WO2019068453A1

WO2019068453A1 - A food concentrate for preparing a sauce, soup, condiment or gravy

Info

Publication number: WO2019068453A1
Application number: PCT/EP2018/075135
Authority: WO
Inventors: Marc Hermann Marie Baggen; Petra Verhoef
Original assignee: Unilever N.V.; Unilever Plc; Conopco, Inc., D/B/A Unilever
Priority date: 2017-10-03
Filing date: 2018-09-18
Publication date: 2019-04-11

Abstract

The invention relates to a food concentrate for preparing a sauce, soup, condiment or gravy, comprising a mulberry fruit extract and wherein the food concentrate does not comprise a yeast fermented fruit juice, such as wine. The invention further relates to a process of preparing such a food concentrate, to a method of preparing a sauce, soup, 5 condiment or gravy using said food concentrate, and to a food kit comprising said food concentrate and a starch rich food product.

Description

A FOOD CONCENTRATE FOR PREPARING A SAUCE, SOUP, CONDIMENT OR

GRAVY

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a food concentrate for preparing a sauce, soup, condiment or gravy, comprising a mulberry fruit extract and wherein the food concentrate does not comprise a yeast fermented fruit juice, such as wine. The invention further relates to a process of preparing such a food concentrate, to a method of preparing a sauce, soup or gravy using said food concentrate, and to a food kit comprising said food concentrate and a starch rich food product.

Background of the invention

Food concentrates for preparing a soup, sauce, condiment or gravy, are well known in western and non-western cooking. For brevity, such formulations are herein all referred to as "food concentrates". Food concentrates provide ease for the consumer, usually only water needs to be added to the food concentrates and in a few minutes the sauce, soup, condiment of gravy is ready for consumption.

The most common physical formats in which such concentrates are available are powders and granulates. The powders can be prepared by dry mixing the ingredients in the proper proportion, optionally followed by granulating.

Conventionally, such food concentrates comprise one or more of the following ingredients inorganic salt, starch, fat, sugar, herbs, spices, plant matter, colourants, flavourings, flavour enhancers (like e.g. monosodium glutamate) and limited amounts of water.

Mulberries (or Morus) are a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Moraceae, growing wild and under cultivation in many temperate world regions. The mulberry fruit is a multiple fruit and about 2-3 cm long.

One of the mulberry species is the white mulberry (Morus alba). The fruits of this species in the wild are deep purple, but in many cultivated plants the colour of the plants varies from white to pink. The taste of the white mulberry fruits is sweet but bland, unlike the more intense flavor of the red mulberry (Morus rubra) and black mulberry (Morus nigra).

KR 201 1/0072769 describes a mulberry fruit sauce containing 5-30 wt.% of mulberry fruit extract. The mulberry fruit extract is an alcoholic or supercritical mulberry fruit extract. The mulberry fruit extract offers the physiological functionality and the flavor of mulberry fruits to the sauce.

Young-Ju Lee et al. (2010, Quality characteristics of salad dressing prepared with mulberry fruit powder, Korean J. Food Nutr., vol. 26, no. 5, p. 537-544) describes the application of 0.25-1 % mulberry fruit powder (MFP) in salad dressings. Sensory evaluation of the dressingsshowed that the flavor intensity increased as the amount of MFP increased in the salad dressing samples. Sweetness was rated significantly higher as the amount of MFP increased in the samples. The control sample had the lowest sourness and off-flavor, but there was no significant difference compared to the samples containing MFP.

Kim et al. (2016, 'Quality characteristics of sauce for meat prepared with mulberry leaf powder and mulberry fruit powder', Korean J. Food Nutr. Vol. 29, No. 4, p. 513-520) describes a study which investigated the optimal mixing ratio of mulberry leaf powder to mulberry fruit powder based on the anti-inflammatory effects and on the quality characteristics of the sauce for meat prepared. The study concluded that, as the mulberry leaf powder mixing ratio was increased, the anti-inflammatory activities were increased. However, sensory evaluation scores were increased as the mulberry fruit powder mixing ratio was increased. The sauce for meat that was used in this study comprised about 28 wt.% of red wine.

