Amorphous particles for reducing sugar in foods

Abstract

The present invention relates to amorphous particles comprising sugar and a bulking agent, and having a closed porosity of less than 20%. Further aspects of the present invention relate to food products comprising the amorphous particles, methods for producing the amorphous particles and methods for producing fat-based confectionery products containing the amorphous particles, and the use of the amorphous particles as a bulky sugar substitute in food products such as fat-based confectionery products, e.g., chocolate.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to amorphous particles having a closed porosity of less than 20%, comprising a sugar, a bulking agent and optionally a surfactant. Further aspects of the present invention relate to food products comprising the amorphous particles; a method for producing the amorphous particles and a method for producing fat-based confectionery products containing the amorphous particles; and the use of the amorphous particles as a bulk sugar substitute in food products such as fat-based confectionery products, e.g. chocolate. [Background technology]

[0002] Any discussion of prior art in this specification should not be taken as an admission that such prior art is well known in the art or forms part of the common general knowledge.

[0003] The increasing interest of health-conscious consumers in reducing dietary sugar intake has created a strong demand for food products with low sugar content. However, sugar is an important food ingredient, which, in addition to imparting natural sweetness to food products, also functions to impart bulk and therefore plays an important role in the structure, volume and mouthfeel of the final food product.

[0004] Sugar is a naturally occurring sweetener, which, as mentioned above, provides food products with a sweetness that is highly preferred by consumers, but is also high in calories, so there is a strong demand for healthier, non-caloric or low-caloric alternative sweeteners. Many approaches are known in the art, which involve the replacement or reduction of sugar in food products, such as the use of artificial sweeteners to replace natural sugar. More specifically, many attempts have been made to provide sugar substitutes, using reduced amounts of sugar alcohols or polyols, for example in fat-based confectionery products, such as chocolate. Other approaches include the use of non-caloric or low-caloric bulking agents, such as fibers, to replace sugar in chocolate compositions. However, these approaches also have drawbacks, for example polyols have undesirable laxative effects, and such artificial sweeteners are known to be unpopular with consumers who prefer clean label products. The use of bulking agents to replace sugar in food products also comes with certain drawbacks, mainly resulting in undesirable effects on sweetness, usually a reduction in sweetness.

[0005] Thus, it is generally well known to those skilled in the art of food manufacturing that the replacement or reduction of sugar in a food composition usually has a negative effect on the aroma as well as other taste components. For example, sugar substitutes may delay the onset of sweetness perception and provide a longer lasting sweetness compared to natural sugars, thus altering the taste balance of the food composition.

[0006] In addition, sugar substitutes fail to deliver the same sweet taste as natural sugars and also exhibit metallic, cold, astringent, licorice-like textures and bitter aftertastes.

[0007] In a further example, the above mentioned prior art solutions may present similar drawbacks when applied to fat-based confectionery products: for example, the use of bulking agents such as fibers in chocolate compositions can result in a bitter aftertaste, add undesirable bulk to the mixture, and result in an increase in the viscosity of the mixture, which in turn makes such mixtures difficult to subject to standard post-processing such as enrobing and molding, which are essential steps in the final chocolate product.

[0008] In addition, sugar brings certain sensory and sensory properties to the product that are very difficult to reproduce with the sugar substitutes mentioned above. Therefore, while the calorie content is reduced, the eating experience is often poor. The measures proposed to overcome these problems often involve an increase in fat content, which negates the potential health benefits.

[0009] Thus, the problem remains of providing low-calorie or reduced-sugar substitutes for natural sugars that can be used in food or confectionery products without the negative impact on sweetness perception and / or the problems mentioned above associated with prior art solutions.

[0010] Thus, there remains a need to find low-calorie sugar substitutes that can be used in food products or confectionery compositions, such as, for example, chocolate, that avoid the problems of reduced or diminished sweetness, bitter aftertaste and off-flavors, and that maintain the organoleptic properties.

[0011] Thus, there remains a need to provide reduced calorie sugar substitutes that are "clean label" and more desirable to consumers.

[0012] Therefore, it is desirable to provide healthy low-calorie or reduced-sugar alternatives to natural sugars that can be used in food or confectionery products with little or no adverse effect on sweetness perception.

[0013] Therefore, there is a need to address one or more of the aforementioned problems.

[0014] The present invention aims to ameliorate at least one of the above-mentioned disadvantages of prior art reduced sugar or low calorie sugar substitutes, such as bulking sugar substitutes, such as artificial sweeteners and / or fiber.

[0015] [Summary of the invention] This problem is solved by the features of the independent claims. The dependent claims further develop the central idea of ​​the invention.

[0016] Thus, in a first aspect, the present invention relates to an amorphous particle comprising a sugar and a bulking agent, said amorphous particle having a closed porosity of less than 20%. The amorphous particle may be spherical, for example having a sphericity of 0.8 to 1, preferably 0.85 to 1.0, preferably 0.85 to 0.975.

[0017] Surprisingly, the inventors have found that the amorphous particles of the present invention can be used, for example, to replace sugars (such as sucrose) in food products without adversely affecting the sweetness of the food product and also the organoleptic properties of the product. An important advantage of the present invention is the reduction of the sugar content without compromising the organoleptic properties, for example without significant clagginess (i.e., stickiness or tackiness).

[0018] It has also been surprisingly found that the amorphous particles of the present invention overcome the problems typically associated with handling amorphous sugar-based powder materials and can be used, for example, in chocolate compositions, unlike known amorphous sugar-based materials. For example, amorphous sugars are not typically used in chocolate compositions due to their hygroscopic nature and therefore their moisture content. Amorphous sugars can undesirably absorb water from the surrounding environment and other chocolate ingredient ingredients, causing difficulties during processing and storage. Furthermore, the amorphous state can be unstable, for example amorphous sugars such as sucrose or dextrose tend to rapidly crystallize in the presence of moisture and / or release moisture as they crystallize.

[0019] In another aspect, there is provided a food product comprising the amorphous particles of the present invention. The food product may contain, for example, 5-60% of the amorphous particles.

[0020] In a further embodiment, the food product according to the invention is a confectionery product, a culinary product, a dairy product, a nutritional formula, a breakfast cereal, or an ice cream.

[0021] In a still further aspect of the invention, the food product is a fat-based confectionery product, for example chocolate.

[0022] Advantageously, the present invention allows the preparation of food products, such as fat-based confectionery products, in which high-calorie natural sugars can be completely and / or partially replaced by the low-calorie amorphous particles of the present invention.

[0023] Advantageously, the amorphous particles of the present invention are more easily dispersed within a fat-based continuous phase, e.g., in the preparation of fat-based confectionery products (e.g., chocolate), the amount of carrier fluid required is minimal.

[0024] In another aspect of the invention, a) subjecting a mixture comprising sugar and bulking agent to high pressure, preferably from 200 to 300 bar, more preferably from 215 to 275 bar; b) spraying and drying the mixture to form amorphous particles.

[0025] In another aspect, there is provided the use of the amorphous porous sucrose particles of the present invention as a sugar substitute in a food product.

[0026] In another aspect of the invention, a) cocoa powder or cocoa liquor or cocoa butter or a cocoa butter equivalent or any combination thereof; b) 5% to 60% by weight of amorphous particles according to the present invention, The amorphous particles include a sugar and a bulking agent, and the amorphous particles have a closed porosity of less than 20%.

[0027] In another aspect, there is provided the use of the amorphous particles of the present invention as a bulk sugar substitute in a food product.

[0028] In a further aspect of the invention, the food product is a confectionery product, a culinary product, a dairy product, a nutritional formula, a breakfast cereal, or an ice cream.

[0029] In another aspect of the invention there is provided a sugar substitute or sweetener composition comprising amorphous particles comprising sugar and a bulking agent, said amorphous particles having a closed porosity of less than 20%.

