MXPA06009093A - Method for preparing a semi-fluid foodstuff - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a novel method for preparing a semi-fluid, semi-gelled or gelled foodstuff including a step of partially enzymatically hydrolysing a native starch. The foodstuff optionally includes a food preparation containing solid particles. The present invention further relates to a semi-fluid foodstuff including 20-70 wt%of an aqueous native starch suspension with a dextrose equivalent (DE) of at most 10. Finally, the invention relates to an aqueous native starch suspension having a dextrose equivalent of at most 10 and useful for forming a stable gel when incorporated into a foodstuff, whereby solid food particles can be maintained in suspension.

Description

METHOD FOR PREPARING A SEMIFLED FOOD PRODUCT DESCRIPTIVE MEMORY The present invention relates to a novel method for preparing a semifluid food product comprising a step of partial enzymatic hydrolysis of a native starch. The food product can also comprise a food preparation containing solid particles. In the area of food products, particularly dairy products, industrialists have extended their product scales by incorporating thickeners in it, through which the initial texture of the product can be modified making it possible to obtain products that contain a suspension of solid particles such as pieces of fruit for example, or chocolate sparks. The texturizing agents added to these products can, in particular, promote the formation of a gel of greater or lesser firmness so that the solid pieces, in particular fruits or chocolate, can remain in suspension in said food products. However, these thickeners such as gelatin, once added to the food product can alter the texture of the final product considerably so that it is no longer related to the characteristic texture of the initial product, particularly if the initial product is a yogurt. In addition, gelatin is an ingredient of animal origin. Several cases of contamination by products of animal origin in recent years have meant that gelatine solutions for food applications lack flavor. These gelatins can also be of porcine origin avoiding its consumption by some users for religious reasons in particular. The patent of E.U.A. 4 430 349 describes blends of dairy products with pectin solutions. Pectin is a gelling agent that is difficult to control in milk-based products because it reacts with the calcium they contain by immediately forming a gel. The mixtures are usually very granular and do not really form a cohesive gel. US 4 510 166 discloses a lightly hydrolyzed starch having a dextrose equivalent (DE) of less than 5, used as a fat substitute in a food product. Inherent with the method described, this slightly hydrolyzed starch is pregelatinized, i.e., cooked before or at the time it is added to the food product. Patent application EP 0 704 169 describes a slightly hydrolyzed starch having a dextrose equivalent (DE) comprised between 3 and 12, used as a fat substitute in a food product. The hydrolyzed starch solution described in this patent application is characterized in particular by the fact that it can not be pumped at 90 ° C. Native starch is a crude product extracted from plants without molecular modification. This product is known to those skilled in the art for its food and technological properties, in particular its binding and thickening properties. These properties vary in relation to the proportions of amylose or amylopectin which are two component fractions of the starch. Amylose is a starch polysaccharide whose macromolecules have a predominantly straight chain structure. Amylose is formed mainly from glucose units linked by alpha-1, 4 bonds. Amylopectin is the other starch polysaccharide whose macromolecules have a branched structure. Amylopectin has approximately one alpha-1, 6 bond per 30 alpha-1, 4 bonds. During the hydrolysis of starch, amylose and amylopectin, which have long chains comprise up to 2000 units of glucose, randomly divided, each fragment continuing fragmenting by successive breaks. The dextrose equivalent (DE) is an indicator of the degree of hydrolysis of starch. It represents a reduction value of the sugars of the hydrolysed starch expressed as a percentage of the reduction value of pure dextrose (glucose). DE is calculated with respect to dry matter. DE ranges from 0 to 100 for a non-hydrolyzed or fully hydrolyzed glucose respectively. ThusThe greater the value of DE, that is, closer to 100, the greater the glucose that is hydrolyzed. Those skilled in the art know that native starch gels are not stable in aqueous compositions at low temperature and / or during a prolonged storage time. At low temperatures the gels of the native starches undergo irreversible conversion and can form a spongy mass insoluble in water. During the storage of gels of native starches, the chains of the group of starches together in an irreversible manner, in particular from the formation of hydrogen bonds, and the texture of the products may undergo changes, the gel becoming hard and having probabilities to expel water. In addition, aqueous dispersions of native starches are often considered too viscous. It is therefore considered by those skilled in the art that native starches are not suitable for use in food products whose texture is desired to be maintained, in particular during storage or at low temperatures (storage temperature of about 0 to 6 ° C). In an attempt to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks, those skilled in the art have modified the native starches in particular by graft substituents. However, with these starches it is not possible to obtain stable gelled textures due to retrograde amylopectin kinetics that last for several days. Surprisingly, the inventors have found that moderate enzymatic hydrolysis of a native starch carried out under conditions of the invention has made it possible to obtain a sufficiently high degradation of amylopectin so that its retrogradation for prolonged periods lasting several days can be avoided. Upon cooling, a gel that probably consists mainly of amylose forms quickly and the texture of this gel remains unchanged throughout the storage period of the product. The present invention relates to a method for preparing a semifluid food product, characterized in that it comprises the following successive steps: a) preparing an aqueous suspension of fluid hydrolyzed starch by partial enzymatic hydrolysis of a native starch at an ED of 10 or less, b) optionally, cooling and maintaining the suspension obtained after step a) at a temperature comprised between 70 and 95 ° C; c) cooling the suspension obtained in step a) or b) at a temperature comprised between 40 and 95 ° C; d) mixing, at a temperature between 40 and 95 ° C, the suspension obtained after step c) with a food product. Step b) in particular allows storage of the suspension. In the invention, the term "semifluid food product" means a food product whose condition is intermediate between the solid state and the liquid state. It has intermediate flow properties with respect to those of solids and liquids, and can be pumped in particular using conventional industrial pumping equipment. Step a) advantageously comprises the following successive steps: i) preparing a mixture of water, native starch, optionally a sweetening agent, and amylase in the following percentages by weight: - Natural starch 2 to 30% - Amylase 2 to 200 ppm - Sweetening agent 0 to 30% - Water to complete up to 100% ii) heating the mixture from step i) to a temperature equal to gelification temperature of the native starch ± 20%; subsequently iii) inactivate the amylase when heating the mixture obtained in step ii) at a temperature between 100 and 130 ° C, advantageously at a temperature of between 105 and 110 ° C. The native starch is advantageously partially hydrolysed at an ED of 5 or less, further conveniently at an ED of 1 or less. Amylase is an enzyme whose action on starch causes partial depolymerization of said by random hydrolysis of its glycosidic chains.

