HK1127741B - Packaged concentrate for preparing a bouillon, soup, sauce, gravy or for use as a seasoning, the concentrate comprising xanthan and locust bean gum - Google Patents

Description

Packaged concentrate for preparing a bouillon, soup, sauce, gravy or for use as a seasoning, comprising xanthan and locust bean gum

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a concentrate for preparing a bouillon (bouillon), broth (broth), soup (soup), sauce (sauce), gravy or for use as a seasoning (seasoning). More particularly, the invention relates to such concentrates in the form of jellies (jelly).

Background

Concentrates for preparing a bouillon, broth, soup, sauce, gravy or for use as a seasoning are well known in western and non-western cooking. For the sake of simplicity, such formulations are herein all abbreviated to "concentrates for preparing a bouillon", or "bouillon concentrates".

Typically, a bouillon concentrate comprises ingredients of one or more of the following: salt, sugar, flavouring agents (e.g. sodium glutamate, MSG), herbs (herb), spices (sports), vegetable particulates, colours and flavourants (flavourant), with the exception of, for example, 0-40% (1-60% for flavour cubes, typically 0-20% for flavour and bouillon cubes) fat and/or oil. Salt is generally a component present in large amounts, for example 5-60%.

The most common physical forms in which such concentrates are available are powders, granules and cubes or tablets. The powder may be prepared by: all ingredients are mixed in suitable proportions, optionally followed by granulation using equipment known in the art to obtain granules. Conventional bouillon and seasoning cubes are prepared as follows: the ingredients were mixed and subsequently pressed into cubes. Alternatively, cubes or tablets may be prepared by: all ingredients were mixed, subsequently extruded and the extrudate was cut. Powders and granules are usually provided in sachets or vials (jar), and the cubes are usually individually wrapped and packed in boxes.

Liquid concentrates of bouillons, soups, sauces and the like are also present. They may be advantageous, for example, in that they may comprise liquid extracts or concentrates of herbs, vegetables, meat, etc.

A concentrate for preparing a bouillon, broth, soup, sauce, gravy or for use as a seasoning, which combines certain advantages of liquid concentrates with certain advantages of dry concentrates, is desired.

JP 61/031,068 discloses a soup concentrate for instant noodles, the soup concentrate being in jelly form, which concentrate needs to be diluted 5-6 times with water to obtain a soup to be consumed or consumed together with noodles. The jelly is formed using gelatin (gelatin) and one or more of alginate, agar and apple puree (apple puree). The jelly took 3-6 minutes to dissolve. The disclosed jelly has some disadvantages.

Disclosure of Invention

There is a need for (alternative) packaged concentrates for use as a seasoning or for preparing a bouillon, broth, soup, sauce or gravy, which concentrates is in the form of a (packaged) jelly that is relatively quickly soluble in boiling water (e.g. 30g of material will dissolve in 900ml of boiling water in less than 3.5 minutes, preferably less than 3 minutes). It is also preferred that such a jelly has a low tendency to syneresis (water separation) and preferably is an elastic, less rigid gel (which will facilitate removal from its packaging; elasticity and less rigidity can be judged well by hand). It is also desirable that the gel be preferably less viscous (and thus the gel may be handled with fingers and made easily removable from the packaging) and that the method of manufacturing it be simple (e.g. less viscous in preparation, or not requiring more complex equipment or processes). Preferably, the concentrates should be such that they provide a typical dilution ratio (in e.g. an aqueous liquid such as water) for e.g. a bouillon (e.g. in bouillon cubes), e.g. 1: 20 to 1: 50 (i.e. such that high salt levels are allowed in the gel). Furthermore, the product should be fairly stable in transport and storage, which is usually at ambient temperature, but during which the temperature can rise relatively significantly. Preferably, the gel should also have a certain strength: preferably, the strength should be such that the force (in grams) required for the penetrator (plunger) to penetrate 10mm in the gel is more than 50, preferably more than 70 g. Low to no phase separation is also desirable.

