An embedding particle, its preparation method and application

Abstract

The present application relates to the field of food technology, and discloses a kind of embedding particles and its preparation method and application.The embedding particles of the present application include from inside to outside: bacterial solution inner core, first colloidal layer, gas layer and solidified second colloidal layer;The colloidal substance in the first colloidal layer includes agar, xanthan gum and gellan gum with mass ratio of (0.5-2):(0.05-1):(1-5);The colloidal substance in the second colloidal layer includes gelatin, sodium alginate and konjac gum with mass ratio of (1-5):(0.05-0.5):(0.5-3);The gas in the gas layer includes nitrogen and carbon dioxide;The diameter of the bacterial solution inner core is 2.0-2.5mm, and the thickness of the first colloidal layer, the gas layer and the second colloidal layer after being solidified by calcium ions is 0.4-0.7mm, 0.3-0.5mm and 0.35-0.65mm respectively.The embedding particles of the present application have novel taste and can protect live bacteria.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of food technology, and more specifically, to an encapsulated particle, its preparation method, and its application. Background Technology

[0002] With increasing awareness of healthy eating, the yogurt industry is booming, placing greater emphasis on the naturalness, organic nature, and functionality of its products. For example, probiotics are added to promote gut health, and low-sugar and sugar-free products are developed to meet the needs of specific consumer groups. The development of yogurt has evolved from traditional flavors to diversified flavors, and from ordinary yogurt to functional yogurt, while market competition is becoming increasingly fierce.

[0003] Room-temperature yogurt is a product that has undergone pasteurization after fermentation, which kills the live probiotics in the yogurt, thus enabling it to be stored at room temperature for up to 6 months. However, the growth rate of room-temperature yogurt has slowed down, partly due to increased consumer demand for healthy and fresh foods, and the return of refrigerated yogurt to traditional consumption scenarios.

[0004] To address market challenges and enable room-temperature yogurt to possess the same live bacteria benefits as refrigerated yogurt, two innovative technological approaches are currently being explored. First, a post-aseptic addition method is used, where specific live bacteria strains are added to the yogurt. At room temperature, these live bacteria do not multiply excessively, but maintain a high viability rate and excellent taste. Second, an encapsulation method is employed, where live bacteria are first prepared as encapsulated particles and then added to the yogurt. Due to the barrier effect of the encapsulation material, the live bacteria do not multiply excessively, and a high viability count is maintained.

[0005] For encapsulated particles, there are already a variety of solutions in the existing technology, but it is still necessary to develop a solution that has a more novel taste and can also protect the live bacteria. Summary of the Invention

[0006] One of the objectives of this invention is to provide an encapsulated particle that has a novel taste and can also protect live bacteria.

[0007] This invention provides an embedded particle comprising, from the inside out: a bacterial solution core, a first colloidal layer, a gas layer, and a second colloidal layer cured by calcium ions; the colloidal substances in the first colloidal layer include agar, xanthan gum, and gellan gum in a mass ratio of (0.5-2):(0.05-1):(1-5); the colloidal substances in the second colloidal layer include gelatin, sodium alginate, and konjac gum in a mass ratio of (1-5):(0.05-0.5):(0.5-3); the gas in the gas layer includes nitrogen and carbon dioxide.

[0008] The diameter of the bacterial solution core is 2.0-2.5 mm, and the thicknesses of the first colloidal layer, the gas layer, and the second colloidal layer after calcium ion curing are 0.4-0.7 mm, 0.3-0.5 mm, and 0.35-0.65 mm, respectively.

[0009] This invention introduces a specific gas layer between two specific colloidal layers of live bacteria-encapsulated particles, so that the encapsulated particles as a whole have both an ideal live bacteria preservation effect and a bursting, chewy texture, providing an encapsulated particle with a novel taste and excellent live bacteria protection effect.

[0010] Specifically, this invention has found that isolating oxygen is beneficial for maintaining the activity of live bacteria. Using other gases to isolate oxygen is expected to provide a protective effect for live bacteria and bring a novel taste to the product. However, the introduction of the gas layer in the actual preparation of encapsulated particles brings new challenges. For example, how to select the gas components in the gas layer to achieve the desired effect; how to select other encapsulation layer materials that are compatible with the gas layer to ensure the airtightness of the gas layer, avoid adverse effects on the core of live bacteria, and control the overall breakage rate of the encapsulated particles; and how to ensure that the particles have both a bursting taste (easy to bite and able to release gas instantly) and ideal processing resistance (acid resistance, high temperature resistance, not easy to break) while not being too sticky and easy to chew.

