Powders containing lactate-coated particles and methods for preparing same

Abstract

The present invention provides a particulate product comprising lactate-coated particles, comprising at least 80 wt.% of one or more C 1-2 one or more carrier particles containing an alkanecarboxylate salt, 1-2 Alkane carboxylates are C 1-2 a coating layer covering the one or more carrier particles, the coating layer containing at least 80 wt. % sodium lactate; and a coating layer comprising the one or more C 1-2 The present invention provides a particulate product containing at least 10 wt. % lactate-coated particles having the following characteristics: an alkanecarboxylate and sodium lactate in a weight ratio of 1:2 to 2:1; and a particle size in the range of 40 to 1,500 μm. 1-2 Particulate products comprising lactate-coated particles in the form of alkanecarboxylate particles offer several advantages over dry blends of these organic acid salts. The present invention also relates to the use of the particulate products of the present invention in foodstuffs or beverages.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to 1-2 The present invention relates to a powder comprising particles containing an alkanecarboxylate (acetate or propionate) and sodium lactate. More particularly, these particles are 1-2 The composition comprises one or more carrier particles consisting essentially of an alkanecarboxylate and a coating layer covering the carrier particles, the coating layer consisting essentially of sodium lactate.

[0002] Powders containing the lactate coated particles of the present invention may be suitably used as preservatives in food, particularly in processed meat products.

[0003] The invention also relates to blends of lactate coated particles and other particulate ingredients.Furthermore, the invention relates to the use of the lactate coated particles, and blends containing these particles, in the preparation of foodstuffs or beverages.Finally, the invention provides a method for producing a lactate coated powder.

[0004] [Background of the invention] Sodium acetate, potassium acetate, and calcium acetate are used as food additives, e.g., as preservatives. These acetate salts may be conveniently prepared by neutralizing vinegar with a suitable base (e.g., NaOH, KOH, or Ca(OH)2). Alternatively, the acetate salts may be prepared chemically.

[0005] Sodium propionate, potassium propionate, and calcium propionate are also used as preservatives in food products. These propionate salts may be produced by fermenting a suitable substrate with Propionibacterium followed by neutralization with a suitable base. Alternatively, the propionate salts may be produced chemically.

[0006] Sodium lactate is typically produced by fermenting sugar raw materials and subsequently neutralizing the resulting lactic acid. Sodium lactate acts as a preservative, pH adjuster, and leavening agent. Sodium lactate is highly hygroscopic; it absorbs water very rapidly and in so doing forms a viscous fluid.

[0007] Taniguchi et al. (Production of a mixture of antimicrobial organic acids from lactose by co-culture of Bifidobacterium longum and Propionibacterium freudenreichii, Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 1998 Aug;62(8):1522-7) describe a study comparing the antibacterial activity of standard solutions of three organic acids (lactic acid, acetic acid, and propionic acid) using Micrococcus luteus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa species, and Staphylococcus aureus as test organisms.

[0008] Tangkham et al. (Effect of sodium lactate and sodium acetate on shelf-life of raw chicken breasts, Afr. J. Food Sci., vol. 6(13), pp. 375-380, 15 July 2012) describe an experiment conducted to evaluate the effect of sodium lactate and sodium acetate on the microbial population and shelf-life of raw chicken breasts. Raw chicken breasts were randomly assigned treatments containing 0, 0.87, or 1.74% sodium lactate, or a combination of 1.74% sodium acetate, 3.48% sodium acetate, or 1.74% sodium lactate and 1.74% sodium acetate. All treatments contained sodium phosphate, sodium chloride, and various levels of distilled water. Samples were refrigerated (2-3°C) and plate counts (APC) were performed every 3 days. The combination of 1.74% sodium lactate and 1.74% sodium acetate was the most effective in reducing bacterial growth from days 3 to 15. Sodium acetate was the most effective in inhibiting microbial growth.

[0009] Opti.Form® Powder Ace S50 is a commercial product sold by Corbion Purac as a microbial growth inhibitor. This product is a powder blend of sodium lactate and sodium acetate. The product composition is 49.5% sodium lactate, 49.5% sodium acetate, and 0.5-1.0% water. This product is highly hygroscopic due to the presence of sodium lactate. Also, the sodium lactate particles are very large due to the fact that they are produced by extrusion.

