Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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STABILIZED FROZEN DESSERT COMPOSITION
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a frozen dessert comprising a stabilizer
composition comprised of non-coprocessed colloidal microcrystalline cellulose
and
konjac wherein the weight ratio of colloidal microcrystalline cellulose to
konjac is
from 4:6 to 1:9. Such frozen dessert exhibits unexpectedly desirable anti-
meltdown
and heatshock resistance, coupled with unexpectedly desirable organoleptic
properties.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the food industry, the term "frozen desserts" is a market category that
encompasses a wide variety of products that are served at temperatures below
the
freezing point of water. Frozen desserts include dairy-based food desserts
such as
ice cream, ice milk, sherbet, gelato, frozen yogurt, soft serve ice cream;
nondairy-
based desserts such as mellorine, sorbet, and water ices; and specialty items
such as
frozen novelties, e.g., bars, cones, and sandwiches. Frozen desserts also
include
reduced fat (also called low-fat or light) and no fat (also called fat-free)
versions of
many of these frozen desserts. In recent years, reduced fat frozen desserts
and no fat
frozen desserts have become a significant, growing segment of the frozen
desserts
market.
Frozen desserts typically are multiphase compositions: solid, liquid and air,
with the liquid sometimes including oil and water phases. This characteristic
of
frozen desserts, which is the basis for their food appeal to consumers,
presents the
manufacturer with difficulties in maintaining the desired product qualities
until the
frozen dessert is ultimately consumed. Negative sensory characteristics in
frozen
desserts usually result from perceived body or textural defects. A
particularly
common textural defect in frozen desserts results from the formation of large
ice
crystals, a problem often aggravated by fluctuations in storage temperature.
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Problems associated with meltdown and heat shock are particularly of
concern in developing countries where poor cold chain distribution of frozen
desserts exist. Accordingly, it would be desirable to possess frozen desserts
that
exhibited superior meltdown and heat shock resistance.
US Patent 5,462,761 (McGinley et al) discloses the use of microcrystalline
cellulose/konjac aggregates, produced by the coprocessing of such materials,
as
bulking agents in food products, including low fat frozen desserts. However,
McGinley et al indicate that the microcrystalline cellulose component of such
materials should contain 60-99% and preferably 70-90% of the solids weights of
the
microcrystalline cellulose/konjac composition. However, Applicants have found
that
when non-coprocessed colloidal microcrystalline cellulose and konjac are added
to
frozen desserts at such preferred ratios, the meltdown performance of the
resulting
dessert is worse than when either of such components are employed alone.
Consequently, it is unexpected that varying the weight ratio of such
components
such that it is outside the range of those described as being useful by
McGinley et al
would exhibit improved meltdown resistance relative to the use of colloidal
microcrystalline cellulose or konjac alone.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a frozen dessert comprising a stabilizer
composition comprised of non-coprocessed colloidal microcrystalline cellulose
and
konjac wherein the weight ratio of microcrystalline cellulose to konjac is
from 4:6 to
1:9.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a frozen dessert comprising a stabilizer
composition comprised of non-coprocessed colloidal microcrystalline cellulose
and
konjac wherein the weight ratio of colloidal microcrystalline cellulose to
konjac is
from 4:6 to 1:9.
As is employed herein, the term "non-coprocessed colloidal microcrystalline
cellulose and konjac" means colloidal microcrystalline cellulose and konjac
which
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have not been coattrited or otherwise co-processed with each other so as to
form an
aggregate.
The microcrystalline cellulose employed in the practice of the present
invention is colloidal. Colloidal microcrystalline cellulose, such as the
carboxymethyl cellulose-coated microcrystalline cellulose described in U.S.
Pat. No.
3,539,365 (Durand et al.) is well known to those of skill in the art and is
typically
produced by attriting a protective colloid (such as sodium carboxy-
methylcellulose)
with microcrystalline cellulose. The protective colloid wholly or partially
neutralizes
the hydrogen or other bonding forces between the smaller sized particles. FMC
Corporation (Philadelphia, Pa., USA) manufactures and sells various grades of
this
product which comprise co-processed microcrystalline cellulose and sodium
carboxymethylcellulose under the designations of, among others, AVICEL ,
NOVAGEL and GELSTARO.
The konjac used in the present invention may be native (crude) konjac
powder, clarified konjac glucomannan, cold-melt konjac or purified konjac
galactomannan, all of which are known in the art.
The weight ratio of colloidal microcrystalline cellulose to konjac is
typically
from 4:6 to 1:9; is more typically from 4:6 to 2:8; and is most typically
about 3:7.
Frozen desserts include dairy-based food desserts such as ice cream, ice milk,
sherbet, gelato, frozen yogurt, soft serve ice cream, and milk shakes;
nondairy-based
desserts such as mellorine, sorbet, and water ices; and specialty items such
as frozen
novelties, e.g., bars, cones, and sandwiches. The formulation and manufacture
of
frozen desserts is well known to those skilled in the art and is available
from many
sources, including the internet. The composition and labeling of many of these
products is controlled by governmental regulation, which may vary from country
to
country. For example, one regulation requires that ice cream contains at least
10%
milk fat and at least 20% milk solids. Low fat ice cream contains a maximum of
3
grams of total fat per serving (1/2 cup), and nonfat ice cream contains less
than 0.5
grams of total fat per serving.
