Powdered composition comprising solid vegetable-based fats

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to powdered compositions, preferably flavored powdered compositions comprising solid vegetable-based fats, to impart heat-triggered release properties when incorporated into food products such as meat analogs. The present disclosure further relates to the use of the flavored powdered compositions as animal fat substitutes in food products, pet food products or feed products. Finally, the present disclosure relates to methods of preparing the flavored powdered compositions and food products comprising the flavored powdered compositions.

Description

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0002] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 941,938, filed on November 29, 2019, and European Patent Application No. 19219140.1, filed on December 20, 2019, both of which are incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth herein. Technical Field

[0003] The present disclosure relates to powdered compositions, preferably flavored powdered compositions comprising solid vegetable-based fats, to impart heat-triggered release properties when incorporated into consumer products, preferably food products such as meat analogs. The present disclosure further relates to the use of the flavored powdered compositions as animal fat substitutes in food products, pet food products or feed products. Finally, the present disclosure relates to methods of preparing the powdered compositions and food products comprising the flavored powdered compositions. Background Art

[0004] Despite the extensive work that has gone into creating acceptable meat analogs, the resulting products are only superficially similar to natural meat. For example, many important flavor and taste compounds are produced during the cooking process, but to date, no meat analog on the market provides this flavor during cooking.

[0005] In fact, these food products usually require heat treatment during preparation and are eaten when warm. Therefore, heat-triggered flavor release is highly desired in these applications (i.e., grilling, baking, microwaves, etc.). Flavor release at high temperatures can minimize flavor loss, increase flavor intensity, and bring new sensory experiences during food preparation and consumption. Powdered compositions known in the prior art release active substances after dissolution in high water activity applications. However, these traditional technologies have little control over active release, especially flavor release by temperature.

[0006] Therefore, there is a need to provide a technical solution to impart heat-triggered release properties to a powdered composition which will be suitable for different applications when incorporated into a consumer product, preferably a food product or a feed product, more particularly a meat analogue. Summary of the invention

[0007] The present disclosure provides materials and methods for affecting the means of imparting a specific thermally triggered release, such as during the cooking process of a product.

[0008] In addition, the present disclosure provides the use of the powdered compositions disclosed herein to minimize flavor loss, improve flavor intensity, and bring new sensory experiences during food preparation and consumption. In addition, the present disclosure provides benefits in high water activity applications (usually Aw>0.8) by reducing flavor (flavor) oil mobility, minimizing flavor-food matrix interactions, and providing additional flavor protection.

[0009] Therefore, a first object of the present disclosure is a method for preparing a powdered composition, the method comprising the following steps:

[0010] (i) dispersing a dispersed phase into a continuous phase comprising a carrier and, if appropriate, an emulsifier at a temperature above the melting peak temperature of the dispersed phase to obtain an oil-in-water emulsion; wherein the dispersed phase comprises a lipid mixture comprising at least a vegetable-based fat and a flavoring oil or a fragrance oil;

[0011] (ii) drying the emulsion of step (i) at a temperature above the melting peak temperature of the dispersed phase to obtain a powdered composition, and

[0012] (iii) cooling the powdered composition thus obtained to a temperature below the melting peak temperature of the dispersed phase.

[0013] A second object of the present disclosure is a powdered composition comprising:

[0014] - carrier,

[0015] - optional emulsifiers; and

[0016] - a lipid mixture comprising at least a solid vegetable-based fat and a flavoring oil or a fragrance oil, wherein the lipid mixture and / or the powdered composition has

[0017] 20℃ <T m <70°C; and

[0018] 15℃ <T 50％ <60°C; and

[0019] 20℃ <T 95％ <80℃

[0020] T m represents the peak melting temperature;

[0021] T 50％ Represents the temperature at which 50% by weight of solid vegetable-based fat melts;

[0022] T 95％ Represents the temperature at which 95% by weight of solid vegetable-based fats are melted.

[0023] A third object of the present disclosure is a food product, a pet food product or a feed product comprising the powdered composition as defined above, wherein the lipid mixture comprises at least a vegetable-based fat and a flavoring oil, preferably, the product comprises 0.01 to 10% by weight of the powdered composition, wherein the product is preferably in the form of a meat and / or fish based food or the like. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] Figure 1 Shows the melting curve of sample C.

[0025] Figure 2 Shows the melting curve of sample D.

[0026] Figure 3A Represents the TGA analysis of the dispersed phase of sample C at 50°C.

[0027] Figure 3B Represents the TGA analysis of the dispersed phase of sample C at 60°C.

[0028] Figure 4A Represents the TGA analysis of the dispersed phase of sample D at 50°C.

[0029] Figure 4B Represents the TGA analysis of the dispersed phase of sample D at 60°C.

[0030] Figure 5 Represents the volatile intensity measured by APCI-MS during cooking of the prepared burgers (samples A and C).

[0031] Figure 6 Represents the volatility intensity measured intranasally during consumption of the prepared burgers (samples A and C).

[0032] Figure 7 Shows the melting curve of Sample I analyzed by DSC after reconstitution of the extruded powder.

[0033] Figure 8 Shown is the melting curve of sample J analyzed by DSC after reconstitution of the extruded powder. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Unless otherwise indicated, percentages (%) refer to weight percent of the composition.

[0035] It is to be understood that the total amount of ingredients in a composition or emulsion is 100%.

[0036] Unless stated otherwise, numerical ranges expressed in the format "from x to y" should be understood to include x and y. When for a specific feature multiple preferred ranges are described in the format "from x to y", it should be understood that all ranges combining the different endpoints are also contemplated.

[0037] For the purposes of the present invention, the term "comprising" or "containing" is intended to mean "including." It does not mean "consisting only of.

[0038] The following definitions and embodiments described below apply for all purposes of this disclosure.

[0039] The term "fat" used in the present disclosure refers to a lipid component that is solid or pasty at room temperature, and the term "oil" used in the present disclosure refers to a lipid component that is liquid at room temperature.

[0040] As used herein, the term "emulsion" refers to a mixture of two or more liquids that are generally immiscible (i.e., cannot be mixed). In an emulsion, one liquid (the dispersed phase) is dispersed in another (the continuous phase). In the present disclosure, oil-in-water emulsions are described that include a continuous hydrophilic phase that includes water in which a hydrophobic phase is dispersed.

