Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
lZ11)~33
CAS~ 2982/2983
DESCRIPTION
PROCESS FOR MAKING AN IMPROVED
DRY INSTANT PUDDING MIX AND PRODUCT THEREOF
05
Technical Field
- The present invention relates to a composition
that, when hydrated, produces a smooth and creamy
textured, glossy pudding.
Background Art
In recent years there has been a pronounced
trend towards convenience in food preparation.
Instant puddings -- i.e. a pudding that can be
simply prepared from a dry mix without cooking --
are illustrative of this trend. However, as this
trend matured, a movement within the convenience
food industry to improve the product quality of
coNvenience foods has developed. U.S. Patent
4,361,592 issued to Carpenter et al.,
describes a pud-
ding mix composition which, when combined-with milk,
produces a desirable, creamy, glossy pudding.
Nonetheless, Carpenter et al. teach that it is
critical to making a glossy, creamy pudding with
fine particles of pregelatinized starch that less
than a maximum of 1%, by weight, of the starch has a
particle diameter greater than 63 microns, (i.e.
retained on a 230 mesh U.S. Standard screen~.
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Commercial pregelatinized starch does not meet
- the requirements of Carpenter et al. without further
processing. ~ather, a substantial portion o the
pregelatinized starch particles will, initially 9
05 exceed a 63 micron diameter -- typically 40% or
more. These large starch particles must be re-
peatedly ground and seived to ensure that less than
1% of the starch is retained on a 230 mesh screen
(U.S. Standard size) (63 microns or greater3. If
these strict guidelines are followed, then the
improved product of Carpenter et al. is obtained.
It is noteworthy that, while the amount of starch
that must be reground can be reduced by adjusting
~ either the pre~elatinization process or the grinders
to produce very small particles, the usual result of
these procedures is that more than 80% of the starch
will be less than 38 microns in diameter (pass
through a 400 mesh U.S. Standard screen). However,
Carpenter et al. teach that it is also critical that
80% or less of the starch particles have a diameter
less than 38 microns. Thus the Carpenter et al.
tolerances necessitate recycling the starch par-
ticles -- seiving, and regrinding -- thereby in-
creasing the cost of production. Consequently,
there is a need for a more tolerant instant pudding
composition which will still produce a pudding with
improved textural properties characteristic of small
starch paticles.
An alternative means for using fine starch
particles in an instant pudding mix is provided by
U.S. Patent 2,554,143 issued to Hinz et al. Hinz et
al. teach that fine starch particles can be used in
an instant puddi~g mix, only if their rate of hy-
dration is retarded. Hinz et al. achieve the hydra-
-3- lZ1~33
tion rate retardation by coating the starch with a
- hydrophobic material, such as a lipid or talc. The
problem Hinz et al. recognized is that when fine
starch particles hydrate, there is a tendency for
S these particles to lump to the point where it is
quite difficult to prepare a smooth pudding product.
Disclosure of the Invention
-
According to the present invention, the prob-
lems of small starch particles lumping can be avoid-
ed without either the critical hydrophobic coating
of Hinz et al. or the critical 1% maximum of Carpen-
ter et al.. The present invention is based upon the
discovery that a newly recognized critical aspect
can produce the highly desirable glossy, smooth and
creamy texture characteristic of an instant pudding
made from very fine starch particles. This new
critical aspect is the total starch particle distri-
bution. When the vast majority of the starch par-
ticles have diameters smaller ~han 38 microns,
between 1% and 10% of the starch may be greater than
63 microns in diameter if this 1 to 10 percent has a
distribution that is greatly skewed in favor of 63
to 88 micron diameter starch particles.
Brief Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 shows the distribution of the Example
1 starch particles within each of eight size frac-
tions.
Figure 2 shows the distribution of the Example
2 starch particles within each of eight size frac-
tions.
Figure 3 shows the distribution of the Example
1 starch particles having a diameter of at least 63
microns within each of four size fractions.
633
Figure 4 shows the distribution of the Example
- 2 starch particles having a diameter of at least ~3
microns within each of four size fractions~
Figure 5 sho~s the effect of incorporating
05 starch particles with a diameter of 105 microns or
greater into the instant pudding mix on the result-
ing pudding gloss.
Fgure ~ shows the effect of incorporating
s~arch particles with a diameter of between 63 and
74 microns into the instant pudding mix on the
resulting pudding gloss.
~ igure 7 shows the effect of incorporating
starch particles with a diameter of 63 microns or
greater into the instant pudding mix on the result-
ing pudding gloss.
