Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
CA 02272543 1999-OS-20
WO 98/23169 PCT/GB97/03220
ICE-CREAM FORMULATION AND PACKAGING
Meld of the Invention
This invention relates to an ice-cream formulation,
and in particular to a formulation that can be conveniently
stored, prior to use, and to its packaging.
Backaround of the Invention
Many desserts that are best eaten cold, including
mousses and other aerated products, can be prepared and
stored at room temperature. They can be chilled by the
user, shortly before consumption. However, ice-cream melts
at ambient temperature, and does not regain its original
structure and texture if it is then refrozen. It is
therefore necessary for manufacturers, transporters,
retailers and consumers to maintain ice-cream frozen,
before it is eaten. Further, consumers may be disinclined
to purchase ice-cream if there is any likelihood of their
being unable to transfer the ice-cream from a retailer's
freezer to their own freezer within, say, 1-2 hours. This
is especially the case on a warm day, when ice-cream is
most wanted by the consumer.
The last problem is addressed in WO-A-8601688. The
solution is to use "a stabilizing and thickening
composition including a salt which acts as a protein
stabilizer, a gelling agent constituted by an alkali metal
alginate, and a thickening agent selected from the group of
chemically modified starches", to include a high
concentration of sugars (e.g. over 25% w/w sucrose and
fructose), and to avoid air. The product therefore has a
solid consistency, and is invariably intensely sweet. The
avoidance of air means that the product is in fact no
longer ice-cream, and is thus designated "ice-cream
confectionery".
Summary of the Invention
This invention is based on the realisation that, by
suitable formulation of an ice-cream mix, including the
overrun (air/gas incorporation) under aseptic conditions,
and using appropriate packaging, its structure can be
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maintained above freezing, especially at ambient
temperature. By this simple expedient, the need to keep
ice-cream frozen at every stage, except immediately prior
to consumption, is obviated. Even when frozen and
subsequently thawed, it does not lose its structure and
quality, and can therefore be successfully reused.
These advantages are achieved using standard ice-cream
components, without the need for a high concentration of
sugars, or for starches, and yet ice formation to any
perceptible extent can be avoided. The product is thus
economical, in terms of production, transport and storage,
and provides increased consumer convenience. In addition
to the economic factor, the invention saves energy and is
therefore environmentally-friendly.
According to the present invention, a gasified
formulation of ice-cream components is aseptically
packaged, and includes stabiliser and/or emulsifier
components that maintain the structure of the formulation
at ambient temperature, e.g. at above 0°C, up to 25°C. The
formulation is sterile.
In general terms, the present invention comprises the
formulation of ice-cream components, including the
stability and/or emulsifier, and gasifying the formulation
before it is frozen. Packaging and gasification may be
done at much the same time, but this is not essential.
Description of the Invention
A product of the invention may be prepared by mixing
the components, and sterilising and packaging the mixture.
The gas may be introduced with the other components, or
later, immediately before packaging. The mixing may be
conducted in conventional apparatus.
The gas that is used in the present invention is
preferably inert. Most preferably, for economy and
convenience, the gas is nitrogen. The use of air may
necessitate the incorporation of an antioxidant. If
necessary or desired, the gas may be sterilised/filtered
before use. The degree of overrun may typically be up to
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150%, e.g. 100%. Gasification is typically conducted at
5-15°C.
It is important to maintain sterility/aseptic
conditions. The use of such conditions is well known to
those skilled in the art, and it is of course a
characteristic of the invention that the gasified mixture
is appropriately packaged, so that its aseptic state is
maintained.
In general terms, the components of the ice-cream
formulation are conventional. Thus, for example, the
composition comprises fat, sugar, non-fat milk solids,
stabiliser and emulsifier.
The product may be made using standard dairy
ingredients including milk, separated milk, buttermilk,
cream, milk powder, evaporated milk or sweetened condensed
milk. Egg yolk and/or albumin may be included. Vegetable
fat may be used instead of milk fat, or a mixture of such
fats.
The amount of fat may be 5 to 20%, e.g. 5-10%. The
amount of added sugar, e.g. sucrose, will usually be less
than 20%, e.g. about 16%. The amount of milk solids not
fat (MSNF) may be 10 to 14%, e.g. 12%. The amount of
emulsifier and/or stabiliser may be 0.1 to 5%, e.g. 0.5 to
3% or 1 to 2%. Glucose may be present, e.g. in an amount
of 2% (all these percentages are by weight with respect to
the ice-cream formulation). Another suitable component is
glycerol, e.g. in an amount of 0.5 to 5%. The balance is
water.
The emulsifier/stabiliser combination should be such
that the formulation (which may be said to have a foamed or
whipped consistency) retains its gasified structure during
ambient storage, prior to freezing. The choice of each
component can readily be made by one of ordinary skill in
the art.
Emulsifiers that may be used are well known. Examples
include milk protein, vege-table protein, lecithin,
mono/diglycerides, acetic acid esters of mono/diglycerides,
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lactic acid esters of mono/diglycerides, citric acid esters
of mono/diglycerides, diacetyltartaric acid esters of mono-
diglycerides, polyglycerol esters, propylene esters,
propylene glycol esters, sorbitan esters, polyoxyethylene
sorbitan esters, I3a and Ca stearoyl lactylates, sucrose
esters and sucroglycerides.