[0041] Melting curves can be measured by differential scanning calorimeter Q2000 (TA Instruments, New Castle, DE, USA). Typically, a small sample (5-10 mg) is sealed in a sealed aluminum pan (Tzero, T161003). Typically, the procedure includes the following steps: equilibrate at -20 ° C for 5 minutes, warm to 100 ° C at a rate of 10 ° C / min, cool to -20 ° C, keep isothermal at -20 ° C for 5 minutes, and then warm to 100 ° C at 10 ° C / min. The instrument is calibrated for the melting temperature and melting enthalpy of indium (Standard Reference Material 2232, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD). DSC is widely used to determine the percentage of fat that melts at a specific temperature. The technique is based on continuous measurement of melting heat at different temperatures. The melting peak temperature and melting enthalpy can be obtained using the "integrated peak linearity" of each DSC curve. The melting peak temperature is the peak temperature of the phase change curve obtained by DSC. The melted fat fraction is determined by reference to the total heat of fusion. The method is described in "Cassel RB. Determining percent solid in anedible fat. TA Instruments Applications Brief TA290.2002". The melting curve is taken from the first heating ramp (scan) of the DSC curve at 10°C / min. The percentage of melted solid lipid as a function of temperature can be calculated using "Running Integration". T m represents the peak melting temperature, T 50％ represents the temperature at which 50% by weight of the solid lipid melts, T95％ Represents the temperature at which 95% by weight of the solid lipids have melted.

[0042] In case of a combination of more than two components, the melting curve of the mixture can be obtained by the same method as described above.

[0043] Melting temperature T 50％ ” refers to the temperature at which 50% by weight of the vegetable-based fat has melted.

[0044] Melting temperature T 95％ ” refers to the temperature at which 95% by weight of the vegetable-based fat has melted.

[0045] T m 、T 50％ and T 95％ is a well-known parameter used by those skilled in the art. As mentioned above, it can be easily determined by DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry).

[0046] "Plant-based fat" refers to a compound selected from the group consisting of plant-derived glycerides, fatty acids, and hydrogenated oils.

[0047] "Seasoning oil" herein refers to a flavoring ingredient or a mixture of flavoring ingredients.

[0048] By "perfume oil" it is meant herein a perfuming ingredient or a mixture of perfuming ingredients.

[0049] "Emulsifiers" are amphiphilic molecules that concentrate at the interface between two phases and change the properties of that interface. Examples of emulsifiers can be found in McCutcheon's Emulsifiers & Detergents or in the Industrial Surfactants Handbook.

[0050] Method for preparing powdered composition

[0051] A first object of the present disclosure is a method for preparing a powdered composition, the method comprising the following steps:

[0052] (i) dispersing a dispersed phase into a continuous phase comprising a carrier and, if appropriate, an emulsifier at a temperature above the melting peak temperature of the dispersed phase to obtain an oil-in-water emulsion; wherein the dispersed phase comprises a lipid mixture comprising at least a vegetable-based fat and a flavoring oil or a fragrance oil;

[0053] (ii) drying the emulsion of step (i) at a temperature above the melting peak temperature of the dispersed phase to obtain a powdered composition, and

[0054] (iii) cooling the powdered composition thus obtained to a temperature below the melting peak temperature of the dispersed phase.

[0055] According to one embodiment, the lipid mixture consists at least of a vegetable-based fat and a flavoring oil or a spice oil.

[0056] According to one embodiment, the dispersed phase consists of a lipid mixture comprising, preferably consisting of, a vegetable-based fat and a flavoring or fragrance oil.

[0057] In step i) of the method of the present disclosure, a lipid mixture (i.e., dispersed phase) comprising at least a vegetable-based fat and a seasoning oil or a spice oil is dispersed into a continuous phase comprising a carrier and, if appropriate, an emulsifier. One of the essential features of step i) is that it is carried out at a temperature above the peak melting temperature of the dispersed phase. In other words, the vegetable-based fat is in a liquid state in step i). In fact, in step i), the fat, which is initially solid or pasty at room temperature, is completely melted.

[0058] For this purpose, the fat can be heated separately to obtain the liquid fat, which is then added to the seasoning oil to obtain the lipid mixture. Alternatively, the entire lipid mixture (i.e., comprising the vegetable-based fat and the seasoning oil) can be added to a continuous phase comprising a carrier and an optional emulsifier. The two-phase mixture is heated to a temperature above the peak melting temperature of the dispersed phase.

[0059] According to one embodiment, in step i), the melting peak temperature of the dispersed phase (lipid mixture) is 20°C to 80°C, preferably 20°C to 60°C, wherein the melting peak temperature is determined by DSC at a heating rate of 10°C / min.

[0060] Plant-based fat: According to a specific embodiment, the plant-based fat is selected from the group consisting of palm fat, shea butter, algae butter, mono- / di-glycerides, palmitic acid, stearic acid, lauric acid, hydrogenated vegetable oil, palm stearin, shea stearin, rice stearin, sunflower stearin, and mixtures thereof. According to a specific embodiment, the plant-based fat is not a wax.

[0061] Flavoring oil: "Flavoring oil (or flavor oil)" refers here to a flavoring ingredient, or a mixture of flavoring ingredients, solvents or adjuvants used to prepare a flavoring formula, i.e. a specific mixture of ingredients intended to be added to an edible composition (including but not limited to beverages) or a chewable product to impart, improve or modify its organoleptic properties, in particular its flavor and / or taste. Flavoring oils are liquid at about 20°C. Flavoring ingredients are understood to define various flavor and fragrance materials of natural and synthetic origin, including single compounds or mixtures. Many of these flavoring ingredients are listed in references, such as S. Arctander's book Perfume and Flavor Chemicals, 1969, Montclair, NJ, USA or its latest version, or other works of similar nature, such as Fenaroli's Handbook of Flavor Ingredients, 1975, CRC Press or MB Jacobs' Synthetic Food Adjuncts, 1947, van Nostrand Co., Inc. The solvents and adjuvants currently used to prepare flavoring formulas are also well known in the industry. Such substances are well known to those skilled in the art of flavoring and / or aromatizing foods and consumer products.

[0062] The flavoring ingredient may be a taste improver or a flavor compound.

