WO2016150733A1

WO2016150733A1 - Instant corn based beverage product

Info

Publication number: WO2016150733A1
Application number: PCT/EP2016/055355
Authority: WO
Inventors: Antonio Alvarez BUTRON; Tania Seto Takeguma KAVAGUTI; Nathalia MOTTA; Marcelo Camilo De OLIVEIRA; Naveeth RAMDEO; Claudia GARCIA-VELAZQUEZ
Original assignee: Unilever Plc; Unilever N.V.; Conopco, Inc., D/B/A Unilever
Priority date: 2015-03-20
Filing date: 2016-03-11
Publication date: 2016-09-29
Also published as: AR104022A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of preparing an instant corn-based beverage base product, as well as the product composition. The method includes: a. selecting a high shear mixer having one or more chopper devices; b. preparing a pre-mix of sugar and lecithin; c. adding to said mixer half of total sugar content, the pre-mix sugar/lecithin and then second half of sugar, and operating said mixer at maximum speed for about 5 minutes, chopper devices on; d. Adding salt, coloring and further sweetener; and operating said mixer at maximum speed for about 3 minutes, chopper devices on; e. adding modified corn starch and other powdered ingredients, such as composed gums; and operating said mixer at maximum speed for about 3 minutes, chopper devices off; f. discharging the resulting instant corn-based beverage base product from said mixer.

Description

INSTANT CORN BASED BEVERAGE PRODUCT

Field of the invention The present invention relates to the use of modified starch and lecithin in a method of preparing an instant corn-based beverage product and to an instant corn-based beverage product prepared by the method.

Background of the invention

Corn based beverage products are particularly popular in Latin America and it is believed they would gain further popularity if available in instant form. The traditional corn starch based beverage is known as "atole" and takes about twenty minutes to prepare from scratch on the stove top for consumption as a hot beverage. Atole uses native starch gelatinization to achieve the desired beverage product consistency. The atole is prepared hot and thickens to a desired consistency upon cooling just enough to enable consumption. In case of native corn starch, the temperature of gelatinization, and consequently the behavior of water absorption, occurs around 61 - 72 °C. This is the reason why a cooking step is mandatory during Atole preparation, either from scratch or Maizena® Atoles. The resulting product consistency may vary from porridge to a very thin liquid, depending on the starch

concentration. The cooling of gelatinized starch increases the viscosity. Therefore, the consistency of atole is still changing right after preparation.

Additional products in the market claim a "3-minute Atole" but the preparation method still requires heating.

The present inventors have identified consumer demand for atole beverages to be more widely available in instant form for cold preparation and consumption as a cold beverage. Therefore, a drawback of the above mentioned traditional methods resides in the fact that the beverage takes a long time to prepare, requires heating or hot water, may vary its consistency, and requires cooling when cold consumption is desired.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a method for producing an instant corn-based beverage product that can be prepared in about three minutes or less, no need of cooking process and it is ready to drink.

DE 28 34 851 discloses an instant cocoa drink powder. The process uses a fluidized bed to prepare lecithin granules where lecithin is melted before it is used to coat the granules. However, fluidized bed equipment is relatively expensive.

US 3,028,242 discloses a dietetic composition as a meal replacer kit in the form of a granule comprising a carrier and lecithin. To adhere the lecithin, molten lecithin is mixed with granulated sugar. Sugar and starch are mentioned in a long list of options.

It has now surprisingly been found that it is possible to realize the demand for instant corn based beverage product for cold consumption.

Summary of the invention

The present inventors have unexpectedly found that if modified starch is used in combination with lecithin paste in a process not including a fluidized bed, an instant corn based beverage product may be advantageously produced to meet the demand mentioned above, with low level of lumps.

Thus, the present invention concerns a method of preparing an instant corn-based beverage product, said method comprising:

a. selecting a high shear mixer having one or more chopper devices;

b. preparing a pre-mix of sugar and lecithin; c. adding to said mixer half of total sugar content, the pre-mix sugar/lecithin and then second half of sugar, and operating said mixer at maximum speed for about 5 minutes, chopper devices on;

d. Adding salt, coloring and further sweetener; and operating said mixer at maximum speed for about 3 minutes, chopper devices on;

e. adding modified corn starch and other powdered ingredients, such as composed

gums; and operating said mixer at maximum speed for about 3 minutes, chopper devices off;

f. discharging the resulting instant corn-based beverage base product from said mixer.

