WO2020094926A1

WO2020094926A1 - Food pellet containing a food fat component, its production and its use

Info

Publication number: WO2020094926A1
Application number: PCT/FI2019/050793
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sampsa Haarasilta; Iiro Heinonen
Original assignee: Myllyn Paras Finland Oy
Priority date: 2018-11-08
Filing date: 2019-11-07
Publication date: 2020-05-14
Also published as: FI130109B; FI20185950A; FI20185950A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a food pellet which is capable of simultaneously improving both the nutritional profile and organoleptic properties of the final product. The invention also relates to a method suitable for production of such food pellet, and products produced from the pellet. Especially, the food pellet of the present invention is suitable to be used as a product to be puffed in a microwave or with heating irons.

Description

FOOD PELLET CONTAINING A FOOD FAT COMPONENT, ITS PRODUCTION AND ITS USE

Background of the invention

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a food pellet which is capable of simultaneously improving both the nutritional profile and organoleptic properties of the final product. The invention also relates to a method suitable for the production of such a food pellet, as well as prod ucts prepared from the pellet.

Such food pellet is suitable for a variety of uses. It can be utilized, among other things, in various final products to be prepared in a microwave, such as fresh cereals, oat cakes and oat popcorns.

Description of related art

It is known that certain types of starch-containing doughs expand or puff under suitable heating conditions. The puffing of doughs is based on the expansion of trapped moisture as it changes from a liquid to a gaseous form. Conventional means of achieving such an effect include rapid heating, such as deep frying, and rapid pressure reduction. Such puffable products are commonly referred to as half-products or only pellets. Production of pellets is a process well known in the industry. Typically, half-products are made into various snack products.

However, the current puffable pellets have several weaknesses, such as high fat content of final products due to deep frying or heating in a fat matrix, and short shelf life and espe cially unhealthy nutritional profile resulting therefrom. In addition, existing pellets often have a problem with moisture loss during storage, which affects both the puffiness and organoleptic properties of the pellets.

Typically, pellets themselves do not contain fat because, generally, as fat content increases, puffing is reduced. In addition, fats have a problem of their sensitive oxidation. Oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids during storage at room temperature or in a frost, during pro cessing and various heat cooking processes is generally known harmful process. In particu lar, fatty acids contained in oils are oxidized during processing, regardless whether they are in the form of triglycerides or free fatty acids. Generally, harmful oxidation is aimed to be avoided by excluding oxygen from the production process, with lower process and storage temperatures, and by using antioxidants to prevent oxidation.

In particular essential useful unsaturated fatty acids are destroyed upon oxidation of fats because they are most susceptible to oxidation due to the double bonds they contain. As the level of unsaturated fatty acids decreases, the unfavorable nutritional effect of saturated fatty acids is emphasized. Oxidation of fats also causes oxidation of fat-soluble vitamins and sterols resulting in formation of compounds harmful to health, especially in the case of sterols.

Good preservation of organoleptic properties is important for acceptability of foods. Often, increase of a shelf-life by reducing water or its activity positively affects the shelf-life but at the same time freshness and juiciness properties of the product are reduced, which is a problem with the known solutions. The appearance of the products is one of the factors that significantly affects the organoleptic properties of food and it could be improved in several product groups. Too often, the appearance of the orally consumed heat-treated products is overlooked.

Recently, there has been an interest in developing half-products that can be self-puffed by the consumer in home environment just prior to use in order to keep the product as fresh as possible. The use of a microwave as a rapid heat source to provide puffing is known. How ever, the current half-products are not very suitable for microwave heating due to their properties. The problem is e.g. only partial puffing of pellets and / or uneven puffing of pel lets, which affects the overall quality of the final product. Pellets that are not properly puffed are typically dry and hard and their shape cannot be controlled. Burning of pellets and their adhering to each other are also typical problems.

