Back to results
US 5,362,508 AGranted
Process for preparing soft centers in food products
AssigneeNabisco, Inc.
InventorsEdward L. Wheeler, G. Curtis Busk, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
AssigneeNabisco, Inc.
InventorsEdward L. Wheeler, G. Curtis Busk, Jr.
Estimating the term…
Food products having soft or liquid centers, layers or other areas are formulated by arranging two fat-containing components contiguous with one another. A fat in the first component migrates into the second, forming a mixture having a lower solids content than the second fat, while the structural integrity of the first component is maintained. The process is especially adapted to the formation of soft- and liquid-centered confections. One preferred embodiment employs fats bearing long, saturated C.sub.16 to C.sub.22 fatty acid residues and a mixture of short C.sub.2 to C.sub.4 acid residues, preferably containing acetic acid residues, as the migrating fat in a confectionery coating, and hydrogenated coconut or palm kernel oil as the fat in the confectionery center. An especially preferred embodiment employs, as the migrating fat, triglycerides bearing long, saturated substitutents containing at least about 75% stearic acid residues and short residues derived from acetic acid, a mixture of acetic and propionic acid, or a mixture of acetic and butyric acid. Since sucrose and invertase are not essential elements of the center, artificial sweeteners can be used to replace all or part of the sucrose, resulting in reduced calorie confections. Caloric reduction is further enhanced because preferred migrating fats are low in calories.
A process for preparing a food product containing regions of contrasting textures comprising formulating a first fat-containing composition and then coating the composition with a second composition containing a different fat comprising at least 25% a mixture of triglycerides bearing both long, saturated C.sub.16 to C.sub.22 fatty acid residues and short C.sub.2 to C.sub.4 acid residues that migrates into the fat in the first composition upon equilibrating, under conditions effective to soften the first composition while retaining the structural integrity of the second composition.
A method for softening the fat-containing center of a confectionery product comprising coating the center with a composition containing a fat comprising at least 25% a mixture of triglycerides bearing both long, saturated C.sub.16 to C.sub.22 fatty acid residues and short C.sub.2 to C.sub.4 acid residues that, upon incubation for a time and under conditions that result in the migration of the fat into the center, forming a fat mixture in the center having a fat solids content lower than the original fat in the center.
In a process for preparing a soft-centered confectionery product comprising preparing a center with a composition containing sucrose and invertase, enrobing the center with a coating composition, and incubating for a time under conditions that the sucrose acts as a substrate for the invertase, an improvement wherein said center is prepared with a fat component comprising hydrogenated coconut or palm kernel oil and without invertase and is enrobed with a coating composition containing another fat comprising at least 25% a mixture of triglycerides bearing both long, saturated C.sub.16 to C.sub.22 fatty acid residues and short C.sub.2 to C.sub.4 acid residues that migrates into the center fat component, resulting, upon incubation, in a fat mixture in the center having a lower fat solids content.
A method for softening the cream center of a confectionery product enrobed with a firmer fat-containing coating composition comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.