It has now been found that this can be achieved (at least partly) by a packaged concentrate for preparing a bouillon, broth, soup, sauce, gravy or for use as a seasoning, the concentrate comprising:

20-80 wt% water, based on the total packaged concentrate,

-based on the water content of the concentrate, 0.1-10 wt% of a gelling agent comprising a combination of xanthan gum (xanthan) and Locust Bean Gum (LBG), the xanthan gum and LBG each being present in an amount of 30-70%, based on the total amount of xanthan gum and LBG,

-15-30 wt%, more preferably 15-26 wt%, most preferably 20-26% salt based on the water content of the concentrate,

-0.5-60 wt% of taste imparting components, based on the total composition,

in the absence of 0.5-60 wt.% of herbs, vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, crustaceans or particulates thereof, based on the total packaged concentrate, and

wherein the concentrate has the appearance of a gel (preferably judged when removed from the package).

Water (as an amount) is herein understood to be the total amount of moisture present. The salt concentration should be calculated as (amount of salt)/(amount of salt and total moisture). The same is true for other solutes, such as gellant (amount of gellant)/(amount of gellant and total moisture).

By "herbs, vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, crustaceans or particulates thereof" (with respect to the preferred absence of 0.5-60 wt% as described above) is meant particles of such a size that they are at least visible to the naked eye in the product as consumed, e.g. when diluted with water at the required dilution rate, (as when referring to particulates or herbs etc. they are seen just before consumption). Thus, "meal" as known in the bouillon industry may be difficult to see in jelly cubes (e.g. due to concentration, which may be a cause for turbidity for certain ingredients), but when prepared in proper dilution, the conventional meal particulates can be visible to the naked eye in the soup or bouillon. The packaged concentrate of the invention does not comprise 0.5-60 wt.% of said "herbs, vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, crustaceans or particulates thereof" according to the definition given above.

One of ordinary skill in the food art recognizes the gel when looking at it. When sufficient gelling agent is used in the formulation, the appearance of a gel can generally be achieved in an aqueous environment. The gel will generally have a smooth surface appearance, will retain shape at ambient temperature when subjected to gravitational conditions, but can be easily deformed (to some extent in an elastic manner). More preferably, the packaged concentrate of the invention (when taken out of the package) has the appearance or rheology of a gel as expressed by the ratio of the elastic modulus G' to the viscous modulus G "of at least 1, preferably at least 3, more preferably at least 5. It may furthermore be preferred that the viscous modulus G' is at least 10Pa, preferably at least 50 Pa. The measurement method thereof is described below.

Detailed description of the invention

In the formulations described above, it may be preferred that the concentrate comprises from 20 to 30 wt% of salt, based on the water content of the concentrate, and still more preferably, the concentrate of the present invention comprises from 20 to 26 wt% of salt, based on the water content of the concentrate. The "salt" may here be sodium chloride, but it may also be another alkali metal salt such as potassium chloride, or a mixture thereof, or other low-sodium product (low-sodium product), the purpose of which is the taste effect of sodium chloride, as long as the taste in the final formulation is acceptable. The upper limit of solubility of NaCl in water is about 26% (at room temperature), and thus above this limit, some salt crystals may appear. Therefore, the amount of salt is preferably (just) below this salt saturation concentration level.

The concentrate is more or less shape stable: it is not a flowable product, but it is a gelled product, which means that it can deform (easily) under pressure. By selecting the amounts and ratios of xanthan gum and LBG, the desired rheology can be obtained.

The amount and ratio of xanthan gum and LBG as required will depend, for example, on the amount of salt in the formulation, and such amount and ratio can be determined by one of ordinary skill in the art of gelled foods without undue burden. At high salt levels, locust bean gum and xanthan gum alone did not actually gel, but in combination they gelled. Typical quantities would be:

-at 15% salt level: LBG and xanthan (together): 0.15-5%, more preferably, 0.4-2%,

-at 25% salt level: LBG and xanthan (together): 0.2-7%, more preferably, 0.6-3%,

both in wt.%, based on the amount of water, as defined above.

LBG and xanthan gum are herein preferably used in such amounts that the total amount of LBG and xanthan gum comprises 30-70 wt% LBG and 30-70 wt% xanthan gum, based on the total amount of xanthan gum and LBG. Preferably, these amounts are 40-60% and 60-40%, respectively, still more preferably 45-55% and 55-45%, respectively. The most preferred ratio is about 50% and 50% by weight of each component.