Patent publication US5102679A discloses products to be puffed in a microwave, such as “ready-to-eat”-cereals and various other snack products. Pellets are manufactured of starch-containing dough comprising rice and wheat flours, wheat starch, sugar, oil and salt, and the dough is gelatinized by high shear mixing at elevated temperature. The pellets of the publication are substantially coated with a sugar coating, which reduces adhesion be tween the pellets and slows down moisture removal during the microwave treatment.

Us patent publication 4409250A describes a method of preparing sugar coated snack prod ucts in a microwave. The method comprises forming of dough containing gelatinized starch, forming the dough into separate pieces, partial drying of the pieces, and dispersing the partially dried pieces in a puffing medium consisting of a puffing medium, carbohy drate-containing sweetener and moisture. The puffing matrix thus formed is heated in a microwave to produce puffed sugar-coated pieces. The pieces are cooled down to the room temperature to cure the icing.

Patent publication US3600193A, in turn, discloses a half-product that can be made into a puffed porous snack in a microwave, the product having good taste and composition prop erties. The composition comprises 5 to 50 parts by weight of non-gelatinized corn flour, 9 to 29 parts by weight of gelatinized corn flour, 5 to 50 parts by weight of starch, 1 to 30 parts by weight of milk solids, salt and starch phosphate, and possibly other flavoring agents.

Patent publications US4950492A and EP0836807 describe methods for producing puffed snack product without using any fat or oil.

Thus, there is a need for food pellets having a good nutritional profile, structure and organ oleptic properties.

Summary of the invention

The present invention is defined in the independent claims. Certain embodiments are de fined in the dependent claims.

According to a first aspect the present invention relates to a food pellet which comprises a food fat component which is capable to prevent oxidation of fatty acids contained in it, and improving organoleptic properties and nutritional profile of the product to be prepared from the food pellet. According to a second aspect the present invention relates to a product which is prepared from a food pellet described above.

According to a third aspect the present invention relates to a product which is prepared from a food pellet described above by heating in a microwave.

According to a fourth aspect the present invention relates to a method for the production of the food pellet described above by a relatively simple production process.

According to a fifth aspect the present invention relates to the use of a food pellet accord ing to the invention in production of various food products.

By the method of the present invention and the food pellet produced by it, products with favorable health properties can be formed. The composition of the invention improves the fatty acid composition of the food without impairing its organoleptic properties.

The food fat component contained in the food pellet allows the protection of fat against oxidation, wherein the composition includes lots of health promoting, unsaturated fatty acids. Oxidation during storage has been inhibited by a physical barrier and antioxidants optionally contained in the ingredients. The method of the invention allows the preserva tion of the nutritional quality of fats as well as the prevention of primary oxidation and hence, preferably, improvement of the quality of fatty acids in the products compared to normal orally consumed products containing fat. The component provides favorable prop erties to the food pellet, especially, during heating in the production of the product.

A food pellet containing unsaturated fatty acids according to the present invention, which food pellet is industrially preferable to produce, has not been previously presented. The pellet according to the invention is capable of improving nutritional, health-related and organoleptic properties of the products.

Several benefits are achieved with the present invention. Thus, by means of the invention, fat can be incorporated into food pellets without using a separate fat matrix and without impairing puffing properties or shelf-life of the pellet. The fat contained in the pellet pro vides tasty and crunchy puffed final products still having a favorable nutritional profile. In addition, it also prevents the pellet from burning when heated. By means of the food pellets according to the invention, package size can be reduced because puffing of the pellets can be done by the user. This saves material, storage and logistics costs.

The composition of the food pellet according to the invention also provides good preserva- bility due to its suitable fat and moisture contents. Moisture content has also an effect on puffing. Too dry pellet does not bubble enough when heated but bums instead without buffing. Too moist pellet, in turn, puffs better due to more bubbling but it often has a hard core which does not puff.

Preferably, the pellets of the invention are made such that they can be finished by the con sumer in a microwave. In particular, the food pellets prepared in microwave will provide fresh final products to consumers. In addition, the food pellet of the invention provides a new kind of consumer experience while being easy to use.

Embodiments

The present invention relates to a puffable, fat-including food pellet in which the suscepti bility of fats to rancidity is reduced and which has beneficial nutritional and organoleptic properties.