The amount of native starch initially added may depend in particular on the amylose content of the starch. The experts in the technique knows the amylose content of each starch, through the literature in particular. The higher the amylose content of starch, lower the amount of native starch added. On the contrary, if the starch has a low amylose content, the amount of native starch to be added It must be greater. According to a useful variant of the invention, the amount of native starch initially added ranges from 2 to 20% by weight, further advantageously from 3 to 15% by weight with respect to the total weight of the mixture of step i). The amount of amylase to be added also depends on the starch content. According to an advantageous variant of the invention, the amount of amylase added is between 5 and 100 ppm, even more conveniently between 2 and 30 ppm, and even more conveniently between 5 and 20 ppm relative to the total weight of the mixture of step i ). The native starch is conveniently partially hydrolyzed at an ED of 5 or less. For this purpose during step i) the addition is made from 2 to 20% by weight of native starch, 2 to 30 ppm of amylase, 0 to 30% by weight of sweetening agent and water to complete to 100% by weight, percentages by weight being expressed with respect to the total weight of the mixture. The added water can be tap water. The pH value of the mixture of step i) is suitably adjusted to a value between 4.6 and 8, which corresponds to the scale of pH values at which the amylase is particularly active. The preparation of the aqueous suspension of fluid hydrolyzed starch conveniently begins by suspending the native starch in water, optionally with a sweetening agent. Citric acid for example can be added to adjust the pH of the mixture, then the amylase is added. During step i) sugar and / or sweetening agents may optionally be added. As an example of sweetening agents, particular mention may be made of beet sugar or refined sugar, sugar cane or unrefined sugar, fructose, glucose syrup, honey, sweeteners such as aspartame, saccharin, cyclamate, acesulfame K, sucralose and thaumatin. The amount of added sweetening agent and / or sugar conveniently ranges from 5 to 20% by weight relative to the total weight of the mixture of step i). Heating in step i) at a temperature equivalent to the gelation temperature of native starch ± 20% can initiate the enzymatic hydrolysis reaction. Provided that the mixture of step i) is maintained at room temperature, no enzymatic hydrolysis reaction will take place. In the meaning of the present invention, the term "native starch gelation temperature ± 20%" encompasses the scale of temperatures that lie between the gelling temperature of native starch minus 20% of this value, and the gelation temperature of starch native plus 20% of this value, limits included. The mixture is suitably heated in step ii) at a temperature equal to the native starch gelation temperature ± 20 ° C, conveniently at the native starch gelation temperature ± 15 ° C, even more conveniently the starch gelation temperature native ± 10 ° C, and even more conveniently at the native starch gelation temperature ± 3 ° C. In the meaning of the present invention, the term "Native starch gelation temperature ± X ° C" where X represents a given numerical value, covers the scale of temperatures that lie between the gelation temperature of native starch minus X ° C and the gelation temperature of native starch plus X ° C, limits included. The optional addition of sugar and / or sweetener in step i) may, in some cases, increase the value of the gelation temperature of the native starch. Therefore, in the present invention, the gelling temperature to be taken into consideration corresponds to the gelation temperature of native starch in pure water in the optional presence of sweetening agent. The gelation temperature of native starch in pure water depends on the type of native starch under consideration, but does not vary within the same family. For example, the gelling temperature of cassava starch is 70 ° C regardless of for example the date of harvest of said cassava, the temperature of potato starch is 63 ° C, corn starch 76 ° C and wheat starch 82 ° C. During step ii), the mixture is conveniently maintained at said heating temperature for 1 to 15 minutes, more conveniently 2 to 8 minutes. After step i), the enzyme, ie the amylase, is deactivated by heat treatment. This inactivation step of amylase iii) upon heating to a temperature of between 100 and 130 ° C, conveniently between 105 and 110 ° C, lasts for a period of about 30 seconds to 15 minutes, and more conveniently of between 2 to 5 minutes .

