FOOD PRODUCT

Abstract: This invention relates to cream-style soup which can be rendered drinkable by microwave heating from a frozen state without recourse to stirring. The soup comprises an aqueous phase substantially uniformly dispersing a starch system and an oleaginous system, the aqueous phase containing at least one dissolved freezing point depressant to provide some free water substantially uniformly dispersed throughout the product. The oleaginous system includes at least one fat in the form of particles of sizes less than 10 microns and the starch system comprises at least one starch in a partially gelatinised state and at least one humectant to act as a water activity depressant.

Description: FOOD PRODUCT This invention relates to a food product and in particular to a frozen, cream -style, starch-containing product which is consumable after microwave preparation without stirring. The invention has particular utility in the production and preparation of a hot drinkable cream- style soup, but can also extend to sweetened dessert products such as custards and milk shakes and to savoury products such as sauces and gravies. According to one aspect of the invention a frozen food product comprises an aqueous phase substantially uniformly dispersing a starch system and an oleaginous system, the aqueous phase containing at least one dissolved freezing point depressant to provide some free water substantially uniformly dispersed throughout the product, the oleaginous system including at least one fat in the form of particles of sizes less than 10 microns and th-e starch system comprising at least one starch in a partially gelatinised state and at least one humectant to act as ε water activity depressant for the starch system. Suitably the εtarch(eε) in the starch system has/have a gelatiniεation temperature between 70°. and 75°C. Conveniently the εtarch(eε) constitute(ε) from εome 2% w/w to 5% w/w of the product. The εtarch(eε) require(ε) to be freeze/thaw stable and is/are preferably also acid stable. Desirably the particles of fat in the oleaginous εystem have a size of leεε than 2 microns and conveniently are spray dried on a water activity reducing carrier (e.g. altodextrin) . Conveniently the product is frozen in volumes of between 100 and 200 ml in at least substantially microwave transparent drinking, vessels. Suitably the vesεelε can be removed from a microwave oven after thawing and heating the product and can be supported with a near-boiling aqueous phase within the vessel in a thermally unprotected hand. In a preferred form, the product is a volume of 150 ml to 170 ml of frozen crea -style soup which can be trans- formed into a hot drinkable product of moderate viscosity directly from the frozen state (e.g. at -18°C) with no stirring after approximately 3 minutes in a microwave oven (e.g. operating at some 2450 megahertz and 600 watts) and comprises (a) a partially gelatinised starch system based on at least one acid stable, freeze/thaw stable, modified waxy maize starch having a gelatinisation temperature at around 75°C, (b) an oleaginous system comprising droplets of leεε than 10 micronε in diameter of hydrogenated vegetable oil, (c) an aqueous phase dispersing the two systems (a) and (b) substantially homogeneously, the aqueous phase including ice particles dispersed in free water and (d) maltodextrin dissolved in the free water to create a substantially continuous carrier phase for systems (a) and (b). According to a further aspect of this invention, a process for manufacturing the precursor of a recently- thawed drinkable, starch-thickened, cream-εtyle food product, heated from a frozen state without stirring in a microwave oven, comprises forming a homogeneous mixture of product flavouring components, spray dried creaming ingredient based on vegetable oil, granules of at least one acid stable, freeze/thaw stable starch ano maltodextrin in water, heating the mixture vo a temperature at which swell ng of the starch granules w ll commence for a time to produce between say 10% and 80% of the total swelling potential of the starch granules, dispensing the mixture into individual containers intended to contain the product while heated in a microwave oven and while subsequently consumed, and freezing the containers and dispensed mixture to a temperature of between -15 and -20°C. .-. The extent to which the starch granules are swollen prior to freezing will be determined on the baεiε of the poεt-free∑ing microwave heating cycle to which the product will be subjected prior to consumption but the range quoted above will be typical. For a volume of 150 to 170 ml of cream soup subjected to 3 /4 minutes of microwave heating from frozen a percentage swelling of some 95% would be typical. A gelatinisation temperature for the starch granules would conveniently be around 75°C. The proportions of εtarch(es), fat, flavouring components and the amount and type of maltodextrin used in the mixture will be determined by the end product, but typical proportions for two soup mixes is given hereafter. Whey powder can be added to the starch system if required to modify texture/taste properties of the product. The creaming ingredient can be a spray dried hydrogen- ated vegetable oil of droplet size two microns or less on a maltodextrin carrier and can be added in a cold water- based slurry to a hot aqueous mix of the flavouring components. The starch(eε) can be added subsequently also in a cold aqueous εlurry containing maltodextrin and the heating to swell the starch granuleε to the required extent is conducted as the final hot processing stage prior to dispensing the mixture into individual portion-sized ready- to-εerve containers preparatory to freezing. The use of a liquid creaming ingredient of fat droplet size leεε than ten microns (and preferably leεε than two microns) is not ruled out. Whilst not attempting