Calcium fortification of bread dough

Abstract

Calcium fortified leavened baked products comprising a specific amount of elemental calcium. Generally, the calcium additives comprise suspensions of calcium carbonate in acidic aqueous solutions such as citric acid solutions.

Description

[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of US Patent Application Serial No. 10 / 770,715 filed February 2,2004. field of invention

[0002] The present invention generally relates to compositions and methods for enriching food products with calcium. More particularly, the present invention relates to calcium carbonate suspensions in aqueous acidic solutions for enriching the calcium content of bakery products, especially leavened bread products. Background of the invention

[0003] Calcium is an essential nutrient and the most abundant mineral in the human body. Calcium plays an important role in building healthy teeth and bones, blood clotting, muscle contraction, nerve function and heart function. In addition to these benefits, calcium has recently been suggested to reduce the risk of colon polyp recurrence. See Baron J.A. et al., New England Journal of Medicine, 1999;340:101-107.

[0004] Most importantly, calcium reduces the risk of bone loss from osteoporosis...