Ice cream is a frozen dessert made from a mixture of dairy and non-dairy
products to give the desired level of fat and "milk solids non-fat" (MSNF),
which,
together with sugar, sweetener, flavoring, coloring, emulsifier, and
stabilizer, is
made smooth by whipping or stirring during the freezing process. Ice cream is
a
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complex mixture containing ice crystals, fat globules and air cells. The ice
crystals
and fat globules are very small and well divided in order to produce a smooth
texture without any "fatty taste".
Ice cream includes a dairy source, such as whole milk, skim milk, condensed
milk, evaporated milk, anhydrous milk fat, cream, butter, butterfat, whey,
and/or
milk solids non-fat ("MSNF"). The dairy source contributes dairy fat and/or
non-fat
milk solids such as lactose and milk proteins, e.g., whey proteins and
caseins.
Vegetable fat, for example, cocoa butter, palm, palm kernal, sal, soybean,
cottonseed,
coconut, rapeseed, canola, sunflower oils, and mixtures thereof, may also be
used.
MSNF is made up of approximately 38% milk protein, 54% lactose, and 8%
minerals and vitamins.
The sugar used may be sucrose, glucose, fructose, lactose, dextrose, invert
sugar either crystalline or liquid syrup form, or mixtures thereof. The
sweetener may
be a corn sweetener in either a crystalline form of refined corn sugar
(dextrose and
fructose), a dried corn syrup (corn syrup solids), a liquid corn syrup, a
maltodextrin,
glucose, or a mixture thereof. Sugar substitutes, sometimes called high
potency
sweeteners, such as sucralose, saccharin, sodium cyclamate, aspartame, and
acesulfame may be used in addition to or in place of some or all of the sugar.
Air is typically incorporated to provide desirable properties. The amount of
air incorporated is referred to as "overrun". Overrun is expressed as a
percentage,
and refers to the relative volumes of air and mix in the package. For example,
ice
cream in which the volume of air is exactly equal to the volume of mix is said
to
have 100% overrun. When overrun is properly incorporated, it is in the form of
finely divided and evenly distributed air cells that help provide structure
and
creaminess. The air cells are dispersed in the liquid portion, which contains
the other
ingredients of the ice cream. The overrun for ice cream products aerated using
a
conventional freezer is in the range of about 20% to about 250%, preferably of
about
40% to about 175%, more preferably of about 80% to about 150%. The overrun for
molded ice cream products aerated using a whipper is in the range of about 40%
to
about 200%, preferably of about 80% to about 150%. The overrun for aerated
water
ice is in the range of about 5% to about 100%, preferably of about 20% to
about
60%.
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Other ingredients of ice cream include, for example, flavorings, colorings,
emulsifiers, and water. These ingredients are well known to those skilled in
the art.
Emulsifiers include, for example, propylene glycol monostearate; sorbitan
tristearate;
lactylated monoglycerides and diglycerides; acetylated monoglycerides and
diglycerides; unsaturated monoglycerides and diglycerides, including
monoglycerides and diglycerides of oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid,
or other
commonly available higher unsaturated fatty acids; and mixtures thereof.
Emulsifiers typically comprise about 0.01% to about 3% of the mix. In addition
to
all the other ingredients in the formulation, water makes up the balance of
the mix.
Gelato is similar to ice cream, but contains more milk than cream and also
contains sweeteners, egg yolks and flavoring. Mellorine is a frozen dessert in
which
vegetable fat has replaced cream. Italian-style gelato is denser than ice
cream,
because it contains less overrun. Sherbets have a milkfat content of between
1% and
2%, MSNF up to about 5 wt %, and slightly higher sweetener content than ice
cream.
Sherbet is flavored either with fruit or other characterizing ingredients.
Frozen
yogurt consists of a mixture of dairy ingredients such as milk and nonfat milk
that
have been cultured with a yogurt culture, as well as ingredients for
sweetening and
flavoring. Following pasteurization typical for ice cream processing, the
composition is inoculated with a yogurt culture. When the desired acidity had
been
attained, it is cooled. Frozen custard or French ice cream must also contain a
minimum of 10% milkfat, as well as at least 1.4% egg yolk solids. Sorbet and
water
ices are similar to sherbets, but contain no dairy ingredients.
The frozen desserts of this invention are typically prepared by adding the
colloidal microcrystalline cellulose and konjac to the dairy source component
prior
to homogenization and pasteurization. Such desserts exhibit unexpectedly
desirable
meltdown resistance as well as unexpectedly desirable organoleptic properties.
EXAMPLES
Example 1
Pre-blends were produced comprising the mixture in Table 1 below in which:
The colloidal MCC is NOVAGEL GP 3282
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MDG is mono and diglycerides, a typical emulsifier used in ice cream
production.
