Dispersion structuring agent

Abstract

Disclosed is a novel method of making a structuring agent for edible dispersions such as margarines or spreads. Fat, or another structuring component, is subjected to a process involving mixing it with liquefied gas or supercritical gas, and expanding the mixture through an orifice. In the invention, water is added to the mixture prior to expansion, so as to provide a spray liquid in the form of a fat and water emulsion.

Claims

1. A method for making a composition suitable for use as a dispersion structuring agent, the method comprising: a) preparing a spray liquid comprising: a structuring component comprising a fat in a liquid state, a gas in a liquefied or supercritical state distributed in the spray liquid, and an emulsifier; b) subjecting the spray liquid to a first pressure P.sub.1; c) adding water to the spray liquid subjected to the first pressure P.sub.1 prior to spraying to form a spray liquid mixture comprising an oil-in-water emulsion of the structuring component and water, wherein the water in the spray liquid mixture comprises from 50 to 80 wt. %; and d) expanding the spray liquid mixture by spraying it through an orifice to an environment having a second pressure P.sub.2, with P.sub.1>P.sub.2; wherein the dispersion structuring agent comprises fat and water.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the composition suitable for use as a dispersion structuring agent has a powder density of from 0.16 g/ml to 0.34 g/ml.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the water in the spray liquid mixture comprises 60 to 70 wt. %.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein P.sub.1 is 5-40 MPa and P.sub.2 is ambient pressure.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein in the expanding step, the spraying is conducted by means of a spray-jet wherein the spray liquid is at least partially solidified.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the gas is supercritical carbon dioxide.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the water in the composition is the sole source of water in the emulsion.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein in the expanding step d) the spray liquid is solidified by spraying the spray liquid mixture through the orifice, and the method further comprises removing water from the structuring agent when the structuring component of the spray liquid is solidified to obtain a solid fat or solid fat particles.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the dispersion is a margarine.

10. A mixture comprising (a) an oil and (b) the dispersion structuring agent of claim 1 comprising fat and water.

11. The mixture of claim 10, wherein the fat content in the mixture ranges from 2.5-20% by weight.

12. The mixture of claim 10, wherein the mixture is dispersed with water.

13. The mixture of claim 10, wherein the fat content in the mixture ranges from 5-15% by weight.

14. A method for making a stabilized oil-containing dispersion, comprising the following steps: a) making a structuring agent, comprising the steps of: i) preparing a spray liquid comprising: a structuring component in a liquid state, a gas in a liquefied or supercritical state distributed in the spray liquid, and an emulsifier, the structuring component being a fat; ii) subjecting the spray liquid to a first pressure P.sub.1; iii) adding water to the spray liquid subjected to the first pressure P.sub.1 prior to spraying to form an oil-in-water emulsion of the structuring component and water as a spray liquid mixture, wherein the water in the spray liquid mixture comprises from 50 to 80 wt. %; and iv) expanding the spray liquid mixture by spraying it through an orifice to an environment having a second pressure P.sub.2, with P.sub.1>P.sub.2; b) mixing oil and the structuring agent to prepare an oil-structuring agent mixture; and c) mixing the oil-structuring agent mixture with an aqueous phase to form a dispersion, wherein the dispersion comprises fat and water.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the structuring agent has a powder density of from 0.16 g/ml to 0.34 g/ml.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein P.sub.1 is 5-40 MPa and P.sub.2 is ambient pressure.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein in the expanding step, the spraying is conducted by means of a spray-jet wherein the spray liquid is at least partially solidified.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the water in the spray liquid mixture comprises from 60 to 70 wt. %.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the gas is supercritical carbon dioxide.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the micronisation apparatus used in the examples. The equipment consists of a 1-liter autoclave (1) equipped with a mechanical stirrer (anchor-type impeller), and a jacket for heating (2). The inner diameter of the autoclave is 50 mm. The autoclave has connections at the top and at the bottom. The bottom connection of the vessel is used to pressurize the system with carbon dioxide by opening valve (4), or to lead the spray liquid from the autoclave to the nozzle by opening valve (5). Before expelling the mixture from the vessel, valve (4) is closed and the CO.sub.2 supply is connected to the top of the autoclave by opening valve (3) to maintain the pressure inside the autoclave during spraying. Instead of CO.sub.2 other gases (e.g. N.sub.2, He, Ar) can be used to maintain the pressure. The orifice and an insert of the nozzle (6) can be changed independently. The nozzle is mounted on top of a tube of 30 cm diameter and 20 cm length. The tube is mounted on an oil-drum (8) of 250 liters with a removable lid. The product that is formed during the expansion collects inside the drum. All gas that enters the drum leaves through the gas exit (10). A separator (9) in the exit retains the product. Additional cooling can be added e.g. CO.sub.2 expanding from a cylinder (7) through an inlet into the spray chamber.

