GB2525030A

GB2525030A - Powder for use in foodstuffs

Info

Publication number: GB2525030A
Application number: GB1406499.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Lee Wright
Original assignee: ENCAPSULA Ltd
Current assignee: ENCAPSULA Ltd
Priority date: 2014-04-10
Filing date: 2014-04-10
Publication date: 2015-10-14
Also published as: GB201406499D0

Abstract

Powders for use as additives or ingredients in foodstuffs comprise ethanol microencapsulated in an edible matrix. The edible matrix may be one or more of an oil, wax or gelling agent. The edible matrix also preferably includes an emulsifying agent. The powder is prepared by liquefying the edible matrix, adding ethanol, homogenising the liquefied edible matrix and ethanol source and spray chilling the homogenised mixture for form the powder. The ethanol contained in the powder is derived from an ethanol source, which may be an alcoholic beverage such as one or more of spirits, liqueur, wine or beer. The ethanol source preferably imparts both alcoholic beverage flavour and ethanolic content to the powder and foodstuffs prepared therefrom. The powder may be used to add a alcohol to ice cream without depressing its freezing point.

Description

Powder for Use in Foodstuffs

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to foodstuffs and in particular to a powder for use in foodstuffs and to a method of preparation thereof.

Background

Preparation and processing of food products with alcoholic beverages such as spirits, liqueur, wine or beer therein is hindered by the freezing and boiling properties of ethanol, which is typically present in such beverages in amounts of about 3 to 60 % by volume. The freezing and boiling points of pure ethanol are -1 t4 °C and 78 °C, respectively.

Boiling of ethanol is a problem for producing baked products such as cakes with substantial amounts of ethanol therein. These products may be flavoured by alcoholic beverages during their preparation, but apart from the flavouring, if the alcoholic beverages are added prior to baking or cooking, the ethanol contained therein evaporates relatively quickly when the product is cooked or heated to temperatures in excess of 78 °C. The ethanol content of these is food products may be enhanced through addition of alcoholic beverages or soaking therein once the temperature is maintained below 78 °C following the baking or cooking step; however, such food products are often soggy and the spirits, liqueur, wine or beer not distributed evenly throughout.

The freezing properties of ethanol hinder the production of food products such as ice creams and frozen desserts with substantial ethanol content due to freezing point depression of emulsions and/or aqueous solutions containing the ethanol.

Spirit-flavoured ice creams such as rum raisin have been mass-produced; however, such ice creams typically lack ethanol conlent and typically conlain Ilavouring only Ice creams containing substantial amounts of ethanol may require exceedingly low temperatures to freeze, such temperatures as may be achievable through use of cryogenic liquids and flash freezing; however, concerns arise as to the expense and safety of cryogenic processes for their production, not to mention the handling and long-term storage of such food products.

Ethanol-containing ice creams are known -see for instance Ice Cream Happy Hour: 50 Boozy Treats that you Spike and Freeze at Home by Valerie Lum and Jenise Addison. These ice creams incorporate a mixture of spirits, liqueur, gelatin, and egg yolk (which acts as an emulsifier). However, such food products have not been produced on a large scale due to difficulties in controlling the gelatinization process -tight temperature control and precise timing are both necessary for the processing to be effective. It is therefore desirable to simplify processing and materials in order to produce an ethanolic ice cream or frozen dessert, and ethanol-containing food products more generally, on an industrial scale.

Japan's Freunt Industrial Co., Ltd. has explored microencapsulated ethanol in a specifically Ia engineered silica that maintains a free-flowing powder form, for use in food preservation, specifically for bread, doughnuts, cakes and apple turnovers stored at ambient temperature.

This product is marketed as Ethicap® or Antimold 102 and supplied packaged in small sealed sachets composed of laminated material suitable for ethanol vapour release. The microcapsules release ethanol vapour to fill the headspace of the food package. Such products is have been shown to increase shelf-life of these products by inhibiting mould, yeast and bacterial growth and may also exhibit an anti-staling effect. It is important to note that the silica-microencapsulated ethanol products are not intended for consumption -they are not additives added directly to the foodstuffs but instead kept in separate sachets within the packaging headspace. Furthermore, Freunt has gone to great lengths to mask the ethanol 21) aroma and flavour and to ensure that the ethanol is kept out of the packaged foodstuffs to comply with regulations.

