Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF
  • A23L23/00—Soups; Sauces; Preparation or treatment thereof
  • A23L23/10—Soup concentrates, e.g. powders or cakes
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF
  • A23L29/00—Foods or foodstuffs containing additives; Preparation or treatment thereof
  • A23L29/20—Foods or foodstuffs containing additives; Preparation or treatment thereof containing gelling or thickening agents
  • A23L29/206—Foods or foodstuffs containing additives; Preparation or treatment thereof containing gelling or thickening agents of vegetable origin
  • A23L29/212—Starch; Modified starch; Starch derivatives, e.g. esters or ethers
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF
  • A23L29/00—Foods or foodstuffs containing additives; Preparation or treatment thereof
  • A23L29/20—Foods or foodstuffs containing additives; Preparation or treatment thereof containing gelling or thickening agents
  • A23L29/269—Foods or foodstuffs containing additives; Preparation or treatment thereof containing gelling or thickening agents of microbial origin, e.g. xanthan or dextran

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a shelf-stable liquid or paste concentrate for preparing a food product, to a process for preparing such a concentrate and food product comprising said concentrate.
• the invention relates to a concentrate comprising xanthan gum and un-gelatinised starch for preparing savoury food products such as sauces, gravies and soups.
• Concentrated food products such as dehydrated gravies and sauces, and bouillon or stock cubes, have been known for many years. Savoury dehydrated products are becoming increasingly unattractive to consumers due to a perception that they are not natural, they have an old fashioned image, and they have an artificial appearance. Some products have a pasty texture, but these are typically fat-based and therefore have a high fat content and consequently a poor health or nutritional profile .
• binders or thickeners are available on the market. These are mainly in the form of powdery or granulated products made of non-gelatinized and/or pre-gelatinized starch agglomerated alone or with
• Starch containing dry-foods mixtures are easily manufactured and known today.
• directly consumable, aqueous based starch thickeners are convenient, but prone to
• EP 0 012 465 discloses pasteurized water-based concentrates in sealed containers.
• the osmotic pressure of the composition is increased as to obtain a water activity (aw) of 0.77 to 0.92 using a series of suitable compounds like salts, glycerol, glucose, protein hydrolysates .
• the disposable sealed containers (portions) are stored at room temperature until consumption.
• the concentrates are packaged in single-use container in order to avoid the problem of stability once the packaging is opened.
• EP 0 970 619 describes ambient stable concentrates which yield, upon dilution with an aqueous liquid, a finished sauce, soup or gravy.
• the microbial stability is achieved here mainly by a pH of 4 or lower. Since kitchen salt is also added in a proportion of 1 % to 8 %, the accompanying lowering of the water activity also helps slightly to increase the microbial stability of the concentrate.
• the water activity of the examples given in EP 0 970 619 is of 0.96 to 0.98 at a kitchen salt concentration of 5 %.
• US 3 949 104 Another product is known from US 3 949 104.
• hot swellable (or so called cook-up starches, e.g. native starches) US 3 949 104 describes a formulation were granular cold swellable starches (e.g.
• WO 2004/049822 discloses a shelf-stable, fluid and portionable food thickener which contains non-gelatinized starch.
• the composition is a starch-based fluid concentrate that was obtained by suspending the starch within the aqueous base by the presence of a water activity (a w ) depressing agent. This allowed shelf stability without the need of pasteurization.
• the object of the present invention is to improve the state of the art and to provide a liquid or paste composition that at least goes part way to overcoming one or more of the above mentioned disadvantages of existing liquid or paste
• compositions or at least provides a useful alternative are provided.
• the objective is to provide a liquid or paste composition which: i) further thickens upon use of said liquid or paste product during the preparation of a food product for example by heating or dissolution of the product in hot water, e.g. at a consumer's home; ii) dissolves easily in hot or cold water; iii) is not based on fat as a binder or thickener material and preferably is even substantially free of fat; and iv) does not make use of chemical substances such as polyol, which may not be favourably perceived by consumers; and v) is based on mainly natural ingredients.
• the present invention provides in a first aspect a composition in the form of a shelf-stable liquid or paste concentrate for preparing a food product, the composition consisting of:
