Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
WO94/211~ ~1 ~ PCT~S94/02851
.
FOOD PROD~CT GLAZE
BACKGROUND
The present invention relates to a glaze for raw,
partially-cooked or fully-cooked food products intended
to be re-heated or fully cooked for consumption which
imparts crispness and crllnch;ness to the product and a
retention of such textures after being held.
Many food products are distributed in a raw or
partially-cooked, chilled or frozen form and are cooked
to a fully-cooked form for consumption, often by frying,
or other cooking methods. One such product is french-
fried potatoes. A variety of cereal-based glazes have
been applied, both seasoned and unseasoned, to such food
products to provide a crispness to the product when
cooked. However, such glazes generally are opaque, often
are chewy and generally do not retain crispness when
subjected to stress conditions such as food heating
lamps, holding cabinets or steam tables.
There is therefore a need in the art for food-glaze
compositions which provide a glaze to raw, par-fried or
fully cooked and frozen or chilled foods which, following
reheating or fully cooking for consumption will exhibit
a desirable crispness and crunchiness without undesirable
chewiness as well as a range of textures and also a
retention of such properties following cooking when
subjected to stress conditions on holding.
Sl~ RY
The present invention provides a novel food product
glaze, herein referred to as a "glaze", which may be
formulated to be translucent and hence provide a more
natural appearance to the food substrate to which it is
applied. The glaze also may be formulated to be
partially or wholly opaque, depending on the ingredients
of the composition and their relative proportions, as
described below.
The glaze provided herein imparts a unique
combination of properties to the fully-cooked food
~ f~
WO94/21143 2~S~ ~5 ~ pcT~s94lo28sl
.
substrate bearing the glaze, including a desirable
crispness and crl~nch;n~ss and range of textures achieving
such desirable properties under various cooking
techniques such as frying, baking or microwaving. The
desirable properties also are retained when the fully-
cooked product is maintained at an edible temperature for
subsequent consumption, for example, under a heating
lamp, in a holding cabinet or on a steam table.
The present invention employs a blend of starches,
dextrins and gums or other viscosity-building materials
with wheat flour and one of two different combinations of
other components to ensure that a unique interrupted
glaze film is provided on the food substrate. This film
is readily distinguishable organoleptically from the
continuous film produced by conventional starch/dextrin
polymers.
The other components referred to above will comprise
either combinations of additional proteins and food grade
acids (this embodiment is referred to as composition
(A)), which tend to produce a glaze which has a more
colored appearance and tender crisp texture, or
combinations of leavening agents, leavening acids and
optionally calcium salts (this embodiment is referred to
as composition (B)), which tend to produce a glaze which5 has a less colored and harder crisp texture.
DESCRIPTION OF THE I~v~NllON
The first component of the compositions of the
invention is wheat flour, which may be hard or soft. The
wheat flour provides enrobing stability, ~;m; n; shed
tackiness and stickiness and improved textural qualities.
Preferably it is non-chlorinated. In general, the
quantity of wheat flour present in the composition may
vary from about 5 to about 50 wt~, and preferably from
about 5 to 25 wt~. An increasing quantity of such flour
leads to a more opaque product.
~ 8 ~ 5 ~
WO94t21143 PCT~S94/02851
The next essential component is starch which may
comprise a combination of a modified starch, preferably
a modified corn-based or a modified potato-based starch,
and rice or corn flour. The rice or corn flour may be in
native or pregelatinized form. White corn flour is
preferred to m;n;m~ 7e color contribution from this
component. For best results, approximately equal
quantities of such starches are employed, although the
relative proportions may vary. Other starches which may
be present include an acid th; nn~ corn starch, which
provides improved textural qualities in some
compositions. Quantities of such total starches based on
the total composition weight for the embodiments of
composition (A) and (B) may vary as set forth in the
following Table I:
WO 94121143 2158 ~55 PCT/US94/02851
.
o\o,~,o
3 3JJ
o o
.