Mitsubishi has described a product that contains encapsulated ethanol as well as glucose, ascorbic acid, a phenolic compound and an iron salt; Asahi Denka Kogyo of Japan has also described a sachet that emits ethanol from a mixture encapsulated with cyclodextrins.

However, all of these products are kept separately from the food and are not intended for consumption, nor are they intended to provide alcoholic beverage flavour or ethanolic content to the food.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a safe, easily handled food additive or ingredient with a long shelf-life containing substantial amounts of ethanol that may be used in the preparation of foodstuffs--the additive or ingredient having properties amenable for use in the freezing and baking processing of the foodstuffs--so that foodstuffs containing substantial amounts of ethanol may effectively be mass-produced.

Summary of the Invention

From a first aspect, the present invention relates to a powder for use as an additive or ingredient in a foodstuff, the powder comprising ethanol microencapsulated in an edible matrix.

From a second aspect, the present invention resides in a process for making a powder for use as an additive or ingredient in a foodstuff the process compri sing steps of a. supplying a liquefied edible matrix comprising at least a matrix material and optionally an emulsifying agent at a temperature above the melting point of the edible matrix but below the boiling point of ethanol; Ia b. adding an ethanol source to the liquefied edible matrix; c. homogenising the liquefied edible matrix and ethanol source; and d. spray chilling the homogenised mixture to form the powder.

From a third aspect, the present invention resides in use of the powder of the present invention for preparing an ethanol-containing food product.

is From a fourth aspect, the present invention resides in an ethanol-containing food product comprising the powder of the present invention.

The powder of the invention is preferably presented as a dry, fine, free-flowing powder.

Typically, the powder comprises microparticles, preferably microparticles with a maximum particle diameter of 50 micrometres or less. Typically, the powder comprises microparticles with particle diameters in the range of from 10 micrometres to 50 micrometres.

The powder is easily handled, making it ideal for use as an additive or ingredient in foodstuffs. The powder may be stable under ambient conditions for an extended period of time, on a timescale of months to years.

The microencapsulated ethanol powder is preferably in the form of matrix-beads. Each matrix-bead comprises an edible matrix, The edible matrix comprises at least a matrix material and optionally an emulsifying agent, the matrix material being one or more of an oil, a wax or a gelling agent, in which the ethanol has been emulsified prior to chilling of the edible matrix.

The ethanol is preferably provided from an ethanol source. The ethanol source may be an alcoholic beverage such as one or more of spirits, liqueur, wine or beer. The alcoholic beverage preferably imparts both alcoholic beverage flavour and ethanolic content to the powder and foodstuffs prepared therefrom. However, the ethanol source used in the present invention may alternatively or additionally be food-grade ethanol.

The powder of the present invention preferably comprises between 2 and 50 wt % of the ethanol source, based on the weight of the powder. When the ethanol source is an alcoholic beverage, ethanol is typically present in the alcoholic beverage in amounts of about 3 to 60 ?o by volume, Alcoholic beverages comprising an alcohol by volume (ABV) in excess of 40% io may be used to form the powders of the invention, as well as beverages of lower ABV. When the ethanol source is food-grade ethanol, ethanol is typically present in amounts of about 95% by volume, When the powder takes on the morphology of microparticles, the microparticles preferably comprise between 2 and 50 wt % of the ethanol source, based on the weight of the microparticles. The powder or microparticles also preferably comprise a major amount of the is edible matrix, relative to the weight of the powder or microparticles. Preferably the powder or microparticles comprise between 50 and 98 wt°o of the edible matrix, relative to the weight of the powder or microparticles, The matrix material may be one or more of an oil, a wax, or a gelling agent.

To optimize ease of handling by creating a powder that is stable under ambient conditions, the edible matrix will optimally have a melting point above room temperature, i.e. above approximately 21 °C, The edible matrix has a melting point that is below the boiling point of pure ethanol, i.e. below 78 °C.

The melting point of the edible matrix is important because this temperature determines the release point for the ethanolic content and optionally, alcoholic beverage flavour, of the powder of the invention, The melting point of the edible matrix may be selected such that powder has a release point of ethanolic content of between 30°C and 70 °C. It may be generally desirable to select an edible matrix with a release point that is just below the average human body temperature of 37 °C, as the melting of the edible matrix may be a factor in the mouthfeel of foodstuffs produced using the powder of the present invention,

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The preferred matrix material may therefore comprise an oil or a wax such as one or more of coconut oil, palm kernel oil, palm oil, butter, cocoa butter, and margarine. A particularly preferred matrix material is palm oil.

