Abstract:
A low fat spread, being a water-in-oil emulsion, having a fat substitute which has a particle size in the range of 8-35 microns. A low fat spread having a unique combination of stabilizer, emulsifier, and fat substitute to provide less than 28% fat, and the method for making the low fat spread.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention is in the field of low fat spreads. More particularly, the invention is in the field of low fat spreads having no more than 28% fat. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Margarine and other oleaginous spreads have a fat content which may be as high as 83%. A number of lower fat spreads have been made available. Low fat spreads having 40% fat or less are available; however, it is unusual to have a low fat spread with less than 30% fat content. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,333 entitled, &#34;Low Fat, Butter-Flavored Liquid Spread and Process&#34; discloses an oil-in-water emulsion having less than 30% of a dispersed fat, a continuous aqueous phase containing an emulsion stabilizer, and an emulsifier system comprising a lipophilic emulsifier and a hydrophilic emulsifier. This patent teaches that water-soluble emulsion stabilizers are essential. It moreover teaches that suitable stabilizers include microcrystalline cellulose, carrageenan, guar gum, alginate, and xanthan gum. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,333 also teaches the use of a dual emulsifier composition having a lipophilic emulsifier and a hydrophilic emulsifier. The emulsifiers can be fatty acid glycerides. 
     European Patent Application No. 90202415 (900911)teaches a spread having less than 30% fat and at least 70% aqueous phase. The spread includes a mixture of monoglycerides and polyglycerol esters, microcrystalline cellulose as a gelling agent, and from 15-28% fat phase. 
     &#34;Low Fat Margarine,&#34; submitted by FMC Corporation, and published in, &#34;Research Disclosure&#34;, in April of 1992 disclosed the following formulation for a low fat margarine: 
     
         ______________________________________                  w/w______________________________________Fat Phase:Ordinary sunflower oil (Beoco Ltd)                    18.650Hardened soya oil (Beoco Ltd)                    11.600Palm oil (Beoco Ltd)     9.200Emulsifier - Dimodan CP monoglyceride                    0.500Flavor - butter flavoring 58.T.333                    0.050(Edlong Co.)Aqueous Phase:Water                    58.169Stabilizer - Avicel ® RC-591 cellulose gel                    0.800Salt (British Salt Ltd)  0.500Potassium sorbate (Dinova Chemicals)                    0.200Xanthan - Keltrol RD (Kelco International)                    0.080Lactic acid - 80% (Dinoval Chemicals)                    0.025Color - Beta carotene (5% suspension)                    0.006(Roche Products Ltd)______________________________________ 
    
