Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to the preparation of a spoonable
gelatin concentrate capable of being frozen or stored at room
temperature, which concentrate, when placed in water of a moderate
temperatuxe readily dissolves therein. More specifically, this
invention pertains to a novel method of preparing a readily solu-
ble, spoonable gelatin concentrate by soaking the gelatin in a
cold polyhydric alcohol.
Gelatin, like other hydrophilic colloids, is essentially
soluble in water at moderate temperatures of, for example, 80F.
10 However, when large amounts of this colloid are attempted to be
solubilized in water at this temperature, the gelatin does not
readily go into solution. Thus, it is with gelatin desserts that
a substantial increase in the temperature of the water is neces-
sary in order that the gelatin dessert mixture dissolve and sub-
sequently gel to form a homogeneous des~ert of desired texture.
The increased temperature required to dissolve the gelatin requires
, up to 4 hours of refrigeration for the dessert to gel.
There have bçen numerous methods suggested for improving
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the solubility of gelatin, chie~ among them being those methods
which teach combining gelatin with a polyhydric alcohol or ester
thereof. For example, in United S~ates Patent No. 2,558,065
issued June 26, 1951, a polyhydric alcohol such as glycerine is
poured over the gelatin in proportions providing a 30-55~ concen-
tration by weight of gelatin in the resulting mixture, after
which a vacuum is applied until the glycerine has wetted all of
the granules of the gelatin. ~his method requires subsequent heat-
ing of the polyhydric alcohol and gelatin mixture to temperatures
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of about 80C. to 100C. until the solution of gelatin in glycer-
ine is complete. When the solution is cooled to room tempera-
i l
ture, it hardens to a viscous gelatinous mass of sliceable con-
` sistency. Although this method of allowing the gelatin to com~
pletely solubilize in glycerine yields a glycerinated gelatin,
large quantities of which are soluble in aqueous systems,
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consistency of the resultant product is such that i~ lacks both
the desirable solubility in water appreciably below boiling
temperatures and the degree of viscosity necessary for use as a
~` spoonable gelatin concentrate.
Similarly, in United Sta~es Patent No. 2,819,970, it
was suggested that the gelatin be coated with a dispersant such
as a silicone, esters of polyhydric alcohols and fatty acids.
However, a major shortcoming in the use of such compounds is
that solutions in which they are used acquire a cloudy character,
making them particularly undesirable for gelatin dessert~type
products.
It has been ound that by soaking gelatin in a poly-
hydric alcohol of a temperature no~ exceeding room tempera~ure
- for a specific period o~ time, a gelatin which is readily solu-
ble and dispersible in hot tap water is obtained which, when
mixed with other ingredients of a gelatin dessert-type nature
and allowed to stand at room temperature for a short period,
yields a spoonable gelatin dessert concentrate which may either
be frozen or retained as a shelf stable product. When dissolved
in hot water and thereafter refrigerated, a completely gelled
dessert is derived in about one quarter of the time required by
the conventional gelatin dessert product due at least in part
to having eliminated the need of dissolving the gelatin in boil-
ing water.
~ ccording to the invention there is provided a thick
stirrable gelatin dessert concentrate which is readily dispers-
ible and soluble in hot tap water and quick-setting to produce
a gelatin dessert comprising a mixture of gelatin impregnated
with a polyhydric alcohol in combination with sucrose, food
acids, flavoring and coloring, the gelatin and polyhydric alcohol
being present in sufficient amounts and soaked for a period of
time sufficient to allow the gelatin to imbihe the polyhydric
alcohol and appear as discrete swollen particles~
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There is also provided a method of making a hydrophilic
colloid readily dispersible and soluble in hot tap water which
comprises soaking the hydrophilic colloid in a polyhydxic alcohol
not exceeding ambient temperatures for a period of time sufficient
to allow the hydrophilic colloid to appear as discrete swollen
particles impregnated with ~he polyhydric alcohol but prior to
.~ assuming a cohesive solid appearance.