Cho et al. (201 1 , 'Quality characteristics of Bulgogi Marinade prepared with mulberry', J Korean Soc Food Sci Nutr, Vol.40, No.1 1 , p.1589-1596) describes the addition of fresh mulberry fruit to bulgogi marinade sauce at concentration of 5, 10, 15 and 20%. Sensory evaluation of bulgogi marinade was performed by trained panelists. Bulgogi marinade prepared with 15% fresh mulberry fruit content showed a significantly higher score in the sensory evaluation. The bulgogi sauce in this study comprised 3 wt.% red wine. Ha et al. (2016, 'Antioxidant activities and quality characteristics of gravy sauce added with Bokbunja (Rub coreanus Miquel), mulberry and blueberry', Korean J Food Cook Science, Vol.32, No.4, p. 458-465) describes a study wherein the quality characteristics and antioxidant activities of gravy sauce containing added Bokbunja, mulberry or blueberry was assessed. The conclusion of the study was that Bokbunja juice and gravy sauce showed higher antioxidant activities and higher acceptance test compared to blueberry and mulberry. Summary of the invention

Wine is applied in a lot of cuisines as an important flavour contributing ingredient. Wine, port, Madeira, sherry, vermouth etc. are examples of yeast fermented fruit juices. Yeast fermented fruit juices are rich in flavour components and have a complex, appealing flavour profile. This flavour profile is why yeast fermented fruit juices are used in the preparation of sauces, soups and gravies.

Examples of sauces that comprise yeast fermented fruit juices are bearnaise sauce, creamy (or white) pasta sauces, cheese sauces, fish sauces, tomato sauces, and brown gravy sauces.

One of the drawbacks of using yeast fermented fruit juices in food products resides in the fact that these juices usually contain ethanol. Many consumers object to the presence of ethanol in food products due to religious reasons or health reasons. Even if the food products contain no more than very limited amounts of ethanol, consumers will reject these products.

The inventors of the present invention have surprisingly found that mulberry fruit extract can be advantageously used as an ethanol-free flavouring alternative for yeast fermented fruit juices in food concentrates that can be used for preparing sauces, soups, condiments and gravies. Mulberry fruit extract is capable of providing a rich and complex flavour profile to food concentrates for sauces, soups, condiments and gravies that is remarkably similar to the flavour profile provided by yeast fermented fruit juices. The present invention thus pertains to a process of preparing a food concentrate for preparing a sauce, soup, condiment or gravy, said process comprising the combining of the following components:

a) a starch component selected from starch, flour, maltodextrin and combinations thereof;

b) mulberry fruit extract;

c) inorganic salts selected from sodium chloride, potassium chloride and combinations thereof;

d) optionally plant matter selected from vegetables, tomatoes, pulses, herbs, spices and combinations thereof;

e) optionally one or more of other edible ingredients selected from:

o fat; and

o sugar selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides and combinations thereof; and

f) optionally aqueous liquid;

wherein the combination of components a) to e) constitutes the bulk of the concentrate and wherein the concentrate does not comprise a yeast fermented fruit juice.

The invention further pertains to a food concentrate that is obtainable by the above process and to a method for preparing a sauce, soup, condiment or gravy using the food concentrate.

The invention also relates to a food kit comprising the food concentrate according to the invention and further comprising a starch-rich food product comprising at least 40 wt.% of starch by weight of dry matter of the starch-rich food product, such as pasta, rice, noodles, couscous, quinoa and others.

Detailed description of the invention

A first aspect of the invention relates to a process of preparing a food concentrate for preparing a sauce, soup, condiment (e.g. ketchup) or gravy, said process comprising the combining of the following components:

a) 6-60 %, by weight of the concentrate, of a starch component selected from starch, flour, maltodextrin and combinations thereof; b) 0.8-20 %, by weight of the concentrate, of mulberry fruit extract;

c) 2-20 %, by weight of the concentrate, of inorganic salts selected from sodium chloride, potassium chloride and combinations thereof;

d) 0-60 %, by weight of the concentrate, of plant matter selected from vegetables, tomatoes, pulses, herbs, spices and combinations thereof;

e) 0-50 %, by weight of the concentrate, of one or more of other edible ingredients selected from:

a. fat; and

b. sugar selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides and combinations thereof;

f) 0-50 % by weight of the concentrate of aqueous liquid;

wherein the combination of components a) to e) is applied in an amount representing at least 50 wt.% of the concentrate and wherein the concentrate does not comprise a yeast fermented fruit juice.

