MXPA06002006A - Enriched edible flour with a reduced oil and water absorption, and products manufacture therewith. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention describes maize-based enriched flours and food by-products, which provide the user with both mineral nutrients in suitable amounts, for instance calcium and potassium, and low-calorie food, since the aforesaid products absorb a lower amount of oil when fried. The present invention, therefore, allows maize-based products enriched with minerals, having a low-calorie content in the composition thereof to be produced. The inventive flour composition also allows the amounts of minerals enriching the flour to match with the low absorbed grease amounts, thus avoiding hardened textures, so that the final texture of the food is not negatively affected. The flour composition further uses substantially reduced amounts of water for producing the dough, thereby reducing the manufacturing time and costs in a substantial manner.

Description

Enriched edible flour, with low absorption of water and oil and products made from it.

Field of the invention. The present invention relates to the obtaining of edible flours improved in their nutritional properties, specifically to edible flours enriched in protein quality and mineral nutrients that exhibit low absorption in water and oil. When food mixes including the flours of the invention are processed by their frying, they absorb a smaller amount of oil than that absorbed by the conventional fried food products while retaining more presentable and homogeneous surfaces.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Food is one of the most important aspects in the daily life of human communities. A good, healthy and educated nutrition becomes essential to achieve growth and optimal intellectual development mainly in children and adolescents. Similarly, a proper diet throughout life ensures sufficient energy for a person to have a vigorous physical activity and optimal use of their cognitive abilities.

Depending on the customs, the inhabited environment, the geographical aspects and the availability of food that exist, a certain population acquires the necessary nutrients for its survival and development. In most populations, an important source of nutrients is represented by plant products, among which, cereals and legumes are the main sources of consumption of fats, carbohydrates and proteins.

In the case of the Mexican population, the consumption of corn and its derivatives represents one of the most important food bases ^; In fact, it is known that in the country there are multiple sectors of the population that have high diets in corn and beans. However, high levels of malnutrition persist in important groups of the population, while there are increasing manifestations of malnutrition due to excess feeding with food products of inadequate nutritional quality. Some data suggest that 30% of the population under 5 years old have a deficit of energy and low intakes of zinc, iron and vitamin A, as well as intake above the recommendations of proteins and vitamin C \ In this sense, excessive nutrition in relation to reduced levels of activity (and associated with diets with an excessive content of animal fats, salt and sugar, and a fiber deficit) is one of the main causes of obesity, hypertension , coronary heart disease, diabetes and some types of cancer (consequently, premature death in adults and disability- in the elderly) in developed countries or in the case of groups of households with a high level of income.

For example, in 1995, 3.3% of children under 5 years of age (18 million) were overweight in developing countries, while in the United States of America it was 7.4%. In urban areas, obesity is much higher than in rural areas in several developing countries. Children under 5 years of age obese are more than twice as likely to be obese when they are adults1,2. Currently, in the case of Mexico, one in five children is overweight or obese.

National statistical information3,4 agrees in concluding that the majority of the Mexican population has a diet based on one or more of the following foods: a) of vegetable origin: corn (tortilla), vegetables (tomato), legumes (beans), tubers ( papa), and b) of products of animal origin: egg, milk and relatively cheap meat consumption, such as chicken or an economic type of beef. Likewise, the highest frequency of spending by Mexican households is in products such as corn tortillas, tomatoes, eggs, soft drinks, milk, beans, onions, potatoes, sweet bread, chicken and soup pasta, for which households lower income earmarks about 56% of their total spending to acquire them1.

Consequently, in the lower income sectors, this type of diet has an important effect on the average daily supply of more calories, which is based on the consumption of cereals (3,330 calories) and of vegetables, legumes and legumes (618 calories). in sectors with higher income, the contribution of calories they obtain from the intake of cereals (3,153 calories) and meats (1, 206 calories). In the case of the supply of proteins, the poorest sectors of the population obtain them from the daily consumption of cereals (J8 grams) followed by vegetables, legumes and legumes (34 grams), while the sectors with the highest income obtain them in a most important from the consumption of meat1.

The above information shows an important imbalance in the quantity of calories and nutrients of quality consumed by major sectors of the population, which explains to some extent the appearance of increasing cases of malnutrition, weight gain or even obesity.

The above effects and the preference of the consumer for certain presentations of foods generated by multiple processes that increase considerably the amount of calories in food products, for example the consumption of fried foods, are factors that generate poor nutrition.

Fried foods, referred to as foods produced by frying, are widely preferred as foods that support or constitute an important diet for large sectors of the population. Fried foods are sold extensively in a large number of establishments, for example, in fast food stores, candy stores, bakeries, coffee shops, stores and supermarkets, and with a variety of forms, types and presentations, such as donuts , fried potatoes, fried chicken, weathered foods and. fried, cereal-based foods such as tortillas, tortilla chips, toast, tamales, cakes, donuts, biscuits, among others.

One of the main characteristics for which the consumer prefers the consumption of fried foods, is the taste and texture pleasant to the touch and taste of the mouth that generates the frying and the oil content in these foods. However, there are a number of drawbacks associated with the use of oils to improve the quality of food. For example, oils are more susceptible to degradation which seriously affects the flavor and stability of the food, they are more expensive than other ingredients of the food and the use of high amounts of these can ruin seriously the texture of the food. On the other hand, due to the high demand of consumers for this type of food, it is necessary that in their manufacturing processes maximum amounts of fried foods with a minimum oil content are generated.

