ALGINATE COMPOSITION FOR FOOD PRODUCTS, METHOD FOR ITS PRODUCTION AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCING COATED FOOD PRODUCTS

Abstract

This invention relates to an alginate composition for coating food products, in particular fresh, skinless food products such as sausages, and a method for producing the alginate composition. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for producing coated food products with the use of the alginate composition of the invention.

Claims

1. An alginate composition for coating food products comprising or consisting of the following ingredients as a mixture: (i) an alginate salt; (ii) one or more organic or inorganic food-safe acidulants, comprising citric, malic, tartaric, lactic, acetic or ascorbic acid; (iii) water; (iv) optionally one or more hydrocolloidal galactomannan vegetable gums, comprising guar gum, tara gum, fenugreek gum, locust bean gum or cassia bean gum; and (v) optionally one or more synthetic or natural preservatives including sodium benzoate, wherein the alginate composition has a pH of between about 4.0 to 4.2, or 4.05 to 4.10, and a shear viscosity of between about 25 to 65 Pa.Math.s, or between about 45 to 65 Pa.Math.s measured at 4° C.

2. An alginate composition of claim 1, comprising or consisting of: (i) an alginate salt; (ii) one or more organic or inorganic food-safe acidulants, comprising citric, malic, tartaric, lactic, acetic or ascorbic acid; (iii) water; (iv) one or more hydrocolloidal galactomannan vegetable gums, comprising guar gum, tara gum, fenugreek gum, locust bean gum or cassia bean gum; and (v) one or more synthetic or natural preservatives including sodium benzoate, wherein the alginate composition has a pH of between about 4.0 to 4.2, or 4.05 to 4.10, and a shear viscosity of between about 25 to 65 Pa.Math.s, or between about 45 to 65 Pa.Math.s measured at 4° C.

3. The alginate composition according to claim 1, which comprises or consists of the following ingredients: a) about 4.5% to about 7.0% (w/w) sodium alginate; b) about 0.38% to about 0.50% (w/w) acidulant; c) optionally about 0.25% (w/w) hydrocolloidal galactomannan vegetable gum; d) optionally about 0.10% (w/w) preservative; and e) water.

4. The alginate composition according to claim 1, which comprises or consists of the following ingredients: A. about 5.0% to about 6.0% (w/w) sodium alginate; B. about 0.38% to about 0.50% (w/w) citric add; C. optionally about 0.25% (w/w) guar gum; D. optionally about 0.10% (w/w) sodium benzoate; and E. water.

5. A method for preparing the alginate composition according to claim 1, comprising or consisting of the following steps: (i) blending or dissolving the acidulant in the water; (ii) adding the remaining dry ingredients and blending by means of a high-shear or low-shear mixer to form a paste; and (iii) vacuum blending the paste to remove air.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the vacuum blending step (iii) is performed simultaneously with the blending step (ii).

7. A process for producing coated food products with the use of the alginate composition according to claim 1, the process comprising or consisting of the following steps: (i) co-extruding a food product to be coated and the alginate composition in a co extruder apparatus to form an alginate composition coated food product; (ii) applying a setting solution selected from the group consisting of: an acidulant including lactic or citric acid; a calcium chloride solution or a hydrated form thereof including CaCl.sub.2.Math.2H 0; and a calcium acetate solution, of between about 3.0% to about 40.0%, or between about 3.0% to about 30.0%, or between about 5.5% to about 20.5% (w/w) of the calcium chloride solution or between about 3.0 to about 27.0% (w/w) of the calcium acetate solution to the coated food product to produce a gelled food product; and (iii) optionally cutting the gelled food product to the desired dimensions.

8. The process according to claim 7, wherein the co-extrusion speed for between about 20 to 150 portions per minute (PPM) with a setting solution of between about 15 to 25%, preferably 20% calcium chloride for an approximately 100 mm length food product is between about 0.03 m/s to 0.25 m/s; the co-extrusion speed for between about 50 to 100 PPM with a setting solution of between about 15 to 25%, preferably 20% calcium chloride for an approximately 100 mm length food product is between about 0.08 m/s to 0.17 m/s; and the co-extrusion speed for between about 20 to 150 PPM with a setting solution of between about 15 to 25%, preferably 20% calcium chloride for an approximately 200 mm length food product is between about 0.06 m/s to 0.50 m/s.

9. The process according to claim 8, wherein the gelled food product has a diameter of from between about 10 mm to about 32 mm, or between about 26 mm to about 30 mm.

10. The process according to claim 8, wherein the alginate coating composition is co-extruded over the food product at a thickness of between about 150 pm to about 400 pm.

11. The process according to claim 10, wherein when the food product is braaiwors or boerewors, the alginate coating composition is co-extruded over the braaiwors or boerewors at a thickness of between about 200 pm to about 300 pm, or between about 250 pm to about 300 pm.