The term 'mulberry fruit extract' as used herein refers to a composition that has been isolated from mulberry fruit. Typically, the mulberry fruit extract does not contain insoluble fruit parts such as seeds or peel. The term 'yeast fermented fruit juice' as used herein refers to products that have been prepared by fermenting fruit juice with the help of biologically active yeast. Examples of such yeast fermented fruit juices are wine and port. The 'ysast fermented fruit juice' can be a liquid, a concentrated liquid, a paste or a powder. Yeast fermented fruit juice in the form of a concentrated liquid, a paste or a powder can be obtained by dehydrating a yeast fermented fruit juice.

The term 'flour' as used herein, unless indicated otherwise, refers to a flour having a starch content of more than 40 wt.%. The term 'plant matter' as used herein refer to particles that are composed of plant tissue. The term 'plant matter' does not encompass flour. The terms 'fat' or 'oil' are used interchangeably, unless specified otherwise. The terms 'fat' and 'oil' as used herein refers to a component that is composed of glycerides selected from triglycerides, diglycerides, monoglycerides, phosphoglycerides and combinations thereof. Where applicable the prefix 'liquid' or 'solid' is added to indicate whether the fat or oil is liquid or solid at 20 °C.

Unless indicated otherwise, weight percentages (wt.%) are based on the total weight of the (final) food concentrate. The solid fat content of the oil phase can suitably be determined using the method described in Animal and vegetable fats and oils— Determination of solid fat content by pulsed NMR - Part 1: Direct method - ISO 8292-1 :2008.

The water content of the food concentrate refers to the total water content, thus including the water that is present within the ingredients of the savoury concentrate.

The food concentrate of the present invention can be in the form of a particulate product or a paste. Preferably the food concentrate is In the form of a particulate product, more particularly a powder or a granulate.

Preferably, the particles in the particulate food concentrate have a mass weighted average diameter in the range of 100-2000 μηη. More preferably, the particles in the particulate food concentrate have a mass weighted average diameter in the range of 150-1750 μηη and most preferably, the particles in the particulate food concentrate have a mass weighted average diameter in the range of 200-1500 μηη.

The mass weighted average diameter of the particles in the particulate food concentrate may suitably be determined by using a set of sieves with different mesh sizes in case at least 80 wt.% of the particulates has a diameter of more than 100 μηη.

The food concentrate of the present invention preferably has a water content of not more than 12 wt.%, more preferably of not more than 10 wt.%, even more preferably of not more than 9 wt.% and most preferably of not more than 8 wt.%. Starch

A starch component is typically present in the food concentrate for increasing the viscosity of the obtained sauce, gravy, condiment or soup, after diluting the food concentrate in an aqueous liquid.

The starch component selected from starch, flour, maltodextrin and combinations thereof, is preferably applied in an amount of 8-58%, more preferably applied in an amount of 10-56%, and most preferably in an amount of 15-55 %, by weight of the food concentrate, in the process according to the invention.

The starch component is preferably selected from starch, flour and combinations thereof. More preferably, the starch component is starch. The starch is preferably selected from native starch, pre-gelatinised starch, modified starch and combinations thereof. More preferably, the starch is selected from native starch, pre-gelatinised starch and combinations thereof. Most preferably, the starch is native starch.

Mulberry fruit extract

The mulberry fruit extract is preferably applied in an amount of 1-18%, more preferably in an amount of 1 .5-16 and most preferably in an amount of 2-14%, by weight of the concentrate, in the process according to the invention.

The mulberry fruit extract according to the invention is preferably a solid, a paste or a liquid. More preferably, the mulberry fruit extract is a solid. Most preferably, the mulberry fruit extract is a powder.

The mulberry fruit extract is preferably water soluble. The term "water soluble mulberry fruit extract" as used herein refers to a mulberry fruit extract of which at least 80 wt.% of its dry matter dissolves, when the material is added to demineralized water at a temperature of 20°C in a concentration providing 20 gram of dry matter per litre.

