Patent Description:
This invention relates to crystalline fat and methods of manufacturing the same.

As consumers and regulatory authorities are demanding healthier foods. Hence, there is a desire to make shortenings traditionally used in bakery applications healthier as well without losing its functionality. <CIT> describes powdered fat composition comprising triglycerides in beta form.

Described herein is a crystalline fat comprising a powder density ranging from about <NUM>/mL to about <NUM>/mL at room temperature and at least <NUM>% of particles have a particle size ranging from <NUM> to <NUM> in diameter. Also described herein is a shortening comprising crystalline fat having a powder density ranging from about <NUM> to about <NUM> at room temperature and at least <NUM>% of particles have a particle size ranging from <NUM> to <NUM> in diameter and a liquid oil; wherein the crystalline fat ranges from about <NUM> wt% to about <NUM> wt% and the liquid oil ranges from about <NUM> wt% to about <NUM> wt%.

Described herein is a shortening having functional structure and performance. Specifically, the shortening described herein has potential to be healthier because it can reduces the amount of saturated fat compared to traditional shortenings yet maintains the texture expected of shortenings.

The shortening comprises a crystalline fat and a liquid oil, wherein the crystalline fat ranges from about <NUM> wt% to about <NUM> wt% and the liquid oil ranges from about <NUM> wt% to about <NUM> wt%. In other aspects, the crystalline fat ranges from about <NUM>-<NUM> wt% with the liquid oil making up the remainder. In other, perhaps more preferred, aspects, the crystalline fat ranges from about <NUM> - <NUM> wt% with the liquid oil making up the remainder. Crystalline fat is defined as solid at room temperature and liquid oil is liquid at room temperature.

In some aspects, the crystalline fat is derived from the group consisting of palm oil, , shea, , palm kernel oil, , coconut oil, mango kernel oil, illipe, babassu oil, pequi oil, borneo tallow, allanblackia oil, cocoa butter, nut oils, animal fat, dairy fat, , sunflower oil, corn oil, soybean oil, canola oil, rapeseed oil, cottonseed oil, rice bran oil, safflower oil, flaxseed oil, peanut oil, olive oil, tall oil, and its fractions, its high oleic versions and combinations thereof. In some aspects, the crystalline fat is derived from fully or partially hydrogenated and/or interesterified oils.

The crystalline fat described herein is typically porous in structure and in powder form. SEM images show the crystalline fat can be hollow to indented in structure (pitted). Crystalline fat particles are very neat, and typically are spherical in shape with an open spongy structure. In other aspects, the crystalline fat can be seen as foam like in structure with air-filled morphology. The porous or "fluffy-like" structure of the crystalline fat described herein is beneficial because it allows for a greater oil-holding capacity which subsequently enables more liquid oil to be added to the shortening composition (described herein). In aspects where the crystalline fat is well packed or closely packed, the oil-holding capacity is not as great.

The crystalline fat of the present invention is made using a supercritical CO<NUM> technology. The fat is either melted at a temperature ranging from at least about <NUM> to about <NUM>, degrees above the melting temperature of the fat, and in some aspects at least about <NUM> to about <NUM> degrees above the melting temperature of the fat, and in other aspects at least about <NUM> to about <NUM> degrees above the melting temperature of the fat, and in yet other aspects at least about <NUM> to about <NUM> degrees above the melting temperature of the fat or the fat may be a combination of hard fat and liquid oil and may not require additional melting. The fat is then saturated with CO2 to obtain a mixture and such mixture is pressured at the CO2 triple point to achieve supercritical CO2. This causes the fat to be solubilized. This is then sprayed causing the crystallization/solidification/micronizing/atomization of the fat as the CO2 evaporates. This creates crystalline fat. This is typically done in a batch process and the temperature is adjusted to that which is lower than the melting point of the fat to ensure the fat is in solid, powdered form.

The crystalline fat has a density ranging from about <NUM>/mL to about <NUM>/mL at room temperature, in some aspects from about <NUM>/mL to about <NUM>/mL at room temperature, and in preferred aspects has a density ranging from <NUM>/mL to about <NUM>/mL at room temperature. This density range allows for a greater oil-holding capacity, unlike compacted fat structures. It shall be understood that reference to "density" herein means bulk density (also referenced as apparent density or volumetric density), which is a property of powders, granules, and other divided solids. It is defined as the mass of many particles divided by the total volume.

The crystalline fat has an oil holding capacity of <NUM>%, up to about <NUM>% of the weight of the fat. Oil holding capacity means that after mixing the crystalline fat with the liquid oil no phase separation (oiling-off) is observed, the liquid oil is hold within the powder fat structure by absorption, adsorption and/or entrainment phenomena.

The crystalline fat also has a particle size distribution wherein at least <NUM>%, in some examples at least <NUM>%, in some examples of least <NUM>%, in some examples at least <NUM>%, and in some examples at least <NUM>% (depending on the type of fat) of the particles have a particle size ranging from <NUM> to <NUM> in diameter, <NUM> to <NUM> in diameter, and in some aspects <NUM> to <NUM> in diameter.