The inventive method can also, after step c) comprise an expansion step by incorporating at least one substance having surfactant properties. The swelling makes it possible to increase the volume of the aqueous suspension of native hydrolyzed fluid starch, leading to the formation of a stable mousse. The substance having surfactant properties can be an emulsifier or a kind of surfactant. The species of surfactant is conveniently selected from the group consisting of polymers, such as milk proteins, egg proteins and also acacia gum (arabic) or mixtures thereof, or any other polymer with surfactant properties. The emulsifier is conveniently selected from the group consisting of mono, diglycerides, sodium stearoyl-2-lactylate, polysorbates, sucroglycerides or mixtures thereof. The swelling is carried in a static or dynamic expander. The swelling step can advantageously be carried out at a temperature higher than 70 ° C. After this expansion step, the aqueous suspension of expanded, fluid, hydrolyzed native starch can be cooled advantageously at a temperature between 40 and 95 ° C for storage purposes, for example. The amylase used in the present invention is advantageously selected from the group consisting of a-amylase of fungal origin, α-amylase of bacterial origin, or a β-amylase of plant origin. As an example of α-amylase of fungal origin, particular mention may be made of α-amylase derived from Aspergillus oryzae or α-amylase derived from Aspergillus niger. As an example of a-amylase of bacterial origin, particular mention may be made of an a-amylase derived from Bacillus subtilis or the α-amylase derived from Bacillus licheniformis or the α-amylase derived from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. As an example of ß-amylase of plant origin, particular mention can be made of a β-amylase derived from malt. According to an advantageous variant of the invention, the amylase is an α-amylase of bacterial origin. The partial enzymatic hydrolysis of native starch at an ED of 10 or less, leads to the obtainment of an aqueous suspension of hydrolyzed fluid starch that can be either stored in liquid form at a temperature between 70 and 95 ° C [step b] ] or can be added directly to the food product at a temperature between 40 and 95 ° C, optionally at a temperature between 40 and 70 ° C. At a temperature between 40 and 95 ° C, the aqueous suspension of hydrolyzed starch fluid is capable of being pumped and poured for several minutes. The temperature should not exceed 95 ° C, otherwise the suspension containing a large proportion of water can boil. If the suspension will be stored before being mixed with the food product, the temperature in step b) must be maintained above 70 ° C so that the storage temperature is maintained at all times above the amylose retrogradation temperature . The amylose retrogradation temperature is the temperature at which the gelled starch tends to revert from a soluble, dispersed, amorphous state to an insoluble crystalline state (dilute suspension) or a three-dimensional gel (concentrated suspension). For practical reasons, the food product in step d) is advantageously a food product that can be pumped, i.e. liquid or semifluid. The mixture in step d) is carried out at a temperature above 40 ° C to prevent the aqueous suspension of hydrolyzed fluid starch from solidifying. Said aqueous suspension of hydrolyzed fluidized starch gels with cooling, in particular it can start to gel if the mixing temperature is lower than 40 ° C. In addition, the mixing temperature advantageously does not exceed 95 ° C, moreover, advantageously does not exceed 70 ° C in particular so as not to deteriorate the living ferments that may be present in the food product, in particular if said food product is a dairy product. Furthermore, in the particular case when the food product in step d) is a dairy product, the mixing is advantageously carried out at a temperature of about 40 ° C with the main purpose of preventing deterioration of the lactic ferments present.

