WO1999035919A1

WO1999035919A1 - Pudding preparation and products

Info

Publication number: WO1999035919A1
Application number: PCT/US1999/000931
Authority: WO
Inventors: Martin E. Davis; Pauline M. Olson; Robert W. Wood
Original assignee: Davisco Foods International Inc
Current assignee: Davisco Foods International Inc
Priority date: 1998-01-15
Filing date: 1999-01-15
Publication date: 1999-07-22
Anticipated expiration: 2000-07-15
Also published as: AU2231899A

Abstract

A process for preparing puddings takes advantage of the discovery that a form of modified whey characterized by a calcium content of at least 3%, protein content of from 10 to 20%, and a phospholipid content of at least 2%, has the ability to impart a creamy texture to puddings while permitting decreasing the amount of milk and, in some cases, starch. Formulation for aseptically packaged puddings and dry mixes for cooked and instant puddings are also disclosed.

Description

DESCRIPTION

PUDDING PREPARATION AND PRODUCTS

Technical Field

The invention relates to preparation of creamy, pudding products,

Puddings are a popular snack and dessert food, typically comprising starch, milk, sweetener and flavor. They are characterized by a creamy texture and a sweet taste. Cooked puddings employ the gelling properties of starch to provide the desired texture, while instant puddings employ various phosphate salts to simulate the cooked starch texture without the need to cook. Sometimes other gelling or thickening agents are added to improve the outhfeel and/or processability.

Milk is an essential ingredient, but has a significant cost associated with its use. The use of specialized starches can also add to the cost of the end product.

There is a need to reduce raw material costs without impairing the eating experience that puddings are known to offer. Disclosure of the Invention

It is an object of the invention to provide a pudding product with enhanced texture.

It is another object of the invention to provide a pudding product with less milk and/or starch.

It is another object of the invention to provide a pudding product having an enhanced smooth and creamy texture.

It is still another object of the invention to provide a pudding product with less milk solids without reducing the calcium content.

It is yet another and more specific object of the invention to provide a process for preparing low-fat pudding products exhibiting viscosity and mouthfeel reminiscent of products prepared from whole milk.

It is yet another and more specific object of the invention to provide a process for preparing high-calcium, low-fat pudding products exhibiting viscosity and mouthfeel reminiscent of pudding prepared from whole milk.

These and other objects are achieved by the present invention, which provides a process for preparing a pudding having an improved texture, comprising: mixing milk, starch and sweetener with a modified whey characterized, on an as is basis, by a calcium content of at least 3%, protein content of from 10 to 20%, and a phospholipid content of at least 2%; holding the resulting mixture at refrigerator temperature for a time effective to gel the pudding. The invention also provides a cooked pudding, preferably asepticaliy- packaged, comprised of a cooked mixture of starch, sweetener, milk and modified whey characterized, on an as is basis, by a calcium content of at least 3%, protein content of from 10 to 20%, and a phospholipid content of at least 2%. The pudding can be fat-free or can further comprise fat and an emulsifier. A mix for preparing the pudding is also provided.

Also provided by the invention is a dry mix for an instant pudding comprising: dry milk solids, sweetener, starch, and modified whey characterized, on an as is basis, by a calcium content of at least 3%, protein content of from 10 to 20%, and a phospholipid content of at least 2%.

Many of the preferred aspects of the invention are described below.

Industrial Applicability

The following description will illustrate the preparation of preferred pudding products according to the invention, The processing will be described in terms of the procedures effective for the materials employed in the various formulations.

Basic to all of the embodiments of the invention is a "modified whey", which is defined as a whey fraction characterized, on an as is basis, by a calcium content of at least 3%, protein content of from 10 to 20% (more narrowly, 12 to 18%), and a phospholipid content of at least 2%. The calcium content is in highly soluble form and is homogeneously dispersed therein, as can be obtained by codrying a mixture containing the calcium, protein, fat and sugar components separated in these amounts to form the whey fraction. Calcium in this form is distinguished from calcium added as a salt that is simply mixed in dry form with whey. Preferred forms of modified whey are further characterized as conforming to the following analysis, based on a 100-gram sample.