In the following, terms“food pellet” and“pellet” are used as synonyms to each other, and they refer to a solid or hollow object (talking about two-dimensional or three-dimensional i.e. 3D-pellets), form of which is not anyway restricted. Thus, the pellet of the invention can be for example round, oval, square, star, spherical or in any other shape, such as in form of some animal.

The term“puffing” as used in the context of the invention refers to the ability of a pellet to expand gradually in volume as the pellet is heated and / or depressurized, and also to main tain this achieved volume after cooling and / or pressure increase.

The food pellet according to the invention comprises a food fat component and other com ponents, which together form a raw material mixture i.e. the dough of the food pellet. Oth- er components can be for example raw materials generally used in the food industry, such as carbohydrates and protein.

The utilized food pellet according to the present invention comprises a food fat component typically having a content of 2 to 15 weight-%, preferably 5 to 8 weight-% in the food pel let.

According to a preferred embodiment the food fat component used in the food pellet is the food fat component disclosed in the patent application FI20175435, which food fat com ponent has surprisingly been found to act as an excellent part of a puffable food pellet in which the incorporation of fat is typically not suitable.

Patent application FI20175435 describes an oily fat and grain containing food fat compo nent and a product including it, as well as a production method of these. Such food fat component is capable of preventing oxidation of fatty acids and simultaneously improving both the nutritional profile and organoleptic properties of the product. The prevention of oxidation of fatty acids is based on a physical barrier and antioxidants optionally contained in the ingredients.

According to the mentioned patent application the function of the food fat component is based on the idea that after the addition of protein and biomaterial (optionally also addition of electrolyte) to the pre-formed oil-in-water mixture the fat droplets contained in the fat are bound by means of a mechanical treatment and assisted by the proteins into small par ticles, whereupon the proteins and the active chains of their amino acids are via their affini ties and partly via interatomic bonds conforted onto the surface of the particles. Also other biomaterials may be added to the mixture, after which the mixture is optionally dehydrat ed, whereupon a finished food fat component is formed. By forming the oil-in-water mix ture prior to addition of protein, the oil and fatty acids have been rendered into stable pro tected structures, i.e. the fat remains in the matrix without detaching and causing an un pleasant mouthfeel. With the decrease of water as a result of dehydration, the preservabil- ity of the food fat component is enhanced and oxidation of fats can simultaneously be re duced. Both the nutritional and organoleptic properties of the products can be improved by means of the presented food fat component. According to a preferred embodiment, it is significant for the present invention to first form a mixture of oil and water, and optionally electrolyte. Oil-in-water mixture is formed by mixing oily fat effectively into the water, in which mixture small oil droplets are evenly mixed with the water. The system thus formed is, however, not stable because oil repels water and small oil droplets easily combine, wherein two separate phases are quickly formed.

Thus, protein should be added to the oil-in-water mixture where the oil droplets are still evenly distributed in the water phase.

Proteins are polar compounds with both hydrophilic and lipophilic parts. According to a preferred embodiment, a water soluble protein is used in the present invention. When water soluble protein is added to above described oil-in-water mixture, the lipophilic parts of the protein seek on to the surface of the oil droplets before water molecules have time to form a shell around the protein, which shell weakens the interaction between protein and oil droplets. Thus, a protein membrane, in which the hydrophilic part of the protein is out ward, is formed around the oil droplets. The hydrophilic part is surrounded by water mole cules of the water phase by binding these tightly into the composition, which prevents dry ing of the food fat component during both storage and heating. Oil-in- water emulsion is formed, in which emulsion protein preferably acts as an emulsifier.

Typically the food fat component of the invention comprises 10 to 70 weight-% oil fat, 10 to 70 weight-% biomaterial and 1 to 40 weight-%, preferably 5 to 30 weight-% protein. In addition, the component comprises moisture and optionally an electrolyte. For example salts can be used as electrolytes. Moisture content of a finished food fat component is typi cally 0.1 to 15 weight-%. Moisture can be in the form of pure water or some other aqueous liquid. Milk, plant-based liquids and vegetable and fruit juices are liquids typically suitable for this purpose. Appropriate moisture can have a reducing effect on the oxidation of fatty acids. In addition, its advantages include, for example, non-dustiness and fluidity of the food fat component during use.