Regarding the nutritional quality of fried foods, the mass that is a fundamental raw material for its manufacture tends to absorb significant quantities of oil when they are fried, frequently causing that in some cases the oil constitutes about 49% of the weight of the total product; this results in a substantial increase in the amount of calories of the fried food compared to the food without frying.

In recent years, there has been a huge increase in public awareness among broad sectors of the population that proper nutrition positively affects overall health. Consequently, consumers have sought nutritious food, which at the same time are low or reduced in calories, with a gastronomic texture and good taste, since they reject foods reduced in calories that do not reproduce substantially the taste and the organoleptic qualities of their counterparts traditional with high-calorie contents.

Various methods have been reported in order to obtain foods with low calorie content by reducing their fat absorption capacity, either during the mixing of their various components or, in the case of fried foods, during the process of frying the food.

A wide range of methodologies aimed at reducing the uptake of oil by food, have taken advantage of various factors that affect it, such as the quality of the oil, the temperature and time of frying, the shape of the product, its content (humidity , solids, fat, protein, etc.), its porosity, pre-fried treatments (for example, drying and bleaching) and the presence of coatings.

For example, methods have been described to reduce the uptake of oil by covering the food with an edible film of proteins that functions as a barrier to the oil when the food is fried.5'6.7.8.? 10.11 a. (As the use of fibers) of edible plants, such as beans12, corn13 or beans12 to obtain bread crumbs, or cellulose fibers, for example to obtain donuts as foods with reduced oil uptake during frying14.

The addition of lactalbumin in bakery products15, hydrophobic or hydrophilic silica to obtain French fries16,17, of bean paste to obtain donuts18, or of edible proteins in suspension or solution that are applied to the surface of the food before their frying19, they have shown a positive effect in the perceptible decrease in oil absorption.

Kilibwa20 describes the use of polydextrose as an additive inhibitor of fat absorption in foods, specifically in donuts that are subjected to frying, reducing the uptake of oil to 36% and retaining the own organoleptic properties of fried donuts without the use of the inhibitor. Certain processes of kneading to obtain breaded fried empanadas21, the use of certain fermentation processes22, as well as the control of the porosity size for obtaining bread crumbs23 allow to reduce the absorption of oil in the food.

As regards the integration of certain components in the food mixture, the addition of proteins and lipids of animal and vegetable origin as additives24, sugar alcohol and cellulose25, soybean meal26, modified starch27, pectin and gluten28, ovalbumin or whey instead of gluten for bakery products29, polysaccharides30 or oligosaccharides31, as well as insoluble gels formed by mornings, pull-ups, Xanthan gum or liquid egg32, have also been shown to have an effect in reducing the uptake of oil during frying On the other hand, the use of transglutaminase to prepare fritters33 or bread crumbs34, retrograde amylase35, as well as proteases36 and amylases37 in conjunction with processes of fermentation to obtain bakery products, also show positive effects in significantly reducing the uptake of oil from the food.

However, the above processes are incompatible with the addition of minerals of nutritional importance (eg, calcium) to the food in order to enrich it. In this sense, it has been reported that the incorporation of calcium in low fat foods modify the texture of the food in an important way, making it last38, and they affect the fermentation process when these mixtures are used for bakery products39. Although high amounts of emulsifiers can be used to avoid the undesirable effects of calcium in food mixes dedicated to making cookies39, said mixtures can not be subjected to frying to improve their texture or flavor.

Despite previous efforts, none of the above methods produces foods that at the same time contribute to the consumer a higher nutritional quality through the contribution of minerals and a more balanced and low level of calories, specifically for the production of enriched corn-based foods in minerals and with a low capacity of oil absorption during the frying process.

Therefore, it is important to develop healthier foods with fewer oils that meet the needs of consumers in this regard and that preserve the characteristics of palatability of fried foods, preserving their texture and increasing their nutritional properties.

Objectives of the invention. It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an edible cereal flour with a capacity to absorb low amounts of water and oil and which is at the same time enriched in mineral nutrients.

It is another objective of the invention to provide flours composed mainly of corn having a low absorption of water and oil and enriched in nutrient minerals such as calcium and potassium.

It is another of the objects of the invention to provide flour composed mainly of corn enriched in minerals such as calcium and potassium, and which at the same time provide foods in which suitable textures suitable to the palate are used.

It is another object of the present invention to provide feed mixes enriched in calcium and potassium and composed mainly of corn, with a low amount of oil absorbed during frying, compared to the amount of oil absorbed during frying in similar food mixtures composed mainly of of corn.

It is another object of this invention to provide a dough with low water content and which at the same time absorbs low amounts of fat from the frying medium when it is fried.

It is another object of this invention to provide a dough with low water and oil content that does not significantly affect the consumption characteristics or quality of a finished fried product.

It is another object of the invention to provide a method for obtaining flours composed mainly of corn with a capacity to absorb low amounts of water and oil and which is at the same time enriched in mineral nutrients.

It is another object of the invention to provide a method for decreasing the uptake of food oil during its frying, composed mainly of corn.