~.
o o _~
JJ J-
Lt7 0 0 -
., ,1 ,1 . _,
m J~
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~ O ~
L) :1
O
L
C:~ O
o~O o~O
JJ o~ JJ O
3 3 3 J,
. ~. ~
m ~7 h
_I
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¢JJ O V - _.
o o -
,1 ~ ,1 ,1
J- ~ ~ V
H ~ ~ 3 ~ ta
0,~ 0 ,0 ~0 0
t~ aiIIS (11
E~
o~o o~o o\O
JJ Ll L~ ta
3 3 3 ~'
~-o~o ~- oo ..
7 ~7Ir7 ~I ~7
3 o~o ..
~ O O O ~ O ~I
o ~ ~ ~ 3 ~
Lf7 o
t~7 1-7 Li'7 0 N ~J
0 11'7
O O
O - --
~7 0 0 0 ~ ~1 ~1
O r~ 0 0 J J C
O ---- ---- O O
,~ ~ m __ ~ ~ o
u
o _ _ s~
h ~ O h
~ Q
O ~ O .~,
S
I ~J7 ~ J,7 0
S
h ~ ~: ~ O o ~ t
as u ~ ~ U.l o v~
, ., ~ ~ .,, ~
L I h L tL h 1 tL ~ ~,
O E- - 0 0~ 1 L
4-- r . 4~ ~ 4-- U _ .~t
~, tS
U -~1 ~ U ~ ~
C 7 ~1 t) C -l ~:: C 0-
WO94/21143 21 S 8 ~ 5 6 PCT~594/02851
The weight ratio of wheat flour to total starch in
composition (A) may vary from about l:l to l:ll and
preferably will be about 1:3. The weight ratio of wheat
flour to total starch in composition (B) may vary from
about l:2 to l:8 and preferably will be about l:6.5.
A dextrin must also be present as a component of the
compositions. Such dextrin may include, for example, a
maltodextrin, a corn dextrin, a rice dextrin, or a
tapioca dextrin. In general, dextrins with lower
dextrose e~uivalent, particularly below about l and more
particularly about 0, are preferred since they exhibit
less tendency to brown when fried and lead to a greater
fracturability of the glaze in the fully cooked product.
Quantities of dextrin based on the total weight of
the compositions may vary from about 2 to 20 wt~, and
preferably will be about 5 to 15 wt~. For best results
in the case of composition (A), a proportion of dextrin
approximating that of each of the starches is employed,
although the relative proportions may vary. For
composition (B), the preferred weight ratio of dextrin to
total starch is about l:5 to l:15. The weight ratio of
dextrin to total starch to wheat flour present in
composition (A) generally varies from about l:l to 15:
l to 3 and preferably is about l:3:l. For composition
(B) the weight ratio is about l:5 to 15:l to 5 and
preferably about l:lO:l.5.
A gum, such as xanthan gum or methylcellulose, is
required in composition (A) and optional in composition
(B) in order to better hydrate the starch, leading to
improved product qualities, as well as providing enrobing
stability. Relatively small quantities of gum are
employed, generally from about O.l to 5 wt~, preferably
about O.l to 2.5 wt~ for composition (A) and preferably
about O.l to 0.25 wt~ for composition (B) if present, of
the overall composition.
WO94/21143 2 1~ 8 ~ 5 6 rcT~ss4lo285l
In the case of composition (A), it is preferred to
include both xanthan gum and methylcellulose, preferably
in a weight ratio of about l:8. Also, other materials
providing like viscosity-building effects may be employed
in place of the gum, such as pregelatinized cereals,
proteins and fiber.