[0063] Examples of flavor compounds are salts, inorganic salts, organic acids, sugars, amino acids and their salts, ribonucleotides, and sources thereof.

[0064] "Taste modifiers" are understood to be active ingredients that act on the taste receptors of the consumer, or provide sensory characteristics associated with mouthfeel (e.g., body, roundness, or mouth-coating) to the consumed product. Non-limiting examples of taste modifiers include active ingredients that enhance, modify, or impart saltiness, fat, umami, kokumi, heat or cooling, sweetness, sourness, tingling, bitterness, or acidity.

[0065] Fragrance Oil: "Fragrance Oil" (or "Fragrance") refers herein to an ingredient or composition that is liquid at about 20°C. According to any of the above embodiments, the fragrance oil can be a single fragrance ingredient, or a mixture of multiple ingredients in the form of a fragrance composition. As a "fragrance ingredient", it is meant here a compound whose main purpose is to impart or adjust the smell. In other words, to be considered a fragrance ingredient, such an ingredient must be recognized by a person skilled in the art as being able to impart or modify the smell of the composition in at least an active or pleasant manner, rather than just having a smell. For the purposes of this disclosure, fragrance oils also include combinations of fragrance ingredients with substances that together improve, enhance or modify the delivery of the fragrance ingredients (such as fragrance precursors, emulsions or dispersions), as well as combinations that impart additional benefits (such as persistence, burst, malodor counteracting, antimicrobial action, microbial stability, insect control) in addition to improving or imparting smell.

[0066] The character and type of the perfuming ingredients present in the oil phase do not guarantee a more detailed description here, and it is not exhaustive in any case, and the technician can select them according to their common sense and according to the intended use or application and the required organoleptic effect. Generally speaking, these perfuming ingredients belong to different chemical classifications, such as alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters, ethers, acetates, nitriles, terpenoids, nitrogen-containing or sulfur-containing heterocyclic compounds and essential oils, and the perfuming auxiliary ingredients can be natural or synthetic sources. In any case, many of these auxiliary ingredients are listed in references such as the work Perfume and Flavor Chemicals of S.Arctander, 1969, Montclair, New Jersey, USA or other works of its updated version or similar properties, and in the patent documentation abundant in the field of spices. It should also be understood that the composition can also be a known compound that releases various types of perfuming compounds in a controlled manner.

[0067] The perfuming ingredients can be dissolved in solvents currently used in the perfume industry. The solvent is preferably not an alcohol. Examples of such solvents are diethyl phthalate, isopropyl myristate, (rosin resin, available from Eastman), benzyl benzoate, ethyl citrate, limonene or other terpenes or isoparaffins. Preferably, the solvent is very hydrophobic and highly sterically hindered, e.g. or benzyl benzoate. Preferably, the fragrance contains less than 30% solvent. More preferably, the fragrance contains less than 20%, even more preferably less than 10% solvent, all of which percentages are by weight relative to the total weight of the fragrance. Most preferably, the fragrance is substantially free of solvent.

[0068] According to a particular embodiment, the lipid mixture comprises at least a vegetable-based fat and a flavoring oil.

[0069] According to a particular embodiment, the ratio between the vegetable-based fat and the seasoning oil or flavoring oil is from 5:95 to 95:5, specifically from 15:85 to 70:30, more specifically from 20:80 to 50:50.

[0070] According to a particular embodiment, the lipid mixture is present in an amount ranging from 2.5 to 25%, preferably from 5 to 10%, relative to the total weight of the emulsion, the percentages being defined by weight.

[0071] Carrier: The carrier used in the present disclosure is preferably water soluble. For the purpose of the present disclosure, "water soluble carrier" is intended to include any carrier that forms a single phase solution in water. Preferably, it forms a single phase solution when dissolved in water at a concentration of up to 20 wt. %, more preferably even up to 50 wt. %. Most preferably, it forms a single phase solution when dissolved in water at any concentration.

[0072] As non-limiting examples, maltodextrin, inulin, plant-based proteins such as pea protein, soluble flour, gums such as gum arabic, soluble fiber, soluble polysaccharides, and mixtures thereof may be used as carriers.

[0073] As used herein, the term "soluble fiber" refers to a polysaccharide characterized as soluble by using the official method of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (Prosky et al., 1988; J. Assoc. Of Anal. Chem, 70, 5, 1017), such as water-soluble fiber, for example, soluble in water at room temperature. The soluble fiber can be, for example, fruit fiber, cereal fiber, natural soluble fiber, and synthetic soluble fiber. Natural fiber includes soluble corn fiber, maltodextrin, gum arabic, and hydrolyzed guar gum. Synthetic soluble fiber includes polydextrose, modified food starch, etc. Food grade soluble fiber sources useful in embodiments of the present disclosure include inulin, corn fiber, barley, corn germ, ground oat hulls, ground corn bran, a derivative of wheat bran aleurone, flax meal, whole flaxseed bran, winter barley flakes, ground oat groats, corn, pea fiber (e.g., Canadian yellow peas), Danish potatoes, konjac plant fiber, psyllium fiber from planago ovata seed husks, psyllium husks, liquid agave fiber, rice bran, oat sprout fiber, amaranth sprouts, lentil flour, grape seed fiber, apples, blueberries, cranberries, fig fiber, ciranda flour, carob flour, ground prune fiber, mango fiber, apple fiber, oranges, orange pulp, strawberries, carrageenan hydrocolloids, eucheuma , cottonnil, seaweed derivative, cottonseed, soy, kiwi, acacia fiber, bamboo, chia seed, potato, potato starch, pectin (carbohydrate) fiber, hydrolyzed guar gum, carrot, soy, edamame, chicory root, oats, wheat, tomato, polydextrose fiber, refined corn starch syrup, isomalto-oligosaccharide blend, soluble dextrin, citrus bioflavonoid blend, cell wall disrupted nutritional yeast, lipophilic fiber, prune juice, larch derivative, oligosaccharide fiber, glycoside sucrose (cane sugar) derivative, short chain oligofructose, synthetic polymers of glucose, polydextrose, pectin, polyanionic (polanion) compounds, cellulose fiber, cellulose fiber from hardwood plants and carboxymethyl cellulose.

[0074] According to a particular embodiment, the carrier has emulsifying properties, such as gum arabic. In this particular embodiment, an emulsifier is optionally used.

