Patent Application
20080075816
The numerous advantages of the disclosure may be better understood by those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying figures in which:
Referring generally to
The dairy-based product 100 may comprise multiple non-cultured dairy-based components 102. The dairy-based product 100 comprises at least one of the non-cultured dairy-based component 102 that is aerated, such as an aerated/whipped pudding or a mousse. As used herein “aerated” refers to injecting a gas, such as air, nitrogen, or any other suitable gas for aerating and/or whipping a food product, into a food product and substantially retaining the gas within the food product in a generally dispersed manner for the shelf-life of the food product.
The non-cultured dairy-based component 102 may be a milk based component. The non-cultured dairy-based component 102 may include other ingredients, such as oil, salt, water, cocoa, sugar, starch, colorings, sodium stearoyl lactylate, and/or flavorings. This list is not restrictive. It is contemplated that other ingredients may be utilized in the non-cultured dairy-based component without departing from the scope and intent of the disclosure. The flavorings may include vanilla, butterscotch, caramel, strawberry, mocha, coffee, chocolate, and/or mochaccino. This list is not restrictive. It is appreciated that other flavorings may be utilized without departing from the scope and intent of the disclosure.
An aerated, non-cultured dairy-based component 104 comprises a stabilizer. A non-aerated, non-cultured dairy-based component 106 may or may not contain a stabilizer. The stabilizer may stabilize at least one air cell within the aerated, non-cultured dairy-based component 104. The stabilizer may comprise a gum and a gelatin. The gum may be a xanthan gum, a carrageenan gum, a guar gum, a locust bean gum, and/or a karaya based gum. The gum is utilized to provide viscosity, suspension, and emulsion stability. The gum may be any gum or combination of gums 1) capable of withstanding high thermal processing and remaining stable at refrigeration temperatures, 2) compatible with gelatin and sodium stearoyl lactylate, 3) capable of withstanding process shearing pumps and scrape surface heat exchanger (SSHE), and 4) capable of suspending and stabilizing dispersed gasses in aqueous systems. The gum may be a xanthan gum. The xanthan gum may have several beneficial qualities, such as high viscosity at tow concentrations, excellent temperature stability during processing, compatibility with other ingredients, good freeze/thaw stability, good shear stability, and tolerance of a wide range of pH conditions. The aerated, non-cultured dairy-based component 104 may comprise about 0.01% to about 0.30% by weight of gum. The gelatin may be any suitable gelatin for a dairy-based product. The aerated, non-cultured dairy-based component 104 may comprise about 0.10% to about 1% by weight of gelatin.
A first non-cultured dairy-based component 102 may be layered on top of a second non-cultured dairy-based component 102 for distinct organoteptic profiles. It is contemplated that as many layers of a non-cultured dairy-based component 102 as desired may be utilized in the dairy-based product 100 to produce distinct organoleptic profiles. It is understood that the layers comprise at least one aerated, non-cultured dairy-based component 104. The dairy-based product 100 may also comprise a non-aerated dairy-based component 106, such as a pudding or a tapioca layer.
The aerated, non-cultured dairy-based component 104 may have different levels of aeration. Aeration may be measured as overrun. Overrun may determine the percentage of gas incorporated into a product. To measure overrun a container with a standardize volume may be utilized. Overrun may be calculated as shown below:
When the overrun is calculated, the container may be filled so the product is level with the top of the container and both the aerated and non-aerated product may be filled at an approximate fill temperature within about 5° F. of each other.
The dairy-based product 100 may have an overrun of about 15% to about 50%. The overrun percentage may be changed as desired. In order to implement the higher overrun percentages, the amount of fat and/or gum may be increased in the product. The dairy-based product 100 may have an overrun of about 20% to about 35%. The dairy-based product 100 may have an overrun of about 25%. These overrun calculations may be conducted after filling the package. A dairy-based product with an aerated, non-cultured dairy-based component 104 may lose up to about 10% of the gas incorporated into the dairy-based product during the filling of the package.
Typically, the non-aerated, non-cultured dairy-based component 106 may have a density of about 1.0 g/mL to about 1.2 g/mL in a package and/or container with a volume of 43.60 mL. The aerated, non-cultured dairy-based component 104 may have a density of about 0.75 g/mL to about 0.90 g/mL in a package and/or container with a volume of 43.60 mL. This list is not restrictive. It is understood that other densities may be utilized without departing from the scope and intent of the disclosure.