[0030] Surprisingly, the amorphous particles of the present invention overcome problems typically associated with handling amorphous powders, such as hygroscopicity.

[0031] Advantageously, the amorphous particles of the present invention are more stable and less prone to recrystallization.

[0032] Furthermore, the present invention advantageously allows for the preparation of food products, particularly fat-based confectionery food products, incorporating the amorphous particles of the present invention and having greater stability, resulting in an extended shelf life of the product.

[0033] Advantageously, the amorphous particles of the present invention are much easier to process in food recipes, such as chocolate recipes, compared to conventional sugars.

[0034] In addition, preferably the porosity control and preferably the particle size distribution control contributes to matching the organoleptic properties of sugar by providing a sugar substitute that preferably has a smooth mouthfeel, i.e. without stickiness (i.e. glueiness or tackiness).

[0035] In a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a sugar substitute composition suitable for partial or total replacement of sugar in foodstuffs.

[0036] Advantageously, the present invention provides a substitute for sugar in food products while still achieving the same or similar level of sweetness. The present invention allows for the complete replacement of sugar in food products, such as chocolate products, with the amorphous particles of the present invention.

[0037] Advantageously, the amorphous particles of the present invention can be used as a natural low-calorie sugar substitute, thus providing sugar reduction in food products without the need for artificial sweeteners and / or conventional bulking agents.

[0038] Detailed Description of the Invention and Preferred Embodiments In accordance with the present invention, the term "amorphous" as used herein is defined as essentially free of crystalline material and is to be interpreted in the context generally recognized for such term.

[0039] According to the present invention, as used herein, the term "glass transition temperature (Tg)" is interpreted as it is generally understood, as the temperature at which an amorphous solid becomes soft on heating or becomes brittle on cooling. The glass transition temperature is always lower than the melting temperature (Tm) of a substance in the crystalline state. Amorphous substances can therefore be characterized on the basis of their glass transition temperature, usually denoted as Tg.

[0040] Several techniques can be used to measure the temperature of the glass, for example, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), any available or suitable technique can be used. Specific examples of applicable DSC are given in the Examples section.

[0041] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the amorphous particles are characterized by having a glass transition temperature of at least 35° C., preferably at least 40° C., more preferably at least 45° C. In one embodiment of the present invention, the glass transition temperature is less than 65° C., preferably less than 60° C., optionally less than 55° C., or less than 50° C. A preferred example is a glass transition temperature of 35° C. to 65° C.

[0042] Advantageously, in contrast to prior art solutions, the low hygroscopicity of the amorphous particles of the present invention facilitates handling and incorporation of the material into common food product preparations, such as, for example, chocolate production.

[0043] According to the present invention, as used herein, the term "porosity" is defined as a plurality of non-interconnected holes, voids or interstices that allow the passage of air or liquid. In the context of the present invention, porosity is also used to describe the porosity of the amorphous particles of the present invention.

[0044] In the present invention, as used herein, the term porosity is defined as a measure of the empty space (i.e., voids or pores) in a material, and is the ratio of the void volume to the total volume of the mass of material, expressed as a percentage from 0 to 100%.

[0045] Porosity can be measured by techniques known in the art. For example, the porosity of a particle can be determined by the following formula: Porosity=Vp-Vcm / Vp×100, where Vp is the volume of the particle and Vcm is the volume of the matrix or the bulk volume of the material.

[0046] In accordance with the present invention, as used herein, the term "closed or internal porosity" refers in general terms to the total amount of voids or spaces entrapped within a solid. As can be seen in the figures, the crushed amorphous particles of the present invention exhibit an internal microstructure in which the voids or pores are not connected to the outer surface of the particle. In the present invention, the term "closed porosity" is further defined as the ratio of the volume of closed voids or pores to the volume of the particle.

[0047] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the amorphous particles have a closed porosity of less than 20%, preferably less than 18.0%, preferably less than 17.5%, or less than 15%, up to and including 15%, or less than 10%.

[0048] In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the amorphous particles have a closed porosity of more than 2.5%, preferably more than 5.0%, more than 7.5%, or more than 10.0%.

[0049] In a further preferred embodiment, the amorphous particles of the present invention have a closed porosity of 2.5 to less than 20%, more preferably 5.0 to 18.0%.

[0050] According to the present invention, as used herein, the term "density" is defined in standard terms as the volumetric mass density of a substance, density being the mass per unit volume of a substance. Density is interpreted in context with the standard understanding of the term.

[0051] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the amorphous particles of the present invention have a density of 1 to 2 g / cm 3 , preferably 1.3 to 1.7 g / cm 3 , more preferably 1.5 to 1.65 g / cm 3 has a density of

[0052] In the context of the present invention, as used herein, the term "bulk density" refers in standard terms to the weight of a unit volume of a loose substance, such as a powder, relative to an equivalent volume of water, typically expressed in kilograms per cubic meter (kg / m 3 ) or g / cm 3 It is expressed as:

[0053] As mentioned above, the amorphous nature of the particles results in more rapid dissolution in the oral cavity. Advantageously, the nature of the particles of the present invention provides enhanced sweetness and appealing texture, especially in fat-based confectionery products where poor sensory qualities such as harshness and lack of sweetness are commonly associated with the prior art replacement of sugar with existing bulking agents.

[0054] Specifically, as mentioned above, the particle size distribution of the present invention also provides improved sensory attributes relating to mouthfeel, particularly non-stickiness, without loss of sweetness and harsh mouthfeel.

[0055] The D90 value is a common way of describing particle size distribution. D90 is the diameter below which 90% of the mass of particles in a sample have a diameter. In the context of the present invention, D90 by mass is equivalent to D90 by volume. D90 value can be measured, for example, by a laser light scattering particle size analyzer. Other measurements of particle size distribution may be used depending on the nature of the sample. For example, the D90 value of powders is generally measured by digital image analysis (such as using a Camsizer XT), while the D90 value of particles composed of fat-continuous materials such as chocolate can be measured by laser light scattering. The above definitions and measurement methods generally refer to D10 (the diameter below which 10% of the mass of particles in a sample have a diameter) and D50 (the diameter below which 50% of the mass of particles in a sample have a diameter).

[0056] In a further embodiment the amorphous particles of the invention have a D90 particle size of more than 50 μm, such as preferably more than 55 μm, more than 60 μm, such as more than 65 μm or more than 70 μm.

[0057] In a further embodiment, the amorphous particles of the present invention have a D90 particle size of less than 150 μm, such as preferably less than 120 μm, preferably less than 115 μm, more preferably less than 105 μm, more preferably less than 95 μm, less than 90 μm, or less than 80 μm.

[0058] In a preferred embodiment, the amorphous particles of the present invention have a D90 particle size of 50-150 μm, preferably 60-120 μm, or preferably 70-90 μm. In a most preferred embodiment, the particles may have a D90 of 60-80 μm.

[0059] The amorphous particles of the present invention may have a diameter D50 of less than 120 μm, preferably less than 100 μm, more preferably less than 80 μm, or even more preferably less than 50 μm.

[0060] In a further embodiment the amorphous particles of the invention have a D50 particle size of more than 20 μm, such as preferably more than 25 μm, more than 30 μm, such as more than 35 μm or more than 40 μm.

[0061] In the most preferred embodiment, the D50 particle size is from 20 to 120 μm, preferably from 30 to 50 μm.

[0062] The amorphous particles of the present invention may have a D10 diameter of less than 50 μm, preferably less than 40 μm, more preferably less than 35 μm, or even more preferably less than 30 μm.

[0063] In a further embodiment the amorphous particles of the invention have a D10 particle size of more than 5 μm, such as preferably more than 10 μm, such as more than 15 μm, for example more than 20 μm.

