NUTRITIONAL DRINK COMPRISING VIRGIN OLIVE OIL

Abstract

The present invention relates to a nutritional drink in the form of a liquid oil-in-water emulsion that comprises: 25-70 wt. % virgin olive oil; 25-70 wt. % of water; 1-15% by weight of water of a sweetening agent selected from saccharide sweeteners, polyol sweeteners and combinations thereof; 0.5-8 wt. % of an emulsifying agent selected from protein emulsifiers, phospholipids and combinations thereof; and flavouring.

This nutritional drink provides the nutritional benefits of virgin olive oil, can easily be consumed and even appeals to consumers who do not like the characteristic taste of virgin olive oil.

Claims

1. A nutritional drink in the form of a liquid oil-in-water emulsion, comprising: (a) 25-70 wt. % of virgin olive oil; (b) 25-70 wt. % of water; (c) 1-15%, by weight of water, of a sweetening agent selected from saccharide sweeteners, polyol sweeteners and combinations thereof; (d) 0.5-8 wt. % of an emulsifying agent selected from protein emulsifiers, phospholipids and combinations thereof; and (e) flavouring.

2. The nutritional drink according to claim 1, wherein at least 50 wt. % of vegetable oil in the emulsion is virgin olive oil.

3. The nutritional drink according to claim 1, wherein the virgin olive oil comprises at least 50 wt. % extra virgin olive oil.

4. The nutritional drink according to claim 1, wherein the continuous aqueous phase comprises at least 1 wt. % of saccharide sweetener selected from sucrose, glucose, fructose and combinations thereof.

5. The nutritional drink according to claim 1, wherein the emulsion contains at least 2 wt. % protein emulsifier.

6. The nutritional drink according to claim 1, wherein the protein emulsifier is selected from whey protein, soy protein, egg protein and combinations thereof.

7. The nutritional drink according to claim 1, wherein the flavouring is selected from fruit flavour, vanilla flavour, chocolate flavour, honey flavour, herb flavour, spice flavour and combinations thereof.

8. The nutritional drink according to claim 1, wherein the emulsion comprises 35-50 wt. % vegetable oil and 35-60 wt. % water.

9. The nutritional drink according to claim 1, wherein the combination of vegetable oil and water constitutes at least 80 wt. % of the emulsion.

10. The nutritional drink according to claim 1, wherein the emulsion comprises at least 30 g hydroxytyrosol equivalent per ml.

11. The nutritional drink according to claim 1, having a viscosity of less than 500 mPa.s at 15 s.sup.1 and 20 C.

12. The nutritional drink according to claim 1, wherein the emulsion has a dispersed oil phase having a volume weighted average diameter of 0.5-20 m.

13. A packaged nutritional drink, comprising a sealed container having an internal volume of 30-150 ml, and comprising at least 30 ml of a nutritional drink according to claim 1.

14. The packaged nutritional drink according to claim 13, wherein the nutritional drink comprises at least 5 mg hydroxytyrosol equivalent.

15. A process of manufacturing a nutritional drink according to claim 1, comprising the mixing virgin olive oil, water, protein emulsifier, sweetening agent and flavouring.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] Accordingly, a first aspect of the invention relates to a nutritional drink in the form of a liquid oil-in-water emulsion, said emulsion comprising: [0030] 25-70 wt. % virgin olive oil; [0031] 25-70 wt. % of water; [0032] 1-15% by weight of water of a sweetening agent selected from saccharide sweeteners, polyol sweeteners and combinations thereof; [0033] 0.5-8 wt. % of an emulsifying agent selected from protein emulsifiers, phospholipids and combinations thereof; and [0034] flavouring.

[0035] The term virgin olive oil as used herein, unless indicated otherwise, refers to oil that is fit for human consumption and that is obtained from olives solely by mechanical or other physical means, and which have not undergone any treatment other than washing, decanting, centrifuging and filtration. Virgin olive oil has a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 2 grams per 100 grams (0.2%). The term virgin olive oil encompasses extra virgin olive oil.

[0036] The term extra virgin olive oil as used herein refers to a virgin olive oil having a free acidity, expressed as oleic acid, of not more than 0.8 grams per 100 gram (0.8%).

[0037] The term protein emulsifiers as used herein refers to amphiphilic proteins that are capable of stabilising oil-in-water emulsions.

[0038] The term phospholipid as used herein refers to glycerides (acylglycerols) comprising a phosphate group and one or two fatty acid residues. Examples of phospholipids include phosphatidyl choline, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, phosphatidyl inositol, phosphatidyl serine and phosphatic acid.

