PREPARATION FOR COLOURING AND / OR FLAVORING FOOD

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a preparation for coloring and / or flavoring foods, comprising (i) an oil phase comprising one, two, or more active ingredients selected from the group consisting of food colorings, coloring foods, flavorings, and flavoring foods, wherein the oil phase is in the form of oil droplets and the oil droplets have a diameter of 50 µm or less, (ii) a surfactant system comprising the dry matter of one, two, or more foods selected from the group consisting of fruits and vegetables and parts thereof, and (iii) water. These are oil-in-water emulsions and the spray-dried products thereof. The present invention further relates to various methods for producing the preparations. State of the art

[0002] Consumers of processed foods are increasingly demanding a reduction, or even a complete elimination, of food additives, particularly emulsifiers and similar substances such as gum arabic and modified starches. On the other hand, consumers will only accept food products if they retain their familiar colors and hues of known intensity, their familiar aroma, and meet other standard quality requirements, such as shelf life, freedom from sediment and deposits at the bottle neck, etc.

[0003] The production of colored and / or flavored foods generally requires the use of emulsifiers, gum arabic, and / or modified starches when using colorants or flavorings that are not soluble in the food. Since the vast majority of foods are water-based and therefore lipophobic, the use of lipophilic colorants often necessitates the use of emulsifiers. For this purpose, a number of emulsifiers, gum arabic, and modified starches are permitted under food law; these are mostly derived from plant material and are therefore natural products. Nevertheless, the use of such food additives is increasingly viewed critically by consumers.In order to meet consumer demands, preparations and processes must therefore be developed that allow lipophilic substances to be used in lipophobic foods without using the known and / or approved emulsifiers, gum arabic or modified starches.

[0004] In particular, coloring foods, if based on oily plant extracts with fat-soluble pigments, i.e., oil-soluble coloring foods (e.g., paprika oil, turmeric oil extract), cannot usually be incorporated into lipophobic foods without the use of legally approved emulsifiers, gum arabic, modified starches, or similar substances.

[0005] JP 2001-346557 A discloses carbonated beverages containing coloring or fragrance substances in an oil phase, emulsified with the aid of emulsifiers, and which also contain pulp.

[0006] DE 10 2007 057258 A1 relates to oil-in-water emulsions used for flavoring organic foods. In this process, flavoring oil is mixed with a polysaccharide and dispersed in a protein solution to form the emulsion. The creaming and turbidity stability of the emulsion is adjusted via the oil-polysaccharide ratio.

[0007] German patent DE 10 2015 111743 A1 describes a process for producing coloring preparations suitable for human consumption, encompassing the steps of providing dried plants or plant parts, macerating the provided plants or plant parts in the presence of water, a pectinase, and a cellulase, adding a vegetable oil to the macerated mixture, and mixing the vegetable oil with the mixture. The dried plants or plant parts are specifically dried spice powders, such as turmeric powder.

[0008] The article by Izidoro et al., "Rheological Properties of Emulsions Stabilized by Green Banana (Musa cavendishii) Pulp Fitted by Power Law Model", Arch. Biol. Technol. v, pages 1541-1553, discloses oil-in-water emulsions intended for use as mayonnaise. These comprise 10 to 20% water, 20 to 25% soybean oil, and 60-70% banana pulp.

[0009] The article Chatsisvili et al., "Physicochemical properties of a dressing-type o / w emulsion as influenced by orange pulp fiber incorporation", LWT - Food Science and Technology, Academic Press, UK, Vol. 46, No. 1, pages 335-340, discloses an oil-in-water emulsion containing liquid egg yolk, oil and orange pulp.

[0010] The article Shanmugam et al., "Characterization of Ultrasonically Prepared Flaxseed Oil Enriched Beverage / Carrot Juice Emulsions and Process-Induced Changes to the Functional Properties of Carrot Juice", Food and Bioprocess Technology, Springer-Verlag, New York, Vol. 8, No. 6, pages 1258-1266, discloses a water-in-oil emulsion containing 99% carrot juice and 1% linseed oil.

[0011] The article Rahmadi et al, "DRAGON FRUIT JUICE ADDITION IN PALM OIL-PUMPKIN EMULSION: PANELIST ACCEPTANCE AND ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY" J. Teknol. dan Industri Pagan, pages 122-128, discloses a water-in-oil emulsion containing pumpkin juice, dragon fruit juice, palm oil (MSM), carboxymethylcellulose, xanthan gum, cinnamon, fructose syrup, citric acid, and raspberry flavoring, which is produced by homogenization.

[0012] The publication Anonymous: "GNPD-Purune Garrot Cheese-Record ID: 600793", GNPD, pages 1-2, is a product data sheet for a cheese containing carrot juice. Object of the present invention

[0013] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide agents that allow the use of lipophilic colorings and flavorings in hydrophilic and lipophobic foods. The object is, in particular, to eliminate the need for conventional surfactants, especially emulsifiers, gum arabic, or modified starches. Preferably, the agents according to the invention should consist exclusively of foodstuffs.