The matrix material may comprise other waxes such as one or more of shortening, tallow palm stearin and lard. The matrix material may comprise other oils such as one or more of castor oil, coftonseed oil, linseed oil, olive oil, peanut oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil and soybean oil.

When the matrix material comprises one or more of castor oil, cottonseed oil, linseed oil, olive oil, peanut oil, rapeseed oil, sunflower oil arid soybean oil, the matrix material may Ia additionally comprise a higher melting lipid such as palm stearin.

The matrix material may comprise a gelling agent. The gelling agent may, for example, be one or more of gelatin, agar, alginates, carageenan, starches, cellulose, gum Arabic, karaya gum, tragacanth gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, tara gum and pectin.

A particularly preferred matrix material is gelatin; however, non animal-derived gelling is agents such as one or more of agar, alginates, carrageenan, starches, cellulose, gum Arabic, karaya gum, tragacanth gum, guar gum, locust bean gum, tara gum and pectin may be preferred, should it be desirable to use the inventive powder in the preparation of foodstuffs that comply with dietary restrictions prohibiting or limiting use of animal-derived products.

These gelling agents are frequently referred to as thiclceners or stabilizers.

The edible matrix frirther optionally comprises an emulsifying agent. For example, the emulsifying agent may not be necessary when a gelling agent is used in the matrix material.

The emulsifying agent is preferably present in an amount of I wt ?/b to 2 wt %, based on the weight of the powder or microparticles, The emulsifying agent may, for example, be one or more of the following: sulfated polysaccharides such as carrageenan (E407); lecithins (E322); esters of polyethoxylene sorbates of fatty acids (E432-436); esters of monoglycerides of fatty acids (E472a-f); sodium, potassium, calcium or magnesium salts of fatty acids (E470a and E470b); mono-and diglycerides of fatty acids (E471); sucrose esters of fatty acids (E473); sucroglycerides (E474); propane-1,2-diol esters of fatty acids (E477); and sorbitan monostearate, sorbitan tristearate, sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan monooleate, and sorbitan monopalmitate (E49 1-495).

Lecithins may be mixtures of phospholipids such as phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidylethanolamine. Lecithins are usually extracted from sources such as egg yolk and soybeans. The precise composition of the phospholipids depends on the source.

Esters of polyethoxylene sorbates of fatty acids may, for example, be one or more of polyethoxylene sorbate monolaurate (polysorbate 20), polyethoxylene sorbate monooleate (polysorbate 80), polyethoxylene sorbate monopalmitate (polysorbate 40), polyethoxylene sorbate monostearate (polysorbate 60), and polyethoxylene sorbate tristearate (polysorbate Ia 65). Preferably, the emulsifying agent is an ester of a polyethoxylene sorbate of a fatty acid; most preferably the emulsifying agent is polysorbate 80.

Esters of monoglycerides of fatty acids are made from natural fatty acids, glycerol and an organic acid such as acetic, citric, lactic or tartaric acid. The fatty acids are usually from a vegetable source, though animal fats can be used. Mono-and diglycerides of fatty acids is (P47]) are semi-synthetic emulsifiers made from glycerol and natural fatty acids, which can be from either plant or animal sources.

The edible matrix may further comprise one or more of various additives, including preservatives, colourings, and flavourings, as are known in the art. However, further preservatives are typically not necessary to achieve a long shelf-life due to the ethanol content of the powder, as the ethanol acts as a natural preservative.

From a second aspect, the invention resides in a process for making a powder for use as an additive or ingredient in a foodstuff, the process comprising steps of: a. supplying a liquefied edible matrix comprising at least a matrix material and optionally an emulsifying agent at a temperature above the melting point of the edible matrix but below the boiling point of ethanol; b. adding an ethanol source to the liquefied edible matrix; c. homogenising the liquefied edible matrix and ethanol source; and d. spray chilling the homogenised mixture to form the powder.

The edible matrix, matrix material and emulsifying agent are as described hereinbefore, The edible matrix is liquefied by heating to a point above its melting point. In the case that the matrix material is a gefling agent, the gelling agent is preferably mixed with water and heated, to form an aqueous solution of the gelling agent above its gelling point (ic. above the melting point of the corresponding gel). In the case that the matrix material is an oil or a wax, the oil or wax is heated above its melting point. If used, the emulsifying agent is typically added to the matrix material under continuous mechanical mixing to form the edible matrix.

