Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~987~;
The present invention, in one of its aspects provides
a food product which comprises a net having mesh strands and net
intersections which are integrally formed of an edible material
by an extrusion process.
The present invention, in another of its aspects
provides a method of making an edible food product, comprising
extruding an edible material so as to form a net having mesh
strands and intersections which are integral, said net being
formed of said edible material.
The use of the net gives the food product a new
texture and can give it a novel appearance or decorative effect.
Furthermore, the net can enable the flavour of the food product
to be detected more quickly in the mouth. In addition, the net
can provide an economical sheath for covering a greasy or sticky
filling which is not easily held in the fingers.
In general, an integrally extruded net has a plurality
of strands which extend right through the net, strands being
connected by tenacious joins where they cross over one another
or intersect or touch one another.
The net may be of flat or tubular form or it may be of
curved or trough shape. Thus the net can be formed by feeding
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~ , -2-
lli9~7t; -
.
the extrudible material through die orifices defined between apair of die members of which at least one is linearly recipro-
catable relative to the other i~ order to produce a planar net -
the dies may be as described in Figures 1 to 10 of British Patent
~pecification No. 969 655 or Figures 7 and 8 of British Patent
Specification No. 836 555. A~ alternative procedure is to use
relatively oscillatable die members of circular or annular shape
with the co-operating die orifices in spaced groups around the
die members, each group producing a separate strip of net~
~he planar net produced may then be subjected to a subsequent
deforming operation to impart a curved or more curved or
trough shape thereto.
; ~he edible net may constitute the whole o~ the food
product or it m~ form only part of a composite food product
including one or more other edible components. ~or example,
the net ma~ be coated with a food such as chocolate, a
chocolate-like coating, a fat-based coating or a fondant.
~ he net is preferably substantially rigid and, if one
or more other edible components are present, can act as a
support for the other edible component(s).
~ he other edible component, when present and when the
net is tubular, can be filled into the centre of a net tube,
to act in some cases as a support for the net tube as well
as adding edible appeal. The net can have a fîlling of one
edible compo~ent and a coating of another edible compone~t.
The net may consist of any one or more of many food
or confectionery materials including, for example, cereal
~5
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- 111987~
ba~e~, e.g. maize, oats, rice, wheat, potato, millet,
modified starches and proteinac~ou~ materials, e.g. edible
~oya, cotton seed protoin, ground nut protein and wheat
gluten.
~ or c~real bases, us6d to form the net, the normall~
preferred mothod of producing the base i~ that using a cook
estruder - cook e~truder~ are w~ll known. In this the
previously moisture-controlled cereal material i9 e~truded
under high pressure and high temperature through a die and
as it laave~ the die, rapid ev~poration of moisture take~
place to produce a "puffed" product.
Normally cook axtruders produce an extruded product
which ~t~ll retain~ a high ~oisture content of approximately
10~ w/w, which then require~ drying down to a level of
approximately 2~ w/w. If tho net contains a ~llinK such
as a fat-ba~ed filling with a low heat stability, ~uch
drying is impracticable. Thus~ preferably, the mo~ture
content of the net shortly aftor extru~ion is such that no
~ub~tantial drylng is-aub~equently required, and i9~ for
instance, approximately 2~ w/w. However, a moisture content
of 2 to 8~ w/w is possible depending upon the nature of the
product, a moiaturo content of 4 to 8~ w/w is considered
suitable for an extruded product having the biscuit-like
consistency. Thi~ can be achieved if the net ~ extruded
at hi~h temperature and/or ~igh pressure, for instance, at
a temperature sub~tantially above 100 C, for example about
200C, and at a pressure of for example 200-300 pounds per
square inch (p.s.i ) (about 0.15-O.Z Kg/mm ). The use of
a t~mperature in tho range of 200C to 300C at rather
lower pre~sure~, e.g. a temperature of 250C at 4S p.~ for
lii~87~ ~-
a biscult typo of product i~ po~sible. The temperatures ~nd
pre~sures are preferably cho~en 80 that the net "~lashes~off't
~t~ moi~ture content immediately on e~trusion; the pressures
and temperatures also determine the ultimate density of the
finished net.
