FOOD PRODUCTS

Abstract: This invention concerns the use of pot ale or an equivalent thereof in the production of food products or components of food products suitable for human consumption and having the distinctive taste and/or texture associated with malt.

Description: Food Products This invention relates to food products. In particular, it relates to food products, including non-alcoholic beverages and nutraceuticals , having the distinctive taste and/or texture associated with malt . Malt is the basic ingredient of a number of well-known foods and beverages. It is used worldwide as the main constituent (after water) in virtually all beers. It is also used in the food industry where one important usage is in the production of malted milk beverages. Malt loaves are also available. In each case malt imparts a distinctive taste and a unique texture or mouthfeel to the final product. Malt contains a high proportion of the sugar maltose which, in the case of malted milk drinks, accounts for their high sweetness. In the brewing of beer, however, the maltose is metabolised by yeast during fermentation, in which it is converted into alcohol and carbon dioxide, resulting in a beverage with relatively low sweetness . This feature together with the bittering elements obtained from hops (the other main ingredient in beer) accounts for the refreshing qualities of beer. Indeed these refreshing qualities combined with the unique mouth feel or texture derived from the malt are the attributes for which beer is renowned worldwide. Beers vary enormously in colour, flavour and sweetness and generally contain 4%-6% by volume alcohol. In some cases the alcohol is subsequently wholly or partly removed and the resultant products are marketed as low- or non-alcoholic beers. Malt whisky distillers are also large users of malt . They brew malted barley (with or without the addition of other cereals or other products of agricultural origin) and ferment the resultant wort with yeast in much the same manner as the brewers. However, when the fermentation is complete, the fermented material is conducted to a still in which substantially all of the alcohol, about one third of the water, and a range of other volatile substances are removed to be further processed into malt whisky, leaving a residue in the still called "pot ale" . This material is the main byproduct of a malt distillery and its disposal has caused considerable difficulties over the years. Traditionally pot ale has been dispersed in the environment, a practice which has been progressively restricted by environmental regulations and which is now limited to discharge by pipeline into the open sea or the controlled spraying over large areas of pasture . The alternative to date has been the concentration, by water removal, to a syrup or dry solid to be used as a source of vegetable protein in animal feeds. The value of this material, even when highly efficient multiple effect evaporators are used, is such that the operation generally fails to achieve break-even economics. It has now surprisingly been discovered that pot ale possesses the distinctive flavour and unique mouthfeel characteristics of malt and can be converted into a base which can be used as an ingredient in a wide range of human food products. Pot ale is free of both the sugar maltose and alcohol, it contains a wide range of vitamins and highly nutritious nitrogenous and non- nitrogenous materials, and has a natural pale amber colour . The term "food product" as used herein includes solid and semi -solid food products and beverages, and includes, for example, health foods, nutraceuticals , breads, milk beverages, textured soft drinks and nonalcoholic beverages having the characteristics of beer. The term "non-alcoholic beverages" as used herein refers to beverages having an alcohol content no greater than 0.5% by volume. According to the present invention there is provided the use of pot ale or an equivalent thereof in the production of a food product suitable for human consumption or of a component for such a food product. The invention also provides a process for preparing a component for a food product suitable for human consumption, the process comprising stabilising pot ale or an equivalent thereof and removing insoluble solids therefrom, and optionally concentrating the resulting product to form a syrup or drying the resulting product to form a powder. Stabilisation of the pot ale or an equivalent thereof is preferably achieved by means of an antioxidant such as BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) , BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) , a tocopherol, S0 2 or ascorbic acid. Chemical stabilisation with ascorbic acid is particularly preferred. The insoluble solids may be removed by any suitable means, such as for example, decantation and/or filtration and/or centrifugation. The resulting supernatant/filtrate may be further purified by, for example, passing it through activated charcoal or an ion exchange resin. The use of ion exchange resins serves to render the resulting product