Although the inventors do not wish to be bound by theory, it is believed that in the present method the effect of pre-mixing lecithin with a certain part of sugar is particularly

advantageous to the present product, in terms of lumps generation. Additionally, the use of a high shear mixer with choppers is unique for a dry mix instant product. Thus, the instant product prepared according to the method of the present invention may be used as a base for instantly reconstitutable Atole in cold mild or water, for cold consumption, with lumps around 0,001 % (retention in mesh 20).

Accordingly, another aspect of the invention relates to an instant corn-based beverage product containing: a. about 3% to about 25% by weight of the dry mix of modified corn starch;

b. about 0,5% to about 6% by weight of phospholipids, preferably soy lecithin in paste form;

c. about 0,5% to about 3% by weight of stabilizer system (e.g. composed gums),;

d. about 8 to about 12% of polysaccharide (e.g. maltodextrin);

e. at least about 50 % by weight of the dry mix of soluble carbohydrate (e.g. sucrose); f. flavoring ingredients. Detailed description of the invention

A first aspect of the present invention concerns a method of preparing an instant corn-based beverage base product, as well as the product composition. The method includes:

a. selecting a high shear mixer having one or more chopper devices;

b. preparing a pre-mix of sugar and lecithin;

c. adding to said mixer half of total sugar content, the pre-mix sugar/lecithin and then second half of sugar, and operating said mixer at maximum speed for about 5 minutes, chopper devices on;

e. adding modified corn starch and other powdered ingredients, such as composed gums; and operating said mixer at maximum speed for about 3 minutes, chopper devices off;

c. about 0,5% to about 3% by weight of stabilizer system (e.g. composed gums),;

d. about 8 to about 12% of polysaccharide (e.g. maltodextrin);

e. at least about 50 % by weight of the dry mix of soluble carbohydrate (e.g. sucrose); f. flavoring ingredients.

The term "modified starch" as used herein refers to cold soluble, instant, starch. As used herein, the term "modified starch" encompasses a starch ingredient wherein starch properties and those of amylase and amylopectin are improved or tailored by physical and chemical methods to fit or adjust the properties to the present application. For purposes of the present invention, starch is pre-gelatinized and then agglomerated to be soluble in cold water and deliver a creamy texture. Suitable starch is available from Ingredion under the trade name Ultra-Sperse®M.

The term "lecithin" as used herein encompasses lecithin paste. Preferably, soy lecithin is used as an emulsifier. The role of lecithin is to form a coating around the ingredients: first a coating around sugar crystals in two steps and then around other ingredients. This procedure avoids the formation of lumps during processing and dissolution and consequently makes the preparation easier and quicker for end consumers.

The term "composed gums" as used herein refers to a gum or mixture of gums selected to complement the texture delivered by the modified corn starch and consequently be closer to the consistency consumers recognize from a traditional atole. Preferably, the gums include xanthan gum, guar gum, carboxymethylcellulose, and combinations thereof. A particularly preferred combination of gums is a mixture of xanthan, guar and caboxymethylcellulose available under the trade name Grinsted®FB50300 from Danisco. Xanthan (otherwise called xanthan gum) is a microbial exopolysaccharide produced by the naturally occurring bacterium Xanthomonas campestris. It is a widely used biopolymer in the food and pharmaceutical industries. The gums in powder form are used as a stabilizer in the method and composition according to the present invention. As stated above: mixture of gums selected to

complement the texture. "Composed gums" could be replaced by "combination of" or "mix of gums].

Other powders may include maltodextrin as filler, in addition to gums. The ratios of the dry ingredients may be varied to achieve the desired consistency of the instant corn-based beverage product upon reconstitution in cold water or cold milk.

Process

A high shear mixer with one or more chopper devices turned on, preferably a Littleford® mixer, is set to maximum speed to mix the first added ingredients for about 5 minutes. A chopper is a high shear device installed in the mixer in order to provide the necessary mixing intensity. Particle sizes of the sugar and the other ingredients in the mix are reduced. High shear mixers with choppers are not usually recommended for instant products, the fluid bed agglomeration process to avoid lumps and dissolvability conventionally being recommended for instant products. It is noteworthy that a high shear mixer with choppers has been found to produce superior results in the inventive method, yielding improved dissolvability and lump reduction under the claimed process conditions.