As biomaterial in the production of the food fat component, use is typically made of carbo- hydrate-containing material, but also biomaterial containing proteins and fats. As exam ples, mention can be made of cereal flours, semolina or flakes (such as wheat, barley, rye, oats, spelt, millet, maize, rice or sorghum); pseudocereal flours, semolina or flakes (such as buckwheat, amaranth or quinoa); legumes (soybeans, peas, chickpeas, beans, lentils, lu pines) or field beans.

According to a preferred embodiment, as biomaterial in the production of the food fat component, use is made of starch based material, such as oats, maize, rice, potato, vegeta ble powder or tapioca starch, or any mixture of these, preferably oats.

Any fat which at least upon heating is oil-like is suitable as the oil fat for use in the present invention. In fact, various different fats or lipid compounds can be used for the production of the component according to the invention, i.e. by using the method, different fat profiles can be generated for various orally consumed fat-containing biomatrices. As oil fat, use is typically made of vegetable fat or oil, such as olive, rapeseed or palm oil, shea butter, or a combination of these. Rapeseed oil in particular is rich in useful omega fatty acids.

Most preferably the oil fat of the invention contains antioxidants. Typically, vegetable oils include at least fat soluble vitamin E acting as an antioxidant. However, antioxidants can also be added separately, such as also other additives preventing oxidation. As additives, use can be made of some vitamins and trace elements, such as vitamin C or E, or L-tartaric acid, for example.

Protein sources used in the invention are not restricted. Any protein obtainable from living organisms can be used in the invention (such as above mentioned flours, semolina and flakes, or insects, seafood, chordates, mammals, fungi, algae or molds).

According to one embodiment, the protein contained in the food fat component is a protein contained in egg, such as avidin, ovalbumin, conalbumin or lysozyme, or a soy protein, or several of these simultaneously.

According to a preferred embodiment the protein contained in the food fat component is egg, soy, whey, sunflower or potato protein, or any combination thereof. According to another preferred embodiment the protein source contained in the food fat component has a protein content of at least 50 %, preferably at least 80 %, for example about 90 %.

According to another preferred embodiment, encapsulation of fat is performed without added stabilizing or emulsifying agents in the method according to the invention. Prefera bly, the protein source used serves itself as emulsifier, such as in the case of egg. However, a separate emulsifier can also be used. When producing vegan products, for example leci thin can be used.

According to a preferred embodiment biomaterial and protein comprised in the food fat component are specifically from different sources. This is due to that the protein source should be protein-rich because it is the function of the protein to form a protein membrane around the oil droplets by its polar structure containing both hydrophilic and lipophilic parts. In turn, biomaterial is preferably carbohydrate -based in order to be able to fulfill its function among others by protecting the above described formed structure and acting as a moisture binder.

According to one embodiment biomaterial may also comprise protein and fat, but in that case use is preferably also made of additional protein source.

According to a preferred embodiment the biomaterial other than the main protein source is carbohydrate -based.

Ingredients of the food fat component added in right, in the present invention defined, or der and mixed form an oil-in-water emulsion in which protein and biomaterial form a sta ble structure on the interfaces of the emulsion as a result of intensive homogenizing.

According to one embodiment the emulsion can be dehydrated, wherein a powder-like sol id material is obtained from the food fat component either directly or by grinding. In this context, the powdery -like material refers to material consisting of powdered, pulverized or otherwise fine loose solid particles. As used herein, the terms“powdery-like” and “grinded” are used as synonyms to each other and they comprise both the food fat compo- nent obtained directly as a result of dehydration and the food fat component mechanically or otherwise grinded after dehydration.

