Porous starch as a spray drying aid in the preparation of flavor powders

Abstract

The present invention relates to the use of porous starch as a spray drying aid in the preparation of flavor powders. The present invention also relates to a process for producing flavor powders and flavor powders comprising porous starch obtained from the process. The present invention also relates to flavor powders comprising porous starch as a spray drying aid.

Description

[Background technology]

[0001] The present invention relates to the use of porous starch as a spray drying aid in the preparation of flavor powders. The present invention also relates to a process for producing flavor powders and flavor powders comprising porous starch obtained from the process. The present invention also relates to flavor powders comprising porous starch as a spray drying aid.

[0002] Conventional processes for producing flavor powders use dextrin or maltodextrin as a carrier and / or spray drying aid. Spray drying is the most common method for producing powdered ingredients / foods / beverages in the industry because it is fast drying and prevents off-flavors caused by the Maillard reaction or overheating. Without dextrin or maltodextrin, flavor molecules are small and difficult to dry into powder form due to their high hygroscopicity. Therefore, it is important to use drying aids such as dextrin and maltodextrin to reduce hygroscopicity, obtain a powder form, and maintain the powder form during storage. However, consumers, who are increasingly reluctant to purchase products with chemicals or chemically modified ingredients on the label, also perceive dextrin and maltodextrin as undesirable.

[0003] Therefore, there is a need to provide an alternative spray drying aid, and more generally a drying aid, that can be classified as a clean label ingredient to replace dextrins and maltodextrins in the preparation of flavor powders.

[0004] The present inventors have surprisingly found that certain porous starches can be used as spray drying aids in the preparation of flavor powders. Summary of the Invention

[0005] A first object of the present invention relates to the use of porous starch as a spray drying aid in the preparation of maltodextrin- and dextrin-free flavor powders.

[0006] A second object of the present invention relates to a process for producing flavor powders, which comprises the step of adding porous starch as a spray drying aid, said process not comprising the step of adding maltodextrin and / or dextrin.

[0007] A third object of the present invention relates to a flavor powder comprising porous starch obtained from the process defined in the present invention.

[0008] A fourth object of the present invention relates to a flavor powder comprising a spray drying adjuvant containing or consisting of porous starch, said flavor powder not containing dextrin or maltodextrin. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] A first object of the present invention relates to the use of porous starch as a spray drying aid in the preparation of maltodextrin- and dextrin-free flavor powders.

[0010] In the present invention, "flavor powder" refers to a flavor or seasoning powder obtained by spray drying a flavoring or seasoning solution (including extracts, sauces, emulsions, and suspensions). Flavor powders are convenient for transportation, dry mixing, and storage, can have a longer shelf life, and can be more heat-resistant than the corresponding flavoring or seasoning solution.

[0011] The flavor powder of the present invention can be used in the form of a dry mix in flavoring or seasoning noodles, rice, puffed foods, snacks, biscuits, beverages, and soups, for example, and can also be used to mix into dough or batter for snacks and bakery products.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flavor powder is bouillon powder, seasoning powder, seed extract powder, leaf or vegetable extract powder, fruit extract powder, mushroom extract powder, yeast extract powder, miso powder, soy sauce powder, artificial or synthetic flavor powder, and mixtures thereof, preferably soy sauce powder.

[0013] As used herein, the expression "spray drying aid" refers to a compound used to reduce the stickiness or hygroscopicity of a powder by increasing the amount of larger molecules. Without the spray drying aid, the small molecules would form powder particles that would stick together and stick to the walls of the dryer, causing operational problems and low production yields. Spray drying aids also increase the glass transition temperature of the mixture. The glass transition temperature (T g ) is the temperature at which a solid amorphous material transitions from a hard, solid, brittle state to a soft, rubbery, elastic state with increasing temperature. g At higher molecular weights, small molecules have a tendency to have high molecular mobility and form soft particles with sticky surfaces, resulting in a glue-like structure rather than a powdery material. Therefore, high molecular weight spray drying aids are essential for the T of food systems. g This is necessary to increase the viscosity to minimize particle stickiness problems.

[0014] More generally, in the present invention, porous starch is also used as a carrier in the preparation of flavor powders, a microencapsulation aid, or a drying aid such as a freeze-drying aid or a spray-drying aid.

[0015] As used herein, the expression "porous starch" refers to granular native starch that has been hydrolyzed by one or more amylolytic enzymes until numerous pores are visible on the surface of the starch granules by microscopic techniques.

[0016] As used herein, the term "native starch" refers to starch obtained from natural sources. The starch is not obtained by enzymatic or chemical processing. Typical natural sources of starch are cereals, tubers, roots, legumes, and fruits. In the present invention, native starch can be recovered by extraction processes from natural sources such as wheat, waxy wheat, corn, waxy corn, rice, waxy rice, tapioca, waxy tapioca, potato, waxy potato, sweet potato, waxy sweet potato, pea, mung bean, millet, sago, sorghum, quinoa, arrowroot, amaranth, lotus root, and buckwheat. Native starch is usually extracted using either the known processes of wet milling or dry milling.