[0014] In particular, the use of oil-soluble food colorings, oil-soluble coloring foods, oil-soluble flavorings, and oil-soluble flavoring foods without the addition of emulsifiers, gum arabic, or modified starches in aqueous foods such as confectionery, fruit preparations, yogurt, and beverages should be made possible. The new products should be as long-lasting and colorfast as possible. Furthermore, they should allow the production of foods with a permanently and intensely colored appearance and / or an intense and long-lasting, unchanged flavor. Colorings and flavorings should also be provided that, when used in beverages, leave no or as few deposits as possible on bottle necks or on the inner walls or bottoms of containers. Description of the invention

[0015] The present invention relates to a preparation comprising (i) an oil phase comprising one, two or more active ingredients selected from the group consisting of food colourants, colouring foods, flavourings and flavouring foods, wherein the oil phase is in the form of oil droplets and the oil droplets have a diameter of 50 µm or less, wherein the measurement method mentioned in the description is used to determine the diameter of the oil droplets; (ii) a surfactant system comprising the dry matter of one, two or more foodstuffs selected from the group consisting of fruits and vegetables and parts thereof; and (iii) water. wherein the preparation contains at least 10 wt% of the dry matter of one, two or more foodstuffs selected from the group consisting of fruits and vegetables and parts thereof, wherein the wt% are based on the weight of the preparation, and wherein the foodstuffs are selected from the group consisting of carrot concentrate, carrot concentrate with pulp, carrot juice concentrate, carrot juice concentrate with pulp, pumpkin concentrate, pumpkin concentrate with pulp, pumpkin juice concentrate and pumpkin juice concentrate with pulp, wherein the preparation contains 1 to 20 wt% oil phase and up to 70 wt%-% water comprising an oil-in-water emulsion, characterized in that the preparation contains no food additive selected from the group consisting of lecithins (E 322), gum arabic (E 414), polysorbates (E 432 - E 436), ammonium salts of phosphatidic acids (E 442), sucrose acetate isobutyrate (E 444), salts of fatty acids (E 470), mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E 471), esterified mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E 472), acetic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E 472a), citric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E 472c), sugar esters of fatty acids (E 473), sucrose glycerides (E 474), polyglycerol esters of fatty acids (E 475), polyglycerol polyricinoleate (E 476), propylene glycol esters of fatty acids (E 477), stearoyl acetylates (E 481, E 482), stearyl tartrate (E 483), sorbitan esters of fatty acids (E 491 - E 495), saponins (e.g.Quillaja extract (E 999) and modified starches (E1450).

[0016] The abbreviation "µm" stands for micrometer.

[0017] The present invention is based on the surprising discovery that the constituents of fruits and vegetables form a surface-active system capable of emulsifying oil droplets in aqueous systems. These constituents are able to form and stabilize oil-in-water emulsions in food products. They can therefore replace conventional emulsifiers, gum arabic, modified starches, and similar substances.

[0018] The preparations according to the invention can be liquid, pasty, or solid. They are oil-in-water emulsions.

[0019] Dry matter is the portion (ingredient) of a fruit or vegetable, or a part thereof, that remains after the removal of water. The meaning of the term "dry matter" is not limited to actually dried substances, but also refers to the portion of undried vegetables or fruits, or parts thereof, that would remain after drying. The dry matter content is preferably determined by drying at 105°C until a constant weight is achieved.

[0020] It is important that the surfactant system according to the invention, comprising the dry matter of one, two, or more foodstuffs selected from the group consisting of fruits and vegetables and parts thereof, need not contain any further substances to exert its surfactant effect. The emulsifying effect of the surfactant system according to the invention is so pronounced that no further emulsifiers, gum arabic, modified starches, or other additives, in particular no other food additives, are necessary to produce stable emulsions. Preferably, the surfactant system consists of the dry matter of one, two, or more foodstuffs selected from the group consisting of fruits and vegetables and parts thereof. The preparations according to the invention can therefore be composed entirely of foodstuffs and need not contain any additives whatsoever.They can therefore be classified as food. The preparations according to the invention are therefore preferably food. However, food and food additives can be added. Preferably, the preparations according to the invention do not contain emulsifiers. According to the invention, the preparations do not contain any substance selected from the group consisting of gum arabic and modified starches. Most preferably, the preparations according to the invention do not contain any food additives at all. A food additive is defined as a substance that is authorized as a food additive in the EU on the date of filing of the first German application for this patent application. Therefore, when using such preparations according to the invention, no food additives need to be declared on the food packaging.

[0021] According to the invention, the preparations contain no food additives selected from the group consisting of lecithins (E 322), gum arabic (E 414), polysorbates (E 432 - E 436), ammonium salts of phosphatidic acids (E 442), sucrose acetate isobutyrate (E 444), salts of fatty acids (E 470), mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E 471), esterified mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E 472), acetic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E 472a), citric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E 472c), sugar esters of fatty acids (E 473), sucrose glycerides (E 474), polyglycerol esters of fatty acids (E 475). Polyglycerol polyricinoleate (E 476), propylene glycol esters of fatty acids (E 477), stearoyl acetylates (E 481, E 482), stearyl tartrate (E 483), sorbitan esters of fatty acids (E 491 - E 495), saponins (e.g., quillaja extract E999) and modified starches (E 1450).

[0022] Preferably, the preparations according to the invention contain, in addition to the surfactant system according to the invention, no more than 5% by weight, preferably no more than 3% by weight, and particularly preferably no more than 1% by weight of one or more emulsifiers. This applies in particular to emulsifiers selected from the aforementioned group. However, the preparations according to the invention preferably contain no emulsifiers in addition to the surfactant system according to the invention. The preparation according to the invention contains no emulsifier selected from the aforementioned group. The composition according to the invention preferably contains neither emulsifiers nor a food additive selected from the group consisting of gum arabic and modified starches. In particular, the preparation according to the invention contains no substance selected from the aforementioned groups of food additives.The composition according to the invention is most preferably free of any food additives.

[0023] The preparation according to the invention is preferably intended for use in foodstuffs. Therefore, preferably only parts of fruits and vegetables suitable for human consumption are used, as is common practice in the food industry.