There is further provided a method of producing a thick,
stirrable gelatin-based suspension which can be readily cl.eaved
1~ with a spoon for use as a gelatin dessert concentrate that is
readily dispersible and soluble in hot tap water and quick-setting
on subsequent refrigeration to produce a convenient-to-serve
gelatin dessert, which method comprises:
a) soaking gelatin in a polyhydric alcohol for an initial
period o at least one hour to allow the gelatin to become dis-
crete and swollen but prior to assuming a cohesive appearance,
the gelatin and polyhydric alcohol being in a respective weight
' ratio of 5:1 to 1:3;
b) dry blending sucrose, rood acid, flavoring and coloring
and mixing these dry ingredients with the gelatin and polyhydric
: alcohol suspension to form a homogenous mixture;
c) allowing the homogenous mixture to stand for the purpose
: of equilibration.
., The behavioral characteristics of gelatin with regards
to its poor solubility in water indicates a fundamental arrange-
ment of its molecular structure whereby the amino acid radicals
are joined together by peptide linkages in chains of varying
lengkhs and molecular weights. Due to this structural configura-
tion therefore, the granulated gelatin when placed in cold water,
~ 30 tends to imbibe the same and remain as discrete swollen particles
:. rather than dissolving therein~
The present invention is based on khe fact that gelatin
imbibes a cold polyhydric alcohol in much the same way a6 it does
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water which accounts for the low sol~bility of gelatin in the
latter. To date, pol,yhydric alcohols have been regarded as poor
: dispersants for gelatin since they tend to dissolve h~drophilic
colloids as a whole (United States Patent No. 3,36'1,036 issued
January 16, 1968). However, it has been found that when the
gelatin is allowed to absorb the polyhydric alcohol for a period
of time sufficient for the gelatin granules to become swollen
but prior to actual dissolution in the alcohol, the gelatin, when
; dispersed in hot tap water is readily soluble and enjoys a degree
, lO of viscosity appropriate for use as a spoonable gelatin concen-
trate. It is theorized that this increased solubility is due to
, the particles being swo}len by the glycerine so that much more
j sur~ace area of the gelatin particle~ is in contact with the
water thus increasing the rate of solution of the gelat.in into
J ~he water phase. In addition since glycerine and other poly-
hydric alcohols are strongly hydrophilic due to the presence of :~ '
numerous hydroxyl groups in their chemical structures, their ,. '
. presence on the surface of the gelatin particles also enables them ~ :
" to function as a bridge between gelatin and water thus increasing
the rate o~ solubility. In addition, when the swollen gelatin
composition is stored at temperatures not exceeding room tempera~
ture, it provides a stable product with no tendency for the gelatin
to be dissolved by the polyhydric alcohol, a result which could
. not have been anticipated from existing facts concerning the be- ,
'~ havior of gelatin in the same. Although a wide range of hydro-
: philic aolloids have not been tested, it is foreseeable that such
colloids, especially those having a molecular configuration close-
ly resembling gelatin, and thus demonstrating similar solubility
problems, would demonstrate similarly improved solubility by the
~ 30 practice of this invention.
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,~ The composition of the present invention is, in its
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; basic form, therefore, a hydrophilic colloid impregnated with a
cold polyhydric alcohol to a swollen state so as to obtain a thick 7
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stirrable suspension having a bead-like appearance that is easily
cleaved with a spoon and readily soluble in hot tap water~ "sus- .
pension" in this context referring ~o the polyhydric alcohol being
"suspended" or encapsulated in the gelatin granule rather than
the conventional definition of the term which would indicate that
the gelatin granules were suspended in the polyhydric alcohol.
As far as commercial applications are concerned, the preferred
colloid of this invention is gelatin, since this colloid is in
! wide use for forming gelatin desserts and the principle component
of the dessert concentrate of this invention. Of the polyhydric
alcohols, glycerine has been found to be the most desirable in
te~ms of having the least afect on the taste of the resulting
product.
The features of this invention which are belie~ed to
be novel are distinctly set forth and claimed in the concluding
portion of this specification.
Although the method of this invention may be practiced
; on a wide range of hydrophilic colloids such as carrageenan,
furcellaran~ agar, and the like in order to obtain a hydrophilic
colloid which is soluble in water appreciably below boiling temp~
erature and at the same time of an easy-to-work-with consistency,
the preferred use of this invention is as a gelatin dessert con-
centrate. Hence, further discussion will be directed solely to
the use of gelatin but is not intended to limit the scope of this
invention.