COMPONENT PREFERRED RANGE

Calories (Kcal) 320 300-340

Total Fat (g) ^(a 4 2-5

Saturated Fat (g) 2.5 1-4

Extractable Fat (g) 2 1-4

Cholesterol (mg) 100 <200

Total Carbohydrates (g) 55 50-60

Sugars (g) 55 50-60

Total Protein (g) 14-16 10-20 (e.g., 12-18)

Calcium (g) 5 3-10 (e.g., 4-6)

Sodium (g) 1 <2

Iron (mg) 0.5 <1 iboflavin (mg) 1.8 <2

Phosphorus (g) 2 1-3

Potassium (g) 1.5 1-2

Magnesium (g) 0.200 <1

Ash (g) 20 15-25

Moisture (g) 5 1-6 a Substantially all fat is phospholipid.

This form of modified whey differs greatly from either sweet whey or whey protein concentrates and isolates, principally in the noted characterizing features set out above, and the ratios given directly below.

Typical calcium to phosphorous ratios are within the range of from about 2: 1 to about 10:1 , e.g., about 5:2. Similarly, typical calcium to protein ratios are within the range of from about 1 :4 to about 4:5, e.g., about 1 :3. And, typical calcium to fat (essentially as phospholipid) ratios of from about 3: 1 to about

10:1 , e.g., about 4:1.

Products meeting these specifications can be prepared from whey by fractionation and drying to obtain the noted composition. Modified whey defined in this manner, derived from dairy products by fractionation, is believed to have its superior affects on pudding prepared in accord with the invention because the high calcium content is complexed with other dairy components. Modified whey products of this type are commercially available, for example, under the trademark VersaPRO® (e.g., grades B, C, D, E, M, N, S) from Davisco Foods International, Inc., Le Sueur, MN.

A modified whey of this type is employed in an amount effective to improve the creaminess of the final pudding. It can be used in addition to the milk or in partial replacement of it, preferably at levels of 10% or more. Also, it can be used in partial replacement of the starch ingredient, Preferred amounts will be at least about 0.25% based on the total weight of the formulation, and preferably within the range of from about 0.5 to about 15%. Preferred levels in cooked products are lower than in the instant products.

The milk is selected from any of the sources suitable and approved by the regulations, mixed with the modified whey and other ingredients such as flavors, sweeteners and stabilizers. The source of the milk can be any of those sources as by tradition, regulation or standard have come into favor. Principal among these are milk from cows, sheep, goats, buffalo, and the like. The milk can be fresh or in other suitable form, including milk mixes with non-fat dry milk or the like. The milk can be of any fat content and in any suitable form, dry or liquid. It is an advantage of the invention that a significant amount of the milk can be replaced by the modified whey as defined above. Milk solids will typically comprise from about 10 to about 20 % of the formulation on a dry basis.

Essential to the puddings of the invention is a starch component. The type will differ depending on whether the pudding will be cooked or instant. For cooked puddings, it is important that the starch be of a type that quickly builds a stable viscosity that is not easily lessened by further processing and heating. For instant puddings, the starch should be able to hydrate easily and form a smooth, thick texture upon cooling. The starches can be derived from any suitable source, including arrowroot, corn, potato, rice, sago, tapioca, wheαt, or the like, or mixtures of two or more of these. It is an advantage of the invention that the addition of modified whey not only provides textural and mouthfeel advantages, but it permits reducing the amount of starch by significant amounts, e.g., of 10% or more, up to about 25%, typically less than 15%. See Examples 5 and 6 in this regard.

For instant puddings, i.e, puddings that do not require cooking to gel the starch, various phosphate salts are known to be useful. For example a combination of disodium phosphate and tetrasodium pyrophosphate is known to be effective at levels of from about 0.25 to 1.5 % for the former and about 0.15 to about 1.0 % for the latter. Other effective phosphate salts include alkali metal pyrophosphates, such as tetra potassium pyrophosphate, which can form a gel along with the protein and the calcium present in solution. By alkali metal pyrophosphate, it is meant to include all water- soluble, edible alkali metal pyrophosphates. Principal among these are the di- and tetra-sodium and potassium pyrophosphates.

A sweetener is also employed, but the type is optional. It can be a sugar, sugary material or other sweetener, such as any of the high intensity sweeteners known to the art. Among the sugars are the mono-saccharides, di-saccharides and polysaccharides and their degradation products; e.g., pentoses, including aldopentoses, methylpentoses, keptopentoses, like xylose and arabinose; a deoxyaldose like rhamnose, hexoses and reducing saccharides such as aldo hexoses like glucose, galactose and mannose; the ketohexoses, like fructose and sorbose; disaccharides, like lactose and maltose; non-reducing disaccharides such as sucrose and other polysaccharides such as dextrin and raffinose; and hydrolyzed starches which contain as their constituents oligosaccharides. Corn syrup and corn syrup solids of various DE values can be employed for sweetness and body. When the sweetener is sucrose, it is typically employed in an amount of from about 10 to 30% of the weight of the mix on a dry basis. Among the intense sweeteners are acesulfame-K, aspartame, cyclamates, dihydrochalcone, saccharin, stevioside, thaumatin and the like. Also, low-intensity, low-calorie sweeteners such as sorbitol and erythritol can be employed.