[0039] Besides virgin olive oil, the emulsion may contain one or more other vegetable oils. These other vegetable oils may be refined or unrefined. Preferably, the one or more other vegetable oils are refined vegetable oil(s).

[0040] Preferably, at least 50 wt. % of the vegetable oil contained in the emulsion is virgin olive oil. Even more preferably virgin olive oil constitutes at least 70 wt. %, more preferably at least 90 wt. % and most preferably at least 98 wt. % of the vegetable oil that is contained in the emulsion.

[0041] The emulsion may contain up to 10 wt. % of non-vegetable oil, e.g. fish oil, algal oil or combinations thereof. Preferably, the emulsion does not contain non-vegetable oil.

[0042] The virgin olive oil that is employed in accordance with the present invention preferably contains at least 50 wt. %, more preferably at least 80 wt. % extra virgin olive oil. Most preferably, the virgin olive oil is extra virgin olive oil.

[0043] The virgin olive oil that is applied in the nutritional drink preferably originates from a cultivar that yields a relatively bland tasting olive. According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the virgin olive oil originates from an olive cultivar selected from Nera di Gonnos, Tonda di Cagliari, Pizz'e Carroga and combinations thereof.

[0044] The continuous aqueous phase of the emulsion preferably has a pH in the range of 2.5 to 8.5 More preferably, the emulsion has a pH in the range of 3.0 to 8.0.

[0045] In case the nutritional drink employs a protein emulsifier, the continuous aqueous phase preferably has a pH that is significantly higher or lower than the iso-electric point of the protein emulsifier. In case of whey protein, the continuous aqueous phase has a pH in the range of 5.5-8.0 or in the range of 3.0-5.0, even more preferably said pH is in the range of 5.8 to 7.8.

[0046] The sweetening agent is preferably contained in the emulsion in a concentration of at least 2%, more preferably at least 2.5% and most preferably 3-12% by weight of water.

[0047] Preferably, the emulsion contains at least 2%, more preferably at least 2.5% and most preferably 3-12% of the saccharide sweetener by weight of water. Examples of saccharide sweeteners that can be applied in the nutritional drink include sucrose, glucose, fructose, galactose, maltose, xylose, lactose and combinations thereof.

[0048] The emulsion preferably contains at least 1% by weight of water, more preferably at least 2% by weight of water and most preferably at least 3% by weight of water of saccharide sweetener selected from sucrose, glucose, fructose and combinations thereof.

[0049] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the emulsion contains at least 1% by weight of water, more preferably at least 1.5% by weight of water and most preferably at least 2% by weight of water of monosaccharide sweetener selected from glucose, fructose and combinations thereof.

[0050] The saccharide sweetener may suitably be introduced in the nutritional drink in the form of a natural ingredient that contains a high level of saccharide sweetener. Examples of such natural sweetener ingredients include agave syrup, corn syrup, maple syrup, honey, palm sugar, date sugar and combinations thereof.

[0051] Examples of polyol sweeteners that may be applied in the nutritional drink include sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, erythritol, xylitol, isomalt, lactitol and combinations thereof. Preferably, the emulsion contains not more than 5% polyol sweetener by weight of water. More preferably, the emulsion contains not more than 2% polyol sweetener by weight of water. Even more preferably, the emulsion contains not more than 0.5% polyol sweetener by weight of water.

[0052] The emulsifying agent is preferably contained in the emulsion in a concentration of 0.8-7 wt. %, more preferably of 1-6 wt. %.

[0053] The nutritional drink preferably contains an emulsifying agent in the form of a protein emulsifier. According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the protein emulsifier is contained in the oil-in-water emulsion in a concentration of at least 1.2 wt. %, more preferably of at least 1.4 wt. %.

[0054] The protein emulsifier that is employed in accordance with the present invention is preferably selected from milk protein, legume protein, egg protein and combinations thereof.

[0055] The milk protein is preferably selected from whey protein, casein, caseinate and combinations thereof. Most preferably the milk protein is whey protein.

[0056] The legume protein is preferably selected from pea protein, bean protein, lentil protein, chickpea protein, soybean protein and combinations thereof. Most preferably, the legume protein is pea protein.

[0057] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the protein emulsifier is selected from whey protein, pea protein and combinations thereof. Most preferably, the protein emulsifier is whey protein.