[0064] In the most preferred embodiment, the D10 particle size is from 5 to 50 μm, preferably from 15 to 30 μm.

[0065] In one embodiment of the present invention, the width of the particle size distribution is optionally defined by the parameter (D90-D10), i.e. the difference (in μm) between the D90 and D10 values. This value is only positive. In one embodiment, the difference between D90 and D10 is between 10 and 145 μm, preferably between 30 and 110 μm, preferably between 35 and 70 μm, preferably between 35 and 50 μm.

[0066] In one embodiment of the invention, the particle size distribution is optionally defined by the parameter (D90-D10) / D50, i.e. the difference (in μm) between the D90 and D10 values ​​divided by the D50 value. In one embodiment, this value is between 0.2 and 3.25, preferably between 0.4 and 2.5, more preferably between 0.7 and 1.5, more preferably between 0.95 and 1.20.

[0067] In one embodiment of the present invention, the content of particles having a particle size of less than 10 μm is less than 20%, preferably less than 15%, more preferably less than 10%, and most preferably less than 5% of the total number of particles. In one embodiment, the content of particles having a particle size of less than 10 μm is 0.25% to 20%, or 0.5% to 10%, preferably 0.5% to 5%. In the most preferred embodiment, it is this particle size distribution that is responsible for controlling the reduction of stickiness.

[0068] Thus, a preferred embodiment of the present invention provides amorphous particles comprising a sugar and a bulking agent, said amorphous particles having a closed porosity of less than 20% and a D90 particle size of more than 45 μm, with the content of particles having a particle size of less than 10 μm being less than 20% of the total number of particles, preferably a porosity of less than 15%, a D90 particle size of 60 μm to 80 μm, with the content of particles having a particle size of less than 10 μm being less than 10%.

[0069] In one embodiment of the present invention, the specific surface area of ​​the particles is 0.040 m 2 / g~0.120m 2 / g, preferably 0.042m 2 / g~0.110m 2 / g.

[0070] The amorphous particles of the present invention may have a moisture content of from 0.5 to 6%, for example from 1 to 5%, and further example from 1.5 to 3%.

[0071] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an amorphous particle comprising a sugar and a bulking agent, said amorphous particle having a closed porosity of less than 20% and a D90 particle size of 50-150 μm.

[0072] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an amorphous particle comprising a sugar and a bulking agent, said amorphous particle having a closed porosity of less than 18% and more than 2.5% and a D90 particle size of 60-95 μm.

[0073] According to the present invention, the term "sugar" as used herein refers to a sweet crystalline substance obtained from various plants, particularly sugar cane and sugar beet, as conventionally recognized, and used as a sweetener in food and beverages.In the context of the present invention, sugar is defined as and includes all monosaccharides, disaccharides, and oligosaccharides, such as, for example, sucrose, fructose, glucose, dextrose, galactose, allulose, maltose, high dextrose equivalent hydrolyzed starch syrup, xylose, and combinations thereof.Therefore, the sugar contained in the amorphous particles according to the present invention can be selected from the group consisting of sucrose, fructose, glucose, dextrose, galactose, allulose, maltose, high dextrose equivalent hydrolyzed starch syrup, xylose, and any combinations thereof.

[0074] In a preferred embodiment, the amorphous particles of the present invention contain sugar in an amount of 10-90%, preferably 15-90%, more preferably 20-85%, 25-75%, or 20-45%, for example 20-40%, or 25-45%.

[0075] In accordance with the present invention, the term "bulking agent" as used herein refers to a food additive as conventionally recognized that increases the volume or weight of a food product without affecting its usefulness or functionality. In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bulking agent of the present invention is a low-calorie or non-calorie additive that provides bulk and advantageously provides a healthier alternative (e.g., sugar substitute).

[0076] According to conventional wisdom, bulking agents can be used to prepare reduced calorie edible formulations by partially or completely replacing high calorie ingredients such as sugar, and thus are useful as a source of soluble fiber that can be incorporated into foods and that, unlike sugar, is not a source of calories.

[0077] In one embodiment, the amorphous particles of the present invention comprise a bulking agent or a combination of bulking agent and surfactant in an amount of 5-90%, preferably 10-85%, 15-80%, preferably 25-75%, or 40-75%.

[0078] The amorphous particles may comprise sucrose and skim milk (e.g., consist of sucrose and skim milk on a dry weight basis), wherein the sucrose is present in the particles at a level of at least 30% and the ratio of sucrose to skim milk is from 0.5:1 to 2.5:1 on a dry weight basis, for example from 0.6:1 to 1.5:1 on a dry weight basis.

[0079] In a preferred embodiment of the invention there is provided an amorphous particle comprising a sugar and a bulking agent, said amorphous particle having a closed porosity of less than 20% and a D90 particle size of 50-150 μm, wherein the sugar is present in an amount of 20-85% and the bulking agent or a combination of bulking agent and surfactant is present in an amount of 15-80%.

[0080] In a preferred embodiment of the invention there is provided an amorphous particle comprising a sugar and a bulking agent, said amorphous particle having a closed porosity of less than 18% and more than 2.5% and a D90 particle size of 60 or 65 μm to 95 μm, wherein the sugar is present in an amount of 20-45% and the bulking agent or a combination of bulking agent and surfactant is present in an amount of 55-80%.

[0081] According to the present invention, the bulking agent may be selected from the group consisting of polyols (sugar alcohols, e.g., isomalt, sorbitol, maltitol, mannitol, xylitol, erythritol and hydrogenated starch hydrolysates), guar gum, psyllium husk, carnuba wax, glycerin, β-glucan, polysaccharides (such as, e.g., starch or pectin), dietary fiber (including both insoluble and soluble fiber), polydextrose, methylcellulose, maltodextrin, inulin, milk powder (e.g., skimmed milk powder), whey, desalted whey powder, dextrins such as soluble wheat or corn dextrins (e.g., Nutriose®), soluble fibers such as Promitor®, and any combination thereof.

[0082] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bulking agent may be selected from the group consisting of maltodextrin, milk powder (e.g., skim milk powder (SMP)), desalted whey powder (DWP), soluble wheat or corn dextrin (e.g., Nutriose®), polydextrose, soluble fiber such as Promitor®, and any combination thereof.

[0083] The amorphous particles of the invention may comprise sucrose and skim milk (e.g., consist of sucrose and skim milk on a dry basis), with sucrose present in the particles at a level of at least 30%. The ratio of sucrose to skim milk may be from 0.5:1 to 2.5:1 on a dry weight basis, for example from 0.6:1 to 1.5:1 on a dry weight basis.

[0084] The fat content of the skim milk may be less than 1.5% by weight on a dry weight basis, for example less than 1.2% by weight.

[0085] The components of skim milk may be prepared separately and combined with sucrose, for example, the amorphous particles of the present invention may include sucrose, lactose, casein, and whey proteins.

[0086] Sucrose and skim milk provide amorphous particles with good stability against recrystallization without the need for the addition of reducing sugars or polymers. For example, the amorphous particles of the present invention may not contain reducing sugars (e.g., fructose, glucose, or other sugars with dextrose equivalent values, which can be measured, for example, by the Lane-Eynon method). In a further example, the amorphous particles of the present invention may not contain oligosaccharides or polysaccharides with three or more sugar units, such as maltodextrin or starch.

[0087] The amorphous particles of the present invention may include sugar, bulking agent, and optionally surfactant, all distributed throughout the continuous phase of the particle, where the surfactant is present in a higher concentration at the air interface than in the remainder of the continuous phase, although the surfactant may be present in the continuous phase inside the particle and not just coated on the exterior surface.

[0088] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the particles have one continuous phase (i.e. preferably have no matrix or discontinuous phase) and have substantially no crystalline content (i.e. preferably the particles have a crystalline content of 20% or less, preferably 15% or less, more preferably 10% or less, most preferably 5% or less, especially 2% or less, e.g. about 0%).

