A FOOD GLAZE COATING COMPOSITION

Abstract

The present invention relates to a food glaze coating composition. The invention also relates to methods of manufacturing food glaze coating compositions, methods of glazing food products, and glazed food products. The present invention provides a food glaze coating composition that is egg-free, non-dairy, and non-protein (non-allergenic) and ready-to-use for food products such as baking products and having desirable functionalities.

Claims

1. A food glaze coating composition comprising: (a) a modified starch; (b) a gum; (c) a fat; (d) an emulsifier; and (e) a lubricant.

2. A food glaze coating composition according to claim 1, wherein the modified starch is a tapioca dextrin.

3. A food glaze coating composition according to claim 1, wherein the modified starch has a dextrose equivalent (DE) of less than 20%.

4. A food glaze coating composition according to claim 1, wherein the food glaze coating composition comprises 4-22% (w/w) modified starch.

5. A food glaze coating composition according to claim 1, wherein the gum is gum arabic.

6. A food glaze coating composition according to claim 1, wherein the food glaze coating composition comprises 0.5-10% (w/w) gum.

7. A food glaze coating composition according to claim 1, wherein the fat is sunflower oil.

8. A food glaze coating composition according to claim 1, wherein the fat comprises greater than 80% (w/w) oleic acid.

9. A food glaze coating composition according to claim 1, wherein the food glaze coating composition comprises 2-15% (w/w) fat.

10. A food glaze coating composition according to claim 1, wherein the emulsifier comprises a monoglyceride acetic acid ester and a diglyceride acetic acid ester.

11. A food glaze coating composition according to claim 1, wherein the food glaze coating composition comprises 1-10% (w/w) emulsifier.

12. A food glaze coating composition according to claim 1, wherein the lubricant is lecithin.

13. A food glaze coating composition according to claim 1, wherein the food glaze coating composition comprises 1-10% (w/w) lubricant.

14. A food glaze coating composition according to claim 1, wherein the food glaze coating composition further comprises 0.1-2.0% (w/w) antifoaming agent.

15. A method of manufacturing a food glaze coating composition according to claim 1, the method comprising the steps of: (a) admixing the emulsifier, the lubricant, and the fat at a temperature of at least 20° C.; (b) admixing water at a temperature of at least 20° C.; (c) admixing the modified starch and the gum at a temperature of at least 20° C.; and (d) heating the admixture a temperature of 140-150° C. for at least 2 seconds.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0222] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the appended non-limiting examples and the accompanying drawings in which:

[0223] FIG. 1 illustrates the effect/performance of (A) a food glaze coating composition according to the invention and (B) a commercially-available food glazing agent; and

[0224] FIG. 2 illustrates the elect/performance of (A) a food glaze coating composition according to the invention and (B) a commercially-available food glazing agent after toasting.

EXAMPLES

Example 1

[0225] Composition of a Food Glaze Coating Composition

[0226] A food glaze coating composition was prepared comprising water, modified starch, high-oleic refined sunflower oil, acacia gum, acetic acid esters of mono-diglycerides, and sunflower lecithin, in amounts defined in Table 1. A non-silicone antifoaming agent was added in an effective inclusion level as defined in Table 1. No preservative was used in the food glaze coaling composition.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Composition of a food glaze coating composition Ingredient %(w/w) Water 40.0-90.0  Modified Starch 4.0-20.0 Acacia gum 0.5-10.0 Vegetable oil (Sunflower oil) 2.0-15.0 Acetic acid esters of mono-diglycerides 1.0-10.0 Lecithin (Sunflower) 1.0-10.0 Antifoam agent (Non-silicone) 0.1-2.0  100.0

[0227] The modified starch used is a specialty, high stability modified starch; refined from tapioca, suitable for high temperature (for example, ultra-high-temperature, UHT) procedures, and having a low percentage of reducing sugars (for example, having a DE-value of 3-5%). The film-forming properties, low glass transition temperature (T), and viscosity of the high stability modified tapioca starch make it effective to be used in a non-tacky, post-bake food glaze coating composition. The high stability modified starch having a low DE value can be derived from the other botanical sources such as maize (corn), waxy maize, pea and potato and optionally can be a dextrin.