The flour, starch, dextrin and gum components of the
compositions are combined with water to form a glaze for
application in a layer preferably less than about 2mm in
thickness and most preferably less than about lmm in
thickness to a food substrate, typically french fries,
but including any food substrate which can be coated and
frozen, or coated, cooked, frozen or chilled and
subsequently reheated or fully cooked by frying, baking
or microwaving to an edible condition, or served at
ambient temperature. The potential substrates thus
include vegetables, fruit, nuts, meat, poultry, fish,
seafood, dairy products and cereals. After the substrate
is coated, it may be chilled, frozen or par- or fully-
cooked. The compositions of the invention also may beemployed as an outer glaze on a pre-coated food product.
Next, additional components are included comprising,
in the case of composition (A), combinations of proteins
and food-grade acids and, in the case of composition (B),
combinations of leavening agents, leavening acids and
optionally calcium salts. These additional components
contribute significantly to the appearance, texture and
keeping ~ualities of the final glazed product.
Among the ingredients of composition (A) and
composition (B), the food grade or leavening acid
provides a controlled color in the final product, which
may vary from no color to a golden brown. The presence
of additional protein in composition (A), such as soy
protein, egg albumin, caseinate salts or whey protein,
appears to break up the continuous nature of the film
otherwise produced by the flour, starch, dextrin and gum
WO94~11~ 21~ g 4 ~ ~ PCT~S94/~2851
combination, leading to improved crispness and
crunchiness and the desirable shortness of texture, both
initially and on holding, exhibited by this invention.
The quantity of additional protein which may be used in
5 composition (A) may vary from about 2 to 20 wt~, and
preferably will be about 2 to 10 wt~.
The food-grade acid interacts with the protein and
the starches in composition (A) to pro~ide increased
crispness and cr~lnch;n~ss and a better retention of the
10 textural properties under heating lamps or in a holding
cabinet. Food-grade acids generally are present in an
amount of about 0.1 to 2.5 wt~ and preferably about 0.2
to 1.5 wt~ of composition (A).
One particular food-grade acid which has been
15 employed is citric acid which appears to contribute more
to increased crispness and crunchiness on holding.
Citric acid also has a pronounced effect on browning,
decreasing color generation on cooking. Another
particular food-grade acid which has been employed is
20 monosodium phosphate which appears to contribute more to
increased initial crispness and crunchiness.
Accordingly, it is preferred to use a combination of
citric acid and monosodium phosphate in composition (A).
Such combination generally is employed in a weight ratio
25 of citric acid to monosodium phosphate of about 1:1 to
1:3.
The same effects as provided by the combination of
proteins and food grade acids in composition (A) can be
achieved by utilizing leavening agents and acids in place
30 of the additional protein, as in composition (B). Such
materials enhance the textural characteristics of the
glaze and have the added benefit of further decreasing
the browning reaction, particularly at a lower dextrin
tand leavening alkali content which enables a glaze with
35 very low or no color to be achieved, which may be
desirable in certain applications.
WO94~11~ 2~;58 ~S~ ` PCT~594/0~1
The leavening agent may comprise a combination of
chemicals which react together to form a gaseous
material, which then causes the formation of a disrupted
film on the food product. Such leavening agent generally
comprises a food grade bicarbonate alkali, usually sodium
bicarbonate, and a food grade leavening acid, usually
sodium acid pyrophosphate (SAPP), which react together to
form a leavening gas. The ~uantities of such chemicals
used generally is sufficient to neutralize each other.
In the combination of sodium bicarbonate and SAPP, the
proportions employed are about 0.l to 2.5 wt~ and
preferably about 0.5 to 1.3 wt~, for NaHCO3, and about
0.l to 3.5 wt~, preferably about 0.7 to 1.8 wt~ for SAPP.
Other reaction rate controlled acids such as sodium
alllm;nllm phosphate and monocalcium phosphate may be
employed in combination with or independently of SAPP.
Potassium bicarbonate or ~mmo~;um bicarbonate may be used
as the alkali in combination with or independently of
sodium bicarbonate.