[0017] An example of a first starch extraction process includes the following steps: 1) cleaning the grain kernel from foreign matter; 2) soaking the grain in water, an alkaline solution, or a solution containing a reducing agent to soften the grain and facilitate separation of the starch and protein; 3) optionally removing the germ from the grains after coarse grinding by hydrocyclone; 4) pulverizing the remaining kernels to release fiber, protein, and starch; 5) Separating the fiber from the protein and starch by passing through sieves with different opening sizes; 6) Optionally, removing excess water in the starch and protein containing slurry; 7) Separating the protein from the starch by density, such as using a multi-stage hydrocyclone; 8) drying the starch using, for example, a centrifugal filter, a vacuum filter, a belt dryer, and / or a flash dryer; 9) Recovering the dried starch.

[0018] Another example of a second starch extraction process includes the following steps: 1) cleaning and washing the starchy root or starchy tuber from dirt and twigs; 2) removing the skin from the starchy roots or starchy tubers, cutting the insides and cutting them into chunks; 3) grinding the roots into a porridge-like slurry; 4) Removing the coarse and fine fibers from the starch slurry through sieves and / or filter cloths with large and fine openings; 5) Concentrating the starch slurry using a two- or three-phase separator or a series of hydrocyclones; 6) Dehydrating the starch using a centrifuge, high pressure filtration or press filter; 7) drying the starch using a flash dryer; 8) Recovering the dried starch.

[0019] Advantageously, the extraction process is organic solvent-free, chemical reactant-free, and chemically unaltered.

[0020] The native starch used in the present invention for the preparation of porous starch may be wheat starch, waxy wheat starch, corn starch, waxy corn starch, rice starch, waxy rice starch, tapioca starch, waxy tapioca starch, potato starch, waxy potato starch, sweet potato starch, waxy sweet potato starch, pea starch, mung bean starch, millet starch, sago starch, sorghum starch, quinoa starch, arrowroot starch, amaranth starch, lotus root starch, buckwheat starch, and mixtures thereof.

[0021] Thus, in certain embodiments of the present invention, the porous starch is selected from the group consisting of porous wheat starch, porous waxy wheat starch, porous maize starch, porous waxy maize starch, porous rice starch, porous waxy rice starch, porous tapioca starch, porous waxy tapioca starch, porous potato starch, porous waxy potato starch, porous sweet potato starch, porous waxy sweet potato starch, porous pea starch, porous mung bean starch, porous millet starch, porous sago starch, porous sorghum starch, porous quinoa starch, porous arrowroot starch, porous amaranth starch, porous lotus root starch, porous buckwheat starch, and mixtures thereof.

[0022] Preferably, the native starch used in the present invention for preparing the porous starch is a crystalline starch of type A, such as wheat starch, waxy wheat starch, corn starch, waxy corn starch, rice starch, waxy rice starch, tapioca starch, waxy tapioca starch, and mixtures thereof, preferably rice starch and waxy rice starch.

[0023] Thus, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the porous starch is selected from the group consisting of porous wheat starch, porous waxy wheat starch, porous maize starch, porous waxy maize starch, porous rice starch, porous waxy rice starch, porous tapioca starch, porous waxy tapioca starch, and mixtures thereof, preferably porous rice starch and porous waxy rice starch.

[0024] According to the present invention, porous starch can be produced by enzymatic hydrolysis of native starch granules with one or more amylolytic enzymes, such as α-amylase and amyloglucosidase, at temperatures below the pregelatinization temperature of the starch. The predominant enzymatic reaction is hydrolysis, without substitution, oxidation, and reduction reactions, such as the introduction of new ester and ether groups, or the conversion of hydroxyl groups to carbonyl and carboxyl groups.

[0025] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, enzymatic hydrolysis can give porous starches with low viscosity upon pregelatinization, similar to those of dextrins and maltodextrins.

[0026] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, alkaline pH or alcohol solutions are not used to produce clean-label starch, and acid and base solutions are used only as processing aids to adjust the pH for enzymatic hydrolysis and enzyme inactivation. Thus, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the porous starch is not obtained by acid hydrolysis.

[0027] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the porous starch is obtained exclusively by enzymatic hydrolysis from native starch granules, preferably by enzymatic hydrolysis using α-amylase.

[0028] Advantageously, the porous starch used in the present invention in preparing the flavor powder is a clean label starch.

[0029] The resulting starch granules may have a porous structure on the surface and inside the granules. Preferably, they have a large number of small and large pores that may or may not be connected to nuclei through internal channels.

[0030] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the porous starch has on its surface a large number of pores with diameters of 0.01 μm to 5 μm, preferably 0.05 μm to 2.5 μm, more preferably 0.1 μm to 1 μm.

[0031] The porosity can be observed using scanning electron microscopy.

[0032] Before or after enzymatic hydrolysis, the particle size of the resulting starch granules may be further reduced by milling, homogenization, or micronization.

[0033] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the porous starch has a particle size of 0.1 μm to 200 μm, preferably 0.5 μm to 100 μm, more preferably 1 μm to 20 μm.

[0034] The particle size can be measured by a laser diffraction particle size analyzer (Beckman Coulter LS 13 320).