[0024] While the surfactant system according to the invention exhibits a surfactant effect at all ratios of oil phase to surfactant system, a preparation according to the invention is preferred that comprises oil phase and surfactant system in a weight ratio of 1:1 to 1:80. If smaller relative amounts of the surfactant system are used, food emulsions and dispersions that are colored or flavored using the preparation according to the invention become increasingly unstable. This can manifest itself in the macroscopic appearance of an oil phase in the food or in changes to the color, odor, or taste. A larger amount of the surfactant system is generally unnecessary and therefore also unnecessarily expensive. It can affect the taste of the food.

[0025] According to the invention, the preparations contain at least 10, preferably at least 20, particularly preferably at least 30, and most preferably at least 40 wt.% of the dry matter of one, two, or more foodstuffs selected from the group consisting of fruits and vegetables and parts thereof. If the amount of the aforementioned dry matter decreases, the preparations tend to become instability, particularly if they are emulsions. Colored food emulsions produced from them also tend to become instability at low amounts of the aforementioned dry matter. Furthermore, the preparations according to the invention contain up to 20, particularly preferably up to 15, and most preferably up to 12 wt.% of the oil phase. Furthermore, the preparations according to the invention contain up to 70, particularly preferably up to 60, and most preferably up to 50, and most preferably up to 40 wt.% water.If the preparations according to the invention are in powder form, the water content is preferably 10 wt.% or less, particularly preferably 5 wt.% or less and most particularly preferably 3 wt.% or less.

[0026] Accordingly, the preparations according to the invention contain at least 10 wt.% of the dry matter of one, two, or more foodstuffs selected from the group consisting of fruits and vegetables and parts thereof, up to 20 wt.% of the oil phase, and up to 70 wt.% water. Particularly preferably, the preparations according to the invention contain at least 20 wt.% of the dry matter of one, two, or more foodstuffs selected from the group consisting of fruits and vegetables and parts thereof, up to 20 wt.% of the oil phase, and up to 60 wt.% water. Most preferably, the preparations according to the invention contain at least 30 wt.% of the dry matter of one, two, or more foodstuffs selected from the group consisting of fruits and vegetables and parts thereof, up to 15 wt.% of the oil phase, and up to 55 wt.% water. Most preferably, the preparations according to the invention contain at least 40 wt.% of the dry matter of one, two, or more foodstuffs selected from the group consisting of fruits and vegetables and parts thereof.-% of the dry matter of one, two or more foodstuffs selected from the group consisting of fruits and vegetables and parts thereof, up to 15% by weight of the oil phase and up to 45% by weight of the water.

[0027] According to the invention, the active ingredients of the oil phase are selected from the group consisting of coloring foods and flavoring foods. Furthermore, according to the invention, the active ingredients are selected from the group consisting of food colorings and coloring foods. Coloring foods are particularly preferred as active ingredients. The oil phase is particularly preferably a food product.

[0028] A preparation according to the invention is particularly preferred in which the oil phase comprises at least one turmeric oil extract or at least one paprika oil, or both. The oil phase is particularly preferably composed of at least one turmeric oil extract or at least one paprika oil, or both. The oil phase is also particularly preferably composed of or comprises at least one paprika oil. Most preferably, the oil phase comprises at least one turmeric oil extract. Most preferably, it consists of the following.

[0029] Preferably, the oil phase of the preparation according to the invention comprises 0.1 to 45 wt.% active ingredients. The remainder of the oil phase generally consists of other lipophilic substances. Particularly preferably, the oil phase of the preparation according to the invention comprises 1 to 40 wt.% active ingredients, and most preferably 2 to 30 wt.%. Preferably, the entire oil phase consists of plant-based ingredients. In addition to coloring and flavoring substances, the oil phase can also comprise at least one vegetable oil. Most preferably, the oil phase comprises extracts of plants or plant parts containing oil-soluble pigments or flavorings, which are obtained by extraction through a lipophilic solvent. The solvent can be, for example, hexane, dichloromethane, acetone, methanol, ethanol, ethyl acetate, vegetable oils, or supercritical carbon dioxide. Such extracts are known, for example, as oil-dispersible extracts or oleoresins.They can contain both pigments and flavorings. Such extracts typically contain, in addition to the active ingredients, other lipophilic substances from the extracted plants or plant parts. Therefore, the oil phase preferably comprises oil-dispersible extracts containing pigments or flavorings. Ideally, the oil phase consists of these.

[0030] A preferred preparation according to the invention is characterized in that the oil droplets have a diameter of 20 µm or less, preferably 8 µm or less, and most preferably 5 µm or less. A small particle diameter improves the optical properties and stability, in particular the long-term stability, of the preparation according to the invention for colored and / or flavored foods. In particular, a small particle size leads to a very uniform distribution of color and flavor. The diameter of the oil droplets in solid or semi-solid preparations is determined by distributing or diluting them in water so that the diameters of the oil droplets can be determined.

[0031] Both the oil phase and the surfactant system of the preparation according to the invention can contain pigments and flavorings. However, the colors of the surfactant systems are generally not very intense. By appropriately selecting the colorant of the oil phase, the color of the surfactant system can usually be made less noticeable. Preferably, the color of the surfactant system is matched to the desired hue of the preparation according to the invention. For example, a surfactant system derived from pumpkin (e.g., pumpkin juice concentrate) is advantageously combined with an oil phase comprising turmeric oil extract to obtain a product with a strong yellow hue. Paprika oil combined with tomato paste results in a product with a strong red color.

[0032] The above statements regarding color and dyes also apply analogously to aroma and flavors.

[0033] The preparations according to the invention may also contain other ingredients and additives commonly found in food. Of particular note are sugars, which can be used to adjust the dry matter content. Protective substances such as antioxidants, for example tocopherol or ascorbic acid, or pH regulators, for example acids, may also be included as additives.