[0058] The flavouring that is applied in the nutritional drink should mask recognisable olive oil flavour notes and be compatible with the olive oil flavour notes that remain detectable in the drink. According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the flavour provided by the flavouring is selected from fruit flavour, vanilla flavour, chocolate flavour, coffee flavour, honey flavour, herb flavour, spice flavour and combinations thereof. Most preferably, the flavour provided by the flavouring is selected from fruit flavour, vanilla flavour, chocolate flavour, coffee flavour and combinations thereof

[0059] The oil-in-water emulsion of the present invention preferably contains 35-70 wt. % vegetable oil (including virgin olive oil) and 27-60 wt. % water. More preferably, the emulsion contains 40-65 wt.% vegetable oil and 32-55 wt. % water.

[0060] The combination of vegetable oil and water typically constitutes at least 80 wt. % of the emulsion. More preferably, the combination of vegetable oil and water constitutes at least 85 wt. %, most preferably at least 90 wt. % of the emulsion.

[0061] Besides vegetable oil, water, sweetening agent, protein emulsifier and flavouring, the nutritional drink may contain one or more other edible ingredients. Examples of such additional ingredients include: fruit juice, vitamins, minerals, dietary fibres, probiotics, anti-oxidants and colouring.

[0062] The nutritional drink of the present invention preferably contains a considerable amount of olive polyphenols. Accordingly, in a preferred embodiment, the emulsion contains at least 30 g biophenols per ml. Even more preferably, the emulsion contains 50-1,000 g biophenols per ml. Most preferably, the emulsion contains 80-500 g biophenols per ml.

[0063] The concentration of biophenols can suitably be determined as mg gallic acid equivalent per kg, using the Folin-Clocalteau assay described by Tuberoso et al. (Phenolic Compounds, Antioxidant Activity, and Other Characteristics of Extra Virgin Olive Oils from Italian Autochthonous Varieties Tonda di Villacidro, Tonda di Cagliari, Semidana, and Bosana, Journal of Chemistry, (2016), Article ID 8462741, 7 pages, http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/8462741).

[0064] The nutritional drink of the present invention preferably is a liquid having a viscosity of less than 500 mPa.s at 15 s.sup.1 and 20 C. Even more preferably, the viscosity is in the range of 5-300 mPa.s at 15 s.sup.1 and 20 C.

[0065] In order to ensure that the nutritional drink does not suffer from phase separation during storage, it is advantageous to thoroughly homogenise the emulsion so as to produce a finely dispersed oil phase. Preferably, the dispersed oil phase of the emulsion has a volume weighted average diameter of 0.5-20 m. The volume weighted average diameter of the dispersed oil phase can suitably be determined using laser diffraction (e.g. a Mastersizer 2000).

[0066] Another aspect of the invention relates to a packaged nutritional drink comprising a sealed container having an internal volume of 30-150 ml, said container comprising at least 30 ml of a nutritional drink according to the present invention.

[0067] The quantity of nutritional drink in the sealed container preferably corresponds to that of drink shot. Accordingly, the container preferably has an internal volume of 30-80 ml, more preferably of 35-50 ml. The amount of nutritional drink in the container is preferably in the range of 30-80 ml, more preferably in the range of 35-50 ml.

[0068] The nutritional drink in the sealed package preferably contains 10-40 ml, more preferably 15-30 ml and most preferably 18-25 ml virgin olive oil.

[0069] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the nutritional drink within the package preferably contains at least 5 mg biophenols equivalent. Thus, the consumption of the contents of one packaged nutrition drink suffices to achieve the recommended daily intake of polyphenols as recommended by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA Journal 2011;9(4):2033).

[0070] The nutitional drink of the present invention preferably is a pasteurised or sterilised drink, most preferably a sterilised drink.

[0071] Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a process of manufacturing the nutritional drink of the present invention, wherein the process comprising mixing virgin olive oil, water, protein emulsifier, sweetening agent and flavouring.

[0072] The virgin olive oil that is used in the manufacturing process preferably contains at least 100 mg biophenols per kg, more preferably of at least 200 mg biophenols per kg and most preferably at least 250 mg biophenols per kg.

[0073] The present process preferably comprises the steps of: [0074] combining virgin olive oil, water, protein emulsifier, sweetening agent and flavouring to produce a pre-emulsion; [0075] homogenising the pre-emulsion; and [0076] pasteurizing or sterilizing the homogenised emulsion.

[0077] The first step of the present process preferably comprises combining extra virgin olive oil with the other ingredients.