[0011] After repeated exploration, this invention discovered that by selecting a gas layer with a specific composition and combining it with two specific adhesive layers, it is possible to successfully achieve the desired effects in all aspects, resulting in a product that is both durable for processing and provides excellent protection against live bacteria, as well as an ideal bursting sensation and chewing feel.

[0012] The first colloidal layer of this invention has the characteristics of fast gelation speed, high melting point and good fat barrier effect, which can isolate and protect the bacteria inside the embedded particles in the presence of gas layer; the second colloidal layer has high temperature resistance, acid and alkali resistance, strong toughness, and transparent color, which not only protects the internal structure, but also has a better visual sensory effect.

[0013] In the encapsulated particles of the present invention, the bacterial liquid core includes bacterial powder, MCT and dietary fiber; the mass ratio of bacterial powder, MCT and dietary fiber is (10-20):(75-85):(3-10).

[0014] In the encapsulated particles of the present invention, the dietary fiber includes one or more of polydextrose, inulin, citrus fiber, resistant dextrin, galactooligosaccharides, and fructooligosaccharides.

[0015] In the embedded particles of the present invention, the gas in the gas layer contains 50-90% nitrogen (the remainder being carbon dioxide).

[0016] In the embedded particles of the present invention, the average diameter of the embedded particles is 4.5-5.5 mm.

[0017] The present invention also provides a method for preparing the above-mentioned embedded particles, comprising:

[0018] The colloidal substances in the first colloidal layer and the second colloidal layer are completely dissolved in water to obtain a first layer of adhesive solution and a second layer of adhesive solution.

[0019] The components in the bacterial solution core are thoroughly mixed to obtain the bacterial solution;

[0020] Connect the gas cylinder to the gas outlet in the dripper to supply gas into the gas layer;

[0021] By using a four-layer droplet method, the first layer of adhesive solution is wrapped around the bacterial solution, the gas layer is located outside the first colloidal layer formed by the first layer of adhesive solution, and the second layer of adhesive solution is located outside the gas layer, thus obtaining droplets to be cured;

[0022] The pellets to be cured are cured in a calcium ion solution to obtain cured embedded particles.

[0023] This invention uses a four-layer dropper to directly prepare the embedded particles of this invention. The preparation method is simple and easy to apply industrially.

[0024] Those skilled in the art can, based on common knowledge in the field, adjust the size of each layer of the dripper and the material feeding pressure according to the proportion of each layer of the final embedded particles. For example, the gas outlet flow rate for forming the gas layer can be 5-25 cm³. 3 The pump speed for the bacterial solution and each layer of adhesive solution can be 400-500 rpm.

[0025] In the method of the present invention, each 100 parts by weight of the first layer of adhesive solution includes 0.5-2 parts of agar, 0.05-1 parts of xanthan gum, 1-5 parts of gellan gum, and the remainder is water;

[0026] Each 100 parts by weight of the second layer adhesive solution includes 1-5 parts gelatin, 0.05-0.5 parts sodium alginate, 0.5-3 parts konjac gum, and the remainder is water;

[0027] And / or, each 100 parts by weight of the calcium ion solution comprises 1.2-2 parts calcium salt, 1.2-1.7 parts glycerol, and the balance being water.

[0028] The method of the present invention further includes the steps of cleaning and drying the solidified embedded particles.

[0029] The present invention also provides the application of the above-described encapsulated particles or the encapsulated particles prepared by the above-described method in the preparation of food.

[0030] The present invention also provides a yogurt comprising the above-described encapsulated particles or encapsulated particles prepared by the method.

[0031] The yogurt of this invention can maintain the live bacteria activity of yogurt at room temperature, with high integrity of the live bacteria particles and a popping sensation in the mouth. It provides health benefits while also offering the pleasurable experience of popping boba.

