Method For Producing A Food, In Particular A Snack Product, With Improved Introduction Of An Additive By Application Of An Electric Field

Abstract

The present invention relates to the production of a food product, in particular a snack product. In order to distribute additives evenly in a food product, in particular in a snack product, and to obtain a more homogeneous product quality, the method according to the invention comprises the steps of: conditioning the food product by applying an electric field; introducing an additive into the food product; and preserving the food product after the additive has been introduced.

Claims

1. Method for the production of a food product comprising the steps of: conditioning said food product by applying an electric field; introducing an additive into said food product; and preserving said food product after said additive has been introduced.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that a pulsed electric field causing cell disruption is applied during the conditioning.

3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the step of conditioning takes place before or during the step of introducing the additive.

4. Method according to claim 1, characterized by the further step of mechanical energy acting upon said food product during or after the step of introducing the additive.

5. Method according to claim 4, characterized in that mechanical energy acts in that said food product is cut up, stirred, kneaded, beaten and/or tossed.

6. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that an additive providing flavor, providing structure, providing coloring, providing aroma, regulating the utilization value, regulating the nutritional value, stabilizing the utilization value, stabilizing the nutritional value and/or an additive ensuring trouble-free further processing, or a precursor convertible into such an additive is introduced into said food product.

7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that a precursor which is converted into the additive during the preservation is introduced into said food product.

8. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the additive is brought into contact with said food product as a dry product, dissolved or as an emulsion and is thus introduced into said food product.

9. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that the additive is injected into said food product, said food product is placed into the additive, said food product is brushed with the additive, said food product is dusted with the additive and/or said food product is sprayed with the additive.

10. Method according to claim 1, characterized by the further step of adjusting a desired oil content of said food product, preferably prior to the step of preservation.

11. Method according to claim 10, characterized in that the oil content is adjusted when the additive is introduced into said food product.

12. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said food product is heated, cooled, frozen, irradiated, dried, vacuumed and/or aerated during the step of preservation.

13. Method according to claim 12, characterized in that said food product is cooked.

14. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said food product is produced from raw vegetable material.

15. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said food product produced is a snack product, preferably a nibble product and particularly preferably a salty snack.

16. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the step of conditioning takes place before or during the step of introducing the additive.

17. Method according to claim 2, characterized by the further step of mechanical energy acting upon said food product during or after the step of introducing the additive.

18. Method according to claim 3, characterized by the further step of mechanical energy acting upon said food product during or after the step of introducing the additive.

19. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that an additive providing flavor, providing structure, providing coloring, providing aroma, regulating the utilization value, regulating the nutritional value, stabilizing the utilization value, stabilizing the nutritional value and/or an additive ensuring trouble-free further processing, or a precursor convertible into such an additive is introduced into said food product.

20. Method according to claim 3, characterized in that an additive providing flavor, providing structure, providing coloring, providing aroma, regulating the utilization value, regulating the nutritional value, stabilizing the utilization value, stabilizing the nutritional value and/or an additive ensuring trouble-free further processing, or a precursor convertible into such an additive is introduced into said food product.

Description

[0036] In the following, the invention shall be described by way of example in detail using advantageous embodiments with reference to the drawings and subsequent trial examples. The advantageous further developments and configurations illustrated there are each independent of each other and can be combined with one another, depending on the requirement of the application, where

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a flow diagram of an experimental set up for an exemplary method according to one embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] FIG. 2 shows a bar diagram showing an increase in the salt concentration of conditioned and unconditioned potato slices in comparison to a control sample;

[0039] FIG. 3 shows a bar diagram showing an increase in the salt concentration of deep-fried conditioned and unconditioned potato slices in comparison to a control sample; and

[0040] FIG. 4 shows a bar chart showing the salt contents of the control samples, the unconditioned samples as well as the conditioned samples.

[0041] Hereafter, an exemplary method for producing food products according to the present invention shall be presented with reference to the flow diagram in FIG. 1. The flow diagram of FIG. 1 outlines the sequence of the trial, which shall then be explained in more detail.

[0042] The method for producing food, in particular snack products, comprises the steps of conditioning food; introducing an additive into the food product; and preserving the food product after the additive has been introduced.

