Seasoning Composition, Snack Food Comprising Said Composition and Method of Seasoning a Snack Food

Abstract

A seasoning composition suitable for application topically to a snack food, and in particular an uncooked snack food, the seasoning composition comprising a plurality of seasoning-containing granules.

Claims

1.-17. (canceled)

18. A method of seasoning a snack food, comprising the steps of: i) applying topically to an uncooked snack food dough, a first partial seasoning composition comprising a solid seasoning component in the form of a plurality of granules, wherein said granules contain a mixture of seasoning ingredients; a carrier for the seasoning ingredients; and, optionally, at least one adjuvant component; ii) cooking the coated snack food dough in an oven or fryer; and iii) applying topically to the cooked snack food, a second partial seasoning composition.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein said granules have a volume average particle size 250 to 1400 microns.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein said granules are in the form of composite particles built up through a process of agglomeration of a plurality of primary particles using a binder solution or suspension.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the binding solution or suspension comprises a binding agent selected from the group consisting of gum Arabic, maltodextrin and cellulose derivatives.

22. The method according to claim 21, wherein the binding solution or suspension comprises methyl cellulose as the binding agent.

23. The method according to claim 20, wherein the binding solution or suspension contains seasoning ingredients.

24. The method according to claim 18, wherein the granules have a bulk density of between 250 g/1 and 1000 g/l.

25. The method according to claim 18, wherein the first partial seasoning composition contains at least one seasoning ingredient selected from the group consisting of tastants; tastant enhancers; dairy powders; minerals; natural, nature-identical or artificial flavours that are useful in savoury snack food applications, to provide a particular taste and/or aroma; and ingredients that alter the body or mouthfeel of a seasoning, or which impart an organoleptic effect other than taste or aroma.

26. The method according to claim 18, wherein the first partial seasoning composition includes one of more of: sugars; fats; salts; MSG; calcium phosphate; food acids; amino acids; proteins; purines; and aroma chemicals.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the first partial seasoning composition includes one of more of: sugars; fats; salts; MSG; calcium phosphate; citric, malic, tartaric, fumaric, lactic, acetic, malic, lactic and/or succinic acid; any of the essential amino acids and mixtures thereof; proteins; ribonucleotides; synthetic flavour oils and flavouring aromatics and/or oils, oleoresins, essences, distillates, and extracts derived from plants, leaves, flowers, fruits, and so forth; and combinations comprising at least one of the foregoing.

28. The method according to claim 18, wherein seasoning ingredients in the first partial seasoning composition are present in amounts of 60 to 100 wt %, based on the total weight of the first partial seasoning composition.

29. The method according to claim 18, wherein the first partial seasoning composition contains a mixture of ingredients able to impart a cheese flavour; a meaty flavour; an alliaceous flavour; a tangy flavour; a spicy flavour; or any combinations thereof.

30. The method according to claim 18, wherein the second partial seasoning composition is an aroma oil.

31. The method according to claim 18, wherein the snack food is farinaceous or starch-based.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the snack food is a cracker.

33. The method according to claim 18, wherein the method is an industrial preparation of snack foods.

34. The method according to claim 18, wherein the seasonings are topically applied by means of a drum tumbler or a conveyer-based applicator.

35. A snack food obtained by the method according to claim 18.

36. The snack food according to claim 35, wherein the snack food is prepared by an industrial process.

37. The snack food according to claim 35, wherein the snack food is farinaceous or starch-based.

Description

EXAMPLE 1

Preparation of agglomerated granules

[0103] The ingredients are shown below:

TABLE-US-00001 Material Gram A Taste module 160 MSG 100 Malto Dextrine 200 Salt 300 Yeast Extract 40 Lactic Acid (SD) 20 Salt Flavour 10 B Water 114 Gum Arabic 50

[0104] The process was carried out in a rotor granulator operating under the following conditions (with the usual slight practical variations):

TABLE-US-00002 Inlet temperature 100° C. Product Temperature  55° C. Air flow 70 m3/h Nozzle air pressure 1 bar

[0105] One batch was prepared, in which a solution of gum Arabic (B) is sprayed on to the powder mix (A) in the fluidised bed processing agglomerates.

[0106] The agglomerates were then collected and sieved to give agglomerates of a D90 <1000 micron.

EXAMPLE 2

[0107] A standard cracker dough was prepared mixing flour, baking powder, salt, enzymes, glucose syrup, shortening and water. The dough was spread to form the dough into a sheet placed on a tray.

[0108] Granules formed according to Example 1 were sprinkled onto the uncooked dough in an amount of 1.5 wt % based on the weight of the cracker dough.

[0109] The seasoned dough was then baked in an oven initially at 260 degrees Celsius for 4 minutes, and for a further 6 minutes at 125 degrees celcius until the dough was thoroughly cooked.

[0110] A cheese aroma oil 10 wt % in a carrier oil was sprayed onto the cooked crackers in an amount of 8 wt % based on the weight of the cooked cracker, by passing the cracker through a spinning disk applicator.

[0111] The seasoning on the cracker had a uniformly pleasant appearance of toasted gratinated cheese. Despite the low oil content (8 wt %) the cracker had a desirable cheese flavour and pleasant, rich mouthfeel.

[0112] Furthermore, the spraying equipment did not display any tendency towards blockage during the application process, and was free of the polluting greasiness that typically is experienced when applying a seasoning in one part form as a slurry.