[0010] WO 2019 / 091970 describes a particulate product comprising at least 10 wt.% coated acetate particles having the following characteristics: the coated acetate particles include one or more carrier particles containing at least 80 wt.% of a sodium acetate component selected from sodium acetate hydrate, sodium acetate anhydrous, and combinations thereof; The coated acetate particles include a coating layer covering one or more carrier particles, the coating layer containing at least 60 wt.% potassium acetate. the coated acetate particles contain potassium and sodium in a molar ratio of 0.4:1 to 5:1; and The coated acetate particles have a particle size in the range of 40 to 1,000 μm.

[0011] WO 2019 / 068798 describes a particulate product comprising at least 10 wt.% coated lactate particles having the following characteristics: the coated lactate particles comprise one or more carrier particles containing at least 80 wt.% of a calcium lactate component selected from calcium lactate hydrate, calcium lactate anhydrous, and combinations thereof; The coated lactate particles comprise a coating layer covering one or more carrier particles, the coating layer containing at least 60 wt.% sodium lactate; the coated lactate particles contain sodium and calcium in a molar ratio of 2.1:1 to 5:1; and The coated lactate particles have a particle size in the range of 120 to 1,200 μm.

[0012] [Summary of the invention] The inventors have developed C in powder form. 1-2 We have now discovered a method for combining an alkane carboxylate and sodium lactate that offers significant advantages over dry blends of these organic acid salts. More specifically, we have discovered 1-2 By coating the alkane carboxylate particles with a layer of sodium lactate, 1-2 It has been found that it is possible to produce lactate-coated powders that have better handling properties (flow behavior and dusting), better stability, better homogeneity, and less tendency to demix than dry blends of alkanecarboxylates and sodium lactate.Furthermore, the inventors have found that it is possible to produce these lactate-coated particles that are of small particle size. [Summary of the invention]

[0013] Thus, the present invention provides a particulate product comprising at least 10 wt.% lactate-coated particles having the following characteristics: The lactate-coated particles contain at least 80 wt.% of one or more C 1-2 one or more carrier particles containing an alkane carboxylate, 1-2 Alkane carboxylate is C 1-2 selected from anhydrous and hydrated metal salts of alkanecarboxylic acids, the metal of said metal salt being a metal cation selected from sodium, potassium, calcium, and combinations thereof; the lactate coated particles comprise a coating layer covering the one or more carrier particles, the coating layer comprising at least 80 wt.% sodium lactate; The lactate-coated particles are one or more C 1-2 containing an alkanecarboxylate and sodium lactate in a weight ratio of 1:2 to 2:1; and The lactate-coated particles have a particle size in the range of 40 to 1,500 μm.

[0014] Another aspect of the invention relates to a method of preparing a foodstuff or beverage, comprising the step of incorporating the particulate product described above at a concentration of 0.1 to 10% by weight of the foodstuff or beverage.

[0015] Yet another aspect of the invention is a method for producing the particulate product of the invention, comprising the steps of: At least 80 wt.% of one or more C 1-2 Providing a fluidized bed of carrier particles containing alkane carboxylates, 1-2 Alkane carboxylate is C 1-2 a metal salt selected from anhydrous and hydrated metal salts of an alkanecarboxylic acid, the metal of said metal salt being a cation selected from sodium, potassium, calcium, and combinations thereof; spray coating the carrier particles by spraying an aqueous liquid containing 32-75 wt.% sodium lactate into the fluidized bed; drying the lactate-spray-coated carrier particles; The present invention relates to a method comprising the steps of:

[0016] [Detailed Description of the Invention] A first aspect of the present invention relates to a particulate product comprising lactate-coated particles, the particulate product containing at least 10 wt.% lactate-coated particles having the following characteristics: The lactate-coated particles contain at least 80 wt.% of one or more C 1-2 one or more carrier particles containing an alkane carboxylate, 1-2 Alkane carboxylate is C 1-2 selected from anhydrous and hydrated metal salts of alkanecarboxylic acids, the metal of said metal salt being a metal cation selected from sodium, potassium, calcium, and combinations thereof; the lactate coated particles comprise a coating layer covering the one or more carrier particles, the coating layer comprising at least 80 wt.% sodium lactate; The lactate-coated particles are one or more C 1-2 containing an alkanecarboxylate and sodium lactate in a weight ratio of 1:2 to 2:1; and The lactate coated particles have a particle size in the range of 40 to 1,500 μm, as measured using laser diffraction.