Best Mode for Carrying Out the Invention
A starch based dry instant pudding mix havingupon hydration an improved glossy, smooth and creamy
texture and appearance is prepared by incorporating
a pregelatinized starch and a sugar of a controlled,
critical particle size. ~y critically controlling
the distribution o~ the pregelatinized starch par-
ticle size, as well as the sugar particle size, the
~5 unexpected and synergistic, recited, improved tex-
tural and appearance characteristics are obtained.
The pregelatinized starch lemployed in the dry
instant pudding mix is of a type that is co~mon in
the pudding mix art. This can include chemically as
well as physically modified pregelatinized starches
from sources such as corn, waxy maize, tapioca,
wheat, potato, etc.. Nonetheless~ it is more pre-
ferred that the starch be tapioca. It is also
preferred that if the starch is chemically modified,
~2~633
that the chemical modifiation be either a hydroxy-
propylation, a cross-linking or a combination thereof.
Critically the pregelatinized starch has a particle
size distribution wherein a minimum of 1% and a
05 maximum of 10%, by weight of the starch, is retained ¦
on a 230 mesh U.S. Standard screen, and at least a
majority by weight of the starch passes through a
400 mesh U.S. Standard screen. Preferably, the
starch has a particle size wherein 55 to 80% by
weight of the starch passes through a 400 mesh U.S.
Standard screen. The controlled particle size of
the starch in combination with the powdered sugar
provide unexpected textural and appearance benefits
~as compared to a regular starch. A regular starch
would generally have a particle size wherein less
than 50% by weight of the starch particles pass
through a 400 mesh U.S. Standard Screen, with sub-
stantial amount of the starch being retained on a
230 mesh U.S. Standard screen (e.g. greater than
10%, usually greater than 35 50% by weight of the
starch). A preferred physically pregelatinized
starch for use in the present invention is prepared
by the process of Pitchon, et al. disclosed in U.S.
Patent 4,280,851,
~5
The sugar particle size is also controlled.
The sugar component incorporates a powdered sugar
which has a particle size wherein at least 90%~ by
weight of the sugar, passes through a 200 mesh U.S.
Standard Screen. This powdered sugar comprises from
5 to 60% by weight of the total sugar in the dry
instant pudding mix. Preferably the powdered sugar
is incorporated at a level of 15% to 40% by weight
of the total sugar for increased textural and appear-
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ance benefits. The minimum effective level of sugarto obtain the textural and appearance benefits is 5%
by weight of the total sugar, with 60% by weight of
the total sugar being the maximum effective level of
05 powdèred sugar while still maintaining disperse-
abilty and without lumping of the dry pudding mix
upon hydration. This powdered sugar in combination
with the controlled starch particle size distribu-
tion provides unexpected textural and appearance
benefits in view of sugar commonly employed in dry
instant pudding mixes. ~he sugar commonly used in
pudding mixes has a standard particle size, such
that 70%, maximum by weight, is retained on a 60
~ mesh screen, 10%, maximum by weight, passes through
a 100 mesh U.S. Standard screen; and 0.5%, maximum
by weight, passes through a 200 mesh U.S. Standard
screen. The powdered sugar of the invention even
provides substantial and unexpected benefits over a
sugar with an intermediate particle size, as in U.S.
Patent No. 4,006,262, with the sugar having 85%
minimum by weight through a 70 mesh secreen with 35%
maximum by weight on a 10~ mesh U.S. Standard screen
and 2% maximum by weight through a 200 mesh screen.
The sugar can be from any source available in dry
crystalline from, such a sucrose and dextrose.
In an instant pudding mix, the key factor
affecting pudding smoothness, creaminess and surface
gloss is the pregelatinized starch. ~he more homo-
genous sized the pregelatinized starch particles are
in size, the smoother and creamier the texture and
the glossier the appearance of the set pudding is.
Some pregelatinized starches contain agglomerates or
granule fractions pasted together making the starch
particle size distribution extremely non-homogenious
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Non-homogenous starch particles create a te~ture
which is less smooth and creamy (compared to homo-
genous starch particles) and reflect light unevenly
from the surface reducing glossiness. Thus, it is
05 preferred that the starch particles used in the
pudding mix exclude agglomerates.