[0075] According to a particular embodiment, the carrier is present in an amount ranging from 2.5 to 40%, preferably from 30 to 40%, relative to the total weight of the emulsion, the percentages being defined by weight.

[0076] Emulsifier: According to one embodiment, an emulsifier is required to form an oil-in-water emulsion. Hydrophilic emulsifiers are preferably used to form and stabilize oil-in-water emulsions. Polymeric emulsifiers and small molecule surfactants can be used. According to a specific embodiment, the emulsifier is selected from the group consisting of plant-based proteins such as pea protein and rice protein, gum arabic, modified food starch, Quillaja saponin, lecithin, and mixtures thereof.

[0077] According to a particular embodiment, the emulsifier is present in an amount ranging from 2.5 to 45%, preferably from 4 to 10%, relative to the total weight of the emulsion, the percentages being defined by weight.

[0078] In step i), the lipid mixture is dispersed into the continuous phase to obtain an emulsion. Any known emulsification method, such as high shear mixing, ultrasonic treatment or homogenization can be used to form the emulsion. Such emulsification methods are well known to those skilled in the art.

[0079] Advantageously, the emulsion has an average diameter (d 50 ) is a droplet size of 0.1 to 20 microns, preferably 0.8 to 20 microns, most preferably 1 to 10 microns.

[0080] The droplet size can be measured by any well-established method that allows accurate measurement within an experimental error of at most 5%, preferably less than 1%. A suitable well-established method uses a laser diffraction particle size analyzer (e.g., Coulter LS 13320 from Beckman Coulter, Brea, CA, USA). After analysis, the volume statistics (d 4,3 ) to characterize the emulsion.

[0081] In step (ii) of the process, the mixture of step (i) is dried at a temperature above the melting peak temperature of the dispersed phase (ie the lipid mixture) to obtain a powdered composition.

[0082] The powdered composition can be prepared by any suitable method that can be easily selected by a person skilled in the art. Non-limiting examples of methods include extrusion, spray drying, etc.

[0083] According to a particular embodiment, the mixture in step (ii) is dried by spray drying.

[0084] The emulsion may first be subjected to a spraying step, during which the emulsion is dispersed in the form of droplets into a spray tower. Any device capable of dispersing the emulsion in the form of droplets may be used to perform this dispersion. For example, the emulsion may be directed through a nozzle or through a centrifugal disc. A vibrating orifice may also be used.

[0085] In one aspect of the present disclosure, the emulsion is dispersed in the form of droplets into a cloud of pulverizing agent present in a drying tower. This type of process is described in detail in WO 2007 / 054853 or WO 2007 / 135583, for example.

[0086] For a particular formulation, the size of the particles obtained by spray drying is influenced by the size of the droplets dispersed into the tower. For example, when a nozzle is used to disperse the droplets, the size of such droplets can be controlled by the flow rate of the atomizing gas flowing through the nozzle. In the case of a centrifugal disc for dispersion, the main factor in adjusting the droplet size is the centrifugal force by which the droplets are dispersed from the disc into the tower. The centrifugal force, in turn, depends on the rotation speed and the disc diameter. The feed flow rate of the emulsion, its surface tension and viscosity are also parameters that control the final droplet size and size distribution. By adjusting these parameters, the technician can control the size of the emulsion droplets to be dispersed in the tower.

[0087] Once sprayed into the chamber, the droplets are dried using any technique known in the art. These methods are well documented in the patent and non-patent literature in the field of spray drying. For example, Spray-Drying Handbook, 3 rd ed., K. Masters; John Wiley (1979) describes various spray drying methods.

[0088] The method of the present disclosure can be carried out in any conventional spray tower. Conventional multi-stage drying equipment is suitable for carrying out the steps of the process. It can include a spray tower, and a fluidized bed at the bottom of the tower, which intercepts the partially dried particles that fall through the tower.

[0089] In step (iii) of the process, the powdered composition thus obtained is cooled to a temperature below the melting peak temperature of the lipid mixture, typically a temperature ranging from 4°C to 50°C, more particularly from 10°C to 50°C.

[0090] Another object of the present disclosure is a powdered composition obtainable by the process as defined above.

[0091] Powdered composition

[0092] Another object of the present disclosure is a powdered composition comprising:

[0093] - carrier,

[0094] - optional emulsifiers; and

[0095] - a lipid mixture comprising at least a solid vegetable-based fat and a flavoring oil or a fragrance oil,

[0096] Wherein the lipid mixture and / or powdered composition has

[0097] 20℃ <T m <70°C; and

[0098] 15℃ <T 50％ <60°C; and

[0099] 20℃ <T 95％ <80℃

[0100] T m represents the peak melting temperature;

[0101] T 50％ Represents the temperature at which 50% by weight of solid vegetable-based fat melts;

[0102] T 95％ Represents the temperature at which 95% by weight of solid vegetable-based fats are melted.

[0103] According to the present disclosure, T m 、T 50％ and T 95％ It is measured by DSC at a heating rate of 10°C / min.

[0104] According to a particular embodiment, the lipid mixture and / or the powdered composition has:

[0105] 20℃ <T m <60°C; and

[0106] 20℃ <T 50％ <55°C; and

[0107] 25℃ <T 95％ <70℃.

[0108] According to a particular embodiment, the lipid mixture is present in an amount ranging from 5 to 50%, preferably from 10 to 20%, relative to the total weight of the composition, the percentages being defined by weight.

[0109] According to a particular embodiment, the emulsifier is present in an amount ranging from 5 to 95%, preferably from 8 to 20%, relative to the total weight of the composition, the percentages being defined by weight.

[0110] According to a particular embodiment, the carrier is present in an amount ranging from 5 to 95%, preferably from 60 to 80% relative to the total weight of the composition, the percentages being defined by weight.

[0111] The powdered composition of the present disclosure may also contain residual amounts of water, but generally less than 15 wt%, preferably less than 10 wt%, more preferably less than 5 wt%, relative to the total weight of the composition.

[0112] According to one embodiment, the powdered composition is in the form of granules, preferably spray-dried granules.

[0113] In a preferred form of the present disclosure, the size of the particles is generally at least 10 μm, preferably at least 20 μm. Depending on the process used for spray drying, especially when a pulverizing agent is present in the drying tower, as described above, the average size of the dried particles can be up to 200 or even up to 750 μm. In a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the average size of the particles is at least 5 times larger than the average size of the oil droplets in the emulsion.