[0035] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the porous starch used in the present invention is not pregelatinized but is in granular form. During the process of producing the flavor powder, the porous starch is pregelatinized by heating.

[0036] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flavor powder is obtained by a process comprising a heating step to pregelatinize the porous starch before or after adding it to the flavoring solution, followed by a spray drying step.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flavor powder is obtained by a process comprising the following steps: (1) mixing the porous starch defined in the present invention with a flavoring solution until a homogeneous mixture is obtained; (2) heating the mixture obtained in step (1) above the pregelatinization temperature of the porous starch; and (3) spray-drying the mixture obtained in step (2).

[0038] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flavor powder is obtained by a process comprising the following steps: (1) heating the porous starch as defined in the present invention above the pregelatinization temperature of the porous starch; (2) mixing the porous starch obtained in step (1) with a flavoring solution until a homogeneous mixture is obtained; and (3) spray-drying the mixture obtained in step (2).

[0039] As used herein, the expression "flavoring solution" refers to solutions, sauces, emulsions, and suspensions, including extracts, that are used to produce flavor powders by drying, especially spray drying. In particular, "flavoring solution" refers to seasoning sauces.

[0040] The flavoring solution of the present invention can be used to flavor or season, for example, noodles, rice, puffed foods, snacks, biscuits, beverages, and soups.

[0041] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flavoring solution is bouillon (soup stock, broth, and meat extract), seasoning sauce, seed extract, leaf or vegetable extract, fruit extract, mushroom extract, yeast extract, miso paste, soy sauce, artificial or synthetic flavors, and mixtures thereof, preferably soy sauce.

[0042] As used herein, the term "gelatinization" refers to the transition of porous starch from an insoluble semi-crystalline granular structure to a soluble amorphous non-granular structure that occurs upon heating the porous starch defined in the present invention.

[0043] Mixing Step In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the flavoring solution and the porous starch of the present invention are mixed by stirring or agitation at a temperature of 0 to 50°C for 1 to 120 minutes, preferably at a temperature of 15 to 35°C for 10 to 60 minutes, more preferably at a temperature of 20 to 30°C for 20 to 40 minutes, and even more preferably at a temperature of about 25°C for about 30 minutes. The mixing step can be stopped when the mixture reaches homogeneity, indicated by the absence of starch settling at the bottom of the container, and the mixture has a stable, low viscosity. These characteristics can be observed visually. Water may be added to the mixture to reduce its viscosity.

[0044] Heating step Dextrins and maltodextrins have higher solubility and hygroscopicity (higher content of monosaccharides and smaller molecules without granular structure) than the porous starch of the present invention. Depending on the end use, it may be important that the flavor powder is soluble and that the porous starch is pregelatinized before spray drying. The porous starch is pregelatinized before or after adding it to the flavoring solution. For puffed snacks and biscuits, it is not important that the flavor powder is soluble. For noodles and soups, it is important that the flavor powder is completely soluble, and therefore the porous starch is pregelatinized before spray drying, otherwise the starch will settle to the bottom of the container.

[0045] Advantageously, the porous starch is pregelatinized before the spray drying step, henceforth referred to as the "cooking step". The porous starch is pregelatinized before or after being added to the flavoring solution.

[0046] In the heating step, high temperatures are used to pregelatinize the porous starch, destroying its semi-crystalline porous granular structure. As a result, the starch molecules become soluble. If the heating temperature is not high enough for complete pregelatinization, the porous starch will still have some residual granular structure. In contrast, if the heating temperature is too high, such as under high pressure, it can cause the starch molecules to decompose, increasing the amount of monosaccharides, and causing Maillard reaction and / or caramelization, which can result in burnt odors and off-flavors.

[0047] Therefore, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, during the heating step before or after addition to the flavoring solution, the porous starch is heated at a temperature of 60-120°C for 1 minute to 120 minutes, preferably at a temperature of 75-100°C for 15 minutes to 60 minutes, more preferably at a temperature of 80-95°C for 25 minutes to 40 minutes, and even more preferably at about 90°C for about 30 minutes.

[0048] The heating step can be combined with or considered as a sterilization / pasteurization step, or it can be considered a pretreatment for spray drying. To ensure that food is safe for human consumption, it is essential to control the microbial count of food through a sterilization or pasteurization process. Sterilization refers to any process that causes the destruction of all microorganisms and their spores. One common sterilization process is a high-temperature heating step, such as an autoclave at 121°C to 132°C. Pasteurization refers to any process that kills only pathogenic bacteria, a treatment that is less severe than a sterilization process. The temperature range for a sterilization process is usually 62°C to 100°C. Therefore, porous starch can be pregelatinized before or after addition to the flavoring solution during the sterilization or pasteurization process. Furthermore, because spray drying is performed at an inlet temperature of 100°C to 280°C, the heating step of the flavoring solution and porous starch mixture can be considered a pretreatment for spray drying, thereby shortening the time required for the mixture to reach the spray drying temperature.