The discovery that a pregelatinized starch with
a particle size distribution such that at least 1%
and up to 10% of the starch consists of pregelatin-
ized starch particles having diameter of 63 micronsor more would produce a creamy, smooth pudding was
unexpected in light of the findings of Carpenter et
al. However, it is critical that less than 1% of
the starch 9 a~d preferably less than 0.5% of the
starch, possesses a particle diameter of 105 microns
or greater (retained on a 140 mesh screen). Further-
more, it is also critical that less than 3% of the
starch, and preferably less than 1.5% of the starch
has particle diameters of 88 microns or greater
(retained on a 170 mesh screen). Additionally, in
the composition of the present invention, less than
7% of the starch, and preferably less than 6% of the
starch possesses particle diameters of 74 microns or
greater (retained on a 20d mesh screen). It is also
preferred that at least 10%, more preferably at
least 15%, and most preferably at least 20% of the
starch is composed of starch particles with a diam-
eter of 20 microns or less.
In addition to the above, it is preferred that
the starch particle size distribution be s~ch that
at least about 6% and not more than about 34%, by
weight, be between 3~ and 44 microns (passing through
a 325 mesh screen and being retained on a ~00 mesh
screen). It is further preferred that between about
~ ~ -8-
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6% and about 22% of the starch has particle diameters
between 38 and 44 microns. Also, it is preferred
that between about 3% and about 30%, by weight of
the starch, is between 44 and 63 microns in diameter
05 (passing through a 230 mesh screen and being re-
tained on a 325 mesh screen). It is more preferred
that between about 3% and about 20% of the starch be
in particles with a diameter between 44 and 63
microns.
As a consequence of the small starch particle
sizes, there are an extremely large number of starch
particles per unit weight. Moreover, it is difficult
to rapidly and uniformly hydrate the instant dry
pudding mix when the mix is composed of starch
particles of this number and size. Nevertheless, it
is necessary to rapidly and uniformly hydrate the
mix to achieve the desirable pudding. If the ingre-
dients are not adequately dispersed, the gel forma-
tion traps some particles in non-uni~orm areas.
This invention uses powdered sugar to adequately
disperse the starch particles. It is theorized that
the powdered sugar disolves faster and provides a
sufficient number of particles that effectively
separate all the starch particles allowing each
starch particle to swell independently and uniformly
rather than lumping: one starch particle sticking to
neighboring starch particles upon hydration. The
combination of the starch particle distribution with
the powdered sugar is critical to obtaining the
improved texture and appearance while providing a
dry instant pudding mix which will rapidly and
uniformly, disperse and hydrate.
The pudding mix of this invention contains
levels of the various ingredients as are common in
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the art, for example: sugar at 25 to 85% (preferably
50 to 80%); pregelatinized st~rch at 5 to 2~% (pre-
ferably 10 to 20%); setting agents at 1-5% (pre-
ferably 2-4%); flavor at 0 to 3/O; optionally cocoa
05 at 0 to 25%; and optionally fat at 0 to 20%, all
percents being by weight of the total composition.
The setting agents are preferably an alkali pyro-
phosphate and an alkali orthophosphate.
The instant pudding mi~ is prepared by mixing
the pudding mix with milk and allowing the mixtùre
to set. For example, about 100 grams of mix is
mixed with 2 cups (473 ml) of milk. The mix rapidly
and uniformly disperses and hydrates resulting in a
pudding which possesses an optimum creamy, smooth
and glossy texture. In addition to expert and
consumer evaluations of ~he pudding's texture and
appearance characteristics 9 the following tests have
been employed, as detailed below.
To measure-glossiness, a Gardner Glossgard*lla
Gloss-Meter with a 60 angle was employed. The
pudding is first prepared by mixing 99 gms of the
dry pudding mix with two cups (473 ml~ of cold milk
and blending in an electric mixer. Then the pudding
is allowed to stand at room temperature to set. A
smooth, flat pudding surface is important to ob-
taining an accurate pudding gloss measurement. The
pudding is placed under the meter and the Gloss-Meter
a photovolt reflection meter) is lowered as close as
possible without actually touching the pudding to
the pudding surface. Readings were taken on the
pudding surface after 30 and 60 minutes, repeating
each reading with a duplicate sample (total of 20
readings) and with a constant height setting for all
puddings. The gloss meter operates by shining a
-~ Trade M~rk
- 10~ iu633
light on an object surface and measuring the amount
of reflected light received at a detector~ Higher
readings indicate glossier surfaces. The gloss
meter readings were shown to correlate with eye
05 measurements of gloss by a panel of exper~s~
A preferred means of obtaining the starch
particle size distribution of the present invention
is to pregelatinize and dry the starch in any manner
effective to produce a coarse starch material. ~his
coarse starch material is then ground. Unexpected-
ly, it was found that by grinding coarse starch, a
very uniform distribution of starch particles, which
conforms to the composition described above, is
obtained.
