Shelf stable, filled food and method of manufacture
AssigneeUnited Biscuits (UK) Limited
InventorsClive G. Kingham, Malcolm Caine, Valerie J. Duffin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A snack food product comprises a filling (107) wholly enclosed in a bread-like casing (100), optionally with a barrier layer (106) disposed between the casing (100) and the filling (107). A sterile moisture-proof wrapping (108) wholly encloses the edible part (100, 106, 107) of the product. The snack food product (100, 106, 107, 108) is storable at normal temperature for long periods, e.g. several months. The product can be made by assembling the components before or after a shaped dough component is baked to form the bread-like casing (100) and can be prepared for consumption by a heating step carried out before or after the edible part (100, 106, 107) is removed from the wrapping (108).
Claims22
A snack food product comprising:
- (a) an outer casing of a bread material having a water activity in the range from 0.60 to 0.95;
- (b) a filling component wholly enclosed by said casing and having a water activity in the range from 0.90 to 0.99, said casing and said enclosed filling having been rendered temporarily sterile;
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- (c) a sterile moisture-proof wrapping wholly enclosing said casing and said filling contained therein;
- said product being microbially stable and having a long shelf life at ambient temperature, said casing and said enclosed filling being microbially unstable when devoid of said wrapping.
A method of manufacture of a storage-stable snack food product comprising a filling wholly enclosed in an outer casing component, comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming an outer casing by shaping a piece of bread dough;
- (b) subjecting said shaped dough piece to a proving step;
- (c) depositing a filling composition upon said shaped dough piece;
- (d) closing said dough piece such that said filling composition is wholly enclosed within said casing;
- (e) heating said casing and enclosed filling to ensure their temporary sterilization and to impart to said enclosed filling a water activity in the range from 0.90 to 0.99, said casing having a water activity in the range from 0.60 to 0.95;
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- (f) wholly enclosing said casing and enclosed filling in a sterile moisture-proof wrapping, said wrapped product thus being microbially stable and having a long shelf life at ambient temperature, said casing and enclosed filling being microbially unstable when devoid of said wrapping.
A method of manufacture of a storage-stable snack food product comprising a filling wholly enclosed in an outer casing component, comprising the steps of:
- (a) forming an outer casing by shaping a piece of bread dough into a tubular component;
- (b) subjecting said tubular component to a proving step;
- (c) inserting a shaped filling component into said tubular component;
- (d) closing at least one end of the casing so that the filling component is wholly enclosed within said casing;
- (e) heating the resultant said casing and enclosed filling to ensure their temporary sterilization and to impart to said enclosed filling a water activity in the range from 0.90 to 0.99 said casing having a activity in the range from 0.60 to 0.95;
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- (f) wholly enclosing said casing and enclosed filling in a sterile mositure-proof wrapping, said product thus being rendered microbially stable and having a long shelf life at ambient temperature, said casing and enclosed filling being microbially unstable when devoid of said wrapping.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.