The leavening agents generally are employed along
with a reduced level of dextrin when it is desired to
provide a less colored glaze. When higher dextrin levels
are desired, leavening agents are reduced for a similar
effect. Control of browning of the glaze also may be
achieved by using heat-activated leavening acids as an
additional component of the composition without
significantly interfering with the leavening reaction.
Useful heat-activated acids may comprise a combination of
glucono-delta-lactone (GDL) and sodium alllm;nllm
phosphate. Such materials may be present in an amount of
about 0.l to 5.0 wt~ and preferably about 0.5 to 2.0 wt~.
They should generally be present in a weight ratio of
about l:l to 1:3, and preferably at a ratio of about 1:2.
In addition, a calcium salt preferably will be
present to provide improved properties to the glaze, by
increasing glaze hardness, thereby contributing to
WO 94/21143 Z l S 8 4 5 6, PCT/U594/1)2851
crunchiness, and by improving the holding qualities of
the glaze. The calcium salt also serves to control the
leavening activity of the acid component of the leavening
agent and to decrease any off-flavour introduced
particularly by SAPP.
J Such calcium salt preferably comprises calcium
lactate although other calcium salts, such as calcium
phosphate and calcium sulphate may be employed. The
calcium salt may be present in an amount of about 0.1 to
1.5 wt~ and preferably about 0.2 to 0.6 wt~.
Flavorings may be included in the composition,
depending on the food substrate to which the glaze is to
be applied.
The dry mixture of components of the compositions
are mixed with water generally in the weight ratio of 10
parts of solids to 7 to 20 parts water, and preferably
about 10 parts solids to 10 to 14 parts water.
Preferably, the resulting mixture is left to stand at
temperatures of about 2 - 20C and preferably about 5 -
15C for a period of time sufficient to permit hydration
of the starches, such as about 15 minutes. This provides
improved texture over the non-fully hydrated material in
terms of a shorter, crispier and crunchier glaze on the
fully-cooked product, fresh or after holding. As an
alternative procedure, the dry mixture of components can
be applied in dry form to a moist substrate surface.
The coated food substrate then can be par-fried
under suitable conditions to gelatinize the starch and
form an interrupted, film-like glaze on the product. As
mentioned above, such glaze may be transparent, partially
opaque or opaque, depending on the quantity of wheat
flour or starch which is present and the nature and
quantity of the additional components present. A cooking
, time of about 15 to 90 secs., preferably about 30 secs.,
in an oil bath temperature of about 17S to 210C,
preferably about 150C, is satisfactory in this respect.
WO94/21143 ~8 4~ - PCT~S94/02851
The following examples illustrate various facets of
the invention. It should be understood, however, that
these examples are meant to be illustrative of the
invention which is not intended to be limited thereto.
EXAMPLES
Example 1
This Example contains illustrations of composition
(A).
Compositions were formulated from dry powdered
materials in parts by weight as follows:
WO94/21143 ~lS~ ~S-~ PCT~S94/02851
(1) (2)
Xanthan gum 0.5 0.25
Methylcellulose gum 2.0
Salt 15.0 15.0
Soft wheat flour 15.7 15.7
Modified corn starch 15.7 15.35
Acid th;nne~ starch 15.7 15.35
Rice Flour 15.7 15.0
Maltodextrin 15.7 15.35
Soy protein concentrate 5.0 5.0
Citric acid 0.25 0.25
Anhydrous monosodium phosphate 0.75 0.75
100 . 00 100 . 00
Following homogeneous blending of the dry
components, the dry mixture was mixed with water in the
weight ratio of 10:14.0 and left to stand for 15 mins. at
about 13C to effect hydration and produce a glaze having
a viscosity (composition (1)) of about 18/22 seconds on
Zahn No. 5 cup at 13 C or (composition~2)) of 620 to 700
cps on Brookfield Viscometer DMVII using Spindle 3 at 50
rpm. French fried potatoes were dipped in the glaze to
be completely coated with glaze, excess glaze removed by
air and then fried for 30 seconds at 190C in cooking
oil, before freezing. The french fries had a lightly-
glazed appearance.
