Process for manufacturing a substantially lactose-free infant formula product

Abstract

The present invention concerns a process for manufacturing an infant formula product comprising: (a1) providing an aqueous mixture having a substantially lactose-free protein component, (a2) subjecting the aqueous mixture to a heat treatment step, and optionally a concentration step; (b) mixing the aqueous mixture with a lipid component; (c) subjecting the aqueous mixture comprising the lipid component and the heat-treated protein component to a homogenization and emulsification step to obtain a homogenized oil-in-water emulsion having a total solids content in the range of 45-80 wt %; (d) conveying the homogenized emulsion into an extruder, independently adding digestible carbohydrates and optionally dietary fibres to the extruder and extruding the contents of the extruder to obtain an extruded material; (e) preparing an infant formula product from the extruded material. The invention further concerns Infant formula product obtainable by the process according to the invention.

Claims

1. Process for manufacturing a substantially lactose-free infant formula product comprising the following steps: (a1) providing an aqueous mixture having a substantially lactose-free protein component, (a2) subjecting the aqueous mixture to a heat treatment step, and optionally a concentration step, (b) mixing the heat-treated aqueous mixture with a lipid component, (c) subjecting the aqueous mixture comprising the lipid component and the heat-treated protein component to a homogenization and emulsification step to obtain a homogenized oil-in-water emulsion having a total solids content in the range of 45-80 wt %; (d) conveying the homogenized emulsion into an extruder, independently adding digestible, substantially lactose-free carbohydrates and optionally dietary fibres to the extruder and extruding the contents of the extruder to obtain an extruded material; (e) preparing an infant formula product from the extruded material, wherein the extrusion of step (d) is performed at a temperature below 85° C. and wherein the total solids content of the homogenized oil-in-water emulsion of step (c) is in the range of 45-73 wt %.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein step (e) involves drying and optionally milling of the extruded material.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the protein component is selected from caseinates, and/or plant-based proteins.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the total solids content of the homogenized oil-in-water emulsion of step (c) is in the range of 60-65 wt %.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the digestible carbohydrates are added in step (d) as a dry powder and the dietary fibres are added as a dry powder or as a concentrated liquid.

6. The process according to claim 1, wherein the digestible carbohydrates comprise maltodextrin and/or glucose.

7. The process according to claim 1, wherein the extrusion of step (d) is performed at a temperature below 75° C.

8. The process according to claim 1, wherein the heat treatment of step (a2) is designed to obtain a microbial safe protein component.

9. The process according to claim 1, wherein the aqueous mixture of step (a1) has a total solids content in the range of 15-50 wt %.

10. The process according to claim 1, wherein the aqueous mixture subjected to step (b) has a total solids content in the range of 35-60

11. The process according to c;aim 1, wherein the total solids content of the aqueous mixture obtained in step (a2) is increased, preferably by an evaporation step, prior to mixing with the lipid component.

12. The process according to claim 1, wherein caseinate, preferably calcium caseinate, and/or soy protein is used as source of the protein component of the aqueous mixture subjected to step (a2).

13. The process according to claim 1, wherein the digestible carbohydrate component in step (a1) comprises maltodextrin, which constitutes between 15 and 75 wt % of the total maltodextrin contents of the infant formula product prepared in step (e),

14. The process according to claim 1, wherein the digestible carbohydrate that is added during step (d) comprises maltodextrin and the amount thereof added during step (d) lies between 0 and 80 wt % (on dry weight basis) of the total amount of maltodextrin contained in the infant formula product obtained in step (e).

15. The process according to claim 1, wherein the digestible carbohydrate that is added during step (d) comprises maltodextrin and the amount thereof that is added during step (d) lies between 0 and 40 wt % of the total dry weight of the infant formula product obtained in step (e).

16. Infant formula product, being substantially lactose-free, obtainable by the process according to claim 1 wherein the extrusion of step (d) is performed at a temperature between 50-75° C.

17. The infant formula product according to claim 16, which is an infant formula, a follow-on formula, a toddler milk or a growing-up milk.

18. Infant formula product according to claim 16, for use in providing nutrition to infants suffering from or at risk of developing lactose intolerance.

