Shelf-stable acidified aerated food emulsion

Abstract

Packaged aerated acidified food compositions (e.g., aerated dips, sauces, etc.) having a low density (e.g., 0.4 to 0.8 g/cm.sup.3) due to incorporation of gas bubbles (e.g., nitrogen or air) within an aerated matrix. In addition to the aerated matrix the composition further includes a relatively high fraction of oil (e.g., as an oil/water emulsion). The compositions are shelf-stable, so as to exhibit microbial stability and stability with respect to the aerated low density whipped texture, without requiring refrigeration. The composition includes the aerating gas (e.g., nitrogen or air), a protein (e.g., soy or dairy), a stabilizer (e.g., a hydrocolloid, a cyclodextrin, a monoglyceride, and/or a diglyceride), oil, water, an emulsifier, and a food grade acid. Flavors, spices, and other components may be included.

Claims

1. A shelf-stable acidified aerated food product composition comprising: (a) isolated whey or modified soy protein, present in an amount of 0.2% to less than 5% by weight; (b) a stabilizer for stabilizing the isolated protein, the stabilizer being present in an amount of 0.2% to less than 5% by weight, wherein where the protein is modified soy protein, the stabilizer comprises cyclodextrin, and where the protein is whey protein the stabilizer comprises an ester of mono/di glyceride fatty acids; (c) oil, where the oil comprises a naturally sourced triglyceride oil which has not been synthetically esterified, which oil is liquid at ambient temperature, the composition comprising at least 30% oil, and the composition is substantially devoid of solid fats having a melting temperature greater than ambient temperature; (d) a hydrocolloid; (e) water; and (f) a food grade acid, wherein the composition has a pH of less than 4; wherein the food product composition has a density of not more than 0.8 g/cm.sup.3, and wherein the food product composition is shelf-stable without hot-packing for a period of at least 1 month without refrigeration.

2. The food product composition of claim 1, wherein the protein comprises whey protein, and the stabilizer comprises an ester of mono/di glyceride fatty acids.

3. The food product composition of claim 1, wherein the protein comprises soy protein, and the stabilizer comprises cyclodextrin.

4. The food product composition of claim 1, wherein the oil comprises an unsaturated oil.

5. The food product composition of claim 1, wherein the oil comprises at least one of soybean oil, safflower oil, canola oil, corn oil, olive oil, sesame oil, cottonseed oil, flaxseed oil, sunflower oil, or peanut oil.

6. The food product composition of claim 1, further comprising an emulsifier that comprises one or more of egg, egg yolk, egg white, lecithin, a monoglyceride, a diglyceride, a polysorbate, or mustard seed.

7. The food product composition of claim 1, wherein the food grade acid comprises one or more of phosphoric acid, citric acid, acetic acid, malic acid, gluconic acid, lactic acid, fumaric acid, propionic acid, succinic acid, tartaric acid, glucono delta lactone, or hydrochloric acid.

8. The food product composition of claim 1, wherein the food composition is shelf-stable for a period of at least 6 months without refrigeration.

9. The food product composition of claim 1, wherein the shelf-stable acidified aerated food composition has a density from 0.4 g/cm.sup.3 to 0.8 g/cm.sup.3.

10. The food product composition of claim 1, wherein the composition further comprises at least one of a gum or starch.

11. The food product composition of claim 1, wherein the composition has a viscosity of at least 1.000 cps.

12. A shelf-stable acidified aerated food product composition comprising: (a) a protein that is isolated whey protein or modified soy protein, present in an amount of 0.2% to less than 5% by weight; (b) a stabilizer for stabilizing the isolated whey or soy protein, the stabilizer being present in an amount of 0.2% to less than 5% by weight, wherein where the protein is modified soy protein, the stabilizer comprises cyclodextrin, and where the protein is whey protein the stabilizer comprises an ester of mono/di glyceride fatty acids; (c) water; (d) a hydrocolloid; (e) oil, which oil is liquid at ambient temperature, the composition comprising at least 30% oil, and the composition is substantially devoid of solid fats having a melting temperature greater than ambient temperature; and (f) a food grade acid; wherein the shelf-stable acidified aerated food product composition has a density of not more than 0.8 g/cm.sup.3 and a pH of less than 4; wherein the food product composition is shelf-stable without hot-packing for a period of at least 1 month without refrigeration; and wherein any sweetener is present at less than 15% by weight.

13. The food product composition of claim 12, where the oil comprises a naturally sourced triglyceride oil which has not been synthetically esterified.

14. The food product composition of claim 12, wherein: the hydrocolloid comprises at least one of xanthan gum, guar gum, carrageenan, agar, locust bean gum, cellulose, alginate, or corn starch.

15. The food product composition of claim 12, wherein the oil comprises at least one of soybean oil, safflower oil, canola oil, corn oil, olive oil, sesame oil, cottonseed oil, flaxseed oil, sunflower oil, or peanut oil.

16. The food product composition of claim 2, wherein the ester of mono/di glyceride fatty acids is present in an amount of no more than 1% by weight.

Description

IV. EXAMPLES

Example 1

(1) An aerated acidified food product composition was prepared by mixing together the components shown below in Table 2.

(2) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Component Wt. Percent Sugar 4% Glucose Syrup 1% Salt 2.5%.sup. Hydrocolloids (gums and starch) 1.5%.sup. Preservatives 0.003% Dairy Protein (Whey) 0.5%.sup. Flavors and Spices 5.5%.sup. Egg Yolk 1% Mono and Diglycerides 0.5%.sup. Citric Acid (anhydrous) 1% White Distilled Vinegar 300 Grain 1% Soybean Oil 30% Palm Kernel Oil 1% Water 50.5%

Example 2

(3) An aerated acidified food product composition was prepared by mixing together the components shown below in Table 3 and employed a soy protein and cyclodextrin stabilizer, rather than the dairy protein and mono- and diglyceride stabilizer of Example 1.

(4) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Component Wt. Percent Sugar 4% Salt 2.5%.sup. Hydrocolloids (gums, starch, alginate) 2% Preservatives 0.003% Enzyme-modified Soy Protein 2.5%.sup. Flavors and Spices 5.5%.sup. Egg Yolk 1% -cyclodextrin 2.5%.sup. Citric Acid (anhydrous) 1% White Distilled Vinegar 300 Grain 1% Soybean Oil 30% Water 48%

Example 3

(5) An aerated acidified food product composition was prepared by mixing together the components shown below in Table 4.

(6) TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Component Wt. Percent Sugar 2.5% Salt 1.2% Hydrocolloids (xanthan and guar gums, starch) .sup.1% Preservatives 0.003% Enzyme-modified Soy Protein 1.8% Flavors and Spices 5.5% Egg Yolk 3.5% -cyclodextrin 1.8% Citric Acid (anhydrous) .sup.1% White Distilled Vinegar 300 Grain .sup.1% Soybean Oil 45% Water 35.7%

(7) Without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention, one of ordinary skill can make various changes and modifications to the invention to adapt it to various usages and conditions. As such, these changes and modifications are properly, equitably, and intended to be, within the full range of equivalence of the following claims.