(2) FIG. 2 is a schematic view of the nozzle configuration with gas inlet for tangential gas-flow.

(3) FIG. 3 illustrates the measurement points (A, B, C, D) used to measure flow on a board with concentric circles, as used in the example on determining pourability. These concentric circles are used to indicate the distance the fluid has travelled during a certain period of time

EXAMPLES

(4) Method to Determine Pourability

(5) Pourability for pourable compositions according to the invention is measured using an instrument based on USDA consistometer or Adam's consitometer. It consists of a 10 ml plastic cylinder with both ends open and a board with concentric circles. These concentric circles are used to indicate the distance the fluid has travelled during a certain period of time. The pourability of the samples is assessed at refrigerator temperature in order to analyze if they are pourable at fridge temperature. When the sample has a temperature of 4 C., the plastic tube is placed at the central circle of the concentric circles and it is filled with the sample after it has been shaken by hand ten times up and down. When the tube is removed, the sample starts to flow and spreads over the board. The path length of the flow is measured after 40 seconds at four different points of the concentric circles (A, B, C, and D) as it is shown in FIG. 3. The weight of the board is measured before and after the test is carried out so that the mass of sample on the board can be calculated and the pourability of the sample can be expressed as cm/g per 40 seconds. The pourability is assessed twice, after approximately 5 and 10 days of the production of the sample.

(6) Method to Determine Hardness

(7) The instrument used for the hardness analysis is the gravity-penetrometer PNR 10. A metallic cone with a 90 angle was employed as the test body. The cone is precisely lowered to the surface of the material under test, and then sinks into the matter by its own weight during defined test duration of 5 seconds. This penetration allows a rating of the plasticity or consistency. Hardness of the samples was analyzed at refrigerator temperature and after 6 and 10 days of their production. Hardness can be expressed as penetration depth (mm) or yield value.

(8) Method to Determine Density of the Structuring Powder

(9) The density was determined by filling a 100 ml measuring cylinder with powder and weighing the amount of powder. After filling the cylinder is dropped three times from 2 cm height before the volume is determined.

(10) Method to Determine Oil Exudation for Pourable Samples

(11) In order to measure oil exudation, the product is filled into a scaled plastic cylinder of 50 ml. The filled cylinder is stored in a cabinet at constant temperature (21 C.). After two weeks the height of the exuded oil layer is measured and oil exudation is expressed as the height of the exuded oil layer divided by the original filling height and expressed in %. Shaking of the cylinders should be avoided.

(12) Method to Determine Water Exudation for Solid Samples

(13) Samples were stored in a 50 ml plastic container at 21 C. for up to 10 weeks. After storage the amount of water exudation was determined by visual examination of the product surface and by measuring the weight of the exuded water. Water exudation is expressed as the weight of exuded water divided by the total weight of the sample and expressed in %.

(14) Preparation of Structuring Agent (SA)

(15) A spray liquid was prepared from melted fat and a solution of lecithin in hot water by homogenization with a Turrax. The spray liquid was loaded into a heated autoclave of 1 liter as in FIG. (1), keeping a headspace to allow the liquid level to rise during the addition of CO.sub.2. While stirring, the autoclave was pressurized to 300 bars by adding carbon dioxide. After equilibration the mixture was withdrawn through the bottom connection of the autoclave and sprayed into a receptor vessel at ambient pressure. During spraying the pressure in the autoclave was maintained by adding carbon dioxide through a connection in the top of the autoclave. Cold gas in the form of carbon dioxide expanded from a storage cylinder was blown into the receptor vessel as in FIG. (2) to provide additional cooling. The temperature of the gas that leaves the spray vessel is typically maintained at 0 C. by adjusting the flow of cooling gas. The structuring agent (SA) was recovered from the receptor vessel and stored in a refrigerator for later use.