[0034] The preparation according to the invention is an oil-in-water emulsion. This is also the preferred application form of the preparation according to the invention. Such emulsions can be easily incorporated into liquid, semi-liquid, or semi-liquid foods, resulting in very homogeneous mixtures and very homogeneous color impressions. It is further preferred that the surfactant system comprises 40 to 80 wt.% and particularly preferably 50 to 70 wt.% of the aqueous phase. Such emulsions are stable and exhibit a favorable viscosity. They are therefore easy to handle in the manufacturing process and in further processing into colored foods. In particular, such emulsions are shelf-stable.

[0035] Particularly preferred are preparations according to the invention which are oil-in-water emulsions comprising as the oil phase one of the oil phases described herein and an aqueous phase, wherein the aqueous phase comprises the dry matter of at least one substance selected from the group consisting of vegetable concentrate, vegetable concentrate with pulp, vegetable juice concentrate, vegetable juice concentrate with pulp, fruit concentrate, fruit concentrate with pulp, fruit juice concentrate, and fruit juice concentrate with pulp. The preparation according to the invention may also comprise these substances themselves and mixtures thereof. According to the invention, the preparation in the form of such an oil-in-water emulsion comprises the dry matter of at least one substance selected from the group consisting of vegetable juice concentrate with pulp and fruit juice concentrate with pulp. The preparation according to the invention in the form of such an oil-in-water emulsion may also comprise these substances themselves and mixtures thereof.According to the invention, the preparation according to the invention, in the form of such an oil-in-water emulsion, comprises the dry substance of at least one substance selected from the group consisting of carrot juice concentrate, carrot juice concentrate with pulp, pumpkin juice concentrate, and pumpkin juice concentrate with pulp. The preparation according to the invention, in the form of such an oil-in-water emulsion, can also comprise these substances themselves and mixtures thereof. Most preferably, the preparation according to the invention, in the form of such an oil-in-water emulsion, comprises the dry substance of at least one substance selected from the group consisting of carrot juice concentrate and carrot juice concentrate with pulp. Such fruit and vegetable juice concentrates are commercially available and often have the right consistency for the production of the preparations according to the invention.They are therefore usually usable for the production of the emulsions according to the invention without further processing, in particular without adjusting the water content. In particular, the water content often does not need to be adjusted separately.

[0036] The emulsions according to the invention can be easily produced by homogenizing mixtures of the components. They may also contain solids, for example, solid particles of fruit, which are not completely dissolved by the production process. Preferably, any solid particles contained are smaller than 50 µm, more preferably smaller than 20 µm, particularly preferably smaller than 8 µm, and most preferably smaller than 5 µm. It is also preferred that the solid particles are no larger than the oil particles. However, the preparations according to the invention may also contain solids, such as fruit pieces, pulp, etc., which were added to the preparations after homogenization. Such solids may, for example, be intended to remain in the final product to be colored.

[0037] In another embodiment of the preparation according to the invention, the powder is readily available. Such powders can be easily obtained from the corresponding emulsions by drying. The powders according to the invention have the advantage that they can be mixed with powdered or solid foods or stirred into liquid or aqueous foods. The powders are preferably intended for mixing with powdered foods such as baking mixes, dry dessert mixes, dry soups (instant soups), or dry sauces (instant sauces). Before being incorporated into food, they can be converted into preparations according to the invention by stirring with water or aqueous compositions and then incorporated into the food. The powders according to the invention are also stable and, in particular, have a long shelf life. A preparation according to the invention that is a redispersible powder is especially preferred.Such redispersible powders are easily accessible, for example, by spray-drying the preparations according to the invention in the form of emulsions.

[0038] Another aspect of the present invention is a method for producing an oil-in-water emulsion, comprising the following steps: Providing an oil comprising one, two or more active ingredients selected from the group consisting of food colorings, coloring foods, flavorings and flavoring foods; providing plant parts, wherein the plant parts are selected from the group consisting of carrot concentrate, carrot concentrate with pulp, carrot juice concentrate, carrot juice concentrate with pulp, pumpkin concentrate, pumpkin concentrate with pulp, pumpkin juice concentrate and pumpkin juice concentrate with pulp; combining the oil and the plant material; homogenizing the mixture to produce an oil-in-water emulsion in which the oil droplets have a diameter of 50 µm or less.

[0039] Depending on the suitability of the process, the aforementioned ingredients and additives can be added to the mixture before or after homogenization.

[0040] Homogenization is preferably carried out until the oil droplets have a diameter of less than 20 µm, particularly preferably less than 8 µm, and most preferably less than 5 µm. A particularly preferred method according to the invention is characterized in that the homogenization of the mixture is carried out in two stages, wherein homogenization is performed in a first step and high-pressure homogenization is performed in a second step. Homogenization is understood to mean any type of homogenization except high-pressure homogenization. A very particularly preferred method according to the invention is characterized in that the homogenization of the mixture is carried out in two stages, wherein homogenization is performed in a first step by dispersion, in particular by an Ultra-Turrax® homogenizer, and high-pressure homogenization is performed in a second step. Homogenization in the first step is preferably carried out at a rotational speed of 5,000 to 15,000 rpm.The process is carried out at 000 revolutions per minute for 10 minutes. In the second step, high-pressure homogenization is preferably carried out at 500 to 1200 bar until the oil droplets reach the desired size.