[0114] Food product, pet food product or feed product comprising a powdered composition

[0115] The powdered compositions of the present disclosure can be used for a variety of edible final products. The present disclosure is particularly suitable for final products that are heat treated during food preparation and / or consumption. In fact, below the peak melting temperature, the lipid mixture behaves more like a semisolid, the fluidity of the oil is reduced, and the release of the oil is inhibited; while above the peak melting temperature (usually during cooking), the lipid mixture behaves more like a liquid, the fluidity of the oil is increased, and the release of the oil is increased.

[0116] The final product is more specifically a food product, a pet food product or a feed product. The powdered composition of the present disclosure is particularly advantageous for vegetarian meat analogs or meat substitutes, vegetarian burgers, sausages, meat patties, imitation chicken nuggets, etc., meat products (e.g. processed meat, poultry, beef, pork, ham, fresh sausage or raw meat products, spiced or marinated fresh meat or dry cured meat products, reformed meat) or extended meat products using combinations of animal and vegetable proteins in different proportions, usually co-extruded or blended with textured vegetable and animal proteins.

[0117] For the purposes of this disclosure, meat includes red meat, such as beef, pork, mutton, lamb, game and poultry, such as chicken, turkey, goose and duck. Preferably, the food of the present disclosure is meat selected from beef, poultry and pork.

[0118] However, due to their resistance to shear and high temperatures, the powdered compositions of the present disclosure may also be of particular interest in the following product examples:

[0119] · Baked goods (e.g. bread, dry biscuits, cakes, other baked goods),

[0120] Cereal products (e.g. breakfast cereals, pre-cooked ready-made rice products, rice flour products, millet and sorghum products, raw or pre-cooked noodles and pasta products),

[0121] milk products (e.g. fresh cheese, soft cheese, hard cheese, milk drinks, whey, butter, partially or fully hydrolysed milk protein-containing products, fermented milk products, condensed milk and the like),

[0122] Dairy products (e.g. fruit or flavoured yoghurt, ice cream, fruit smoothies, frozen desserts),

[0123] Dairy analogs (imitation dairy products) containing non-dairy ingredients (vegetable proteins, vegetable fats),

[0124] · Confectionery products (e.g. chewing gum, hard candy and soft candy),

[0125] Chocolate and compound icings,

[0126] products based on fats and oils or their emulsions (e.g. mayonnaise, spreads, margarine, shortening, remoulade, dressings, spiced preparations),

[0127] Spiced, preserved or processed fish products (e.g. fish intestines, surimi),

[0128] · Eggs or egg products (dried eggs, egg whites, egg yolks, custards),

[0129] Desserts (such as gelatin and pudding)

[0130] Products made from soy protein or other soy ingredients (e.g. soy milk and products made therefrom, preparations containing soy lecithin, fermented products such as tofu or tempeh or products made therefrom, soy sauce),

[0131] Vegetable products (e.g. ketchup, sauces, processed and reconstituted vegetables, dried vegetables, deep-frozen vegetables, precooked vegetables, vegetables pickled in vinegar, vegetable concentrates or pastes, cooked vegetables, potato products),

[0132] Spices or spice preparations (eg mustard preparations, horseradish preparations), spice mixtures and seasonings, in particular for use in the snacks sector, for example.

[0133] Snack products (e.g., baked or fried potato chips or potato dough products, bread dough products, extrudates based on corn, rice or peanut chops),

[0134] Ready-to-eat dishes (e.g., instant noodles, rice, pasta, pizza, tacos, wraps) and soups and broths (e.g., stock, savory cubes, dry soups, instant soups, pre-cooked soups, distilled soups), sauces (instant sauces, dry sauces, prepared sauces, gravies, sweet sauces),

[0135] Expanded meat products (e.g., meatloaf, sausage, chili, Salisbury steak, pizza toppings, meatballs, minced meat, bolognas, chicken nuggets, frankfurters, beef)

[0136] A particular advantage of the present disclosure is that for the same sensory perception, the food product will require less added seasoning (flavor).

[0137] According to one embodiment, the food product, pet food product or feed product comprises 0.01 to 10 wt %, preferably 0.1 to 5 wt % of the powdered composition of the present disclosure.

[0138] Typically, the food product, pet food product or feed product also comprises protein, in particular vegetable protein or animal protein, and mixtures thereof.

[0139] Advantageously, the vegetable protein is preferably selected from soy protein, corn, pea, canola, sunflower, sorghum, rice, amaranth, potato, cassava, arrowroot, chickpeas, lupin, canola, wheat, oats, rye, barley, and mixtures thereof.

[0140] The powdered composition of the present disclosure is particularly suitable for food products, pet food products or feed products that are extruded and / or baked, more particularly comprising animal and / or plant proteins. Typically, the food products, pet food products or feed products that are extruded and / or baked can be selected from meat and / or fish food or its analogs and mixtures (in other words, meat food and / or fish food or meat analogs or fish analogs and their mixtures); extruded and / or baked meat analogs or extruded and / or baked fish analogs are preferred. Non-limiting examples of food products, pet food products or feed products that are extruded and / or baked are snack products or extruded plant proteins, the purpose of which is to make the protein for preparing meat analogs (such as hamburgers) have texture. The powdered composition can be added to non-extruded plant protein isolates / concentrates or can form hamburgers or meat nuggets (etc.) in the organized plant protein before or after extrusion.

[0141] Method for improving the sensory properties of food products, pet food products or feed products

[0142] The present disclosure also relates to a method for improving the sensory properties of a food product, a pet food product or a feed product, comprising the step of adding 0.01 to 10 wt %, preferably 0.1 to 10 wt % or 0.5 to 5 wt % of the powdered composition of the present disclosure to the food product, the pet food product or the feed product.

[0143] Advantageously, the food product, pet food product or feed product is a meat analog or meat substitute, vegetarian burgers, sausages, meat patties, imitation chicken nuggets..., meat products (such as processed meat, poultry, beef, pork, ham, fresh sausage or raw meat products, spiced or marinated fresh meat or dry-cured meat products, reformed meat).

[0144] Advantageously, the food product, pet food product or feed product is fish food or the like.