According to one embodiment also several other components beneficial to health, such as microbes, betaglucan, bioactive plant concentrates and plant sterols and stands, can be incorporated into the food fat component. The beneficial structure of the food fat compo nent promotes attachment of these components into the composition and thus improves their retention in the composition during different treatment steps. Microbial preparations and bioactive plant concentrates are preferably added to the dehydrated food fat component as a dried powder. Beta-glucan and plant sterols and stands can, in turn, be already added in the production stage of the component prior to the dehydration.

According to one embodiment the properties of the food fat component, and that way the food pellet, can also be affected by pre-treatment of protein and / or biomaterial. By means of the protein pre-treatment the native structure of the protein is opened, wherein the pro tein and amino acid content of the composition can be improved. By the pre-treatment of biomaterial, in turn, the maturity of the biomaterial can be ensured in the finished product and the water binding ability of the composition can be increased.

The food fat component can be added into the mixture formed by the other components of the food pellet or it can be used to replace partially or in full some typically used protein or carbohydrate based ingredient of the food pellet. At the same time, the composition im proves palatability and nutritional and health properties of the product.

In the method according to the invention, a fat phase and salt are added into water to a wa ter content of 20 to 80 weight-%, preferably 30 to 70 weight-%, and the mixture thus ob tained is stirred at below 60°C, preferably below 50 °C, for less than 10 min. At the latest as a result of this heating the fat used will be in an oil-like form and an oil-in-water mixture has formed in which the fatty acids are dispersed in the aqueous phase. Protein is added to the mixture, and mechanical stirring is then continued. At the final stage, intense homoge nizing treatment is applied for less than 10 min, preferably less than 3 min, until the mix ture consists of a homogenous phase or phases. The protein is added at a temperature be low 100 °C, preferably 0 to 70 °C, depending on the protein source. This phase/these phas es constitute the first part of the component according to the invention. Homogenization of the mixture is carried out by a commonly known mechanical method which is compatible with the viscosity of the desired mixture. Homogenization is preferably carried out with mechanically cutting blades.

In the next step the mixture is combined with other biomaterial, i.e. the other part of the food fat component, wherein the final food fat component is formed. Combining takes place by generally known mechanical treatments such as milling, mixing, high pressure treatment, cutting treatment or a combination of these. The biomaterial must be hygienical- ly clean and fulfill the requirements of generally acceptable standards. As the final result, a homogenous mass, mixture or suspension is obtained.

According to one embodiment the resulting mass, mixture or suspension is dehydrated by generally known and applicable processing methods (e.g. freeze-drying or vacuum drying), preferably by heat treatment. The heat treatment takes place typically at below 250 °C for a time of less than 45 min, depending on the viscosity of the mixture and the volume of the mixture to be processed. According to another embodiment the mass, mixture or suspen sion is dehydrated at below 100 °C, wherein longer (from 5 hours to even 48 hours) dehy dration times, for example about 24 hours, are used. Dehydration enables the amount of water to be reduced in the product and the preservability of the product thus improved. Typically, the moisture content of the dehydrated product is about 0.1 to 15 weight-%, de pending on the drying conditions. Physical, chemical and/or organoleptic properties of the product produced by the method can change depending on the pressure and temperature used in the method.

According to a preferred embodiment the resulting mass, mixture or suspension is dehy drated as a thin layer, particularly when using heat treatment. The thickness of the layer to be dehydrated is preferably less than 10 mm, for example about 2 to 8 mm, preferably about 5 to 6 mm.

According to one embodiment dehydration takes place through drying the mass, mixture or suspension e.g. by freeze-drying or vacuum drying at low temperatures.

According to another embodiment dehydration takes place through baking the mass, mix ture or suspension by heat treatment. Preferably heat treatment takes place under 250 °C. The moisture of the ingredient mixture used for the production of the food pellet and its adjustment are crucial parameters affecting the properties of the pellet. It is preferable for the present invention that dehydrated food fat component is used in the food pellet because in that case the dough used in the pellet production can be dry or little water can be added therein. Thus, by means of the dehydration step of the food fat component, the moisture content of the dough can be adjusted without decreasing the amount of the food fat com ponent, and thus the amount of the fat being in a preferred form, in the pellet as whole.