It is an object of this invention to provide a method for making a corn-based fried food product having a reduced fat content and the flavor qualities and physical characteristics of conventional fried corn-based food products. It is a further object of this invention to provide a method for making a corn-based fried food product having a reduced fat content and a lower moisture level comparable to that of conventional fried food products.

Detailed description of the invention. The present invention provides maize-enriched flours as well as food products using the flour of the invention, which allow to provide quantities of mineral nutrients, such as calcium and potassium, and which at the same time absorb smaller amounts of oil when processed. by frying, in such a way that it is possible to produce enriched corn-based foods with low amounts of calories in its composition. The flour composition of the invention allows the amounts of minerals that are added to be compatible with the low amounts of fat absorbed thereby avoiding hardened textures, such that the final texture of the food is not adversely affected. Likewise, the flour composition of the invention uses much smaller amounts of water to produce dough, with which the time and cost of its processing is significantly reduced.

The recent trend of consumers towards healthier corn-based foods, mainly in countries where their consumption is important, is creating significant pressure to reduce the amount of fat in the final products. However, even before the present invention, there were no corn-based flour compositions with reduced caloric content due to their low absorption in oil and which at the same time were enriched in calcium and potassium without their addition to the flour causing effects negative in the texture of the food where it is used.

The content of oils and fats in food is an adequate source of calories, necessary for proper nutrition, coupled with the fact that they offer unique characteristics that include a taste and soft texture to the taste of the palate, improving the overall pleasant taste of the food. Because of this, many corn-based foods are prepared by frying, so one of the most important parameters in the quality of these products is the amount of fat absorbed during the frying process.

When food mixes including the flours of the invention are processed by their frying, they absorb a relatively much smaller amount of food. oil that is absorbed by conventional fried food products and presents at the same time smooth surfaces without deformation. In this sense, the characteristics of the flour of the invention turn out to be beneficial, since most of the corn-based foods that are processed by frying, result in the absorption of significant quantities of oil from the frying medium and the final products that they are obtained present surfaces too porous and brittle that finally end up breaking, which demerits the presentation and the integrity of the food and affects the handling of the same at industrial level.

The enriched flour composition of the present invention makes it possible to formulate calorie-reduced corn-based foods that satisfy the consumer's preferences, since they retain the flavor characteristics of unenriched foods and contain high amounts of fats. The simple reduction in the food of the ingredients that provide high amounts of calories can lead to the loss of appearance, taste and texture of it? In the case of the enriched flour composition of the invention, it preserves the quantity and quality of the typical nutrients from corn, with the advantage of absorbing significantly smaller amounts of oil without affecting its taste and texture, combined with the fact that it contains also calcium and potassium, which significantly enriches the mineral nutrients of the composition. In this sense, the reduced amount of calories contained in the flour composition of the invention does not affect the taste or texture of the foods prepared with it, so that the food products that use it are organoleptically acceptable.

On the other hand, the reduced amount of water necessary to prepare dough using the flour of the invention, allows to enhance its low absorption of oil during processing by frying. This is due to the fact that during frying, the medium oil reaches temperatures of 170 ° C, which causes the violent evaporation of the water present in the dough and the consequent formation of bubbles on the external surface of the food product, which are filled of oil easily, raising the final fat content.

According to the present invention, the flour composition described herein comprises cereal, a source of calcium and potassium and an emulsifier.

With regard to cereal, ground cereal grains are used at a certain particle size, which are previously processed to eliminate the lining or husk. Before grinding the peeled grains, the less water absorbing parts are separated, which may be those that have been previously tested. Although any part of the grain having low water absorption can be used, for the purposes of the present invention it is preferred to use the protid core and the corneous endosperm of the grain. Although basically the cereal used is corn, mixtures of corn with other cereals, such as wheat or the like, can be used. In this case, the cereal mixture is made in a proportion of 80% by weight of corn at most with respect to the total weight of the cereal mixture, preferably 75% by weight, the remaining percentage of the mixture being the other cereal which is chosen. Although any cereal can be used to mix with corn, it is preferred to use wheat.

In the case of corn, various types can be used, depending on the geographical area in which they plant, such as tropicalized corn, cold land or soft corn varieties, although cold land is preferred, or any variety of corn , although food varieties of commercial interest are preferred, such as varieties of white or yellow corn. As for the grain consistency hard or soft grain can be used, although grains that have a certain consistency so that their grinding is more efficient are preferred. The proportion by which the cereal is used in the flour of the present invention is 90 to 95% by weight with respect to the total weight of the flour.

Because a diet rich in corn-based foods does not necessarily provide the necessary mineral nutrients for a balanced diet, the present invention provides flours enriched in calcium and potassium, completely compatible with the low water and oil absorption they present. In this sense, the flour of the present invention allows to be a source of calcium and potassium for the consumer, which contributes to supplement the supply of these minerals that is acquired in a deficient through other food sources. The supply of these minerals through the direct consumption of the flour of the invention or through foods that contain it, allows to contribute to the strengthening of the bones or to maintain other biological functions where these minerals are necessary, for example coagulation of blood, nerve transmission, muscle contraction and heart function.