12. The process according to claim 11, wherein the food product is a meat, fish, vegetarian or vegan food product.

13. The process according to claim 12, wherein the food product is a sausage, including a fresh, skinless sausage.

14. The process according to claim 13, wherein the food product is a raw, partially cooked or cooked food product.

15. A food product coated with the alginate composition of claim 1.

16. The food product according to claim 15, which is a meat, fish, vegetarian or vegan food product.

17. The food product according to claim 15, wherein the food product is a sausage including a fresh, skinless sausage comprising braaiwors or boerewors, pork, lamb, mutton, duck, turkey or chicken sausages, siskonmakkara, breakfast sausages or bangers.

18. A kit for producing an alginate composition for coating food products comprising or consisting of: A. the following ingredients as a dry mixture: (i) an alginate salt; (ii) one or more organic or inorganic food-safe acidulants, comprising citric, malic, or tartaric acid; (iii) optionally one or more hydrocolloidal galactomannan vegetable gums, comprising guar gum, tara gum, fenugreek gum, locust bean gum or cassia bean gum, more preferably guar gum, tara gum or fenugreek gum, even more preferably guar gum or tara gum, most preferably guar gum; (iv) optionally a preservative including a synthetic or natural preservative, in particular sodium benzoate; and B. instructions for preparing a coating composition and/or a coated food product with addition of water using the methods described herein.

19. A kit for producing an alginate composition for coating food products of claim 18 comprising or consisting of: A. the following ingredients as a dry mixture: (i) an alginate salt; (ii) one or more organic or inorganic food-safe acidulants, comprising citric, malic, or tartaric add; (iii) one or more hydrocolloidal galactomannan vegetable gums, comprising guar gum; tara gum, fenugreek gum; locust bean gum or cassia bean gum, more preferably guar gum; tara gum or fenugreek gum, even more preferably guar gum or tara gum; (iv) a preservative including a synthetic or natural preservative, in particular sodium benzoate; and B. instructions for preparing a coating composition and/or a coated food product with addition of water using the methods described herein.

20. A kit for producing an alginate composition for coating food products comprising or consisting of: A. the following ingredient as a dry mixture: (i) an alginate salt; B. the following ingredients as a wet mixture: (i) one or more organic or inorganic food-safe acidulants, including citric; malic; or tartaric acid dissolved in water, or lactic; acetic or ascorbic add solution mixed with water; and C. instructions for preparing a coating composition and/or a coated food product using the methods described herein.

21. A kit for producing an alginate composition for coating food products comprising or consisting of: A. the following ingredients as a dry mixture: (i) an alginate salt; (ii) one or more hydrocolloidal galactomannan vegetable gums, including guar gum, tara gum, fenugreek gum, locust bean gum or cassia bean gum, more preferably guar gum, tara gum or fenugreek gum, even more preferably guar gum or tara gum, most preferably guar gum; (iii) one or more preservatives including a synthetic or natural preservative, in particular sodium benzoate; and B. the following ingredients as a wet mixture: (i) one or more organic or inorganic food-safe acidulants, including citric, malic, or tartaric acid dissolved in water, or lactic, acetic or ascorbic acid solution mixed with water; and C. instructions for preparing a coating composition and/or a coated food product using the methods described herein.

22. A kit according to claim 18, comprising or consisting of the following ingredients per total volume: I. about 4.5% to about 7.0% (w/w) sodium alginate; II. about 0.38% to about 0.50% (w/w) acidulant or citric acid; II. optionally about 0.25% (w/w) hydrocolloidal galactomannan vegetable gum or guar gum; and IV. optionally about 0.10% (w/w) preservative or sodium benzoate.

23. (canceled)

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0097] This invention relates to an alginate composition for coating food products, in particular fresh, skinless meat, fish, vegetarian or vegan sausages and a method for producing the alginate composition. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for producing coated food products with the use of the alginate composition of the invention.

[0098] Alginates are well known in the food industry. They are anionic polysaccharides composed of two monomers that are covalently bonded as homopolymeric blocks of (1-4)-linked β-D-mannuronate (designated M) and its C-5 epimer α-L-guluronate (designated G) residues. The blocks may occur as three combinations within the alginate polymer chains; GGGG, MMMM and GMGM. Alginates are used as gelling agents in the food industry as they will form crosslinks when contacted with multivalent metal ions. Typically, in the food industry calcium is the predominant choice, although barium, aluminium, strontium, magnesium and the like would also work. In particular, the crosslinking occurs in the GGGG regions of the alginate polymer. Accordingly, the preferred alginate for use in the invention comprises a ratio of 66 α-L-guluronate:34 β-D-mannuronate, although it is also possible to use a 50 α-L-guluronate:50 β-D-mannuronate alginate polymer. Furthermore, the applicant has identified that about 5 to 6% (w/w) sodium alginate is optimal for use in the alginate composition of the invention.