In the concentrate of the invention, it is preferred that the flavour imparting component comprises one or more of the following: a liquid or soluble extract or concentrate of one or more of meat, fish, herbs, fruits or vegetables, and/or flavours (flavors), and/or yeast extract, and/or hydrolysed proteins of vegetable, soy (soy), fish or meat origin. In the above, when referring to "meat" this should be understood to include beef, pork, chicken (and other poultry). Preferably, the amount of taste imparting component as described above is 1 to 40 wt% based on the total packaged concentrate.

The packaged concentrate according to the invention may also comprise 0.5-30 wt.%, based on the total concentrate, of a taste enhancer (tast enhancer) selected from sodium glutamate, 5' -nucleotides, organic acids or mixtures thereof. It may also be preferred that the packaged concentrate of the invention further comprises from 1 to 30 wt%, preferably from 1 to 15 wt% of emulsified or dispersed oil and/or fat, based on the total packaged concentrate. Salt may also be considered a flavour enhancer, but it is considered herein as a separate class of ingredients.

For the packaged concentrates of the present invention, it is preferred that the total moisture content of the concentrate is from 20 to 60% by weight, based on the total packaged concentrate, preferably from 40 to 60% by weight, based on the total packaged concentrate. Furthermore, it is preferred that the water activity a of the packaged concentrate according to the invention is_wFrom 0.4 to 0.87, preferably from 0.5 to 0.82, more preferably from 0.7 to 0.78, most preferably from 0.7 to 0.75. Preferably, the pH of the concentrate is from 5 to 9, preferably from 5 to 7.

Depending on the ingredients and the process chosen, the concentrate of the invention is shelf stable (shelf stable) for at least 3 months at ambient temperature when in its fully packaged condition. Preferably, the concentrate of the invention has an open shelf life of at least 3 months at ambient temperature.

The packaged concentrate of the present invention is preferably translucent or transparent. The choice of a package that is at least translucent, for example, can also be made noticeable.

The invention also relates to a process for preparing the concentrate according to the invention. The preparation method can comprise the following steps: mixing the ingredients with water, filling into a package (e.g. a blister pack or a cup or tub), closing the package (e.g. by a sealing means), wherein preferably a heating step is performed before, during or after filling into the package, in order to preserve and/or in order to facilitate dissolution of the ingredients and/or to achieve gelation of the thermosetting gel (upon subsequent cooling). Alternatively, the (heated) mixture may be poured into a mould and cooled to solidify. After setting to a gel, the gelled concentrate will have to be removed from the mould and packaged. Preferably, however, the package is made directly. Preferred is the following steps: mixing the ingredients with water, filling into a package and closing the package, wherein a heating step is performed before and/or during and/or after filling into the package.

In the above process, it is preferred that at least part of the heating stage will reach a temperature of at least 80 ℃. Furthermore, it is preferred that the temperature of the mixture during charging is at least 70 ℃. When the fat is used in solid form at room temperature, it is preferably first melted before addition to the other components.

As a result of making the packaged concentrates of the invention, e.g. by the above-described method, it has been found that concentrates for preparing a bouillon, broth, soup, sauce, gravy or for use as a seasoning can be obtained which are in the form of a gel, which is capable of fast dispersion/dissolution (e.g. 30g, in less than 3.5 minutes, preferably less than 3 minutes when immersed in 900ml of boiling water), which is non-sticky, which shows a low tendency to syneresis, and which can be prepared in such a way that they can be used at dilution rates typically used for bouillon concentrates (e.g. 1: 20 to 1: 50).

Typical shapes in which the product of the invention may be made include shapes such as in the form of cubes, tablets, pellets, balls, briquettes, lozenges, cones, truncated cones, or shapes (outlines or projections or portraits) of an animal or part of its body, such as an animal's head. Complex shapes are possible due to the formulation and the subsequent manner of manufacture.