The source of mineral nutrients can be provided to the flour of the present invention from compounds containing these minerals, which are tasteless and which do not interfere negatively in providing the food with an appearance of adequate color and texture when these are subjected to some process of fried. In this sense the salts of calcium carbonate and potassium chloride are preferable, however salts that provide the desired effect in the flour of the present invention can be used. The proportion in which the source of calcium is supplied to the flour mixture is 4 to 5% by weight with respect to the total weight of the flour, while the proportion of the source of potassium is 1 to 2% by weight. weight with respect to the total weight of the flour. The mentioned amount of calcium and potassium allow to provide more than 10% of the daily supply of these minerals per determined portion of food.

Surprisingly, the high amounts of the mineral sources of calcium and potassium contained in the enriched flour of the present invention, do not affect the final texture of the processed foods that contain it, mainly fried, and neither their times of manufacture or cooking.

As regards emulsifiers, its use for the improvement of various characteristics of foods is well known, for example for obtaining bread40, incorporation of vitamins into nutrient masses41, viability of food for microwave cooking42, to increase moisture absorption43 , 44, to delay aging44, to improve its texture45, to make oils and fats more available in cooked doughs or pasta46, or as part of food preservation compositions47.

Some studies indicate that the use of emulsifiers such as Flavo 1500 increases the absorption of water in dough for biscuits and generates rigid structures when the dough is baked, however the use of monoglycerides does not significantly affect the water absorption capacity of the dough but they improve its stability and consistency, thereby increasing all the characteristics of the food48. In general, the use of emulsifiers or surfactants improves the characteristics of bakery foods subject to subsequent baking, basically improving the characteristics of the dough with which they are combined, for example their handling, elasticity49, stability50, rotability51, availability of certain nutrients as lipids52,53 or elimination of undesirable substances54.

However, to date it has not been reported that the use of emulsifiers applicable in foods has a clear or decisive effect on the water or oil absorption capacity of the food. For example, the use of soybean meal in conjunction with phosphate emulsifying salts has been described and later added to food mixtures to obtain soy cheeses55, however such mixtures do not show a decrease in the uptake of oils or water. In some cases, the production of foods with a high capacity to absorb fat using esters of glycerol fatty acids has been described56.

On the other hand it is known that the proteins coming from flour or soy gluten work to reduce the absorption of fat in foods subject to deep frying. However, the mechanism by which this occurs is not entirely clear. When these proteins are added to the basic formula of a food product, high quality proteins are used. Although these proteins may be commercially available, they are required to have a high purity and specific physical characteristics, which significantly affects the price of this raw material and the products that contain it, which may be prohibitive for its regular use.

In the case of calcium enriched foods, such as biscuits, high amounts of emulsifier (from 3 to 45% by weight) are used to ensure that the amounts of calcium do not produce hard textures and do not interfere with the manufacturing times of the product. food39 In the case of the flour of the present invention, high amounts of the emulsifier are not necessary, since low amounts are sufficient to achieve the desired effect.

Maseru57 describes the enrichment of rice or barley polished with nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals such as calcium and iron, in proportions of 0.4 to 1.6% by weight, which are fixed on the grain by an oil / grease coating and / or wax , covering them with sorbitan fatty acid esters and then covering them with a starch based coating agent. However, when subjecting said food compositions to frying, they absorb high amounts of oil due to the coating of starch they contain and the quantities of vitamins and minerals they provide are low, because the inclusion of high quantities cause problems in mixing of rice grains enriched with conventional rice grains.

In contrast to the above, the flour of the present invention allows to provide larger amounts of nutritive minerals such as calcium and potassium, which do not negatively interfere with the low levels of fat absorbed by the food to generate convenient textures. On the other hand, if preferred, the flour of the invention can be subjected to frying preserving a low level of absorption of oil and water. Likewise, the amount of emulsifier used in the flour of the invention turns out to be minimal, which allows to reduce the production costs and the processing times in a significant way.

In the present invention, the emulsifier can be added to the flour of the invention in very low proportions, of the order of 0.1 to 0.4% by weight with respect to the total weight of the flour, with a proportion of 0.2 to 0.35% by weight being preferred.

According to the present invention, edible emulsifiers which are more convenient to use are partial fatty acid esters of polyhydroxy compounds which have previously reacted with oxyethylene. Within this group, the monostearate of (20) polyoxyethylene sorbitan (polysorbate 60), monooleate, is preferred. of (20) polyoxyethylene sorbitan (polysorbate 80), or mixtures thereof, polysorbate 80 being most preferred. The above compounds are known as baking mass improvers, however the characteristics of the enriched flour of the invention are not related to the observed negative effects that result from combining emulsifiers with calcium in foods with low oil content.

Polysorbate 60, (20) polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate is a hydrophilic emulsifier which is a mixture of partial esters of sorbitol stearate and palmitate and sorbitol anhydrides fused or copolymerized with approximately 20 moles of ethylene oxide (C2H4O) for each mole of sorbitol and its mono and di-anhydrides. It is a lemon-orange, oily or semi-gel liquid that has a weak, characteristic odor and a hot, somewhat bitter taste. It is soluble in water, aniline, ethyl acetate, and toluene, but is soluble only at low levels in mineral and vegetable oils. Polysorbate 60 is commercially available under the trademark Tween 60.