[0041] Fruits and vegetables are offered industrially in a wide variety of prepared forms. In the present process, plants and plant parts are preferably used as described herein for the preparations according to the invention, and in particular as described herein for the preparations described herein as preferred. Since a dry matter content of approximately 40 to 80% by weight is preferred in the present invention, fruit and vegetable products with such a content or a similar content of dry matter are preferably used. According to the invention, a process as described herein is characterized in that the plant parts are selected from the group consisting of carrot concentrate, carrot concentrate with pulp, carrot juice concentrate, carrot juice concentrate with pulp, pumpkin concentrate, pumpkin concentrate with pulp, pumpkin juice concentrate, and pumpkin juice concentrate with pulp.Different preparation methods can also be combined. For example, fruit or vegetable juices can be mixed with vegetable or fruit powder to achieve the right composition. Water can also be added or removed through drying. Sugars can be added as further additives.

[0042] If fruits, vegetables, or parts thereof are used, they are suitably chopped and, if necessary, dried. Chopping can be carried out by conventional methods, preferably selected from the group consisting of cutting, grinding, pressing, macerating, blending, and homogenizing. However, all other known methods for chopping are also suitable. Drying can also be carried out by conventional methods and is preferably carried out by one or more methods selected from the group consisting of spray drying, freeze-drying, freeze concentration, vacuum drying (including vacuum foam drying), foam layer drying, roller drying, moving film drying, high-frequency drying, spray coating, and microwave drying. Spray drying is preferred. During drying, just enough water can be removed to achieve a suitable composition of the aqueous phase.Preferably, no further substances are added during the shredding and drying of the fruits and vegetables. In particular, no substances that remain in the processed product.

[0043] Another aspect of the present invention is a method for producing a powder, wherein the preparation according to the invention, in the form of an oil-in-water emulsion, is dried to a powder. All of the aforementioned drying methods can be used for drying. Drying by spray drying is preferred. Spray drying yields a redispersible powder, which can be redispersed by simply mixing it with water or an aqueous composition. If drying methods other than spray drying are used, the powder may need to be redispersed by intensive stirring or homogenization. Drying aids such as maltodextrin can be added to the oil-in-water emulsions according to the invention before drying. Such aids, which are commonly added during drying and exert their effects during the drying process, are known to those skilled in the art.

[0044] Accordingly, a further aspect of the present invention is a method for producing an oil-in-water emulsion, wherein a preparation according to the invention in the form of a powder is redispersed in water, thus producing an oil-in-water emulsion. The redispersion is preferably carried out by simply combining it with water or an aqueous composition. However, the redispersion can also be carried out by stirring or homogenization.

[0045] All information given above regarding the preparations according to the invention, their oil phase, their surfactant system, and their water content also applies accordingly to the manufacturing processes. In particular, the embodiments preferred for the preparations according to the invention are also preferred analogously for the processes.

[0046] Another aspect of the present invention is a preparation, in particular a preparation according to the invention as described herein, characterized in that it is produced according to a process as described herein. Preferably, a preparation according to the invention as described herein is characterized in that it is produced according to a process as described herein, in which the homogenization of the mixture takes place in two stages, as described above.

[0047] Foodstuffs can contain the preparations according to the invention. Preferably, these are aqueous or powdered foods. Particularly preferably, the foodstuff is selected from the group consisting of confectionery, fruit preparations, dairy products, especially yogurt, beverages, especially flavored beverages, baked goods, especially baking mixes, dry dessert mixes, dry soups (instant soups), dry sauces (instant sauces), and beverages. Preferably, such foodstuffs do not contain any further emulsifiers.

[0048] The preparation according to the invention can be used for coloring or flavoring foods. The use of the preparation according to the invention for coloring or flavoring foods selected from the group consisting of dairy products, confectionery, baked goods, and beverages is particularly preferred. The use of the preparation according to the invention for coloring or flavoring foods selected from the group consisting of dairy products, confectionery, and baked goods is especially preferred. Among the dairy products, those selected from the group consisting of yogurt, ice cream, and cheese are particularly preferred.

[0049] The coloring and flavoring of cheese occupy a special position in this context. In cheese production, it is important that the colorings and / or flavorings remain in the cheese residue, but not in the whey. The whey obtained during cheese production should not be colored or flavored, i.e., ideally should contain no colorings and / or flavorings whatsoever, as it is often further processed into baby food or sold on. However, flavored or colored whey is usually unsuitable for further processing into baby food and would then be unusable and would have to be discarded or processed into less profitable products such as pet food. The compositions according to the invention, however, ensure that when used for coloring cheese, only a very small proportion of the colorings and / or flavorings remain in the whey.The most preferred use of the preparation according to the invention is therefore for coloring or flavoring cheese.

[0050] Foodstuffs can be colored or have their color added by means of the preparation according to the invention. Foodstuffs selected from the group consisting of dairy products, confectionery, baked goods, and beverages that are flavored or colored by means of the preparation according to the invention are particularly preferred. Foodstuffs selected from the group consisting of dairy products, confectionery, and baked goods that are colored or flavored by means of the preparation according to the invention are especially preferred. Among the dairy products, those foods selected from the group consisting of yogurt, ice cream, and cheese that are colored or flavored by means of the preparation according to the invention are particularly preferred. Cheese that is colored or flavored by means of the preparation according to the invention is most preferred. Examples: Raw materials:

[0051] 1. Carrot juice concentrate with pulp; available from: riha Wesergold Getränke GmbH & Co. KG, Rinteln, Germany; Soluble solids: 50 ± 5 °Brix; pH: 4.3 ± 0.3; Viscosity: 1000 ± 500 MPa*s. 2. Lemon juice concentrate; available from: IPRONA AG - SpA, Lana, Italy; Concentration: 8x; Soluble solids (20 °C): 55.0 to 57.0 °Brix; pH: 1.3 - 2.3; Acidity as citric acid: 350.0 - 450.0; Density: 1.310 g / ml. 3. Pumpkin juice concentrate; available from: Diana Naturals, Antrain, France; Concentration: 8.6x; Total carbohydrates 41 g, 59 to 61 °Brix; pH (10% solution): 4.8 to 6.8; acidity as citric acid: 0.3–1.7%; density: 1.310 g / ml. 4. Turmeric oleoresin; available from: Synthite, India. 5. Paprika oil (NatureBrite™ Paprika Oil); available from: Kalsec® Inc., Kalamazoo, Michigan, USA. 6.Gum arabic (E 414, "Spray Dried Gum Acacia 396 A"); available from: Alland & Robert, Paris, France; residual moisture less than or equal to 10%. 7. Maltodextrin ("Avebe™< MD 20 P"); available from Coöperatie AVEBE UA, Veendam, Netherlands; carbohydrate content 94.5%. 8. Maltodextrin ("Glucidex®< IT P12"); available from Roquette GmbH, Frankfurt, Germany; residual moisture 5% max. 9. Sugar ("White Sugar Fine Version 1401"); available from Ferdinand Kreutzer Sabamühle GmbH, Nuremberg, Germany. 10. Yogurt, commercially available yogurt without any additives, with a fat content of 3.5%. Measurement methods: 1. Particle sizes

[0052] Microscope: Axio Lab.A1 with 1000x magnification in conjunction with the Axio-Cam MR Rev3 camera and the evaluation program AxioVision, version 4.8.2 (available from Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH, Königsallee 9 - 21, 37081 Göttingen, Germany).

[0053] To measure particle size, five independent 100 ml samples are taken from the production batch. A 2 ml sample is drawn from each sample using a Pasteur pipette. A drop from each drawn sample is placed onto a glass slide, which is then covered with a 2 x 2 cm coverslip. A drop of immersion oil is placed on the coverslip. The slide with the sample is clamped onto the mechanical stage using the slide holder, the microscope is set to 1000x magnification, the objective lens is centered on the sample, and after immersing the objective lens in the drop of immersion oil, the image is focused. An image is then acquired using the installed Zeiss "Axio-Cam MR Rev3" microscope camera and the "AxioVision" software.In each image, the diameter of the largest oil droplet is measured, wherein the largest diameter of the oil droplets of the composition according to this invention is the mean of the microscopically measured diameters of the largest oil droplets of the five drops (samples). The diameter of all oil droplets is equal to or smaller than the largest diameter of the oil droplets. 2. Color value E1%

[0054] UV-VIS spectrophotometer: Shimadzu UV-VIS spectrophotometer UV-1800 (available from Shimadzu Europa GmbH, Albert-Hahn-Straße 6-10, 47269 Duisburg, Germany) Materials: Quartz glass cuvette: Precision cuvettes (SUPRASIL quartz glass) 100-QS, layer thickness 10 mm, from Hellma GmbH & Co. KG, Klosterrunsstraße 5, 79379 Müllheim, Germany; Volumetric flask: 100 ml volumetric flask, blue brand, A with NS12 / 21, from Brand GmbH & Co. KG, P.O. Box 1155, 97861 Wertheim, Germany; Disposable syringe: 10 ml (12 ml) Soft-Ject® disposable syringe from Henke Sass Wolf, Keltenstraße 1, 78532 Tuttlingen, Germany; Syringe filter: Nalgene syringe filter, sterile nylon membrane, 0.2 µm, 25 mm diameter, from Thermo Scientific Nalgene Products, 75 Panorama Creek Drive, Rochester, NY 14625-2385. 3. Color CIELAB (L*a*b*C*h* color space)

[0055] Spectrophotometer: Minolta Spectrophotometer CM-600d (available from Konica Minolta Business Solutions Deutschland GmbH, Europaallee 17, 30855 Langenhagen, Germany) under the following conditions: Observer: 2 degrees, First light source: D50. Dispersing devices:

[0056] Gear ring dispersion: Ultra-Turrax T50 basic motor with SN 50 G 45 FF dispersion tool (available from IKA ®< -Werke GmbH & Co. KG, 79219 Staufen, Germany); High-pressure homogenizer: APV1000 (available from: APV, An SPX Brand, Herstedøstervej 27-29, C3, 1st Floor, DK-2620 Albertslund, Denmark). Example 1:

[0057] Preparation of a composition according to the invention from carrot juice concentrate and turmeric oil extract: 9260 g of a carrot juice concentrate with pulp (50 Brix) and 240 g of lemon juice concentrate (55 Brix) are combined and heated to 80 °C for 30 minutes while stirring. Simultaneously, 500 g of turmeric oleoresin are gradually heated to 140 °C for 30 minutes while stirring. Stirring continues for a further 5 minutes until the turmeric oleoresin is no longer cloudy. The 140 °C turmeric oleoresin is then stirred into the water phase for 30 minutes, maintaining the water phase at a temperature of 80 °C. The mixture is then homogenized at 80 °C for 10 minutes using an Ultra-Turrax rotor-stator at a frequency of 10,000 revolutions per minute.Subsequently, high-pressure homogenization is performed at 800 bar with only one pass of the emulsion through the APV1000 high-pressure homogenizer. The product droplets have a droplet size of 4.65 µm or less. Example 2: Preparation of a composition according to the invention from carrot juice concentrate and paprika oil