Since the concentrates are jelly-like, they may have a shape. Preferably, the concentrate of the invention is in the form of a cube, tablet, brick, pellet, ball (sphere), briquette, lozenge, ovoid or flattened ovoid. It is understood herein that "blocks or tablets" and "unit doses" encompass a wide variety of geometric shapes: in addition to cubes and tablets, there are also pellets, briquettes, brick-like shapes, etc. Preferably, the size of each individual gelled concentrate is such that the weight of the concentrate (excluding packaging) is from 1 to 10kg, preferably from 2 to 250g, more preferably from 10 to 50 g. Preferably, the portion of the concentrate of the invention as packaged is such that the weight of the concentrate (excluding the packaging) is from 1 to 10kg, preferably from 2 to 250g, more preferably from 10 to 50 g. The package may be, for example, a blister pack or a glass or plastic vial or (sealed) tub or cup. Preferably, in the packaged concentrate of the invention, the container is a cup or a tub with a sealing means, and more complex package shapes are now feasible (e.g. reclosable packages). A particular and preferred packaging option is a sealed or reclosable cup or pail (e.g. a plastic cup, e.g. of a volume of 1-250ml, containing 1-250g, preferably 2-50g (more preferably 10-50g) of concentrate, which is closed with a lid or sealing means, preferably a sealing means of sheet material).

In the formulations described above, the concentrate comprises 15 to 30 wt% of salt based on the water content of the concentrate, and even more preferably, the concentrate of the present invention comprises 15 to 26 wt% of salt based on the water content of the concentrate. The "salt" may here be sodium chloride, but it may also be another alkali metal salt such as potassium chloride, or a mixture thereof, or other low-sodium product (low-sodium product), the purpose of which is the taste effect of sodium chloride, as long as the taste in the final formulation is acceptable.

The invention also relates to the use of a concentrate as described above for preparing a bouillon, broth, soup, sauce, gravy or for use as a seasoning. This can be done by dilution with an aqueous liquid (e.g. water) under the application of heat, for example in a ratio of 1: 15 to 1: 100, preferably 1: 20 to 1: 70, more preferably 1: 20 to 1: 50.

Preferably, the packaged concentrates described herein are non-sweet, characterized in that the sweetness is lower than 20%, preferably lower than 15%, still more preferably lower than 10%, most preferably lower than 6% by equivalent of the percentage sucrose, and that a final product is formed which has a sweetness lower than 0.5g/l of sucrose equivalent, preferably lower than 0.3g/l of sucrose equivalent, more preferably lower than 0.2g/l of sucrose equivalent. Sweetness refers to the equivalent sweetness of sucrose, which is calculated by the sweetness index of the sweetener used. Thus, the sweetness of the concentrate of the invention, as expressed by the sweetness index, is lower than 0.5g/l of sucrose equivalent, preferably lower than 0.3g/l of sucrose equivalent, more preferably lower than 0.2g/l of sucrose equivalent. The number of equivalents of sucrose refers to the equivalent sweetness of sucrose, which is calculated by the sweetness index of the sweetener used.

As used herein, "sweetness index" is a term used to describe the sweetness level of a dosage form relative to sucrose. Sucrose, defined as the standard, has a sweetness index of 1. For example, the sweetness index of some known sweet compounds is listed below: sorbitol 0.54-0.7, glucose 0.6, mannitol 0.7, sucrose 1.0, high fructose corn syrup 55% 1.0, xylitol 1.0, fructose 1.2-1.7, cyclamate 30, aspartame 180, acesulfame potassium 200, saccharin 300, Sucralose (Sucralose)600, Talin (Talin) 2000-. Other values and references can be found, for example: "R _ mpp Lebensmittelchemie, Georg Thieme Verlag, 1995'.

It may also be preferred that equivalent sweetness is herein understood to be the perceived sweetness by the consumer, as determined by a trained panel matching the product sweetness to a standard sucrose solution. The specific methods are described in the appropriate DIN standards. For formulation purposes, this should be assumed in a manner similar to sweetness as calculated by the so-called sweetness index.

The appearance (texture) and rheology desired for the product of the invention is preferably that of a gel. Regarding gels, there are, for example, the following scientific documents: the "Das Rheologies Handbuch, Thomas Mezger, Curt R.Vincentz-Verlag, Hannover, 2000" gel is generally defined by the ratio of its elastic modulus G' to its viscous modulus G ". This allows to distinguish between highly viscous fluids, such as pastes, and elastic systems of the same viscosity, such as jellies. For gels, this ratio should be greater than 1. For a given product, a ratio of greater than 1 is suitable. Preferably, however, said ratio is greater than 3, more preferably it is greater than 5.

The absolute value of the viscous modulus G' is preferably greater than 10Pa, more preferably greater than 50 Pa. This criterion distinguishes between a thin (thin) solution with gel characteristics and a more shape-retaining jelly product, the latter being the intended product of the present invention.

