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This invention re]ates to the manufacture of dairy products, specifically to dairy spreacls.
The interest of the dairy industry in dairy spreads, especially in low-fat spreads, was stimulated during l~orld War II by an acute shortage of edible fats~ Although the problems of supply have long ceased, there is a continuing interest in low-fat dairy spreads, based principally on the preference by many consumers for foods of lesser caloric content~ Good spreadability and lower costs are also significant factors in the wide public acceptance of low fat dairy spreads. In order to qualify as a calorie reduced dairy based spread under the Canadian Food and Drug Regulation B240006 a product must contain not more than 50% of the calories that would be normally provided in that food if it were not calorie-reduced. The dairy spread according to the present invention provides a maximum of 355 calories per lO0 grams and comes within the above-noted provisions.
As the low fat dairy spread of the present invention is intended to be used as a butter replacement it is necessary that the texture and body of the dairy spread closely resemble butter.
Since butter is a water-in-fat emulsion7 a dairy spread which is to resemble butter, especially in texture, must also be a water-in-fat emulsion. The low calorie "butters" of the prior art such as those of Swiss Patent 506,952 and of British Paten~ 1,251~260, are fat-in-water ; rather than water in-fat emulsions and thus do not sufficiently resemble butter. The shelf life of most of the fat-in-water type emulsions of the prior art is also lower than that o~ butter.
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According to the present invention there is provided a water-in-fat emulsion low fat dairy spread comprising 35.0 to 38.5% butterfat -1.4 to 7.0% non-fat milk solids, including any added sodium caseinate;
from 0.7% up to 1.1% of a non-toxic e~ulsifier, from 0.75 to 1.05% of a ,:
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non-toxic hydrocolloid consisting of from 0.05 to 0.2% agar and from 0.70 to 0.85%ofat least one other non toxic hydrocolloid; and the balance water, with optional flavour and colouring additives and preservatives.
The fat used in the preparation of the dairy spread, according to the present invention, must be bukterfat. Suitable sources of the fat used in the present invention are ei~her salted or unsalted butter or fresh dairy cream having a butter fat content in the range of 36.0 to 80.0%.
The non~fat milk solids used in the dairy spread include any sodium caseinate added in addition to khe commercially available non-fat milk solids. The non-fat milk solids may range from 1.4 to 7.0% by weight of the dairy spread. However, the higher the non-fat milk solids content, the lower the ~at content of the dairy spread must be, in order that the total combination of energy-supplying elements provides not more than 355 calories per 100 grams of dairy spread.
The emulsifier used in the mixtures of the present invention may be a distilled monoglyceride or a blend of distilled monoglycerides, such as gl~cerol monolaurate and glycerol monopalmitate, and lecithin.
The emulsifier is present in an amount from 0.7% up to 1.1% by weight of the final product.
It has been found that from 0.05% up to 0.2% agar is necessary to maintain the limited water release exhibited by the present dair~
spread at eleYated temperatures. As a result of the inclusion of agar in the dairy spread of the present invention, water is not released from the dairy spread upon standing at higher than room temperakures or upon the application of the dairy spread to a hot food, for example, hot toast.
ID addition to ugar~ other non-to~ic ~ydrocolloids may be added
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to the dairy spread in an amount from 0.70 to 0.8s% by we:ight of the final product. The non-toxic hydrocolloids are eclible hydrocol:Loids which will readily hydrate when added to the compositions, according to the present invention. ~fter hydration~ it is believed~ that the edible, non-toxic hydrocolloid tends to bind the water in the composition so that the low calorie dairy spread, of the present invention, has the appearance and texture of butter. Sultable hydrocolloids include gelatin~ starch~
pre-gelatinized starch, carboxymethylcellulose, propylene glycol alginate, sodium alginate, carrageenan, and naturally occurring gums such as guar gum and locust bean gum. The above noted hydrocolloid may be added to the compositions of the present invention in their naturally occurring form or as physiologically acceptable derivatives thereof~ such as acid addition salts, or alkaline or allcaline earth metal salts thereof. Preferred hydrocolloids are starch, guar gum, locust bean gum, and carrageenan~
The hydrocolloid present in addition to agar, may be any of the above noted hydrocolloids, individually~ or may consist of a blend thereof.
Normally the dairy spread will additionally contain non-dairy food additives such as salt, hydrocolloids in addition to agar, preservatives and colouring and flavouring agents.
The addition of salt~ and the colouring and flavouring agents are a mat~er of the preference of the producer, bearing in mind the market to which the dairy spread is directed. Generally, a product having from about 0.75 to 1.10% by weight salt is suitable as a butter substitute.