In the case of yoghurts, for example, it is considered that the lactic ferments are destroyed at a temperature higher than 60 ° C. If the food product is not a dairy product, for example it is soy-based, the temperature mixture is a less important characteristic of the method of the invention. The criterion for choosing the temperature of the mixture in this case will depend more on the aqueous suspension of hydrolyzed fluid starch than on the food product. The proportions of aqueous suspension of hydrolyzed starch fluid added to the food product are between 20 and 70% aqueous suspension of hydrolyzed starch fluid with respect to the total weight of the final product, and advantageously between 25 and 60% of aqueous suspension of hydrolyzed starch fluid with respect to the total weight of the final product. In addition, it is possible in step i) to add a saccharifying enzyme. This saccharifying enzyme, which for example can be a fungal amyloglucosidase or a pullulanase of bacterial origin, can synergistically intensify the activity of the amylase during step ii). Step iii) of the method of the invention then allows the inactivation of said saccharifying enzyme. As an example of fungal amyloglucosidase, particular mention may be made of the amyloglucosidase derived from Aspergillus niger or the amyloglucosidase derived from Aspergillus oryzae or the amyloglucosidase derived from rhizopus spp. As an example of pullulanase of bacterial origin, particular mention can be made of the pullulanase derived from Bacillus sp. The native starch is advantageously selected from the group consisting of cassava starch, corn starch, hard wheat starch, soft wheat starch, barley starch, potato starch, rice starch, rye starch, sorghum starch , millet starch, sago starch and banana starch. The native starch is most advantageously selected from the group consisting of cassava starch, corn starch, hard wheat starch, potato starch, rice starch and rye starch. The native starch is preferably cassava starch. According to an advantageous variant of the invention, the native starch is cassava starch and the amylase is an a-amylase of bacterial origin. The food product added in step d) is advantageously selected from the group consisting of dairy products or products of vegetable origin, in particular based on soybeans, cereal-based products, fruit-based products or mixtures thereof . As an example of a dairy product, mention may be made in particular of yoghurt, milk, fermented milk, concentrated milk, pasteurized semi-skimmed milk, concentrated low-fat milk, pasteurized skimmed milk, concentrated skimmed milk, fresh cheese, pudding cream, optionally whipped cream, a pasteurized cream, a pasteurized cream with low fat content, and mixtures thereof. A yogurt is a coagulated milk product obtained by lactic fermentation through the action of thermophilic microorganisms derived from cultures of Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbruekii bulgaricus, milk and dairy products. In the meaning of the present invention, a dairy product will be related to products that also contain lactic bacteria other than the microorganisms Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbruekii bulgaricus, and in particular the microorganisms that are derived from strains of Bifidobacterium and / or Lactobacillus acidophilus and / or Lactobacillus casei. The milk product is preferably a dairy product of bovine origin (cow or buffalo) but it can also be a dairy product of equine (mare), goat (goat or camel) or sheep (sheep) origin. The product of vegetable origin can be in particular a soy-based product, cereal-based products or products containing fruit puree. The food product can be a mixture of a dairy product and a product of vegetable origin such as a yogurt, for example, a milk or a soy milk cream. The cereal-based products can be in particular oatmeal, barley, wheat or a fermented cereal product. The fruit-based products can be in particular jams, purées or compotes. The method according to the invention also advantageously comprises incorporating into the product a food preparation containing solid particles, either simultaneously