19. Infant formula product according to claim 16, wherein the extruded material obtained in step (d) of claim 1 is already nutritionally complete as it exits the extruder and qualifies nutritionally as an infant formula, or wherein in step (e) digestible carbohydrates and/or micronutrients are added to the extruded material to afford an infant formula.

20. Infant formula according to claim 16 wherein the extruded material obtained in step (d) of claim 1 is already nutritionally complete as it exits the extruder and qualifies nutritionally as an infant formula.

21. Infant formula according to claim 16 wherein in step (e) digestible carbohydrates and/or micronutrients are added to the extruded material to afford an infant formula.

Description

FIGURES

[0091] The invention is illustrated by FIGS. 1 and 2, depicting preferred embodiments of the process according to the invention.

[0092] FIG. 1 depicts a preferred embodiment of the process according to the invention, wherein (a2), (b), (c), (d) and (e) represent steps (a2), (b), (c), (d) and (e) as defined herein. (1)=introduction of a source of protein and possibly lactose-free digestible carbohydrate; (2)=optional introduction of a second source of protein; (3)=introduction of a lipid component (4) introduction of a digestible substantially lactose-free carbohydrate component; (5)=optional introduction of a dietary fiber component; (6) =discharge of the infant formula product.

EXAMPLES

[0093] The following examples illustrate the invention.

Example 1

Manufacturing a Substantially Lactose-Free Infant Formula Based on Caseinate as Source of the Protein Component

[0094] A process flow was generated for manufacturing a substantially lactose-free infant formula based on caseinate as source of the protein component. In a first step, calcium caseinate (TS 95 wt %, flowrate 940 kg/h), water (flowrate 3020 kg/h) and the required amounts of micronutrients, also referred to as ‘minors’, i.e. vitamins and minerals, (flowrate 121 kg/h) were compounded into an aqueous mixture with a total solids content (%TS) of 25 wt % at a temperature of 35° C., giving a process flowrate of 4082 kg/h. The pH of the aqueous mixture was adjusted.

[0095] The aqueous liquid was subsequently heat treated at 121° C. with a residence time of 2.89 seconds to achieve an F.sub.0 of 2.4. After cooling, the heat-treated aqueous mixture is subsequently fed into an evaporator for concentration purposes during which water was removed at a flowrate of 1657 kg/h. After evaporation, the aqueous mixture has a TS content of 42 wt % and is conveyed with a flowrate of 2407 kg/h at a temperature of 60° C. to the oil injector. Oils necessary to produce the lactose-free infant formula are injected into the aqueous stream at a flowrate of 2215 kg/h to reach a TS of 70 wt %. The aqueous mixture is subsequently fed into a homogenizer for homogenization and emulsification at 60° C. using a flowrate of 4622 kg/h. At that stage, the aqueous mixture has 48 wt % fat. The homogenized oil-in-water emulsion is conveyed to the extruder.

[0096] During extrusion, glucose syrup (flowrate 4682 kg/h, TS 97.5 wt %) was added. GOS is optionally added, but now shown here, as the final ingredient during the extrusion process. Extrusion is performed at 70° C. at a flowrate of 9304 kg/h. The extrudate as obtained contained 84 wt % TS and was ready for drying using known technologies, such as flash or vacuum belt drying, to end up with a nutritional composition with a TS of 97.5 wt % which was produced at a flowrate of 8000 kg/h. No dry blending of further ingredients is required. A powder composition was obtained that was ready for packaging.

Example 2

Manufacturing a Substantially Lactose-Free Infant Formula Based on Soy Protein as Source of the Protein Component

[0097] A process flow was generated for manufacturing a substantially lactose-free infant formula based on soy protein as source of the protein component. In a first step, soy protein (flowrate 1267 kg/h, 95 wt % TS), water (flowrate 4088 kg/h) and the required amounts of micronutrients, also referred to as ‘minors’, i.e. vitamins and minerals, (flowrate 170 kg/h) were compounded into an aqueous mixture with a total solids content of 25 wt % at a temperature of 35° C., and processed at a flowrate of 5525 kg/h. The pH of the aqueous mixture was adjusted.