A further application for cereal ba~es relies on extrud-
ing a ~tarch paste in such a way that littlo or no flash-off
of moi~ture takes place to produce a 6olatini~ed, relatively
den~e produot. This~ after drying, i~ fried ln ~at to produco
an expanded material containing a substantial proportion of fat
from the frying oil. In each of the~e case~, ths extruder has
fitted to it a net-forming die, for example a die of the type
described in British Patent Specification No.836555 or 1072113.
The m-thod can also be applied to fat based materials
su¢h a~ chocolate, chocolate-like ~ub~tance~ and fat ba~ed
confections. For thi~ application, the fat confection can be
brought to the correct extrusion te~perature and in the ca~e
of chocolate, tempered in the correct way to ensure good gloss
and fini~h ~n the final product as in standard chocolate
technology, then extruded through a temperature-controlled
~e.g. at a temperature of 28C to 31C), net-forming die,
~tarting on a cooled mandrel and then passing on to a take
away belt, preferably after cutting as the material leaves the
mandrel. Centre filling can also be applied as in the other
confectionery cases by making use of an axial hollow mandrel
passing through the extrusion head and feeding the
centre filling through this. Because the ~et chocolate
1119876
strands are fragile and difficult to handle, it i3
preferred and, in some ca~es esaential, to extrude
the chocolate arou~d a mandrel formed by the contre
filling (e.g. a mallow or tru~fle filling) ~o that
the chocolate strand~ are depoaited on and per~anently
supported by the centre filling. Thus, the chocolate
need not be remov-d from the mandrel.
Alternatively, the net can be made ~rom sugar
base, o.g. caramel (toffee~, nougat, liquorice
pa~te, high boiled ougar, mallow, fudge, fondant
and marzipan, provided that ouch a ~ugar base i9
extrudible.
For edible prod~cts such as caramel or nougat
a gear or ~crew extruder can be u3ed and extruoion take
place at relatively low temperatures, although for
high boiled sugar a higher temperature i9 u~ed, oay,
in the region of 137C
9 876
, .
In some cases it is essential to cool the extruded
material as it leaves the die so that it maintains its
shape, particularly when producing tube-like products.
For this purpose cold air or nitrogen from a liquified
supply can be applied. In other cases, for instance when
extruding a caramel or a fondant, the extrudate can be
allowed to collapse. However, in general, the mesh structure
of the net will remain visible, and the net will not be
collapsed or compressed to such an extent that the meshes
of the net are completely closed~
; The-centre filling can be made by conventional confectionery
manufacturing technique-s and consist of two essential types:
a) Water based materials such as mallow, nougat, coconut
paste, fudge, jelly~ fondant and the like.
b) Fat-based materials such as chocolate, chocolate-
like substances, biscuit spreads, cheese spreads and the
like.
In general terms, the centre filling can continuously
advance-along the axis of the net as the net is extruded.
Though not essential in all circumstances, the centre filling
- is preferably extruded at substantially the same time as the
net. The method of filling each of these centres into the
net-material can thus rely on continuously pumping or extruding
the base-into the formed net through a hollow tube or mandrel
in the net-forming die head.
In general, it is desirable to have the centre filling,
in a radial sense~ as near the die orifices as possible,
particularly if a centre filling is being used which does
not expand much after extrusion. In order to achieve this,
the net can be extruded using at least one die whose die
~l~g87~
orifices are directed towards the aYis of the die, thereby
placing the net onto the centre filling. It should be noted
however, that this is not always necessary, depending upon
the material of the net. For instance a material such as
caramel could be drawn out or could shrink naturally onto
the centre filling even when extruded with die orifices
parallel to the axis of the die.