[0089] In a preferred embodiment, the particles are a continuous amorphous phase with no crystalline content.

[0090] In one embodiment, the amorphous particles of the present invention comprise a surfactant in an amount of 0.5-15%, preferably 1-10%, more preferably 1-5%, and even more preferably 1-3%.

[0091] According to the present invention, the surfactant may be selected from the group consisting of lecithin, whey protein, milk protein, sodium caseinate, lysolecithin, fatty acid salts, lysozyme, sodium stearoyl lactylate, calcium stearoyl lactylate, lauroyl arginate, sucrose monooleate, sucrose monostearate, sucrose monopalmitate, sucrose monolaurate, sucrose distearate, sorbitan monostearate, sorbitan monopalmitate, sorbitan monolaurate, sorbitan tristearate, PGPR, PGE, and any combination thereof.

[0092] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the surfactant may be sodium caseinate or lecithin.

[0093] In embodiments according to the invention where the bulking agent is derived from a dairy powder such as skimmed milk powder or desalted whey powder, certain surfactants will be inherently present, as will be well understood in the art.

[0094] The amorphous particles of the present invention, due to their porosity, can be lighter in color than solid crystalline materials such as sucrose crystals. This effect can be influenced by the addition of opalescent or colored materials. The amorphous particles of the present invention may contain colored ingredients, such as caramelized sugar or acceptable food colorings, such as natural food colors.

[0095] According to the present invention, there is provided a method for preparing the amorphous particles of the present invention.

[0096] In a preferred embodiment, the amorphous particles of the present invention are prepared by the spray drying method described below.

[0097] In a preferred aspect of the invention there is provided a method for producing amorphous particles of the invention, the method comprising in its broadest aspect: exposing the mixture comprising sugar and bulking agent to high pressure, preferably from 200 to 300 bar, more preferably from 215 to 275 bar; spraying and drying the mixture to form amorphous particles.

[0098] In a preferred embodiment, no gas is added during the manufacturing process, specifically, no gas is added before the mixture is pressurized and no gas is added after the mixture is pressurized. The gas may be selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, air or carbon dioxide, or any combination thereof.

[0099] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mixture comprising sugar, bulking agent and optionally surfactant may be mixed with more than 30% water (based on the total weight of sugar, bulking agent, optionally surfactant and water), preferably more than 40% water, preferably less than 60% water, until completely dissolved.

[0100] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the mixture comprising sugar, bulking agent and optionally surfactant is subjected to high pressure, for example a pressure of more than 200 bar, typically between 200 and 300 bar, preferably between 215 and 300 bar, more preferably between 215 and 275 bar.

[0101] The drying may be spray drying, for example, the spraying and drying may be spray drying.

[0102] In one embodiment, drying is such that the amorphous particles have a moisture content of less than 5%, preferably between 1% and 5% (eg, between 2% and 3%).

[0103] In one embodiment of the invention, a nozzle is used having an inner diameter of more than 0.40 mm, preferably more than 0.45 mm, preferably more than 0.55 mm, preferably more than 0.6 mm, preferably more than 0.60 mm, preferably more than 0.65 mm. In one embodiment of the invention, a nozzle having an inner diameter of less than 1.20 mm, preferably less than 1.00 mm, preferably less than 0.95 mm, preferably less than 0.85 mm, preferably less than 0.80 mm is used. less thanIn a preferred embodiment, the nozzle has an inner diameter of 0.40 mm to 1.20 mm, preferably 0.55 mm to 0.95 mm, and most preferably greater than 0.65 mm. The above nozzle dimensions help provide the desired particle size distribution, and preferably nozzle sizes greater than 0.60 mm or greater than 0.65 mm provide the desired reduction in fines content (i.e., reduction in particles less than 10 μm in diameter).

[0104] In one embodiment of the invention, the nozzle is used at an angle of 45 to 85 degrees, optionally 55 to 80 degrees.

[0105] To assist in providing the desired particle size distribution, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is no recirculation of particles into the drying chamber.

[0106] It will be appreciated that in alternative embodiments, other known techniques such as foam drying, freeze drying, tray drying, and fluidized bed drying may be used to practice the methods of the present invention.

[0107] Advantageously, the amorphous particles of the present invention are resistant to size reduction processes used in chocolate manufacture, such as roll refining. The roughly spherical pores provide the particles with a strong structure.

[0108] In a further aspect, the present invention also provides amorphous particles obtainable by the methods described herein.

[0109] According to a general aspect of the present invention, the amorphous particles of the present invention have a wide range of usefulness, including all applications in dry food mixtures where sugar is normally used. For example, the particles of the present invention can be used in a variety of food products, such as confectionery products, cooking products, dairy products, nutritional formulas, breakfast cereals, or ice cream. In one preferred aspect of the present invention, the amorphous particles are focused on the use of the amorphous particles to replace sugar in confectionery products, including both fat-based and sugar-based confectionery products. In one embodiment, the present invention provides a food product in which the amorphous particles are not micronized. In the context of the present invention, the term "micronized" refers to a material that has been subjected to a micronization process to reduce the particle size of the solid material. In the manufacture of fat-based confectionery products, processes such as roll refining and air classifier milling are used to micronize the confectionery mass.

[0110] In the present invention, the term "confectionery product" or "fat-based confectionery product" is understood to mean chocolate products, chocolate-like products (e.g. including cocoa butter substitutes, cocoa butter equivalents or substitutes), coating chocolate, chocolate-like coating products, chocolate coating for ice cream, chocolate-like coating for ice cream, pralines, chocolate fillings, fudge, chocolate creams, or extruded chocolate products. The fat-based confectionery product may be white chocolate, comprising sugar, milk powder, and cocoa butter, but no dark cocoa materials. The product may be in the form of an aerated product, a bar, or a filling, among others. The chocolate product or composition may be used as a coating, filler, enrobing composition, or other ingredient in a finished or final food or confectionery product. The confectionery product of the present invention may further contain inclusions such as nuts and cereals.

[0111] In alternative embodiments, the confectionery products also include non-fat based confectionery products, such as, for example, traditional sugar confectioneries.

[0112] According to the knowledge of a person skilled in the art, confectionery products comprising the amorphous particles of the present invention may be used as a filling between biscuits (e.g. wafers), as part of a coating, or as a coating. Such confectionery products may also contain fillings such as nuts, puffed cereals, chocolate chips, sugar chips, fruit pieces, caramel pieces, biscuits, wafers, or creams.

[0113] In another embodiment of the present invention, a) cocoa powder or cocoa liquor or cocoa butter or a cocoa butter equivalent or any combination thereof; b) 5-60% by weight of amorphous particles according to the present invention.

[0114] The present invention relates to a) cocoa powder or cocoa liquor or cocoa butter or a cocoa butter equivalent or any combination thereof; b) 5-60% by weight of amorphous particles according to the present invention, The amorphous particles comprise sucrose and skim milk (e.g. may consist of sucrose and skim milk on a dry basis), the sucrose being present in the particles at a level of at least 30% and the ratio of sucrose to skim milk is 0.5:1 to 2.5:1 on a dry weight basis, e.g. 0.6:1 to 1.5:1 on a dry weight basis. Advantageously, the fat-based confectionery composition may only comprise ingredients commonly found in fat-based confectionery products such as chocolate. The amorphous particles contained within the fat-based confectionery may be free of reducing sugars and / or free of oligo- or polysaccharides having three or more sugar units.

[0115] In a preferred embodiment of the invention the fat-based confectionery product comprises 5-60%, preferably 10-50%, more preferably 20-40% amorphous particles.

