FERMENTED CREAM CHEESE COMPOSITION WITH HIGH PROTEIN CONTENT

Abstract

A spoonable fermented cream cheese composition with high protein content, of the quark or skyr type, intended for persons requiring increased intakes of proteins, such as sportspersons and elderly persons. The composition comprises at least 8% by weight proteins, with respect to the total weight of the composition, the proteins consisting of a mixture of casein and milk serum proteins in a weight ratio between 50/50 and 75/25, the milk serum proteins comprising at least 20% denatured serum proteins in the form of microparticles, by weight with respect to the total weight of the serum proteins, and in that the pH is less than or equal to 4.6.

Claims

1. Spoonable fermented cream cheese composition, of the quark or skyr type, comprising: - at least 8% by weight proteins, with respect to the total weight of the composition, the proteins consisting of a mixture of casein and milk serum proteins in a weight ratio of between 50/50 and 75/25, the milk serum proteins comprising at least 20% denatured serum proteins in the form of microparticles, by weight with respect to the total weight of the serum proteins, and the pH is less than or equal to 4.6.

2. Composition according to claim 1, wherein the ratio between casein and the milk serum proteins is 70/30.

3. Composition according to claim 1, wherein the ratio between the casein and the milk serum proteins is 55/45.

4. Composition according to claim 1, wherein the serum proteins comprise at least 35%, serum proteins in the form of microparticles, by weight with respect to the total weight of serum proteins.

5. Composition according to claim 1, wherein the serum proteins in the form of microparticles have a mean diameter greater than 1 .Math.m.

6. Composition according to claim 1, comprising at least 10% , by weight, with respect to the total weight of the composition.

7. Composition according to claim 1, comprising no more than 5% carbohydrates by weight, with respect to the total weight of the composition.

8. Composition according to claim 1, comprising no more than 5% fat, by weight, with respect to the total weight of the composition.

9. Composition according to claim 1, comprising one or more lactic bacteria, one or more texturing agents, one or more dyes, one or more flavourings.

10. Composition according to claim 1, wherein it has a viscosity of less than 7 Pas.s measured at a shearing speed of 50 s.sup.-1 at 6° C.

11. Composition according to claim 1, for use thereof in the nutritional supplementation of sporting or elderly persons.

Description

[0017] The invention sets out to solve all the aforementioned problems.

[0018] One of the aims of the present invention is thus to propose a fermented fromage frais composition with a high protein content that has organoleptic properties acceptable to the consumer, in particular a smooth texture, especially a flexible and pleasant texture, without any phenomenon of phase separation, a protein profile that is advantageous on a nutritional level, the composition being intended both for active and sportive persons and for elderly or even malnourished persons.

[0019] For this purpose, the invention relates to a spoonable fermented fromage frais composition, of the quarg or quark or skyr type, characterised in that it comprises: [0020] at least 8% by weight proteins, with respect to the total weight of the composition, [0021] the proteins consisting of a mixture of casein and milk serum proteins in a weight ratio of 50/50 to 75/25, [0022] the milk serum proteins comprising at least 20% denatured serum proteins in the form of microparticles, by weight with respect to the total weight of the serum proteins, [0023] the pH of the composition being less than or equal to 4.6.

[0024] The composition according to the invention has an advantageous serum protein content with regard to nutritional intake, in particular for sportspersons and elderly persons. The quantity of serum proteins in the composition is specifically adjusted so as not to observe a phenomenon of phase separation.

[0025] The composition according to the invention also has good organoleptic characteristics, with a flexible and pleasant texture, as well as a creamy taste, by virtue of the addition of denatured serum proteins in the form of microparticles.

[0026] Advantageously, the milk serum proteins comprise at least 35%, preferentially at least 40% serum proteins in the form of microparticles, by weight with respect to the total weight of the serum proteins.

[0027] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the ratio between the casein and the serum proteins is 70/30.

[0028] At such a ratio, the organoleptic characteristics such as the improvement in smoothness are well perceived by the consumer.

[0029] Preferentially, at such a ratio, the serum proteins comprise between 20 and 35% serum proteins in the form of microparticles, by weight with respect to the total weight of serum proteins.

[0030] According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the ratio between the casein and the serum proteins is 55/45.

[0031] Such a ratio also favours the nutritional aspect of the product as well as the texture, in particular the smoothness.

[0032] Preferentially, at such a ratio, the serum proteins comprise more than 35% serum proteins in the form of microparticles, by weight with respect to the total weight of serum proteins.

[0033] According to one embodiment, the denatured serum proteins in the form of microparticles have a mean diameter greater than 1 .Math.m, preferentially greater than 2.5 .Math.m.

[0034] The sizes of the microparticles are measured by laser diffraction using a Mastersizer 3000 granulometer (Malvern, Almelo, Netherlands and Malvern, United Kingdom) using two monochromatic lasers with a wavelength of 470 and 632.8 nm.

[0035] According to one embodiment, the composition comprises at least 10%, preferentially at least 12%, and more preferentially more than 14% proteins, by weight with respect to the total weight of the composition.

[0036] According to one embodiment, the composition comprises no more than 5% carbohydrates, by weight with respect to the total weight of the composition.