• flavourings in the amount of 10 to 45 % (by weight of the total composition) ,
• a food thickening agent in the form of xanthan gum in the amount of 0.05 to 0.2 % (by weight of the total
• composition v) oil in the amount of 2 to 15 % (by weight of the total composition) ,
• the invention relates a process for
• preparing a composition in the form of a shelf-stable liquid or paste concentrate for preparing a food product comprising the steps:
• a third aspect of the invention relates to the use of the composition according to claim 1 for the preparation of a food product .
• a still further aspect of the invention is a food product comprising the composition of claim 1. It has now been found by the inventors that a simple combination of xanthan gum with un-gelatinised starch in a composition with certain concentrations of water, flavourings and salt has some particular desirable and surprising
• a liquid or paste concentrate can now be manufactured that comprises un-gelatinised starch in the final product and that the starch does not sediment therein, that the concentrate is microbiologically safe and has a long shelf-life at room-temperature without forming syneresis or other textural deteriorations of the concentrate product.
• the composition forms a thick liquid or paste at room temperature and is easily dosed into packaging containers and is easily dosed to food preparations therefrom by a consumer; it is easily and directly dissolvable in hot or cold water without forming lumps; it can be used to prepare a thick sauce or gravy by directly applying it into a heating pan; upon heating either in an aqueous solution or in a pan it further develops a nice creamy and thick texture of e.g. a sauce, gravy or soup; and it delivers a smooth mouth-feel which is ideal for a thick sauce or gravy.
• composition as disclosed by the inventors has further important advantages over known similar compositions in the art. Particularly, there is no need to add any further additives as e.g. chemical preservatives, emulsifiers such as egg yolk, lecithin or sodium stearoyl lactylate (SSL) , chemical stabilisers, and any other further thickeners than xanthan gum in an amount 0.05 to 0.2 wt%, to the present composition.
• the composition as disclosed per se meets the full requirements as to shelf-stability as well as to the textural and organoleptic properties as described above.
• the present composition addresses some of the needs of today' s consumers who request that food products be natural and devoid, as much as possible, of Artificial' additives usually labelled by E-numbers on such products.
• shelf-stability of the present composition is assured by the specific composition of the selected ingredients and their amounts. Particularly, the water activity of the present compositions are below an aw value of 0.86. It is known from the prior art that products with such low aw value are
• composition is provided herewith.
• a still further advantage of the present composition is that fat does not need to be present to function for example as a binder and to provide the necessary textural functionality and/or mouth feel sensation as it is presently the case with known products on the market place.
• the present composition can be substantially free of fat and/or have fat present at only very low levels.
• the composition of the present invention provides a shelf-stable liquid or paste food
• allergenic proteins such as egg proteins
• it has no or very low fat content, and still is has a shelf-stability assuring microbiological safety as well as conservation of textural and organoleptic properties.
• liquid or paste concentrate means that the viscosity of the composition according to the present
• composition according to the present invention is less than about 1500 Pa.s, preferably less than about 1000 Pa.s and more preferably less than about 500 Pa.s, at a shear rate comprised between about 1 and 100 s -1 and at a temperature of about 25 °C.
• the viscosity of the composition may be evaluated by measuring the flow curve using a Physica MCR 300 rotational viscometer and a plate (plate geometry 50 mm and 1 mm gap) at the specified shear rate and temperature. It can be noticed that the composition according to the present invention is characterized by a non-Newtonian
• the present composition may thus be pourable or spoonable in order to allow easy portioning.
• the viscosity of the composition according to the present invention may be adjusted in order to be displayed in a squeezable packaging such as a squeezable bottle fitted with a re-closable cap, for example.
• a squeezable packaging such as a squeezable bottle fitted with a re-closable cap, for example.
• the packaging used for packing the composition may be a re-usable one (openable and re-closable) or disposable one for