[0116] In accordance with the present invention, fat-based confectionery products containing the amorphous particles of the present invention are prepared according to conventional chocolate making methods, as will be well known and apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0117] In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, a) exposing a mixture (e.g., an aqueous mixture) comprising sugar and a bulking agent to high pressure, preferably from 200 to 300 bar, more preferably from 215 to 275 bar; b) spraying and drying the mixture to form amorphous particles; c) mixing said amorphous particles with fat and optionally with ingredients selected from the group consisting of milk powder, cocoa liquor, crystalline sugar, lecithin, and combinations thereof, preferably at a temperature of 35-55° C. for 2-20 minutes; and d) further mixing and liquefying the mixture with fat and optionally lecithin.

[0118] In an alternative preferred embodiment, a method for producing a fat-based confectionery product comprising the amorphous particles of the present invention comprises the steps of: a) exposing a mixture (e.g., an aqueous mixture) comprising sugar, a bulking agent, and optionally a surfactant, to high pressure, preferably from 200 to 300 bar, more preferably from 215 to 275 bar; b) spraying and drying the mixture to form amorphous particles; c) mixing the fat and, optionally, milk powder, cocoa liquor, crystalline sugar and lecithin, preferably at a temperature of 35-55° C. for 2-20 minutes; d) mixing the mixture with the amorphous particles of the present invention, and further with fat, and optionally lecithin, and liquefying.

[0119] The fat may be, for example, cocoa butter, a cocoa butter equivalent, or a cocoa butter substitute. The fat may be cocoa butter. The milk powder, cocoa liquor, and crystalline sugar may be partially or completely replaced by chocolate pieces. In a preferred embodiment, liquefaction is performed by conventional means well known to those skilled in the art and refers to conching, a standard process in chocolate manufacture. In a preferred embodiment, 15-30% of the total fat present after liquefaction is used in step (d).

[0120] Advantageously, the harsh processing conditions of chocolate manufacturing processes, such as refining, do not destroy the particles of the present invention.

[0121] In one embodiment, the outer layer of the confectionery product of the invention comprises (e.g. consists of) a fat continuous confectionery material such as chocolate or a chocolate-like material. The confectionery product may, for example, be a shell molded product in which the outer layer is first formed in a mold and then filled with a filling, or the confectionery product may be an enrobed product in which the filling is first formed and then coated with liquid chocolate. The outer layer may constitute 10-60% by weight (e.g. 30-50% by weight) of the confectionery product and the filling may constitute 40-90% by weight (e.g. 50-70% by weight) of the confectionery product.

[0122] The porous particles comprising an amorphous continuous phase may be present in the filling at a level of from 2 to 40% by weight, such as from 5 to 35% by weight, and further example from 10 to 30% by weight.

[0123] In one embodiment, the filling according to the invention comprises soluble fibre. The soluble fibre may be, for example, Promitor® from Tate & Lyle or Nutriose® from Roquette. When trying to communicate reduced sugar in confectionery products, many food and labelling authorities require all sugars to be taken into account. Thus, for example, lactose in milk ingredients contributes to the total sugar. Porous particles with an amorphous continuous phase containing sucrose and skimmed milk allow for an improved sweetness perception and an increased milk content, as previously mentioned. However, the lactose content contributes to the total sugar of the product. The inventors have found that up to 20% by weight of soluble fibre can be included in the filling while still maintaining an appealing mouthfeel. This reduces the total sugar content of the product. Soluble fibre may still be added to the filling in addition to the porous particles and / or the porous particles may contain soluble fibre. For example, the filling of the confectionery product of the present invention may comprise a porous particle having an amorphous continuous phase comprising a sweetener, a soluble fiber, and optionally a surfactant. For example, the filling of the confectionery product of the present invention may comprise a porous particle having an amorphous continuous phase comprising sucrose, a soluble fiber, and a protein. In a further example, the porous particle may have an amorphous continuous phase comprising sucrose, a soluble fiber, and a protein selected from the group consisting of casein, whey protein, wheat gluten, and almond protein.

[0124] In one embodiment, the filling according to the invention comprises a filling. The filling may be selected from the group consisting of crispy fillings (e.g. puffed rice, puffed wheat, extruded cereal pieces, oats or cereal crispies such as rice crispies); fruits (e.g. raisins, cranberries, blueberries, blackcurrants, apples, pears, oranges, apricots, freeze-dried fruit pieces, candied fruits); nuts (e.g. hazelnuts, almonds, Brazil nuts, cashews, peanuts, pecans); chocolate or chocolate-like materials (e.g. chocolate vermicelli, chocolate mouldings); sugar confectionery (e.g. toffee pieces, marshmallows, sugar-panned centres), and combinations thereof. The fruit and nut fillings are typically small pieces of fruit or nuts. The filling may have a particle size of 1 mm to 8 mm, for example the filling may pass through a sieve with 8 mm openings but be retained in a sieve with 1 mm openings.

[0125] In one embodiment, the filling according to the present invention has a flavour. In a further embodiment, the confectionery product, for example the filling, may comprise a sweetness enhancer.

[0126] In one embodiment, the filling according to the invention comprises fat. For example, the filling may comprise 5-70% by weight of porous particles, 0-20% by weight of soluble fiber, 0-15% by weight of ingredients (e.g. cereal crisps), and 20-60% by weight of fat. In the context of the present invention, the term fat means triglycerides. Fats are the main constituents of the fatty tissue of animals and of many plant seeds. Fats generally present in liquid form are collectively called oils. In the present invention, the terms oil and fat are interchangeable. The filling according to the invention may have a continuous fat phase. The fats contained within the confectionery product of the present invention may be selected from the group consisting of shea butter, kokum butter, sal butter, cocoa butter, palm oil, algae oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, rapeseed oil such as canola oil, olive oil, macadamia nut oil, hazelnut oil, avocado oil, sunflower oil, grape seed oil, cottonseed oil, corn oil, and combinations thereof.

[0127] In one embodiment, the confectionery product of the present invention may contain more than 30% milk solids by weight, for example more than 35% milk solids by weight, and further example more than 40% milk solids by weight. Several nutritional benefits are expected by consumers from the milk content. Milk is a complex biological fluid containing proteins, minerals, vitamins, enzymes, fats, and sugars. Milk contains a large amount of fat, which is typically responsible for the quality of chocolate products, but which can damage the nutritional value of milk if excessively increased. However, it would be beneficial to increase the non-fat nutritional content of milk in milk chocolate.

[0128] In one embodiment, the confectionery product may be a chocolate (or chocolate-like) product, for example comprising at least 20% by weight of chocolate (or chocolate-like) material. In one embodiment, the confectionery product of the present invention may comprise milk chocolate. In a further embodiment, the confectionery product of the present invention may comprise white chocolate, which comprises sugar, milk powder, and cocoa butter, but no dark cocoa materials.

[0129] The filling according to the confectionery product of the present invention may comprise a biscuit.

[0130] The biscuit may be a wafer. Wafers are baked products made from wafer batter and have a combination of crispness, brittleness and fragility. Wafers are thin, usually with an overall thickness greater than 1 mm up to 4 mm, and typically have a product density in the range of 0.1-0.3 g / cm3. The surface is precisely shaped according to the surface shape of the plates between which the wafer is baked. Wafers often have a pattern on one or both sides. Wafers may be produced by extrusion. Wafers Two types of wafers are described by KF Tiefenbacher in "Encyclopaedia of Food Science, Food Technology and Nutrition p417-420-Academic Press Ltd London-1993".

[0131] 1) Sugar-free or low-sugar wafers. The finished biscuits contain zero to low amounts of sucrose or other sugars. Typical products are flat, hollow wafer sheets, moulded cone shapes or decorative shapes.

[0132] 2) Sugar-rich wafers. More than 10% sucrose or other sugars causes plasticity of the baked sheets. They can be formed into different shapes before sugar recrystallization occurs. Typical products are formed and rolled sugar cones, rolled wafer sticks and deep-formed decorative shapes.