[0145] Typically, the powdered composition is added to a food product, pet food product or feed product by injection, vacuum tumbling (optionally with a carrier material), or mixed with the food prior to preparation by extrusion.

[0146] The present disclosure also relates to a method for improving the aroma, juiciness and / or taste of meat and / or fish food or the like, the method comprising the step of adding the powdered composition of the present disclosure to meat and / or fish food or the like.

[0147] According to the present disclosure, the expression "improving juiciness" refers to an improvement in the sensory attributes of juiciness.

[0148] Method for reducing or replacing fat in food products, pet food products or feed products and food obtained therefrom products, pet food products or feed products

[0149] The present disclosure also relates to food products, pet food products or feed product formulations having reduced levels of fat and / or oil, typically animal fat and / or oil, comprising the powdered compositions of the present disclosure.

[0150] The present disclosure also relates to the use of the powdered composition as a fat replacer, typically an animal fat replacer in a food product, a pet food product or a feed product.

[0151] The present disclosure also relates to a method for preparing a food product, pet food product or feed product with reduced fat (usually animal fat), which comprises the step of adding the powdered composition of the present disclosure to the food product, pet food product or feed product to partially or completely replace the fat.

[0152] The present disclosure also relates to a method for reducing or replacing fat (typically animal fat) in a food product, pet food product or feed product, the method comprising the step of replacing a portion or all of the fat with the powdered composition of the present disclosure.

[0153] The present disclosure also relates to a flavor (seasoning) delivery system comprising the powdered composition of the present disclosure and the use of the powdered composition as a flavor delivery system in a food product, a pet food product or a feed product.

[0154] According to the present disclosure, a flavor delivery system refers to a system capable of releasing flavors (flavorings).

[0155] The present disclosure is particularly advantageous for sauces such as pasta sauces, soups, marinades and / or batters, particularly for fish or meat products, confectionery products and dairy products.

[0156] The present disclosure also relates to using the powdered composition to impart desired textural attributes to improve the texture of a food product, pet food product, or feed product, such as juiciness, mouthfeel, body, or mouth coating.

[0157] The present disclosure will now be described in more detail by way of the following examples, but it should be understood that the present disclosure should not be construed as being limited thereto.

[0158] Example

[0159] Program and Methods

[0160] Melting curve analysis by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)

[0161] Melting behavior measurements were performed on a differential scanning calorimeter Q2000 (TA Instruments, New Castle, DE, USA). For the dispersed phase (mixture of vegetable-based fat and liquid seasoning oil), a small sample (5-10 mg) was sealed in a sealed aluminum pan (Tzero, T161003). The procedure included the following steps: equilibration at -20°C for 5 minutes, heating to 100°C at a rate of 10°C / min, cooling to -20°C, keeping isothermal at -20°C for 5 minutes, and then heating to 100°C at 10°C / min. For the spray-dried powder, the sample was reconstituted with deionized water at a solid content of 10-40%, and then a small sample (5-10 mg) of the reconstituted powder was sealed in a sealed aluminum pan. The procedure includes the following steps: equilibrate at 5 or 10°C for 5 minutes, heat up to 90°C at a rate of 10°C / min, cool to 5 or 10°C, keep isothermal at 5 or 10°C for 5 minutes, and then heat up to 90°C at 10°C / min. The instrument is calibrated for the melting temperature and melting enthalpy of indium (Standard Reference Material 2232, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD). DSC is widely used to determine the percentage of fat that melts at a specific temperature. The technique is based on continuous measurement of the heat of fusion at different temperatures. The melting peak temperature and melting enthalpy can be obtained using the "integrated peak linearity" of each DSC curve. The melting peak temperature is the peak temperature of the phase change curve obtained by DSC. The melted fat fraction is determined by reference to the total heat of fusion. The method is described in "Cassel RB. Determining percent solid in an edible fat. TA Instruments Applications Brief TA290.2002". The melting curve is taken from the first heating slope (scan) of the DSC curve. The percentage of solid lipid that melts as a function of temperature can be calculated using the "Running Integration" function. m represents the peak melting temperature, T 50％ represents the temperature at which 50% by weight of the solid lipid melts, T 95％ Represents the temperature at which 95% by weight of the solid lipids melt. All samples were measured in duplicate.

[0162] Thermally triggered release by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)

[0163] Thermogravimetric analyzer (Q50, TA Instruments, New Castle, DE, USA) was used to study the thermal stability and flavor release of the prepared samples. A small sample (~20 mg) of the vegetable-based fat and beef seasoning oil mixture was placed in a sealed aluminum pan (Tzero, T161003). The heating program included the following steps: equilibration at 30°C, heating to 50 or 60°C at 10°C / min, and maintaining isothermal at 50 or 60°C for 1 hour. All samples were measured in duplicate. The standardized ratio was calculated by using the following equation:

[0164]

[0165] Oil content measurement by TD-NMR

[0166] Time domain nuclear magnetic resonance (TD-NMR, Minispec mq20, Bruker, Billerica, USA) is used to measure oil content as described in previous studies (Hafner, Dardelle, Normand, & Fieber, Eur.J.Lipid Sci.Technol., 2011, 113, 7, 856-861). The calibration curve of seasoning oil is created using pure seasoning oils of five different concentrations. It should be mentioned that NMR measures the content of liquid oil, and solid lipids cannot be measured by NMR. By comparing the melting enthalpy of fat in spray-dried powder with the theoretical melting enthalpy of known amount fat in powder, the crystallization of plant-based fat in spray-dried powder can be monitored by DSC analysis. After plant-based fat is fully crystallized, the spray-dried powder is analyzed by NMR to obtain the seasoning oil content retained.

[0167] Water activity measurement

[0168] Water activity (Aw) measurements were performed on all powder samples in duplicate using a water activity meter (AquaLab Series 3TE, Decagon Devices Inc., Pullman, WA, USA). The water activity meter was calibrated using the standard (Aw = 0.250) provided by the supplier and distilled water.