[0058] 8230 g of carrot juice concentrate with pulp (50 Brix), 350 g water, and 240 g lemon juice concentrate (55 Brix) are combined and heated to 80 °C for 30 minutes while stirring. Then, 150 g sugar is stirred in at 80 °C. Simultaneously, 1000 g paprika oil is heated to 80 °C for 30 minutes while stirring. 30 g potassium hydroxide is then added to the oil phase, and stirring continues for 30 minutes at 80 °C. The oil phase is then stirred into the water phase for 30 minutes, maintaining a temperature of 80 °C for both phases. Finally, the mixture is homogenized at 80 °C for 10 minutes using an Ultra-Turrax rotor-stator at a frequency of 10,000 revolutions per minute. Subsequently, high-pressure homogenization is carried out at 800 bar with only one passage of the emulsion through the APV1000 high-pressure homogenizer.The product droplets have a droplet size of 3.26 µm or less. Example 3: Preparation of a mixture according to the invention from pumpkin juice concentrate and paprika oil

[0059] A preparation according to the invention is produced from 9230 g of pumpkin juice concentrate, 30 g of potassium hydroxide, 240 g of lemon juice concentrate with a Brix value of 55, and 500 g of paprika oil, according to the procedure given for Example 2. The droplets of the product have a droplet size of 2.16 µm or less. Comparative example 1: To prepare a composition comprising gum arabic and turmeric oleoresin

[0060] 10 kg of water and 600 g of lemon juice concentrate (55 Brix) are added, and 6 kg of gum arabic are stirred in at 45 °C for 30 minutes. Once all the gum arabic is dissolved, 1940 g of maltodextrin ("Avebe") are added and dissolved by stirring at 45 °C. Simultaneously, 1460 g of turmeric oleoresin are gradually heated to 140 °C over 30 minutes while stirring. Stirring continues for a further 5 minutes, during which time the turmeric oleoresin becomes transparent. The 140 °C turmeric oleoresin is then stirred into the 45 °C water phase for 10 minutes. The mixture is then homogenized for 15 minutes at 45 °C using an Ultra-Turrax rotor-stator at a frequency of 10,000 revolutions per minute. The product droplets have a droplet size of 2.52 µm or less. Comparative example 2: To prepare a composition comprising gum arabic and paprika oil

[0061] 10 kg of water and 600 g of lemon juice concentrate with a Brix of 55 are placed in a solution, and 6 kg of gum arabic are stirred in at 45 °C for 30 minutes. Then, 1840 g of maltodextrin ("Avebe") are added and dissolved by stirring at 45 °C. Simultaneously, 1500 g of paprika oil are heated to 80 °C for 30 minutes while stirring. Then, 60 g of a 50% potassium hydroxide solution in water are added to the oil phase, and stirring continues for 30 minutes at 80 °C. Finally, the oil phase is stirred over a Duration of 30 minutesThe oil is stirred into the water phase, with both phases maintained at a temperature of 80 °C. The mixture is then homogenized at 80 °C for 10 minutes using an Ultra-Turrax rotor-stator at a frequency of 10,000 revolutions per minute. The resulting product droplets have a droplet size of 1.89 µm or less. Color intensity

[0062] Table 1: Color comparison L*a*b*C*h* values: A colored yogurt is prepared from a preparation described above by stirring 0.15 g of the preparation into 50 g of 3.5% full-fat yogurt. The L*a*b*C*h* values ​​are measured, based on a color value E1% = 4.25, by placing a sample of the yogurt into the spectrophotometer. Example 1 Comparative example 1 Example 2 Comparative example 2 Carrot juice / turmeric oil. Gum arabic / Turmeric oil. Carrot juice / bell pepper oil Gum arabic / Paprika oil E1% 25,88 1)< 36,50 2)< 9,29 1)< 4,70 3)< Crowd 0,0246 g 0,0175 g 0,0686 g 0,1356 g L* 90,97 90,94 86,72 86,73 a* -3,36 -1,94 8,01 9,23 b* 21,15 18,84 19,33 22,05 C* 21,41 18,94 20,93 23,90 h* 99,02 95,87 67,49 67,29 1) < E1% in water / dichloromethane / acetone (20 / 5 / 75) filtered through 0.2 µm syringe filter 454 nm 2) < E1% in water / ethanol (10 / 90) 420 nm 3) < E1% in water / acetone (10 / 90) 462 nm

[0063] A comparison of the color shades of the products of Examples 1 and 2 with the conventional coloring compositions according to Comparative Examples 1 and 2 shows that the preparations according to the invention exhibit similar color shades to the known compositions. The differences are hardly discernible even to the naked eye, even for a person skilled in the art. Accordingly, the preparations according to the invention can be used in the same way as conventional coloring agents.

[0064] Example 4: Production of a powder from the preparation according to Example 1. 9.5 kg of the product from Example 1 and 7 kg of maltodextrin ("Glucidex") are dissolved in 30.4 kg of drinking water. The resulting mixture is subjected to spray drying. The supply air has a temperature of 185 °C and the exhaust air a temperature of 92.0 °C. A dry powder is obtained. The yield of dry matter is 11.8 kg (83.88%). The absorbance (E1%426 nm in water / dichloromethane / acetone, filtered through 0.2 µm (20 / 5 / R)) is 18.4. The color of the powder in L*a*b*C*h*- Color space is: L*: 63.16 a*: 28.55 b*: 68.51 C*: 74.23 h*: 67.38. The water content (IR) is 1.90% and the pH in a 10% solution in water is 4.90. The powder is water-soluble.

