The present invention generally belongs to the field of nutrition. In particular, the invention relates to a babassu-based alimentary composition.
The number of people that are coeliac or gluten-intolerant is currently on the rise, such that these individuals cannot consume any food that contains gluten.
Wheat gluten is formed by glutenin and gliadin, these proteins being responsible for the plasticity and the elasticity that gluten confers in bakery products and also responsible for the intolerance and allergies to said product.
In recent years different alternatives to wheat flour have risen for producing food that may be consumed by coeliacs and, in this sense, we find chickpea flour, rice flour and quinoa flour, amongst others. However, these flours do not present the characteristic properties that gluten confers to the bakery product.
In addition, some scientific literature is known that discloses gluten-free foods. For example, the scientific article “Pão sem glúten adicionado de farinha do mesocarpo de babacu (Orbignya phalerata)” by M. H. De Souza Couri et al. discloses a gluten-free bread to which babassu mesocarp flour has been added. In contrast with this document, in the present invention the babassu flour is extruded flour. Likewise, the flour of this document does not use babassu oil or plasticiser.
On the other hand, “Bioactive films based on babassu mesocarp flour and starch” by Maniglia, B. C. et al., discloses bioactive films manufactured with babassu flour. In contrast with this document, in the present invention the babassu flour is extruded flour. The film manufacturing process of the present invention is also different from that of this preceding document as it extrudes the flour and babassu oil mixture with a given temperature profile and forms a tubular film by means of blowing and a roller system.
In spite of these existing alternatives, the need to provide a gluten-free flour still exists, but one presenting the physico-chemical properties typical of wheat flour, such that it may be used as an alimentary ingredient suitable for coeliacs or gluten-intolerant people.
The present invention solves the described problems in the state of the art as it provides a babassu-based alimentary composition, suitable for coeliacs, free from preservatives and additives, which may be used as an alimentary ingredient and that, owing to its physico-chemical properties, may be used for preparing alimentary films.
Thus, in a first aspect, the present invention relates to a gluten-free alimentary composition that comprises extruded babassu flour (hereinafter, composition of the present invention).
In a particular embodiment, the extruded flour of the composition of the present invention comprises babassu mesocarp flour and babassu seed oil. More in particular, the extruded babassu flour comprises babassu mesocarp flour in a percentage comprised within 80-99% by weight, and babassu seed oil in a ratio comprised within 20-1% by weight.
In a particular embodiment, the composition of the present invention comprises a plasticiser.
In the present invention plasticiser refers to a food additive which increases the plasticity of the composition that comprises it. In a more particular embodiment, the plasticiser is glycerol. In another particular embodiment, the plasticiser is sorbitol.
In another aspect, the present invention relates to an alimentary ingredient (hereinafter, alimentary ingredient of the present invention) which comprises the alimentary composition of the present invention.
In another aspect, the present invention relates to an alimentary film (hereinafter, alimentary film of the present invention) which comprises the alimentary composition of the present invention.
In another aspect, the present invention relates to an alimentary protective coating which comprises the alimentary composition of the present invention.
In another aspect, the present invention relates to an alimentary packaging which comprises the alimentary composition of the present invention.
In another aspect, the present invention relates to a procedure for preparing an alimentary composition of the present invention, which comprises the following steps:
In a particular embodiment, the extruding step b) of the procedure for preparing the alimentary composition of the present invention is carried out with a temperature profile of 80-95° C., 100-120° C., 100-120° C., 100-120° C. and at 20-30 rpm.
In another aspect, the present invention relates to a procedure for obtaining the alimentary film of the present invention, which comprises the procedure for preparing the alimentary composition of the present invention and the following additional steps:
In another aspect, the invention relates to a procedure for preparing an alimentary protective coating which comprises the following steps:
In another aspect, the invention relates to a procedure for preparing an alimentary packaging which comprises the following steps:
The foregoing and other features and advantages will be more fully understood based on the following detailed description of several merely illustrative, non-limiting embodiments in reference to the attached drawings, in which:
In a particular embodiment, the composition of the present invention was prepared in the following manner:
In a first step, 50 g of oil of babassu seed were added to 1 kg of raw powdered flour of babassu mesocarp. The mixture was homogenised at 25° C. in a rotary mixer at 30 revolutions per minute for 20 minutes.
Next, the extrusion was carried out by taking the previous mixture to an extruder comprised of a screw rotating at 25 revolutions per minute, having a 25 mm diameter, 100 mm length, 4 heating areas with a temperature profile of 90, 115, 115 and 115° C. and a head with a circular section nozzle having a 3 mm diameter. The flour thus extruded was collected and air-cooled at 20° C., to finally feed a blade mill rotating at 1200 revolutions per minute, producing a homogenous extruded flour.