a full explanation of the proceεεeε involved, it is believed that the maltodextrin actε aε a humectant or water activity depreεsant in the aqueous mixture. This haε two effectε, firεtly it prevents further swelling of the starch granuleε until the temperature during the microwave heating increaεeε to a point where starch granule swelling can be completed without causing the generation of lumps in the mixture. Secondly, it maximises the amount of free water which is present in the frozen product and which is uniformly distributed. This water is available to interact with microwave energy and hence raise the temperature and so uniformly melt the ice. By ensuring that the starch granules present in the frozen state of the product have only developed no more than 75% of the final thickness and the fat (to develop the cream-sty-le taste and appearance) is present in a microemulsion of particles of a size leεε than 10 icronε (and preferably leεε than 2 icronε) it is ensured that a εubεtantially homogeneous mixture of starch and oleaginouε εystemε occurε in the freezing point depressed aqueous solution so that as a fully liquid εystem develops during heating in microwaves, a drinkable product results which does not need agitation (e.g. stirring) to give it an acceptable physical consistency. By way of non-limiting examples, the following give compositionε of two soups in accordance with this inven- tion. Example I Tomato Soup -per 150 ml unit Thickener levels ColFlo 67 2.4 g & types Purity W 1.125 g 3.525 g Both these products are ungelatiniεed waxy maize starches which are both acid stable and freeze/thaw stable. - Tomato Paste (32% εolidε) 10.80 g Creamer level and type Hydrogenated vegetable oil in a εpray-dried form on maltodextrin- emulεifier and stabiliser. 5.025 g Dispersantε - Maltodextrin 3.00 g (water activity - Sugar 7.50 g depreεεants) Flavours Salt 1.65 g Citric acid 2.90 g Spice Mix 0.20 g Example II Chicken Soup Thickener levelε ColFlo 67 3.525-g & types Purity W 1.687 g Creamer levels - Hydrogenated vegetable oil on a powdered & types maltodextrin carrier (The ratio of oil to carrier can be altered to give different types of creaminesε) 3.09 g Whey powder 1.5 g 4.59 Di εperεants - Mal todextri n 3.0 g * ( water acti vi ty depreεεantε ) Flavours Yeatex (approx. ) 0.3 g Onion powder 0.15 g Spice mix & Salt - to taste * The level of maltodextrin will be dependent on the type and level of thickener used. The accompanying drawing give ' s a flow chart for the commercial production of the tomato soup given in Example I.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A frozen food product comprises an aqueous phase substantially uniformly dispersing a starch system and an oleaginous system, the aqueous phase containing at least one dissolved freezing point depressant to provide some free water substantially uniformly dispersed throughout the product, the oleaginous system including at least one fat in the form of particles of sizes less than 10 microns and the starch system comprising at least one starch in a partially gelatinised state and at least one humectant to act as a water activity depressant for the starch system. 2. A product as claimed in claim 1, in which the εtarch(es) in the starch system has/have a gelatiniεation temperature between 70° and 75°C. 3. A product aε claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, in which the starch(es) conεtitute(ε) from some 2% w/w to 5% w/w of the product. 4. A product as claimed in any preceding claim, in which the particleε of fat in the oleaginous system have a size of leεs than 2 microns, 5. A product as claimed in claim 4, in which the particles of fat are- spray dried on a water activity reducing carrier. 6. A product as claimed in claim 5, in which the carrier is maltodextrin. 7. A product as claimed in any preceding claim, frozen in volumes of between 100 and 200 ml in at least substantially microwave transparent drinking vessels. 8. A product as claimed in claim 7, in which the vessels can be removed from a microwave oven after thawing and heating the product and can be supported with a near- 5 boiling aqueous phaεe within the vessel in a thermally unprotected hand. 9. A frozen food product as claimed in claim 1, which comprises (a) a partially gelatinised starch system based on at least one acid stable, freeze/thaw stable, modified 0 waxy maize starch having a gelatinisation temperature at around 75°C, (b) an oleaginous system comprising dropletε of less than 10 microns in diameter of hydrogenated vegetable oil, (c) an aqueous phase disperεing the two systems (a) and (b) substantially homogeneously, the 15 aqueous phaεe including ice particleε dispersed in free water and (d) maltodextrin dissolved in the free water to create a substantially continuous carrier phaεe for systems (a) and (b). 1U - A procesε for manufacturing the precurεor of a 0 recently-thawed drinkable, εtarch-thickened, cream-style food product, heated from a frozen state without stirring in a microwave oven, which process comprises forming a homogeneous mixture of product flavouring components, εpray d'-ied creaming ingredient based on vegetable oil, granules of at least one acid stable, freeze/thaw stable starch and 25 maltodextrin in water, heating the mixture to a temperature at which swelling of the starch granules will commence for a time to produce between 70% and 80% of the total swelling potential of the starch granules, dispensing the mixture into individual containers intended to contain the product ~'^ while heated in a microwave oven and while subsequently consumed, and freezing the containers and cispenεed mixture to a temperature of between -15 and -20°C.

Inventors: DUCKWORTH MICHAEL, DUCKWORTH, MICHAEL
Applicants: CAMPBELL FROZEN FOODS LTD, CAMPBELL FROZEN FOODS LIMITED
Application year: 1989
Main classification: A23L1
IPC codes: A23G9, A23L1