• flavourings in the context of this invention means flavouring agents, taste enhancing ingredients, herbs, spices, vegetables, meat and fish components (in liquid or powder form) , carbohydrates such as sugars and maltodextrin, yeast extract, flavor extracts from plant materials, food grade organic acids and their salts, and any mixtures thereof, which are suitable for being used to flavour a food product or food concentrate product.
• Salt refers to any suitable alkali metal salt or mixture thereof.
• the salt used in the composition of this invention is typically, but not limited to, sodium chloride.
• potassium chloride may be used or any low-sodium product having a taste impression of sodium chloride may be used, as long as the taste in the end formulation is acceptable.
• un-gelatinised starch refers to starch that is in an un-swollen, semi-crystalline state. Due to birefringence, it presents maltese crosses when examined under the microscope with polarized light. During cooking the starch loses the birefringence, starts to absorb water which results in
• the starch or mixtures of starches are selected among starches that have a rather high gelatinization temperature such as corn starch, chemically modified starches, physically modified starches such as annealed or heat-moisture treated starch, preferably heat-moisture treated potato starch. Flours can also be used as a source of starch.
• shelf-stable refers to product stability during a certain period of storage time after production, wherein the product maintains its microbiological safety and organoleptic suitability at a specific storage temperature.
• shelf-stability for liquid or paste food concentrates is for at least 3 months at room temperature of 20°C, preferably for at least 6 months at room temperature of 20°C, more preferably for at least 12 months at room temperature of 20°C.
• x oil' according to the present invention refers to an oil/fat which is liquid at a room temperature of 20°C.
• x fat' according to the present invention refers to an oil/fat which is solid at a room temperature of 20°C.
• the water activity of the composition of the present invention is below an aw value of 0.85.
• the water activity is below an aw value of 0.83, more
• the composition of the present invention comprises the water in the amount of 30 to 38 %, preferably of 30 to 36 % (by weight of the total composition) .
• the flavourings in the composition of the invention are present in an amount in the range 15 to 35 % (by weight of the total composition) .
• the flavourings in the composition of the invention are present in an amount in the range 20 to 30 % (by weight of the total composition) .
• composition is in the range 7 to 10 % (by weight of the total composition) .
• This range of salt content allows achieving an acceptable product from an organoleptic and textural point of view and still having an as much as possible reduced salt content to satisfy requirements from a nutritional point of view .
• the composition of the invention has the amount of the un-gelatinised starch in the composition in the range 15 to 35 %, more preferably in the range 20 to 30 % (by weight of the total composition) .
• the un- gelatinised starch is physically modified potato starch or corn starch.
• the invention contains xanthan in the amount in the range 0.1 to 0.15 % (by weight of the total composition) .
• the oil in the composition of the invention is present in the range 3 to 13 %, more preferably in the range 4 to 12 % (by weight of the total composition) .
• the oil is a vegetable oil selected from the group consisting of olive oil, sunflower oil, corn oil, coconut oil, rapeseed oil, sesame oil, cottonseed oil, and combinations thereof.
• the oil mainly contributes to the taste and flavor of the final product and helps in the cooking step when used by the consumer as well. Furthermore, it makes the liquid or paste concentrate very smooth for a good
• composition according to the invention comprises
• flavourings selected from the group consisting of sugar, caramel, yeast extract, meat extract, vegetable and herb powders, flavor extract from a plant material, vegetable and herb pieces, organic acid and its salts, and combinations thereof.
• the flavourings are selected from the group consisting of yeast extract, meat extract, vegetable and herb powders, vegetable and herb pieces, glutamate, and combinations thereof.
• the composition according to the invention may optionally comprise fat in the amount of not more than 1.5 % (by weight of the total composition) .
• the content of fat in the composition of the invention is not more than 1.0 ⁇ 6 , even more preferably not more than 0.5 % (by weight of the total composition) .
• the composition is substantially free of fat. It is one of the purposes of the present invention to reduce the amount of fat in shelf-stable liquid or paste concentrates used for food preparations. Traditionally, fat is used because of its texturing properties as well as of its contribution to taste and flavor in such pasty food