[0049] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, prior to the heating step, the granular porous starch has a low viscosity of 0.1-100 cP, preferably 1-50 cP, even more preferably less than 25 cP, at a starch concentration of 30%, 50°C and stirring at 160 rpm.

[0050] By "30% starch concentration" is herein understood a system containing 30% by weight dry starch and 70% by weight water.

[0051] The viscosity of the pregelatinized porous starch is very important. Users usually use more than 30% by weight of dry matter relative to the total weight of the mixture for spray drying. If the viscosity is too high, the mixed solution for spray drying cannot be pumped and sprayed through the nozzle of the spray dryer. Advantageously, the viscosity of the pregelatinized porous starch should be similar to that of dextrin and maltodextrin at the same weight level of dry matter relative to the total weight of the mixture obtained by mixing the flavoring solution with dextrin or maltodextrin.

[0052] Advantageously, after the heating step, the porous starch of the present invention becomes soluble and has a viscosity lower than that of dextrins and maltodextrins.

[0053] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, after the heating step as defined above, the porous starch becomes soluble and has a viscosity of 0.1 to 400 cP, preferably 1 to 250 cP, at a 30% starch concentration, 50°C and stirring at 160 rpm, and even more preferably a viscosity of less than 150 cP at a 30% starch concentration, 50°C and stirring at 160 rpm.

[0054] In the present invention, the viscosity can be measured using a Rapid Viscoanalyzer (RVA4500, Perten Instruments).

[0055] The particle size of the porous starches before the heating step may be the same as that of their corresponding native starches, which varies depending on the plant from which they are derived. Good spray drying requires that the particle size is not large to avoid clogging of the spray nozzle during spray drying.

[0056] In a preferred embodiment, the porous starch prior to the heating step has a particle size of less than 200 μm, preferably less than 100 μm, more preferably less than 20 μm, even more preferably between 0.1 μm and 20 μm.

[0057] In a preferred embodiment, the porous starch after the heating step has a particle size of less than 100 μm, preferably less than 50 μm, more preferably less than 10 μm, even more preferably between 0.1 μm and 10 μm.

[0058] As mentioned above, depending on the end use, it is important that the flavor powder is completely soluble and therefore the porous starch is pregelatinized before spray drying, otherwise the starch will settle to the bottom of the container.

[0059] Prior to the heating step, the porous starch may be 100% insoluble in water.

[0060] In a preferred embodiment, the amount of water-insoluble substances in the mixture of flavoring solution and porous starch before the heating step is between 5% and 65% by weight, preferably between 20% and 50% by weight, more preferably between 30% and 45% by weight, based on the total weight of the mixture of flavoring solution and porous starch.

[0061] In a preferred embodiment, after the heating step, the amount of water-insoluble material in the porous starch is 0% to 70% by weight, preferably 0.1% to 50% by weight, more preferably 1% to 30% by weight, based on the total weight of the porous starch.

[0062] In a preferred embodiment, after the heating step, the amount of water-insoluble substances in the mixture of flavoring solution and porous starch is between 0% and 50% by weight, preferably between 0.1% and 30% by weight, more preferably between 0.5% and 20% by weight, based on the total weight of the mixture of flavoring solution and porous starch.

[0063] In the present invention, the amount of water-insoluble material is measured by centrifuging the solution or suspension, then collecting the precipitate and drying it in an oven. The amount of water-insoluble material is calculated by dividing the dry weight of the precipitate by the initial weight of the solution or suspension, and is expressed as a weight percent.

[0064] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, after the heating step the porous starch no longer has a semi-crystalline granular structure: it becomes an amorphous and non-granular starch.

[0065] Spray Drying Step Advantageously, the porous starch used in the spray drying step is pregelatinized, has a low viscosity similar to that of dextrins and maltodextrins, and no longer has a semi-crystalline granular structure.

[0066] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in step (3), the mixture obtained in step (2) is spray-dried at an inlet temperature of 100 to 280°C, preferably 120 to 220°C, more preferably 130 to 180°C.

[0067] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in step (3), the mixture obtained in step (2) is spray-dried at an outlet temperature of 40 to 140°C, preferably 50 to 100°C, more preferably 60 to 80°C.

[0068] The moisture content of the spray-dried powder can be analyzed using a moisture meter (MA37-1CN, Sartorius). The resulting moisture content should be less than 15 wt. %, preferably less than 10 wt. %, and more preferably less than 5 wt. %, based on the total weight of the spray-dried powder.

[0069] In the present invention, the porous starch as defined in the present invention is used in the preparation of flavor powders to replace 100% of the dextrin / maltodextrin in the flavor powders.

[0070] Advantageously, porous starch is used to replace maltodextrin and dextrin in flavor powders in clean labels.

[0071] In the present invention, porous starch is more effective than maltodextrin and dextrin because it has larger molecules and less mono- and disaccharides, so the amount of spray drying aid added to the flavoring solution for preparing flavor powders can be reduced. In fact, mono- and disaccharides are more hygroscopic than larger molecules, which increases stickiness. Furthermore, larger molecules have a higher T than small molecules. g and is therefore more effective as a spray drying aid.