[0133] In one embodiment, the confectionery product of the present invention may be a shell-molded chocolate product comprising a biscuit. In one embodiment, the confectionery product of the present invention may be a shell-molded chocolate product comprising a plurality of wafer layers, comprising a fat continuous material between the wafer layers, the fat continuous material comprising dispersed particles having an amorphous continuous phase. In one embodiment of the present invention, a multi-layer laminated product is provided, such as a confectionery product comprising a plurality of wafer layers (sandwich wafers) or a product comprising a plurality of baked foodstuff layers or biscuit layers, such as a fat continuous cream layer in a sandwich biscuit. The outer layer of the shell-molded chocolate product may comprise porous particles having an amorphous continuous phase. The amorphous continuous phase of the particles may comprise, for example, a bulking agent such as sucrose, maltodextrin, or soluble fiber and wheat gluten.

[0134] One aspect of the present invention provides a method for producing a confectionery product comprising the steps of: forming the amorphous particles of the present invention as defined herein; mixing the porous particles with fat and, optionally, ingredients selected from the group consisting of milk powder, cocoa powder, crystalline sugar, soluble fiber, lecithin, and combinations thereof to form a filling composition; micronizing at least a portion of the filling composition to reduce the particle size of at least one of its components; providing a mould, the interior surface of which is coated with a fat-based confectionery material (e.g. chocolate, such as milk chocolate or white chocolate); depositing the filling composition in the mould; applying further fat-based confectionery material to cover the filling composition; cooling the filled mould to solidify the fat-based confectionery material and form a shell moulded confectionery product; and removing the shell moulded confectionery product from the mould. The filling composition may be layered between a number of biscuits (such as wafers) before being deposited in the mould. The recipe of the further fat-based confectionery material applied to cover the filling composition may be the same as or different from the recipe of the fat-based confectionery material coated on the inner surface of the mould. In the method of the present invention, the amount of fat-based confectionery material coated on the inner surface of the mould may be 2 to 4 times the amount of fat-based confectionery material applied to cover the filling composition (e.g. after the excess has been scraped off flush with the mould), e.g. 2.5 to 3.5 times the amount of fat-based confectionery material applied to cover the filling composition.

[0135] The step of providing a mould coated with fat-based confectionery material may be carried out by various shell moulding techniques known in the art. For example, fat-based confectionery material may be deposited in the mould and the mould inverted to coat the inner surface with fat-based confectionery material. In a further example, fat-based confectionery material may be deposited in the mould or a biscuit (e.g. layered wafer) may be pressed into the mould to spread the fat-based confectionery material on the inner surface. In yet a further example, a cooled plunger may be pressed into a mould partially filled with fat-based confectionery material such as chocolate. The fat-based confectionery material forms a partially hardened shell in the mould, the shape of which is retained when the plunger is withdrawn.

[0136] In a further embodiment, the present invention provides a method for producing a confectionery product comprising the steps of: exposing a mixture comprising a sweetener, a bulking agent and a surfactant to high pressure, for example a pressure of more than 2 bar, in a further embodiment from 50 to 300 bar, and in a still further embodiment from 100 to 200 bar; adding a gas to the mixture; drying the mixture (e.g. spraying and drying the mixture) to form porous particles having an amorphous continuous phase; mixing said porous particles with a fat and optionally an ingredient selected from the group consisting of milk powder, cocoa powder, crystalline sugar, soluble fiber, lecithin, and combinations thereof to form a filling composition; micronizing the filling composition to reduce the particle size of at least one of its components; forming the filling into separate units; and enrobing the filling units with a fat-based confectionery material (e.g. chocolate, such as milk chocolate or white chocolate).

[0137] In one embodiment, the filling may comprise 5-70% by weight of porous particles, 0-20% by weight of soluble fiber, 0-15% by weight of filling material (e.g. cereal crisps), and 20-60% by weight of fat.

[0138] After being incorporated into the food product of the present invention, more than 60% of the particles may be substantially spherical, for example more than 75% may be substantially spherical, for example more than 80% may be substantially spherical, for example more than 85% may be substantially spherical, for example essentially all of the particles may be substantially spherical.According to the present invention, as used herein, the term "sphericity" refers to a standard term for the measure of how spherical (round) an object is.In the context of the present invention, sphericity refers to the sphericity of a particle.

[0139] Sphericity=4πA / P 2 where A is defined as the measured area covered by the particle protrusions and P is the perimeter measured about the particle protrusions.

[0140] For example, an ideal sphere would be expected to have a sphericity of 1. However, it is generally understood that a high degree of sphericity can be achieved at values ​​less than 1. For example, values ​​of 0.8 to 1 for an object or particle are considered substantially spherical, with values ​​of 0.85 to 0.95 being preferred.

[0141] Imaging experiments clearly show that the particles of the invention maintain a significant degree of sphericity after the chocolate preparation process. The sensory evaluations carried out showed good taste quality and a mouthfeel that did not exhibit any stickiness.

[0142] According to the present invention, in one embodiment the amorphous particles are in the form of a powder. In one embodiment, the amorphous particles of the present invention are not agglomerated by methods known in the art.

[0143] In the following description, reference is made to the use of the amorphous particles of the present invention as a bulk sugar substitute in fat-based confectionery products as a preferred embodiment, however, the amorphous particles of the present invention can also be used in a wide range of food products as described above.

[0144] In the present invention, as used herein, the term "bulk sugar substitute" refers to a low-calorie or non-caloric sugar substitute that can replace sugar on a weight-to-weight basis and / or a volume-to-volume basis. As mentioned above, the combination of amorphous porous sugar particles and a bulking agent provides a synergistic effect whereby an additional bulking effect is obtained by aeration.

[0145] Preferably 5-70% of sugar may be reduced from food products such as fat-based confectionery products.

[0146] In preferred embodiments, the fat content of the fat-based confectionery product is greater than 15%, greater than 20%, or greater than 25% of the confectionery product. In preferred embodiments, the fat content of the fat-based confectionery product is less than 45%, less than 40%, less than 35%, or less than 30% of the confectionery product.

[0147] In one embodiment of the present invention, where the amorphous particles are included in a fat-based confectionery composition and the particles comprise sucrose and skim milk powder (e.g., consist of sucrose and skim milk powder on a dry basis), the amount of sucrose in the overall fat-based confectionery composition is reduced by increasing the ratio of skim milk to sucrose. Such a reduction can be advantageous as many consumers are willing to accept good tasting fat-based confections with reduced sugar and perceive a higher milk content.

[0148] Thus, the present invention provides a) cocoa powder or cocoa liquor or cocoa butter or a cocoa butter equivalent or any combination thereof; b) 5-60% (e.g. 20-55%) of amorphous particles according to the present invention, The amorphous particles may have a moisture content of 1% to 5% (e.g., 2% to 3%), contain sucrose and skim milk at a level of at least 95% of the particle (e.g., at least 98%) on a dry basis, have a ratio of sucrose to skim milk of 0.5:1 to 0.6:1, and have a closed porosity of less than 20%, and further the amorphous particles may have a D90 particle size distribution of 50 to 120 μm, for example 70 to 90 μm.

[0149] The present inventors have investigated the effect of changing the ratio of sucrose to skim milk powder on the stability of amorphous particles.When the ratio of sucrose to skim milk powder is greater than 0.6:1, the stability is significantly reduced.Therefore, when the sucrose content in food is to be reduced by replacing crystalline sucrose with the amorphous particles of the present invention that contain sucrose and skim milk, the optimal ratio to use is about 0.66:1.