or after step d), step e). Said food preparation is advantageously incorporated at a temperature between 40 and 95 ° C, optionally at a temperature between 40 and 70 ° C. If the food product that is added in step d) is a dairy product, said food preparation is advantageously incorporated at a temperature between 40 and 60 ° C, more advantageously at a temperature of about 40 ° C. This incorporation is done at a temperature of more than 40 ° C to prevent the aqueous suspension of the hydrolyzed fluid starch from settling. The proportions of the food preparation containing solid particles added to the food product are between 5 and 20% of the food preparation containing solid particles with respect to the total weight of the final product, and advantageously between 7 and 18% of the preparation food containing solid particles with respect to the total weight of the final product. Said solid particles are advantageously chosen from the group consisting of pieces of cereal, pieces of fruit, chocolate sparks, caramel sparks or coffee beans. The food preparation may contain solid particles of hot flavors. Examples of hot flavors are in particular chocolate, cocoa, caramel, vanilla, coffee, praline, nougat, honey, flavors of oleaginous fruits such as walnut, hazelnut, almond, pistachio, and spice flavors such as cinnamon, coriander, curry. When gelling the final product obtained with the inventive method, the solid particles are distributed homogeneously in said product. The method also advantageously comprises a step of putting into pots f) to place the product obtained after step d) or e) in pots. Passing into pots is followed by gelling for a few hours the starch of the product in the pot, at a temperature between 0 and 12 ° C, advantageously at about 4 ° C. In the case of dairy products in particular, this product in the pot can then be stored at a temperature ranging from 0 to 12 ° C, advantageously at about 6 ° C. With the method according to the invention it is possible to obtain a product that remains stable, ie, that its texture remains without any change for at least 40 days when stored at a temperature between 0 and 12 ° C, advantageously at a temperature of between 0 and 12 ° C. temperature of approximately 6 ° C. The present invention also relates to a semifluid food product, characterized in that it contains from 20 to 70% by weight, with respect to the total weight of said product, of an aqueous suspension of native hydrolyzed fluid starch having an ED of 10 or less. The aqueous suspension of the native hydrolysed fluid starch advantageously has an ED of 5 or less, more advantageously an ED of 1 or less. The aqueous suspension of the native hydrolyzed fluid starch can be obtained using the method described above according to the invention. The inventive semifluid food product advantageously comprises by weight, with respect to the total weight of said food product: - from 30 to 70% of the food product - from 20 to 70% of the aqueous suspension of the native hydrolyzed fluid starch having an ED of 10 or less; - optionally from 5 to 30% of a food preparation containing solid particles. The semifluid food product also advantageously confers in weight, with respect to the total weight of said food product, from 35 to 60% of the food product, of 25 of 50% of the aqueous solution of the native hydrolyzed fluid starch having an ED of 10. or less, and optionally from 7 to 18% of a food preparation containing solid particles. The final texture of the semifluid, gelled or semi-gelled food product seems to depend in particular on the temperature of step i) for the enzymatic treatment of the starch. A gelled product can be obtained when the temperature of the enzymatic treatment (step i)) is kept slightly above the gelation temperature of the starch. According to an advantageous variant of the invention, in order to obtain a gelled food product, in step ii) the temperature of the enzymatic treatment is maintained at a temperature that is 2 ° C to 20 ° C higher than the gelling temperature of the starch, advantageously at a temperature that is 2 ° C to 10 ° C higher than the gelation temperature of the starch.

