Method and composition for preventing oil separation in vegetable kernel butters by combining with microparticulate silicon dioxide

A method for preventing the spontaneous separation of peanut oil and ground peanut solids in a peanut butter or a peanut butter-containing food composition, said method consisting essentially of the step of:

• combining between 0.25% and 4% by weight of microparticulate silicon dioxide with said peanut butter,
• wherein said silicon dioxide prevents or retards spontaneous separation of the peanut oil and the ground peanut solids.

A method for modifying the texture of peanut butter, said method consisting essentially of the step of:

• combining between 0.25% and 4% by weight of microparticulate silicon dioxide with said peanut butter,
• wherein said silicon dioxide prevents or retards spontaneous separation of the peanut oil and the ground peanut solids.

A stabilized vegetable kernel butter-containing food composition, consisting essentially of a mixture of:

• (a) oil-bearing, ground edible kernels from seeds or nuts, and
• (b) between 0.25% and 4% by weight of microparticulate silicon dioxide to said ground edible kernels,
• wherein said silicon dioxide prevents or retards spontaneous separation of the oil from the oil-bearing edible kernels and the solids from the ground edible kernels.

A method for preventing or slowing the spontaneous separation of vegetable kernel oil and ground vegetable kernel solids in a ground, edible kernel butter-containing food composition, said method consisting essentially of the step of:

• combining between 0.25% and 4% by weight of microparticulate silicon dioxide with said ground kernel butter,
• wherein said silicon dioxide prevents or retards spontaneous separation of the oil from the oil-bearing edible kernels and the solids from the ground edible kernels.