In addition, the protein protection of the fat droplets in a food fat component being in de hydrated form is also not sensitive to changes in the ingredient ratios of the pellet mixture. Thus, the addition of water or some other component to the pellet mixture does not cause discharge of the protein protection, for example.

Adjustment of pH is possible during the production process. Since pH is of great im portance as regards the functioning of proteins, it can be used to influence the behavior of proteins. At a favorable pH the functional capacity of proteins is highest, whereby they effectively bind fatty acids into small particles, preventing their oxidation. Adjustment of pH thus allows one to have an influence on the degree of oxidation of fatty acids and fur ther on the nutritional profile of the product. For most proteins, the favorable functional pH is approximately 7 to 8.

After dehydration, the food fat component can be milled by generally known methods or it can be made into particles which can preferably be added to the raw material mixture of other components of the food pellet in a suitable stage of the production process. Prefera bly, this is done by mechanically mixing with some generally known method.

According to another embodiment, non-dehydrated food fat component is added to the raw material mixture of the other components of the food pellet in a suitable stage of the pro duction process. Preferably, this is done by mechanically mixing with some generally known method.

According to one embodiment, once the food fat component is combined with the other components of the pellet, desired shape pellets are formed from the raw material mixture, i.e. the dough, by extruding through nozzle or nozzles. So called 3D pellets are produced by combining material streams coming from several nozzles into a ball shaped hollow ob jects, for example. The other components refer to components generally used in the pro duction of food pellets. Typically, starch-based doughs are used in the production of pel lets. Possible components are for example various starch-based flours, such as maize, wheat and tapioca, sugar, oil, salt and emulsifiers, and water which bind the dough togeth er. According to one embodiment, the amount of these components in the food pellet is 85 to 98 weight-%, preferably at least 90 weight-%.

According to one embodiment, the dry ingredients belonging to the other components of the food pellet are first mixed with each other, and then water is added thereto. In the next step, the food fat component is mixed into the thus formed mixture, wherein the raw mate rial mixture for the production of the food pellet according to the invention has been pre pared.

According to another embodiment the food fat component can also be already added to the dry ingredient mixture of the other components.

In one embodiment the food pellet according to the invention includes typically 0.1 to 11 weight-%, preferably 1 to 6 weight-% oil fat, 90 to 98 weight-%, preferably 93 to 95 weight-% biomaterial and protein typically 1 to 5 weight-%, preferably 2 to 3 weight-%. The amount of protein affects, besides mouth feel, taste and nutritional values, among oth er things to the roast color of the product. The roast color becomes more intense with in creasing amount of protein.

The pellet formulation can be performed by any known method, such as two- screw extrud er system. During the pellet production process, the raw material mixture is treated with vigorous cutting treatment, baked and formed by extruding into a desired pellet form. The formed pellet is then preferably dried to suitable moisture content. According to a preferred embodiment the moisture of the food pellet is 2 to 12 weight-%, preferably 6 to 10 weight- %, for example 8 weight-%. Any generally known drying method, such as drying on trays in a drying cabinet, can be used to dry the pellet. Drying provides so called pellet curing/ encapsulation, thereby improving its form stability. According to one embodiment the production of the food pellet comprises the following steps: 1) forming an oil-in-water mixture, 2) adding protein and homogenizing the mixture, 3) adding biomaterial and mixing, 4) dehydration and milling, 5) combining to the other components of the food pellet, 6) production of the pellet, and 7) drying to a suitable mois ture content.

As mentioned above, according to one embodiment it is possible to add various additional components, such as antioxidants or other oxidation preventing or nutritionally or techni cally promoting additives, such as vitamins (tocopherols, vitamins A, D, E) or trace ele ments, into the food fat component or the food pellet during the production. The additional components can be components that improve the quality, healthiness and / or technical properties of the products. According to one embodiment, for example, calcium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate having a technical effect of increasing pellet puffing when heated, can be added to the food pellet. Possible added ingredients include also various spices, aromas or flavorings.