The mulberry fruit extract that is employed in accordance with the present invention preferably has the following dry matter composition: • 10-40 wt.% amino acids (including amino acid residues contained in peptides and proteins);

• 7-28 wt.% organic acids other than amino acids;

• 1 1 -44 wt.% carbohydrates.

The water soluble mulberry fruit extract is preferably a dried aqueous extract of mulberry fruit.

Preferably, the mulberry extract has a water content of less than 15 wt.%, more preferably of less than 10 wt.% and most preferably of less than 8 wt.%.

A dried mulberry fruit extract obtained from an aqueous mulberry fruit extract, which can be used in accordance with the present invention, may suitably be obtained as follows: dried mulberry fruit is sliced, extracted with water, filtered and concentrated, and finally dried (e.g. by spray-drying) into fine powder. No excipient needs to be used during such spray-drying process, resulting in a final product with a dried mulberry fruit to dried extract ratio of e.g. 10:1. The mulberry fruit extract is preferably obtained from the fruit of the Morus Alba, Morus nigra or Morus rubra. More preferably the mulberry fruit extract is obtained from the fruit of the Morus Alba or Morus rubra. Even more preferably, the mulberry fruit extract is obtained from the fruit of the Morus Alba. Most preferably, the mulberry fruit extract is obtained from the white fruit of the Morus Alba.

The mulberry fruit extract preferably contains DNA and/or RNA of Morus Alba, Morus nigra or Morus rubra. More preferably, the extract contains DNA and/or RNA of Morus Alba or Morus rubra. Most preferably, the extract contains DNA and/or RNA of Morus Alba.

Inorganic salts

Preferably, the inorganic salt, selected from sodium chloride, potassium chloride and combinations thereof, is applied in an amount of 2.5-18%, more preferably in an amount of 2.8-17% and most preferably in an amount of 3-16%, by weight of the food concentrate, in the process according to the invention.

Preferably the inorganic salt is sodium chloride.

Plant matter

Preferably, the plant matter, selected from vegetables, tomatoes, pulses, herbs, spices and combinations thereof, is applied in an amount of 0.05-50%, more preferably in an amount of 0.1-40% and most preferably in an amount of 0.2-30%, by weight of the food concentrate, in the process according to the invention.

Examples of plant matter include parsley, dill, basil, chives, sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano, curcuma, leek, garlic, onion, pepper, celery, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, tomato, courgette, asparagus, bell pepper, eggplant, cucumber, carrot, coconut flesh, galangal, ginger, lemon grass, turnips and combinations thereof. The plant matter may be applied in the form of leafs, slices, florets, dices or other pieces.

Other edible ingredients

The one or more of other edible ingredients are selected from:

· fat; and

• sugar selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides and combinations thereof.

Preferably, said one or more of other edible ingredients, are applied in an amount of 1 - 48%, more preferably in an amount of 3-46% and most preferably in an amount of 12- 45%, by weight of the food concentrate, in the process of the invention.

The food concentrate of the present invention preferably comprises 0.5-48 wt.% by weight of the food concentrate of fat, more preferably comprises 1 -45%, and most preferably 10-42%, by weight of the food concentrate, of fat.

The fat employed in the food concentrate preferably is a vegetable fat. The term "vegetable fat" encompasses vegetable fats that have been fractionated, interesterified and/or hydrogenated. Examples of vegetable fats that may suitably be used in the food concentrate include palm oil, palm kernel oil, coconut oil, sunflower oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil, linseed oil, cottonseed oil, maize oil, olive oil and combinations thereof.

The food concentrate of the present invention preferably comprises 0.1 -20% by weight of the food concentrate of sugars, selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides and combinations thereof. More preferably, the food concentrate comprises 0.2-17%, and most preferably 0.4-14%, by weight of the food concentrate, of these sugars.

Preferably, the aforementioned sugars are selected from sucrose, glucose, fructose, lactose and combinations thereof.

Further ingredients

Preferably, aqueous liquid is applied in the present process in an amount of 0.1-8%, more preferably in an amount of 0.2-4% and most preferably in an amount of 0.4-2%, by weight of the food concentrate, in the process of the invention.

Examples of aqueous liquids that may be employed in the present process include water, aqueous solutions, aqueous emulsions and aqueous suspensions. Preferably, the aqueous liquid contains at least 80 wt.%, more preferably at least 90 wt.% water.

