Freeze-dried aerated fruit or vegetable compositions and methods of making thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10154685-B2
Application number	US-201213475411-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 18, 2012
Priority date	May 9, 2007
Publication date	Dec 18, 2018
Grant date	Dec 18, 2018

Abstract

The present invention comprises a freeze-dried, aerated fruit and/or vegetable composition comprising a fruit and/or vegetable ingredient and an emulsifier and methods of making thereof.

First claim

The invention is claimed as follows:

1. A freeze-dried, aerated product sized and shaped for consumption by a child, the product comprising:
(a) at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of a fruit, a vegetable, and combinations thereof, wherein the at least one ingredient is present in an amount from 60% to 80% by weight of the product prior to freeze-drying;
(b) an emulsifier selected from the group consisting of a lactic acid ester of monoglycerides and diglycerides, a citric acid ester of monoglycerides and diglycerides, distilled monoglycerides, and combinations thereof;
(c) a starch from a source selected from the group consisting of tapioca, rice, corn, and combinations thereof; and
(d) a gum selected from the group consisting of pectin, gelatin, carrageenan, cellulose gum, microcrystalline cellulose, and combinations thereof; and
wherein the product is formed into a plurality of drops prior to freeze-drying, wherein the drops have a weight in a range of from 0.8 to 1.2 grams prior to freeze-drying, and wherein the product is designed to be readily dissolvable upon consumption so as to increase child development by having a developmentally appropriate size, shape, and dissolution characteristics, and wherein the product is designed to reduce the risk of choking hazards for children with restricted or underdeveloped oral motor skills or digestive functions, the freeze-dried, aerated product having a hardness value of from 0.5 to 8 pounds force peak load, a dissolvability in the range of from 0.1 to 8 pounds force peak load, and a viscosity of from 1000 to 100,000 cp as measured at a 10 rpm speed of the spindle 6 in a Brookfield viscometer before the product is aerated.

2. The product of claim 1 , wherein the viscosity of the product is from 30,000 to 60,000 cp when wet.

3. The product of claim 1 , wherein (a) comprises at least one fruit and at least one vegetable.

4. The product of claim 1 , wherein (b) is present in an amount of from 0.001% to 1% by weight of the product prior to freeze-drying.

5. The product of claim 1 , wherein (c) is present in an amount of about 1% by weight of the product prior to freeze-drying.

6. The product of claim 1 , wherein (d) comprises gelatin.

7. The product of claim 1 , further defined as a snack product.

8. The product of claim 1 , further comprising a probiotic.

9. A freeze-dried, aerated product sized and shaped for consumption by a child, the product comprising:
(a) at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of a fruit, a vegetable, and combinations thereof, wherein the at least one ingredient is present in an amount from 60% to 80% by weight of the product prior to freeze-drying;
(b) an emulsifier selected from the group consisting of a lactic acid ester of monoglycerides and diglycerides, a citrate acid ester of monoglyceridies and diglycerides, distilled monoglycerides, and combinations thereof, wherein the emulsifier is present in an amount of from 0.001% to 1% of the product prior to freeze-drying;
(c) a starch from a source selected from the group consisting of tapioca, rice, corn, and combinations thereof, wherein the starch is present in an amount of about 1% of the product prior to freeze-drying; and
(d) a gum selected from the group consisting of pectin, gelatin, carrageenan, cellulose gum, microcrystalline cellulose, and combinations thereof; and
wherein the product is formed into a plurality of drops prior to freeze-drying, wherein the drops have a weight in a range of from 0.8 to 1.2 grams prior to freeze-drying, and wherein the product is designed to be readily dissolvable upon consumption so as to increase child development by having a developmentally appropriate size, shape, and dissolution characteristics, and wherein the product is designed to reduce the risk of choking hazards for children with restricted or underdeveloped oral motor skills or digestive functions, the freeze-dried, aerated product having a hardness value of from 0.5 to 8 pounds force peak load, a dissolvability in the range of from 0.1 to 8 pounds force peak load, and a viscosity of from 1000 to 100,000 cp as measured at a 10 rpm speed of the spindle 6 in a Brookfield viscometer before the product is aerated.

10. The product of claim 9 , wherein the viscosity of the product is from 30,000 to 60,000 cp when wet.

11. The product of claim 9 , wherein (a) comprises at least one fruit and at least one vegetable.

12. The product of claim 9 , wherein (d) comprises gelatin.

13. The product of claim 9 , further comprising a probiotic.

14. The product of claim 9 , further defined as a snack product.

Assignees

• Peterson Scott
• Welch Frank
• Burkholder Thomas
• Nestec Sa

Inventors

• Peterson Scott
• Welch Frank
• Burkholder Thomas

Classifications

• G06Q99/00

  Subject matter not provided for in other groups of this subclass · CPC title

• A23B7/024

  Freeze-drying {, i.e. cryodesiccation or lyophilisation} · CPC title

• A23L19/09

  Mashed or comminuted products, e.g. pulp, purée, sauce, or products made therefrom, e.g. snacks (A23L19/01, A23L19/10, A23L27/63 and A23L21/00 take precedence) · CPC title

• A23L29/10

  containing emulsifiers · CPC title

• A23P30/40 Primary

  Foaming or whipping · CPC title