[0032] The beneficial effects of this invention are at least as follows:

[0033] The encapsulated particles of this invention not only have a novel bursting taste, but also effectively protect the live bacteria encapsulated therein. When added to yogurt, a product with a high number of live bacteria and a novel taste can be obtained at room temperature. Attached Figure Description

[0034] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the cross-sectional view of the dripping head of a pellet mill.

[0035] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the droplet structure. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to specific examples. It should be understood that the following examples are given for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications and substitutions to the present invention without departing from its spirit and essence.

[0037] Unless otherwise specified, the experimental methods used in the following examples are conventional methods. Unless otherwise specified, the materials and reagents used in the following examples are commercially available or prepared according to conventional methods in the art.

[0038] This invention provides a method for preparing encapsulated particles and yogurt containing them, specifically including:

[0039] 1. Chemicals

[0040] (1) Colloidal material: The colloidal substances in the first colloidal layer and the second colloidal layer are completely dissolved in water to obtain the first layer of adhesive solution and the second layer of adhesive solution respectively.

[0041] The colloidal substances in the first colloidal layer include agar, xanthan gum, and gellan gum; the colloidal substances in the second colloidal layer include gelatin, sodium alginate, and konjac gum.

[0042] (2) Microbial culture preparation: Add microbial powder to MCT, and at the same time add dietary fiber (including one or more of the following soluble dietary fibers such as polydextrose, inulin, citrus fiber, resistant dextrin, galactooligosaccharide, and fructooligosaccharide), and start stirring until the powder is completely and fully dissolved in MCT to obtain microbial culture.

[0043] 2. Dropping pills

[0044] The pelletizing machine is a conventional pelletizing machine. The pelletizing head adopts a four-layer structure, including a bacterial solution outlet, a first-layer glue outlet, a gas outlet, and a second-layer glue outlet. A cross-sectional schematic diagram is shown below. Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the prepared droplet structure is shown below. Figure 2 The pellets are arranged in three layers: the innermost layer is a bacterial solution core formed by bacterial solution; the second layer is a first colloidal layer formed by the first layer of adhesive solution; the third layer is a gas layer; and the fourth (outermost) layer is a second colloidal layer formed by the solidification of the second layer of adhesive solution. The bacterial solution, the first layer of adhesive solution, and the second layer of adhesive solution are all supplied from the pellet machine's raw material tank. The gas in the gas layer is supplied through an external gas tank (the gas in the external gas tank is supplied to the gas outlet in the pellet head through a hose). A pressure regulating valve is located at the outlet of the gas tank to adjust the gas pressure and flow rate.

[0045] (1) Feeding: The prepared adhesive solution and bacterial solution are fed into the raw material tank of the pelleting machine.

[0046] (2) Gas regulation: Open the pressure regulating valve at the outlet of the gas tank and adjust the gas flow rate.

[0047] (3) Droplets: The four outlets of the dropper discharge material simultaneously, and droplets are formed into spherical embedded particles.

[0048] (4) Curing: The obtained embedded particles are immersed in curing solution and fully cured. The curing solution includes water (97 parts), calcium chloride (1.5 parts), and glycerol (1.5 parts) by weight.

[0049] 3. Cleaning

[0050] (1) Cleaning: Clean the solidified embedded particles with water.

[0051] (2) Drying: The embedded particles are dried using a dryer. The drying temperature is 30℃ and the drying time is more than 8 hours.

[0052] (3) Second cleaning: Use 100% pure alcohol to clean the dried embedded particles.

[0053] (4) Drying: Dry the embedded particles to evaporate the alcohol residue on the surface.

[0054] 4. Yogurt product preparation

[0055] (1) Feeding: Mix the prepared encapsulated particles with the jam and feed them in. The encapsulated particles account for 6% of the jam mass.

[0056] (2) Sterilization: The embedded particles and jam are sterilized using a scraper sterilizer at a temperature of 102℃ for 30 minutes.

[0057] (3) Dynamic mixing and aseptic filling: The sterilized encapsulated particles and jam are dynamically mixed with yogurt (the total mass of the encapsulated particles and jam is 10% of the mass of yogurt). After mixing, the mixture is aseptically filled, and the final product has a pH value of 4.2-4.4.