The above given values need to be measured in the following cases:

-a maturation time of at least 12 hours under ambient conditions,

-a measurement temperature of 25 ℃ C,

oscillation frequency of 1 rad/s and

-1% strain.

This set of parameters relates to standard oscillatory tests performed in the standard state of an artificial low deformation rheometer (which is commercially available, for example, from Bohlin or TA Instruments).

The requirements as described herein for G': G "should preferably apply to the entire concentrate, and not only to a portion thereof. Furthermore, it is preferred that the concentrate does not consist of a solid encapsulating material covering the core. It may also be preferred that the concentrate is translucent and/or transparent.

Preferably, the concentrate of the invention, when in its fully packaged condition, is shelf stable. This can be ensured by choosing the appropriate manufacturing process and the correct composition. For example, a method comprising a sterilization step (either external or as part of other process steps) followed by hot or aseptic filling of the package and an appropriate water activity a_wAnd compositional pH may ensure this.

The invention also relates to the use of the concentrate according to the invention and as described above for preparing a bouillon, broth, soup, sauce, gravy or for use as a seasoning. The use for example comprises taking the concentrate out of its packaging and adding it to a food or dish, optionally also applying heat and/or stirring the food or dish together with the concentrate during or after its preparation.

Examples 1 to 4: several bouillon concentrates were prepared in which the taste was modified according to the formulation described below. Adding water in the form of water, and adding all other componentsDry form is used (i.e. industrially dry, which for the ingredients typically means 1-3% moisture). Measure a_wAnd G': these results are given after example 4. All 4 products appeared as gels. Although these examples refer to products containing 0.5-60 wt% of particulates that can be seen by the naked eye, which are not preferred in the present case, it is believed that the particles do not substantially alter properties such as G', G ", water activity, dissolution time, dilution rate and syneresis in the examples of the invention.

Example 1: beef jelly with LBG and xanthan gum

Description of the invention	Amount [% ]]	The quantity [ g ]]For 10kg
			Candy	2	0.2
Salt (salt)	18.4	1.84
			Essence	4.9	0.49
Citric acid powder	0.5	0.05
			Vegetable powder	0.45	0.045
Yeast extract	1.5	0.15
			Perfume	0.2	0.02
5' -nucleotide	0.2	0.02
			MSG	5.1	0.51
Palm oil	10.5	1.05
			Water (W)	55.38	5.535
Xanthan gum	0.3	0.03
			Locust bean gum	0.3	0.03
Total of	100	10

Description of processing:

1. all dry ingredients were mixed in a Hobart mixer until homogeneous

2. Melting fat at 60 deg.C

3. Adding molten fat to the dry ingredients, mixing in a Hobart mixer until homogeneous

4. The mixture was added to a double-jacketed vessel (Unimix type)

5. Water was added to the container and the container was closed.

6. Heating to 90 deg.C while stirring

7. Held at 90 ℃ for 3 minutes while stirring

8. The mixture was charged while hot into a 35ml oval bucket, which was then sealed and left to cool to room temperature.

Example 2: fish jelly with LBG and xanthan gum

Description of the invention	Amount [% ]]	The quantity [ g ]]For 10kg
			Fish meat powder	8	0.8
Essence	0.5	0.05
			Palm oil	5.8	0.58
Cream powder	16.1	1.61
			Perfume	0.1	0.01
Lactic acid (liquid)	0.6	0.06
			Water (W)	40	4
Modified starch	3.5	0.35
			Salt (salt)	13.1	1.31
MSG	4.4	0.44
			Locust bean gum	0.5	0.05
Xanthan gum	0.5	0.05
			Candy	6.6	0.66
5' -nucleotide	0.2	0.02
			Caramel powder	0.1	0.01
Total of	100	10

Description of processing:

1. all dry ingredients were mixed in a Hobart mixer until homogeneous

2. Melting fat at 60 deg.C

3. Adding molten fat to the dry ingredients, mixing in a Hobart mixer until homogeneous

4. The mixture was added to a double-jacketed vessel (Unimix type)

5. Water and lactic acid were added to the vessel and the vessel was closed.

6. Heating to 90 deg.C while stirring

7. Held at 90 ℃ for 3 minutes while stirring

8. The mixture was charged while hot into a 35ml oval bucket, which was then sealed and left to cool to room temperature.