A semi-gelled product can be obtained when the temperature of the enzymatic treatment [step ii)] remains slightly lower than the gelation temperature of the starch. According to an advantageous variant of the invention, in order to obtain a semigelified food product in step i) the temperature of the enzymatic treatment is maintained at a temperature equal to the gelation temperature of the starch of less than 2 ° to 20 ° C, advantageously less than 2 to 5 ° C. The inventive semifluid food product, in its two variants, is advantageously chosen from the group consisting of dairy products or products of vegetable origin, in particular soy-based products, cereal-based products, fruit-based products or mixtures thereof, as defined above. The semifluid food product according to the invention remains stable, ie its structure remains unchanged for at least 30 days, when stored at a temperature between 0 and 12 ° C, advantageously at a temperature of about 6 ° C. The texture of the product is related to the firmness of the gel, which can be defined as the force measured after the break of the gel, when a plunger enters the product as measured by a texturometer. By gel texture that remains unchanged it is implied that the gel firmness measured in a product at t = 30 days is equal to the measurement made in the product at t = 0 or in 1 day ± 20%.

The gel firmness can be measured using a TA-XT2I texture analyzer marketed by Stable Microsystems, using a 25 mm diameter plunger and probe inlet speed to the product of 0.2 mm / s. For a product of the firm type of yogurt, the gel firmness is approximately 32 g. This is the force measured after the gel rupture, this rupture occurring at a penetration distance of about 7 mm. The solid particles of said food preparation are advantageously selected from the group consisting of pieces of cereal, pieces of fruit, chocolate sparks, caramel sparks or coffee beans. The food preparation may contain solid particles of hot flavors. Examples of hot flavors are in particular chocolate, cocoa, caramel, vanilla, coffee, praline, nougat, honey, oleic fruit flavors such as walnut, hazelnut, almond, pistachio, and spice flavors such as cinnamon, coriander, curry. The semifluid food product can be an expanded or semi-expanded food product, that is, it can be produced in a creamy form. According to this variant, the food product is advantageously a yogurt, fresh cheese or simple cream pudding. The semifluid food product of the invention may also contain food additives. The use of these additives must comply with the regulations in force. These additives can be sweeteners and / or flavoring agents and / or coloring agents and / or preservatives conventionally used by those skilled in the art for the manufacture of food products and in particular for the production of yogurts. Without this list being limiting, other food additives may be used, but under two conditions: they should not be put directly into the milk compounds and should be provided only as added ingredients. Finally, the present invention relates to the use of an aqueous suspension of native hydrolyzed fluid starch having an ED of 10 or less, advantageously of 5 or less, more advantageously of 1 or less, so that after incorporation into a The food product forms a stable gel capable of maintaining solid particles in suspension in said food product. The food product is advantageously chosen from the group consisting of dairy products or products of vegetable origin, in particular a product based on soybeans, cereal-based products, fruit-based products or mixtures thereof, as defined above. The use of an aqueous suspension of native starch having an ED of 10 or less, advantageously of 5 or less, more advantageously of 1 or less, so that after incorporation into a food product, into a food product, it becomes possible to obtain a product that remains stable, that is to say whose texture remains unchanged for at least 40 days, when stored at a temperature between 0 and 12 ° C, advantageously at a temperature of around 6 ° C. The final product will have a gelled or semi-gelled texture in relation to the temperature at which the enzymatic treatment was conducted, as described above.

The following examples illustrate the present invention, however, without limiting its scope.