For some products, it is desired to add fat to improve the creaminess and mouthfeel. It will be remembered, however, that it is an advantage of the invention that less fat is needed with the invention to achieve a suitable quality of creaminess, And, if improved creaminess is desired for a product with the usual amount of fat, the invention can provide that also, When a fat is added it is then useful to add an emulsifier to help disperse the fat in small globules throughout the pudding. The fats are preferably of the usual vegetable sources, such as soybean, corn, rapeseed, Canola, and the like, Preferably the fat will be at least partially hydrogenated, e.g., to an iodine value of 75 or less, e.g., 10 to 50. The emulsifier can be of any type effective for forming oil-in-water emulsions. Fat, when employed is added in small amounts, e.g., less than 10%, and preferably from 1 to 5%. Typically the more suitable emulsifiers will have hydrophile to lipophile balances of 8 or more. One emulsifier that is effective due to its action in the presence of both fat and starch is sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate. In some instances, as can be seen from the examples, it is advantageous to add other emulsifiers such as mono and diglycerides.

Other ingredients may also be employed to impart their characteristic effects to the compositions of the present invention. Typical of such ingredients are flavoring agents, colorants, vitamins, minerals, and the like. Various flavors can be added directly to the milk prior to final mixing or afterwards if they would. Suitable flavoring agents can be employed to impart vanilla, cream, chocolate, coffee, maple, spice, mint, butter, caramel, fruit and other flavors. For some formulations and flavors, it is desirable to add stabilizers of a type and in an amount sufficient for the purpose. Stabilizers can also be added for the purpose of enhancing smoothness and decreasing syneresis during long periods of storage. Typical of the stabilizers, are proteinaceous materials such as gelatin, pectin, and whey protein concentrate, natural and synthetic hydrophilic colloids, such as carboxymethyl cellulose, vegetable gums such as locust bean gum, carob bean gum, guar gum, carageenans and alginates and various starches and modified starches in addition to those employed as the major starch ingredient.

Supplemental nutrients can be added if desired. It is noted that the substitution of 1 gram of the modified whey in accord with the invention for 1 gram of milk solids, will provide an increase of 38 mg of highly-bioavailable calcium. Other nutrients such as vitamins (e.g., vitamins A, D, or the like) and minerals (e.g., iron or trace minerals) to improve the food value of the products can be useful.

The dry mixes for the cooked and instant puddings can be prepared by dry blending all dry ingredients and conveniently packaging the resulting dry blends in bags, bags in a box, plastic tubs or other known package types.

Aseptic packaging of cooked puddings can be by any method effective to provide at least one month shelf life at room temperature. Preferably, the stability will be for a minimum of three months. In one known procedure, the cooked pudding is heated to over about 90°C and maintained there for a period of time sufficient to kill all pathogens and spoilage microorganisms. This can be accomplished by what is known in the art as a UHT (ultra high temperature) process. The sterilized mixture is then poured into suitable containers, e.g., cans, jars or plastic cups, and sealed, Techniques and equipment are available to package the cooked pudding either before or after cooling. The procedures of U. S. Patent No. 4,440,794 and U. S. Patent No. 3,891 ,779, and the references cited therein can also be employed, and these references are incorporated herein in their entireties.

The following Examples are provided to further illustrate and explain a preferred form of the invention and are not to be taken as limiting in any regard. Unless otherwise indicated, all parts and percentages are by weight.

Example 1

This example describes the preparation of a vanilla-flavored instant pudding of conventional formulation (control) and one according to the invention, from the following ingredients.