The par-fried, frozen french fries were subsequently
cooked by frying in cooking oil at 175C for 2~ minutes.
The fully-fried french fries exhibited a golden-brown
color and were found to have a superior light, crisp and
crunchy texture. Upon leaving the french fries to stand
for 15 to 30 minutes under standard restaurant infrared
heating lamps, the french fries were found to exhibit
WO94/21143 ~ 4 PCT~S94/02851
similar textural properties as before exposure to the
lamp, showing retention of the properties. Visual and
textural characteristics differed as follows:
Composition (1) -- Exhibited a crisp, fracturable
texture, a rough surface and a darker golden brown
color.
Composition (2) -- Exhibited a tender crisp texture,
a smoother surface and a light golden brown color.
Example 2
This Example contains illustrations of composition
(B).
Compositions were formulated from dry powdered
materials in parts by weight as follows:
2,158~
WO 94t21143 PCTtUS94/02851
(3) (4) (5)
Sodium bicarbonate 1.3 0.7 1.0
SAPP 1.8 1.0 1.4
Calcium lactate 0.6 0.6 0.4
Salt 10.0 4.0 5.0
Soft wheat flour 7.5 8.0
Hard wheat flour 15.0 7.5 3.0
Modified corn starch 30.0 18 18
Modified potatoe starch (acelylated 18 18
di-starch phosphate)
Tapioca Dextrin 2.5 2.5
White corn flour 34.3 36.2 36.1
Maltodextrin 5.0
Hydrolyzed corn starch 2.5 5.0
Sodium aluminum phosphate 1.0 1.0 1.0
GDL 1.0 0.5 0.5
~nth~n gum 0.1
100 . O100 . O100 . O
The dry mixture was mixed with water in various
weight ratios and le~t to stand ~or l~ mins. to effect
hydration, the viscosity for which was determined using
a Zahn No. 5 cup and a Brookfield viscometer, model
DMVII, using spindle No. 4 at 20 rpm. The specific values
obtained were:
WO 94121143 i4 PCT/US94/02851
~,~5~ 4~G
a)
N V
C~ ~ . o o o
~m ~m
_ __ _
. U
q O
O
~ UO U t`
o OO O O
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~ ~m ~m
e~
c
. U
u u u a~
o U ~`
Zo a~
I I o
N ~1
~m ~m
_ __ _
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JJ ~ 0 11~
~ 0
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,~ ~ o ,~
X .... ~., ~, ~,
O O - -- -
-~ ~, ~, O O O
~ ~m ~m
_ _ _ _
~ d~ m
_
WOg4/211~ 21~ 8 4 ~ G ` PC~S94/02851
French fried potatoes were coated with these
compositions using the procedure described in Example 1.
Visual and textural characteristics differed as follows:
Composition (3) -- Exhibited a crispy, crunchy
texture, a smooth surface and a light color.
Composition (4) -- Exhibited a crisp texture and an
even smoother glaze and lighter color.
Composition (5) -- Exhibited a light crisp texture,
smooth glaze and light color.
In the comparison of compositions (1) and (2) in
Example 1, with (3), (4) and (5) in Example 2, both
visual and textural differences were apparent. Example
1 compositions exhibited a more translucent surface, a
darker color, a lightly coated but rougher surface and a
more tender crisp and shorter textural quality. Example
2 compositions exhibited a more opaque surface, a lighter
color, a non-distinct and smoother surface and a more
pronounced and persistent crispy, crunchy texture.
While particular embodiments of the invention have
been shown and described, it will be obvious to those
skilled in the art that various changes and modifications
may be made therein without departing f~rom the spirit and
scope of the invention and, therefore, it is intended in
the appended claims to cover all such changes and
modifications which fall within the true spirit and scope
of the invention.
