Sulfite-free, rapid setting, thermal-reversible modified potato starch gelling agent and products made therefrom

Abstract

This specification discloses a potato starch modified to have a narrow carboxylation and viscosity profile, and sulfite levels that are below detection levels by titration. The disclosed starch forms thermal-reversible gels having a fast gelling rate and that are useful in imitation cheese.

Claims

1. A starch comprising: a carboxylation of between 0.35% and 0.70%, (d.s.b.), a peak viscosity of between 100 and 220 cP, a final viscosity of between 45 and 100 cP, and a sulfite level of 0 ppm.

2. The starch of claim 1 comprising: a carboxylation of between 0.50% and 0.55%, (d.s.b.), having a peak viscosity of between 120 and 200 cP and a final viscosity of between 60 and 75 cP.

3. A foodstuff comprising the starch of claim 1.

4. The foodstuff of claim 3 wherein the starch is used in sufficient amounts to form a thermal-reversible gel.

5. The foodstuff of claim 3 being selected from the group consisting of processed cheese, imitation cheese, vegan cheese, soup, sauces, gravies, puddings, yogurts, confectionary and candy goods, fruit fillings; cook top melt applications and in applications to replace gelatin or fat.

6. The foodstuff of claim 3 being an imitation cheese and further comprising: a) 7.5% and 20% of the modified starch, by weight of the imitation cheese; b) a casein in the amount of between 7% and 15% by weight of the imitation cheese; and c) a vegetable fat in the amount of between 10 and 20% by weight of the imitation cheese.

7. The foodstuff of claim 3 further comprising a melt spread of between 20% and 70% change in diameter.

8. The foodstuff of claim 3 further comprising a melt spread of between 35% and 55% change in diameter.

9. The foodstuff of claim 3 comprising wherein a test imitation cheese made from 10.8% of the starch has a melt stretch of between 30 and 35 cm.

10. The foodstuff of claim 3 being a vegan cheese and further comprising: a) 7.5% and 20% of the modified starch by weight of the vegan cheese, b) a second starch; c) a vegetable fat in the amount of between 10% and 20% by weight of the vegan cheese.

Description

Example 1Rheology

(1) Rheological testing measured gelling rate versus level of carboxylation, melt spread versus carboxylation, gel firmness over time, as well as viscosity of samples.

(2) Table 1 lists the relevant variation of reaction conditions of samples tested. As shown the study varied reaction pH, maintenance of pH, active chlorine dosage, reaction time and whether pH was maintained throughout the reaction.

(3) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Active Reaction Chlorine Reaction Maintained Sample pH Dosage Time pH 1080-00-0 Commercially Avalable Oxidized Potato Starch 1080-48-2 11 2.4 2 Yes 1080-48-4 11 2.4 4 Yes 1080-49-2 11 4.2 2 Yes 1080-49-6 11 4.2 6 Yes 1080-50-2 11 3.3 2 Yes 1080-50-4 11 3.3 4 Yes 1080-50-6 11 3.3 6 Yes 1080-49-8 11 4.2 8 Yes 1080-51-2 10 4.2 2 Yes 1080-51-4 10 4.2 4 Yes 1080-51-6 10 4.2 6 Yes 1080-52-6 9 4.2 6 Yes 1080-53-6 11 4.2 6 No 1080-54-2 11 4.2 2 No 1080-54-6 11 4.2 6 No 1080-57-4 9.6 4 4 Yes 1080-57-6 9.6 4 6 Yes 437-22 11 3.3 2 Yes 437-24 11 3.3 2 Yes 437-25 11 3.3 2 Yes

(4) Table 2 reports the rheological properties of the gel. End viscosity is the viscosity of the starch at 35 C. after the time and temperature course described above is completed. Viscosity is measured in cP. The gel strength is measured by punch tests. It is reported in grams and measurements were made after 1 day's storage age 4 C. Gel rate, is the time for the elastic modulus G to reach greater than 100 Pa. Carboxylation is measured in percent carboxylation on a corrected dry starch basis.

(5) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Modified Schreiber Melt End Carbox- Time of Imitation Viscosity ylation (Min) for Cheese using (of Starch (of Starch Gel Gel G to Casein (% slurry % d.s.b. Strength Reach change in Sample (cP)) corrected) (g) >100 Pa diameter) 1080-00-0 46 0.98 10.04 60.18 1080-48-2 558 0.38 452.8 3.9 34.99 1080-48-4 420 0.38 502.67 4.1 29.19 1080-49-2 28 0.64 197.83 4.1 44.18 1080-49-6 16 0.68 170.34 11.4 46.98 1080-50-2 93 0.48 423.30 4.3 47.76 1080-50-4 47 0.52 324.49 3.7 31.87 1080-50-6 61 0.52 300.42 5.0 37.77 1080-51-2 66 0.81 113.69 26.0 43.09 1080-51-4 43 0.90 85.41 24.9 63.17 1080-51-6 45 0.94 75.68 36.1 32.92 1080-52-6 192 1.11 67.76 >65 40.77 1080-53-6 125 0.84 49.14 33.1 23.85 1080-54-2 49 0.57 225.00 6.9 42.71 1080-54-6 27 0.67 126.85 12.0 55.33 1080-57-4 82 0.889 129.63 59.5 42.3 1080-57-6 52 0.937 109.81 31.0 53.6 437-22 69 0.507 203.76 6.0 44.12 437-24 61 0.524 232.95 6.9 53.57 437-25 65 0.533 216.52 9.5 39.07