EXAMPLE 1 Method for preparing a semifluid food product according to the invention The preparation of the gelling mass suspended in water (tap water) 12% by weight of native cassava starch (marketed by National Starch under the name of "tapioca starch"), with respect to the total weight of the mixture. Citric acid is then added to obtain a pH of 4.70 and 0.004% of bacterial α-amylase (marketed by Novozymes under the designation BAN240L). The obtained mixture is heated to 75 ° C and then maintained at that temperature for 3 minutes in a first tubular receptacle. It is then heated to 110 ° C and maintained at that temperature for 3 minutes in a second tubular receptacle. The mixture is then cooled to a temperature ranging between 40 and 70 ° C, using an exchanger with plates. In the suspension obtained from the fluid hydrolyzed starch, the native starch has an ED of less than 5. The starch suspension is quickly incorporated into the milk-based product: the starch suspension is cooled to 40 ° C and incorporated into the mass of the starch. milk.

EXAMPLE 2 Composition of a dairy product of the firm type of plain yogurt according to the invention - 50% by weight of yoghurt stirred with 3.3% fat, - 50% by weight of the 12% suspension of cassava starch obtained in example 1.

EXAMPLE 3 Composition of a dairy product of the firm type of yogurt having a fruit juice according to the invention - 42.5% by weight of yoghurt stirred with 3.3% fat, - 42.5% by weight of the 12% suspension of cassava starch obtained in the example, - 15% by weight of concentrated fruit juice.

EXAMPLE 4 Composition of a dairy product of the firm type of yogurt with pieces of fruit and / or chocolate chips according to the invention - 45% by weight of simple stirred yoghurt with 0% fat, - 43.5% by weight of the 12% suspension of cassava starch obtained in example 1, - 13% by weight of a fruit and / or chocolate preparation.

EXAMPLE 5 Composition of gelled fruit cakes and fresh fat according to the invention - 34% by weight of fresh cheese, - 51% by weight of the 12% suspension of cassava starch obtained in example 1, - 15% by weight of a fruit preparation.

EXAMPLE 6 Method for preparing a semifluid, semi-gelled food product according to the invention The preparation of the gelling mass begins by suspending in water (tap water) 12% by weight of native cassava starch (marketed by National Starch under the name of "tapioca starch") with respect to the total weight of the mixture and % of sugar. Citric acid is then added to obtain a pH of 4.65 and 0.003% of bacterial α-amylase (marketed by Novozymes under the designation BAN240L). The mixture obtained is heated to 67 ° C, then maintained at that temperature for 3 minutes in a first tubular receptacle. It is then heated to 110 ° and held at that temperature for 3 minutes in a second tubular receptacle. The mixture is then cooled to a temperature ranging between 40 and 70 ° C, using an exchanger with plates. In the suspension of obtained hydrolyzed fluid starch, the native starch has an OD less than 5. The starch suspension is quickly incorporated into the milk-based product: the starch suspension is cooled to 40 ° C and incorporated into the dough milk.

EXAMPLE 7 Milk product composition of the semi-gelled yogurt type, stirred, with pieces of fruit v / or chocolate chips according to the invention - 61% by weight of yoghurt stirred with 3.3% fat, - 20.5% by weight of the 12% suspension of cassava starch obtained in the example, - 18% by weight of a fruit and / or chocolate preparation.

Claims (23)

NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION CLAIMS

1. - A method for preparing a semifluid food product, characterized in that it comprises the following successive steps: a) preparing an aqueous suspension of hydrolyzed starch fluid by partial enzymatic hydrolysis of a native starch at a DE value of 10 or less; b) optionally cooling and maintaining the suspension obtained after step a) at a temperature comprised between 70 and 95 ° C; c) cooling the suspension obtained after step a) or b) at a temperature comprised between 40 and 95 ° C; d) mixing, at a temperature between 40 and 95 ° C, the suspension obtained after step c) with a food product.

