A SHELF-STABLE MOIST FOAM FOODPRODUCT AND A PROCESS FOR ITS PREPARATION

Abstract: The present invention concerns a shelf-stable moist food foam product comprising a moist, foamed food base and at least one edible partially or fully denaturated protein which stabilizes the air bubbles in the food base and which contains more than 20 % water.

Description: A SHELF-STABLE MOIST FOAM FOODPRODUCT AND A PROCESS FOR ITS PREPARATION The present invention concerns a shelf-stable moist food foam product and a process for its preparation. It is already known to have a shelf-stable foam product. The Japanese patent application No. 58-40052 in the name of Shikishima Seipan KK concerns a process for producing an aerated dessert food in a container. The problem with this patent is that they must operate with two mixtures, the first being whipped, the second not and then they mix both mixtures and carry out a sterilisation : this makes the process more complicated and expensive. Secondly, they proceed with cream, which makes it necessary to whip at low temperature, and the subsequent sterilisation will lead to a collapse of the foam. Thirdly, they carry out the whipping with air, which is not the best way to avoid any oxidation of the final product. It is also known in US 3655405, US 4592919 and EP 545025 to have a dry souffle composition. But in this case, when the souffle is reconstituted , whipped and baked the final product obtained has an increase of its original volume. The aim of the present invention is to manufacture a shelf- stable moist food foam product according to an easier way than in the prior art, with a whipping substantially without oxygen and allowing said whipped product to be sterilised in a safe way, that is without any risk of having a collapse of the foam. Furthermore, there is no increase of the volume during the heating or sterilisation step. The present invention concerns a shelf-stable moist food foam product comprising a moist , foamed food base and at least one edible partially or fully denaturated protein which stabilizes the air bubbles in the food base and which contains more than 20 % water. The foam product according to the invention has bubbles, which are stabilised by protein denaturation at the interface of said bubbles and by a network building in the bulk. By moist in the present specification, we understand that water is present in the moist food foam product at a level of more than 20 %. The specificity of the invention is that the moist food foam product is obtained through a heat-treatment, which is carried out after the whipping. During this heat-treatment, the proteins reach a certain degree of denaturation , wherein film and bulk fixation and gelatinisation takes ■ place : this gives the stabilisation of the bubbles of the foam product and a network building in the bulk. In the present specification, heat-treatment means any treatment with an increase of the temperature above 65 °C, which is the temperature at which begins the denaturation of the proteins. So, it is possible according the invention to pasteurise, sterilise or make any other heat-treatment . The obtained moist product has a shelf-life of 3 to 18 months at room temperature. Preferably, the shelf-life is around 9 to 12 months without any organoleptic loss . But, it is also possible according to the invention to manufacture chilled products with a milder heat-treatment , but wherein a certain denaturation of the proteins occur. The fruit can be any type of fruit. Preferably, the fruit is taken from the group consisting of apple, cherry, UJ ) to to I-Λ O l o i O l tr H Ω Ω er rt μ> Φ> TJ H rt < Hi TJ TJ CQ 3 Ω 3 3 TJ TJ m 3 3 Ω 3 Ω TJ < CQ Φ μ- H 3 J tr co o ii 3 tr Φ tr ii ii Φ 3 tr 0 μ- 3 fi fi tr μ- 3 0 CD 0 fi Φ rt tr μ- H" CQ Φ o o Φ 0 φ ii Φ 0 0 H φ μ- 3 rt O 0 Φ X ■ <: 3 Φ 3 φ CQ fi 3 φ 3 μ- Φ rt 3 * rt rt 3 3 rt CQ rt μ- rt rt rt CQ Q. CQ Hi Φ 3 3 μ- 3 Cb μ- o\° o\° 0 Φ Hi 3 Φ Φ rt 0 Φ μ- 3 <! Φ Φ Φ 3 rt μ- μ- φ rt ≤ Ω Ω Ω J 3 • • <! μ- TJ μ- tr 3 μ- μ- μ- CQ 03 H Φ μ- μ- Cb fi •< CQ Ω CQ fi 3 er tr PJ ii o <! 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O PJ 0 CD 3 φ Ω 3 Φ 3 tr 3 3 μ- 3 μ- Φ 3 3 μ- fi TJ rt Cb TJ 3 0 Φ o > 3 3 0 rt Ω ^ μ- rt 3 CQ Ω ] ι-3 S£> Φ 3 ii 3 i LO 3 3 0 3 3 0 CQ 3 μ- rt rt 3 3 tr tr π li Ω Φ 0 Cb σ 3 3 ^ ii ** fi 3 3 μ- 3 φ Φ rt PJ 3 μ- cπ rt φ 3 3 3 0 CQ fi 3 o\° Ω CD Cb CD 3 3 μ- rt li rt 3 Φ 3 3 CQ er 3 PJ CQ CQ 3 3 0 CQ Φ CQ CQ TJ rt Φ φ 3 PJ Φ Cb 3 Hi tr 0 Cb Φ CQ Φ 0 3 3 CQ rt CL rt Hi 3 Cb Hi rt 0 The fruit, vegetable, meat and fish in the moist foam product can be either in the form of puree and/or pieces . The size of the pieces is not critical and can vary between 0.1 and 25 mm. The amount of fruit, vegetable, meat, fish and milk base is at least 10 % . Preferably, the amount of these components is between 10 and 60 %. It is also possible to consider a multi-layer product, wherein the