[0072] In a preferred embodiment, the flavor powder comprises 10% to 90% by weight, preferably 30% to 70% by weight, even more preferably 40% to 60% by weight of porous starch based on the total weight of the flavor powder.

[0073] In a preferred embodiment, the flavor powder comprises a flavoring ingredient such as soy sauce solids in an amount of 10% to 80% by weight, preferably 25% to 65% by weight, and even more preferably 35% to 50% by weight, based on the total weight of the flavor powder.

[0074] In a preferred embodiment, the flavor powder comprises 0% to 40%, preferably 10% to 30%, and even more preferably 15% to 25% by weight of additives, including but not limited to sodium chloride, monosodium glutamate, caramel color, and mixtures thereof, based on the total weight of the flavor powder.

[0075] In a preferred embodiment, the flavor powder comprises: 10% to 90% by weight, preferably 30% to 70% by weight, and even more preferably 40% to 60% by weight of porous starch, based on the total weight of the flavor powder; a flavoring component such as soy sauce solids, in an amount of 10% to 80% by weight, preferably 25% to 65% by weight, and even more preferably 35% to 50% by weight, based on the total weight of the flavor powder; and The additive is 0% to 40% by weight, preferably 10% to 30% by weight, and even more preferably 15% to 25% by weight, based on the total weight of the flavor powder.

[0076] A second object of the present invention relates to a process for the production of flavor powders, comprising the step of adding a porous starch as defined in the present invention as a spray drying aid, said process not comprising the step of adding maltodextrin and / or dextrin.

[0077] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the process further comprises the steps of mixing, heating and spray drying as defined herein.

[0078] Thus, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the process comprises the following steps: (1) mixing a flavoring solution with a porous starch as defined in the present invention until a homogeneous mixture is obtained; (2) heating the mixture obtained in step (1) above the pregelatinization temperature of the porous starch; and (3) spray drying the mixture obtained in step (2) as defined in the present invention.

[0079] In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the process comprises the following steps: (1) heating the porous starch as defined in the present invention above the pregelatinization temperature of the porous starch; (2) mixing the porous starch obtained in step (1) with a flavoring solution until a homogeneous mixture is obtained; and (3) spray-drying the mixture obtained in step (2).

[0080] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the dry powder obtained in step (3) is stored, preferably in a sealed bag under dry conditions at room temperature.

[0081] A third object of the present invention relates to a flavor powder comprising a porous starch as defined in the present invention, obtained from a process as defined in the present invention.

[0082] A fourth object of the present invention relates to a flavor powder comprising a spray drying adjuvant containing or consisting of a porous starch as defined in the present invention, said flavor powder not containing dextrin or maltodextrin.

[0083] The specific use of porous starch as a spray drying aid as defined in the present invention can provide flavor powders containing clean-label ingredients and free of dextrins and maltodextrins.In fact, porous starch, which is recognized by consumers as a natural and healthy ingredient, is classified as a clean-label ingredient and has a chemical structure and viscosity similar to dextrins and maltodextrins.In addition, since porous starch contains less monosaccharides / reducing sugars than dextrins and maltodextrins, the resulting flavor powders have less burnt odor, less burning odor, and are lighter in color (less Maillard reaction).

[0084] Advantageously, the porous starch is obtained from enzymatic hydrolysis, a process that does not require the use of acids or bases, except for enzymatic hydrolysis and pH adjustment for enzyme inactivation. Furthermore, the porous starch is not chemically substituted, oxidized, or reduced.

[0085] Due to the specific properties of porous starch, the mixture of flavoring solution and porous starch can be easily spray-dried to obtain the corresponding flavor powder.Advantageously, in the present invention, porous starch is mixed with flavoring solution, and is solubilized and pregelatinized by heating as part of a sterilization or pasteurization process before spray-drying.The obtained solution has low viscosity and improved solubility after pregelatinization, which is similar to the solution containing dextrin and maltodextrin, and is sufficiently low viscosity for spray-drying to produce flavor powder.

[0086] The flavor powders of the present invention are less hygroscopic and therefore may have a lower tendency to cake than those made with dextrin or maltodextrin, and therefore may have finer powder particles.

[0087] Additionally, the flavor powder of the present invention has less burning odor (less Maillard reaction) and a stronger flavor (fewer spray drying aids are used) than those made with dextrin or maltodextrin. It also has a lighter color.

[0088] The present invention is illustrated by the following figures and examples, which are intended to illustrate the invention and are understood not to limit its scope. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0089] [Figure 1] Comparison of gelatinization profiles by rapid viscosity analysis (RVA) between native and porous rice starches at 10% solids content. [Figure 2] Comparison of gelatinization profiles by RVA between native and porous corn starch at 10% solids content. [Figure 3] Comparison of gelatinization profiles by RVA between native and porous tapioca starch at 10% solids content. [Figure 4] Figure 1 shows the RVA gelatinization profile of porous starch at 30% solids content (A) and starch paste stored for 7 days (B). [Figure 5] Scanning electron microscope images of (A) native rice starch, (B) porous rice starch, (C) native corn starch, (D) porous corn starch, (E) native tapioca starch, and (F) porous tapioca starch. [Figure 6] Solubility of soy sauce powder made using maltodextrin and porous rice starch at various temperatures. [Figure 7] 1 shows the gelatinization profile of soy sauce powder in a 10% soy sauce suspension. [Figure 8] 1 shows the gelatinization profile of soy sauce powder in a 30% soy sauce suspension. [Figure 9] This is the moisture absorption profile of soy sauce powder at 30°C and 70% RH. [Figure 10]This is the appearance of soy sauce powder after storage at 30°C and 70% RH. [Figure 11] Figure 1 shows the gelatinization profiles of porous rice starch and porous waxy rice starch at 10% solids content. [Figure 12] Figure 1 shows the gelatinization profiles of porous rice starch and porous waxy rice starch at 30% solids content. [Example]