2. The method according to claim 1, further characterized in that during step a) the native starch is partially hydrolysed at an ED of 5 or less, advantageously of 1 or less.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, further characterized in that step a) comprises the following successive steps: i) preparing a mixture of water, native starch, optionally a sweetening agent, and amylase in the following percentages in weight: 2 to 30% of native starch, 2 to 200 ppm of amylase, 0 to 30% of sweetening agent, water to complete 100%; ii) heating the mixture from step i) to a temperature equal to the gelation temperature of the native starch ± 20%; iii) inactivating the amylase, heating the mixture obtained after step ii) at a temperature comprised between 100 and 130 ° C, advantageously at a temperature comprised between 105 and 110 ° C.

4. The method according to claim 3, further characterized in that during step i) is added from 2 to 20% by weight of native starch with respect to the total weight of the mixture.

5. The method according to claim 4, further characterized in that during step i) 2 to 30 ppm of amylase is added.

6. The method according to any of claims 3 to 5, further characterized in that during step ii) the mixture is maintained at said heating temperature for 1 to 15 minutes, advantageously 2 to 8 minutes.

7. The method according to any of claims 3 to 6, further characterized in that step iii) to inactivate the amylase by heating lasts between 30 seconds and 15 minutes, advantageously between 2 and 5 minutes.

8. The method according to any of claims 1 to 7, further characterized in that it further comprises, after step c), a swelling step, incorporating at least one emulsifier.

9. The method according to any of claims 3 to 8, further characterized in that said amylase is selected from the group consisting of an a-amylase of fungal origin or an α-amylase of bacterial origin, or a beta-amylase of vegetable origin.

10. The method according to any of claims 3 to 9, further characterized in that in step i) is also added a saccharification enzyme and step iii) also makes possible the in-activation of said saccharification enzyme.

11. The method according to any of claims 1 to 10, further characterized in that the native starch is selected from the group consisting of cassava starch, corn starch, wheat hard starch, wheat soft starch, barley starch , potato starch, rice starch, rye starch, sorghum starch, millet starch, sago starch and banana starch.

12. The method according to claim 11, further characterized in that the native starch is cassava starch.

13. The method according to any of claims 1 to 12, further characterized in that the food product is divided from the group consisting of dairy products or products of vegetable origin, in particular a product based on soybeans, products based on cereal, fruit-based products or their mixtures.

14. The method according to any of claims 1 to 13, further characterized by additionally comprising, either simultaneously or after step d), a step e) to incorporate a food preparation containing solid particles.

15. - The method according to claim 14, further characterized in that said solid particles are selected from the group consisting of pieces of cereal, pieces of fruit, chocolate chips, caramel sparks or coffee beans.

16. A semifluid food product obtainable by a method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that it contains from 20 to 70% by weight, with respect to the total weight of the product of an aqueous suspension of native hydrolyzed fluid starch who has an ED of 10 or less.

17- The product according to claim 16, further characterized in that it contains by weight, with respect to the total weight of said product: from 30 to 70% of food product; 20 to 60% aqueous suspension of native hydrolyzed fluid starch having an ED of 10 or less; optionally, from 5 to 30% of a food preparation containing solid particles.

18. The product according to claim 16 or 17, further characterized in that said aqueous slurry of native slipped fluid has an ED of 5 or less, advantageously of 1 or less.

19. The product according to any of claims 16 to 18, further characterized in that said solid particles are selected from the group consisting of pieces of cereal, pieces of fruit, chocolate chips, caramel sparks or coffee beans.

20. - The product according to any of claims 16 to 19, further characterized in that it is sponged or semi-impregnated.

21- The product according to any of claims 16 to 20, further characterized in that the food product is selected from the group consisting of dairy products or products of vegetable origin, in particular a product based on soybeans, cereal-based products , fruit-based products or their mixtures.

22. The product according to claim 21, further characterized in that the dairy product is selected from the group consisting of a yogurt, a milk, a fermented milk, a fresh cheese, a cream pudding, a fresh cream optionally whipped.

23. The use of an aqueous suspension of native starch having an ED of 10 or less, advantageously of 5 or less, to form, after its incorporation into a food product, a stable gel that allows the food particles to be maintained solid in suspension in said food product.