-In general, it is desirable to support the net as it
emerges from the die orifices. Depending upon the nature of
the net and of the centre filling, the net may be supported
at least initially by a tube or mandrel down which the centre
filling advances, or may be supported, at least after a short
inter~al, by the advancing centre filling itself. Preferably,
the net is lnitially supported by the tube or mandrel and then
by the filling until the net itself has set and becomes self-
supporting, the tube or mandrel thus acting as a support for
the formed net ~or a length of time depending on the net
material and operation parameters. Many centre fillings,
particularly those which are fat based, should be cooled to
ensure that their temperature as a whole does not rise to
such an extent that the fat melts or they become unduly
so~t, and t o achieve this, the tube or mandrel referred to
above can be cooled. None the less, it is desirabIe that
as the filling contacts the net, the heat of the net melts
a layer on the surface of the filling to effect a &esion
between the fiIling and tke net. This prevents part of the
.:
filling falling out of the net caslng when the product is
' chewed.
j The composite product of net and filling, after cooling,
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87~
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can then be cut to whatever length is desired and can either
be packed ~or consumption in this form or can pass to a
subsequent operation, an example of which is ~hocolate
enrobing. The unit can be covered in chocolate, chocolate-
like substance and other fat based materials. It can also
be coated in water based materials such as fondant icing and
the like to form the finished confection or food.
Other methods of production are possible. For instance,
particularly when using a cold extrusion process, the net can
be cut Lnto lengths at the.extruder die faces. Such a method is
particularly suitable for the subsequent production o~ pre-
shaped products such as crisps by cooking, e.g. frying, betweenprofiled forms.
In general, the food product could.be specifically
designed to be suitable as an animal foodstuff, but the
invention is primarily directed towards food products for
human..consumption.
The product is preferably in the form of a snack, that
is to.say.in the ~orm in which it can be sold as an individual
item to be held-.in the hand and eaten.
EXAMPL~S OF PRODUCTS
(a) Substantially rigid extruded tubular net of cereal-
based material such as corn-based, wheat-based or rice-
based material and an extruded filling of fat with
cheese, mi~k or savoury flavouring.
(b) Substantially rigid extruded tubular net of potato-
based and an extruded filling.
, . 1119~76 - -
.
(c) As (a~ or (b) and dipped in an onion-flavoured
coating.
¦ (d) Substantially rigld extruded tubular net of caramel
¦ with extruded fi.lling of a mixture of peanut butter and
! peanuts.
(e) Substantially rigid extruded tubular net of cereal-
based material, dipped in a chocolate coating.
(f) As (e), together with an extruded filling of `-
nougat.
(g) A chocolat~ net which may include an edible filling
- ~uch a~ mallow or truffle .
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
-
The in~ention will be further described, by way of
example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, of
which:-
Figures 1 to 6 illustrate a number of forms of thenet mesh construction;-
Figure 7 is a general view of an embodiment forcarry~ng out the invention;
Figure 8 is a vertical section through one die head
; -~which-can be used in-the embodiment of Figure 7;
Figure 9 is a vertical section through another die
head which can be used in the embodiment of Figure 7; and
Figure 10 is a schematic view, looking on the face of
a further die head which can be used in a different embodiment
of the invention.
-- 10--
11~9876 - -
FORMS OF NET MES~ CONSTRUCTION
The net mesh construction can take a variety of forms,
some o~ which are illustrated as follows~
Figure 1 - rotating either inner or outer die of British
Patent Specification No. 836 555 whilst keeping
the other die stationarY; . . .. .
Figure Z - rotating both the inner and outer dies of
British Patent Specification No. 836 555;
- Figure 3 - oscillating either the inner or outer die
; - -oi British Patent Specification No. 836 555
whilst keeping the outer die stationary;
Figure 4 - oscil}ating both the inner and outer dies
o~ British Patent Speci~ication No. 836 555;
Figure 5 - varying the number of slots or the pattern
i~ which they are cut into the die of British
Patent Speci~ication No. 836 555, thereby
further varying the pattern,
Figure 6 - square mesh pattern in accordance with
-British Patent Specification No. 1 072 113.