The present process may suitably comprise the use of further ingredients, such as creamer compositions, savoury taste giving ingredients, etc.

A creamer composition may suitably be employed in the present process in a concentration of 3-40%, more preferably in a concentration of 10-35% by weight of the concentrate, The creamer compositions preferably have a protein content of 1-50% and a fat content of 15-85%, by weight of the creamer compositions. More preferably, the creamer compositions have a protein content of 1.5-25%, most preferably a protein content of 2-20%, by weight of the creamer compositions. The fat content of the creamer composition is preferably 20-82%, more preferably 50-80% by weight of the creamer composition. Typically, the creamer compositions may be of non-dairy or dairy origin. Preferably, the creamer compositions are dairy creamer compositions. Preferably, the protein in the dairy creamer compositions is selected from casein, whey protein, salts thereof and combinations thereof.

Preferably, savoury taste giving ingredients, selected from glutamate, 5'-ribonucleotides, lactic acid, citric acid and combinations thereof, are applied in an amount of 0.1 -10%, by weight of the food concentrate, in the process of the invention. More preferably, said savoury taste giving ingredients, are applied in an amount of 0.2-8%, most preferably in an amount of 0.4-6%, by weight of the food concentrate, in the process of the invention.

The savoury taste giving ingredients may be applied as such or may be applied as part of a savoury composition, such as a yeast extract, a meat extract, a vegetable extract or a fish extract.

Process

The combining of components in the process of the invention preferably comprises dry mixing of the particulate dry ingredients. Optionally, after the dry mixing of particulate dry ingredients the mixed ingredients may be granulated to form a granulated food concentrate.

The process of the present invention preferably comprises the combining of components a) to e) in a combined amount representing at least 60 wt.%, more preferably of at least 65 wt.% of the food concentrate, even more preferably in a combined amount representing at least 70 wt.% of the food concentrate.

The process according to the invention preferably comprises the packaging of the food concentrate in a container or a sachet. The food concentrate of the present invention may suitably be combined in a single packaging unit together with one or more other edible components. Examples of other edible components are dried vegetables and starch-rich food products, comprising at least 40 wt.% of starch, by weight of dry matter of the starch-rich food product. Rice is an example of such a starch-rich food product.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the process according to the invention, the process comprises the combining of the following components:

a. 15-55 %, by weight of the concentrate, of a starch component selected from starch, flour, maltodextrin and combinations thereof;

b. 2-14 %, by weight of the concentrate, of mulberry fruit extract,

c. 3-16 %, by weight of the concentrate, of inorganic salts selected from sodium chloride, potassium chloride and combinations thereof;

d. 0.2-30 %, by weight of the concentrate, of plant matter selected from vegetables, tomatoes, pulses, herbs, spices and combinations thereof;

e. 12-45 %, by weight of the concentrate, of one or more of other edible ingredients selected from:

o fat; and

o sugar selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides and combinations thereof;

wherein the combination of components a) to e) is applied in an amount representing at least 70 wt.% of the concentrate and wherein the concentrate does not comprise a yeast fermented fruit juice.

A second aspect of the invention relates to a food concentrate that is obtained by the process as described herein. A third aspect of the invention relates to a food concentrate, suitable for preparing a sauce, soup, condiment or gravy, comprising the following components:

a) 6-60 %, by weight of the concentrate, of a starch component selected from starch, flour, maltodextrin and combinations thereof;

b) 0.8-20 %, by weight of the concentrate, of mulberry fruit extract,

d) 0-60 %, by weight of the concentrate, of plant matter selected from vegetables, tomatoes, pulses, herbs, spices and combinations thereof; e) 0-50 %, by weight of the concentrate, of one or more of other edible ingredients selected from:

o fat; and

o sugar selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides and combinations thereof;

f) 0-50 % by weight of the concentrate of water;

wherein the combination of components a) to e) together represent at least 50 wt.% of the concentrate and wherein the concentrate does not comprise a yeast fermented fruit juice.