It is essential that the temperature of the liquefied edible matrix is lowered below the boiling point of ethanol, i.e. below 78 °C, prior to addition of the ethanol source to the liquefied edible matrix.

ID The ethanol source is as described hereinbefore. In step b of the process, the ethanol source is added to the liquefied edible matrix.

In step c of the process, the liquefied edible matrix and the ethanol source are homogenised to produce a homogenised mixture. The homogenised mixture typically comprises an emulsion of ethanol in the edible matrix, The homogenisation step may use high-powered ultrasonic is mixing, high shear mixing or continuous flow mixing that makes use of turbulent flow.

In step d of the process, the homogenised mixture is spray chilled to form the powder. The homogenised mixture may be spray chilled into a chamber having a temperature below the solidification point of the homogenised mixture, In the spray chilling process, the liquid homogenised mixture may be passed through an atomising spray nozzle into a chamber, whereupon the liquid homogenised mixture solidifies. Preferably, the chamber is a cold chamber having a temperature that is substantially below the solidification point of the homogenised mixture, such that micropartides of powder, in which ethanol is entrapped within the edible matrix, are formed almost instantaneously within the chamber. The chamber is typically kept at a constant temperature. Depending on the solidification point of the homogenised mixture and its component edible matrix, this temperature may be anywhere within the range of -20 °C to 20 °C.

The particle size of the powder may be controlled by varying the nozzle aperature and the rate of atomising air flow within the spray nozzle, Typically, the powder comprises microparticles, as particles having a maximum diameter of 50 micrometres or less may be

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easily achieved. Typically, the powder comprises microparticles with particle diameters in the range of from 10 micrometres to 50 micrometres.

From a third aspect, the invention resides in use of the powder for purposes of producing an ethanol-containing foodstuff. Use of the powder in preparation of the ethanol-containing foodstuff may impart ethanolic content and, optionally, alcoholic beverage flavour to the foodstuff. From a fourth aspect, the invention resides in ethanol-containing foodstuffs comprising the powder of the invention.

Without wishing to be bound by theory, the process for producing the powder results in emulsification of the ethanol source into very tiny droplets, typically stabilized within matrix-Ia bead microparticles. When the inventive powder is mixed with an ingredient mixture during the preparation of a foodstuff, because ethanol is embedded in the microparticle, the microparticle morphology and structure mitigate freezing point depression of suspensions of the powder and ingredient mixture, relative to the emulsions created when ethanol is mixed with an ingredient mixture and not embedded in a matrix-bead, The morphology and is structure of the powder therefore allows for freezing of mixtures containing an ethanol source at temperatures substantially higher than otherwise possible.

The powder may be utilised in the preparation of cold foodstuffs such as ice cream or frozen desserts, The resultant foodstuff may typically contain between 2 and 40 % by weight ethanol based on the weight of the foodstuff During the preparation of such foodstuffs, prior to addition of the powder to any ingredient mixture, the temperature of the ingredient mixture containing the powder is maintained below both the 78 °C ethanolic boiling point and the release point or melting point of the edible matrix. For instance, in the preparation of a frozen dessert, the powder is added once the temperature of the ingredient mixture has been lowered and is maintained at a temperature below the release point or melting point of the edible matrix, In other words, the powder is added subsequently to cooling below the release point of the edible matrix following any heating step (such as high temperature pasteurisation) in which the temperature of the ingredient mixture is raised to above the release point of the edible matrix, The powder may also be used in the preparation of hard cheeses afler the temperature of the ingredient mixture is maintained below release point of the edible matrix, The powder may also be mixed into spreadable foods that have already been pre-prepared----i,e. it may be mixed into spreadable cheeses, butter or margarine, mayonnaise, or frosting for cakes-at a temperature below the release point of the edible matrix.

The ethanol-containing foodstuff may therefore comprise ice cream or another frozen dessert, hard cheese, spreadable cheese, butter or margarine, mayonnaise, or frosting for cakes. Other ethanol-containing foodstuffs produced using the powder may be envisaged by the skilled person.

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent after a careful

reading of the detailed description.

Detailed Description of the Invention

The invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the following

examples.