• composition of the present invention allows to substantially reduce the content of fat and still provides an organoleptically excellent food concentrate product in respect to taste, flavor and texture qualities.
• Another aspect of the invention is a process for preparing a composition in the form of a shelf-stable liquid or paste concentrate for preparing a food product comprising the steps: a) mixing water in the amount of 30 to 40 %, flavourings in the amount of 10 to 45 %, salt in the amount of 6 to 20%, xanthan gum in the amount of 0.05 to 0.2 %, and oil in the amount of 2 to 15 % (all % by weight of the total
• step c) cooling the mixture after the heating step to below 60°C, preferably below 50°C; more preferably below 45°C; and d) adding un-gelatinised starch in the amount of 10 to 40 % (by weight of the total composition) to the mixture of step c) after the cooling and mixing further to form the composition .
• the water activity of the composition resulting from the process of the present invention is below an aw value of 0.85.
• the water activity is below an aw value of 0.83, more preferably even below an aw value of 0.82.
• the mixture in step c) is cooled to a temperature of not below 20°C, more preferably not below 25°C, and even more preferably not below 30°C.
• the un-gelatinised starch is added in the form of a solid powder or as a slurry of starch in oil.
• the starch must be un-gelatinised starch and must remain in this state during preparation of the composition. This is so that the thickening function of the starch is preserved until such time as a user or a consumer at home adds hot water to the composition or adds the liquid or paste composition to hot water and cooks it for a few minutes.
• the starch then
• the un-gelatinised starch used for the preparation of the concentrate composition can be selected according to a specific gelatinisation/pasting profile so that it can be incorporated into the composition at a temperature below the gelatinising (or swelling) temperature.
• the preferred un- gelatinised starch of the invention is corn starch or
• the un-gelatinised starch is added in the form of a solid powder or in the form as a slurry of starch in oil. This has the advantage that they are industrially feasible and convenient forms of adding un-gelatinised starch to a
• the invention relates to a food product comprising the composition of the invention, and wherein the food product is a condiment, seasoning, sauce, soup or gravy.
• compositions of the invention is as follows:
• composition according to the invention was prepared
• the composition was shelf-stable .
• composition according to the invention was prepared
• composition according to the invention was prepared
• the composition was shelf-stable .
• composition according to the invention was prepared
• composition according to the invention was prepared
• the composition was shelf-stable .
• composition according to the invention was prepared
• the composition was shelf-stable .
• the resulting products from the Examples 2 to 7 were a pasty composition which had a viscosity of below 200 Pa.s. at room- temperature and which when dissolved in water and heated for 1 min delivered the texture of a creamy thick sauce. It is also to be mentioned that the prepared sauce maintained its

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Nutrition Science (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Food Science & Technology (AREA)
• Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
• Dispersion Chemistry (AREA)
• Seeds, Soups, And Other Foods (AREA)
• Seasonings (AREA)
• Jellies, Jams, And Syrups (AREA)
• Grain Derivatives (AREA)

Priority Applications (6)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

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Cited By (16)

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Citations (9)

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• 2013
  • 2013-09-11 MX MX2015004270A patent/MX2015004270A/es unknown
  • 2013-09-11 AU AU2013327218A patent/AU2013327218A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2013-09-11 EP EP13759756.3A patent/EP2903455A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
  • 2013-09-11 CN CN201380051995.8A patent/CN104684410A/zh active Pending
  • 2013-09-11 WO PCT/EP2013/068775 patent/WO2014053287A1/fr not_active Ceased
  • 2013-09-11 RU RU2015116911A patent/RU2015116911A/ru not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2013-09-11 BR BR112015007122A patent/BR112015007122A2/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2015
  • 2015-04-01 CL CL2015000821A patent/CL2015000821A1/es unknown

Patent Citations (10)

Non-Patent Citations (3)

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