Conventional shortenings may contain high amounts of saturated fats. It is well known that excessive consumption of saturated fats can lead to cardiovascular problems. Therefore, there is a drive to reduce the amount of saturated fat in the diet. Structuring by means of such crystalline fat particles allows a reduced consumption of saturated fat and an increased consumption of heart healthier unsaturated fats.

These properties are desired because will allow the production of functional shortenings, in terms of structure and mechanical properties, while containing high amounts of liquid oil. Liquid oils are rich in monosaturated and unsaturated fatty acid which are much healthier based on the nutrition guidelines. The new shortening produced with crystalline fat will contain less saturated fat, which is the conventional fat used to structure and give functionality to bakery shortening.

The shortening comprises the crystalline fat and a liquid oil. Because of the properties of the crystalline fat, liquid oil is able to fill inside the various pockets of the fat. The crystalline fat particles can then form a structured fat system whether by means of sintering or other interactions (absorption, adsorption and/or entrainment). This enables the creation of shortening systems with lower quantities of saturated fats. This means that shortenings prepared in this way are more heart healthy. The fact that they require lower amounts of saturated fats to structure them means that the need for hydrogenated and / or tropical fats is reduced. As such these shortenings are more desirable to the consumer because they can have a clean label and may be viewed as more friendly for the environment. Conventional shortenings are generally manufactured by means of a scraped surface heat exchanger (SSHE). The SSHE is the heart of the crystallization line in which the shortening is chilled and crystallized. Pin rotor machines or intermediate crystallizers can be used in combination or individually. These kneading units are employed in order to yield mechanical work to the shortening and hereby ensure homogeneity. The steps of a conventional shortening manufacturing process are: fat phase melt, chilling, crystallization, kneading and packing. This is an energy-intensive process. The micronization process described herein is a lower energy process. Therefore, the environmental impact of the crystalline fat-based shortenings is lower than that of conventional shortenings. It shall be understood that the shortening composition is also distinguishable from other shortenings because it does not require an added emulsifier to maintain its stability. The crystalline fat structure and the liquid oil filling the various pockets remain stable over typical shelf-life periods required for shortening.

The liquid oil can be for example but not limited to soybean oil, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, canola oil, palm olein, palm super olein, corn oil, cottonseed oil, rice bran oil, safflower oil, flaxseed oil, peanut oil, olive oil, tall oil, or its high oleic versions. In some aspects, the liquid oil is high oleic liquid oil thus making a high oleic shortening. In nearly all aspects, the liquid oil is not the hard or solid fraction of palm oil. In all aspects, the liquid oil is in a liquid state at room temperature. The liquid oil may contain up to <NUM>% of emulsifier such as propylene glycol ester, polyglycerol ester, lecithin, monoglyceride, polysorbate or lactic acid ester of monoglyceride or its combinations. In all aspects, the liquid oil even when added with emulsifier is in a liquid state at room temperature.

The shortening of the present invention can be used for (but is not limited to) baked goods, confectionaries, fillings, dough products, chocolate spreads, nut butters, and microwaved popcorn, meat alternatives, or milk or dairy fat replacers.

An objective of this example is to simulate production of shortening by mixing crystalline fat with oil. <NUM> samples of crystalline fat are prepared:.

Table <NUM> demonstrates the shortening compositions. Note that the amount of liquid oil added is considered to the be the oil holding capacity.

The traditional process of crystallization includes heating fat and oil to a temperature of up to <NUM> and crystallizing under shear with cooling to about <NUM>. The process utilized for this example includes gradually adding crystalline fat into liquid oil under slow manual agitation until all fat is incorporated to create the shortening composition. The shortening composition sits for about <NUM> hour to check for texture and phase separation. Images of some of the shortening compositions are shown in <FIG>. The darker spots so where the oil is located within the crystalline fat.

<FIG> demonstrates the particle size of the various crystalline fats and <FIG> demonstrates the powder densities of the various crystalline fats.

Shortenings were prepared by blending crystalline fat with liquid oil at room temperature and allowing to rest for <NUM> days. The various samples are demonstrated in Table <NUM>.

As illustrated in <FIG>, the cookie width and cookie height are similar to the control. As illustrated in <FIG>, the laminated biscuit width and height are similar to the control. Both applications testing indicates the shortening comprising the crystalline fat is a good replacement for traditional shortenings.

The cookie formulation is in Table <NUM> and the laminated biscuit recipe in Table <NUM>.

This example shows a variety of crystalline fat which were prepared under specific pressure conditions, followed by the composition of shortening preparation utilizing the referred crystalline fats. Table <NUM> shows the crystalline fats compositions and the correspondent processing conditions and <FIG> provides the density of the crystalline fats.

Shortenings were prepared by blending the crystalline fats with liquid oil. Rapeseed oil was used as liquid oil phase. Table <NUM> shows the shortenings compositions and Figures A-D show images of shortenings compositions as S1, S3, S5, and S8 indicative of particle size.

Claim 1:
A crystalline fat comprising a powder density ranging from about <NUM>/mL to about <NUM>/mL at room temperature and at least <NUM>% of particles have a particle size ranging from <NUM> to <NUM> in diameter, and wherein the oil holding capacity (determined according to the procedure described present application) ranges from about <NUM>% to about <NUM>% of the weight of the fat.