[0017] As used herein, the term "particulate product" refers to a product that is composed of particles, such as powders or granules.

[0018] As used herein, "C 1-2 The term "alkanecarboxylate" refers to acetates, propionates, and combinations thereof.

[0019] As used herein, the term "sodium lactate" refers to anhydrous sodium lactate (CHCH(OH)COONa).

[0020] Whenever "lactate-coated particles" are referred to in this specification, unless otherwise indicated, it means lactate-coated particles having the properties as specified above, or the properties of preferred embodiments of these lactate-coated particles as specified herein.

[0021] Wherever reference is made herein to the size of a particle, unless otherwise indicated, this is the size measured using laser diffraction (Malvern Mastersizer 3000).

[0022] The lactate coated particles of the present invention preferably have a moisture content of less than 3.5 wt.%, more preferably less than 3.0 wt.%, and most preferably less than 2.5 wt.%. Whenever the moisture content of a material is referred to herein, this is typically the moisture content measured by Karl Fischer titration and includes the water of crystallization contained in hydrates such as sodium acetate trihydrate (C2H9NaO5).

[0023] The moisture content of the particulate product of the present invention is typically less than 3 wt.%, preferably less than 2 wt.%, more preferably less than 1.5 wt.%, and most preferably less than 1.0 wt.%, where the moisture content of the particulate product includes the moisture contained in the lactate-coated particles.

[0024] In a preferred embodiment, the particulate product contains at least 20 wt.%, more preferably at least 50 wt.%, even more preferably at least 80 wt.%, and most preferably at least 90 wt.% lactate-coated particles.

[0025] In addition to the lactate coated particles, the particulate product may suitably contain one or more other particulate ingredients.

[0026] According to another preferred embodiment, the lactate coated particles have a mean diameter D[4,3] in the range of 100-900 μm, more preferably in the range of 200-800 μm, most preferably in the range of 300-700 μm. Here, the "mean diameter D[4,3]" refers to the De Brouckere mean diameter or the volume mean diameter, which can be defined as the weighted average volume, assuming a spherical particle with the same volume as the actual particle. This mean diameter is calculated according to the following formula:

number

[0027] In a further preferred embodiment, at least 80 wt.% of the lactate coated particles have a particle size in the range of 100-1200 μm, more preferably in the range of 200-1,000 μm, and most preferably in the range of 250-900 μm.

[0028] The particulate products of the present invention preferably have a bulk density in the range of 0.45-0.75 g / ml, more preferably in the range of 0.5-0.70 g / ml, and most preferably in the range of 0.52-0.65 g / ml. As used herein, the term "bulk density" refers to the mass of a quantity of particulate product divided by the total volume that said quantity occupies. The total volume includes particle volume, interparticle void volume, and internal pore volume. The bulk density referred to herein is the "tapped" density, i.e., the bulk density of the product after it has been mechanically tapped until there is no further change in volume (a minimum of 180 taps nominal count).

[0029] The carrier particles or particles within the lactate-coated particles preferably contain at least 85 wt.%, more preferably at least 90 wt.%, and most preferably at least 92 wt.% of one or more C 1-2 Contains alkane carboxylate salts.

[0030] One or more C in the carrier particles 1-2 The alkane carboxylate is preferably mostly anhydrous C 1-2 Thus, in a preferred embodiment, the one or more carrier particles are composed of at least 80 wt.%, more preferably at least 85 wt.%, and most preferably at least 90 wt.% of one or more anhydrous C 1-2 Contains alkane carboxylate salts.