Example 3: chicken jelly (LBG and xanthan gum)

Number of	Amount [% ]]	The quantity [ g ]]For 10kg
			Chicken meat extract	3.2	0.32
Chicken powder	7.3	0.73
			Chicken fat	16.1	1.61
Perfume	0.4	0.04
			Water (W)	44.4	4.44
Essence	1.3	0.13
			Salt (salt)	17.3	1.73
MSG	4	0.4
			Locust bean gum	0.5	0.05
Xanthan gum	0.5	0.05
			Candy	4.8	0.48
5' -nucleotide	0.2	0.02
			Total of	100	10

Description of processing:

1. all dry ingredients were mixed in a Hobart mixer until homogeneous

2. Melting fat at 60 deg.C

3. Adding molten fat to the dry ingredients, mixing in a Hobart mixer until homogeneous

4. The mixture was added to a double-jacketed vessel (Unimix type)

5. Water and lactic acid were added to the vessel and the vessel was closed.

6. Heating to 90 deg.C while stirring

7. Held at 90 ℃ for 3 minutes while stirring

8. The hot was filled into a 15ml round bucket, which was then sealed and left to cool to room temperature.

Example 4: pork jelly with LBG and xanthan gum

Description of the invention	Amount [% ]]	The quantity [ g ]]For 10kg
			Pork essence	1.5	0.15
Water (W)	41.5	4.15
			Pork fat	12.1	1.21
Pork powder	6.1	0.61
			Salt (salt)	13.6	1.36
MSG	5.3	0.53
			Locust bean gum	0.5	0.05
Xanthan gum	0.5	0.05
			Candy	3.8	0.38
Palm oil	3	0.3
			Pork bone meal	12.1	1.21
Total of	100	10

Description of processing:

1. all dry ingredients were mixed in a Hobart mixer until homogeneous

2. Melting fat at 60 deg.C

3. Adding molten fat to the dry ingredients, mixing in a Hobart mixer until homogeneous

4. The mixture was added to a double-jacketed vessel (Unimix type)

5. Water was added to the container and the container was closed.

6. Heating to 90 deg.C while stirring

7. Held at 90 ℃ for 3 minutes while stirring

8. The hot was filled into a 15ml round bucket, which was then sealed and left to cool to room temperature.

Results for examples 1-4: the ratio G'/G ", at 21 ℃ (ambient, as measured according to the teachings in the specification):

examples	Storage modulus G' (Pa)	Loss modulus G' (Pa)	The ratio G'/G ″	aw	Dilution ratio	Dilution time(s)	Syneresis
								Beef	75.48	14.41	5.24	0.68	28	90	Is low in
Fish meat	1061.50	186.70	5.69	0.74	26	180	Extremely low
								Chicken meat	187.50	39.55	4.74	0.73	29	120	Is low in
Pork	466.29	100.38	4.65	0.73	30	90	Extremely low

The gel strength was measured using the following method:

using a texture analyzer, obtained from Microstable Sytems, model TA XT2, with a 5kg load element.

-a puncture device: diameter (according to AOAC method), 0.5 inch, i.e. 12.7mm, height 35mm, flat surface, sharp edge, material plastic.

The sample container has an impact on the result, if not very large. Therefore, the selected container should always be the same. We used plastic containers (bottom diameter 5.5 cm; top diameter 6.5 cm; height 8.5 cm) for the model system and glass vials (vials) for the process tests with a formulation (recipes) different from the model system (diameter 7 cm; height 4 cm).

After preparation, the samples were stored under ambient conditions (21 ℃) at least overnight before measurement.

-TA-parameter: the pre-speed is 1mm/s, the testing speed is 0.5mm/s, the returning speed is 10mm/s, the distance is 15mm, the trigger is automatic, the force is 0.5g, and the recording is stopped at the target. The result we obtained from the recorded graph is the force at 10mm penetration depth (in N, but simplified to g).

Claims (41)

1. Packaged concentrate for preparing a bouillon, broth, soup, sauce, gravy or for use as a seasoning, which concentrate comprises:

20-80 wt% water, based on the total packaged concentrate,

-0.1-10 wt% based on the water content of the concentrate of a gelling agent comprising a combination of xanthan gum and locust bean gum,

-15-30 wt% of salt, based on the water content of the concentrate,

-0.5-60 wt% of taste imparting components, based on the total composition,

in the absence of 0.5-60 wt.% of herbs, vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, crustaceans or particulates thereof, based on the total packaged concentrate, and

wherein the concentrate has the appearance of a gel.