Once the extruded babassu flour was obtained, it was compared with raw natural babassu flour, that is, with non-extruded flour. To that end, the following flour characteristics were analysed:
Viscosity profile (RVA): the flour of the present invention displays a more favourable viscosity profile towards the processing of bakery products than that of flours in natura, with maximum viscosity values and lower times (
The extruded babassu flour, obtained according the described example 1 was used as an alimentary ingredient to prepare a beverage (
In an exemplary embodiment, starting from 1 kg of extruded flour, obtained by the procedure described in example 1, 200 ml of glycerol were added for the preparation of the alimentary film. This mixture was homogenised at 25° C. in a rotary mixer at 30 revolutions per minute for 20 minutes, before feeding the extruder comprised of a screw rotating at 35 revolutions per minute, having a 25 mm diameter, 100 mm length, 4 heating areas with a temperature profile of 90, 120, 120 and 130° C. and a head with an annular section nozzle having a 25 mm diameter and a thickness of 1.5 mm, with an inner air-blowing system to form the tubular film, as well as an outer ring of air to cool down said film. The tubular film produced, with a diameter comprised between 150 and 300 mm, is collected in line by two 150 mm diameter nip rollers which rotate at a velocity that is selected for adjusting the thickness of the formed film, a thickness comprised between 0.05 and 0.4 mm, which is wound up by means of a system that is provided with a pneumatic drive.
The film obtained in this manner presented the following differences with respect to other films.
The majority of the edible blown films are prepared with starch. In the case of babassu, the flour can be used directly, without going through the starch extraction process.
The obtained film presented a chocolate colour without the use of colourings. It may be used for bakery products as if it were part of the product.
In an exemplary embodiment, 10 grams of alimentary composition obtained by the procedure described in example 1 were added to 100 ml of distilled water for the preparation of the alimentary protective coating. This mixture was heated to 90° C. under gentle and constant stirring for 5 minutes, obtaining a homogeneous solution. According to this particular exemplary embodiment, the solution was applied on the surface of freshly-collected strawberries (not limiting, as the alimentary protective coating may be applied on the surface of other fruits or other alimentary products), by means of submersion of the strawberries in the solution for 1 min. The thus treated strawberries were allowed to air-dry for 2 h at 25° C. The covered strawberries showed, relative to non-covered ones, a 40% reduction of mass loss after 20 days in the refrigerator at 6° C., keeping their colour and original appearance (
In an exemplary embodiment, an alimentary film described in Example 2 was used for the preparation of an alimentary packaging. Starting from 1 kg of flour obtained by the procedure described in example 1, 200 ml of glycerol were added for the preparation of the alimentary film. This mixture was homogenised at 25° C. in a rotary mixer at 30 revolutions per minute for 20 minutes, before feeding the extruder comprised of a screw rotating at 60 revolutions per minute, having a 25 mm diameter, 1000 mm length, 4 heating areas with a temperature profile of 90, 120, 120 and 130° C. and a head with an annular section nozzle having a 35 mm diameter and a thickness of 2 mm, with an inner air-blowing system for forming the tubular film, as well as an outer ring of air for cooling said film. The tubular film produced, with a diameter comprised between 150 and 300 mm, was collected in line by two 150 mm diameter nip rollers that rotate at a velocity that is selected for adjusting the thickness of the formed film, a thickness comprised between 0.15 and 0.55 mm, which is collected by means of an drawing system with a pneumatic drive. A 15×15 cm2 square sample was cut out from the obtained alimentary film, which was fixed to a frame along its periphery and heated by means of a resistor located at 5 cm from its surface for 1 min. Next, the film sample was pressed against a metal mould with the shape and dimensions of the desired packaging, by shifting of the frame to a position wherein the film presses against the mould. After 1 min the frame is driven in the opposite direction to separate the film from the mould and, once the film is released from the frame, the excess material is cut away from the edge of the obtained packaging (
The examples and illustrations included in the present invention show, in an illustrative, non-limiting manner, the specific embodiments in which the present invention may be implemented. Combinations of the previously described exemplary embodiments, and other not specifically described exemplary embodiments, will be apparent to one skilled in the art after reviewing the preceding description.
The scope of the present invention is defined by the attached claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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P201831252 | Dec 2018 | ES | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/ES2019/070863 | 12/19/2019 | WO | 00 |