It is preferred that the dry, pregelatinized
starch before grinding has a particle size distri-
bution such that between about 1% and about 25% of
the starch is retained on an 80 mesh, U.S. Standard
screen (diameter of 177 microns or greater), between
about 25% and about 75% is retained on a 230 mesh
screen and between about 10% and about 50% passes
through a 400 mesh screen. It is more preferred
that between about 1.5% and about 15% of the starch
is retained on an 80 mesh screen, between about 45%
and about 60% is retained on a 230 mesh screen, and
that between about 15% and about 40% passes through
a 400 mesh screen. It is mos~ preferred ~hat be-
tween about 1.5% and about 10% of the pregelatinized
starch is retained on an 80 mesh screen, between
about 45% and about 60% of the starch is retained on
a 230 mesh screen, and that between about 20% and
about 30% of the starch passes through a 400 mesh
screen. Dry, pregelatinized starch with this size
distribution isobtained by the spray-cook process of
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Pitchon et al. (U.S. Patent 4,280,851) when the
- atomization orifice is increased. The preferred
range of atomization orifice diameters for the
present invention is from about 0.0635 to about
05 0.066 inches.
Next the dry, pregelatinized starch is ground.
It is preferred that the dry, pregelatinized starch
be ground to produce a target particle size distri-
bution wherein a trace of the starch is retained on
an 80 mesh screen, up to about 2% of the starch is
retained on a 230 mesh screen, and between about 55%
and about ~0%, but more preferedly between about 60%
and about 80% of the starch passes through a 400
mesh screen. Grinding the pregelatinized, coarse
starch to a target within the preferred particle
size distribution produces the desired, homogenous,
tolerant starch particle size distribution.
The following examples are ~eant for illus-
trative purposes only with the appended claims
providing the definition of the invention.
EXAMPLE I
A coarse, dry, pregelatinized tapioca starch
was prepared by spray cooking according to the
method of Pitchon et al., U.S. Patent 4,280,851
wherein the atomizing nozzle had an orifice diameter
of 0.0635 inches. This coarse, pregelatinized
starch had the following particle size distribution:
50% was retained on a 230 ~esh screen, 23% passed
through the 230 mesh but was retained on a 400 mesh
screen; and 27% passed through the 400 mesh screen.
After being pregelatinized, the starch was then
ground. The target particle size distribution for
material exiting the grinder was: a trace of the
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121~633
starch retained on an 80 mesh screen, 2% retained on
a 230 mesh screen, and 65% passing through a 400
mesh screen. As a result of this process -- making
coarse pregelatinized starch particle and grinding --
05 the following starch particle size distribution, byweight, was obtaned: 24% had diameters between 0 and
20 microns; 41% had diameters between 20 and 38
microns; 19% had diameters between 38 and 44 microns;
14% had diameters between 44 and 63 microns, 2% had
diameters between 63 and 74 microns; 1% had diameters
between 74 and 88 microns; and only a trace of
material had diameters between 88 and 105 microns,
or in excess of lOS microns. This distribution data
~ is displayed in Figure 1.
~5 Furthermore, the distribution of this starch
among ~ractions with part,icle diameters in excess of
63 microns was unexpected. Noticably, almost equal
weights of starch had particle diameters either
between 63 and 74 microns or between 74 and 88
microns. The larger diameter fractions accounted
for 15% of the starch mass. This distribution --
43% between 63 and 74 microns; 42% between 74 and 88
microns; 12% between 88 and 105 microns; and 3% in
excess of 105 microns -- is displayed in Figure 2.
A dry instant pudding mix was formulated con-
taining the following:
Ingredient mass (in gm)
sugar 75.7
pregelatinized starch 18.0
(with the above described
particle size distribution)
sodium phosphate 3.5
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12~Q~ii33
salt 0.5
mono and diglycerides 0.5
vegetable oil 0.4
flavor and color 0.6
ns This mix was then blended with 2 cups (473 ml)
of cold milk by an electric mixer and allowed to
set
.
EXAMPLE 2
A dry, pregelatinized tapioca starch was pro-
duced according to U.S. Patent 4,280,851 using the
usual atomizing orifice of between 0.040 and 0.045
inches. This starch had the following particle size
dis~ribution by weight: 1% was retained on an 80
mesh screen; 35% passed through the 80 mesh screen
but was retained on a 230 mesh screen, 24% passed
through the ~30 mesh screen but was retained on a
400 mesh screen; and 40% passed through the 400 mesh
screen.