The pre-mix of lecithin and sugar is prepared and then added to the shear mixer together with sugar, which is operated at maximum speed for five minutes. Preferably, the lecithin is soy lecithin in paste format. The lecithin type selection, as well as staged addition of the lecithin, are designed to reduce lumps or agglomeration in the mixture, as well as to facilitate dissolution of the dry mix in cold water or cold milk. Lecithin paste is available from The Solae Company under the trade name LECITINA DE SOYA SOLEC 3F-UB.

The ratio between sugar and lecithin in the premix is key to reduce lumps.

Modified corn starch and other powders are added, and the high shear mixer is operated at maximum speed for another 3 minutes, chopper devices off. Other powders may include maltodextrin as filler, and gums such as xanthan, guar, and carboxymethyl cellulose. The ratios of the dry ingredients may be varied to achieve the desired consistency of the instant corn-based beverage product upon reconstitution in cold water or cold milk.

The instant corn-based beverage mix is then discharged from the high shear mixer.

The instant product prepared according to the method above may be used as a base for instantly reconstitutable Atole in cold mild or water, for cold consumption, with lumps around 0,001 % (retention in mesh 20).

Therefore, at any subsequent time on demand, the instant corn-based beverage mix may be reconstituted with cold water or cold milk to form a liquid instant Atole beverage product. In the last stage of the process, when modified corn starch as well as other powders are mixed around 3 minutes, chopper devices are turned off to keep the integrity of modified corn starch's particles. Without breaking, modified corn starch can contribute with the creamy texture and dissolvability.

Formulation

A dry mix formulation is provided for the corn-based instant beverage product, as follows.

Preferably, soluble carbohydrates, mainly disaccharides, preferably sucrose crystals (no matter particle size) are added in an amount of at least about 50 %, and up to about 60%, more preferably about 50% to about 56%, by weight of the dry mix. It is preferred to add the modified corn starch, selected from the group consisting of waxy starch, preferably available under the Ultra-Sperse® M brand, well after the carbohydrates and lecithin have been particle reduces in the high shear mixer, in order to realize the full benefits associated with the instant corn starch. According to a preferred embodiment, the modified starch is added after the staged lecithin addition, when chopper devices are turned off. This prevents degradation of the instant starch. Preferably, modified starch is added in an amount of about 17% to about 30% of the dry mix, more preferably about 23% by weight of the dry mix.

It is feasible to add a stabilizer system from the group of hydrocolloids and their mixtures, preferably a combination of gums (Xanthan, Guar and Carboxymethylcellulose -

Grinsted®FB50300) available from Danisco. However, it is preferred to add the stabilizer system along with the modified starch addition. Preferably, Grinsted® FB50300 is added in an amount of about 0,5% to about 6% of the dry mix, more preferably about 1 ,5% by weight. According to a particularly preferred embodiment, a mixture of phospholipids from the group of lipids and oil, preferably soy lecithin in paste form, is added through a premix with sugar in a ratio of (1 part of lecithin to 5,3 parts of sugar). By staged addition of lecithin, it can be ensured that agglomeration of the dry mix is minimized, especially compared with addition of powdered lecithin. The inventors have found that agglomerated can be avoided as the paste coats some of the dry ingredients, starting with sugar and later on with other powders.

Lecithin paste is available from The Solae Company under the trade name LECITINA DE SOYA SOLEC 3F-UB. By adding paste soy lecithin through a premix and with use of a high shear mixer for dry mix production, an instant corn-based beverage dry mix is

advantageously prepared with low amount of lumps (0,001 %). Preferably, it is added in an amount of about 0,5% to about 3% of the dry mix, more preferably about 2% by weight.

Optionally but preferably, about 8 - 12% of polysaccharide from the group of starches, preferably corn maltodextrin, is added to the dry mix.

Flavoring ingredients may be included to taste, such as sweeteners, salt, natural or artificial flavors, natural or artificial colors. An example is chocolate powder (cocoa) for a chocolate atole product. The dry mix may be reconstituted with cold milk (10- 15°C) to produce an instant corn-based beverage product at any desired time. The consistency is appropriately not too thick, despite cold preparation. The viscosity of the reconstituted products made with the dry base as disclosed herein is typically greater than about 280 and less than about 2000 centipoise, preferably 330 centipoise. Methodology used was a dynamic viscosity measurement through Brookfield equipment, T=25°C, Spindle 2, 20 rpm.

