Shelf-stable, bakeable savory cheese product and process for preparing same

Abstract

A savory, smooth-textured, bakeable and shef-stable product is prepared as a three-phase formulation, including an aqueous liquid phase, a dispersed fat phase and a solids phase, preferably containing cheese in significant proportion. The liquid phase is present in sufficient quantity to suspend and disperse the fat and solids phases. The dispersed fat must have sufficiently small droplet size raise the viscosity for this phase sufficiently to result in a creamy texture for the final product. The savory flavor ingredients are present as undissolved solids of sufficiently small particle size to provide the proper flavor release for the flavor and a texture consistent with the savory flavor. Preferred cheese products will have a lubricous, slippery, smooth mouthfeel and a flavor release that endures until the palate is essentially clean. The product can be applied to unbaked doughs prior to baking and retain their desired properties after baking The product can also be packaged for use as is with any number of complimentary foods. The product contains at least 5* of fate, less than 6% of water, an Aw of less than 0.5, a polyol as humectant and at least 3% of a solids phase containing cheese flavor or cheese solids.

Description

Background of the invention [0001] The present invention relates to shelf-stable, bake-stable, smooth-textured cheese products, other bakeable savory spreads and filling compositions and methods for their preparation. The savory, especially cheese, products offer many product variants and combinations. [0002] Cheese is a beloved food of all ages and cultures. Particularly in the US and Europe, cheese is a favorite with and between meals. A very ideal combination with cheese is to use it with some form of baked goods. Bread and crisps are popular choices, and in fact cheese flavored breads and crisps are commercially available. Other such combinations use shelf-stable cheese fillings with crispy snacks, puffed snacks, and the like. These types of products are somewhat satisfactory, but the fillers lack the desired creaminess and the desired smooth melt. Likewise, crispy snacks must first be baked and then filled. There is no known technique for adding cheese fillings to...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

The product is said to be baked and shelf stable, but having binders and a lot of sugar in the corn syrup will seriously spoil the desired cheese flavor and texture

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