Polysorbate 80, (20) polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate is a hydrophilic emulsifier which is a mixture of partial esters of sorbitol oleate and sorbitol anhydrides fused or copolymerized with. about 20 moles of ethylene oxide (C2H4O) for each mole of sorbitol and its mono- and di-anhydrides. It is a yellow-orange, oily or semi-gel liquid that has a weak, characteristic odor and a hot, somewhat bitter taste. It is very soluble in water, producing an odorless, almost colorless solution, and is soluble in ethanol, cottonseed oil, corn oil, methanol, ethyl acetate and toluene. Polysorbate 80 is commercially available under the trademark Tween 80.

The emulsifier can be added premixed when a mixture thereof is used or can be mixed separately with the flour. Although the addition thereof is preferred in one of the final stages of the flour obtaining process described below.

The present invention also comprises a method for obtaining the flour described here, which allows to obtain high amounts of it in shorter times than other foods of similar characteristics.

The process of the invention consists in generating said flour using the ingredients described above in the following manner: a) Dehusking of cereal grains. In this step, the cereal used, either corn itself or a mixture of corn with another cereal, for example wheat, are subjected to a process of elimination of the husk, which reduces the amount of cellulose to a minimum of the grains, thereby avoiding adding a highly absorbent liquid element to the flour composition of the invention. This operation is carried out by processes known in the food industry, such as, for example, by means of a roller mill and screening by metal, although any other process that results in an efficient dehulling of the grains can also be used. b) Separation of the less absorbent parts of the grain. In this step, only the protruding nucleus and corneo endosperm of the grains are selected, since they are considered the least liquid absorbent parts of the material. After the selection, the material is washed with water to ensure its cleaning and eliminate any contaminants present in the grains, eliminating the washing water; thereby constant organoleptic and chemical conditions of the cereal are ensured for the rest of the process of the invention. c) Addition of the source of calcium and potassium. The processed and moist cereal is mixed evenly for 6 to 8 minutes, with the calcium and potassium sources previously mixed in a glucose solution in a conventional stainless steel container equipped with mechanisms that allow the mixture to be homogenized. . For this stage, the calcium and potassium sources are previously mixed with a glucose solution to form a solution of 30 to 40% concentration to be incorporated into the mixture. Finished the When mixed, the resulting mixture is milled by some standard device, such as a common hammer mill, until a constant granulometry of between 10 to 20 mesh is obtained, although a 16 mesh particle size is preferred. At this point, the size of the particle is constantly monitored until the desired size is obtained. d) Addition of the emulsifier. The above mixture is placed in a conventional stainless steel equipment equipped with heating means in order to cook the mixture at a temperature between 70 to 100 ° C for 5 to 10 minutes, adding sufficient water for this purpose. This step allows to saponify any residual or constituent element existing in the mixture. After cooking, the mixture is allowed to cool to room temperature and the emulsifier is added, mixing until homogeneity and raising the temperature again from 40 to 50 ° C for 10 to 20 minutes. After the heating process of the mixture is finished, it is left to stand for enough time to cool it to room temperature. e) Drying and conditioning of the mixture. The obtained mixture is subjected to conventional drying, preferably by means of a countercurrent process with hot air at a temperature of between 70 a 120 ° C. The mixture obtained is subsequently subjected to grinding, for example by means of a hammer mill until obtaining a constant granulometry of between 30 to 50 mesh, preferably to a 40 mesh particle size. At this point, the particle size is monitored again steadily until you get the desired size.

As a result of the above process, the enriched flour obtained in all cases absorbs less than 10 to 15% by weight of fat or oil with respect to the original weight of the flour, when it is subjected to a frying process. As for the volume of flour, it does not increase beyond the same proportion mentioned in volume with respect to its original volume.

As used herein the term "mesh" refers to the determined particle size of the food material according to its ability to pass through a mesh having holes of defined dimensions.

The equipment used in the process of the invention can be any conventional equipment used to mix the components of the flour, such as ribbon mixers and steamers with thermal oil, equipped with speed and temperature control.

Villagrán58 describes a process for making fried sandwiches reduced in fat forming expanded laminar structures and lighter than that of fried sandwiches based on conventional dough. These low-fat fried snacks are produced from a rolling dough containing calcium carbonate, starch flour, hydrolyzed starches, emulsifiers and water.In this case, the amount of calcium carbonate used ranges from 1 to 10% by weight, while the amount of emulsifier of the mono and diglycerides type of palmitic or stearic acid, as well as polyethoxysorbitan esters, ranges from 0.5 to 3% by weight The starch flour, preferably pre-gelatinized, can be potato or potato combined with corn flour, while hydrolyzed starches (maltodextrin, for example) are used in a proportion of 3 to 15% by weight to avoid a hard texture in the food due to loss of the elasticity of the dough due to the low content of In this case, the addition of hydrolyzed starch is of vital importance for the formation of the mass described, because it functions as a plasticizer that allows to supply the lta of water necessary to manipulate the dough and form sheets; it also intervenes in conjunction with calcium carbonate in the effect of decreasing the absorption of water in the dough. As a result of the combination of the above ingredients, it results in a dough that captures less oil when it is fried, uses less water for its manufacture and can be handled in the form of sheets to obtain a food with the appropriate texture.

