Process for the preparation of a spreadable dispersion

Abstract

Process for the preparation of a spreadable edible dispersion wherein a mixture of oil and solid structuring agent particles is subjected to stirring and an aqueous phase and/or solid phase is gradually added to the mixture until a dispersion of the desired oil content is obtained, wherein the solid structuring agent particles have a microporous structure of submicron size particles.

Claims

1. A process for the preparation of a spreadable edible dispersion comprising subjecting a mixture of oil and solid structuring agent particles, which structuring agent particles comprise mixtures of triglycerides, to stirring and gradually adding an aqueous phase to the mixture until a dispersion is obtained, the dispersion comprising oil and structuring agent as continuous phase, said dispersion comprising an emulsion, wherein the solid structuring agent particles, also described as secondary particles have a microporous structure, and said particles are agglomerates of primary particles of submicron size, said primary particles are platelets having an average thickness of 0.01-0.5 m.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the solid structuring agent particles are edible lipid.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the lipid is a fat.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the solid structuring agent particles were prepared using a process wherein the solid structuring agent particles were prepared by preparing a homogeneous mixture of structuring agent and liquefied gas or supercritical gas at a pressure of 5-40 MPa and expanding the mixture through an orifice, in which the structuring agent was solidified.

5. Spreadable edible dispersion obtainable by a process according to claim 1.

6. A process for the preparation of a spreadable edible dispersion comprising subjecting a mixture of oil and solid structuring agent particles of edible lipid, which structuring agent particles are mixtures of triglycerides, to stirring and gradually adding an aqueous phase to the mixture until a dispersion is obtained, the dispersion comprising oil and structuring agent as continuous phase, said dispersion being an emulsion or a suspension, or any combination thereof, wherein the solid structuring agent particles, also described as secondary particles have a microporous structure, and said particles are agglomerates of primary particles of submicron size, said primary particles are platelets having an average thickness of 0.01-0.5 m wherein the solid structuring agent particles were prepared using a process wherein the solid structuring agent particles were prepared by preparing a homogeneous mixture of structuring agent and liquefied gas or supercritical gas at a pressure of 5-40 MPa and expanding the mixture through an orifice, in which the structuring agent was solidified.

7. The process according to claim 6, wherein the solid structuring agent particles comprise edible lipid.

8. The process according to claim 7, wherein the lipid comprises a fat.

9. Spreadable edible dispersion obtainable by a process according to claim 6.

10. The process according to claim 1 wherein the dispersion has a Stevens value measured at room temperature of 30 g or more.

11. The process according to claim 1 wherein the spreadable edible dispersion has a fat phase and a saturated fat content of 25 wt % or less expressed on the weight of the fat phase.

12. The process according to claim 1 wherein the secondary particles in the course of preparation of the dispersion are broken into submicron particles.

13. The process according to claim 6 wherein the liquefied or supercritical gas is carbon dioxide, nitrogen, propane, ethane or a noble gas.

14. The process according to claim 1 wherein the dispersion comprises 1-20 wt % structuring agent based on the total weight of the dispersion.

15. The process according to claim 6 wherein the dispersion has a Stevens value measured at room temperature of 30 g or more.

16. The process according to claim 6 wherein the spreadable edible dispersion has a fat phase and a saturated fat content of 25 wt % or less expressed on the weight of the fat phase.

17. The process according to claim 6 wherein the secondary particles in the course of preparation of the dispersion are broken into submicron particles.

18. The process according to claim 6 wherein the dispersion comprises 1-20 wt % structuring agent based on the total weight of the dispersion.

19. The process according to claim 1 wherein the structuring agent comprise edible fats which are mixtures of triglycerides some of which have a melting point higher than room temperature.

20. The process according to claim 6 wherein the structuring agent comprise edible fats which are mixtures of triglycerides some of which have a melting point higher than room temperature.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) FIG. 1 Process flow diagramme for a continuous process. (1) designates a premix vessel, (2) a pump, (3) a high shear mixer, (4) an extruder type mixer and (5) a feed entrance for micronised fat.

EXAMPLES

General

(2) Method to Determine Slip Melting Point

(3) The slip melting point of structuring agent is determined in accordance with F. Gunstone et al, The Lipid Handbook, 15 second edition, Chapman and Hall, 1995, page 321, Point 6.2.3, Slip point.

(4) Method to Determine D.sub.3,2 of the Particle Size Distribution of Micronised Fat Particles

(5) Low-angle laser light scattering (LALLS, Helos Sympatic) was used to measure the average particle size (D.sub.3.2). The fat particles were suspended in water in a quixel flow cuvette with an obscuration factor of 10-20%. The diffraction pattern was measured at 632.8 nm with a lens focus of 100 mm and a measurement range of 0.5-175 Calculations were bases on the Fraunhofer theory.

(6) A full description of the principle of LALLS is given in ISO 13320-1.