According to one embodiment the proportion of the above described additional compo nents in the food pellet is typically 0.1 to 5 weight-%, preferably 0.5 to 2 weight-%.

The present invention also relates to a product which is produced from the food pellet of the invention by puffing. Typically, such a product is a snack product.

According to a preferred embodiment the use of the food pellet of the invention involves heating of the pellet in a manner that Maillard reaction will occur. In the Maillard reaction, amino acids of proteins react with carbohydrates at high temperature forming various dye and aroma compounds that provide characteristic color and aroma for the heated product. Especially when the component includes carbohydrate-based biomaterial, more attractive properties are achieved to the products through Maillard reaction while heating the pellet. Due to the composition of the food pellet of the present invention, the Maillard reaction takes place very extensively because the proteins and the biomaterial are in a preferred structure in this respect, wherein they can interact effectively with each other.

The puffing of a finished food pellet can be performed by any known technique which is typically based on rapid heating and/ or pressure reduction. The food pellet of the inven- tion can be puffed by deep frying, for example. The product according to the invention can be produced from the food pellet by puffing. The produced product is typically a snack product.

According to a preferred embodiment the food pellet of the invention is especially suitable to be heated in a microwave, wherein it is especially suitable to be sold to consumers as a half-product to be finalized by the consumers i.e. in practice they puff the food pellets at home. The products according to the invention are typically fresh, warm, well puffed and /or crispy, depending on product. Suitable products to be puffed in microwave are for ex ample various fresh cereals, chips, crackers, cookies and other little snacks. Products can be sweet or savory. For example, the term“fresh cereal” refers, in the context of the inven tion, to cereals that are possible to be puffed just prior to eating by the user, wherein the cereals are totally fresh in the time of use. In addition to microwave, for example, hot air device, which is generally known device for making popcorns in households, is also well suited for puffing of the aforementioned products, especially fresh cereals.

Other examples of possible products are oat cakes which are prepared by heating the pel lets with heating irons. In the present invention oat cakes refer to products similar to gener ally available rice cakes, which products are made of oat such that the products contain oat 30 to 80 weight-%, preferably 51 to 65 weight-% and thus, that the oat has the biggest weight proportion in the product. The pellets can also be used to prepare Popcorn like product (“Popoat” i.e. oat popcorn) which is a similar product to popcorn but instead of com, oat is used as the ingredient. Production of such product is performed by the methods known from the production of popcorns, including packing the product into a package es pecially suitable for microwave.

Especially, health beneficial products, such as oat cakes, can be produced from the food pellet according to the invention. Oat includes less starch than rice and com flours typical ly used in similar products, but more fiber, especially soluble fiber (b-glucan), and unsatu rated fats beneficial to health.

According to one embodiment the food pellet can be coated. Both taste and structural properties of the product can be affected by the coating. The pellet can be coated with sug ar or some spice mixture, for example. Microwaves, typically having a power of 800 watts, and typically used by the consumers are suitable for puffing the food pellet of the invention.

Typically the puffing occurs gradually during several minutes. According to one embodi ment the puffing of the pellet to its maximum volume takes at least one minute, typically at least two minutes. The time is also affected by the amount of pellets being in the micro wave at the same time. The more pellets are heated at the same time, the longer it takes to single pellet to puff.

According to one embodiment the pellets puff at least twice, preferably at least three times, more preferably at least four times, for example five times their original size, during heat ing.

The following non-limiting examples represent applications of the present technology. In the examples, the invention is described with reference to certain details. However, the purpose of these is only illustration of the invention, without anyhow limiting the inven tion.