[0037] According to one embodiment, the composition comprises no more than 5% fat, by weight with respect to the total weight of the composition.

[0038] According to one embodiment, the composition comprises one or more lactic bacteria, one or more texturing agents, one or more dyes, one or more flavourings.

[0039] According to one embodiment, the composition has a viscosity of less than 7 Pa.s measured at a shearing speed of 50 s.sup.-1 at 6° C.

[0040] The viscosity is measured by means of an MCR300 rheometer (Anton Paar, Graz, Austria) equipped with a cone-plate geometry (CP50-4; diameter 50 mm).

[0041] The viscosity obtained is thus at least 10% less compared with that of a conventional quark, skyr or fromage frais having a conventional ratio of caseins to serum proteins of 80:20 at the same total protein content.

[0042] The invention also relates to a method for preparing a composition of fromage frais resulting from milks of all animal species as described previously, the method comprising the following steps: [0043] a step of preparing a fromage frais, [0044] a step of obtaining denatured and microparticulated serum proteins, [0045] a step of mixing 60 to 95% fromage frais and 5 to 40% serum proteins comprising at least 20% denatured serum proteins in the form of microparticles, by weight with respect to the total weight of serum proteins.

[0046] The fromage frais is prepared in accordance with any of the methods well known to a person skilled in the art. By way of example, the method may comprise the following steps: [0047] obtaining a skimmed milk, [0048] pasteurising, preferentially at 90° C., for 5 minutes, [0049] fermenting, preferably at 30° C., for 14 h, at pH 4.6, [0050] thermising, preferentially at 60° C., for 1 minute, [0051] separating the curds by any physical means, preferentially at 50° C., [0052] cooling the curds, preferentially at 15° C.

[0053] Once the curds are cooled, cream can optionally be added, as well as yoghurt.

[0054] The serum proteins comprising at least 20% serum proteins in microparticle form, by weight with respect to the total weight of the serum proteins, are then added to the curds.

[0055] The invention also relates to the use of a composition as defined above for the nutritional supplementation of sporting or elderly persons, in particular for protein supplementation or renutrition.

[0056] The invention will be better understood from the reading of the example embodiments that follow, which are intended to be illustrative and non-limitative.

EXAMPLE 1: RHEOLOGY STUDY

[0057] Rheology studies were performed on the following four fromage frais compositions: [0058] MP11% ratio cas/PS 80/20: Fromage frais composition at 11% proteins; ratio casein/non-microparticulated serum proteins of 80/20. [0059] MP12% ratio cas/PS 80/20: Fromage frais composition at 12% proteins; ratio casein/non-microparticulated serum proteins of 80/20. [0060] MP12% ratio cas/PS 70/30: Fromage frais composition at 12% proteins; ratio casein/denatured and microparticulated serum proteins of 70/30. [0061] MP12% ratio cas/PS 50/50: Fromage frais composition at 12% proteins; ratio casein/non-microparticulated serum proteins of 50/50. [0062] MP13% ratio cas/PS 70/30: Fromage frais composition at 13% proteins; ratio casein/denatured and microparticulated serum proteins of 70/30. [0063] MP13% ratio cas/PS 50/50: Fromage frais composition at 13% proteins; ratio casein/denatured and microparticulated serum proteins of 50/50. [0064] MP14% ratio cas/PS 70/30: Fromage frais composition at 14% of proteins; ratio casein/denatured and microparticulated serum proteins of 70/30. [0065] MP14% ratio cas/PS 50/50: Fromage frais composition at 14% proteins; ratio casein/denatured and microparticulated serum proteins of 50/50. [0066] MP15% ratio cas/PS 50/50: Fromage frais composition at 15% proteins; ratio casein/denatured and microparticulated serum proteins of 50/50.

[0067] The flow curves were produced by means of an MCR300 rheometer (Anton Paar, Graz, Austria) equipped with a cone-plate geometry (CP50-4; diameter 50 mm) in the shearing range from 1 to 350 s.sup.-1 at 6° C.

[0068] The viscosities at 50 s.sup.-1 at 6° C., the most representative of the perception in the mouth of consumers, are indicated in Table 1 below:

TABLE-US-00001 Viscosity at 50 s.sup.-1 (Pa.s) MP11% ratio cas/PS 80/20 4.95 MP12% ratio cas/PS 80/20 7.78 MP12% ratio cas/PS 70/30 3.65 MP12% ratio cas/PS 50/50 3.05 MP13% ratio cas/PS 70/30 5.38 MP13% ratio cas/PS 50/50 4.27 MP14% ratio cas/PS 70/30 6.89 MP14% ratio cas/PS 50/50 5.17 MP15% ratio cas/PS 50/50 5.69

[0069] The composition MP12% ratio cas/PS 80/20 has a viscosity level greater than the viscosity sought and is therefore not accepted by consumers.

[0070] All the other compositions have viscosities below the acceptability limit of the consumers fixed at 7 Pa.s at 6° C.

[0071] It should be noted that, the more the protein content increases, the more adapted is the 50/50 ratio, making it possible to obtain a pleasant and stable texture (no phase separation).

[0072] In addition, FIG. 1 illustrates graphically the information in table 1.