     Reducing the fat content of a spread from 80% to no more than 28% is not a simple matter. With no more than 28% fat, the spread is primarily composed of water. To maintain the spread as a water-in-oil emulsion is not particularly easy under these circumstances. Moreover, having removed so much of the fat, a great deal of thought and effort must be given to mimicking the functional and organoleptic properties of the fat that has been replaced. 
     There are numerous properties which must be addressed and manipulated in order to achieve a product having satisfactory functional and organoleptic properties. The low fat spread must offer the same quality and taste as the full-fat system. In addition, mimicking the characteristics of a full-fat system requires control over viscosity (thickness, smoothness), and absorption/adsorption (physiological effect on tastebuds), cohesiveness, waxiness and mouth coating ability. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention includes a low fat spread having no more than 28% fat. The spread is a water-in-oil emulsion which includes a dispersed water phase having at least 56% water, a fat substitute having a mean particle size within a range of 8-35 microns, an effective amount of stabilizer for the fat substitute, a gum, and a continuous oil phase which includes no more than 28% oil, together with an effective amount of emulsifier suitable for forming and maintaining a stable water-in-oil emulsion when the dispersed phase and continuous phase are mixed. 
     Generally, a spread of this invention will have from 10-28% fat. Preferably, a spread of this invention will have from 15-25% fat. More preferably, the spread will have from 20-25% fat. 
     A suitable stabilizer such as colloidal microcrystalline cellulose is utilized. Generally the mean particle size of the stabilizer will be within the range of 0.05-0.5 microns. More preferred is a stabilizer having a mean particle size within the range of 0.1-0.6 microns. 
     An effective amount of stabilizer should be used. From 0.5-4 wt/% stabilizer is preferred; 0.9-2.2 wt/% stabilizer is more preferred. Using the guidelines presented herein an effective amount of stabilizer can be determined without undue experimentation. 
     A fat substitute having a mean particle size within the range of from 8-35 microns is generally desired, although larger or smaller mean particle size fat substitutes are acceptable. More preferred is a fat substitute having a mean particle size within the range of 12-28 microns and most preferably the mean particle size of the fat substitute will be in the range of 16-24 microns. 
     Suitable emulsifiers include the fatty acid esters formed from C 8  -C 18  fatty acids and mono-, di-, or polyglycerols. Typically, they, or mixtures of them, will have an HLB within the range of from 3 to 7. 
     The products of this invention may be formed by mixing in a suitable manner. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Other than in the operating examples, or where otherwise indicated all numbers expressing quantities of ingredients, parameters, or reaction conditions used herein are to be understood as modified in all instances by the term &#34;about.&#34; 
     The invention includes a water-in-oil emulsion which is suitable for use as a low fat spread. It is preferred that the spread be spreadable yet remain firm at temperatures within the range of from 5° C. (41° F.) to 22° C. (71.6° F.). 
     Unless otherwise stated, all percentages described herein are percentages by weight based on the total emulsion weight achieved when the dispersed phase and aqueous phase are admixed. 
     EXAMPLE 1 
     A low fat margarine having the composition described in Table 1 was prepared as described below. 
     Aqueous Phase Preparation 
     In preparing the low fat spreads of this invention, the following method was used. The stabilizer was dispersed in water at high shear. Xanthan gum was then added and incorporated by mixing at continued high shear. A fat substitute was then added and incorporated with further high shear mixing. 
     Other water-soluble ingredients known to those skilled in the art were added, as desired. The aqueous phase was then chilled to approximately 42° C. (107.6° F.). 
     Fat Phase Preparation 
     The component fats were mixed and heated to 60° C. (140° F.) for approximately 20 minutes. 
     About 15% of the fats were removed from the mixture and heated to about 80° C. (176° F.) and the emulsifiers were incorporated by mixing. This mixture was then added back to the bulk of the fat phase and the fat soluble flavors and other fat soluble ingredients were then added. 
     The fat phase was then cooled to emulsification temperature. 
     Emulsification and Crystallization 
     The aqueous phase was added to the lipid phase gradually under controlled mixing in order to obtain a uniform crude water-in-oil emulsion without any air incorporation or emulsion inversion. 
     The emulsion was prepared at approximately 40° C. (104° F.) and passed through a chilling unit for crystallization and product finishing. 
     Table 1 is a 25% fat containing low fat spread. The spread was prepared having the following components on a percent by weight basis. 
     
                       TABLE 1______________________________________25% Fat SpreadAQUEOUS PHASE       LIPID PHASEINGREDIENT      %       INGREDIENT   %______________________________________colloidal       1.9     Sunflower oil                                11.5microcrystalline cellulosestabilizerXanthan         0.19    Hydrogenated  7.15                   Soya oilfat substitute: 1.5     Palm oil      5.65Novagel* ® RCN-15microcrystalline celluloseNaCl            1.8     Dimodan OT    0.3510 DE Maltodextrin           5.0     Triodan R-90  0.25Potassium Sorbate           0.2     Edlong Butter                                 0.06                   Flavour-58T3335% beta-carotene           0.025   Grindox 104   0.035Annatto 300     0.0075  Vitamin Premix-                                 0.005                   Z/027Water           to 100______________________________________ *Novagel ® RCN15 microcrystalline cellulose is a trademark of the FMC Corporation. 
    
     EXAMPLE 2 
     A 20% fat spread was produced using the method described in Example 1. That spread had the following composition: 
     
                       TABLE 2______________________________________20% Fat SpreadAQUEOUS PHASE       LIPID PHASEINGREDIENT      %       INGREDIENT    %______________________________________colloidal       2.2     Sunflower oil 9.06microcrystalline cellulosestabilizerXanthan         0.22    Hydrogenated  5.64                   Soya oilfat substitute: 1.6     Palm oil      4.455microcrystalline cellulose/galactomannan20 micron meanparticle sizeMaltodextrin (10 DE)           5.0     Dimodan OT    0.35Salt-NaCl       1.8     Triodan R-90  0.4Potassium Sorbate           0.2     Grindox 104   0.035% beta-carotene           0.025   Vitamin Premix-                                 0.005                   Z/027Annatto 300     0.01    Edlong Butter 0.06                   Flavour-58T333Water           to 100______________________________________ 
    