[0065] Example 5: Preparation of a powder from the preparation according to Example 2. 9.5 kg of the product from Example 2 and 6.6 kg of maltodextrin ("Glucidex") are dissolved in 29.2 kg of drinking water. The resulting mixture is subjected to spray drying. The supply air has a temperature of 185 °C and the exhaust air a temperature of 92.0 °C. A dry powder is obtained. The yield of dry matter is 11.170 kg (82.12%). The absorbance (E1% 454 nm in water / dichloromethane / acetone, filtered through 0.2 µm (20 / 5 / R)) is 6.29. The color of the powder in L*a*b*C*h*-Color space is: L*: 55.82, a*: 41.38 b*: 61.33 C*: 73.49 h*: 55.99. The water content (IR) is 1.83% and the pH in a 10% solution in water is 5.0. The powder is water-soluble. Example 6: Coloring cheese

[0066] 500 g of fresh whole milk with 3.5% fat content (ESL milk would also be suitable) are placed in a 1000 ml tall beaker and adjusted to pH 6.2 with lactic acid (L(+)-lactic acid 90% in water, CAS number: 79-33-4, Acros Organics) while stirring. A Mettler Toledo Seven Easy pH meter (Inlab Solids Pro-ISM) is used, and an IKA Ikamag Reo magnetic stirrer is used for stirring. The milk is then heated to 38°C in a water bath, and 0.2 g of the preparation according to the invention as described in Example 1, along with 0.4 g of rennet, are added. The coloring preparation and rennet are stirred homogeneously into the milk using a wooden spoon. The milk is then left to stand in the water bath at 38°C for 20 minutes.

[0067] The resulting curd is cut into pieces approximately 2-3 mm in size (curd) in a beaker using a knife with a smooth blade about 15-20 cm long. The curd is then left to rest for another 30 minutes at 38°C in a water bath. Next, the whey and curd are separated using a folded filter (Whatman 595 ½ folded filter, 240 mm diameter). The curd is wrapped in absorbent paper and pressed with a metal plate weighing approximately 3-4 kg for one hour.

[0068] For comparison, the experiment was repeated identically, but without the use of the preparation according to the invention. It was found that the colored raw cheese had a distinct yellow color, while the raw cheese produced without the preparation according to the invention was practically white. A direct comparison of the two wheys showed only a barely perceptible discoloration of the whey produced with the addition of the preparation according to the invention. Therefore, the preparation according to the invention is exceptionally well suited for coloring cheese.

Claims

1. Preparation comprising (i) an oil phase comprising - one, two, or more active ingredients selected from the group consisting of food colorings, coloring foods, flavors, and flavoring foods, - wherein the oil phase is present in the form of oil droplets, and - the oil droplets have a diameter of 50 µm or less, wherein the measurement method mentioned in the description is used to determine the diameter of the oil droplets, (ii) a surface-active system comprising - the dry matter of one, two, or more foods selected from the group consisting of fruits and vegetables and parts thereof, and (iii) water, wherein the preparation contains at least 10% by weight of the dry matter of one, two or more foods selected from the group consisting of fruits and vegetables and parts thereof, wherein the percentages by weight are based on the weight of the preparation, and wherein the foods are selected from the group consisting of carrot concentrate, carrot concentrate with pulp, carrot juice concentrate, carrot juice concentrate with pulp, pumpkin concentrate, pumpkin concentrate with pulp, pumpkin juice concentrate, and pumpkin juice concentrate with pulp, wherein the preparation comprises up to 20 wt.% oil phase and up to 70 wt.% water, wherein it is an oil-in-water emulsion, characterized in that the preparation does not contain any food additive selected from the group consisting of lecithins (E 322), gum arabic (E 414), polysorbates (E 432 - E 436), ammonium salts of phosphatidic acids (E 442), sucrose acetate isobutyrate (E 444), salts of fatty acids (E 470), mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E 471), esterified mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E 472), acetic acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E 472a), citric acid esters of mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids (E 472c), sugar esters of fatty acids (E 473), sugar glycerides (E 474), polyglycerol esters of fatty acids (E 475), polyglycerol polyricinoleate (E 476), propylene glycol esters of fatty acids (E 477), stearoyl acetylates (E 481, E 482), stearyl tartrate (E 483), sorbitan esters of fatty acids (E 491 - E 495), saponins (e.g., quillaja extract E 999) and modified starches E1450.

2. Preparation according to claim 1, comprising oil phase and surface-active system in a weight ratio of 1 to 1 to 1 to 80.

3. Preparation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the oil phase comprises at least one turmeric oil extract or at least one paprika oil or both.

4. Preparation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the oil phase additionally comprises at least one vegetable oil.

5. Preparation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the surface-active system comprises 40 to 80% by weight of the aqueous phase.

6. Preparation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the oil droplets have a diameter of 20 µm or less, wherein the measurement method mentioned in the description is used to determine the diameter of the oil droplets.

7. Method for producing an oil-in-water emulsion according to of the preceding claims, comprising the following steps: - providing an oil comprising one, two, or more active ingredients selected from the group consisting of food colorings, coloring foods, flavors, and flavoring foods, - providing plant parts, wherein the plant parts are selected from the group consisting of carrot concentrate, carrot concentrate with pulp, carrot juice concentrate, carrot juice concentrate with pulp, pumpkin concentrate, pumpkin concentrate with pulp, pumpkin juice concentrate, and pumpkin juice concentrate with pulp, - combining the oil and the plant material - homogenizing the mixture to produce an oil-in-water emulsion until the oil droplets have a diameter of 50 µm or less.

8. Method for producing a powder, wherein an oil-in-water emulsion according to one of claims 1 to 6 and / or an oil-in-water emulsion produced according to a method according to claim 7 is dried to a powder.

9. Method for producing an oil-in-water emulsion, wherein a powder produced according to the method according to claim 8 is redispersed in water, thereby producing an oil-in-water emulsion.