This dry, pregelatinized starch was then ground
to conform to the critical parameters of U.S. Patent
4,361,592 -- less than 1% by weight, of the starch
particles had a 63 microns or greater diameter and
between 55% and 80% had diameters of 38 microns or
less. As a result of grinding the starch to meet
these criteria, a trace amount of the starch was
composed of starch particles having a diameter of 63
microns or greater; 22% of this starch was particles
with a diameter between 44 and 63 microns; 45% was
particles with a diameter between 38 and 44 microns;
27% was particles-with a diameter between 20 and 38
microns; and 6% had diameters between 0 and 20
microns. The particle size distribution of this
starch is displayed in Figure 3.
3~
-14-
~ 2 ~ ~ 6 3 3
After having produced the starch for a pudding
- mix, the grinding process was continued until an
appreciable quantity of starch with particle diam-
eters of 63 microns or greater was accumulated.
05 Once this appreciable quantity was collected, this
starch was seived to determine the partice size
distribution of this starch. A plurality of this
starch, 42% by weight, had particle diameters of 105
microns or more; 29% had particle diameters of 88 to
105 microns; 6% had particle diameters between 74
and 88 microns; and only 3% had diameters between 63
and 88 microns. This distribution is displayed in
Figure 4 and is sloped in a direction inversP to
~ that exhibited by the Example 1 material as depicted
in Figure 2.
The above described starch was substituted into
the Example 1 formula for an instant pudding mix.
Thereafter this mix was also blended with 2 cups
(473 ml) of cold milk and allowed to set.
EXAMPLE 3
The unground starch produced by the method of
Pitchon et al. (U.S. Patent 4,280,851) was substi-
tuted into the Example 1 pudding formula. This mix
was blended with 2 cups (473 ml) of cold milk and
allowed to set.
The set puddings of Examples 1, 2 and 3 were
compared. While Examples 1 and 2 were significantly
better than Example 3 in smoothness, creaminess and
gloss, little textural difference was found through
taste testing Fxamples 1 and 2.
12i~633
EXAMPLES 4-20
:
~ A quantity of starch was prepared according to
Example 1. However 9 before this starch was incor-
porated into ~he pudding mix, the starch was seived
to remove all starch particles having a diameter of
63 microns or greater. Hereinafter, this starch
having particle diameters of 63 microns or more is
referred to as fraction A. A portion of fraction A
was further seived so as to produce 3 fractions.
These 3 fractions were composed of starch particles
having diameters between 63 and 74 microns; between
74 and 105 microns; and 105 microns or greater. The
starch particles with diameters between 74 and 105
microns were discarded. Hereinafter the starch
fraction composed of particles with diameters be-
tween 63 and 74 microns will be referred to as
fraction B and the starch with diameters of 105
microns or larger is fraction C.
The starch without particles having a diameter
of 63 microns or more was combined with between 1
and 20 percent of either starch fraction A or B or
with between 1 and 15 percent of starch fraction C.
Once the starch without 63 microns or greater par-
ticles was combined with one of the starch fractions
containing only starch particles with a diameter of
63 microns or greater, the starch was well blended
and mixed into the formula of Example 1. The result-
ing mix was blended with 2 cups (473 ml) of cold
milk and allowed to set. Once these puddings had
set, the light reflectance from these samples was
measured by a Glossmeter as described abo~e.
The readings from the Glossmeter are displayed
in Table 1.
~Z~ 33
TABLE 1
GLOSSMETER RE~DINGS
Amount of Starch
Fraction Added Fraction Which
05(in percent by _ Was Added
weight) C B A
1 62 61 61
61 61 61
62 65 64
59 ~2 59
46 63 42
-- 51 42
The trends in these data can be more readily
seen by reference to Figures 5, 6 and 7. Figure 5
shows the set pudding made with up to 5% of ~he
starch having particle diameters of 105 microns or
greater had an acceptable Glossmeter reading: greater
than 60. In contrast, Figure 6 shows that the high
gloss is still obtained in a pudding wherein 15% of
the starch had particle diameters of 63 microns or
- greater but less than 74 microns. When fraction A
was combined with the small starch particles, Figure
7 shows that the mix would produce a glossy pudding
when up to 5/O of the starch, by weight, had particle
diameters of 63 microns or more.
WS/fiA78e - 29Q07-D