The composition of this invention is prepared by soak-
ing a gelatin in a polyhydric alcohol, the temperature of the
alcohol AS well as duration of soaking in the same being critical
to this in~ention. It has been found that the gelatin must be
soaked in a polyhyaric alcohol not exceeding room temperature for
a period of time sufficient to allow the colloid granules to im-
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bibe the alcohol and assume tne appearance of dlscrete swollenparticles or beads which requires a minimum time of about one
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hour. At the same time it is ess ~ ial that the impregnating
process not be so long as to allow the gelatin to appear solid
and cohesive as this indicates that the gelatin has begun to
dissolve in the alcohoL. It is important that these parameters
be strictly observed since an appreciable variance therefrom
will result in a gelatin of either poor so:Lubility and dispers-
ibility or poor workability from a manufacturing as well as
consumer standpoint. For example, if gelatin is soaked in
glycerine for appreciably less than one hour or alternatively
allowed to dissolve in the glycerine, the improved solubility in
hot tap water will not be derived. Similarly, if the gelatin is
soaked in glycerine exceeding ambient temperature, a tough
rubbery ball which is less solub}e and difficult to handle is
obtained, making use of the same as a spoonable concentrate in-
feasible.
The ratio of gelatin to polyhydric alcohol may en-
compass a wide range but that most appropriate for this invention
is 5:1 to about 1:3 b~ weight of the gelatin to alcohol since
the gelatin imbibes all of the aicohol and thus eliminates the
need for subsequent removal of any remaining "solvent", the final
product in both instances having the appearance of a composition
of discrete beads with the absence of any solvent. Both the
liquid polyhydric alcohols and solutions of normally solid poly-
hydric alcohols may be utilized to achieve the desired result bu~
glycerine is particularly preferred since it demonstrates the
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least off-taste of this class of alcohols. The preferred embodi-
ment of this invention is therefore a 5:3 weight ratio of gelatin
to glycerine.
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The other product ingredients of the gelatin dessert
; 30 concentrate of this invention such as the sucrose, food acids,
flavoring and coloring may be added either while the gelatin is
soaking in the alcohol for the initial one hour period or may
` be added at the conclusion of that period~ in both instances the
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mixture being allowed to equilibrate at room temperature for an
additional period of time usually an hour, being careful not to
- allow dissolution of the gelatin in the polyhydric alcohol to
occur in either instance~
J' Although this invention is in the form of a spoonable
- concentrate it is easy to prepare the product in other convenient
forms, i.e., a squeezable mass contained in a toothpaste-type
tube, individual cubes or balls of convenient recipe sizes, etc.
Similarly, fresh or cooked fruit may be added to the product for
a fruited gelatin dessert. Where the fruited gelatin concentrate
is to be used as a shelf-stable product, this would involve in-
corporating intermediate moisture fruits in order that both the
desirable organoleptic qualities of the fruit as well as the
overall ~tability of ~he product be maintained.
Accordingly, the resultant compo~ition of this inven-
tion may be either frozen or maintained at room temperature as
a shelf-stable product. In both instances, a readily dispersible,
hot tap water-soluble product of a thick, stirrable consistency
is obtained which when dissolved in water yields a consumable
gelled product in about 45 minutes when refrigerated immediately
after dissolution. This rate of gelation may be further excelled
i by placing the gelatin/glycerol composition in the freezer, where,
unlike the conventional gelatin preparation, gelation occurs at
a more rapid rate than the crystallization o the water and thus
renders a completely gelled product in about 30 minutes.
l In order to more fully explain the invention, the fol-
i lowing illustrative examples are set ~orth.
EXAMPLE I
" A 3:5 weight ratio of gelatin to glycerine (30 50 g.)
was prepared and allowed to stand at room temperature for l hour
during which time the following ingredients were added-
Sugar 130 g.
Citric Acid 3 g
Water 70 g-
Flavor and color q.s. (~uantity sufficient)
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At the completion of the first hour the en~ire mixture
was allowed to stand for an additional hour at room temperatur~
after mixing the gelatin/glycerol phase and ingredient phase to-
gether.