Stabilisers that may be used are also well known.
Examples include proteins such as gelatine, milk protein or
egg albumin; plant exudates such as gum arabic, gum ghatti,
gum karaya or gum tragacanth; seed gums such as locust bean
gum, guar gum, psyllium seed gum, quince seed gum or
tamarind seed gum; seaweed extract such as agar, alginates,
carrageenan or furcelleran; pectins such as low methoxyl or
high methoxyl-type pectins; cellulose derivatives such as
sodium carboxymethylcellulose, microcrystalline cellulose,
methyl and methylethylcelluloses, or hydroxypropyl and
hydroxypropylmethylcelluloses; and microbial gums such as
dextran, xanthan or a-1,3-glucan. If necessary or desired,
stabilising salts such as the sodium or potassium
polyphosphates and/or sodium or potassium citrate may be
used, preferably in an amount of 0.05 to 0.15%, e.g. 0.1%.
When a formulation of the invention is frozen, it is
very desirable to avoid the formation of large ice
crystals. The choice of emulsifier/stabiliser helps to
avoid this potential problem. A water-soluble stabiliser
such as gelatin controls ice crystal formation during
freezing; other edible material that serves to render the
composition relatively viscous under the manufacturing
conditions may also be used instead. In this context, a
particularly preferred component of the formulation of the
invention is gelatin, e.g. in an amount of 0.5 to 5%, e.g.
0.5 to 2%, by weight. This may be introduced as a
component of a commercial stabiliser such as Cremodan~
Mousse 30.
In addition to the components described above, a
formulation of the invention may comprise flavouring and/or
colouring. Typical flavourings include mint, vanilla,
_...._..________. _ _.. T __.__._.._.._ _._.._.... ___-.._._.
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chocolate, coffee and fruit flavours such as strawberry.
Pieces of nut, chocolate, fruit, ginger or other additives
known to be used in ice-cream, may also be included.
Sterility should be maintained.
5 A product of the invention may be provided in any
desired form, as a plain ice-cream product of any desired
shape, or layered or enrobed with other materials such as
chocolate. It may also be packaged in large or individual
containers, on a stick, or in a flexible tube. It may be
part of a larger item, e.g. a cake.
A product of the invention can be stored and
transported at, say, up to 15°C or 25°C. If the product is
likely to encounter temperatures much above 25°C before
consumption, it may be desirable to prevent expansion and
loss of gas by packaging it under pressure, e.g. in a can.
A composition of the invention may conveniently be
packaged in individual "pots"; for example, a group of four
such pots, or of longer moulds, is frangibly connected.
Differently flavoured compositions may be produced, on
sticks.
The following Examples illustrate the invention.
Example 1
A formulation is prepared containing 10 % fat (all milk
fat, all vegetable fat, or a 50:50 mixture) and 12% milk
solids not fat (MSNF). In addition, 10% sugar (sucrose),
2% glucose, 0.25 to 0.5% emulsifier such as egg yolk,
glyceryl monostearate or lecithin and 0.25 to 0.5%
stabiliser such as alginate or gelatin are added. The
components are thoroughly mixed in a conventional mixing
vessel.
The product is sterilised by UHT, at 120°C for 2 sec,
and cooled. Inert, sterile gas (nitrogen) is introduced,
to 100% overrun, immediately before aseptic packaging. The
whipped product may be held under ambient conditions for up
to 1 year before consumption.
Before eating the packaged product, it is placed in a
domestic (or commercial) deep freeze unit and frozen or
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chilled, e.g. at 4°C, before being eaten. The frozen
product is essentially indistinguishable from conventional
ice-cream.
For a commercial product, having the same
characteristics, the UHT sterilisation is conducted at
149°C.
The compositions of Examples 2 and 3 may be treated in
the same way.
Example 2
Composition: milk fat 10%; MSNF 11%; sucrose l0%;
glucose 2%; glycerol 2%; stabiliser/emulsifier (Cremodan~
Mousse 30) 3%; flavour to taste.
Example 3
Composition: milk fat 15%; MSNF 10%; sucrose 10%;
glucose 2%; glycerol 2%; egg yolk 1%; stabiliser/emulsifier
(Cremodanm Mousse 30) 3%; flavour to taste.
The amount of glycerol may be varied, in either
Example 2 or Example 3, in order to regulate hardness. For
example, if removed, the final frozen ice-cream will be
harder. It is present as a softening agent. Example 3 may
be described as a luxury product, due to its high fat
content and the inclusion of egg yolk.
Example 4
Composition: vegetable fat 5%; MSNF 11%; sucrose 16%;
glucose 2.5%; Cremodan~ Mousse 3%; flavour to taste. This
composition was processed as in Example 1; the cooled,
sterilised product was aged for 4 hours at 4°C, to aid the
incorporation of gas which was conducted using a Mondomix.
In all Examples, the amount of glucose may be varied.
If omitted, its absence may be compensated for by the use
of glycerol and/or sucrose.