(6) As shown in Table 1, carboxylation and end viscosity differ depending on reaction conditions. Additionally, Table 2 shows that combination of carboxylation and end viscosity affect the rheological properties of the gel. For the preferred usage as a starch in an imitation cheese, the cheese must have good firmness (at least around 200 g) in order to shred well. The cheese must gel quickly upon cooling (reaching of elastic modulus, G, of greater than 100 Pa in 30 minutes or less) for easy handling during processing. And the gel must melt well upon reheating (spread of at least 20% increase in diameter).

(7) As shown these properties are achieved by preparing starch under conditions so that a test slurry made using 20% solids has an end viscosity of between 45 and 100 cP, but preferably between 60 and 75 cP. Additionally, as shown the starch has a carboxylation level of between 0.35 and 0.75%, and preferably between 0.50 and 0.55% on a d.s.b.

(8) Table 3 reports rheological properties of four gels made from commercially available samples compared to embodiments of the disclosed oxidized starch.

(9) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Gel Firmness Product Concentration (g) (1 day) Experimental Oxidized 0.20 203.8-324.5 Potato Starch Commecially Available 0.20 126.5 Acid Hydrolyzed Acetylated Potato Commercially Available 0.20 30.3 Oxidized Potato Commecially Available Potato Maltodextrin (Enzyme Hydrolyzed 0.20 63.8 Potato) Commercially Available 0.20 130.3 Acid Hydrolyzed Waxy Potato

Example 2Cheese Tests

(10) Imitation Cheese: was tested at 60% and 40% protein reduction levels. Full casein control cheeses were made using 18.5% protein so the test formulations used 10.8% protein and 7.2% protein, respectively

(11) TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 10.8% Protein Formula % % % % % Ingredients Percent Protein MSNF Fiber Fat Solids Rennet Casein 13.50 10.80 12.22 0.00 0.15 12.42 (Fonterra 90#) Water 48.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Vegetable Fat 26.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 25.48 25.48 (Loders Krokland Sans Trans 39) Starch 9.50 0.05 0.00 0.00 0.01 7.60 Emulsifying Salt 1.20 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.14 (ICL Foods JOHA PZ7) Salt 1.50 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.35 Lactic Acid 0.30 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.27 (Purac FCC 88) Total 100.00 10.85 12.22 0.00 25.64 48.26 * Total Starch 9.50%; Casein Reduction 0.4; Moisture 51.74%

(12) TABLE-US-00005 TABLE 5 7.2%% Protein Formula % % % % % Ingredients Percent Protein MSNF Fiber Fat Solids Rennet Casein 9.00 7.20 8.15 0.00 0.10 8.28 (Fonterra 90#) Water 46.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Vegetable Fat 26.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 25.48 25.48 (Loders Krokland Sans Trans 39) Starch 16.00 0.08 0.00 0.00 0.02 12.80 Emulsifying Salt 1.20 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.14 (ICL Foods JOHA PZ7) Salt 1.50 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.35 Lactic Acid 0.30 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.27 (Purac FCC 88) Total 100.00 7.28 8.15 0.00 25.60 49.32 * Total Starch 16.00%; Casein Reduction 0.6; Moisture 50.68%
Pizza Bake Test

(13) Spread 60 g Traditional Pizza Sauce on 8 Pizza Crust (pre-cooked as for example sold by Boboli) and topped with 80 g shredded cheese. Pizza was baked at about 225 C. (435 F.) for 5.5 minutes. Cheese was tested for stretch using the following procedure. Fork Test: Insert a fork at a 45 angle into the center of the pizza and lifted slowly (vertically). The distance at which the cheese strand breaks was recorded. Results are reported in Table 6.

(14) TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 6 Protein Content Stretch Ingredient (%) (cm) Control-no starch 18.5 38.10 Experimental Oxidized 10.8 33.02 Potato Starch 7.20 10.16 Commercially Avaiable 10.8 27.94 Oxidized Potato Starch 7.20 2.54 Commercially Available 10.8 7.62 Acid Hydrolyzed Acetylated Potato Starch 7.20 0 Commercially Available Instant,- 10.8 2.54 OSA, Enzyme modified Waxy Corn Starch 7.20 0