[0228] Using a blend of the high stability modified tapioca starch (having a low DE-value) and gum acacia improves the film-forming characteristics and reduces the surface tackiness of the glazed food product.

[0229] The high oleic refined sunflower oil enhances the glaze shine and satin coverage but a vegetable oil from other botanical sources such as rapeseed can be used.

[0230] The acetic acid esters of mono-diglycerides and sunflower lecithin were used in this food glaze coating composition for coating/filming and emulsifications effects. The presence of the modified starch allows starch-binding emulsifiers such as sodium stearoyl lactylate (SSLs) to be avoided. In addition, the acetylated/saturated long chain C16/C18 fatty acids of the acetic acid esters of mono-diglycerides fatty acids can form a film (coat) that can be stretched up to eight times in length, and, therefore, is suitable to be used as a coating composition, whereas starch-binding emulsifiers such as SSLs do not have this coating (film formation) capability.

[0231] Antifoam is used to support the process of the liquid mix, reducing the foam formation prior to any UHT process.

Example 2

[0232] Manufacture of a Food Glaze Coating Composition

[0233] The ingredients defined in Table 1 were admixed in a high-shear mixer tank (APV Flex-Mix™ Liquiverter) to prepare a liquid food glaze coating composition mix for ultra-high temperature (UHT) processing. Initially, the acetic acid esters of mono-diglycerides and sunflower lecithin were melted and mixed in a high-sear mixer tank with sunflower oil at 50° C. Then, the required amount of the warm water (30° C.) was added to the mix, such that the temperature of the admixture was less than 50° C. Afterwards, a mix of the modified starch and acacia gum was added to the high-shear mixer tank and allowed to form a homogenous dispersion. Finally, the obtained liquid mix was UHT treated at 146° C. (typically 142-146° C.) for 4 seconds, followed by cooling to 70° C. and homogenisation at 150/50 bar using an APV multipurpose Ultra High Temperature (UHT) Pilot Plant (SPP2). The UHT-treated food glaze coating composition was filled in aseptic tanks and subsequently packed and stored in aseptic bags at temperature of 10-15° C. The total solids contents of the liquid food glaze coating composition mix and UHT-treated food glaze coating composition were measured using the standard oven method by oven drying for 3 hours at 105° C. as descripted by Shreve et al., 2006, NFTA Reference Methods. National Forage Testing Association; Omaha, NE, USA: 2006. National Forage Testing Association. The pH of the liquid food glaze coating composition mix and UHT-treated food glaze coating composition was measured using a potentiometric pH-meter. Viscosity measured using the Brookfield Viscometer (Spindle 1, RPM 60%).

[0234] The food glaze coating composition had a pH of <5.0, solids content of 14-18%, and a water activity of <0.985 as tested using an AquaLab water activity meter (Model 3TE, Decagon devices. USA). The viscosity of the food glaze coating composition was typically 19-25 cP al an ambient temperature of 20° C. (Spindle 1, 60% RPM. Brookfield Viscometer) which due to low viscosity can be easily sprayed using different spraying systems. A high product viscosity can create operational issues (for example, difficulties in spraying, nozzle blockage, problems in the control of the coat and shine) and are thereby not desired.

Example 3

[0235] Glazing Food Products

[0236] The food glaze coating composition was sprayed on top of a food product (a standard burger bun product of approximately 50 g, onto which the food glaze coating composition was sprayed immediately (within 120 seconds) after exit from an oven, in which the standard burger buns were baked for 11 minutes at 220° C. wherein the surface temperature was between 70-110° C. (e.g. at 70, 90 and 110° C.) using a hand-held spraying power tool (Black & Decker Fine Spray System) with an average glaze quantity of 0.15-0.3 g (or 0.3-0.6% (w/w) of the food product). Packaging of the glazed food product started when the crumb temperature reached to <32° C. The standard burger buns were cooled, pecked and divided between ambient and frozen storage. Baked standard burger buns were evaluated ambient at Day 1. Day 2 and Day 6, and defrosted after 7 days frozen storage and toasting. Baked buns were evaluated for their shine, colour, tackiness, coverage and surface (i.e. smooth or rough). Toasting step involved using a standard taster and heating the bun up to 115° C. in 60 seconds. The functionality of the food glaze coating composition was compared to a prior art protein based pre-bake glaze comprising water, vegetable protein (pea), and dextrose (Kerry commercial glaze, “Hi Glaze Brilliance™”). The results illustrated in FIG. 1 is for Day 1, ambient, 90° C.

