Heat and humidity resistant aggregate food product
AssigneeGeneral Mills, Inc.
InventorsJeffrey F. ENZ, Karolina CADELSKA-MAJEWSKA
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Packaged food products are described that include an aggregate composition that is stable in tropical conditions for an extended shelf life. The aggregate includes a pliable binder that comprises pectin and/or gelatin. A pliable binder in a packaged food product remains chewy and continues to bind water permeable particulates over shelf life in tropical conditions. Also described are methods of making a packaged food product.
Claims12
A packaged food product, the packaged food product being stable at a temperature of 21° C and 65% humidity over a shelf life of at least 8 months and comprising an aggregate composition, the aggregate composition having a water activity of about 0.2 to about 0.7 and including:
- a. water permeable particulates in an amount of from about 35% to about 75% by weight of the aggregate composition;
- and
- b. a pliable binder in an amount of about 25% to about 50% by weight of the aggregate composition, the binder binding the particulates together, and comprising:
- i. pectin in an amount of about 0.5% to about 1.2% by dry weight of the binder, or gelatin in an amount of about 0.5% to about 4% by dry weight of the binder;
- ii. a humectant component, including:
- 1) a carbohydrate syrup contributing carbohydrate in an amount of about 35% to about 50% by dry weight of the binder;
- and
- 2) a short chain polyol in an amount of about 14% to about 25% by dry weight of the binder;
- iii. fat in an amount of about 10% to about 18% by dry weight of the binder;
- and
- iv. emulsifier in an amount of from about 0.1% to about 1% by dry weight of the binder.
A method of making a packaged food product, the packaged food product being stable at temperatures of at a temperature of 21° C. and 65% humidity over a shelf life of at least 8 months, the method comprising:
- a. combining binder ingredients to make an emulsion, the binder ingredients including:
- i. pectin in an amount of about 0.5% to about 1.2% by dry weight of the emulsion, or gelatin in an amount of about 0.5% to about 4% by dry weight of the emulsion;
- ii. a humectant component, including:
- 1. a carbohydrate syrup contributing carbohydrate in an amount of about 35% to about 50% by dry weight of the emulsion;
- and
- 2. a short chain polyol in an amount of about 14% to about 25% by dry weight of the emulsion;
- iii. fat in an amount of about 10% to about 18% by dry weight of the emulsion;
- and
- iv. emulsifier in an amount of from about 0.1% to about 1% by dry weight of the emulsion;
- b. heating the emulsion to a temperature and for a time sufficient to hydrate the pectin or the gelatin and to reduce the moisture content of the emulsion to about 7% by weight to produce a binder;
- c. combining the binder with water permeable particulates to form an aggregate composition, wherein the binder binds the particulates together, the aggregate composition comprising the permeable particulates in an amount of about 35% to about 75% by weight of the aggregate composition and the binder in an amount of about 25% to about 50% by weight of the aggregate composition;
- and
- d. forming the aggregate composition into pieces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.