[0090] In the examples below, the following products are used: Rice starch produced by Jiangsu Baobao Suqain National Biotechnology Co., Ltd. Waxy rice starch is a sample produced by Anhui Shunxin Shengyuan Biological Food Co., Ltd. Tapioca starch manufactured by Ubon Agricultural Energy Co., Ltd. corn starch from Roquette; Maltodextrin DE12 (Glucidex® 12D) available from Roquette; NaOH manufactured by Sinopharm, Liquozyme Supra 2.2X (α-amylase) from Novozymes, and HCl manufactured by Sinopharm.

[0091] The native rice starch, native corn starch, and native waxy rice starch used in Examples 1-3 were produced according to the protocol described in the first example of the starch extraction process set forth in the Description, while the native tapioca starch used in Example 1 was produced according to the protocol described in the second example of the starch extraction process set forth in the Description.

[0092] The porous rice starch, porous tapioca starch, porous corn starch, and porous waxy rice starch used in Examples 1-3 were prepared according to the following protocol: 1) preparing a native starch slurry of 35% by weight dry matter; 2) stirring at 300 rpm / min and increasing the temperature to 50°C; 3) adjusting the pH to 6.5 by slow addition of 5% NaOH solution and equilibrating the temperature to 50°C; 4) Adding Liquozyme Supra 2.2X (α-amylase) and mixing thoroughly for 3 hours at 50°C for Examples 1 and 2, or 6 hours at 50°C for Example 3 (5 mg enzyme / 1 g dry starch); 5) After 3 hours, add 5% HCl solution to lower the pH to 3.5, and react for 30 minutes while stirring and slowly cooling to room temperature; 6) After 30 minutes, add 5% NaOH solution to adjust the pH to 5.5; 7) filtering the sample by suction filtration and washing the starch twice with water; 8) Drying the porous starch in an oven at 45°C until the moisture content is 12% or less.

[0093] The soy sauce powder of Example 2 was produced according to the following protocol: 1) Mix 2000g of Haitian soy sauce (Brix 28%) with 700g of porous rice starch; 2) Heating the mixture at 80-85°C for 30 minutes to prepare a solution with 45% by weight of dry matter relative to the total weight of the mixture obtained in step (1). The starch is pregelatinized at this stage. 3) spray drying the mixture using a Yamato Scientific spray dryer (ADL311) at an inlet temperature of 170°C, an outlet temperature of 70°C, and a feed rate of 28 mL / min; 4) Keeping the dried powder in a sealed bag at room temperature and under dry conditions.

[0094] Example 1: Comparison of the properties of porous starches (porous rice starch, porous tapioca starch, and porous corn starch) and maltodextrin DE12 Gelatinization properties: Analytical porous starch, native starch, and maltodextrin samples (2.5 g, dry weight basis) were mixed with water in aluminum canisters to a final total weight of 25 g (10% starch suspension or solids content).

[0095] To highlight the differences between the porous starch and maltodextrin samples, a higher concentration of 30% solids content was also used, and 7.5 g (dry weight basis) of the sample for analysis was mixed with water to a final total weight of 25 g in an aluminum canister. The starch and maltodextrin paste samples obtained from the RVA tests were stored in a refrigerator for 7 days and retested using RVA with the same heating profile.

[0096] Each sample for analysis was then heated using a Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA4500, Perten Instruments) according to the heating profile shown in Table 1 while measuring viscosity and gelatinization temperature. [Table 1]

[0097] The gelatinization temperature is the temperature at which viscosity begins to increase and is identified by a viscosity increase of more than 24 cP within 0.1 minutes.

[0098] Peak viscosity is the highest viscosity when heated and held at 95°C, trough is the lowest viscosity when held at 95°C, final viscosity is the highest viscosity when cooled and held at 50°C, breakdown is the difference between peak viscosity and trough, and setback is the difference between final viscosity and trough.

[0099] The results are shown in Figures 1 to 4.