2. The packaged concentrate of claim 1 wherein xanthan gum and locust bean gum are each present in an amount of 30 to 70% based on the total amount of xanthan gum and locust bean gum.

3. The packaged concentrate of claim 1, wherein xanthan gum and locust bean gum are each present in an amount of about 50% based on the total amount of xanthan gum and locust bean gum.

4. Packaged concentrate according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the concentrate has the appearance or rheology of a gel as expressed by a ratio of elastic modulus G': viscous modulus G "of at least 1.

5. Packaged concentrate according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the concentrate has the appearance or rheology of a gel as expressed by a ratio of elastic modulus G': viscous modulus G "of at least 3.

6. Packaged concentrate according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the viscous modulus G "is at least 10 Pa.

7. Packaged concentrate according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the amount of gelling agent comprising a combination of xanthan gum and locust bean gum is 0.2-7 wt%.

8. Packaged concentrate according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the amount of gelling agent comprising a combination of xanthan gum and locust bean gum is 0.6-3 wt%.

9. The packaged concentrate of any of claims 1-3, wherein the flavor-providing component comprises one or more of the following: a liquid or soluble extract or concentrate of one or more of meat, fish, herbs, fruits or vegetables, and/or a flavour, and/or a yeast extract, and/or a hydrolysed protein of vegetable, soy, fish or meat origin.

10. Packaged concentrate according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the total moisture content of the concentrate is 40-60 wt.%, based on the total packaged concentrate.

11. Packaged concentrate according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the water activity a of the concentrate is_wIs 0.5-0.87.

12. Packaged concentrate according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the water activity a of the concentrate is_wIs 0.7-0.78.

13. Packaged concentrate according to any one of claims 1-3, further comprising 1-30 wt.% emulsified oil and/or fat, based on the total packaged concentrate.

14. Packaged concentrate according to any one of claims 1-3, further comprising 1-15 wt% emulsified oil and/or fat, based on the total packaged concentrate.

15. Packaged concentrate according to any of claims 1-3, wherein the concentrate is packaged in a cup or tub by means of a sealing device.

16. Packaged concentrate according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the salt is sodium chloride.

17. Packaged concentrate according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the portion of the concentrate as packaged is such that the weight of the concentrate, excluding the package, is from 10g to 10 kg.

18. Packaged concentrate according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the concentrate provides a bouillon, broth, soup, sauce, gravy by diluting the concentrate with an aqueous liquid under conditions of application of heat.

19. Packaged concentrate according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the concentrate provides a bouillon, broth, soup, sauce, gravy by diluting the concentrate with an aqueous liquid in a ratio of 1: 15 to 1: 50 under conditions of applied heat.

20. Packaged concentrate according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the concentrate provides a bouillon, broth, soup, sauce, gravy, wherein 30g of the concentrate is dissolved in 900ml of boiling water in less than 3.5 minutes.

21. The packaged concentrate of any of claims 1-3, wherein the concentrate is a bouillon concentrate.

22. Packaged concentrate according to any one of claims 1 to 3,

wherein the concentrate is a broth concentrate,

wherein the broth concentrate provides a broth by diluting the broth concentrate with an aqueous liquid under the application of heat,

the broth concentrate comprises

20-80 wt% water, based on the total packaged concentrate,

-0.6-7 wt% based on the water content of the concentrate of a gelling agent comprising a combination of xanthan gum and locust bean gum,

-15-30 wt% of salt, based on the water content of the concentrate,

-0.5-60 wt% of taste imparting components, based on the total composition,

in the absence of 0.5-60 wt.% of herbs, vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, crustaceans or particulates thereof, based on the total packaged concentrate, and

wherein the concentrate has the appearance of a gel,

wherein the concentrate has the appearance or rheology of a gel as expressed by a ratio of elastic modulus G 'to viscous modulus G' of at least 1,

wherein the portion of the concentrate as packaged is such that the weight of the concentrate, excluding the package, is from 10g to 10 kg.

23. The packaged concentrate of claim 22, further comprising from 1 to 30 wt.% emulsified oil and/or fat, based on the total packaged concentrate.

