COMBUSTIBLE AND EDIBLE COMPOSITION OF MEDIUM-CHAIN TRIGLYCERIDES AND SILICIC ACID

Abstract

The present invention relates to a combustible and edible composition comprising medium-chain triacylglycerols and silica, wherein the composition is in one embodiment a solid shaped body. The invention further relates to the use of a composition or of a solid shaped body as an item of equipment for outdoor activities, camping, sports activities, and/or in a diet.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A composition comprising a) from 70% to 96% by weight of triacylglycerol of saturated fatty acids comprising an alkyl chain of 6 to 12 carbon atoms, b) from 3.0% to 30% by weight of silica, and c) optionally from 0.1% to 5.0% by weight of at least one thickener comprising at least one cellulose derivative and/or water, d) optionally from 1.0% to 35% by weight of at least one additive other than thickeners, in each case based on the total weight of the composition, wherein the ratio of triacylglycerol a) to silica b) is within a range from 1:0.04 to 1:0.4, wherein the silica is fumed silica or precipitated silica, wherein when the silica is or comprises fumed silica and the composition comprises up to 4.0% by weight thereof, the composition comprises 0.1% to 5.0% by weight of at least one thickener and when the silica is or comprises precipitated silica and the composition comprises up to 10% by weight thereof, the composition comprises 0.1% to 5.0% by weight of at least one thickener, wherein the composition has a dynamic viscosity at 21° C. in accordance with DIN 53018 of 50 000 to 400 000 mPa.Math.s, measured with a Brookfield viscometer, spindle 5, at 0.5 revolutions per minute, or is solid at room temperature, and a flash point in accordance with EN 22719 of 210° C. to 240° C.

17. The composition as claimed in claim 16, wherein the thickener is a solid at room temperature.

18. The composition as claimed in claim 16, wherein the thickener comprises further thickeners selected from the group consisting of cellulose fibers, alginates, agar-agar, locust bean gum, guar gum, carrageenan, furcellaran, xanthan gum, pectin, methylcellulose, ethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, carboxymethylcelluloses, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, hydroxypropylcellulose, ethylhydroxyethylcellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, and mixtures thereof.

19. The composition as claimed in claim 16, wherein the composition comprises 4.0% to 30% by weight of fumed silica.

20. The composition as claimed in claim 16, wherein the composition comprises 10% to 15% by weight of precipitated silica.

21. The composition as claimed in claim 16, wherein the silica has a BET surface area in accordance with DIN ISO 9277 from 150 m.sup.2/g to 250 m.sup.2/g.

22. The composition as claimed in claim 16, wherein the water content of the silica in accordance with DIN EN ISO 787-2 is not more than 3.0% by weight of water, in each case based on the total weight of silica in the composition.

23. The composition as claimed in claim 16, wherein the composition comprises from 4.0% to 10% by weight of at least one further additive.

24. The composition as claimed in claim 16, wherein the additive is selected from the group consisting of food supplements, food additives, flavorings, and mixtures thereof.

25. The composition as claimed in claim 16, wherein the composition consists of constituents that are in each case are a food, a food supplement, a food additive, or a flavoring.

26. The composition as claimed in claim 16, wherein the composition has a flash point in accordance with EN 22719 of 220 to 230° C.

27. The composition as claimed in claim 16, wherein the composition has a dynamic viscosity at 21° C. in accordance with DIN 53018 of 70 000 to 350 000 mPa.Math.s, measured with a Brookfield viscometer, spindle 5, at 0.5 revolutions per minute.

28. The composition as claimed in claim 16, wherein the composition comprises a) from 85% to 90% by weight of triacylglycerol of saturated fatty acids comprising an alkyl chain of 6 to 12 carbon atoms, b) from 4.0% to 15% by weight of silica, c) optionally from 0.1% to 5.0% by weight of at least one thickener, and d) optionally 0.1% to 7.0% by weight of at least one additive other than thickeners, in each case based on the total weight of the composition.

29. A shaped body comprising the composition as claimed in claim 16, wherein the shaped body is in partially or completely covered with a coating.

30. A method comprising providing the composition as claimed in claim 16 in incorporating the composition in a piece of equipment for outdoor activities, camping, or sports activities, or in a diet.

Description

EXAMPLES

[0068] The present invention is further elucidated by the examples that follow, but without being restricted thereto.