The produc-ts can be further varied by operating at
different speeds or by oscillating by a greater or lesser
amount in the case o~ Figures 3 and 4.
DETAIIED DESCRIPTION OF APPARATUS A~D ME~OD OF ~E
INVENTION
The ingredients of the food product net are dry mixed
in a conventional manner and are conditioned by adding moisture,
-- 1 1 ~
~119~7
,.
and are then fed to an extruder 1, shown in Figure 7. The
specific extruder 1 may be of twin-screw design for producing
high pressure and may have induction heating for producing
high temperature. The extruder 1 has a die head 2 which can
be generally of the type described in British Patent
Specification No. 836 555.
.A centre filling is made of a fat-based material, and
may for example be produced by mixing a paste slurry in a
conventional paddle mixer or turbine mixer, which is illustrated
by a container ~ having a heated jacket 4 and provided with
-a mixer 5 The centre filling mix is then pum~ed by a pump 6
to a continuous scraped-tube heat exchanger 7 of the "Votator"
type, together with gaseous nitrogen or another inert gas
introduced through a duct 8. In the heat exchanger 7, the
centre filling mix is whipped and cooled under pressure,
e.g. 0_07 to 0.2 Egjmm2, its density being reduced approximately
1..0 to 0.6 gms/cc. The mix leaves the heat exchanger 7 via a
- pressure control valve 9 and passes through the extruder die
head 2 in.a tube or hollow mandrel 10 (see Figures 8 and 9)
.cooled do~m to about-4 to 5 C.
-~1 the-arrangement of Figure 8, the tube 10 extends
beyond the.die head 2, and the filling expands slightly on
leaving-the end of the tube. The die head 2 is conventional
in that it has two relatively rotatable or oscillatable
annular dies 11, 12, each of which has a ring of extrusion
die orifices. However, the extrusion die orifices are inclined
towards the axis of the dies. ~he arrangement o~ Figure 8 is
such that tke net 13 is still hot enough to slightly melt
the surfaca of the filling 14 when the net 13 passes over the
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19876
end of the tube 10 and engages the advancing filling.
In the arrangement of Figure 9, the filling is a non-fat
filling, and the tube 10 does not extend beyond the die head 2.
Figure 10 shows the die head of an embodiment which can
be used for producing flat strips of food product net. The
die head has two annular dies 15, 16 each of which has a
number of spaced groups of co-operating die orifices 17.
The die members 15, 16 are oscillated relative to each other
by for instance the-distance apart of the die orifices in one
die member and in one group, each group thereby producing
a separate-strip of net, for instance as shown in Figure
or 4.
. .
SPECIFIC EXAMP~ES
--Embodiments of the present invention and their methods
o~--manufacture will now be described in the following examples
where--unless otherwise specified all nercentages are by weight:-
ExamPle 1A paste consisting of:
580~ potato granules
19.5~ potato starch
19.5%~wheat starch
3% salt
is dry mixed and fed into the infeed screw of a cook screw
extruder. Water is pumped into the extruder to give a total
moisture of approximately 40-45% (although a moisture content
in the range of 35-70% can be employed at this stage) in the
resulting dough as it passes through the extruder to the die.
- 13 -
111~87tj
The material passes through a die as described in British Patent
~o. 836 555 at a temperature of approximatel~ 75C (a
temperature in the range of 60C-100C can be employed) to
produce a tubular net. The net thus produced is collected
and cut into 15 mm lengths. At this stage the material
has a moisture content of approximately 35-3~/o (although
the moisture content can be in the range of 30-45% at this
stage). ~he lengths of extruded net are then placed in a
drying room at a temperature of 45-50C for 16 hours during
which time the moisture content is reduced to 7-9%. ~he
resulting dried material is then fried in a conventional oil
frier at 200-230C, in this Example 205C for 15-20 seconds
to produce an expanded material (although this time could
be in the range of 5-20 seconds). ~hese are then flavoured
as required b~ powdering the surface with a powdered flavour
which génerally is of a savoury nature. ~he resultant product
is a fried and flavoured extruded snack having a novel
appeara~ce and texture and possessing good eating qualities.