moist foam product is one layer, the other being a layer of fruit or any other. In one embodiment, the foam product of the invention contains further a starch and/or hydrocolloids. This is the case for example for a baby-food containing a starch. This starch can be a native starch or a modified starch. This starch is taken from the group consisting of rice, maize, corn, semolina starch. In the case of a dessert, the foam product contains a hydrocolloid. This hydrocolloid is taken from the group consisting of xanthan, carragheenan, guar. In the case of a clinical nutrition product, hydrocolloid and/or starch is also present. It is finally possible that the moist food foam product contains an oil and/or f t. Preferably, the oil is either sunflower oil or rape oil. The moist foam product could also contain an aroma, a colouring agent, chocolate, caramel, sugar, acids. The amount of water in the product is around 40 to 95 %. The pH of the moist foam product of the invention is comprised between 3 and 7. The measure of the denaturation of a native protein is related to IDF/FIL, Norme 178A.1999 based on the article of Resmini P. , Pellegrino L., Hogenboom J.A., Andreini R. , Thermal denaturation of whey protein in pasteurized milk. Fast evaluation by HPLC, Ital . J.Food Sci . 2:51-62 (1989). The invention concerns further a process for the preparation of a shelf-stable moist food foam product described here above, comprising whipping a mixture comprising at least one edible protein and the food base to produce a moist foam, filling the whipped mixture into a container and sealing or closing said container and heating the closed or sealed container to partially or . fully denaturate the edible protein to stabilize the moist foam. The edible proteins for carrying out the process are taken from the group consisting of a native protein, a partially denaturated protein alone or in mixture . The amount of the native protein is of at least 30 %, based on the total proteins. The native proteins used are the same as mentioned here above in relation with the shelf stable moist food foam product . As already mentioned, according to the invention, all the components are mixed together and then the whipping is carried out. It is possible to work in a continuous way with a line, which is simple and very efficient in terms of productivity. As already mentioned in relation with the product, the whipping is carried out at an overrun 5 to 400 %. Preferably, the overrun is comprised between 30 and 130 %. The heat-treatment is carried out for the denaturation of the proteins at a temperature comprised between 65 and 145 °C. The duration of this heat-treatment is around 1 min to 10 hours. The protein fixation at the interface and the network building in the bulk is performed already at 65 °C, but for a complete denaturation, it takes a longer time. It is possible according to the process of the invention to denature partially or totally the proteins. For example, in the case of a partial denaturation, a heat-treatment can be carried out at 100 °C for 10 min. Under such conditions, an interfacial and bulk fixation and gelatinisation is already built up and bubble stability reaches a sufficient level. Whereas, such a product must be stored chilled at 4 °C, if not acid. A good example of this type is a chilled fish mousse. The heat-treatment is preferably carried out at a temperature comprised between 100 and 125 °C, during 20 to 40 min. The whipping is carried out under a nitrogen, C0 2 , N 2 0, 0 atmosphere or a mixture of them at a maximum temperature of 60 °C. Preferably, the whipping is carried out at a temperature around the room temperature, that is in the area of 20 to 30 °C. Preferably, the whipping is carried out with nitrogen. In the case of the presence in the mixture of a native starch or a modified starch, it is preferred to proceed before the whipping to a pre-heating. This pre-heating is carried out at a temperature of up to 85 °C during several minutes. The mixture is then cooled down and the whipping is carried out. This pre-heating is not necessary in the case of the use of specific starches. The filling in the containers is made under normal conditions, because of the heat-treatment after said filling. The containers are normally closed or closed by the sealing of a lid, for example an aluminium lid. The containers used can be either cans, plastic containers, glass jars, tubular bags or any other available type of packaging. Preferably, plastic containers are used. Normally, oxygen barrier material is used. For example, it is preferred to use a 3 layers material, that is PP/EVOH/PP . The invention concerns further a method of providing to the consumer a moist food foam product in a container which is shelf stable without refrigeration. This gives to the consumer a great advantage of having a moist foamed product which does not need a storage