[0169] Example 1

[0170] Preparation of dispersed phase

[0171] Solid lipids (palm stearin, monoglyceride / diglyceride, palmitic acid) of plant origin are incorporated into liquid seasoning oil to obtain a structured oil with an ideal melting behavior. A series of mixtures of representative solid lipids and beef seasoning oil were prepared in different proportions. The lipid mixture (fat and oil) was kept in a water bath at 85°C for 10 minutes to ensure that all fats were completely melted. All samples were fully mixed after melting to ensure that the mixture was uniform. The mixture was kept in a hot water bath for another 10 minutes, and then cooled in a water bath at room temperature to solidify the lipid mixture.

[0172] The solidified lipid mixture was analyzed by DSC to obtain the melting curve shown in Table 1. Temperature T m 、T 50％ and T 95％ Both increase with increasing solid fat concentration, making the present disclosure suitable for different kinds of applications.

[0173] Table 1: Composition of lipid mixtures made from solid fats of different plant origins

[0174]

[0175] a Palm stearin, Palmes 63 from Fuji Vegetable Oil, Inc. Savannah, Georgia 31408, USA

[0176] b Mono / diglycerides, also known as rapeseed glycerides, from J&L Chemicals LTD

[0177] c Palmitic acid, Firmenich

[0178] Example 2

[0179] Preparation of powdered compositions according to the present disclosure

[0180] A box dryer (Ernest D. Menold Inc., Lester, PA, USA) equipped with a high-pressure homogenizer and a high-pressure nozzle atomizer was used to produce the spray-dried beef seasoning. The water evaporation capacity of the dryer was 20 kg / hr. The batch size of all spray-dried powders was 10 kg. The first matrix material (carrier) was dissolved in a The base solution was mixed at 65°C for 30 minutes to ensure that the material was fully hydrated. Beef seasoning oil, or a uniform, fully melted mixture of beef seasoning and palm fat was then added and mixed for 5 minutes to form a pre-emulsion. The resulting crude emulsion was passed through a two-stage high-pressure Gaulin M12 homogenizer from Manton-Gaulin Company (Boston, MA, USA) at 14 MPa (first stage) and 1.4 MPa (second stage). The homogenized emulsion was finally atomized at 7 MPa, and the inlet and outlet air temperatures of the dryer were maintained at 180-190°C and 70-80°C, respectively. The spray drying formula is shown in Table 2.

[0181] Table 2: Composition and melting curve of spray-dried powdered compositions

[0182]

[0183] *Oil content of spray-dried powder was measured by LF-NMR after storage in a freezer overnight, and DSC confirmed that the fat in the powder was fully crystallized;

[0184] **DSC measurements were performed on reconstituted spray-dried powder (10% in water) stored in a freezer overnight.

[0185] Example 3

[0186] Thermal Characterization of Powdered Compositions According to the Disclosure

[0187] The prepared spray-dried powder was reconstituted with water and analyzed by DSC. Figure 1 (Sample C) and Figure 2 (Sample D) shown.

[0188] The peaks on the DSC graph indicate the melting of the solid fat in the spray-dried powder. As previously described in the Protocols and Methods, the T m 、T 50％ and T 95％ is obtained from the DSC graph.

[0189] Samples C and D were also analyzed by TGA.

[0190] A control containing pure beef seasoning oil was also analyzed. The normalized ratio (weight loss of palm stearin-beef seasoning mixture / weight loss of pure beef seasoning) is shown in Figures 3 and 4. When the solidified mixture is heated to 50°C, the normalized ratio shows little change; while when the solidified mixture is heated to 60°C, the normalized ratio suddenly increases at around 47°C. This clearly demonstrates the temperature-triggered release properties of the structured mixture of monoglycerides, diglycerides and beef seasoning oil. The transition temperature is about 47°C.

[0191] Comparison of the melting enthalpy of the lipid mixture and the reconstituted spray-dried powder. As shown in Table 3, the melting enthalpy of the lipid mixture of sample C' (see composition below) is roughly consistent with the melting enthalpy of the reconstituted powder of sample C. This indicates that palm stearin is fully crystallized in the spray-dried powder to a similar extent as in the lipid mixture.

[0192] Table 3: Melting enthalpies of lipid mixtures and reconstituted spray-dried powders containing lipid mixtures from DSC

[0193]

[0194] Example 4

[0195] Performance of the powdered composition according to the present disclosure in a vegetarian burger application

[0196] Comparative Samples A, B and C of the present disclosure stored in a cold box (~4°C) were used for vegetarian burger applications (80 / 20 pea burger patties) at the same dosage of 0.05% beef seasoning. Sensory evaluation (chewing and spitting) was performed by 7 trained panelists. The results are shown in Table 4.

[0197] Table 4: Sensory results in vegetarian burger application

[0198]

[0199] *A scale of 0 to 5 is used to rate strength, with 0 indicating very low strength and 5 indicating very high strength.

[0200] Samples B and C containing the powdered composition according to the present disclosure performed better than the comparative sample A without palm stearin in terms of aroma intensity, flavor intensity, and likeability, indicating that the powdered composition according to the present disclosure brings sensory benefits in vegetarian burger applications.

[0201] (Analysis of Flavor and Fragrance In Real Time Taste analysis) measurement

[0202] For determining the flavor release behavior of Comparative Sample A and Sample C. 50 g of pea burgers were placed on a hot plate at 180° C. and covered with a glass bowl with two glass holes (one for air introduction and one for connection to the instrument). Each burger was cooked for 3 minutes on each side.

[0203] APCI-MS (Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Ionization Mass Spectrometry) was used to analyze flavor transfer during cooking by measuring headspace concentrations of unseasoned and seasoned burgers.

[0204] Sampled air containing volatiles released during cooking was drawn into the mass spectrometer. The volatiles were then ionized with H3O+ ions in an ionization chamber. Volatiles present in the headspace during cooking were sampled by APCI-MS for 6 minutes. The analysis was performed in triplicate. The parameters for APCI-MS are described in Table 5.

[0205] Table 5: Instrument parameters for analysis

[0206] instrument WATERS SQD-2 Flow rate 8ml / min Sample transfer line 150℃ Carrier gas transfer line 105℃ Source temperature 105℃ Dilution gas (air) (I) 250ml / min Dilution gas (air) (II) 200ml / min Hot plate temperature 180℃ Measuring time 6 minutes

[0207] Intranasal measurement

[0208] Panelists were asked to consume a 5g pea protein burger while being connected to a instrument. Air from the nose was sampled at a rate of 50 ml / min. For each sample, each panelist (3 panelists in total) performed 1 replicate.