[0043] In the present flow diagram, the step of conditioning is executed by way of electroporation. The food product is there exposed to pulsed electric fields which cause cell disruption, in which the semipermeability of the cell membrane is removed. In the flow diagram of FIG. 1, the step of conditioning is preceded by a step of peeling and washing the food product.

[0044] Following the electroporation, the food product in the exemplary method according to the flow diagram of FIG. 1 is reduced in size, namely cut. With mechanical energy acting upon the food product, the surface area effectively available for substance transport is enlarged in the exemplary method, which improves the diffusion of additives into the food product in the subsequent step of introducing the additive into the food product. In the exemplary method, the additive is introduced into the food product by placing the food product in a salt solution. An infusion of salt therefore takes place.

[0045] After the step of introducing the additive, salt in this example, into the food product, a step of preserving the food product takes place. Two preservation methods shall be examined in the exemplary flow diagram. Firstly, the food is cooked, namely deep-fried. As an alternative preservation method, the food is washed before the salt content in the food product produced is determined by determining the concentration of chloride ions.

[0046] Exemplary embodiments of the method according to the invention shown in flow diagram 1 shall be described below in more detail on the basis of some concrete trial results.

[0047] Trial: Influence of Conditioning, by Applying an Electric Field, Upon the Introduction of an Additive into a Food Product.

[0048] The trial was conducted in the sequence as shown in the flow diagram of FIG. 1.

[0049] Potatoes of the Lady Claire variety, which were peeled and washed in a first step, were examined.

[0050] The samples were subsequently exposed to pulsed electric fields. Electroporation took place under the following conditions:

[0051] W=0.63 kJ/kg

[0052] E=1.07 kV/cm

[0053] Number of pulses (n)=7

[0054] Pulse duration=7-50 micro-seconds

[0055] The samples were then cut into potato slices about 1.4 mm wide before being placed into a salt bath while gently stirring for one and three minutes, respectively. The salt (sodium chloride) concentration in the salt bath was [0056] 0% for the control samples; [0057] 0.5%, 2% and 4% respectively for the unconditioned (without electroporation) and conditioned (with electroporation) samples.

[0058] The dwell time in the salt bath was 0 minutes for the control samples and one and three minutes for the unconditioned and conditioned samples, respectively.

[0059] After introducing the additive by placement into the salt solution, a sample group was preserved by washing it in tap water for 10 seconds (raw), The other sample was deep-fried for three minutes at 170 C. (chip).

[0060] Finally, the salt content of the food product was determined by mass spectrometrically determining the sodium content in the individual samples using ICP (induced coupled plasma).

[0061] The salt concentrations of the samples determined are summarized in the example diagram of FIG. 4. In FIG. 4: [0062] blank sample means a control sample of a potato which has only been peeled, washed and sliced, i.e. not exposed to electroporation or placed into a salt bath; [0063] untreated 1 means an unconditioned sample which has not undergone electroporation and which has been placed in the salt bath for one minute; [0064] untreated 3 means an unconditioned sample which has not undergone electroporation and which has been placed in the salt bath for three minutes; [0065] PEF 1 means a conditioned sample which has undergone electroporation and has been treated for one minute in the salt bath; [0066] PEF 3 means a conditioned sample which has undergone electroporation and has been treated for three minutes in the salt bath; [0067] raw means a sample that was washed before the salt content was determined; [0068] chip means a sample that was deep-fried before the salt content was determined; [0069] the numbers 0.5, 2.0 or 4.0: preceding chip or raw indicate the salt concentration, 0.5%, 2% or 4% of the after-solution into which the food product was placed.

[0070] As can be seen in FIG. 4, the step of conditioning significantly increased the salt content of the samples, both in comparison with the control samples as well as in comparison with the unconditioned samples, which were treated identically to the conditioned samples, except for the electroporation.

[0071] This result is also reflected in the bar diagrams of FIGS. 2 and 3 in which the unconditioned and conditioned samples were compared. It turns out that significantly more salt is introduced into the samples with the method according to the invention, in particular at the higher concentrations of 2 and 4% salt in the salt bath.

[0072] Similar trials like the trial presented with potato slices were also conducted with beetroot and sweet potatoes. In trials with beetroot, the slice was placed for one minute in a 2.5% salt solution, with sweet potatoes in a 5% salt solution.

[0073] An improvement in the color and crispiness in the final product and an increased salt intake could be noted also for beetroot and sweet potato, like with potatoes, when using the method according to the invention.