Glossary of Ingredients

[0069] Triacylglyceride (MCT oil): [0070] Food quality [0071] Density at 20° C.=0.95 g/cm.sup.3 [0072] Water content <0.05% [0073] Fatty acid composition: C6: max 1%; C8: 50-65%; 010: 34-45%; C12: max. 2%; C14: max. 1%

[0074] SiO.sub.2 fumed [0075] Food quality [0076] BET surface area: 200 m.sup.2/g [0077] pH-value 5% in water: 4.0 [0078] Tamped density: <60 WI

[0079] SiO.sub.2 precipitated [0080] Food quality [0081] BET surface area: 160 m.sup.2/g [0082] pH-value 5% in water: 7.0 [0083] SiO.sub.2 content: >96% [0084] Tamped density: 80 WI [0085] Soluble salts: <2.6%

[0086] Ethylcellulose [0087] Food quality [0088] Degree of ethoxylation: 49% [0089] Viscosity (5% in toluene/ethanol 80/20): 190 mPa.Math.s [0090] Weight of residue after ashing: <0.4%

[0091] The ingredients were mixed with one another in accordance with Table 1. Weights are in percent by weight based on the sum of the weight of all constituents of the composition.

[0092] Before mixing the ingredients, the fumed silica and the precipitated silica were preheated for 120 min at 130° C. in order to dry the surfaces.

[0093] Except in Examples 2 and 9, SiO.sub.2 was homogenized with MCT oil at room temperature. In contrast to the other examples, Examples 2 and 9 comprise ethylcellulose. These compositions were produced by dissolving the ethylcellulose in MCT oil at 150° C.-180° C., followed by incorporation of SiO.sub.2 and then cooling to room temperature.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Compositions Inventive Comparative % by weight 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 MCT oil 85.0 91.0  95.8  89.6 70.0 70.0 96.0 90.0 95.9 SiO.sub.2 15.0 4.0 4.0 — 30.0 —  4.0 — — fumed SiO.sub.2 — — — 10.0 — 30.0 — 10.0 — precipitated Ethyl- — 5.0 — — — — — —  5.0 cellulose Distilled — — 0.2  0.4 — — — — water Ratio of MCT 1:0.18 1:0.04 1:0.04 1:0.11 1:0.4 1:0.4 1:0.04 1:0.11 1:0.05 oil to SiO.sub.2 Structure shaped shaped gel gel powder powder liquid liquid shaped at 21° C. body body body made of made of made of solid gel solid gel solid gel Fire behavior burns burns burns burns burns burns does not does not does not well well well well weakly weakly burn burn burn

[0094] The viscosity of the gels of Examples 1 to 4 and 9 was measured at 21° C. with a Brookfield viscometer, spindle 5 (0.5 revolutions/min).

[0095] The gel from Example 3 had a viscosity of 350 000 mPa.Math.s and the gel from Example 4 had a viscosity of 70 000 mPa.Math.s.

[0096] In the case of the shaped bodies made of solid gel in Examples 1, 2 and 9, it was not possible to measure the viscosity; when subjected to mechanical action, the shaped bodies made of solid gel broke and fragmented into several pieces.

[0097] In order to assess the fire behavior of the compositions from Examples 1 to 6 and 9, the compositions were spread across an area of 10 cm.sup.2 with a height of approx. 0.2 to 0.5 cm. The flame from a lighter with a height of approx. 4 cm was then held against each sample for 4 seconds. In the case of the compositions that burned, various people each blew against the flame with their breath from a distance of approx. 40-50 cm during the burning, as if blowing out a candle. The fire behavior was categorized as follows:

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Fire behavior of the compositions Does not After the third attempt to ignite it according to the burn procedure described above, the sample does not burn Burns The sample burns only slowly and the flame is extinguished weakly by just a slight draft Burns The sample is easy to ignite at the first attempt and continues well to burn independently after the ignition source has been removed and burns completely, this being with a flame that is intense and impossible to extinguish by blowing on it

[0098] The burning compositions continued to burn independently after the ignition source had been removed. The compositions described as “burning well” burned evenly over the entire surface with a yellowish flame from 4 to 8 cm in height until the point at which there was no longer any MCT oil remaining, i.e. they burned completely. The flame could not be extinguished by blowing on it, but only by placing a metal or ceramic lid on the burning mass so as to cut off the oxygen supply.

[0099] The compositions in Examples 2 (inventive) and 9 (comparative) differ essentially in that the composition in Example 9 does not contain any silica. The experimental data show that the composition in Comparative Example 9 does not burn without silica, whereas the inventive composition in Example 2 comprising fumed silica burns well. Moreover, the liquid compositions do not burn.

[0100] The comparison of the inventive Example 3 with Comparative Example 7 shows that the combination of a comparatively low concentration of silica and a thickener also makes it possible to obtain combustible compositions that would not be combustible without addition of the thickener.