[0209] Data processing

[0210] For dynamic headspace measurements, the signal intensities of all unflavored and flavored samples were processed by calculating the area under the peak of each signal.

[0211] The average of the three samples measured was calculated together with the standard deviation and error of the measurement.

[0212] For the nose-space measurements, the release profiles of each volatile from the pea burgers were averaged for all 3 panelists and summed to give the total flavor release profile for each burger.

[0213] Figure 5 Shown are the volatile intensities measured by APCI-MS during cooking of the prepared hamburgers. Figure 6 The volatility intensity measured by intranasal measurement during consumption of the prepared burgers is shown. Headspace measurements during cooking and intranasal measurements during consumption show that Sample C performs better than Sample A at equal doses of beef seasoning. Therefore, Sample C provides an improved sensory experience during both cooking and consumption.

[0214] Example 5

[0215] Performance of powdered compositions according to the present disclosure in high protein applications

[0216] Spray dried powders were prepared with lemon flavor oil (Comparative Sample F) and a lipid mixture of palm stearin and lemon flavor oil (Sample G) according to the same protocol as Example 1. The spray drying formulations and physical properties of the spray dried powders are shown in Table 6.

[0217] Table 6: Composition of spray dried structured lemon flavor oil and thermal properties of the structured oil in the reconstituted powder

[0218]

[0219] *Oil content of spray-dried powder was measured by LF-NMR after storage in a freezer overnight;

[0220] **DSC measurements were performed on reconstituted spray-dried powder (10% in water) stored in a freezer overnight;

[0221] Comparative Sample F and Sample G according to the present disclosure were stored in a cold box before being tested in a high protein oatmeal application at a dosage of 0.05% lemon oil. The oatmeal formula was:

[0222] - Instant oats: 22g

[0223] -Sugar: 8g

[0224] -Seasoning: 0.05%

[0225] Team Member Program:

[0226] - Panel members receive one sample at a time

[0227] - Instruct panelists to add hot water to the sample, cover the cup, and wait one minute for the oatmeal to cook before evaluating

[0228] - Samples were presented in a balanced order and given a random three-digit blinding code

[0229] Table 7: Sensory results of high protein oatmeal application

[0230]

[0231] *A scale of 0 to 7 is used to rate strength, with 0 indicating very low strength and 7 indicating very high strength.

[0232] Sample G according to the present disclosure showed enhanced performance compared to comparative sample F without palm stearin. This suggests that spray dried structured lemon oil may provide sensory benefits in high protein oatmeal applications.

[0233] Example 6

[0234] Preparation of powdered compositions by twin-screw extrusion according to the present disclosure

[0235] Extruded granules were prepared on a co-rotating twin-screw extruder BC21 (Clextral, Firminy, France) with a screw diameter of D = 25 mm and an aspect ratio of L / D = 32. The extruder consists of 8 independently temperature-controlled barrels with a temperature profile of 20, 20, 20, 90, 90, 90, 90, 100 ° C from feed to die. The melt is extruded through a die plate with a 0.7 mm diameter orifice. The strands leaving the die are granulated at a constant speed by 2 rotating blades. After granulation, the granules are cooled by compressed air and pneumatically conveyed to a sample collector. Seasoning oils and solid fats are premixed with maltodextrin and modified starch. The powder flow rate is 8.0 kg / h. A predetermined amount of water is injected into the extruder to obtain a target glass transition temperature (T) of ~ 40 ° C. g ). The batch size was about 10 kg. Samples were collected after the extrusion process reached steady state. Three extrusion samples were prepared: a control sample without solid fat and two samples containing solid fat. These samples were analyzed by NMR and DSC to obtain the oil content in the extruded powder and the melting curve of the reconstituted extruded powder. The extrusion formula (dry basis) and characterization data are summarized in Table 8. It should be noted that the measured oil content is the content of liquid oil. All extruded samples showed similar retained oil content.

[0236] Table 8: Composition and melting curve of extruded powder compositions

[0237]

[0238] *Oil content of extruded powder was measured by LF-NMR after storage in freezer overnight and complete crystallization of fat was confirmed by DSC;

[0239] **DSC measurements were performed on reconstituted extruded powder (10% solution in water) stored in a freezer overnight.

[0240] Example 7

[0241] Thermal Characterization of Powdered Compositions Prepared by Twin-Screw Extrusion According to the Disclosure

[0242] The extruded samples were reconstituted with water and analyzed by DSC, as Figure 7 (Sample I) and Figure 8 (Sample J). The peaks in the DSC graph represent the melting peaks of the crystalline fat in the extruded powder. As previously described in the Protocol and Methods, the T m 、T 50％ and T95％ is obtained from the DSC graph.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a powdered composition as an animal fat substitute, the method comprising the following steps: (i) dispersing a dispersed phase into a continuous phase comprising a carrier and, if appropriate, an emulsifier at a temperature above the melting peak temperature of the dispersed phase to obtain an oil-in-water emulsion; wherein the dispersed phase comprises a lipid mixture comprising at least (a) a vegetable-based fat and (b) a flavoring oil or a fragrance oil; (ii) drying the emulsion of step (i) at a temperature above the melting peak temperature of the dispersed phase to obtain a powdered composition, and (iii) cooling the powdered composition thus obtained to a temperature below the melting peak temperature of the dispersed phase, wherein the lipid mixture is present in an amount of 10 to 20% by weight relative to the total weight of the powdered composition, and the carrier is present in an amount of 60 to 80% by weight relative to the total weight of the powdered composition, The ratio between the vegetable-based fat and the seasoning oil or spice oil is 5:95 to 95:5, wherein the plant-based fat is selected from the group consisting of palm fat, shea butter, monoglycerides / diglycerides, palmitic acid, stearic acid, lauric acid, palm stearin, and mixtures thereof, The carrier is a water-soluble carrier, and the carrier comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of maltodextrin, inulin, water-soluble fiber, and a mixture thereof.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the lipid mixture comprises at least vegetable-based fat and seasoning oil.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the mixture in step (ii) is dried by spray drying. 4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the vegetable-based fat has a melting peak temperature Tm of 20° C. to 80° C.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the emulsifier is selected from the group consisting of plant-based proteins, gum arabic, modified food starch, quillaja saponin, lecithin, and mixtures thereof.

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