[0099] A number of hydrocolloidal galactomannan vegetable gums are known to those in the industry. For example, guar gum, tara gum, fenugreek gum, locust bean gum, and cassia bean gum (with the last two being soluble and thus functional only when heated during casing preparation) have been used in the food industry. Fenugreek, guar and tara gum are cold soluble have been used as thickening agents and stabilizers in food applications. Tara gum is less viscous than guar gum in a solution of the same concentration, but is more viscous than a solution of locust bean gum.

[0100] It is to be noted that at lower extrusion speeds (<1.0 m/s for example) the addition of a hydrocolloidal galactomannan vegetable gum is not required for an acceptably effective casing to be formed on food products.

[0101] However, if desired to be used, guar gum is the preferred galactomannan for use in the invention. It is more soluble than locust bean gum and is a better stabilizer. It is not self-gelling, but can also be cross-linked with calcium, causing it to gel. The applicant has found that about 0.25% (w/w) of guar gum is optimal for use in the alginate composition of the invention if desired to be included.

[0102] It is further to be noted that although any synthetic or natural preservative, including sodium benzoate, may be included in the coating composition, it is also possible to exclude the use of any preservative, such as for example in a case where the production environment is sterile and the casing is used with 2 weeks.

[0103] The viscosity of the alginate composition is important for effective co-extrusion with the meat product batter. The applicant has found that a shear viscosity of between about 25 to 65 Pa.Math.s, a yield stress range of between about 200 to 650 Pa.Math.s at 4° C., and a film thickness strength range at 250 μm thickness of between about 350 to 700 g/cm.sup.2 is optimal. Viscosity is measured in Pa.Math.s using a Brookfield R/S-CPS+ Rheometer (cone and plate) which is operated with an external temperature control system at 5° C., with a C25-1 spindle utilizing a sample volume of 0.08 ml. The system settings are: CSR setting, with a shear time of 120 s but a measuring point at 60 s under linear point distribution with the shear rate parameter selected, with a start and end value set at 20 s−1, and a distribution measuring points number of 60. The measuring temperature is set to 4° C.

[0104] The alginate composition has a pH range of between about 4 and about 4.2, with an optimal range of between about pH 4.05 and 4.10.

[0105] The applicant has determined that the alginate composition can be simply produced by blending each of the dry ingredients into water by means of a mixer to form a paste, followed by, or simultaneously, vacuum blending to remove air.

[0106] Typical high-shear mixers that may be used are well known to those skilled in the art and may include a Inxopa High Shear Mixer ME4105, a Cowles sawtooth blade mixer, a Silverson inline high shear mixer or a Bowl Chopper mixer.

[0107] However, any mixer, including a low shear mixer, even a kitchen mixer such as a Kenwood®, KitchenAid®, Bosch®, De'Longi®, Smeg®, Magimix® or the like may be used.

[0108] For example, the vacuum blender may be a Ruhle vacuum tumbler, a Promarks vacuum tumbler, a ribbon vacuum blender, or a Cozzini vacuum blender. Other vacuum blenders known to those skilled in the art such as Philips®, Ninja®, Nutribullet®, Russell Hobbs®, Bosch®, Nuwave® and the like can be used.

[0109] An additional aspect of the invention pertains to a process for producing coated food products with the use of the alginate composition. The method first comprises a standard method of co-extrusion of a food product to be coated with the alginate composition of the invention in a co-extruder apparatus through a die at an optimal thickness of 250 μm at a linear speed of 0.03 to 0.50 m/s to form an alginate composition coated food product.

[0110] For example, extrusion systems or apparatus that may be used include the FreddyPro™ apparatus described in more detail in South African patent numbers 2016/07790 and 2018/01072 incorporated herein by reference, and Lily systems as well as optionally the Vemag and ConPro systems.

[0111] The food product may be a raw, partially cooked or cooked food product, but is preferably, a raw food product.

[0112] For example, the food product may comprise meat, such as red meat (e.g. beef, lamb, mutton, goat or bison), pork, or poultry (e.g. chicken, duck or turkey). It will be appreciated that the food product will generally comprise further ingredients, such as flavourings (synthetic or natural, e.g. herbs), seasonings, breadcrumbs, oats, etc.

[0113] The food product is preferably a moulded food product, in which the ingredients have been processed (e.g. by chopping, shredding or grinding the ingredients). Moulded food products include burgers, kebabs and sausages.