[0150] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the amorphous sugar particles of the present invention can be used in food products as a bulk sugar substitute.The amorphous sugar particles of the present invention can be used to reduce the sugar content in food products.For example, the amorphous sugar particles can be used to reduce the sugar content (e.g., sucrose content) of fat-based confectionery products by 50-70% by volume, or to reduce the sugar content (e.g., sucrose content) of fat-based confectionery products by 10-35% by weight.

[0151] In another embodiment of the invention, the amorphous sugar particles are preferably used in food products such as confectionery products, culinary products, dairy products, nutritional formulas, breakfast cereals, or ice cream.

[0152] range In the discussion of the invention herein, unless otherwise stated to the contrary, disclosure of alternative values ​​at the upper and lower limits of an acceptable range for a parameter indicating that one value is preferred over another is deemed to include each intermediate value for said parameter, with values ​​falling between each of the more preferred and less preferred values ​​being themselves preferred over the less preferred values, and similarly preferred over each of the less preferred values ​​and the intermediate values.

[0153] For all upper and / or lower limits of any parameter given herein, the limit is included in the value of each parameter unless otherwise stated. That is, "less than" means "less than, including," "greater than" means "greater than, including," while "less than, but not including" means that the limit is not included. It will also be understood that all combinations of preferred and / or intermediate lower and upper limits for the parameters described herein in various embodiments of the invention can also be used to define alternative ranges for each parameter in various other embodiments, and / or preferences for combinations of values, whether or not specifically disclosed herein.

[0154] "percentage" Unless otherwise stated, all % designations in the present invention correspond to % by weight.

[0155] It will be understood that for any amounts described herein, the total amount as a percentage may not exceed 100% (allowing for rounding errors). For example, the sum of the components (or portion(s) thereof) contained in the compositions of the present invention, when stated as a weight (or other) percentage of the composition (or the same portion(s) thereof), may total 100%, allowing for rounding errors. However, when a list of components is non-exclusive, the sum of the percentages for each of such components may be less than 100%, allowing for some percentage with respect to any additional component amount(s) that may not be explicitly stated herein.

[0156] "Essentially." As used herein, the term "substantially" (or "essentially") may refer to an amount or entity that means a large amount or a large proportion. In this context, in the context in which "substantially" is used, "substantially" means an amount (relative to either the amount or entity to which it refers in the described context) and may be understood as an amount that constitutes at least 80%, preferably at least 85%, more preferably at least 90%, most preferably at least 95%, in particular at least 98%, e.g., about 100% of the total amount of the subject. By analogy, the term "substantially free" or "free" may similarly denote that the amount or entity to which it refers is 20% or less, preferably 15% or less, more preferably 10% or less, particularly preferably 5% or less, in particular 2% or less, e.g., about 0%, of the total amount of the subject.

[0157] As used herein, the term "comprising" is to be understood to mean that what follows is non-inclusive and may or may not include any other additional suitable items as appropriate, such as one or more further features, components, ingredients, and / or substitutes.

[0158] Thus, the terms "comprise" and "comprising" and the like should be interpreted as inclusive, as opposed to exclusive or exhaustive, i.e., "including, but not limited to." It should be noted that embodiments and features described in the context of one aspect of the invention also apply to other aspects of the invention.

[0159] The present invention will now be described in further detail by the following non-limiting examples, which are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the present invention in any way.

[0160] It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.

[0161] Experimental section Glass transition temperature measurement The glass transition temperature (Tg) was measured by differential scanning calorimetry (TA Instrument Q2000). A double scan method was used to eliminate the enthalpy of relaxation, and a good observation of the glass transition was obtained. The scan rate was 5°C / min. The first scan was stopped about 30°C above Tg. The system was then cooled at 20°C / min. The glass transition was detected during the second scan and was defined as the occurrence of a step change in heat capacity.

[0162] Structure determination using cryo-scanning electron microscopy Cryo-scanning electron microscopy (Cryo-SEM) and X-ray computed tomography (μCT) were used to investigate the microstructure of the amorphous particles of the present invention within a fat-based food matrix.

[0163] Using TissueTek, 3 A piece of sample was glued in a Cryo-SEM sample holder. The sample was rapidly cooled in slush nitrogen before being transferred into a cryo-preparation unit Gatan Alto2500 at -170 °C. The frozen sample was fractured using a chilled knife to allow the internal structure to be observed. No fracture was performed when the external surface of the chocolate was analysed. In the preparation unit, the surface water was slightly etched at -95 °C for 15 min, and the sample was subsequently stabilized at -120 °C. The final coating was performed by applying a 5 nm layer of platinum to the surface. For visualization, an FEI Quanta200FEG was used at 8 kV in high vacuum mode.

[0164] Sphericity measurement The sphericity was measured by a Camsizer XT, an optical / electronic device that allows the measurement of size and shape parameters of powders, emulsions and suspensions. The digital image analysis technique relies on computer processing of a large number of sample images taken simultaneously by two different cameras at a frame rate of 277 frames / s. During the measurement the sample is illuminated by a two-pulsed LED light source.

[0165] Moisture content The moisture content was determined by TG-DTA (Mettler Toledo Gmbh, Switzerland AG). Thermogravimetric analysis allows the recording of the mass loss of any homogeneous material under conditions of constant heating rate and controlled dry gas flow. Samples of 25 mg each are subjected to a heating rate of 2°C / min from 25°C to 180°C under a dry nitrogen flow (100 mL / min). The TGA data for moisture content are analyzed using STARe ver.11 software from Mettler-Toledo or TA Universal.

[0166] Particle size Powder particle size values ​​were measured by digital image analysis using a Camsizer XT (Retsch Technology GmbH, Germany) that relies on computer processing of multiple sample images taken simultaneously by two different cameras at a frame rate of 277 frames / s.

[0167] This technique is used to measure the particle size distribution of the particles of the present invention.

[0168] Apparent Density The apparent density of the powders was measured by an Accupyc 1330 Pycnometer (Micrometrics Instrument Corporation, US), which determines density and volume by measuring the pressure change of helium in a calibrated volume.

[0169] Tap Density Tapped density is measured by a STAV 2003 jolting volumeter (J. Engelsmann, AG, Germany). The powder is poured into a 250 mL cylinder, weighed, and tapped 100 times with the instrument. The volume and weight are then measured and used to calculate the tapped density.

[0170] Matrix Density Matrix density was determined by a DMA4500M (Anton Paar, Switzerland AG). Samples were introduced into a U-shaped borosilicate glass tube that was excited to vibrate at a natural frequency that depended on the density of the sample. EXAMPLES

[0171] The following examples are illustrative of the products and methods that also fall within the scope of the present invention. These examples are not to be construed as limiting the present invention in any way. Modifications and modifications can be made in the light of the present invention. That is, those skilled in the art will recognize that in these examples, reasonable adjustments can be made to the natural levels of the compounds of the present invention in various applications, and there can be a wide variety of variations in composition, raw materials, processing methods, and mixtures.

[0172] Example 1 Preparation of the amorphous particles of the present invention

[0173] [Table 1]

[0174] All raw materials were weighed separately and then mixed at room temperature until completely dissolved. After pre-heating at 85°C for 22 seconds, the solution is spray dried using a one-stream closed-top spray drier with the parameters listed in the table below.

[0175] [Table 2]

[0176] The particles had a D90 of 61.6 μm, a D50 of 38.4 μm, a D10 of 20.4 μm, a moisture content of 2.99%, a glass transition temperature of 46.83° C., a sphericity of 0.864, and a closed porosity of 14.67.

[0177] Regarding the particle size distribution, the content of particles with a size below 10 μm was 4%.

[0178] Cryo-SEM revealed that the particles consisted of a single continuous phase of amorphous material. Standard Reference Formulations for Chocolate Recipes

[0179] [Table 3] A standard process was used to prepare the chocolate. All dry raw materials and approximately 26% cocoa butter fat were heated to 45°C for 3 minutes. After mixing, the resulting paste was passed through a 2-roll refiner and a 5-roll refiner to produce flakes with particle size in the range of 50-55 μm.