[0058] Examples 1-6

[0059] This embodiment describes the preparation of encapsulated particles according to the method described above. Specific formulations and process parameters for each embodiment are shown in Table 1. The bacterial powder is BC99 Bacillus coagulans powder, and the viable cell content of the raw material bacterial powder is 200 billion CFU / g.

[0060] Table 1

[0061]

[0062] Comparative Example 1

[0063] This comparative example provides an embedded particle whose preparation method and formulation are basically the same as those in Example 4, except that the components and amounts of the first layer of adhesive are as follows: 0.2 parts agar, 0.7 parts xanthan gum, 2.95 parts gellan gum, and water as the balance.

[0064] Comparative Example 2

[0065] This comparative example provides an embedded particle whose preparation method and formulation are basically the same as those in Example 4, except that the components and amounts of the second layer of adhesive are as follows: 0.5 parts gelatin, 0.45 parts sodium alginate, 2.65 parts konjac gum, and water as the balance.

[0066] Comparative Example 3

[0067] This comparative example provides an embedded particle whose preparation method and formulation are basically the same as those in Example 4, except that the pressure regulating valve at the outlet of the gas tank is adjusted to reduce the gas flow rate so that the thickness of the gas layer is 0.2 mm.

[0068] Comparative Example 4

[0069] This comparative example provides an embedded particle whose preparation method and formulation are basically the same as those in Example 4, except that the composition of the gas layer is changed, and only nitrogen is used as a component of the gas layer.

[0070] Comparative Example 5

[0071] This comparative example provides an embedded particle whose preparation method and formulation are basically the same as those in Example 4, except that gelatin is used to replace xanthan gum in the first layer of adhesive components.

[0072] Comparative Example 6

[0073] This comparative example provides an embedded particle whose preparation method and formulation are basically the same as those in Example 4, except that xanthan gum in the first layer of the adhesive is replaced with konjac gum.

[0074] Comparative Example 7

[0075] This comparative example provides an embedded particle whose preparation method and formulation are basically the same as those in Example 4, except that carrageenan is used to replace konjac gum in the second layer of adhesive components.

[0076] Comparative Example 8

[0077] This comparative example provides an embedded particle whose preparation method and formulation are basically the same as those in Example 4, except that pectin is used to replace konjac gum in the second layer of the adhesive component.

[0078] Experimental Example

[0079] 1. Sensory evaluation of particles:

[0080] Sensory evaluation was conducted by 30 evaluators. The particle sensory categories were particle burst sensation and particle chewing sensation, with specific standards shown in Table 2. To make the results more intuitive, evaluation levels were assigned values: Excellent 90 points, Good 70 points, Average 50 points, and Poor 30 points. The corresponding scores were multiplied by the number of evaluators, summed, and then divided by the total number of evaluators to obtain the average sensory score for each sample. A higher average score indicates better sensory performance. Statistical results are shown in Table 3.

[0081] Table 2

[0082]

[0083] Table 3

[0084]

[0085] Example 4 achieved the best results in terms of both the bursting sensation and the chewing sensation of the particles, and also received the highest final score.

[0086] 2. Degree of damage, number of viable bacteria, and number of viable bacteria over a six-month shelf life; results are shown in Table 4.

[0087] Defect rate: The encapsulated particles prepared in each example and each comparative example were added to yogurt according to the method described in Example 1 to obtain the final product. After being left for 2 days, 100 encapsulated particles were taken and the number of broken particles was screened. Defect rate = number of broken particles / 100 × 100%.

[0088] Live bacteria count: The encapsulated particles prepared in each example and each comparative example were added to yogurt according to the method described in Example 1 to obtain the final product. Ten particles were randomly selected from each example, washed, and added to 100ml of aqueous solution. The particles were ground thoroughly until the outer shell broke and all the bacteria in the particles dissolved in the water. The total number of bacteria in the aqueous solution was measured, and the total number of bacteria was divided by 10 to obtain the bacterial content in each particle.

[0089] Viable bacteria count over six months: After storing the final product at room temperature for six months, randomly select 10 granules from each batch, wash them, and test the viable bacteria count survival rate in each batch using the method described above. Viable bacteria count survival rate over six months = (Number of viable bacteria after six months / Number of viable bacteria before six months) × 100%.