substantially tasteless, odourless and colourless, but retaining the unique mouthfeel of malt. This product is particularly suitable for use in the production of textured soft drinks . When the insoluble solids are removed from the pot ale or an equivalent thereof, the resulting material may be concentrated to form a syrup, preferably having a solids content of from 30% to 50%, more preferably about 40% by weight. Alternatively, after removal of the insoluble solids, the resulting material may be pasteurised by heating to a temperature in the range of from 80°C to 95°C. This material is preferably filled immediately into containers and sealed, the temperature on sealing being maintained in excess of 72°C. The pasteurised material or the concentrated material (syrup) may be stored for approximately one year in sealed containers prior to subsequent processing and/or incorporation in a food product . The invention also provides a component for a food product suitable for human consumption, wherein the component is obtainable by a process according to the invention . The invention also provides a food product suitable for human consumption comprising a food component according to the invention. The invention further provides a process for preparing a non-alcoholic beverage having the characteristics of beer, which process comprises mixing a food component according to the invention with a sweetening agent and hops or hop flavouring. The pot ale used in the present invention may be derived from any malted cereal, especially barley. Such pot ale is conveniently obtained from the production of Scotch whisky which is based on malted barley, water and yeast only. The pot ale or an equivalent thereof may be concentrated before use by evaporation of water. If a substantial amount of water is removed the pot ale becomes syrupy in consistency and may be described as "pot ale syrup" . The pot ale (following removal of the insoluble solids) may also be dried to form a powder. These products are part of the present invention. The invention is illustrated in the following Examples. Example 1 1400 litres of pot ale were collected from the pot ale discharge of one of the wash stills at Glenmorangie distillery (Scotland) . 1.4 kg of ascorbic acid B.P. were immediately added and the mixture was agitated to dissolve the acid. The mixture was allowed to stand overnight in a suitable vessel. During this time the mixture gradually cooled and solid matter settled to the bottom, leaving a supernatant layer which was substantially clear. The supernatant layer was carefully decanted taking care not to disturb the sediment, and pasteurised by heating to 85°C and immediately filled into 200 - litre steel drums with food grade, inner, inert, plastic coating, and sealed. The treated pot ale, i.e. the base, was then used to produce an adult soft drink having the appearance and characteristics of beer but containing no significant amount of alcohol, as follows: 1. Ingredients 1-5 above were mixed in a tank and allowed to rest overnight . 2. The product was chill filtered at 2°C +/-1 through a Carlson Ford XE 150 HWS filter. 3. The product was carbonated in a tower carbonater with air purging facility to a give a carbonation level of 2-2.5 volumes. 4. The product was immediately bottled into 330 ml bottles and crown capped. 5. The bottles were processed through an in-bottle pasteuriser operating at a peak temperature of 72 °C and delivering 200 pasteurising units. 6. The bottles were labelled and shrunk wrapped in 24s on cardboard trays . Example 2 1700 litres of pot ale were collected from the pot ale discharge of one of the wash stills at Glenmorangie distillery. 1.7 kg of ascorbic acid B.P. were immediately added and the mixture was agitated to dissolve the acid. The mixture was allowed to stand overnight in a suitable vessel. During this time the mixture gradually cooled and solid matter settled to the bottom, leaving a supernatant layer which was substantially clear. The supernatant layer was carefully decanted taking care not to disturb the sediment, and percolated through a column packed with activated charcoal, Sutcliffe Speakman type 607 with a mesh size of 10-30. The column used comprised a vertical, 316 grade, stainless steel pipe of 200 mm diameter and approximately 1200 mm high. This was packed with charcoal such that the volume occupied by the charcoal was 35 litres. The supernatant liquor was fed into the top of the column at a rate of 500 litres per hour. The charcoal treated liquor was then filtered clear through a Carlson Ford XE 150 HWS filter. This filtrate was then pasteurised by heating to 85°C and immediately filled into drums as described in Example 1. The resulting base was then used to produce an adult soft drink having the appearance and characteristics oi beer but containing no significant amount of alcohol according to the procedure described in Example 1 and based on the following ingredients : Example 3 1700 litres of pot ale were collected and treated as described in Example 2 except that instead of pasteurising the filtrate, it