in a refrigerator. The present invention is further illustrated by the following example. Example 1 Carrots are cut into pieces of 10 mm and cooked in water at a temperature of 85 °C. Starch is dissolved in water, mixed with the semolina and added to the carrots. A heating is then carried out and the mixture is cooled down. Whey protein isolate is dissolved in water and added to the carrots as well as all other ingredients. The carrots are mixed with the whey protein isolate and a whipping is carried out to an overrrun of 50 %. The foam product is filled in plastic containers, sealed and a heat-treatment is carried out in-pack at 121 °C for 20 min. The bubbles in the foam remain after the heat-treatment and the product is shelf-stable at room temperature during 12 months without any negative influence on the organoleptic properties . The final product has following recipe Carrot 50 % Apple puree 10 % Whey protein isolate 5 % Starch 3 % Rice semolina 3 % Sugar 1.5 Water 28.5

Claims: Claims 1) A shelf-stable moist food foam product comprising a moist , foamed food base and at least one edible partially or fully denaturated protein which stabilizes the air bubbles in the food base and which contains more than 20 % water. 2) A shelf stable moist food foam product according to claim 1, wherein the edible protein is of plant or animal origin. 3) A shelf stable moist food foam product according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the food base is taken from the group consisting of fruit, vegetable, meat and milk base. 4) A shelf-stable moist food foam product according to any of claim 1 to 3 , wherein the edible denaturated protein is partially or fully denaturated by heating native and partially denaturated protein alone or in mixture, said native proteins being taken from the group consisting of milk protein, egg white protein, yeast isolate, soya-bean protein, haemoglobin, plant protein isolate, meat protein, collagen, gelatine alone or in mixture. 5) A shelf-stable moist food foam product according to any of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the amount of protein is comprised between 0.1 and 30 %. 6) A shelf-stable moist food foam product according to claim 5, wherein the amount of protein is comprised between 1 and 5 % . 7) A shelf-stable moist food foam product according to any of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the overrun is comprised between 30 and 130 %. 8) A shelf-stable moist food foam product according to any of claims 1 to 7 , wherein the fruit , vegetable and meat are in the form of puree and/or pieces . 9) A shelf-stable moist food foam product according to any of claims 1 to 8 , wherein the amount of fruit, vegetable, meat or milk base is at least 10 %. 10) A shelf-stable moist food foam product according to any of claims 1 to 9, wherein it contains further a starch and/or a hydrocolloid. 11) A shelf-stable moist food foam product according to any of claims 1 to 10, wherein it contains further oil and/or fat . 12) A process for the preparation of a shelf-stable moist food foam product according to any of claims 1 to 11, comprising whipping a mixture comprising at least one edible protein and the food base to produce a moist foam, filling the whipped mixture into a container and sealing or closing said container and - heating the closed or sealed container to partially or fully denaturate the edible protein to stabilize the moist foam. 13) A process according to claim 12, wherein the edible protein is taken from the group consisting of a native protein and a partially denaturated protein alone or in mixture . 14) A process according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the whipping is carried out at an overrun of 30 to 130 %. 15) A process according to any of claims 12 to 14, wherein the heat-treatment is carried at a temperature comprised between 65 and 145 °C. 16) A process according to claim 15, wherein the heat- treatment is carried out from 1 min. to 10 hours. 17) A process according to any of claims 12 to 16, wherein the whipping "is carried out at a maximum temperature of 60 °C with nitrogen. 18) process according to claim 17, wherein the whipping is carried out at a temperature of 20 to 30 °C. 19) A process according to any of claims 12 to 18, wherein a pre-heating is carried out before the whipping of the mixture . 20) process according to any of claims 12 to 19, wherein the containers are plastic containers, cans, glass jars, tubular bags . 21) method of providing to the consumer a moist food foam product in a container which is shelf stable without refrigeration.

Inventors: HANSELMANN WILLIAM, MUELLER AXEL, HANSELMANN, WILLIAM, MUELLER, AXEL
Applicants: HANSELMANN WILLIAM, MUELLER AXEL, NESTLE SA, HANSELMANN, WILLIAM, MUELLER, AXEL, SOCIETE DES PRODUITS NESTLE S.A.
Application year: 2001
Main classification: A23P1
IPC codes: A23L1, A23P1