[0180] After micronization, the mixture containing the micronized mass is mixed with the remaining fat and lecithin and liquefied at 45°C for 3 minutes.

[0181] Example 2 A reduced sugar chocolate composition was prepared as follows: sugar, skim milk powder, and cocoa liquor are heated for 3 minutes at 45° C. After mixing, the resulting paste is passed through a 2-roll refiner and a 5-roll refiner to produce flakes with particle sizes in the range of 50-55 μm.

[0182] After micronization, the mixture containing the micronized mass is mixed with the amorphous particles, cocoa butter, vanillin, and lecithin and liquefied at 45° C. for 3 minutes.

[0183] [Table 4]

[0184] Example 3 A reduced sugar chocolate composition was prepared as follows: sugar, skim milk powder, cocoa mass, and milk fat are heated to 45° C. for 3 minutes. After mixing, the resulting paste is passed through a 2-roll refiner and a 5-roll refiner to produce flakes with particle sizes in the range of 50-55 μm.

[0185] After micronization, the mixture containing the micronized mass is mixed with the amorphous particles, cocoa butter, vanillin, and lecithin and liquefied at 45° C. for 3 minutes.

[0186] [Table 5]

[0187] Comparative Example 1 Preparation of comparative amorphous porous particles:

[0188] [Table 6]

[0189] All the raw materials were weighed separately and then mixed in a polytron PT3000D mixer at room temperature at a speed of 6000-12000 rpm until fully dissolved. The inlet solution was transferred to a temperature controlled vessel at 55°C and then pumped at 100-130 bar. After pre-heating at 60°C, the solution was spray dried using a one-stream closed top spray dryer with the parameters listed in the table below.

[0190] [Table 7]

[0191] The particle size distribution D90 was 40 μm and the porosity was 6%.

[0192] Example 4 The chocolates of Examples 2 and 3 were informally tasted by a panel of 15. There was no report of a loss of sweetness or improved presentation of smooth melt.

[0193] Example 5 and Comparative Example 2 A fat-based filling was prepared using the particles of the invention prepared according to Example 1 and Nutriose®, a commercially available soluble dietary fiber sold as a sugar substitute.

[0194] The filling was encased in a standard white chocolate recipe.

[0195] The fat-based confectionery fillings were prepared according to the recipes given in the table below.

[0196] [Table 8]

[0197] Further fillings were prepared according to the recipes given in the tables below.

[0198] [Table 9]

[0199] process The conventional filling is prepared using conventional methods by mixing all the dry ingredients together with a portion of the fat (Chocofill NH30) and then refined using a conventional roll refiner to produce a preferred particle size in the range of 25-55 μm. The remainder of the fat is added to the refined mixture and further mixed to obtain a pileable or layerable filling composition.

[0200] A standard white chocolate is prepared and melted. The moulding plate is moved along a conveyor. Each mould is filled with chocolate fluid material so that it overflows, and then inverted so that the excess chocolate can be drained. The mould is returned to a vertical position, leaving a chocolate shell on the bottom and sides of the mould. The excess chocolate is scraped off from the top of the mould. The filling composition is filled into the mould after cooling to 31°C to 32°C, which is vibrated to distribute the filling on the chocolate at the bottom of the mould. More fluid chocolate material is poured on top of the filling, and the mould is vibrated again to set the top layer of chocolate. The excess chocolate is scraped off to form the back of the shell mould product. The mould is cooled and then inverted to remove the formed chocolate shell mould product. The product weighs 5g.

[0201] A taste panel of 14 expert panelists tasted two samples of each product and were trained in a standard quantitative descriptive analysis procedure using a standard sensory evaluation vocabulary used for white chocolate, capturing both flavor and texture attributes.

[0202] During the evaluation of each sample, panelists were instructed to rate the intensity of each attribute, as indicated by the sensory evaluation terms. The perceived intensity was recorded on a visual analogue rating scale ranging from 0 to 10, and panelists were presented with the samples in a dichotomous test (one point at a time). A maximum of three products were evaluated in each session, with a 5-minute pause between samples to avoid saturation effects. During the pause, panelists were offered freshly opened Acqua Panna water as a mouthwash. Dichotomous test profiling data were collected in individual sensory booths using Fizz software (Biosystemes, France). Analysis of variance (ANOVA, two-way, product fixed, and rating random) was performed for each sensory attribute to assess whether there were any significant differences between the products. In addition, Fisher's LSD multiple comparisons were applied to distinguish products that differed from each other.

[0203] Tests with the particles of the present invention have shown that they are significantly less sticky (i.e., the extent to which the product sticks to the teeth during biting and chewing or while moving around in the mouth). The similar properties of pastiness (the extent to which the sample becomes a paste that is difficult to dissolve and remove) and mouth-coating (the extent to which the mouth feels like it has a fatty coating on it) are also lower for the present invention, all of which contribute to the perception of "stickiness". However, the present invention also has a stronger sweet, milky and vanilla flavor.

[0204] The present invention therefore provides an improvement in organoleptic properties, i.e. mouthfeel, a common challenge for sugar replacement in confectionery, without compromising the positive attributes associated with confectionery. It is believed that the reduction in particle size distribution, most preferably particles below 10 μm, combined with porosity, provides this improvement.

Claims

1. Amorphous particles comprising a sugar and a bulking agent, the sugar being sucrose; Amorphous particles having a closed porosity of less than 20% and a D90 particle size of more than 45 μm, and free of surfactants and amorphously solidified sugars having a dextrose equivalent of greater than 20.

2. 2. The amorphous particle according to claim 1, wherein the closed porosity is from 2.5% to 18%.

3. 3. The amorphous particles according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the D90 particle size of the amorphous particles is greater than 50 μm.

4. The amorphous particles according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the D90 particle size is 50 to 120 μm.

5. The amorphous particles according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the D90 particle size is 60 to 90 μm.

6. 6. Amorphous particles according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the particles have one continuous phase.

7. Amorphous particles according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the particles contain no more than 10% by weight crystalline content.

8. Amorphous particles according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the amount of particles having a particle size of less than 10 µm is less than 25%.

9. 9. Amorphous particles according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the amorphous particles comprise sucrose and skim milk, the sucrose being present at a level of at least 30% and the ratio of sucrose to skim milk being from 0.5:1 to 2.5:1 on a dry weight basis.

10. A food product comprising amorphous particles according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. 11. The food product of claim 10 which is a confectionery product, a culinary product, a dairy product, a nutritional formula, a breakfast cereal, or an ice cream.

12. 12. Food product according to claim 10 or 11, which is a fat-based confectionery product.

13. 13. The food product of claim 12, wherein the fat-based confectionery product is chocolate.

14. subjecting the mixture comprising sugar and bulking agent to a pressure of 200-300 bar; spraying and drying the mixture to form amorphous particles; The method for producing amorphous particles according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising:

15. The process according to claim 14, wherein the pressure is between 215 and 275 bar.

16. subjecting the mixture comprising sugar and bulking agent to a pressure of 200-300 bar; spraying and drying the mixture to form amorphous particles; mixing said amorphous particles with fat and, optionally, ingredients selected from the group consisting of milk powder, cocoa liquor, crystalline sugar, lecithin, and combinations thereof; A method for producing a fat-based confectionery product comprising amorphous particles according to any one of claims 1 to 9, comprising:

17. The process according to claim 16, wherein the pressure is between 215 and 275 bar.

18. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 17, wherein the drying is spray drying.

19. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 18, wherein no gas is added during the manufacturing process.

20. Use of the amorphous porous sugar particles according to any one of claims 1 to 7 as a sugar substitute in a food product.

21. 21. Use according to claim 20 for reducing the sugar content of a food product.

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