[0031] In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, one or more C 1-2 The alkane carboxylate salt is selected from sodium acetate hydrate, sodium acetate anhydride, and combinations thereof. Most preferably, one or more C 1-2 The alkanecarboxylate is anhydrous sodium acetate.

[0032] According to another advantageous embodiment, one or more C 1-2 The alkane carboxylate is selected from calcium propionate hydrate, calcium propionate anhydrous, and combinations thereof. Most preferably, one or more C 1-2The alkanecarboxylate is anhydrous calcium propionate.

[0033] In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the total amount of sodium in the lactate-coated particles is preferably in the range of 20 to 25 wt.%, more preferably in the range of 22 to 24 wt.%.

[0034] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lactate-coated particles contain 2-15 wt.% sodium and 6-19 wt.% calcium, more preferably 3-12 wt.% sodium and 8-15 wt.% calcium.

[0035] The coating layer of the coated lactate particles preferably contains at least 85 wt.%, more preferably at least 90 wt.%, and most preferably at least 92 wt.% sodium lactate.

[0036] The lactate-coated particles of the present invention may contain one or more additional coating layers in addition to the sodium lactate-containing coating layer, but the benefits of the present invention are particularly realized when the lactate-coated particles do not contain an additional coating layer.

[0037] In another preferred embodiment, one or more C 1-2 The alkanecarboxylate and sodium lactate are present in the lactate coated particles in a weight ratio of from 2:3 to 3:2, most preferably from 3:4 to 4:3.

[0038] According to a preferred embodiment, C 1-2 The combination of alkanecarboxylate and sodium lactate constitutes at least 80 wt.%, more preferably at least 90 wt.%, and most preferably at least 95 wt.% of the lactate coated particles.

[0039] The one or more carrier particles contained in the lactate-coated particles of the present invention preferably have a median particle size in the range of 20 to 1000 μm, more preferably in the range of 100 to 800 μm, and most preferably in the range of 150 to 750 μm.

[0040] Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of preparing a foodstuff or beverage, comprising the step of incorporating a particulate product as defined herein at a concentration of 0.1 to 10%, preferably 0.3 to 5%, more preferably 0.5 to 3% by weight of the foodstuff or beverage.

[0041] Preferably the particulate product is incorporated into the foodstuff or beverage at a concentration to provide 0.2 to 1.5%, more preferably 0.4 to 1.2% lactate coated particles by weight of the foodstuff or beverage.

[0042] The method of the present invention preferably includes the step of distributing the particulate product throughout the foodstuff or dispersing the particulate product throughout the beverage.

[0043] Preferably, the method of the present invention includes the step of incorporating the particulate product into a foodstuff.

[0044] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the foodstuff is a meat product, more preferably a processed meat product. Examples of processed meat products include: Fresh processed meat products (e.g. hamburgers, fried sausages, kebabs, chicken nuggets) Cured meat cuts (e.g. raw cured beef, prosciutto, cooked beef, cooked ham, reconstituted products, and bacon) Raw and cooked products (e.g. frankfurters, mortadella, lyoner, and meatloaf) Pre-cooked - cooked products (e.g. liver sausage, blood sausage, and corned beef) Fresh (dried) - fermented sausages (e.g. salami) ·Dried meat Examples include:

[0045] Most preferably, the method of the present invention is applied to the preparation of processed meat products selected from cured meat pieces and fresh (dry)-fermented sausages.

[0046] Yet another aspect of the invention is a method for producing the particulate product of the invention, comprising the steps of: At least 80 wt.% of one or more C 1-2 Providing a fluidized bed of carrier particles containing alkane carboxylates, 1-2 Alkane carboxylate is C 1-2 a metal salt selected from anhydrous and hydrated metal salts of an alkanecarboxylic acid, the metal of said metal salt being a cation selected from sodium, potassium, calcium, and combinations thereof; spray coating the carrier particles by spraying an aqueous liquid containing 32-75 wt.% sodium lactate into the fluidized bed; drying the lactate-coated carrier particles; The present invention relates to a method comprising the steps of:

[0047] In a preferred embodiment of the method, the support particles have at least 85 wt.%, more preferably at least 90 wt.%, and most preferably at least 92 wt.% C. 1-2 Contains alkane carboxylate salts.