[0078] The homogenized emulsion can be pasteurized or sterilized before or after the emulsion has been introduced into a container. Preferably, the emulsion is pasteurized or sterilized before it is introduced into a container. The emulsion is preferably sterilised by means of UHT sterilisation.

[0079] After the emulsion has been introduced into the container, the container is sealed.

[0080] The invention is further illustrated by means of the following non-limiting examples.

EXAMPLES

Example 1

[0081] A nutritional drink according to the present invention was prepared on the basis of the recipe shown in Table 1.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Ingredients Wt. % Virgin olive oil .sup.1 50.0 Tap water 45.9 Whey protein isolate .sup.2 2.0 Sucrose 2.0 Lemon juice flavouring .sup.3 0.1 .sup.1 extra virgin olive oil from Nera di Gonnos, Sardinia, Italy (260 mg/kg biophenols) .sup.2 BiPRO, ex Davisco Foods International .sup.3 Givaudan JN 036-812-0

[0082] The nutritional drink was prepared as follows: [0083] the whey protein isolate, sucrose and flavouring were dissolved in the tap water; [0084] the virgin olive oil was mixed with the aqueous solution to produce a pre-emulsion having a temperature of 70 C.; [0085] the pre-emulsion was emulsified by two-stage homogenisation (400/40 bar) in a high pressure homogeniser; [0086] the homogenised emulsion was UHT sterilised (140 C., 20 seconds); [0087] the sterilised emulsion was packaged in small sealed bottles (40 ml per bottle)

[0088] The drink so prepared had a pH of 6.8. The dispersed oil phase had a volume weighted diameter (determined by Mastersizer 2000) of approximately 1.8 m. The drink had a creamy, smooth texture resembling the thickness of single cream. The aroma and taste of the drink was evaluated by a panel. The panel found that the drink had a pleasant, fresh, lemon peel taste.

[0089] The 40 ml of nutritional drink contained approximately 5.2 mg biophenols.

Terna

[0090] The drink did not show any signs of physical instability when it was stored for 4 weeks at 4 C.

Example 2

[0091] Example 1 was repeated, except that the whey protein isolate was replaced by sucrose oligo ester (F20W, ex Sisterna). The volume weighted average diameter of the emulsion was approximately 12 m.

[0092] The drink so obtained was found to be of similar quality as the drink described in Example 1, except that it had a substantially thicker texture, similar to that of thick cream. Furthermore, the drink was slightly less stable than the drink of Example 1.

Example 3

[0093] Example 1 was repeated, except that this time pea protein (Nutralys S85F, ex Roquette) was used instead of whey protein isolate. The pea protein was applied in a concentration of 4 wt. % and the water content of the emulsion was reduced accordingly. The volume weighted average diameter of the emulsion was approximately 30 m.

[0094] The drink so obtained was found to be of similar quality as the drink described in Example 1, except that it had a substantially thicker texture, similar to that of thick cream. Furthermore, the drink was slightly less stable than the drink of Example 1.

Example 4

[0095] Example 1 was repeated except that the sucrose was replaced by 3 wt. % agave syrup (76% sugars) and that the water content was reduced accordingly.

[0096] The drink so obtained was found to be of similar quality as the drink of Example 1.

Example 5

[0097] Example 1 was repeated except that the sucrose was replaced by an equal amount of palm sugar (89% sugars), the flavouring was replaced by 0.1 wt. % of a coffee flavour (ex Givaudan, FW 516-122-2) and the water content was increased accordingly.

[0098] The drink so obtained was similar to the drink of Example 1, except for the taste. The drink was found to have a creamy coffee taste.

Example 6

[0099] Example 1 was repeated, except that this time the flavouring was replaced by 0.1 wt. % of different flavourings, and the water content was increased accordingly. The flavourings tested and the results of the panel evaluation are shown in Table 2.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Flavouring Panel evaluation Pineapple, ex Givaudan, SC 343-078-3 Sharp, fresh, nice pineapple taste Strawberry, ex Givaudan, NR-007-967-7 Green strawberry Vanilla, ex Givaudan, 57036E Creamy, vanilla Banana, ex Givaudan, RA-012-4-28-3 Creamy, slightly banana

Comparative Example A

[0100] Example 1 was repeated, except that the sucrose was removed and the water content was increased accordingly.

[0101] It was found that the drink so obtained had a bitter taste and that the aroma contained clearly perceptible green, grassy notes.