The dairy-based product may have a generally neutral pH. Further, the dairy-based product may be refrigerated for an extended storage. The dairy-based product does not require freezing and/or storage in a pressurized container in order to maintain an extended shelf life and/or aeration. The dairy-based product may have a shelf life of 24 months or less. The dairy-based product may have a shelf life of 12 months or less. The dairy-based product may have a shelf life of 6 months or less. The dairy-based product may have a shelf life of 2 months or less.
Consumers may desire different levels of fat depending upon their different nutritional preferences and needs. The dairy-based product 100 may contain different levels of fat. The dairy-based product 100 may contain about 2% to about 50% fat. The dairy-based product 100 may comprise about 2% to about 6.5% fat. To achieve lower levels of fat, an increase in the amount of gelatin and/or an increase in the amount of gums and/or combination of different gums, such as xanthan gum, locust bean gum, carrageenan gum, and/or guar gum, may be utilized. This list is not restrictive. It is appreciated that other suitable gums may be utilized without departing from the scope and intent of the disclosure.
The dairy-based product 100 may comprise numerous flavors and colors. The dairy-based product 100 may be colored or flavored to accommodate holidays, such as pumpkin flavored, egg-nog flavored, or patriotic coloring. Additionally, the dairy-based product 100 may comprise additional food particulates for desired organoleptic effects, such as nuts, chocolate chips, wafers, granola, fruit, candy and/or any other desired particulate suitable for dairy-based products. The food particulates may be contained in the dairy-based product 100 or contained within a separate packet.
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The mixer 802 mixes components such as, oil, sodium stearoyl lactylate, and water, to form a first mix. This list is not restrictive. It is appreciated that other components may be added to the first mix without departing from the scope and intent of the disclosure. The first mix may be pumped through a homogenizer 804. The first mix may be more than 10% by weight of the dairy-based component. Ingredients, such as milk, sugar, water, starch, stabilizer and flavorings, and the first mix may be mixed in the mixer 806 to form a final mix. The final mix may be pasteurized in a pasteurizer 808 to form a pasteurized composition.
The pasteurizer 808 may be a scrape surface heat exchanger (SSHE). The SSHE may have a heat section, a tower water section, and an ammonia section. The heat section utilizes steam as a heating medium to heat the final mix. The tower water section utilizes cold water as a cooling medium to cool the heated final mix. The ammonia section utilizes ammonia as a cooling medium to further cool the final mix. The SSHE may be a closed system. The SSHE may utilize high heat for about 280 minutes. The SSHE may reduce the amount of vegetative microorganism and reduce the amount of spores in the final mix. The SSHE may be a Contherm™ produced by Alfa Laval in 4405 Cox Road, Suite 130, Glen Allen, Va. 23060. The aerator 810 injects gas into the final mix while the final mix is in the pasteurizer 808. The aerator 810 may inject gas into the final mix in the SSHE before the final mix enters the ammonia section. The aerator 810 may inject gas into the final mix in the SSHE before the final mix enters the tower water section. The gas may be injected in the pasteurizer to allow the gas to disperse throughout the final mix.
The pasteurized composition may be mixed and/or whipped in a whipper/mixer 812. The whipper/mixer 812 breaks up the gas into smaller bubbles in the pasteurized composition. The whipper/mixer 812 may provide a texture that is uniform and organoleptically pleasing to a consumer. The whipper/mixer 812 may be a CR Mixer™ produced by Waukesha Cherry-Burrell in 611 Sugar Creek Road, Delavan, Wis. 53115 or an Oakes Mixer™ produced by Machinery and Equipment Company, Inc. in 3401 Bayside Boulevard, Brisbane, Calif. 94005. The pasteurized composition may be run through a filler 814. The filler 814 may have numerous fill spouts and contain numerous non-cultured dairy-based components. The filler 814 may put the non-cultured dairy-based component into a package or container. The package/container may comprise any suitable material for storing the dairy-based product and may be in any suitable size or shape for storing the dairy-based product. The filler may put a first non-cultured dairy-based component into a portion of a package and put a second non-cultured dairy-based component into a portion of the package to form a layered dairy-based product. The filler may put a third non-cultured dairy-based component into a portion of the package to form a layered dairy-based product. At least one of the non-cultured dairy-based components in the layered dairy-based product is an aerated, non-cultured dairy-based component.