was concentrated to 40% solids in an evaporator operating at reduced pressure such that the temperature of the liquid did not exceed 95°C. The resultant syrup was hot filled into drums. This syrup has a shelf life of approximately one year, during which time it can be stored, transported and traded. This syrup is similar to malt extract except that it contains no maltose and is therefore considerably lower in dietary calories. In addition it contains a range of vitamins and other nutrients arising from the yeast. As such, this product can be used to replace malt extract in malted milk drinks and other foods, and can be used in health foods or nutraceuticals . Alternatively, the syrup can be reconstituted with water and processed into a soft drink having the characteristics of beer but containing no significant amount of alcohol. Such a beverage was prepared according to the procedure described in Example 1, but with the following ingredients: Example 4 1700 litres of pot ale were collected from the pot ale discharge of one of the wash stills at Glenmorangie distillery . 1.7 kg of ascorbic acid B.P. were immediately added and the mixture was agitated to dissolve the acid. The mixture was allowed to stand overnight in a suitable vessel. During this time the mixture gradually cooled and solid matter settled to the bottom, leaving a supernatant layer which was substantially clear. The supernatant layer was carefully decanted taking care not to disturb the sediment, and processed through three columns of ion exchange resins, the first and third of which were weak base acrylic anion exchange resins (Purolite A847) and the second column was a strong acid cation exchange resin in the hydrogen form (Purolite C-100H) . Purolite is a trade mark. The resulting liquid was then concentrated to 40% solids in an evaporator operating at reduced pressure such that the temperature of the liquid did not exceed 95°C. Syrup produced in this manner possesses the unique texture of malt but contains no maltose and is therefore considerably lower in dietary calories. Otherwise, it is substantially tasteless, odourless and colourless. This product provides the unique mouthfeel of malt in an otherwise substantially inert form which has a variety of applications as an ingredient in soft drinks and other beverages not having the flavour of beer, producing so-called textured soft drinks. The availability of alternative uses of pot ale provided by the present invention will encourage distillers away from environmentally damaging disposal methods and towards the production of natural, nutritious foods or ingredients suitable for human consumption which are low in dietary calories and possess the unique texture and/or flavour associated with malt .

Claims: CLAIMS : 1. Use of pot ale or an equivalent thereof in the production of a food product suitable for human consumption or of a component for such a food product. 2. A process for preparing a component for a food product suitable for human consumption, the process comprising stabilising pot ale or an equivalent thereof and removing insoluble solids therefrom, and optionally concentrating the resulting product to form a syrup or drying the resulting product to form a powder. 3. A process according to claim 2, wherein the pot ale or equivalent thereof is stabilised by the addition of an antioxidant. 4. A process according to claim 3, wherein the antioxidant is BHA, BHT, a tocopherol, S0 2 or ascorbic acid, preferably ascorbic acid. 5. A process according to any of claims 2-4, wherein the insoluble solids are removed by decantation, filtration or centrifugation or by a combination of one or more thereof . 6. A process according to any of claims 2-5, wherein the insoluble solids are removed by decantation and filtration and the resulting filtrate is concentrated to form a syrup having a solids content of from 30% to 50%, preferably about 40% by weight. 7. A process according to claim 6 further comprising passing the filtrate through an ion exchange resin prior to concentration. 8. A component for a food product suitable for human consumption, wherein the component is obtainable by the process of any of claims 1-7. 9. A food component according to claim 8 in the form of a syrup comprising about 40% by weight solids. 10. A food product comprising a food component according to claim 8 or 9. 11. A food product according to claim 10, which is a non-alcoholic beverage having the characteristics of beer . 12. A process for preparing a non-alcoholic beverage having the characteristics of beer, the process comprising mixing a food component according to claim 8 or 9 with a sweetening agent and hops or hop flavouring.

Inventors: BOHANE GEORGE EDWARD, COURT NOREEN BERNADETTE, COURT ROBERT EDWARD, BOHANE, GEORGE, EDWARD, COURT, NOREEN, BERNADETTE, COURT, ROBERT, EDWARD
Applicants: BOHANE GEORGE EDWARD, COURT NOREEN BERNADETTE, COURT ROBERT EDWARD, MALTEX LIMITED, BOHANE, GEORGE, EDWARD, COURT, NOREEN, BERNADETTE, COURT, ROBERT, EDWARD
Application year: 1998
Main classification: A23L1
IPC codes: A23L1, A23L2, C12F3