Process for the preparation of stable and homogeneous fruit preparation

Abstract

A process for preparing a stable and homogenous fruit preparation, includes the steps of: (i) preparing a fruit mixture by mixing fruit pieces, optionally in the presence of a fruit matrix, with sugar in an amount included between 10% and 60% by weight relative to the total weight of the fruit preparation, (ii) treating the fruit mixture obtained in step (i) at a temperature ranging between 40 C. and 90 C., and at a pressure from 50 mbar to 1000 mbar, during 15 to 90 minutes, so as to obtain a concentrated fruit preparation having a Brix degree at 20 C. ranging between 50 and 75,
(iii) optionally submitting the concentrated fruit preparation to a heat treatment, at a temperature ranging between 90 C. and 120 C.,
(iv) cooling the concentrated fruit preparation obtained in step (ii) or, when step (iii) is performed, cooling the concentrated fruit preparation obtained in step (iii), to storage temperature.

Claims

1. A process for the preparation of a stable and homogenous fruit preparation in which neither a thickening agent nor a gelling agent has been added to confer a texture or viscosity to the preparation, which comprises the steps of: (i) preparing a fruit mixture by mixing fruit pieces, in the presence of between 2% and 70% of a fruit matrix selected from the group consisting of fruit puree, concentrated fruit puree and fruit compote, with sugar, said sugar being in an amount comprised between 10% and 60% by weight relative to the total weight of the fruit preparation, said preparation being totally free of any thickening agent and gelling agent, (ii) treating the fruit mixture obtained in step (i) at a temperature comprised between 40 C. and 90 C., and at a pressure from 95 mbar to 150 mbar, during 50 to 65 minutes, so as to obtain a concentrated fruit preparation, said concentrated fruit preparation having a Brix degree at 20 C. comprised between 50 and 75, (iii) submitting the concentrated fruit preparation obtained in step (ii) to a heat treatment, at a temperature comprised between 95 C. and 120 C., and (iv) cooling the concentrated fruit preparation obtained in step (iii), to a storage temperature.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the fruit pieces are selected from the group consisting of strawberry, blackberry, apricot, peach, raspberry, blueberry, ananas, mango, banana, papaya, passion fruit, plum, pomelo, orange, kiwi, lemon, cherry, pear and apple.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the amount of fruit pieces is between 20% and 70% by weight of the fruit preparation.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein in step (i), the mixing is performed at a temperature comprised between 30 and 100 C., during 2 to 20 minutes.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein step (ii) uses a vacuum evaporation.

6. The process according to claim 1, wherein step (iii) is a pasteurization step.

7. The process according to claim 1, wherein the temperature of step (iii) is comprised between 95 C. and 100 C.

8. The process according to claim 1, wherein the viscosity of the fruit preparation is around 5 to 15 cm/min at a temperature of 20 C., said viscosity being measured according to test A, wherein according to test A: the viscosity of the fruit preparation, which is a uniform suspension, is measured using Bostwick consistometer at 20 C., the fruit preparation is a placed into a cell of the Bostwick consistometer, a chronometer is started when the cell is opened, and the viscosity measured corresponds to the distance of the fruit preparation in one minute.

9. A stable and homogenous fruit preparation obtainable by the process as claimed in claim 1, wherein neither a thickening agent nor a gelling agent has been added to confer a texture of viscosity to said fruit preparation.

10. The fruit preparation according to claim 9, wherein the fruit preparation is usable as such, or added in admixture to other food preparations chosen from dairy products and vegetal products.

Description

EXAMPLES

Example 1

Viscosity and Fruit Recovery

(1) A fruit preparation is prepared according to the invention and a standard fruit preparation is prepared by a standard process using thickening/gelling agents.

(2) The fruit preparations according to the invention are prepared by the following process: (i) mixing the strawberry (respectively raspberry) pieces, in an amount of around 60% by weight, with 1% water and 40% sugar by weight relative to the total weight of the fruit preparation, so as to obtain a fruit mixture, (ii) treating the fruit mixture obtained in step (i) at a temperature of 65 C., and at a pressure of 100 mbar, during 60 minutes, so as to obtain a concentrated fruit preparation, (iii) submitting the concentrated fruit preparation obtained in step (ii) to a heat treatment, at a temperature of around 95 C. during 5 to 6 minutes, (iv) cooling the concentrated fruit preparation obtained in step (iii) to room temperature (around 20 C.).

(3) The fruit preparations have a Brix degree at 20 C. comprised between 50 and 75.

(4) The standard fruit preparation is prepared by the following process: (i) mixing the strawberry (respectively raspberry) pieces (fruits pieces and optionally fruit matrix) in an amount of 50% by weight relative to the total weight of the fruit preparation, with 15% by weight water, 30% by weight sugar, 3% thickening/gelling agents and 2% additives (flavouring agents, regulator and coloring foodstuffs) by weight relative to the total weight of the fruit preparation, so as to obtain a fruit mixture, (ii) submitting the fruit mixture obtained in step (i) at a temperature of 92-95 C., and at a pressure of 1 bar, during 5-8 minutes, so as to obtain a concentrated fruit preparation, (iii) cooling the concentrated fruit preparation obtained in step (ii) until a temperature below 30 C.