[0098] The aqueous liquid was subsequently heat treated at 121° C. with a residence time of 2.89 seconds to achieve an F.sub.0 of 2.4. After cooling, the heat-treated mixture is subsequently fed into an evaporator for concentration purposes. After evaporation, during which water was removed at a flowrate of 2651 kg/h, the aqueous mixture has a TS of 48 wt % and is conveyed with a flowrate of 2850 kg/h at a temperature of 60° C. to the oil injector. Oils necessary to produce the substantially lactose-free infant formula are injected at a flowrate of 2047 kg/h into the aqueous stream to reach a TS of 70 wt %. The solution is subsequently fed into a homogenizer for homogenization and emulsification at 60° C. using a flowrate of 4897 kg/h. The homogenized oil-in-water emulsion is conveyed to the extruder.

[0099] During extrusion, glucose syrup (flowrate 4484 kg/h, TS 97.5 wt %) was added. GOS is optionally added, but now shown here, as the final ingredient during the extrusion process. Extrusion is performed at 70° C. at a flowrate of 9381 kg/h. The extrudate as obtained contained 83 wt % TS and was ready for drying using known technologies, such as flash or vacuum belt drying, to end up with a nutritional composition with a TS of 97.5 wt % which was produced at a flowrate of 8000 kg/h. No dry blending of further ingredients was required. A powder composition was obtained that was ready for packaging.

Example 3

[0100] Data mentioned in example 1 and 2 were generated using the gPROMS gFormulatedProducts 1.2.2 simulation model from Process Systems Enterprise (PSE). Mass balance models used were steady state, meaning no accumulation in time is applied. Models were applied on a macro level without applying any discretization method.

[0101] For evaporation/concentration the mass balance of equation (1) was applied.

[00001]$\begin{array}{cc}0={\phi }_m^{\mathrm{in}}-{\phi }_m^{\mathrm{out}}-{\phi }_m^{\mathrm{evap}}& \left(1\right)\end{array}$

It states that the amount of evaporated water or water otherwise removed

[00002]$\left(\frac{\mathrm{kg}}{s}\right)$

from a stream, plus the outlet from a stream should be equal to an inlet stream. From this perspective the outlet total solids

[00003]$\left(\frac{\mathrm{kg}}{\mathrm{kg}}\right)$

were calculated via equation (2):

[00004]$\begin{array}{cc}{x}_{\mathrm{solids}}^{\mathrm{out}}=\frac{x_{\mathrm{solids}}^{\mathrm{in}}{\phi }_m^{\mathrm{in}}}{{\phi }_m^{\mathrm{out}}}& \left(2\right)\end{array}$

[0102] This was applied under the assumption that extracted water, extracted via evaporation or any other technology, is pure water.

[0103] The same approach was used for mixing of different streams either within compounding, i.e. preparation of an aqueous mixture prior to heat treatment step (a2), fat injection (i.e. step (b)) or extrusion (step d). Equation (3) applies for the total mass balance:

[00005]$\begin{array}{cc}{\phi }_m^{\mathrm{out}}=\underset{i=1}{\overset{N_{\mathrm{streams}}}{.Math.}}{\phi }_{m_i}^{\mathrm{in}}& \left(3\right)\end{array}$

[0104] The solids outlet of any mixer and/or extruder was calculated by adapting equation (3) in case multiple inlet streams were applied:

[00006]$\begin{array}{cc}{x}_{\mathrm{solids}}^{\mathrm{out}}=\frac{\underset{i=1}{\overset{N_{\mathrm{streams}}}{.Math.}}{x}_{\mathrm{solids},i}^{\mathrm{in}}{\phi }_{m_i}^{\mathrm{in}}}{{\phi }_m^{\mathrm{out}}}& \left(4\right)\end{array}$

[0105] For the drying step, independent of the drying technology, equations 1 and 2 were applied to calculate the water evaporation capacity.

[0106] These equations were applied in a flowsheet construction. The information passed between models in a product flow are the mass flowrate and the composition (kg/kg).