[0114] A typical example of a fresh, skinless meat sausage product comprises the following: [0115] (i) about 35% (w/w) mechanically deboned meat; [0116] (ii) about 38% (w/w) pork trimmings; [0117] (iii) about 18% (w/w) water; [0118] (iv) about 5% starch; [0119] (v) about 1.8% nitrite curing salt; [0120] (vi) about 0.4% calcium lactate; [0121] (vii) about 0.2% phosphate; and [0122] (viii) about 1.96% flavourant.

[0123] A typical example of a braaiwors, skinless meat sausage product comprises the following: [0124] (i) about 42% (w/w) mechanically deboned meat; [0125] (ii) about 15% (w/w) beef fat [0126] (iii) about 25% (w/w) water; [0127] (iv) about 3% starch; [0128] (v) about 5% soy isolate [0129] (vi) about 0.30% calcium lactate [0130] (vii) about 0.15% phosphate; and [0131] (viii) about 9.55% flavourant.

[0132] The simple alginate composition of the invention is produced with good reproducibility and batch-to-batch consistency and can be used to produce a coated fresh, skinless sausage with excellent adhesion between the casing and the filling enclosed, which does not peel or separate when the sausage is broken and does not detach when the sausage is cooked or warmed by the consumer. The product is near indistinguishable from a traditional fresh, skinless sausage product and after cooking has a similar feel and “bite” effect.

[0133] The invention will be described by way of the following examples which are not to be construed as limiting in any way the scope of the invention.

Example 1

[0134] The alginate casing composition is prepared by blending the following dry ingredients and water to reach 100% (w/w) in a high-shear mixer (all ingredients are provided as w/w):

TABLE-US-00001 6.00% Sodium Alginate 0.50% Citric Acid 0.25% Guar Gum 0.10% Sodium Benzoate.

[0135] Use of a 4800 rpm bowlchopper with 6 blades hydrates the ingredients in about 8 minutes.

[0136] The paste is then vacuum blended to remove air by means of a vacuum blender such as the Ruhle vacuum tumbler MKR 220, a Cozzini vacuum blender or a 3000 RPM bowl cutter.

Example 2

[0137] The alginate casing composition is prepared by blending 0.50% Citric Acid and water, followed by adding the following dry ingredients to reach 100% (w/w) in a high-shear mixer (all ingredients are provided as w/w):

TABLE-US-00002 6.00% Sodium Alginate 0.25% Guar Gum 0.10% Sodium Benzoate.

[0138] Use of a 4800 rpm bowlchopper with 6 blades hydrates the ingredients in about 8 minutes.

[0139] The paste is then vacuum blended to remove air by means of a vacuum blender such as the Ruhle vacuum tumbler MKR 220, a Cozzini vacuum blender or a 3000 RPM bowl cutter.

Example 3

[0140] Sausage meat paste is prepared by mixing the following: [0141] (i) about 35% (w/w) mechanically deboned meat; [0142] (ii) about 38% (w/w) pork trimmings; [0143] (iii) about 18% (w/w) water; [0144] (iv) about 5% starch; [0145] (v) about 1.8% nitrite curing salt; [0146] (vi) about 0.4% calcium lactate; [0147] (vii) about 0.2% phosphate; and [0148] (viii) about 1.96% flavourant.

[0149] Alternatively, for a braaiwors product, sausage meat paste is prepared by mixing the following: [0150] (i) about 42% (w/w) mechanically deboned meat; [0151] (ii) about 15% (w/w) beef fat [0152] (iii) about 25% (w/w) water; [0153] (iv) about 3% starch; [0154] (v) about 5% soy isolate [0155] (vi) about 0.30% calcium lactate [0156] (vii) about 0.15% phosphate; and [0157] (viii) about 9.55% flavourant.

[0158] The meat paste is then co-extruded with the prepared alginate casing composition, and a setting solution comprising 20% (w/w) calcium chloride is applied to the outer surface for about 1 second to gel the alginate casing a using the FreddyPro 1.0 or 2.0 co-extrusion apparatus. The coated sausages are then separated into portions before being packaged.

Example 4

[0159] The alginate casing composition is prepared by blending 0.50% (w/w) Citric Acid and water, followed by addition of Sodium Alginate to a final amount of 6.00% (w/w) in a mixer under sterile conditions.

[0160] Use of a 4800 rpm bowlchopper with 6 blades hydrates the ingredients in about 8 minutes.

[0161] The paste is then vacuum blended to remove air by means of a vacuum blender such as the Ruhle vacuum tumbler MKR 220, a Cozzini vacuum blender or a 3000 RPM bowl cutter.

[0162] Sausage meat paste is then co-extruded at an extrusion speed of <1.0 m/s under sterile conditions with the prepared alginate casing composition paste, and a setting solution comprising 20% (w/w) calcium chloride is applied to the outer surface for about 1 second to gel the alginate casing using the FreddyPro 1.0 or 2.0 co-extrusion apparatus. The coated sausages are then separated into portions before being packaged.