Multilayer edible moisture barrier for food products and method of use

A multilayer edible moisture barrier suitable to separate food components having different water activities in a food product, said moisture barrier comprising:

• at least one lipid layer which comprises from about 65 to about 99 weight percent of an edible low melting triglyceride blend having a melting point of 35° C. or lower, and from about 1 to about 35 weight percent of edible microparticulated high melting lipid particles having a melting point of 70° C. or higher and a volume average particle size of less than about 10 microns at least about 5 percent of the microparticulated high melting lipid particles having a particle size of not more than 0.1 micron, the lipid layer having a solid fat content of from about 50 to about 70 percent at a refrigerated storage temperature of C-10 C, the solid fat content of the lipid layer not changing more than about 5% at a refrigerated storage temperature of 0°–10° C., the lipid layer having sufficient microparticulated high melting lipid particles with a particle size of not more than 0.1 micron effective to prevent liquid oil in the lipid layer from draining from a fat crystal network formed in the lipid layer;
• and
• at least one flexible hydrophobic barrier layer.

A method for reducing moisture migration between food components having different water activities in a food product, said method comprising applying an edible multilayer moisture barrier between the food components;

• and
• applying at least one flexible hydrophobic layer thereto, wherein the edible multilayer moisture barrier comprises at least one lipid layer comprising from about 65 to about 99 weight percent of an edible low melting triglyceride blend having a melting point of 35° C. or lower, and
• from about 1 to about 35 weight percent of an edible microparticulated high melting lipid particles having a melting point of 70° C. or higher, the microparticulated high melting lipid particles in the lipid layer having a volume average particle size of less than about 10 micron, at least about 5 percent of the lipid particles having a particle size of not more than 0.1 micron, the lipid layer having a solid fat content of from about 50 to about 70 percent at a refrigerated storage temperature of 0 C–10 C, the solid fat content of the lipid layer not changing more than about 5% at a refrigerated storage temperature of 0°–10C., the lipid layer having sufficient microparticulated high melting lipid particles with a particle size of not more than 0.1 micron effective to prevent liquid oil in the lipid layer from draining from a fat crystal network formed in the lipid layer.

An edible moisture barrier suitable to separate food components having different water activities in a food product, said moisture barrier comprising:

• at least one lipid layer which comprises from about 65 to about 99 weight percent of an edible low melting triglyceride blend having a melting point of 35 C or lower, and from about 1 to about 35 weight percent of edible microparticulated high melting lipid particle having a melting point of 70° C. or higher and a volume average particle size of less than about 10 microns, at least about 5 percent of the microparticulated high melting lipid particles having a particle size of not more than 0.1 micron, the lipid layer having a solid fat content of from about 50 to about 70 percent at a refrigerated storage temperature of 0° C. to 10° C. and at an ambient storage temperature of 15° C. to 25° C., the solid fat content of the lipid layer not changing more than about 5% at a refrigerated storage temperature of 0°–10° C. or at an ambient storage temperature of 15° C. to 25° C., the lipid layer having sufficient microparticulated high melting lipid particles with a particle size of not more than 0.1 micron effective to prevent liquid oil in the lipid layer from draining from a fat crystal network formed in the lipid layer.