Patent Application
20080050473
As discussed above marine animals and marine plants are the main sources of EPA and DHA fatty acids. The use of fish oils as a source of EPA and DHA is well known. Recently, a number of manufactures have developed processes for growing marine micro algae with high efficiency. These micro algae are a great source of EPA and DHA at very high yields in a completely renewable process. Such micro algae derived EPA and DHA are available from a number of sources. One source of micro algae derived EPA and DHA is Martek Biosciences Corporation, Columbia, Md., USA. A second source of micro algae derived EPA and DHA is Nutrinova Nutrition Specialties and Food Ingredients, DE. Preferably, the omega-3 fatty acids are provided as a free flowing powder for the present invention. Typically, the fatty acids are encapsulated in a matrix comprising carbohydrates or protein. They are also available as free flowing powders. One such powder is designated by Martek Biosciences Corp. as Martek DHA™ powder KS35. In the examples disclosed in the present application this Martek powder was used; however, other powdered sources of DHA and EPA are expected to be equally useful in practicing the present invention. The omega-3 fatty acids can be provided as the free fatty acid or in the form of triglycerides, generally the triglyceride form is more stable. In the present specification and claims unless specifically noted there will be no distinction made between the free fatty acid form or the triglyceride form of the omega-3 fatty acids.
It is desirable to develop a method for incorporation of omega-3 fatty acids into baked goods. In the past several attempts have been made with no success. By way of example in the present specification a fruit filled baked bar will be used as the test food form. It is to be understood that the present invention will find utilization in a variety of baked goods other than those specifically described as long as low temperature processing steps and the dough formation processing steps, described below, are followed. As noted above the powdered omega-3 fatty acids used were from Martek and designated as Martek DHA™ powder KS35. This powder contained from about 100 to 130 milligrams of DHA per gram of powder. It is desirable to provide from 30 to 160 milligrams of DHA per serving of food.
It was believed that the powdered omega-3 fatty acids could be protected by incorporating them into the dough of the product and that the oil used in the dough might influence the stability of the omega-3 fatty acid. A variety of oils were tested as described below. The basic processing steps are as follows: formation of the dough; formation of the fruit-based filling material; coextrusion of the dough and fruit-based filling at a low temperature of less than about 130° F. with cutting to length, the dough surrounding the fruit-based filling; optional sprinkling of the uncooked bars with oat or bran topping; baking the bars at approximately 390° F. for about 8 minutes; cooling the bars; and packaging the bars. The final baked bar preferably has a water activity of 0.7 or less.
In a first series of examples the dough was prepared as described in Table 1 below. The selected fats tested were as follows: a mid oleic sunflower oil; a blend of partially hydrogenated soybean oil with fully hydrogenated cottonseed oil and liquid cottonseed oil; a partially hydrogenated soybean oil; a blend of low linolenic soybean oil and interesterified palm and palm kernel oil; and three different palm oils. The palm oils were designated as palm oil 1 or 2 or 3. Following baking of the bars they were cooled, packaged and then tested immediately for a variety of aromas, flavors, and textures by trained organoleptic evaluators. Additional samples of each condition were stored at 85° F. 50% relative humidity and analyzed at various time intervals.
The fruit based filling is a typical fruit based filling as is know in the industry. The filling typically comprises: high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, fruit puree concentrate, glycerin, sugar, modified corn starch, sodium citrate, citric acid, sodium alginate, natural and artificial flavors, dicalcium phosphate, modified cellulose, colorings, and malic acid. Any known filling material can be used in the invention. The stability of the omega-3 fatty acids is not altered by the filling composition in this invention. Generally the finished bar comprises from 55 to 65% by weight dough with the remainder being filling. The prepared samples all had 40 milligrams of DHA per 37 gram final bar weight.