Amounts, preferred amounts, ingredients and preferred ingredients etcetera as specified for the process according to the invention, also apply for the food concentrate according to the invention, mutatis mutandis, unless specified otherwise. As explained herein before, fat may be introduced into the food concentrate in the form of pure fats (e.g. vegetable fat) or as a component of another ingredient (e.g. creamer). Typically, the total fat content of the food concentrate is in the range of 5-48 wt.%, more preferably in the range of 8-45 wt.%. The food concentrate according to the invention is preferably obtained by the process as described herein before.

A fourth aspect of the invention pertains to a method of preparing a sauce, soup, condiment or gravy, said method comprising the combining of 10 parts of the food concentrate, as described herein before, with 5-200 parts of aqueous liquid to obtain a mixture.

In one embodiment of the method according to the invention, the food concentrate is mixed with a cold aqueous liquid having a temperature within the range of 0 to 40°C, following which the mixture is heated to a temperature within the range of 60 to 105°C. More preferably, the obtained mixture is heated to a temperature within the range of 70 to 101 °C. Alternatively, the aqueous liquid is mixed with a hot aqueous liquid having a temperature within the range of 50 to 100°C, more preferably within the range of 60 to 100°C.

Preferably, 10 parts of the food concentrate are combined with 7-180 parts of aqueous liquid. Most preferably, 10 parts of the food concentrate are combined with 10-160 parts of aqueous liquid.

Suitable aqueous liquids are water, milk, coconut milk, non-fermented juices and combinations thereof.

A fourth aspect of the invention pertains to a food kit, wherein said food kit comprises: a. 4-40 wt.% of the food concentrate as described herein before;

b. 60-96 wt.% of a starch-rich food product comprising at least 40 wt.% of starch, by weight of dry matter of the starch-rich food product.

The starch-rich food product is preferably a grain, a root or a food product prepared from a starch source derived from a grain, a root (e.g. potato), and combinations thereof. More preferably the starch-rich food product is a grain or a food product prepared from a starch source derived from a grain.

The term "grain" as used herein refers to cereal grain, pseudo-cereal grain and legume grain. Examples of a cereal grain are maize, rice, wheat, barley, sorghum, millet, oats, rye, fonio, sorghum. Examples of pseudo-cereal grain are amaranth, quinoa and buckwheat. Examples of legume grain are lentils and beans.

The starch-rich food product is preferably selected from pasta, noodles, couscous, rice, quinoa and combinations thereof.

The starch-rich food product preferably comprises at least 50% of starch by weight of dry matter and more preferably the starch-rich product comprises at least 60% of starch by weight of dry matter.

The said starch-rich food product is preferably at least partially cooked. In a preferred embodiment, the food kit comprises a mixture of the food concentrate and the starch-rich food product within the food kit. In an another preferred embodiment, the food concentrate and the starch-rich food product are separately packaged within the food kit.

The invention is further illustrated by the following non-limiting examples.

Examples

Example 1

Food concentrates for preparing a fish sauce were prepared on the basis of the recipes (in parts by weight) as shown in Table 1.

Table 1

74 wt.% vegetable fat, 8.5 wt.% protein

Contains garlic powder and turmeric.

Contains 32 wt.% of NaCI

0.5 % nucleotides and 38% NaCI

This white mulberry fruit extract (ex Draco Natural Products, USA) comprises about: - 20 wt.% of amino acids;

- 14 wt.% of organic acids;

- 22 wt.% of carbohydrates;

- 16 wt.% of ash;

6 Added to achieve comparable sourness as in concentrate 1 Method of preparing the food concentrates

The food concentrates were prepared by dry-mixing all the ingredients in a food processor (Kenwood, Chef Titanium) at medium speed until a uniform mixture was obtained.

Sauce preparation

White fish sauce was prepared by adding 250 ml water to 47.50 grams of food concentrate. The resulting mixture was heated to boiling, while stirring, followed by simmering for 1 minute.

Sensory evaluation of the sauce

The different sauces thus prepared (having a temperature of 60°C) were combined with hot pasta and were tasted by a sensory panel of eight people.

Beforehand, the sensory panel had been informed which of the three sauces was the reference sauce (Ref. I). The remaining two sauces (1 or A) were provided to the sensory panel in randomized order and the sensory panel was unaware of which ingredients were used in the sauces and what the purpose of the experiment was.

The sensory panel was asked to compare the richness and complexity of sauce 1 and A with that of the reference sample and to indicate which of the sauces 1 or A they preferred.