[0100] As shown in Figures 1-3, the viscosities of rice, tapioca, and corn starches were substantially reduced after hydrolysis using Liquozyme Supra 2.2X (α-amylase) (see the viscosity of the porous starches compared to their corresponding native starches). At 10% solids content, the peak viscosity of the native starches was greater than 3000 cP, whereas the peak viscosity of the porous starches was less than 200 cP. At 10% solids content, the final viscosity of the native starches exceeded 2000 cP, whereas that of the porous starches was less than 20 cP. However, the difference in viscosity between the porous starches and maltodextrin DE12 was not clear at 10% solids content; all final viscosities were less than 20 cP (see Figures 1-3). Therefore, a higher concentration (30% solids content) was used to highlight the difference between the porous starches and maltodextrin DE12 (see Figure 4A). All porous starches exhibited a peak viscosity during heating, associated with the pregelatinization of the porous starch, which rapidly decreased with further heating and stirring due to the breakdown of the granular structure. This phenomenon was not observed with maltodextrin, which does not have a granular structure. Maltodextrin also maintained its viscosity between 15 and 25 cP throughout the RVA analysis. The peak viscosity of the porous starches at 30% solids content was 2000 to 7000 cP, with porous rice starch having the lowest peak viscosity. The final viscosity of the porous starches was 50 to 100 cP, with porous corn starch having the lowest final viscosity. At 10% solids content, the viscosities of porous starch and maltodextrin were too low for RVA detection. Also, at 30% solids content, there is less water available to affect the swelling of the starch granules.

[0101] After 7 days of refrigerated storage, none of the porous starches and maltodextrins at 30% solids content exhibited peak viscosities because none of them had a granular structure (see Figure 4B). Their viscosities ranged from 10 to 50 cP, which is too low for RVA detection. Maltodextrin DE12 had the lowest initial viscosity, while porous corn starch had the lowest final viscosity.

[0102] Pregelatinization / Thermal Properties: The gelatinization properties of each sample were measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC1, Mettler Toledo) according to the following protocol.

[0103] Each starch sample to be analyzed (2-3 mg, dry weight basis) was mixed with water at a starch-to-water ratio of 1:3 by weight. The mixture was sealed in a standard 40 μL aluminum pan and allowed to equilibrate for at least 1 h. The pan was then re-equilibrated in the DSC at 10 °C for 1 min, followed by heating to 100 °C at 10 °C / min.

[0104] The software provided by Mettler Toledo (STARe system) was used to determine the onset temperature (T o ), peak temperature (T p ), end temperature (T c ) and enthalpy change were obtained.

[0105] The enthalpy change of starch pregelatinization was obtained based on the area under the curve. After the pregelatinization test, the bread was stored in a refrigerator for 15 days and reanalyzed using the same heating conditions to obtain the retrogradation characteristics of the starch samples based on the endotherm associated with the melting of retrograded starch. The retrogradation rate is the enthalpy change of melting of retrograded starch divided by the enthalpy change of starch pregelatinization.

[0106] The results are shown in Table 2 below. [Table 2] *ND = Not detected

[0107] As shown in Table 2, the onset, peak, and finish temperatures of native starches increased slightly after enzyme treatment (see onset, peak, and finish temperatures of native starches compared to their corresponding porous starches), which was due to the annealing effect during enzyme treatment.

[0108] Annealing is the rearrangement of starch crystalline structure that occurs when starch granules are heated in excess water below the gelatinization temperature. The enzyme reaction temperature of 50°C can act as the annealing temperature. Furthermore, small molecules in porous starch resulting from enzymatic hydrolysis have higher mobility than molecules in their native counterparts. Therefore, porous starch samples exhibited higher gelatinization temperatures as a result of annealing than their native counterparts.

[0109] Porous rice and porous corn starches stored in a refrigerator for 15 days after pregelatinization showed no detectable melting peaks, indicating that the outer branches of the starch molecules from these porous starches were too short for retrogradation. Retrogradation is the recrystallization of starch molecules, in which the outer branches reform into double helices and align themselves into a repeating crystalline structure. Therefore, a certain length of outer branches is required to effectively form double helices. After enzymatic hydrolysis, the outer branches of porous rice and porous corn starches may be too short for retrogradation. On the other hand, a lower retrogradation rate was observed for porous tapioca starch compared to its native counterpart. It is well known that tuber and root starches have longer outer branches than most cereal starches, and it is likely that after enzymatic hydrolysis, the outer branches in porous tapioca starch still had substantial length to retrograde upon cold storage.

[0110] The low retrogradation rate of porous starch is a further advantage compared to its natural counterpart. This indicates that porous starch is stable in solution form during storage, especially at low temperatures. For example, solutions containing porous starch retain the same appearance (no increase in turbidity or cloudiness) and viscosity during cold storage.

[0111] Scanning electron microscopy: Starch granules were directly mounted onto aluminum stubs using double-sided adhesive tape and then coated with 20 nm of gold under vacuum. Images of the starch granules were obtained with a field emission SEM (EVO18, Zeiss) at an accelerating voltage of 10 kV and a magnification of ×2000.

[0112] The results are shown in Figure 5.

[0113] As shown in Figure 5, rice starch had the smallest particle size of the three starches. Rice starch and corn starch were polygonal, while tapioca starch was dome-shaped. In general, all native starches had a smooth surface structure, while the porous starches exhibited a granular structure with small pores on the surface and broken granules.

[0114] Particle size analysis: The particle size of the porous starch was analyzed by a laser diffraction particle size analyzer (Beckman Coulter LS 13 320).