1 ^Darts by weight

Ingredient

Control Invention

Sucrose 26.8 26.8

Non Fat Dry Milk 23.0 1 1.5

Starch 14.5 14.5

Dextrose 13.8 13.8

Disodium Phosphate 0.703 0.703

Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate 0.433 0.433

Titanium Dioxide 0.300 0.300

Vanillin 0.175 0.175

Mono and Diglycerides 0.058 0.058

Yellow #5 0.0041 0.0041

Yellow # 6 0.0015 0.0015

Ethyl Vanillin 0.0002 0.0002

VersaPRO® D Modified Whey 0 1 1.5

The above ingredients are blended dry by simple mixing to form two dry mixes. Each of the puddings was prepared by mixing 79.7 grams portion of each of the respective mixes with 214 grams of water. The mixture was mixed for thirty seconds with a wire whip, poured into serving dishes and chilled in a refrigerator for 4 hours.

The pudding prepared according to the invention had a creamier texture and thicker mouthfeel, even though the viscosities were the same. The flavor of the product of the invention was equally pleasant as the control, but slightly different,

Example 2

This example describes the preparation of a chocolate-flavored instant pudding of conventional formulation (control) and one according to the invention, from the following ingredients.

Parts by weight

Ingredient

Control Invention

Non Fat Dry Milk 23.0 11.5

Sucrose 20.5 20.5

Starch 14.5 14.5

Dextrose 7.25 7.25

Corn Syrup Solids - 24DE 6.96 6.96

Cocoa - 10- 12% fat 4.04 4.04

Disodium Phosphate 2.06 2.06

Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate 1.20 1.20

Titanium Dioxide 0.15 0.15

Mono and Diglycerides 0.058 0.058

Vanillin 0.050 0.050

VersaPRO® D Modified Whey 0 1 1.5 The puddings were prepared and tested as described in Example 1. Again, the pudding prepared according to the invention had a creamier texture and thicker mouthfeel, even though the viscosities were the same, the flavor of the product of the invention was equally pleasant as the control but slightly different.

Example 3

This example describes the preparation of a sucrose-free, vanilla- flavored instant pudding of conventional formulation (control) and one according to the invention, from the following ingredients.

1 ^Darts by weight

Ingredient

Control Invention

Non Fat Dry Milk 23.0 1 1.5

Malto Dextrin - 10DE 14.4 14.4

Starch 13.2 13.2

Sweet Whey 3.71 3.71

Disodium Phosphate 1.56 1.56

Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate 0.924 0.924

Xanthan Gum 0.888 0.888

Aspartame 0.320 0.320

Titanium Dioxide 0.300 0.300

Mono and Diglycerides 0.107 0.107

Yellow #5 0.0041 0.0041

Yellow #6 0.0015 0.0015

Ethyl Vanillin 0.0002 0.0002

VersaPRO® D Modified Whey 0 1 1.5 The puddings were prepared and tested as described in Example 1 , but only 58.45 grams of mix was added to 214 grams of water. Again, the pudding prepared according to the invention had a creamier texture and thicker mouthfeel, even though the viscosities were the same, the flavor of the product of the invention was equally pleasant as the control but slightly different.

Example 4

This example describes the preparation of a sugar-free, chocolate- flavored instant pudding of conventional formulation (control) and one according to the invention, from the following ingredients.

Parts by weight

Ingredient

Control Invention

Non Fat Dry Milk 23.0 1 1.5

Malto Dextrin - 10DE 13.8 13.8

Starch 1 1.9 1 1.9

Cocoa - 10-12% Fat 4.5 4.5

Disodium Phosphate 1.61 1.61

Caramel Color 1.03 1.03

Xanthan Gum 0.887 0.887

Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate 0.762 0.762

Aspartame 0.426 0.426

Titanium Dioxide 0.400 0.400

Mono and Diglycerides 0.107 0.107

Vanillin 0.050 0.050

VersaPRO® D Modified Whey 0 1 1.5

The puddings were prepared and tested as described in Example 1 , but only 58.45 grams of mix was added to 214 grams of water. Again, the pudding prepared according to the invention had a creamier texture and thicker mouthfeel, even though the viscosities were the same, the flavor of the product of the invention was equally pleasant as the control but slightly different.

Example 5

This example describes the preparation of a cooked, aseptically- packaged, chocolate-flavored pudding of conventional formulation (control) and one according to the invention, from the following ingredients.