The results are presented in Table 2. The numbers in the table represent the number of sensory panel members that selected the answer indicated in the top row.

Table 2 Preference Preference No

Yes No

for 1 for A preference

Concentrate 1 more rich/

complex than reference? 6 2

Concentrate A more rich/

3 5

complex than reference?

Preference for 1 or A or

5 2 1 no preference?

Example 2

Food concentrates for preparing roasted gravy sauce were prepared on the basis of the recipes (in parts by weight) shown in Table 3.

Table 3

¹ Contains onion powder, garlic powder, rosemary powder and ground white pepper.

² Contains 18% NaCI and 12% Nucl.

3 Contains 42% NaCI

⁴ Contains on average 53% NaCI

⁵ This white mulberry fruit extract (ex Draco Natural Products, USA) comprises about:

- 20 wt.% of amino acids;

- 14 wt.% of organic acids;

- 22 wt.% of carbohydrates;

- 16 wt.% of ash;

Method of preparing the food concentrates The food concentrates were prepared by dry-mixing all the ingredients in a food processor (Kenwood, Chef Titanium) at medium speed until a uniform mixture was obtained.

Sauce preparation

Roasted gravy sauce was prepared by adding 250 ml water to 47.50 grams of food concentrate. The resulting mixture was heated to boiling, while stirring, followed by simmering for 1 minute.

Sensory evaluation of the sauce

The sauces so prepared were evaluated by a panel in the same way as described in Example 2.

The results of the sensory evaluation of the roasted gravy sauces are presented in Table

Table 4

Example 3

Food concentrates for preparing pasta sauce were prepared on the basis of the recipes (in parts by weight) shown in Table 5.

Table 5

Parts by weight

Ingredients Ref. 1 A

Starch 46.3 46.3 46.3

Sodium chloride 1 1.3 1 1 .3 1 1 .3 Plant matter ¹ 1 .7 1 .7 1.7

Vegetable fat 7.3 7.3 7.3

Non-dairy creamer (74 wt.% fat, 8.5 wt.% protein) 26.9 26.9 26.9

Yeast extract ² 6.5 6.5 6.5

Dried aqueous extract of mulberry fruit (Morus alba)³ 5.3

White wine extract powder 5.2

Lemon juice powder 1 .1 ⁴

¹ Contains onion powder, black pepper and turmeric.

2 18 wt.% of NaCI.

³ This white mulberry fruit extract (ex Draco Natural Products, USA) comprises about:

- 20 wt.% of amino acids;

- 14 wt.% of organic acids;

- 22 wt.% of carbohydrates;

- 16 wt.% of ash;

⁴ Added to achieve comparable sourness as in concentrate 1 The food concentrate was prepared using the method described in Example 1.

White wine sauce was prepared by adding 250 ml water to 47.50 grams of food concentrate. The resulting mixture was heated to boiling, while stirring, followed by simmering for 1 minute.

Simultaneously, 200 grams of dry pasta was boiled according to the instructions on the packaging to produce appr. 500 grams of boiled pasta. The heated sauce and the hot pasta were combined and presented to a sensory panel of 5 persons. The panel found that the sauce made from concentrate 1 had a taste profile that was richer and more complex than that of the sauces made with the reference concentrate and concentrate A. The sauce made from concentrate A was found to have a richer and more complex taste profile than the sauce made from the reference concentrate. Example 4

The dried aqueous extract of mulberry fruit described in Example 3 and two different samples of dried mulberry fruit were analysed using a semi-quantitative GC-MS evaluation based on Area TIC (total ion current). The mulberry fruit samples are described in more detail in Table 6. Table 6

¹ ex Draco Natural Products, USA

² ex Flores Farm GmbH, Germany

³ ex Terra Sana Bio-Organic products, Netherlands

Preparation of the samples

Dried mulberries were frozen overnight and milled.

Mulberry material (1 gram of sample I and 10.5 grams of each of samples II and III) was introduced in a 100ml Erlenmeyer flask, the Erlenmeyer was filled up to mark with demineralised water and stirred at 150 rpm with a magnetic stirrer (Twister®, ex. Gerstel). After 30 min 1 ml of internal standard solution (4-methyl-1-pentanol: 40μΙ/100η"ΐΙ) was added and stirring was continued for 1 hour at 200 rpm. Semi-quantitative GC-MS evaluation based on Area TIC

Aroma analysis was performed using stir bar sorptive extraction (Twister®) in combination with Thermodesorption-GCMS.

Stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) with Twister is a powerful technique for the extraction and analysis of volatile and semivolatile organic compounds. The Twister looks like a conventional magnetic stirring rod. While it turns and stirs, it absorbs the organic contents out of aqueous solutions onto its coating which consists of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). After this quick and sensitive preparation step, the Twister can be directly transferred to the thermodesorption unit (TDS). Thermodesorption is a multifunctional method for trapping volatile and semi-volatile compounds on an absorbent as well as for direct thermal extraction of volatile substances from solids without sample preparation. The online coupled cooled injection system (CIS) acts as a liquid nitrogen cooled trap, focusing and concentrating the components to be determined, and then transferred them to the capillary column. In combination with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, the qualitative and quantitative composition of heterogeneous samples can be investigated. An inert gas flow provides continuous removal of the vapour phase of the investigated sample with subsequent absorption of the solutes.

In sample I several flavour substances, notably furans and pyrroles, were identified. The analyses did not detect the presence of these same flavour substances in samples II and III.

Claims

A process of preparing a food concentrate for preparing a sauce, soup, condiment or gravy, said process comprising the combining of the following components:

b) 0.8-20 %, by weight of the concentrate, of mulberry fruit extract;

o fat; and

o sugar selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides and combinations thereof;

f) 0-50 % by weight of the concentrate of aqueous liquid;

Process according to claim 1 , wherein the water content of the food concentrate does not exceed 12 wt.%.

Process according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mulberry fruit extract is a particulate water soluble mulberry fruit extract.

Process according to claim 3, wherein the particles in the particulate concentrate have a mass weighted average diameter in the range of 100-2000 μηη.

5. Process according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the mulberry fruit extract is obtained from the fruit of the Morus Alba, preferably from the white fruit of the Morus Alba.

6. Process according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the starch component is applied in an amount of 8-58%, by weight of the concentrate.

7. Process according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the mulberry fruit extract is applied in an amount of 1-18%, by weight of the concentrate.

8. Process according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the inorganic salt is applied in an amount of 2.5-18%, by weight of the concentrate.

9. Process according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the plant matter is applied in an amount of 0.05-50% by weight of the concentrate.

10. Process according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the process comprises the combining of the following components:

b. 2-14 %, by weight of the concentrate, of mulberry fruit extract, c. 3-16 %, by weight of the concentrate, of inorganic salts selected from sodium chloride, potassium chloride and combinations thereof; d. 0.2-30 %, by weight of the concentrate, of plant matter selected from vegetables, tomatoes, pulses, herbs, spices and combinations thereof; e. 12-45 %, by weight of the concentrate, of one or more of other edible ingredients selected from:

o fat; and

o sugar selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides and combinations thereof;

1 1. Process according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the process comprises packaging the food concentrate in a container or a sachet.

12. A food concentrate, suitable for preparing a sauce, soup, condiment or gravy, comprising the following components:

b) 0.8-20 %, by weight of the concentrate, of mulberry fruit extract, c) 2-20 %, by weight of the concentrate, of inorganic salts selected from sodium chloride, potassium chloride and combinations thereof; d) 0-60 %, by weight of the concentrate, of plant matter selected from vegetables, tomatoes, pulses, herbs, spices and combinations thereof; e) 0-50 %, by weight of the concentrate, of one or more of other edible ingredients selected from:

o fat; and

o sugar selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides and combinations thereof;

f) 0-50 % by weight of the concentrate of water;

13. Food concentrate according to claim 12, wherein the food concentrate is obtained by a process according to any one of claim 1 -10.

14. A method of preparing a sauce, soup, condiment or gravy, said method comprising the combining of 10 parts of the food concentrate according to claim 12 or 13, with 5-200 parts of aqueous liquid to obtain a mixture.

15. A food kit, comprising:

a. 4-40 wt.% of the food concentrate according to claim 12 or 13; 60-96 wt.% of a starch-rich food product comprising at least 40 wt.% of starch, by weight of dry matter of the starch-rich food product.