[0090] Table 4

[0091]

[0092] 3. Texture, results are shown in Tables 5 and 6:

[0093] The hardness of the embedded particles was tested using an SMS texture analyzer. The descent speed before testing was 2 mm / s, the testing speed was 1.5 mm / s, the ascent speed after testing was 2 mm / s, the trigger force was 1 g, and the descent height was 3 mm. Ten particles were tested for each example, and the average value of the results was taken.

[0094] The elasticity of the embedded particles was tested using an SMS texture analyzer. The descent speed before the test was 2 mm / s, the test speed was 1.5 mm / s, the rise speed after the test was 2 mm / s, the trigger force was 1 g, the descent height was 1 mm, and the degree of rebound was tested. Ten particles were tested for each example, and the average value of the results was taken.

[0095] Table 5

[0096]

[0097] Table 6

[0098]

[0099] Although the present invention has been described in detail above with general descriptions and specific embodiments, modifications or improvements can be made to it, which will be obvious to those skilled in the art. Therefore, all such modifications or improvements made without departing from the spirit of the present invention fall within the scope of protection claimed by the present invention.

Claims

1. An encapsulated particle, characterized in that, From the inside out, it includes: a bacterial culture core, a first colloidal layer, a gas layer, and a second colloidal layer solidified by calcium ions; the colloidal substances in the first colloidal layer include agar, xanthan gum, and gellan gum in a mass ratio of (0.5-2):(0.05-1):(1-5); the colloidal substances in the second colloidal layer include gelatin, sodium alginate, and konjac gum in a mass ratio of (1-5):(0.05-0.5):(0.5-3); the gas in the gas layer includes nitrogen and carbon dioxide; The diameter of the bacterial solution core is 2.0-2.5 mm, and the thicknesses of the first colloidal layer, the gas layer, and the second colloidal layer after calcium ion curing are 0.4-0.7 mm, 0.3-0.5 mm, and 0.35-0.65 mm, respectively. The gas in the gas layer contains 50-90% nitrogen and the remainder is carbon dioxide.

2. The encapsulated particles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bacterial solution core includes bacterial powder, MCT and dietary fiber; the mass ratio of bacterial powder, MCT and dietary fiber is (10-20):(75-85):(3-10).

3. The encapsulated particles according to claim 2, characterized in that, The dietary fiber includes one or more of polydextrose, inulin, citrus fiber, resistant dextrin, galactooligosaccharides, and fructooligosaccharides.

4. The encapsulated particles according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The average diameter of the embedded particles is 4.5-5.5 mm.

5. A method for preparing the encapsulated particles according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, include: The colloidal substances in the first colloidal layer and the second colloidal layer are completely dissolved in water to obtain a first layer of adhesive solution and a second layer of adhesive solution. The components in the bacterial solution core are thoroughly mixed to obtain the bacterial solution; Connect the gas cylinder to the gas outlet in the dripper to supply gas into the gas layer; By using a four-layer droplet method, the first layer of adhesive solution is wrapped around the bacterial solution, the gas layer is located outside the first colloidal layer formed by the first layer of adhesive solution, and the second layer of adhesive solution is located outside the gas layer, thus obtaining droplets to be cured; The pellets to be cured are cured in a calcium ion solution to obtain cured embedded particles.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, Each 100 parts by weight of the first layer of adhesive solution includes 0.5-2 parts agar, 0.05-1 parts xanthan gum, 1-5 parts gellan gum, and the remainder is water; Each 100 parts by weight of the second layer adhesive solution includes 1-5 parts gelatin, 0.05-0.5 parts sodium alginate, 0.5-3 parts konjac gum, and the remainder is water; And / or, each 100 parts by weight of the calcium ion solution comprises 1.2-2 parts calcium salt, 1.2-1.7 parts glycerol, and the balance being water.

7. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that, It also includes the steps of cleaning and drying the solidified embedded particles.

8. The use of the encapsulated particles according to any one of claims 1-4 or the encapsulated particles prepared by the method according to any one of claims 5-7 in the preparation of food.

9. A type of yogurt, characterized in that, Includes the encapsulated particles according to any one of claims 1-4 or the encapsulated particles prepared by the method according to any one of claims 5-7.

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