Example 2
Example 1 is repeated using a paste containing 19.5%
maize starch instead of wheat starch to produce a fried and
flavoursd extruded snack having a novel appearance and
texture and possessing good eating qualities.
Example 3
5~/o White Flour
20~ Maize Grits
2~,~ Potato Pectin Cellulose
3% Salt
_ 14 _
~s
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~119~76
is mixed together and fed at room temperature into a screw
extruder~ ~he material passes through the extruder where it
is heated to a temperature of approximately 175C (although
it could be in the range of 150-300C) and emerges from a
net-forming die of the type described in Figures 1 and 2 of
British Patent Specification No. 836 555 where expansion takes
place as moisture is quicXly released. ~he final moisture
content is approximately 6% (although it could be 6-9%) and
the resulting puffed net is sprayed with a fat and, in this
Example, has a powdered flavour applied to it and then after
cooling is cut to the desired length, prior to packing.
Example 4
Example 1 is rep~ated usi~g:
57% Wholemeal ~lour
20% Maize Grits
20% Rolled Oats
3% Salt
to produce a food product consisting of a substantially rigid
tubular-net-.
Example 5
Example 1 is repeated using:
57% Wholemeal ~lour
16% Maize Grits
8% Milled Wheatgerm
18,b Instant Potato Granules
3% Salt
to produce a food product consisti~g of a substantially rigid
~ 15 ~
987~
.
tubular net.
Examples 6 to 8
Each of Examples 3, 4 and 5 respectively is repeated
except that, immediately upon emerging from the die orifices,
the extruded tubular net is filled with a fat-based material
in the manner herein described with reference to ~igs. 7 and
8, whereby a filled tubular net product is produced.
A suitable fat-based material comprises:
Soft fat 28.~/o
H. P.E . O, 40%
Cheese Powder 2~/o
Milk powder (skimmed o)r 10%
Salt 1%
Flavour enhancer 0.1%
~ he use of a fat-based material is preferred because
it is compatible with the tubular net which is cereal based.
Water-based filling material is not preferred as moisture
transfer can take-place which tends to soften the net and
make the food product less desirable.
InLExamples 6 to 8, the resultant food product is a
length of cereal-based tubular net filled with a fat-based
material. ~he-product has a novel appearance and provides
a pleasi~g contrast in taste and texture between the net
and the filling.
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ill9876
..
Example 9
A caramel made, in a conventional manner, to the
following recipe ~parts by weight).
Glycer~l Monostearate 0.326
~risodium Citrate 0.776
~kimmed ~weetened Condensed Milk 12.674
Whey Powdex 17.557
; 42DE ~lucose 42.657
Granulate~ Sugar '16.941
- ~ EPK0 13.320
~alt 0.419
Ethyl Vanillin 0.005
Isoprop~l Alcohol ' 0.035
Butter ~lavour 0.181
l~ ~gg Albumen Powder 0.171
--Calcium ~actate Anhydrous0.017
Water 6.000
is cooled to approximatel~ 45-60 C and fed to a conventional
gear or screw extruder. ~his forces the material through a
net-forming--die which continuously produces a tubular net of
caramel. ~his is supported for approximately 15cms on a mandrel
,which is coated with a suitable anti-stick material such as poly-
tetra~luoroethylene, and the caramel tube is tnen cooled rap~dly,
with either col~ air or spray liquid nitrogen before passing onto
a band which takes the tube through a conventional recirculated
air cooler. ~fter this it is cut ~o the desired length and
- passed directly to a conventional chocolate enrober where the
17
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_,_ _ _
1119~376
lengths of extruded caramel net are covered with chocolate or
a chocolate-like substance. In some instances, the chocolate
or chocolate-like substance may be sprayed onto the tube as
it leaves the first air cooler.