(7) Method to Determine D.sub.3,3 of Water Droplet Size Distribution in an Emulsion

(8) The water droplet size was measured using a well-known low resolution NMR measurement method. Reference is made to Van den Enden, J. C., Waddington, D., Van Aalst, H., Van Kralingen, C. G., and Packer, K. J., Journal of Colloid and Interface Science 140 (1990) p. 105.

(9) Method to Determine Oil Exudation

(10) Oil exudation is determined by measuring the height of the free oil layer that appears on top of the product. This free oil layer is considered a product defect. In order to measure oil exudation, the product is filled into a scaled glass cylinder of 50 ml. The filling height is 185 mm. The filled cylinder is stored in a cabinet at constant temperature (15 C.). Height measurements are executed every week, by measuring the height of the exuded oil layer in mm with a ruler. 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.

(11) Stevens Value

(12) Stevens values give an indication about the firmness of a product. The firmness of all products stored at 5 C. for 24 hours was measured at room temperature using a Stevens Texture Analyser (1 mm/sec, 25 mm depth, 4.4. mm probe) and is quoted herein as the Stevens value (in g).

Example 1

Preparation of a Spreadable Margarine

(13) A high-fat spreadable margarine was prepared with the composition shown in table 1:

(14) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Composition of high-fat spreadable margarine Amount Ingredient (wt. %) Oil phase Sunflower oil 59.68 Micronised fat powder.sup.1 9.64 Lecithin Bolec ZT.sup.1 0.32 Emulsifier Hymono 8903 0.20 beta-carotene (0.4 wt. % 0.15 solution in sunflower oil) Water phase Water 29.65 Potassium sorbate 0.08 Sodium chloride 0.28 .sup.1Hardstock fat as prepared in example 1 and 2 of EP-A-89082 which was micronised as in example 1 of PCT/EP2004/006544.

(15) The water phase was prepared by adding salt and potassium sorbate to distilled water and adjusting the pH of distilled water from 7.7 to 4.0 using 5 wt. % solution of citric acid in water, and heated for 5 minutes in a bath of 60 C. to dissolve the solids. The oil phase was prepared by dissolving the emulsifier ingredients and -carotene in the total amount of sunflower oil at 60 C. and cooled down to 15 C. afterwards. Subsequently the micronised fat powder was added to the oil phase carefully using a spatula and the oil phase was mixed with a kitchen mixer (Philips Essence HR1357/05) for 2 minutes. Then the water phase was added to the oil phase and the resulting mixture was mixed with the mixer for another 5 minutes at ambient temperature. A droplet size (D3,3) of about 10 m was obtained. The spread was put in a margarine tub and stored at 5 C. Results in table 3.

Example 2

Preparation of a Low-Fat Spread

(16) A low-fat (33 wt. % fat) spreadable margarine spread was prepared with the composition shown in table 2:

(17) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Composition of low-fat spread Amount Ingredient (wt. %) Oil phase Sunflower oil 27.65 Micronised fat powder as 4.59 in example 1 Lecithin Bolec ZT.sup.1 0.32 Emulsifier Hymono 8903 0.33 (monoglyceride) Beta-carotene (0.4 wt. % 0.15 solution in sunflower oil) Water phase Water 66.60 Potassium sorbate 0.08 Sodium chloride 0.28

(18) The micronised fat powder was mixed with half of the oil to obtain a fat powder/oil slurry. The fat/oil slurry was then stirred manually in the remainder of the oil to make the oil phase. In the next step the oil phase (slurry) was put in an EscoLabor device and half of the water phase was added to the oil phase. The EscoLabor vessel was kept at 5 C. The water and oil phase were mixed under vacuum.

(19) The scraper speed was found to be 80% of the maximum rotational speed and power of the Ultra Turrax was found to be optimal at 50% of maximum power. During the mixing of the oil- and water phases the remaining amount of water was added cautiously within 5 minutes. This yielded a homogeneous but very thick fat continuous product after 15 minutes. After 15 a droplet size (D3,3) of 3 m was obtained. This low fat spread was evaluated after 4 weeks of storage at 5 C. Results are given in table 3.

(20) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Stevens values and fat level low-fat micronised fat spread Fat level Stevens value Example (%) at 5 C. (g) Example 1 70 88 Example 2 33 112

Example 3

(21) A spread was produced with a composition as in table 4. A stable spread resulted. The water phase was made by mixing the salt in distilled water and holding the mixture at room temperature. The fat phase was produced by adding the micronised fat powder to liquid oil using a spatula. The water phase and the oil phase were mixed using a home kitchen mixer.

(22) It was possible to prepare a stable spread without emulsifier and thickener. The long term stability and/or consistency of the spread without emulsifier may be improved by adding a thickener to the water phase, e.g. 1 wt. % starch, a suitable starch type is Resistamyl 310.

(23) TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 composition of example 3 Oil 39.85 Phase Sunflower oil 33.87 Micronised fat powder as 5.98 in example 1 Beta-carotene (0.4 wt. % 0.15 solution in Sunflower oil) Water phase Water 59.5 Salt 0.5 100