(5) The fruit preparation has a Brix degree at 20 C. around 50.

(6) The viscosity of the preparations is measured according to the protocol indicated in the description and expressed in Cenco unit, cm/min.

(7) The fruit recovery of the two preparations is measured by means of 3 sieves of different sizes 1/5/8 mm, according to the following protocol:

(8) The fruit preparation is washed by mixing it with water heated to 45 C.

(9) It is drained in a static way on 3 sieves mounted on top of each other to determine the size distribution of fruit pieces.

(10) Sieves 1 mm Total

(11) This measure is done thanks to a sieve of 1 mm. We dilute the fruit preparation (fruit prep) in water at 45 C., mix it and sieve it on the 1 mm sieve. The percentage of fruit retained on this sieve is calculated by [(weight of fruits retained on the sieve)(fruit prep weight)]*100/[fruit prep weight].

(12) Sieves 1; 5; 8 mm:

(13) This measure is done thanks to 3 sieves of 1; 5; 8 mm. We dilute the fruit prep in water at 45 C., mix it and sieve it on the 3 sieves. The percentage of fruit retained on each sieve is calculated by [(weight of fruits retained on each sieve)(fruit prep weight)]*100/[fruit prep weight].

(14) The results are in the table below:

(15) TABLE-US-00001 Fruit recovery in fruit prep Dosage fruit Viscosity % on 1 mm prep Brix (cm/min) total % on 1 mm % on 5 mm % on 8 mm Strawberry Evaporated 13% 67.9 11.5 36.1 11.1 16.9 11.9 prep Standard 18% 50 7 18 13.8 4.2 0 fruit prep Raspberry Evaporated 13% 66.5 8.7 29.1 21.7 5.63 5.13 prep Standard 18% 50 7 17 16 1 0 fruit prep Brix = Brix degree Evaporated prep = fruit preparation according to the invention Standard fruit prep = standard fruit preparation Dosage fruit prep = % by weight of fruit pieces relative to the total weight of the fruit preparation

(16) The viscosities of the fruit preparations are comparable.

(17) In each case, the fruit recovery in the fruit preparation according to the invention is equivalent to the standard fruit preparation.

(18) However, analysis made on the strawberry preparation according to the invention shows that it contains more fruit pieces than the standard one: the number of fruit pieces per cup with sieving on 3 mm on a grid is around 18 for the fruit preparation according to the invention, whereas it is only 11 for the standard fruit preparation (experience done on 15 cups).

Example 2

Analysis of the Firmness of the Fruits

(19) a) The firmness of the fruits in the strawberry preparations according to Example 1 (i.e. invention and standard) is evaluated thanks to the following protocol:

(20) The firmness of the fruit pieces is measured with a texturometer TAX-T2 sold by RHEO with a cell of 50 kg. The fruit preparation is sieved and the fruit pieces retained are put on a Kramer cell. The comb is placed at the entrance of the cell, and the maximal extrusion force is measured in Newton thanks to a speed of 80 mm/min and a deformation of 50 mm.

(21) 3 measurements are made, and the average corresponds to the final value.

(22) The strawberry firmness in the standard fruit preparation is 40N, whereas the strawberry firmness in the fruit preparation of the invention is 140N.

(23) Therefore, the firmness of the fruit pieces according to the invention is improved with a factor more than 3.

(24) b) The impact of step (ii) of the process according to the invention (evaporation step) on fruit firmness is also evaluated.

(25) 2 compositions are prepared thanks to the following process: (i) mixing 45.6% of strawberry pieces of 10 mm with 40% sugar, 0.5% lemon juice, 10% strawberry concentrated puree and water, the % being by weight relative to the total weight of the fruit preparation; (ii) treating the fruit mixture obtained in step (i) at a temperature of 65 C., and at a pressure of 100 mbar, during 63 minutes, so as to obtain fruit preparation A, treating the fruit mixture obtained in step (i) at a temperature of 65 C., and at a pressure of 100 mbar, during 41 minutes, so as to obtain fruit preparation B, (iii) submitting the concentrated fruit preparation obtained in step (ii) to a pasteurization step, at a temperature of around 95 C., between 5 and 6 minutes, (iv) cooling under vacuum the concentrated fruit preparation obtained in step (ii) at a pressure of 100 mbar during 25 minutes, until a temperature of around 20 C.

(26) Fruit preparation A has a Brix degree at 20 C. of 63.6, and fruit preparation B has a Brix degree at 20 C. of 59.

(27) The firmness of fruit preparation A is 125N.

(28) The firmness of fruit preparation B is 70N.

(29) Therefore, the more the Brix degree increases and the evaporation factor is high, the more the fruit pieces are firm and resistant to further steps of the process, like a pasteurization step.

(30) Thus, the quality of the finished product comprising the fruit preparation obtained thanks to the process of the invention is better in term of fruit recovery.