24. The packaged concentrate of claim 22, further comprising from 1 to 15 wt.% emulsified oil and/or fat, based on the total packaged concentrate.

25. The packaged concentrate of claim 22, wherein the bouillon concentrate provides a bouillon by diluting the bouillon concentrate with an aqueous liquid under the application of heat in a ratio of 1: 15 to 1: 50.

26. The packaged concentrate of claim 22, wherein xanthan gum and locust bean gum are each present in an amount of 30 to 70% based on the total amount of xanthan gum and locust bean gum.

27. The packaged concentrate of claim 22, wherein xanthan gum and locust bean gum are each present in an amount of about 50% based on the total amount of xanthan gum and locust bean gum.

28. A method of preparing a concentrate for preparing a bouillon, broth, soup, sauce, gravy or for use as a seasoning, the concentrate comprising:

20-80 wt% water, based on the total packaged concentrate,

-0.1-10 wt% based on the water content of the concentrate of a gelling agent comprising a combination of xanthan gum and locust bean gum,

-15-30 wt% of salt, based on the water content of the concentrate,

-0.5-60 wt% of taste imparting components, based on the total composition,

in the absence of 0.5-60 wt.% of herbs, vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, crustaceans or particulates thereof, based on the total packaged concentrate, and

wherein the concentrate has the appearance of a gel,

the method comprises the following steps: mixing all the ingredients, filling the mixture into a package or a mould, closing the package, wherein a heating step is performed before and/or during and/or after filling into the package or the mould.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the amount of gelling agent comprising a combination of xanthan gum and locust bean gum is 0.2 to 7 weight percent based on the water content of the concentrate.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the amount of gelling agent comprising a combination of xanthan gum and locust bean gum is 0.6 to 3 wt% based on the water content of the concentrate.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein xanthan gum and locust bean gum are each present in an amount of 30 to 70% based on the total amount of xanthan gum and locust bean gum.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein xanthan gum and locust bean gum are each present in an amount of about 50% based on the total amount of xanthan gum and locust bean gum.

33. The method of claim 28 or 31, wherein at least part of the heating stage will reach a temperature of at least 70 ℃.

34. Use of a packaged concentrate according to any of claims 1-27 for preparing a bouillon, broth, soup, sauce, gravy or for use as a seasoning.

35. The use according to claim 34, wherein,

wherein the concentrate is a broth concentrate,

wherein the broth concentrate is provided by diluting the broth concentrate with an aqueous liquid under the application of heat,

the broth concentrate comprises

20-80 wt% water, based on the total packaged concentrate,

-0.6-7 wt% based on the water content of the concentrate of a gelling agent comprising a combination of xanthan gum and locust bean gum,

-15-30 wt% of salt, based on the water content of the concentrate,

-0.5-60 wt% of taste imparting components, based on the total composition,

in the absence of 0.5-60 wt.% of herbs, vegetables, fruits, meat, fish, crustaceans or particulates thereof, based on the total packaged concentrate, and

wherein the concentrate has the appearance of a gel,

wherein the concentrate has the appearance or rheology of a gel as expressed by a ratio of elastic modulus G 'to viscous modulus G' of at least 1,

wherein the portion of the concentrate as packaged is such that the weight of the concentrate, excluding the package, is from 10g to 250 g.

36. The use of claim 35, wherein the bouillon concentrate further comprises 1-30 wt% emulsified oil and/or fat, based on the total packaged concentrate.

37. The use of claim 35, wherein the bouillon concentrate further comprises 1-15 wt% emulsified oil and/or fat, based on the total packaged concentrate.

38. The use of claim 35, wherein the bouillon concentrate provides a bouillon by diluting the bouillon concentrate with an aqueous liquid in a ratio of 1: 15 to 1: 50 under the application of heat.

39. Use according to claim 34 for preparing a broth by the step of diluting a packaged concentrate according to any of claims 1 to 27, wherein the concentrate is diluted with an aqueous liquid under the application of heat, wherein the concentrate is diluted in a ratio of 1: 15 to 1: 50.

40. The use of claim 35, wherein xanthan gum and locust bean gum are each present in an amount of 30 to 70% based on the total amount of xanthan gum and locust bean gum.

41. The use of claim 35, wherein xanthan gum and locust bean gum are each present in an amount of about 50% based on the total amount of xanthan gum and locust bean gum.