EXAMPLES

Example 1

Production of food composition

40 weight-% of rapeseed oil and 0.5 weight-% salt were added into water. The mixture was stirred at a temperature of 30 °C. 30 weight-% egg was added to the oil-in-water mixture and at the end of stirring vigorous homogenizing mechanical mixing was used, until the mixture was homogenous. Starch based biomaterial was mixed with the homogenized mix ture, after which the mass was heated at about 60 degrees for about 24 h, until the mass exhibited a suitable dryness. The dried mixture was grinded to suitable particle size by generally known mechanical method. Production of food pellet

In the next stage, 5 weight-% of the food fat component produced as described above was mixed with the other components of the food pellet. Tables 1 and 2 present two different compositions formed by the other components of the raw material mixture of the food pel let.

Table 1. Composition 1 formed by the other components

Table 2. Composition 2 formed by the other components

Dry dough was prepared by mixing the food fat component, the other components and small amount of water, which dough was extruded and cut into pellets which were dried into a moisture content of 8 weight-%.

Industrial applicability

The present invention can be used in general to prepare a food pellet and a product accord ing to the invention. In particular, the present invention is suitable for adding unsaturated fatty acids into prod ucts made of the food pellet, thereby simultaneously improving their health-related and organoleptic properties. It may also be used, for example, to improve juiciness and texture of the products, as well as to extend the shelf life of the pellets.

List of reference publications

Patent literature

US5102679A

US4251551A

US4409250A

US3600193A

US4950492A

EP0836807A1

Claims

1. Food pellet, characterized in that, it includes 2 to 15 weight- % of a food fat compo nent including:

- an oil-in-water mixture including 10 to 70 weight-% oil fat which is any fat which at least upon heating is oil-like,

1 to 40 weight-% protein,

10 to 70 weight-% starch based biomaterial, and

0.1 to 15 weight-% moisture, after dehydration,

into which oil-in-water mixture is first added the protein and after that the starch based biomaterial.

2. The food pellet according to claim 1, wherein the oil fat included in the food fat com ponent is vegetable fat or oil, such as olive, rapeseed or palm oil, shea butter, or a combination of two or more of these fats.

3. The food pellet according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the protein included in the food fat component is a protein derived from living organisms, preferably egg, soy, whey, sun flower or potato protein, or any combination of these.

4. The food pellet according to any one the preceding claims, into which pellet has been added antioxidants or other oxidation preventing or nutritionally or technically compo sition promoting additives, such as vitamins or trace element.

5. The food pellet according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the starch based biomaterial is oat, maize, rice, potato, vegetable powder or tapioca starch, or any mix tures of these, preferably oat.

6. The food pellet according to any of the preceding claims, the pellet having a moisture of 2 to 12 weight-%, preferably 6 to 10 weight-%, for example 8 weight-%.

7. The food pellet according any of the preceding claims, the pellet including 0.1 to 11 weight-%, preferably 1 to 6 weight-% oil fat.

8. The food pellet according to any of the preceding claims, which pellet is heated so that Maillard reaction has occurred.

9. A method for the production of the food pellet according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, the food fat component is first prepared, which food fat component is combined to other ingredients of the food pellet by mechanical treatment into a dough, after which the produced dough is extruded through a nozzle or, espe cially when producing 3D pellets, nozzles and cut into pellets.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that,

an oil-in-water mixture is formed, into which mixture is added protein, and into the homogenized mixture of these is mixed starch based biomaterial,

the mixture is dehydrated, milled and mixed with the other components of the pellet to form an ingredient mixture,

the ingredient mixture is extruded through the nozzle or nozzles and cut into pellets which are dried to suitable moisture content.

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that, the formed ingredient mixture is dried to suitable moisture content by generally known drying method, wherein the pellet has a moisture content of 2 to 12 weight-%, preferably 6 to 10 weight-%, for example 8 weight-%.

12. Food product prepared from the food pellet according to any of the preceding claims.

13. The product according to claim 12, characterized in that, it has been prepared by heating the pellet in a microwave.

14. Use of the food pellet according to any of the claims 1 to 8 in preparation of fresh ce reals.

15. Use of the food pellet according to any of the claims 1 to 8 in preparation of oat cakes.

16. Use of the food pellet according to any of the claims 1 to 8 in preparation of oat pop corn i.e. Popoat.