FROZEN CONFECTION

Abstract: Keepable particulate frozen dessert or ice confection product having a weight average particle size of from 0.001 to 20 ml, the majority of the particles having a thermal transition temperature of at least -15 DEG C.

Description: FROZEN CONFECTION Frozen desserts or ice confection products are due to change fairly often because customers, often children, are continuously expecting changes of design, shape, flavour or of other features of the products. Accordingly it is an object of the invention to provide novel frozen desserts or ice confection products having features not known to date, which products should be keepable during normal storage periods under usual storage conditions. The invention provides thereto a particulate frozen dessert or ice confection product which is characterised by a volume-average particle size of from 0.001 to 20 ml, the majority of the particles having a thermal transition temperature of at least -15°C and more preferred of at least -12°C. In practice particle sizes in the range from 0.1 to 1 ml are being preferred. For tropical countries and other areas where a stable storage temperature can not be guaranteed and power cut offs are not unusual a thermal transition temperature of -10°C or higher is preferred. A higher thermal transition temperature is achieved by altering the formulation to give a higher average molecular weight. For example conventional sweeteners such as sucrose and dextrose are replaced by corn syrups to achieve this purpose. Also the lactose content in any milk solids used may be lowered or even be absent. Maltodextrin can also be used. Determination of the thermal transition temperature is carried out by differential scanning calorimetry. About 10 mg of solution is sealed in a pan. An empty pan is used as a reference and the pans are crash-cooled and then warmed again at a rate of 5°C per minute. The thermal transition "temperature is seen as a change in the heat capacity before the ice melting curve. This change may be a step or a peak. There may be other small changes prior to this but the thermal transition is defined as the last change before the ice melting/dissolving curve. The use of higher molecular weight materials causes the water to solidify as an amorphous solid. This has negligible diffusion and is thus relatively stable. This stability allows preparation of stable particulate frozen confections. The shapes of the particles of the product according to this invention can be various for example globular or roughly globular r pillow shaped, rod shaped etc. These particles can be loosely flowable in the final product to be eaten separately or any desired number simultaneously but can also be sintered together by moistening with a cementing fluid material which is afterwards solidified by lowering its temperature. The invention will be explained in the following non- limiting examples wherein some embodiments are described. Parts and percentages are referring to weights. was allowed to drop as small drops on a stainless steel surface cooled by liquid nitrogen. The round pillow shaped particles had an average volume of 0.2 ml. After scraping the particles off the cold surface they were stored in a domestic freezer at -10°C for 14 days and showed no shrinkage or sintering. Determination of the thermal transition temperature of -10.4°C. Example 2 (control) A similar mixture as used in Example 1 but containing: up to 100% water was frozen to particles and stored under the conditions of Example 1. This composition resulted in a thermal transition temperature of -31.9°C. After storage a shrinkage of about 30% by volume was noted and the particles had sintered together to a mass. This water ice mixture was put into a trough into which a spiked wheel was dipping, taking up small amounts of liquid. On falling off the pointed spikes the resulting drops were dropped into liquid nitrogen and collected therefrom after solidifying to globular particles of about 0.1 ml volume each. This formulation had a thermal transition temperature of -12.5°C. After storage for 3 months in a domestic *** freezer no appreciable shrinkage was noted, and the particles were free-flowing. Example 4 The particles in Example 3 were made into ice lollies. These were made by slightly melting the outside of the particles by stirring them in a small container at room temperature and adding a little water. The particles were then packed into lolly moulds, a stick was inserted and the product was refrozen by placing into a low-temperature bath. The frozen product was removed from the mould by warming the outside. The lolly comprising sintered particles gave a novel attractive appearance, could be easily nibbled off and was stable in storage for long periods.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Particulate frozen dessert or ice confection product characterised by a volume average particle size of from 0.001 to 20 ml, the majority of the particles having a thermal transition temperature of at least -15°C. 2. Product according to claim 1, characterised by a thermal transition temperature of at least -12°C. 3. Product according to claim 1, characterised by a thermal transition temperature of at least -10°C. 4. Product according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the particles are sintered together. 5. Product according to claim 1, 2 or 3 , characterised in that the particles are mainly globular. 6. Product according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the particles are mainly pillow shaped. 7. Product according to claim 1, 2 or 3 , characterised in that the particles are mainly rod shaped. 8. Product according to any one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the volume average particle size is in the range from 0.1 to 1 ml.

Inventors: HOLT CHRISTOPHER BRUNSDEN, TELFORD JULIA HELEN, HOLT, CHRISTOPHER, BRUNSDEN, TELFORD, JULIA, HELEN
Applicants: UNILEVER NV, UNILEVER PLC
Application year: 1993
Main classification: A23G9
IPC codes: A23G9