A non-cultured dairy-based product was produced. The non-cultured dairy-based product was a French chocolate mousse. Oil, sodium stearoyl lactylate, hot water (at a temperature of about 150° F. to about 180° F.), and cocoa are mixed together in a mixer to form a first mix. The oil may be a coconut oil. The first mix was pumped through a homogenizer and into another mixer. The first mix was mixed with liquid milk, sugar, dried milk, 96% T.S., starch, gum, gelatin, and flavorings to form a final mix. The final mix was pasteurized with a scrape surface heat exchanger and aerated with nitrogen in the scrape surface heat exchanger before cooling to produce the aerated, non-cultured dairy-based product or French chocolate mousse. The dairy-based product had a pH of about 6.4 to about 7.0 and an overrun of about 20% to about 30%.
A non-cultured dairy-based product was produced. The non-cultured dairy-based product was layered with two different aerated, non-cultured dairy-based components. The first aerated, non-cultured dairy-based component was a French chocolate mousse and the second aerated, non-cultured dairy-based component was a mocha mousse layer. The first aerated, non-cultured dairy-based component was produced by: 1) forming a first mix of oil, sodium stearoyl lactylate, hot water at a temperature of about 150° F. to about 180° F., and cocoa; 2) mixing the first mix with skim milk, sugar, 96% T.S., starch, gum, gelatin and vanilla flavoring to form a final mixture; 3) pasteurizing the final mixture with a scrape surface heat exchanger and aerating with nitrogen in the scrape surface heat exchanger before cooling. The first non-cultured aerated dairy-based component was utilized to fill 45% by volume of a package or container. The second aerated, non-cultured dairy-based component (the mocha mousse layer) was produced by: 1) forming a first mix of oil, sodium stearoyl lactylate, hot water at a temperature of about 150° F. to about 180° F., and cocoa; 2) mixing the first mix with cold water at a temperature of about 40° F. to about 55° F., milk, sugar, 96% T.S., starch, gum, gelatin, coffee, mochaccino flavoring, and vanilla flavoring to form a mixture; 3) pasteurizing the mixture with a scrape surface heat exchanger and aerating with nitrogen in the scrape surface heat exchanger. The second non-cultured aerated dairy-based component was utilized to fill the remaining 55% by volume of the package or container holding the first non-cultured aerated dairy-based component to form the layered, non-cultured dairy-based product. The layered dairy-based product had a pH of about 6.4 to about 7.0 and an overrun of about 20% to about 30%.
A non-cultured dairy-based product may be produced. The non-cultured dairy-based product may be a vanilla whipped pudding. Oil, sodium stearoyl lactylate, and hot water may be mixed together in a mixer to form a first mix. The first mix may be pumped through a homogenizer and into another mixer. The first mix may be mixed with sugar, dried milk, starch, cold water, gum, gelatin, coloring, and flavoring, such as vanilla to form a final mix. The final mix may be pasteurized with a scrape surface heat exchanger and aerated with nitrogen and/or air in the scrape surface heat exchanger before cooling to produce an aerated dairy-based product.
The amount of air retained in the aerated, non-cultured dairy-based component varies depending upon the fat level of the dairy-based component. Fourteen runs of a dairy-based component were made utilizing different variables to measure the variables effects on the percentage of gas incorporated into the aerated, non-cultured dairy-based component (or on overrun). The fat level of the aerated, non-cultured dairy-based component was varied from containing 3.5% oil to 6% oil. The injection site of the gas was varied from Site 1 (before the water tower section of the SSHE) to Site 2 (before the ammonia section of the SSHE). Lastly, the utilization of a whipper was varied from utilizing a whipper, to not utilizing a whipper, to varying the whip speed (1200 rpm or 600 rpm). The table below lists all of the different runs, the runs' variables, and the runs' resulting overrun. The 14 runs are listed from the highest overrun percentage to the lowest.
The table demonstrates that the percentage of gas incorporated into an aerated, non-cultured dairy-based component is higher on average with a higher fat percentage.
The methods disclosed may be implemented as sets of instructions, through a single production device, and/or through multiple production devices. Further, it is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the methods disclosed are examples of exemplary approaches. Based upon design preferences, it is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the method can be rearranged while remaining within the scope and spirit of the disclosure. The accompanying method claims present elements of the various steps in a sample order, and are not necessarily meant to be limited to the specific order or hierarchy presented.
It is believed that the disclosure and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the disclosure or without sacrificing alt of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely an explanatory, it is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.
The present application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/846,425, filed Sep. 21, 2006. Said U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/846,425 is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60846425 | Sep 2006 | US |