(16) Spray Liquid Compositions:

(17) TABLE-US-00001 Water (g) Fat (g) Lecithin (g) A 795 200 5 B 595 400 5 C 395 600 5 D 195 800 5 E 0 1000 0
Structuring Agent Properties:

(18) TABLE-US-00002 Water Powder density A 80% wt 0.34 g/ml B 55% wt 0.19 g/ml C 32% wt 0.16 g/ml D 14% wt 0.16 g/ml E 0% wt 0.10 g/ml
Pourable Margarine

(19) To test the structuring ability of the structuring agents (of which the preparation is described in example 1), a pourable margarine product was made of each structuring agent. The pourable margarines consisted of 75.5 wt % sunflower oil, 18.8 wt % water, 3.5 wt % fat (RP 70), 0.5 wt % lecithin, 0.5% glyceryl monostearate (GMS) and 1.2 wt % salt (NaCl). RP 70 and a part of the water were present as the structuring agent. Some samples were also produced using less fat (2.0%).

(20) Lecithin and GMS were melted in the sunflower oil and salt is dissolved in water. When both solutions are cooled (4 C.), they were emulsified using an Ultra Turrax (high speed). The structuring agent was added to the emulsion using a magnetic stirrer. A vacuum pump was used to remove the air bubbles from the samples. The obtained dispersion was kept at a temperature of 4 C. until analysis. The pourable margarines were analyzed for their stability (oil exudation) and pourability.

(21) Pourable Margarine Composition:

(22) TABLE-US-00003 Weight SA SF-Oil Water Pourable A-1 A 75.5% wt 18.8% wt Pourable B-1 B 75.5% wt 18.8% wt Pourable C-1 C 75.5% wt 18.8% wt Pourable D-1 D 75.5% wt 18.8% wt Pourable E-1 E 75.5% wt 18.8% wt Pourable A-2 A 77.0% wt 18.8% wt Pourable B-2 B 77.0% wt 18.8% wt Pourable C-2 C 77.0% wt 18.8% wt Pourable D-2 D 77.0% wt 18.8% wt Pourable E-2 E 77.0% wt 18.8% wt
Pourable Margarine Properties:

(23) TABLE-US-00004 Stability Pourability day 5 Pourability day 10 Pourable A-1 ~0% vol 0.32 cm/g 0.33 cm/g Pourable B-1 0.5% vol 0.33 cm/g 0.34 cm/g Pourable C-1 ~0% vol 0.32 cm/g 0.33 cm/g Pourable D-1 ~0% vol 0.34 cm/g 0.34 cm/g Pourable E-1 ~0% vol 0.34 cm/g 0.35 cm/g Pourable A-2 9.3% vol 0.43 cm/g 0.40 cm/g Pourable B-2 10.8% vol 0.41 cm/g 0.41 cm/g Pourable C-2 16.7% vol 0.45 cm/g 0.42 cm/g Pourable D-2 21.6% vol 0.43 cm/g 0.43 cm/g Pourable E-2 22.1% vol 0.45 cm/g 0.43 cm/g
Spreads

(24) To test the structuring ability of the structuring agents (of which the preparation is described in example 1), a spread product was made of each structuring agent. The spreads consisted of 49.75 (solid A) or 60 wt % sunflower oil, 29 or 39.75 (solid A) wt % water, 10 wt % fat (RP 70), 0.5 wt % lecithin and 0.5 wt % protein (whey protein isolate). RP 70 and a part of the water were present as the structuring agent. For sample Solid A, RP 70 and all the water were present as the structuring agent.

(25) Lecithin was melted in the sunflower oil and the mixture was cooled (4 C.). The structuring agent was added to the oil mixture using an Ultra Turrax. Whey protein was dissolved in water and the aqueous phase was cooled (4 C.). The aqueous phase is admixed to the fat phase using an Ultra Turrax. While the aqueous phase was being added, a cool water bath was used to keep the mixture cold. The spreads were kept at a temperature of 4 C. The solid margarines were analyzed for their hardness and stability (water exudation).

(26) Spreads Composition:

(27) TABLE-US-00005 Weight SA SF-Oil Water Solid A A 49.75% wt 39.75% wt Solid B B 60.0% wt 29.0% wt Solid C C 60.0% wt 29.0% wt Solid D D 60.0% wt 29.0% wt Solid E E 60.0% wt 29.0% wt
Spreads Properties:

(28) TABLE-US-00006 Penetration depth/ Yield value Day 5 Day 10 Stability Solid A 4.01 mm/149 3.66 mm/149 0.54% wt Solid B 10.17 mm/29 10.26 mm/29 0.03% wt Solid C 11.71 mm/23 11.80 mm/23 0.10% wt Solid D 12.27 mm/23 11.83 mm/23 0.02% wt Solid E 10.42 mm/28 11.63 mm/23 0.33% wt