     Having described the method for preparing low fat spreads of this invention together with describing examples of low fat spreads that have been produced, a fuller explication of the ingredients is provided below. 
     STABILIZERS 
     Colloidal stabilizers are preferred. A particularly preferred stabilizer is AVICEL® 591 F., microcrystalline cellulose. AVICEL® 591F is a registered trademark of FMC Corporation for a microcrystalline cellulose. AVICEL® 591F microcrystalline cellulose is a coprocessed carboxymethyl cellulose and microcrystalline cellulose. The microcrystalline cellulose imparts thioxotropic properties to the low fat spread helping to impart a mouthfeel similar to that of fat. 
     Other stabilizers known to those skilled in the art can be used. Those include carrageenan, guar gum, xanthan gum, soy protein isolate, methyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, hydroxypropylethyl cellulose, dextrans, starch, gelatin, locust bean gum, pectin, and the like and mixtures of these. 
     GUMS 
     Gums are provided to give structure to the low fat spread. A preferred gum is xanthan gum. Other gums known to those skilled in the art can be substituted. Those gums include carrageenan, guar gum, locust bean gum and pectin. Gums can represent from 0.1 to 2.0 wt % of the emulsion. Preferably, the spread will include gum within the range of 0.1 to 0.5 wt %, and more preferably the gum will be present within the range of from 0.15 to 0.4 wt %. 
     FAT SUBSTITUTES 
     Microcrystalline cellulose, especially microcrystalline cellulose coprocessed with galactomannan, having a mean particle size greater than 8 microns is suitable as a fat substitute. Generally, microcrystalline cellulose having a mean particle size within the range of 8-35 microns is preferred, microcrystalline cellulose particles having a mean particle size in the range of 16-24 microns are more preferred. A microcrystalline cellulose having a mean particle size within the range of 18-22 microns is most preferred. 
     NOVAGEL® RCN-15, microcrystalline cellulose or NOVAGEL® RCN-10, microcrystalline cellulose is suitable. NOVAGEL® RCN-15 and NOVAGEL® RCN-10 are trademarks of FMC Corporation for microcrystalline cellulose coprocessed with one or more galactomannans, preferably guar. These have a mean particle size of 20 microns. These coprocessed galactomannans are taught in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 809,857 filed Dec. 18, 1991 which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 519,693 filed May 7, 1992 which is a counterpart of European Patent 90908745.4. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 809,857 filed Dec. 18, 1991 is incorporated herein by reference. The microcrystalline cellulose fat substitute may be present in the spread within the range of from 0.01 to 10 wt %. More preferably it will be within the range of from 0.05 to 5 wt % and most preferably it will be present within the range of from 0.8 to 2.5 wt %. 
     EMULSIFIERS 
     Emulsifiers which are fatty acid esters formed from C 8  -C 18  fatty acids and mono-, di-, or polyglycerols have been found to be effective. In particular, a mixture of TRIODAN® R 90 polyglycerol ester of interesterified ricinoleic acid and DIMODAN® OT distilled monoglyceride made from edible, partially hydrogenated soya bean oil is suitable. DIMODAN® OT and TRIODAN® R 90 are registered trademarks of Grinsted Products, DK-8220 Brabrand, Denmark. The estimated HLB of Triodan® R 90 is 7.0 and the estimated HLB of Dimodan® OT is 4.3. 
     The emulsifier concentrations, and if more than on used, the emulsifier ratios are chosen to create a stable water-in-oil emulsion. Effective emulsifier levels prevent inversion of the emulsion and prevent expression of water from the emulsion under normal use conditions. Effective concentrations of emulsifier are generally within the 0.1 to 2% range. Preferably the emulsifier concentration will be within the range of 0.4 to 1.0%. When combinations of two or more emulsifiers are used it is preferred that one be a monoglyceride and the other be a polyglycerol ester of a fatty acid. Generally a weight ratio of monoglyceride to polyglycerol ester within the range of 5:1 to 1:5 is usable. A ratio of 3:2 to 2:5 is preferred and a ratio of 3:2 to 2:4 is most preferred. There preferably should be no expression of water form the spread under its normal temperature utilization range of from 5° C. to 5° C. 
     The emulsifiers such as the above described fatty acid esters which have been found to be suitable have an HLB within the range of from 3 to 7. Emulsifiers having an HLB within the range of 4 to 6 are more preferred. For emulsifier mixtures, the effective HLB of the emulsifier mixture will be within these ranges; it is not necessary, in this case, that the HLB of the components be within the described range. Given these guidelines, those of ordinary skill in the art can select suitable emulsifier concentrations as well as suitable emulsifiers or suitable combinations of emulsifiers without undue experimentation. 
     WATER 
     For the examples described herein, deionized water was utilized. 
     OILS 
     Any oils which are typically incorporated in low fat spreads may be utilized. In particular, sunflower oil, hydrogenated soya oil, and palm oil are desired. However, utilization of other oils including milkfats can be achieved by one of ordinary skill in the art without undue experimentation.