However, if desired, salt need not be added.
The colour of the product may be adjusted by the use o~ food colours s~lch as the following: an oil soluble annatto food colour, a water soluble fraction of the extract of annatto, or other certified colouring agents.
To enhance the shelf life of the dairy spread a preservative
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may be added. Suitable preservatives are sodium ben~oate and potassium sorbate, which have been found to be effective :~ amounts in the range from about 0.05 to 0.09% by weight of the dairy spread.
The present invention a].so pertai.ns to a process for ~he preparation of a water-in-fat emulsion low fat dairy spread which comprises:
(a) mixing 35.0-38.5% butter fat, 1.4 to 7.0% non-fat milk solids, including any added sodium caseinate; from 0.7% up to 1.1% of a non-toxic emulsifier;
from 0.75 to 1.05% of a non-toxic hydrocolloid consi.sting of from 0.05 to 0 2% agar and from 0.70 to 0.85% of at least one other non-toxic hydrocolloid, colour and flavour additives, a preservative and the balance water by any of the following methods; ~i) heating the fat and aqueous phases separately to a temperature of greater than 38C and less then 70C, combining the two phases and subsequently adding the remaining ingredients of the mixture, or (ii) heating the fat phase to a temperature of 49C and adding the remaining ingredients of the mixture, or (iii) cold ~;xing all of the ingredients of the mixture; (b) subjecting the resulting m.~xture (i) to a temperature of about 70-75C for lO to 15 minutes for batch method or (ii) to a temperature of about 87-92C for 16-22 seconds for high-temperature-short-time method, to ensure adequate pasteuri~ation; (c) homogenization 2V of the mixture at a pressure of from about 1500 p.s.i. to 3000 p.s.i.~ (d) rapidly cooling the mixture while still in a liquid state to a temperature below 26C to form a solid water-in-fat emulsion.
A two stage homogeni~er is suitable for the homogeni~ation of the mixture at a pressure of fro~ about 1500 p.s.i. to 3000 p.s.i. It has - been found that higher homogenization pressures have an adverse effect in creating a softer body in the resulting dairy spread in comparison to butter.
However, it is essential that the hot mix, resulting from pasteurisation ` be subjected to homogeni~ation to ensure that the resulting product is uniform throughout and corresponds favourably in body and texture to butter.
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The rapid cooling of the mixture, while still in a Liquid state to a tempera~ure below 26 C to form a solicl water-in-fat emulsion~ is essential to avoid phase separation of the hot homogeni~ed mixO The rapid cooling results in a homogeneous product having the required body and texture characteristics.
The rapid cooling is carried out utilizing heat exchangers. The heat exchangers must have a sufficient capacity to ensure that the homogenized hot mix is rapidly cooled to a temperature below 26 C without a resulting phase separation.
The cooled product having a consistency similar to butter is subsequently packaged and further cooled to a temperature of 3-5 C.
The following examples are illustrati~e of the process and product of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope thereof:
13X9MPL~ 1 A 100 lb batch of the product might be prepared according to the following formula and procedure.
FORMULA
Cream 66.3% fat 52.8 lb Skim Milk Powder (97% T.S.) 4.0 lb Sodium Caseinate 1.5 lb Distilled Monoglyceride -Lecithin Blend 0.9 lb Salt 1.1 lb Potassium Sorbate 0.09 lb Hydrocolloid Blend (gelatin, starch, guar gum, calcium carrageenan o.85 lb Agar Ool lb ~ater 38.66 ]b 100.00 lb Tartra~ine solution 20 ml Oil soluble butter colour 8 ml Combine cream and distilled monoglyceride-lecithin blend and ~: :
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heat to 49 C. Dry blend sk.im milk powder, sodium caseinate, salt, potassium sorbate, hydroco~Lloid blend and agar, and add this to fat phase at ~9C, along with water and colouring agents. ~ix thoroughLy and heat this total mix to a temperature of 72C and hold at this temperature for 15 minutes agitating frequently. Homogenize the hot mix at 1800 p.s.i. total pressure, 800 p.s.i. second stage and pump through cooling coil. Cool to final temperature of 15C, fill containers and refrigerate at 3-5 C.
Using the formula of example 1 above~ the dairy spread may be processed as follows: Combine ingredients as per example 1. Process in high-temperature-short-time unit with a pasteurization temperature of ~1 a and holding time 16 seconds, homogenization double stage at 1800 p~Soi~
total 800 second stageO Cool using chilled water, to a temperature of 15 C.
Fill containers and refrigerate at 3-5C.