[0237] Currently, the majority of the commercially-available food glazing agents are developed for pre-bake application purposes and contain proteins, starches and/or oils as the coating agents. The commercially-available protein-free post-bake food glazing agents only had fair performance, delivering only acceptable shine over shelf-life, while also failing to maintain a non-tacky surface of the glazed food product. Significant decrease of gloss level had also been identified for all commercially-available post-bake food glazing agents. Although the food glaze coating composition is protein/dairy/egg-free (non-allergenic) and has no/limited heat treatment applied at application (post-bake), the glossy shine coat is comparable to that achieved when pre-bake protein-based food glazing agents were applied as shown in FIG. 1, wherein the left panel shows food the glaze coating composition and the right panel shows the commercially-available food glazing agent.

[0238] The food glaze coating composition can form a non-tacky coat with the desirable optical characteristics (i.e., a smooth even glossy shine) upon post-bake application (see FIG. 2 left panel) that are not transformed to tacky/matt alter defrosting and/or toasting (see FIG. 2 right panel).

[0239] The food glaze coating composition can withstand a majority of secondary heat treatment processes, for example heated to 115° C. over the duration of 60 seconds; which is unique among the other food glazing agents tested. Thus, the present invention addresses the problem of shine loss of a post-bake glazed food product after toasting or other type of heat treatment when using protein-free food glaze coating composition.

[0240] Moreover, it is easier to clean up trays or surfaces because the food glaze coaling composition can be applied to a food product after the food product has been heat treated (e.g. baked); thereby circumventing the food glaze coating composition being baked onto trays or surfaces and becoming difficult to remove. The food glaze coating composition therefore delivers longer turnaround of the trays due to no burning happening on the surface of the trays.

[0241] Due to the composition of the food glaze coating composition, the amount of food glaze coating composition used is reduced down to 0.3-0.6% (w/w) per application in comparison with approximately 1.0-1.5% (w/w) of commercially-available food glazing agents. In addition, the product has low viscosity when analysed using an Anton Pear viscosimeter. The viscosity of the food glaze coating composition was 21.0 CP at ambient temperature of 20° C. (Spindle 1, 60% RPM, Brookfield Viscometer) making the food glaze coating composition easily sprayable using different spraying systems. A high viscosity can create application issues (i.e., difficulties in spraying, nozzle blockage, problem in the control of the coat and shine) and is therefore not desired. Furthermore, the food glaze coating composition was found to be shelf-life stable at ambient temperature to 6 months (UHT) with the benefits of ambient storage/distribution and versatile packaging options.

[0242] Accordingly, the present invention provides a food glaze coating composition that is egg-free, non-dairy, and non-protein (non-allergenic) and ready-to-use for food products such as baking products and having desirable functionalities. Significant decrease of gloss level had been identified in all commercially-available post-bake food glazing agents after cooking such as toasting.

[0243] In application, the present invention applied after baking on surface of bun produces an even non-tacky glossy film (shine) that is not transformed to tacky/matt after toasting or defrosting. Thus, the present invention addresses consumer demand in allowing the end food product to be toasted, grilled or heat treated in other way; while maintaining shine on the food product.

[0244] In addition, the present invention is UHT processed with advantages of up to 6 months shelf-life, benefits of ambient storage/distribution, and versatile packaging options.

[0245] Furthermore, the resent invention delivers longer turnaround of the trays due to no burning happening on the surface of the trays. Based on statistical data, shelf-life of trays that went through the pre-bake glaze application reduced by 2 to 3 times compared to the standard shelf-life of 2500 bakes. Due to the formula design glaze usage is reduced down to 0.3-0.6% (w/w) per application in comparison with approximately 1.0-1.5% (w/w) of pre-bake glaze standard usage.