[0048] In one embodiment, the one or more carrier particles preferably contain at least 80 wt.%, more preferably at least 85 wt.%, and most preferably at least 90 wt.% anhydrous sodium acetate.

[0049] In another embodiment, the one or more carrier particles preferably contain at least 80 wt.%, more preferably at least 85 wt.%, and most preferably at least 90 wt.% anhydrous calcium propionate.

[0050] In a particularly preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least 80 wt.%, more preferably at least 90 wt.%, of the carrier particles have a particle size in the range of 20 to 1000 μm, more preferably in the range of 100 to 800 μm, and most preferably in the range of 150 to 750 μm.

[0051] The aqueous liquid employed in the aqueous process preferably contains 35-73 wt. % sodium lactate, more preferably 45-70 wt. %.

[0052] Drying of the spray coated particles is preferably achieved simultaneously with spray coating by passing a drying gas stream through the fluidized bed of particles. The drying gas employed is preferably selected from air, oxygen, nitrogen and combinations thereof.

[0053] Simultaneous spray coating and drying is preferably carried out using a drying gas temperature in the range of 70-160°C, more preferably in the range of 75-140°C, and most preferably in the range of 80-120°C.

[0054] Simultaneous spray coating and drying is preferably carried out by spraying the aqueous liquid at a pressure of 1.5 to 4 bar, most preferably at a pressure of 2 to 3.5 bar.

[0055] The present invention is further illustrated by the following non-limiting examples. EXAMPLES

[0056] Example 1 Lactate coated particles according to the present invention were prepared in a GLATT® fluid bed dryer as described below.

[0057] Sodium acetate powder with a mean diameter D[4,3] of 450 μm (anhydrous sodium acetate, Flevochemie, The Netherlands) was used as starting material.

[0058] Sodium acetate powder was added to the basket of a fluid bed dryer and heated to 70° C. while fluidizing the product.

[0059] A 60% aqueous solution of sodium lactate was used as the spray liquid. The solution was kept at 70°C.

[0060] Spraying commenced once the fluidized bed reached a temperature of 70°C. The inlet air temperature was maintained at 80-100°C and the spray pressure at 3 bar. The spray rate was kept low initially and slowly increased until approximately 15 wt.% sodium lactate had been sprayed. The spray rate was then increased to its maximum (17 g / kg moisture in the exhaust, maximum mixed water content obtainable in the exhaust). Once all the sodium lactate solution had been sprayed, a composition of 50 wt.% sodium acetate and 50 wt.% sodium lactate was reached and the material was dried to a moisture content of less than 1 wt.%, cooled and discharged.

[0061] The lactate-coated powder thus produced had a mean diameter D[4,3] of approximately 620 μm.

[0062] Example 2 The acetate-lactate powder of Example 1 was compared to a 1:1 (w / w) dry blend of sodium acetate and sodium lactate (Sodium L-lactate powder, Corbion, The Netherlands, moisture content <1 wt.%). Each of these two powders was blended with 1 wt.% silica to improve flowability.

[0063] Table 1 shows the particle size distribution of acetate-lactate powders and dry blends, measured by laser diffraction. D(x) represents the particle size such that x% w / w of the particles in the powder are less than D.

[0064] [Table 1]

[0065] Not only did the acetate-lactate powder have a mean particle size significantly smaller than that of the dry blend, but it also had a span (D(90)-D(10)) / D50 nearly 2-fold smaller than that of the dry blend.

[0066] The particle size distribution of acetate-lactate powders is more favorable in terms of homogeneity and tendency to demixing. The fact that acetate-lactate powders consist of one type of particle while the blends consist of two different types of particles also makes acetate-lactate powders more attractive from the standpoint of homogeneity and tendency to demixing.

[0067] Example 3 Sodium lactate coated calcium propionate particles were prepared in a Glatt fluid bed granulator.