In contrast to the above, the flour of the present invention does not include hydrolyzed starches and uses much smaller amounts of emulsifier, which does not prevent the dough obtained from being easily manipulated at the industrial level, generating the forms of the food that are necessary. On the other hand, although the flour of the invention does not contain hydrolyzed starches, it exhibits a lower water absorption capacity as well as a low oil absorption, in comparison with conventional flours. On the other hand, the elasticity of the dough formed from the flour of the present invention turns out to be very convenient, for example the final texture of fried food products that includes it is very homogeneous and without fractures. Likewise, the flour of the present invention uses a weight percentage of cereal of at least 90% by weight with respect to the total weight of the flour, unlike the maximum 70% of pre-gelatinized starch flour used by Villagrán58, which places the flour described here as a flour containing a high amount of the nutrients originally contained in the cereal grains, for example corn.

Surprisingly, it has been observed that the use of the enriched flour of the present invention in the elaboration of conventional foods based on corn, significantly reduces the uptake of oil during its frying. Thus during the frying of the feed mixes using the flour of the invention, the uptake of oil is significantly reduced compared to the uptake of conventional food oil, with the additional benefit of providing calcium and potassium as a food supplement.

On the other hand, the porosity of the feed mixes using the enriched flour of the invention, is much lower compared to conventional mixtures of corn-based food that are not enriched and with a higher oil absorption capacity.

The present invention includes the generation of corn-based foods enriched in calcium and potassium produced at industrial levels. Said fortified or enriched foods include tortillas, toasts and nachos, as well as conventional foods that are mixed with the enriched flour of the invention or that are coated with it in the form of films or as a capeado.

For purposes of the invention, conventional foods are any food including natural foods, for example fresh potatoes, vegetables, fish and meat, reconstituted foods, for example croquettes, potato crackers and crepes, processed foods, for example onion rings and snacks of corn or potatoes. The flour of the invention can be added to the food mixture at any stage of its preparation. Thus, when preparing for example a coating or coating according to the invention, the flour described here can be added to the coating in the final stage of its preparation, or in a preliminary stage; for example, preparing the raw material for the coating by adding the flour to the flour mixture used for the coating, or using it on its own.

The mixtures of the invention can be subjected to frying in various shapes and sizes and can be used to coat other foods subject to frying; the coating may be dry, for example as a powder or flour for breading, or moist, such as for example mixed with other ingredients such as egg white, etc.

The invention also relates to food mixtures that are subject to frying and to a method for decreasing the uptake of food oil during frying. Thus, the fried food products containing the flour of the invention within its composition are contained within the scope of the present invention.

It is known that the initial and final water content in foods subject to frying has a significant impact on the amount of oil captured by the food during its frying. In the case of the present invention, the low water absorption of the flour described here contributes to a greater stability of the food on the shelf, to decreasing the amount of oil taken from the frying medium and to. provide a better texture. For example, to generate a useful mass for preparing a food from the flour of the invention, only 30 to 47% by weight of water is used with respect to the weight of the flour, which means a reduction of 70 to 90 % water with the flour of the invention in comparison with conventional maize flours, which can capture at least 1.2 to 1.5 liters of water per kg. The use of less water to obtain doughs from the flour of the invention, results in lower costs and times of production and allows to manipulate the dough with a lower consumption of energy and oil in cases where the dough is fried to generate fried foods.

The oils that can be used to fry foods containing the flour of the present invention comprise those edible oils available commercially. A typical frying medium includes fats and oils derived from animal and vegetable sources. Any hydrogenated or non-hydrogenated fat can be used for frying, which include olive oil, corn, soy, palm, cottonseed or sunflower, cañola, safflower, lard, tallow, peanut oil, among others. Synthetic triglycerides can also be used, including low-calorie or no-calorie fats, for example polyol fatty acid polyesters such as sucrose polyesters, etc.

As with conventional fried foods, the food of the present invention can be fried at temperatures of 140 ° C to 230 ° C, with the exact frying time being controlled by the temperature of the oil and the initial water content of the food. The food products made with this process and including the flour of the present invention typically contain from 10% to 15%, preferably from 10% to 12.5%, of fat, which represents a lower proportion of fat in the fried food in comparison with that found in most conventional fried foods.

The flour of the invention prolongs the useful life of the foodstuffs prepared with it, mainly those subject to frying, because the low amount of water and oil that it absorbs prevents immediate oxidation of the food components, as well as the rancidity of fats or oils. On the other hand, it provides greater amounts of mineral nutrients, mainly calcium and potassium, which are not available in other food sources. At the same time the food products that are prepared with it, achieve better homogeneity in the mixture and its surface, which substantially improves the texture of the product and makes it pleasant to the palate. Likewise, it improves the digestibility of the food, which allows that greater quantities of nutrients can be exploited in the same volume by the consumer with a significantly smaller amount of calories.

For a long time, it was believed that the use of inorganic materials such as kaolins, silicates, carbonates, as well as other inorganic materials, in considerable quantities were the most suitable for the adequate manufacture of various foods based on grain flours, such as preparations in bakery, pastry, tortilleria, fried foods and sweets; however, its high fat absorption capacity was not considered at the time of use. In the case of the present invention, the flour described here uses organic materials in low concentrations, in conjunction with inorganic materials that fortify the nutritional composition of corn flour, while at the same time avoiding the conventional use of high quantities of inorganic materials that need high amounts of fat to achieve homogenization. This eliminates the addition of foreign impurities to the food composition and allows foods to be more uniform in their mixtures, with less oxidation and rancidity in their elements, with more constant organoleptic characteristics and with shelf life or longer shelf life .