The mixture was refrigerated at 0F. and thereafter
2 teaspoonqful (30-40 gms.) of the concentrate were stirred into
, 120 cc. hot tap water (125F.). The concentrate dispersed within
1 minute and gradually went into solution upon standing. It was
then refrigerated and ready to consume as a gelatin dessert in
45 minutes.
EXAMPLE II
The following ingredients were weighed out separately
and the dry ingredients mixed prior to addition to the polyhydric
; alcohol solution:
Gelatin 50 g-
Sucrose 260 g.
Citric Acid 10 g.
~, Water 138 g
,, Flavor and color q.s. (quantity sufficient)
Sorbitol (70~ solution)42 g.
The entire mixture was allowed to stand for 1 hour a
room temperature afterwhich it was frozen for 24 hours at 0F.
For reconstituting, 60 grams of the gelatin composition was mixed
with 1/2 cup of hot tap water (125F.) and refrigerated for 1
hour to ~ield a completely gelled dessert.
EXAMPLE III
The following dry ingredients were blended together~
i Sucrose 260 g.
Gelatin 50 g.
~- 30 Citric Acid 10 g.
Flavor and color q.s. (quantity sufficient)
This dry mixture was subsequently added to a polyhydric alcohol
, solution comprising the following ingredients and concentrations:
Mannitol (dry) 30 g.
Water 180 g.
'~ The same procedure was thereafter followed as in
Example II and provided a completely gelled product in about 40
minutes.
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EXAMPLE IV
In Example III, the mannitol was replaced by 30 g. of
1,3-butylene glycol and the dry ingredients allawed to soak therein
for 1 hour after which it was frozen at 0F. It was then evaluat-
ed as in Example II. The same desirable spoonable gelatin con-
centrate was derived which, when dissolved in hot tap water of
approximately 125F. and refrigerated for about 1 hour rendered
a completely gelled aessert.
EXAMPLE V
Identical samples of the gelatin dessert concentrate
of Example I were prepared, one of which was fro2en at ODF. and
the other having been stored at room temperature. The samples
were allowed to remain undisturbed in their prospective storage
area~ for five months, aEter which they were evaluated as against
a recently prepared sample.
Both samples were spoonable, exhibited no evidence of
i spoilage such as mold, discoloration, etc., and gelatin desserts
!
prepared therefrom functioned as well in terms of flavor, gelling
and solubility properties as the recently prepared sample of con-
centrate. The water-activity tAw) of the product measured 0.83
l and was within the range of stability for shelf-stable, soft-
,~ moist products. To prevent the development of mold on the sur-
face, anti-mycotic agents such as potassium sorbate were added.
EXAMPLE VI
A 3:5 weight ratio of gelatin to glycerine (30:50) was
prepared and allowed to stand at room temperature for one hour
during which time the same ingredients and concentrations thereof
as in Example I were added.
At the completion of the first hour, the entire mixture
was allowed to stand for an additional hour at room temperature
after ~ixing the gelatin/glycerol phase and ingredient phase to-
gether.
This concentrate was thereafter frozen at 0F. for 2
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hours afterwhich two teaspoonsful (30-40 g.) were added to 100 ml.
hot tap water and stirred until dissolved. One ice cube (about
20 g.) was then added and the entire mixture stirred until the ice
cube melted completely. The sample was then refrigerated (35-
40F.) for about five minutes at which timle a comple~ely gelled
;~ ready-to-serve dessert was obtained.
Larger preparations such as two-serving and four-serving
units can be prepared by adjusting the quantities of concentrate,
hot tap water and ice in proper proportions. Thus, a four-unit
preparation was prepared by stirring 160 g. of concentrate into
360 ml. hot tap water until dissolved. Six ice cubes (about
120 g.) were added and the mixture stirred until the ice cubes
melted. An edible gel was formed and was ready to qerve a~ter
only five minutes of re~rigeration.
: Thus, use of the frozen gelatin concentrate in combina-
tion with hot tap water and ice cubes resulted in an appreciable
decrease in gel set time, further improving the setting time from
abouk 40 minutes ko about 5 minutes. By frozen, we mean refriger- ;
.,
ated to a temperature which normally solidifies conventional
foods such as ice cream, ice, and other frozen foods.
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