Aerated fat-based product and preparation thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018263254-A1
Application number	US-201515537108-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 18, 2015
Priority date	Dec 19, 2014
Publication date	Sep 20, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to a novel method and apparatus to prepare aerated (preferably micro-aerated) fat based edible product, in particular confectionery product, and to the use of seeding to promote bubble nucleation in fat based edible mass comprising dissolved gas under pressure and/or cooling to achieve a solid fat content of at least 10% by weight of the total fat mass.

First claim

1 . Method for the preparation of aerated fat-based edible products having a porosity of at least 5%, the method comprising the steps of:
a) incorporating gas under pressure into a liquid fat-based mass; b) injecting under pressure fat-based seed crystals into the fat-based mass obtained from step a); cooling the fat-based confectionery mass to achieve a solid fat content of at least 10% by weight of the total fat mass; and c) releasing pressure from the fat-based mass.

2 . Method as claimed in claim 1 for the preparation of micro-aerated fat based edible confectionery product having a porosity of at least 5%, the method comprising the steps of:
a) incorporating gas under pressure into a liquid fat-based confectionery mass;
b) cooling the fat-based confectionery mass to achieve a solid fat content of at least 10% by weight of the total fat mass; and
c) releasing pressure from the fat-based confectionery mass obtained from step b) under shear.

3 . Method as claimed in claim 1 , for the preparation of aerated fat-based edible products, having a porosity of at least 5%, the method comprising the steps of:
a) incorporating gas under pressure into a liquid fat-based mass; b) injecting under pressure fat-based seed crystals into the fat-based mass obtained from step a); and c) releasing pressure from the fat-based mass obtained from step b).

4 . A method as claimed in claim 1 , in which the fat based edible product is a fat based confectionery product and the liquid fat-based mass is a liquid fat-based confectionery mass.

5 . A method as claimed in claim 1 , in which the aeration is micro-aeration.

6 . A method according to claim 1 , in which gas is dissolved into the liquid fat-based mass at pressure from 1 to 80 bar.

7 . A method according to claim 6 , in which gas is dissolved into the liquid fat-based mass at pressure from 1 to 15 bar.

8 . A method according to claim 6 , in which gas is dissolved into the liquid fat-based mass at pressure from 50 to 80 bar.

9 . A method according to claim 1 , in which step a) is performed at temperature from 10 to 50° C.

10 . A method according to claim 9 , in which step a) is performed at temperature from 20 to 50° C.

11 . A method according to claim 10 , in which step a) is performed at temperature from 20 to 45° C.

12 . A method according to claim 11 , in which step a) is performed at temperature from 25 to 35° C.

13 . A method according to claim 1 , in which the fat-based crystals comprise crystals of cocoa butter.

14 . A method according to claim 1 , in which in step (b)(I) seed crystals are added in the form of a cocoa butter seed crystal slurry at a temperature from 28 to 35° C.

15 . A method according to claim 1 , in which in step (b)(I) seed crystals are added in the form of a fat based seed crystal slurry containing fat crystals having a melting temperature range adjusted to the processing temperature.

16 . A method according to claim 1 , in which the fat-based confectionery mass is an un-tempered liquid chocolate.

17 . An aerated fat-based edible product having a porosity of at least 5% obtained by a process comprising the steps of:
a) incorporating gas under pressure into a liquid fat-based mass; b) injecting under pressure fat-based seed crystals into the fat-based mass obtained from step a); cooling the fat-based confectionery mass to achieve a solid fat content of at least 10% by weight of the total fat mass; and c) releasing pressure from the fat-based mass.

18 . An aerated fat-based edible product according to claim 17 , which is a fat based confectionery product.

19 . A fat based confectionery product according to claim 18 , which is micro-aerated.

20 . A micro-aerated fat-based confectionery product as claimed in claim 17 , the product having a porosity of at least 10%.

21 . A micro-aerated fat-based confectionery product as claimed in claim 17 , where the product has a porosity of from 32% to 48% and optionally was obtained by aeration with carbon dioxide.

22 . A micro-aerated fat-based confectionery product as claimed in claim 17 , the product having X 50, 3 (volume weighted median bubble diameter) equal or lower than 50 microns and a porosity of at least 30%.

23 . A micro-aerated fat-based confectionery product as claimed in claim 22 , which has a SPAN less than or equal to 2.

24 . A micro-aerated fat-based confectionery product as claimed in claim 23 , with a SPAN less than or equal to 1.5.

25 - 27 . (canceled)

28 . Processing apparatus suitable for performing a method comprising the steps of:
a) incorporating gas under pressure into a liquid fat-based mass; b) injecting under pressure fat-based seed crystals into the fat-based mass; cooling the fat-based confectionery mass to achieve a solid fat content of at least 10% by weight of the total fat mass; and c) releasing pressure from the fat-based mass, the apparatus comprising: a) a mixing device where gas is incorporated under pressure higher than atmospheric into the fat based mass; b) a region of injection into the fat based mass, of fat-based seed crystals under high pressure; and/or a region of cooling (cooler) of the fat based mass to achieve a solid fat content of at least 10% by weight of the total fat mass; c) a region for release of high pressure to atmospheric pressure.

29 . An apparatus as claimed in claim 28 , comprising:
a) a mixing device where gas is incorporated under high pressure into the fat based mass; b) a region of injection into the fat based mass, of fat-based seed crystals under high pressure; c) a region for release of high pressure to atmospheric pressure.

30 . An apparatus as claimed in claim 28 , comprising:
a) a mixing device where gas is incorporated under high pressure into the fat based mass; b) a region of cooling of the fat based mass to achieve a solid fat content of at least 10% by weight of the total fat mass; c) a region for release of high pressure to atmospheric pressure.

31 . An apparatus according to claim 28 , which comprises a rotor stator mixing head.

32 . An apparatus according to claim 28 , which comprises an extruder.

33 . An apparatus according to claim 28 , which comprises a serial arrangement of treatment of the regions, where respectively:
(i) high pressure is built up in the apparatus; (ii) gas is dissolved in the fat based confectionery mass; (iii) fat-based confectionery mass is cooled; (iv) fat based crystal seeds are added to the fat-based mass for crystal nucleation; (v) foam bubble nucleation occurs; (vi) pressure higher than atmospheric pressure is released and the fat based mass foams; and (vii) aerated fat based mass is shaped and/or deposited.

34 - 44 . (canceled)

Assignees

• Nestec Sa

Inventors

• Palzer Stefan
• Windhab Erich Josef
• Koller Comelia
• German Jamey

Classifications

• A23G1/36

  characterised by the fats used (containing dairy products A23G1/46) · CPC title

• A23G1/003 Primary

  with introduction or production of gas, or under vacuum; Whipping; Manufacture of cellular mass · CPC title

• A23G1/105

  with introduction or production of gas, or under vacuum; Whipping; Manufacture of cellular mass · CPC title

• A23G1/52 Primary

  Aerated, foamed, cellular or porous products {, e.g. gas expanded} · CPC title

• A23V2002/00

  Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs · CPC title