The bars were prepared as described above using the co-extrusion and baking steps described. The samples prepared with mid oleic sunflower oil were fine immediately after preparation. But they had developed a metallic taste and aroma after 6 weeks of storage and by 9 weeks all samples failed due to a metallic and a fishy aroma and taste. The samples prepared with a blend of partially hydrogenated soybean oil with fully hydrogenated cottonseed oil and liquid cottonseed oil were fine immediately after preparation. After 6 weeks of storage, however, they had developed a metallic taste and aroma and by 9 weeks all samples failed due to a metallic and a fishy aroma and taste. The samples prepared with a partially hydrogenated soybean oil were fine immediately after preparation; however, after 6 weeks of storage they had developed a metallic taste and aroma and by 9 weeks all samples failed due to a metallic and a fishy aroma and taste. The samples prepared with a blend of low linolenic soybean oil and interesterified palm and palm kernel oil were fine immediately after preparation; however, after 6 weeks of storage they had developed a metallic taste and aroma and by 9 weeks all samples failed due to a metallic and a fishy aroma and taste. The samples prepared with palm oil 1 were fine immediately after preparation; however, after 6 weeks of storage they had developed a metallic taste and aroma and by 9 weeks all samples failed due to a metallic and a fishy aroma and taste.
The samples prepared with either palm oil 2 or palm oil 3 were fine immediately after preparation. Unlike all of the other oils tested including palm oil 1, none of samples prepared with either palm oil 2 or palm oil 3 developed any metallic, fishy or other off aromas or tastes over a 12 week period of storage. The palm oils 2 and 3 shared the following characteristics: an oxidative stability index in hours measured according to AOCS method CD12B-92 of 30 or greater and a solid fat content at 21° C. of 40 or greater. These characteristics were not found in palm oil 1 or in any of the other tested oils. The storage stability time for samples prepared with palm oil 2 or 3 has been extended to beyond 12 weeks. In subsequent experiments samples were prepared with palm oil 2 or palm oil 3 as described above. The samples were then stored at 85° F. 50% relative humidity for 12 weeks and then transferred to storage conditions of 70° F. 50% relative humidity for a total storage time of 16 weeks. Samples were evaluated periodically and all samples were stable over the entire testing period no development of detectable fishy aroma or taste. Other samples were stored at 70° F. and 50% relative humidity and these were stable for 7 months. Still other samples were stored at 45° F. for 12 weeks and then moved to 70° F. and 50% relative humidity and these samples were stable for 8 months. The results demonstrate that of the oils tested only oils having the characteristics of an oxidative stability index in hours of 30 or greater and a solid fat content at 21° C. of 40 or greater stabilized the omega-3 fatty acids in the baked food product. Carrier oils expected to have these characteristics include by way of example certain palm oils, palm oil fractions, palm kernel oils, palm kernel oil fractions, and blends thereof. In addition, the omega-3 fatty acids may be entrapped in a fat, carbohydrate and protein matrix in the dough prior to exposure to the high temperature of the baking step and thereby protected. The process generally uses low temperatures during formation of the dough and extrusion and this is also beneficial to preservation of the omega-3 fatty acids.
Subsequent experimentation has demonstrated that it is not necessary to cream the omega-3 fatty acid powder into the carrier oil. Instead the carrier oil and omega-3 fatty acid powder can be directly combined with the flavoring, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, and vitamins in the dough.
Other antioxidants that can be used in addition to, or in place of Duralox® and citric acid include: tocopherols; ascorbic acid; ascorbyl palmitate; rosemary extract; butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT); butylated hydroxyanisol (BHA); or tert-butyl-1,4-benzenediol (TBHQ).
Many other types of dough formulations could be used as are known in the art. Preferably the amount of carrier oil in the dough will range from 5 to 20% by weight and more preferably from 5 to 15% by weight. Preferably the amount of DHA and/or EPA will be at least 0.5 milligram per gram of dough and provide from 30 to 160 milligrams of DHA and/or EPA per serving of the bar. The temperature of the extrusion should be kept at less than 130° F. and more preferably from 95° to 125°, and most preferably from 95° to 120° F.
The foregoing invention has been described in accordance with the relevant legal standards, thus the description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed embodiment may become apparent to those skilled in the art and do come within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of legal protection afforded this invention can only be determined by studying the following claims.
The application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application 60/823,320 filed Aug. 23, 2006.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60823320 | Aug 2006 | US |