[0068] Calcium propionate powder with a mean diameter D[4,3] of 450 μm was used as starting material. A 60% aqueous solution of sodium lactate was used as the spray liquid. This solution was maintained at 70°C. The calcium propionate was charged into a fluidized bed and heated to 95°C by fluidizing air. This temperature was maintained for 5 minutes to dry out any traces of moisture that may be present. Spraying was started and the product temperature was maintained at 70-80°C. The inlet air temperature was maintained at 80-90°C. The atomizing air pressure was 3 bar. The spray rate during the trials was very low, ranging from 5 to 8 g / min.

[0069] Once 30 wt.% sodium lactate had been added to the calcium propionate powder, the coated powder material was dried, cooled and discharged from the granulator. The coated powder thus produced had a mean diameter D[4,3] of approximately 500 μm.

Claims

1. 1. A particulate product comprising lactate-coated particles, the particulate product containing at least 10 wt. % lactate-coated particles having the following characteristics: The lactate-coated particles contain at least 80 wt. % of one or more C １－２ one or more carrier particles containing an alkane carboxylate, １－２ Alkane carboxylate is C １－２ selected from anhydrous and hydrated metal salts of alkanecarboxylic acids, the metal of said metal salt being a metal cation selected from sodium, potassium, calcium, and combinations thereof; The lactate coated particles include a coating layer covering the one or more carrier particles, the coating layer containing at least 80 wt. % sodium lactate. The lactate-coated particles are １－２ containing an alkane carboxylate and sodium lactate in a weight ratio of 1:2 to 2:1; and The lactate coated particles have a particle size in the range of 40 to 1,500 μm, as measured using laser diffraction.

2. The one or more carrier particles are at least 90 wt. % of the one or more C １－２ 2. The particulate product of claim 1, which contains an alkanecarboxylate salt.

3. 3. The particulate product according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the coating layer contains at least 90 wt. % sodium lactate.

4. The one or more C １－２ 4. The particulate product according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the alkanecarboxylate and sodium lactate are present in the lactate-coated particles in a weight ratio of from 2:3 to 3:

2.

5. C １－２ 5. The particulate product according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the combination of alkanecarboxylate and sodium lactate constitutes at least 80 wt.%, preferably at least 90 wt.% of the lactate coated particles.

6. The one or more C １－２ The particulate product of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the alkanecarboxylate is selected from sodium acetate hydrate, sodium acetate anhydrous, and combinations thereof.

7. The one or more C １－２ The particulate product of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the alkanecarboxylate is selected from calcium propionate hydrate, calcium propionate anhydrous, and combinations thereof.

8. 8. The particulate product according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the lactate-coated particles have a mean diameter D[4,3] in the range of 100 to 900 μm.

9. A particulate product according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the product has a bulk density in the range of 0.45 to 0.75 g / ml.

10. 10. A method of preparing a foodstuff or beverage comprising the step of incorporating a particulate product according to any one of claims 1 to 9 at a concentration of 0.1 to 10% by weight of said foodstuff or beverage.

11. The method of claim 11, wherein the particulate product is incorporated at a concentration providing 0.3 to 1.0% lactate coated particles by weight of the foodstuff or beverage.

12. A method for producing a particulate product according to any one of claims 1 to 10, comprising the steps of: At least 80 wt. % of one or more C １－２ Providing a fluidized bed of support particles containing alkane carboxylates, １－２ Alkane carboxylate is C １－２ a metal salt selected from anhydrous and hydrated metal salts of an alkanecarboxylic acid, the metal of said metal salt being a cation selected from sodium, potassium, calcium, and combinations thereof; spray coating the carrier particles by spraying an aqueous liquid containing 32-75 wt. % sodium lactate into the fluidized bed; drying the lactate-spray-coated carrier particles; A method comprising:

13. 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the aqueous liquid contains 35 to 72 wt.% sodium lactate.

14. The method of claim 12 or 13, wherein the aqueous liquid has a temperature of from 40 to 100° C. when sprayed.

15. 15. The method according to any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein at least 90 wt.% of the carrier particles have a particle size in the range of 20 to 1000 μm.

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