The process of the present invention allows to obtain a food material that satisfies the needs of the consumer and the food manufacturer, since it is possible to control the level of absorption of fats or oils more easily in any industrial process destined to the manufacture of food.

As a way to illustrate the present invention, the following examples are presented without limiting the scope thereof.

Example 1. Enriched flour of corn and wheat with low absorption of oil and water. 75 Kg of tropicalized corn grains and 25 Kg of durum wheat grains were added in a hammermill and sieved by metal to remove the husk from the grains. After the husked grain, the protid nuclei and the endosperm were selected, which were washed with enough water, eliminating the washing water. The processed grains were mixed uniformly with 5 Kg of calcium carbonate and with 2 Kg of potassium chloride, previously mixed with a glucose solution to form a solution of 30 to 40% concentration, in a stainless steel container for a time 6 to 8 minutes. The resulting mixture was milled in a hammer mill until obtaining a homogeneous particle size of 10 to 20 mesh and mixed with 100 liters of water to be cooked at a temperature of between 70 to 100 ° C for 5 to 10 minutes. The resulting mixture was allowed to cool to room temperature and 300 gr. of sorbitan 80, mixing until homogeneous, heating the mixture again from 40 to 50 ° C for a time of 20 to 40 minutes and letting it finally cool to room temperature. The obtained mixture was dried countercurrently with hot air at a temperature of 70 to 120 ° C to finally grind it in a hammer mill until obtaining a homogeneous particle size of 30 mesh. 50. The resulting flour had a uniform appearance and mixing and exhibited low fat absorption.

On the other hand, all possible mixtures were made between maize, both tropicalized and cold land, and wheat, both hard and soft in the same proportions described and processed as described above. The flours obtained from each of the mixtures of grains mentioned, had a uniform appearance and mixing and had a low fat absorption.

Example 2. Enriched flour of corn and wheat. A mixture of 50 kg of corn grains and 50 kg of wheat grains was processed as described in example 1. In this case, all possible mixtures were made between corn, both tropicalized and cold land, and wheat, both hard and soft. The flours obtained from each of the mixtures of grains mentioned, had a uniform appearance and mixing, but had a high capacity to absorb fat and water.

On the other hand, a mixture of 60 Kg of corn grains and 40 Kg of wheat grains was processed as described in example 1. In this case, all possible mixtures were made between corn, both tropicalized and cold land , and wheat, both hard and soft. The flours obtained from each of the mixtures of grains mentioned, had a stained and non-uniform appearance, while also had a high capacity for absorption of fat and water.

In any of the combinations and proportions made of cereal grains in this example, the high oil absorption exhibited by the flours obtained contrasts significantly with the characteristics observed with the flours obtained in example 1, where the absorption of oil and water observed was much smaller.

Example 3. Food enriched in calcium and potassium with low oil absorption.

Using the flour described in Example 1 and a conventional corn flour, toasts were obtained by the following procedure. 1, 000 g of flour were weighed, which was mixed with enough water in a stainless steel mixing equipment with slats or ribbons for 6 to 8 minutes until a homogenous and uniform mass was obtained. The resulting dough was transferred to conventional toasting equipment equipped with a fryer. After obtaining the shape and the desired units of the dough, they were subjected to frying with edible oil at a temperature of 170 ° C for 45 to 70 seconds to obtain the toast. The fat content of the toasts was determined by a Soxhlett apparatus using petroleum ether. The amount of fat and water resulting for each of the flours used is shown in Table 1.

Table 1 **% by weight with respect to the total weight of the toast. * For 1 Kg of flour.

As can be seen, the amount of water used to obtain a homogenous and uniform mass was 75 to 80% lower on average using the flour of the invention than using conventional corn flour. With respect to the amount of fat found in the toast, it was reduced by at least 60% in the toasts prepared with the flour of the invention with respect to the amount detected in the toasts made with conventional corn flour. On the other hand, the texture obtained from the toasts was significantly better when the flour of the invention was used.

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Claims (38)