The present method can suitably comprise the addition of one or more additional, optional, food ingredients and/or micronutrients to the dry mix. The method may, for instance, comprise addition of fruit and/or vegetable constituents. Examples of fruit constituents that can be added include dried fruit chunks and dried fruit concentrate. Examples of other ingredients and additives that can be added at some stage of the present method include sweeteners, flavoring substances, preservatives, vitamins, minerals, satiety inducing or enhancing agents, cholesterol lowering agents, etc. Also added may be sugar-based pieces to looks like fruits with different formats as well as be one or minerals selected from the group consisting of iron, copper, calcium, magnesium or zinc, more preferably of one or minerals selected from iron and calcium. Still other additives which may be optionally added to the food products of this invention include further protein sources and sweeteners. The former include caseinate and skimmed milk powder and the latter include syrups, sucrose, glucose, saccharin, aspartame, dextrose, lactose, levelose, maltose, fructose, mixtures thereof and the like. Cereals and fibers may also be optionally added.

The invention is further illustrated by means of the following examples.

Figures

Figure 1 : Example A (powder lecithin) in the left hand side. Example B (past lecithin) on the right hand side.

Figure 2: Example A (powder lecithin) after straining to make easier to see the lumps.

Examples

Analysis

Samples were prepared in a lab scale and analyzed by means of visual inspection for lump formation when product is ready to drink:

Example A - Powdered Lecithin

Lecithin in powdered form was obtained from The Solae Company under the trade name LECITINA DE SOYA.

Lecithin in paste form was obtained from The Solae Company under the trade name

LECITINA DE SOYA SOLEC 3F-UB. Method

An instant corn-based beverage product was prepared by:

a. selecting a lab scale high shear mixer

b. adding to said mixer a dry mix comprising one half of the total sugar content, salt, coloring and further sweetener; and operating said mixer at maximum speed for about 3 minutes;

c. adding one half of the total lecithin (powder in Example A, paste in Example B);

content and operating said mixer at maximum speed for about 2 to about 3 minutes; d. adding the second half of said lecithin (powder in Example A, paste in Example B); and operating said mixer at maximum speed for about 2 to about 3 minutes;

e. adding modified corn starch, along with the second half of said sugar and other

powdered ingredients; and operating said mixer at maximum speed for about 6 minutes;

f. discharging the resulting instant corn-based beverage product from said mixer.

Following the discharge of the instant corn-based beverage product from said mixer as described above, the dry mix was analyzed/inspected for lump formation/dissolution when the base product was diluted with cold milk The results obtained are described in Table 1 and 2:

Table 1

Dissolution: YES or NO

Example A YES, but lumps on top.

Example B YES

Table 2

Lump Formation: YES or NO

Example A YES, in the top

Example B NO These results clearly indicate that a difference in product ready to drink is easily observed for lump formation. Example B using lecithin paste avoided lumps, while Example A using lecithin powder included observable lump formation. These results show that the best result in terms of lump formation and dissolition is using past lecithin.

Example 2. Process

Some options were tried in a factory trial (batch size of 150kg) to achieve the best process in terms of order of addition, mixing time at different stages, premix related to sugar and lecithin taking into account the amount of lumps in the dry mix. The lumps were measured from a 1000g sample, using a sieve Mesh 20.

The results are shown in Table 3.

Table 3

These results show that the best result in terms of lump formation is batch 04. Only 0,001 % of Thus, the present invention concerns a method of preparing an instant corn-based beverage product, said method comprising:

a. selecting a high shear mixer having one or more chopper devices;

b. preparing a pre-mix of sugar and lecithin;

Claims

F6282 (C) WO 2016/150733 PCT/EP2016/055355 - 13 - Claims

1. A method of preparing an instant corn-based beverage product, said method 5 comprising: a. selecting a high shear mixer having one or more chopper devices;

b. preparing a pre-mix of sugar and lecithin;

c. adding to said mixer half of total sugar content, the pre-mix sugar/lecithin and 10 then second half of sugar, and operating said mixer at maximum speed for 5 minutes, chopper devices on;

e. adding modified corn starch and other powdered ingredients, such as

15 composed gums; and operating said mixer at maximum speed for 3 minutes, chopper devices off;

20

2. An instant corn-based beverage product comprising a dry mix of: a. 3% to 25% by weight of the dry mix of modified corn starch; b. 0,5% to 6% by weight of phospholipids, preferably soy lecithin in paste form; 25 c. 0,5% to 3% by weight of stabilizer system;

d. 8 to 12% of polysaccharide;

e. at least 50 % by weight of the dry mix of soluble carbohydrate;

f. flavoring ingredients.

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