~ xample 9 is repeated except that the tubular net of
caramel is filled with a mallow composition as it emerges
from net-forming die. The mallow composition is fed through
a hollow mandrel passing through the extruder. In this
Example, the mallow composition is produced, usi~g a high
boiled sugar s~rup comprising, in parts by weight,
Granulated Sugar 46.841
42DE Glucose Syrup 29.~06
Invert ~ugar Syrup 12.136
230Bloom Gelatine 2~85
Vanilla ~lavour 0.208
Water 16.000
~ he mallow is produced continuously on a convertional
plant by dissolving egg albumen in water and incorporating
this with the high boiled sugar s~rup which subsequently
passes to-a co~tlnuous machine of the rotar~ type which
reduces the de~sity to 0.2-0.6 gms/cc be~ore disc~arging-t-~ mallow
through the mandrel into the centre of the caramel net. ~he
mallow acts as a support for the caramel net to prevent it
collapsing and the combined material passes on a belt through
a cooler with air circulation be~ore passing to a cutting
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11~987~;
operation to cut the units to the required length and then
:in~o a subsequent conventional chocolate coating operation.
Example 11
~ milk chocolate composition having the following
i~gredients:
Sugar 46. 29%
Cocoa Solids 5O21%
~on-~at Milk Solids18. 9~/o
Milk ~at 7O94%
Cocoa Butter 21.37%
- 1ecithin 0. 2~/o
is manu~actured in a manner known per se. After tempering,
tke chocolate composition is passed to a net-forming die of
the type disclosed in Figures 6, 7 and 8 of ~ritish Patent
Specification No. 836 555. ~he temperature of the composition
is 28-~1C and the composition has viscosity properties at
thi~ temperature which enable it to be extruded. Immediately
after emerging from the die, the resultant integrally
-ex~truded planar.net of milk chocolate is cooled to 15-20C
b~ an air blast and is fed on to a moving band conveyor to
be cùt to length and packed. ~he resultant product is a
le~gth of milk chocolate net which gives an immediate
flavour of chocolate upon tasting in view of its eas~ melting
qualities in the form provided.
Example 12
Example 11 is repeated using a dark chocolate
-- .19--- I ~
l~i9876
composition having the ~ollowing ingredients:
Sugar 58.4~
Cocoa Mass 32 . 95~o
Hardened Fat 3.27
Dairy ~utter 4.0%
Lecithin 1. 38~o
to produce lengths of planar9 integrally e~truded net formed
of dark chocolate.
Exam~le 13
Using the milk chocolat~ composition of Example 11,
a tubular net wa~ formed by extruding the composition at
a temperature of 28 to 31C through a tubular net-rorming
die. Si~ultaneou~ly, a centre filling of the mallow
composition o~ Example 10 was extruded within the net-forming
die to produce a ~olid mandrel of mallow upon which the
extruded strand~ of chocolate were laid and permanently
support. Upon emerging from the die, the tubular milk
chocolate net and filling was cooled to 15 - 20C and then
cut into length~. Theresultant product was of novel and
plea~ing appearance and had an unusual and eminently acceptable
texture.
Exam~le 14
Example 13 was repeated using the dark chocolate
composition of Example 12 to ~orm a product which was
similar to that obtained in Example 13.
It i~ also within the scope of the pre~ent invention
to provide a food product which includec more than one net.
For example, with a ~uitable arrangement of dies in the net-
forming apparatus, it i~ possible to produce two or more
_ 20 -
~19876
concentric edible tubular net~ or two or more overlapping
planar or curved nets. In the case of two or more
concentric edible tubular nets, the filling, if present
will normally be disposed inside the inner or innermost
tubular net. The nets may be formed of the ~ame or different
edible materials.
It is to be apprecia~ed that, where the food product
comprises more than one component, the consistencies and
flavours of the component~ will be cho~en eo as to be
mutually compatible. Thus, for example, a relatively
bland~ substantially fat-free cereal net can be combined
with a ~atty filling or coating~ or a ~atty net can be
combined with a relatively bland filling or coating.
.
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