1. Claims 1. A flour composition enriched in minerals, with low absorption of oil and water, characterized in that it comprises "a) Cereal in a percentage of 90 to 95% by weight with respect to the total weight of the flour composition, b) Calcium in a percentage of 4 to 5% by weight with respect to the total weight of the flour composition, c) Potassium in a percentage of 1 to 2% by weight with respect to the total weight of the flour composition, and d) Emulsifier in a percentage from 0.1 to 0.4% by weight with respect to the total weight of the flour composition, 2. The enriched flour composition of claim 1 characterized in that the cereal is selected from the group consisting of corn, wheat and mixtures thereof. 3. The enriched flour composition of claim 2 characterized in that the cereal is a mixture of corn in a percentage of 70 to 80% by weight with respect to the total weight of the mixture, and wheat in a percentage of 20 to 30% by weight with with respect to the total weight of the mixture. 4. The enriched flour composition of claim 3 characterized in that the cereal mixture is a mixture of corn in a percentage of 75% by weight with respect to the total weight of the mixture, and wheat in a percentage of 25% by weight with with respect to the total weight of the mixture. 5. The enriched flour composition of claim 1 to 4, characterized in that the calcium is present in a percentage of 4.5% by weight with respect to the total weight of the flour composition. 6. The enriched flour composition of claim 5 characterized in that the calcium is provided to the flour composition by the addition of calcium carbonate. 7. The enriched flour composition of claim 1 to 6 characterized in that the potassium is in a percentage of 1.8% by weight with respect to the total weight of the flour composition. 8. The enriched flour composition of claim 7 characterized in that the potassium is provided to the flour composition by the addition of potassium chloride. 9. The enriched flour composition of claim 1 to 8, characterized in that the emulsifier is in a percentage of 0.3% by weight with respect to the total weight of the flour composition. The enriched flour composition of claim 9 characterized in that the emulsifier is a fatty acid of polyhydroxy compounds, selected from the group consisting of (20) polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate and (20) polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate. 11. The enriched flour composition of claim 1 to 10, characterized in that it has a particle size of 30 to 50 mesh. 12. The enriched flour composition of claim 1 to 11 characterized in that it absorbs from 30 to 47% by weight of water with respect to the initial weight of the flour. 13. The enriched flour composition of claim 1 to 12, characterized in that it absorbs less than 15% by weight of oil with respect to the initial weight of the flour. A method for obtaining the enriched flour composition of claim 1 to 13, characterized in that it comprises the steps of: a) Shelling cereal grains, b) Separating the less absorbent parts of the dehusked grain in a) and washing them with water, c) Add calcium and potassium to the resulting material in b), mix and grind the resulting mixture until obtaining a particle size of 10 to 20 mesh, d) Boil the resulting mixture in c) in the presence of water at a temperature of 70 a 100 ° C for 5 to 10 minutes, e) Allow the resulting mixture to cool in d), add emulsifier, mix, and heat the mixture at a temperature of 40 to 50 ° C for 10 to 20 minutes, f) Allow the mixture to cool resulting in e), dry it at a temperature of 70 to 120 ° C and grind it until obtaining a particle size of 30 to 50 mesh. 15. The method of claim 14, characterized in that the cereal is selected from the group consisting of corn , wheat and mixtures thereof. 16. The method of claim 15 characterized in that the cereal is a mixture of corn in a percentage of 70 to 80% by weight with respect to the total weight of the mixture, and wheat in a percentage of 20 to 30% by weight with respect to weight total of the mixture. 17. The method of claim 16 characterized in that the cereal mixture is a mixture of corn in a percentage of 75% by weight with respect to the total weight of the mixture, and wheat in a percentage of 25% by weight with respect to the total weight of the mixture. 18. The method of claim 14 to 17, characterized in that the less absorbent portions of the peeled grain are selected from the group consisting of protruding core, corneo endosperm and mixtures thereof. 19. The method of claim 14 to 18, characterized in that the calcium is added in a percentage of 4 to 6% by weight with respect to the total weight of the cereal grains. 20. The method of claim 19 characterized in that the calcium is added in a percentage of 5% by weight with respect to the total weight of the cereal grains. 21. The method of claim 20 characterized in that the calcium is provided by the addition of calcium carbonate. 22. The method of claim 14 to 21, characterized in that the potassium is added in a percentage of 1 to 3% by weight with respect to the total weight of the cereal grains. 23. The method of claim 22, characterized in that the potassium is added in a percentage of 2% by weight with respect to the total weight of the cereal grains. The method of claim 23 characterized in that the potassium is provided by the addition of potassium chloride. 25. The method of claim 14 to 24, characterized in that in step d) the water is added in a percentage of 100% by volume with respect to the total weight of the cereal grains. 26. The method of claim 14 to 25 characterized in that the emulsifier is added in a percentage of 0.2 to 0.4% by weight with respect to the total weight of the cereal grains. The method of claim 26, characterized in that the emulsifier is added in a percentage of 0.3% by weight with respect to the total weight of the cereal grains. 28. The method of claim 27 characterized in that the emulsifier is a fatty acid of polyhydroxy compounds selected from the group consisting of (20) polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate and (20) polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate. 29. The method of claim 14 to 28, characterized in that in step f) the drying is carried out by countercurrent with hot air. 30. A fried food product enriched in minerals and reduced in calories, characterized in that it comprises the enriched flour composition according to claim 1 to 13. 31. The fried food product of claim 30, characterized in that it is selected from the group consisting of Toast and nachos. 32. A useful mass for obtaining a fried food enriched in minerals with a reduced fat content, characterized in that it comprises the flour of claim 1 to 13 and water. 33. The dough of claim 32 characterized in that the water content is 30 to 47% by weight with respect to the weight of the dough. 34. The dough of claim 33, characterized in that it absorbs less than 15% by weight of oil with respect to the initial weight of the dough. 35. A method for obtaining a fried food enriched in minerals with a reduced fat content, characterized in that it comprises the steps of forming a dough by combining the flour of claim 1 to 13 with water; and fry the dough. 36. The method of claim 35, characterized in that the water is added in an amount of 30 to 47% by weight with respect to the weight of the flour. 37. The method of claim 36, characterized in that the food is formed of a certain size and shape from the dough. 38. The method of claim 37, characterized in that the fried product is selected from the group consisting of toast and nachos.