Parts by weight

Ingredient

Control Invention

Skim Milk 49.4 39.5

Water 24.6 34.0

Hydrogenated Soybean Oil 5.00 5.00

Sodium Stearoyl-2-Lactylate 0.17 0.17

Sucrose 14.2 14.2

Starch 3.25 2.86

Modified Whey 0.00 0.94

Cocoa - 10-12% Fat 3.00 3.00

Salt 0.30 0.30

Vanillin 0.06 0.06

The ingredients were thoroughly blended with high shear mixing in a Waring Blendor to fully emulsify the fat. The resulting blended mixture was then heated to boiling and held there for 30 seconds, a treatment effective for aseptic packaging, but more severe than the usual UHT procedure. Viscosities were measured using a Brookfield viscometer with a helipath stand. The pudding of the invention had a creamier texture and a slightly thicker mouthfeel than the control, despite exhibiting the same viscosity. The fαct that less starch was needed was determined by plotting percent starch against measured viscosity values for various cooked and cooled pudding formulations. In this manner, it was determined that the starch content could be reduced by 12%, a significant reduction in terms of raw material cost.

Example 6

This example describes the preparation of a cooked, fat-free, aseptically-packaged, chocolate-flavored pudding of conventional formulation (control) and one according to the invention, from the following ingredients.

Parts by weight

Control Invention

Skim Milk 49.4 39.5

Water 31.6 41.0

Sucrose 1 1.0 11.0

Starch 4.60 4.14

VersaPRO® D Modified Whey 0.00 0.94

Cocoa - 10-12% Fat 3.00 3.00

Titanium Dioxide 0.03 0.06

Salt 0.30 0.30

Vanillin 0.06 0.06

The products were prepared and tested as in Example 5, and yielded similar results. Again, a 10% reduction in starch was achieved.

The above description is intended to enable the person skilled in the art to practice the invention. It is not intended to detail all of the possible modifications and variations which will become apparent to the skilled worker upon reading the description. It is intended, however, that all such modificαtions and variations be included within the scope of the invention which is defined by the following claims. The claims are meant to cover the indicated elements and steps in any arrangement or sequence which is effective to meet the objectives intended for the invention, unless the context specifically indicates the contrary.

Claims

1. A process for preparing a pudding having an improved texture and containing active cultures, comprising: mixing milk, starch and sweetener with modified whey characterized, on an as is basis, by a calcium content of at least 3%, protein content of from 10 to 20%, and a phospholipid content of at least 2%; holding the resulting mixture at refrigerator temperature for a time effective to gel the pudding.

2. A process according to claim 1 , wherein the modified whey is employed in an amount of from about 0.25 to about 15% based on the weight of the pudding.

3. A process according to claim 1 , wherein the modified whey has a protein content of from 12 to 18% and a calcium content of from 3-10%, both percentages based on the weight of the modified whey.

4. A process according to claim 1 , wherein the pudding is a cooked pudding and the mixture of ingredients is cooked prior to cooling.

5. A process according to claim 4, wherein the pudding is aseptically packaged.

6. A product of the process of claim 1.

7. A product of the process of claim 5,

8. An aseptically-packaged pudding comprised of a cooked mixture of starch, sweetener, milk and modified whey characterized, on an as is basis, by a calcium content of at least 3%, protein content of from 10 to 20%, and a phospholipid content of at least 2%.

9. A product according to claim 8, which further comprises fat and an emulsifier.

10. A product according to claim 9, wherein the modified whey is employed in an amount of from about 0.25 to about 15% based on the weight of the pudding.

11. A product according to claim 9, wherein the modified whey has a protein content of from 12 to 18% and a calcium content of from 3-10%, both percentages based on the weight of the modified whey.

12. A dry mix for an instant pudding comprising: dry milk solids, sweetener, starch, and modified whey characterized, on an as is basis, by a calcium content of at least 3%, protein content of from 10 to 20%, and a phospholipid content of at least 2%.

13. A product according to claim 12, wherein the modified whey has a protein content of from 12 to 18% and a calcium content of from 3-10%, both percentages based on the weight of the modified whey.

14. A product according to claim 12, wherein the modified whey is employed in an amount of from about 0.25 to about 15% based on the weight of the pudding.

15. A process for reducing the amount of milk or starch in a pudding comprising adding to a pudding formulation or mix therefor, a modified whey whey characterized, on an as is basis, by a calcium content of at least 3%, protein content of from 10 to 20%, and a phospholipid content of at least 2%.

16. A process according to claim 15 wherein the modified whey is added to a mix for an instant pudding,

17. A process according to claim 15 wherein the modified whey is added to ingredients for forming a cooked pudding.

18. A process according to claim 17 wherein the modified whey is added in an amount sufficient to reduce the starch content by at least 10%.