Example 1

Microencapsulated Vodka, 40 % alcohol by volume -33 % vodka (w/w) in palm oil is 66 parts by weight of palm oil was heated to a temperature of 80 °C and cooled to below 78 °C. I part by weight polysorbate 80 as an emulsifying agent was added under continuous mechanical mixing while the temperature was maintained, providing a liquefied edible matrix at a temperature below the boiling point of ethanol, 33 parts by weight vodka (40% alcohol by volume) was added to the mixture. The mixture was rapidly homogenised using high-powered ultrasound for one minute, creating an ultra-fine and stable emulsion. The resulting homogenised mixture was passed through an atomising spray nozzle into a cold chamber at a temperature of 5 °C. The cold air in the chamber solidified the microparticles, creating matrix-bead microparti des wi lb vodka etnul si fled therein.

In this Example, a dry, fine powder comprising microparticles of average diameter 36 micrometres was produced, The powder was produced in November 2013 and remained unchanged until present (April 2014), indicative of the favourable stability properties of the powders of the present invention,

Example 2

Mieroencapsulated Whiskey. 40 % alcohol by volume -40 % whiskey (w/w) in palm oil 59 parts by weight of palm oil was heated to a temperature of 80 °C and cooled to below 78 °C. I part by weight Polysorbate 80 as an emulsifying agent was added under continuous mechanical mixing while the temperature was maintained, providing a liquefied edible matrix at a temperature below the boiling point of ethanol. The liquefied edible matrix was subsequently introduced to one port of a continuous flow mixer. 40 parts by weight whiskey was introduced to a second port of the continuous flow mixer. The whiskey was forced through a microporous membrane of 5 micrometre diameter prior to its introduction to the ID continuous flow mixing chamber, the device making use of turbulent high shearing flow for rapid creation of an emulsion containing droplets of whiskey of diameter between 10 micrometres and 15 micrometres in a liquefied edible matrix. The droplet size of the whiskey could be measured by using a microscope and measuring software.

The resulting homogenised mixture was passed through an atomising spray nozzle into a cold is chamber at a temperature of 5 °C. The cold air in the chamber solidified the microparticles, creating matrix-bead microparticles with whiskey emulsified therein.

In this Example, a dry, fine powder comprising microparticles of average diameter 48 micrometres was produced. The powder was produced in November2013 and remained unchanged until present (April 2014), indicative of the favourable stability properties of the powders of the present invention.

Claims

Claims 1 A powder for use as an additive or ingredient in a foodstuff, the powder comprising ethanol microencapsulated in an edible matrix.
2. The powder of claim 1, wherein the edible matrix comprises at least a matrix material and optionally an emulsifying agent, the matrix material being one or more of an oil, a wax or a gelling agent.
3. The powder of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the powder is in the form of microparticles, the microparticles having a maximum particle diameter of 50 micrometres or less.
4. The powder of any of claims Ito 3, wherein the ethanol is emulsified in the edible matrix and the powder takes the form of matrix-beads.
5. The powder of any one of claims I to 4, wherein the ethanol is provided from an ethanol source, the ethanol source being at least one of spirits, liqueur, wine or beer.
6. The powder of any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the matrix material comprises palm is oil,
7. The powder of any one of claims I to 6, wherein the edible matrix has a release point of3O °C to 70°C.
8. The powder of any one of claims 1 to 7, comprising between 2 and 50 wt % of an ethanol source, based on the weight of the powder.
9. A process for making a powder for use as an additive or ingredient in a foodstuft the process comprising steps of: a. supplying a liquefied edible matrix comprising at least a matrix material and optionally an emulsifying agent at a temperature above the melting point of the edible matrix but below the boiling point of ethanol; b. adding an ethanol source to the liquefied edible matrix; c. homogenising the liquefied edible matrix and ethanol source; and d. spray chilling the homogenised mixture to form the powder.
10. The process according to claim 9, wherein ultrasonic or high shear mixing is used in step c.11 The process according to claim 9 or 10, wherein step d occurs at a temperature below the solidification point of the homogenised mixture.12. The process according to any one of claims 9 to 11, wherein spray chilling step d occurring at a temperature in the range of from -20 °C to 20 °C.13. Use of the powder of any of claims 1 to 8 for preparing an ethanol-containing foodstuff 14, Use according to claim 13, wherein the ethanol-containing foodstuff is ice cream or a frozen dessert.15. Ethanol-containing foodstuff comprising the powder of any of claims I to 8.