DMG is distilled monoglycerides, which has more than 95% of monoglycerides.
Table 1
MCC: MCC:
Konjac MCC: Konjac
Ingredients Name MCC (7:3) Konjac (5:5) (3:7) Konjac
Colloidal MCC 2250 1575 1125 675 0
Konjac 0 675 1125 1575 2250
Emulsifier MDG 625 625 625 625 625
Emulsifier DMG 1425 1425 1425 1425 1425
Guar 325 325 325 325 325
Carrageenan 225 225 225 225 225
Dextrose
Monohydrate 150 150 150 150 150
Gum dosage 2800 2800 2800 2800 2800
Sum Pre-Blend 5000 5000 5000 5000 5000
These pre-blends were added to the ice cream formulation set forth in Table
2 below employing the process set forth below:
Table 2
Ingredients Percentage
Pre-blend 0.5
Sugar 13
Maltodextrin 3.5
Glucose Syrup 3.5
Whole Milk Powder 4.5
Whey Powder 3.2
Palm Oil 5.5
Water 66.3
Total 100
Preparation Method
1. Dissolve milk powder into hot water at 55 C for 10 minutes.
2. Heat up the milk solution to 70 C, and then slowly add the pre-blend mixed
with
times sugar to the milk solution and vigorously stir for 10 minutes.
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3. Add the rest of the sugar, glucose syrup pre-dissolved in 2 times hot water
and
maltodextrin into the above mix and stir for 5 minutes.
4. Add pre-melted oil and vigorously mix for 5 minutes.
5. Homogenize the above mix at 200/30 Bar
6. Pasteurize at 85 C for 30 seconds
7. Cool down to 4 C and age at 4 C for at least 4 hours.
8. Make ice cream using freezer (Taylor KF80) with filling temperature at -5.5
C
and with overrun at about 90%.
Evaluation Method (Meltdown Test)
The aim of this test is to evaluate the structural stability of ice cream at
controlled room temperature. The measurement of the melting behavior of ice
cream
provides important information about the product structure stability. The
product
was placed on a meltdown weighing system in the incubator with the temperature
controlled. The amount of liquid that dripped during the melting of the
product at
room temperature (22- 25 C) was monitored by weighing at regular time
intervals.
The result of such testing is summarized in Table 3:
Table 3
Meltdown Test
Result
The percentage of remained weight of ice cream (non-melted ice cream) based on
the initial ice cream bulk weight for each sample is recorded in the below
table. The
higher number indicates better anti-melt down performance.
Time (mins) MCC MCC: MCC: MCC: Konjac
Konjac Konjac Konjac
(7:3) (5:5) (3:7)
0 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
15 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
30 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
45 100% 99% 100% 100% 99%
60 100% 97% 99% 100% 97%
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75 99% 93% 97% 99% 94%
90 97% 87% 94% 97% 91%
105 96% 83% 92% 95% 89%
120 93% 79% 89% 93% 88%
135 84% 69% 83% 87% 85%
150 80% 62% 80% 85% 83%
165 77% 58% 78% 84% 82%
180 74% 52% 76% 83% 81%
The above results show that when added at weight ratios of less than 5:5 of
MCC:konjac, the frozen dessert exhibited melt down resistance equal or
superior to
that of konjac or MCC alone. In contrast, when employed at a 7:3 MCC:konjac
weight ratio, the melt down resistance of the frozen dessert was considerably
reduced.
Samples of the above compositions were provided to a taste panel who
evaluated certain of their organoleptic properties, including the following
sensory
attributes:
Coldness Thermal perception at the first contact of the ice
cream with
the tongue, teeth and palate.
Smoothness The absence of particles (e.g. ice-crystals or sandy
particles)
in the ice cream mass.
Melting Rate Speed at which the ice cream melts (e.g. becomes
liquid)
when compressed between tongue and palate.
Mouth Coating The amount and persistence of the film that coats mouth
and
palate after swallowing.
The results of such testing are summarized in Table 4. In such Table, higher
numbers represent a higher degree of effect, measured on a scale of 1-6.
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Table 4
MCC MCC:Konjac MCC:Konjac MCC:Konjac Konjac
(7:3) (5:5) (3:7)
Coldness 3 6 5 1 1
Smoothness 3 0 1 6 5
Melting Rate 4 6 3 0 1
Mouth Coating 1 2 3 5 5
The above results indicate the following:
Coldness: MCC: Konjac (3:7) and Konjac exhibited a warm mouthfeel
which
is desirable from a consumer perspective. The MCC: Konjac (7:3) and MCC:
Konjac (5:5) exhibit a cold mouthfeel which is believed due to the presence of
large
ice crystals.
Smoothness: MCC: Konjac (3:7) provided the best results.
Melting Rate: MCC: Konjac (3:7) had the lowest melting rate, which correlates
to
the meltdown test result above.
Mouth coating: MCC: Konjac
(3:7) and Konjac exhibited good mouth
coating which correlates to creaminess.
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