according to any one of claims 1-7, which has an increased viscosity compared to a food or feedstuff without succinoglycan.

9. The food or feedstuff product according to any one of claims 1-8, wherein said food or feedstuff is stable against separation for at least 1 week of freezing compared to a food or feedstuff without succinoglycan.

10. A process for preparing a food or feedstuff product according to any one of claims 1-7 comprising the steps of adding succinoglycan to obtain said food or feedstuff product, and freezing said food or feedstuff product.

11. Use of succinoglycan for stabilizing a food or feedstuff product against separation after at least one freeze/thaw cycle of said food or feedstuff.

12. Use of succinoglycan for increasing the viscosity of a food or feedstuff product after at least one freeze/thaw cycle of said food or feedstuff.

13. The use according to any one of claims 11-12, wherein said food or feedstuff product is as further defined in any one of claims 1-9.

14. A process for stabilizing a food or feedstuff product against separation after at least one freeze/thaw cycle comprising the steps of adding succinoglycan before freezing and then freeze said food or feedstuff product to obtain a food or feedstuff product as defined in any one of claims 1-9 , and thawing said food or feedstuff product.

15. A process for obtaining a thawed food or feedstuff product stabilized against separation, comprising the step of adding succinoglycan to obtain a food or feedstuff product as defined in any one of claims 1-9, and thawing said food or feedstuff product.