[0115] The results are shown in Table 3 below. [Table 3]

[0116] All porous starches had smaller particle sizes than their native counterparts, which may be due to broken granules, as seen in the SEM images in Figure 5.

[0117] X-ray diffraction: X-ray diffraction patterns of various samples were obtained on a D / Max-2200 X-ray diffractometer (Rigaku) ​​using CuKa radiation at 4 kV and 26 mA. Samples were scanned from 4 to 45° (2θ) at a rate of 5° / min. Relative crystallinity was calculated by the ratio of the crystalline area to the total diffractogram area.

[0118] The results are shown in Table 4 below. [Table 4]

[0119] All samples had a Form A crystalline pattern (peaks 15, 17, 18, and 23° 2θ), as shown in Table 4. The porous starches had a slightly higher relative crystallinity than their native counterparts, likely because their crystalline portions are more resistant to enzymatic hydrolysis than the amorphous portions.

[0120] Conclusion: The viscosity of rice, tapioca, and corn starches decreased substantially after hydrolysis using Liquozyme Supra 2.2X (α-amylase). Although not evident at 10% solids, the viscosity of the porous starch was still slightly higher than that of DE12 maltodextrin at 30% solids. However, after 7 days of refrigerated storage, all porous starch and maltodextrin DE12 samples exhibited similar pasting viscosities at 30% solids. The onset, peak, and end temperatures of the three starches increased after enzyme treatment. After 15 days of refrigerated storage after pregelatinization, no retrogradation was observed in the porous rice and porous corn starches, and a lower retrogradation rate was observed in the porous tapioca starch compared to its native counterpart. All porous starches had smaller particle sizes, slightly higher relative crystallinity, and more small pores on the granule surface than their native counterparts.

[0121] Example 2: Comparison of soy sauce powders made with maltodextrin DE12 and porous rice starch Solubility: The solubility of soy sauce powder was measured according to the following protocol.

[0122] 1. Place 200 mg of soy sauce powder into a 15 mL centrifuge tube. 2. Add RO water to a total weight of 10g and mix thoroughly. 3. Place the sample in a water bath at 30°C, 50°C, 60°C, 70°C, or 80°C for 30 minutes with occasional shaking. 4. Cool to room temperature and then centrifuge at 4,000 rpm for 10 minutes. 5. Pour the supernatant into a tared bottle. 6. Dry the supernatant in an oven at 110°C overnight and weigh the dry weight. Solubility = dry weight of supernatant / dry weight of soy sauce powder * 100%

[0123] The results are shown in Figure 6.

[0124] As shown in Figure 6, soy sauce powder made with maltodextrin had a high solubility, reaching approximately 94% at 30°C (close to ambient temperature). The solubility of soy sauce powder made with porous starch was lower; the solubility was less than 70% at 30°C. Heating at 70°C and 80°C increased the solubility to 78% and 82%, respectively. The solubility of soy sauce powder can be improved by heating the soy sauce-porous starch mixture at a higher temperature before spray drying.

[0125] Gelatinization properties / viscosity: The viscosity of the soy sauce powder was analyzed using rapid viscosity analysis (RVA) for 10% and 30% soy sauce suspensions. Soy sauce powder (2.5 g or 7.5 g, dry weight basis) was mixed with water in an aluminum canister to a final total weight of 25 g (10% and 30% soy sauce suspensions, respectively). The heating profile is shown in Table 1 of Example 1.

[0126] The results are shown in Figures 7 and 8, respectively, and in Table 5 below. [Table 5]

[0127] As shown in Figure 7, at a 10 wt% soy sauce suspension, slightly higher than the actual concentration of seasoning in soup, the difference in viscosity between the two soy sauce powders made from maltodextrin and porous rice starch was not significant (peak viscosity during heating: 10 cP vs. 33 cP, respectively). The final viscosity of the two soy sauce powders at 50°C was similar at 13 cP.

[0128] The difference became apparent when the suspension percentage was increased to 30% (Figure 8), with the soy sauce powder made with porous starch exhibiting a peak viscosity, indicating some non-gelatinized starch in the soy sauce powder sample, which was not observed in the soy sauce powder made with maltodextrin. This can be avoided by ensuring all the porous starch is gelatinized before the spray-drying step, such as by heating at a higher temperature. The final viscosity of the soy sauce powder made with porous rice starch was slightly higher than that of the soy sauce powder made with maltodextrin (85 cP vs. 20 cP). However, it should be kept in mind that a 30% suspension is a very high concentration of soy sauce powder in soup.

[0129] Moisture absorption: The water absorption of soy sauce powder was measured according to the following protocol.

[0130] 1. Weigh 10 g of sample into a culture dish and record the weight. 2. Place at 30°C and 70% relative humidity (RH), take photos and weigh after 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, 4 hours, 1 day, 5 days, and 7 days. Water absorption (%) = (weight after storage - initial weight) / initial weight * 100%

[0131] The results are shown in Figures 10 and 11.

[0132] As shown in Figure 10, both soy sauces exhibited similar moisture absorption profiles. Initially, the soy sauce powder made with porous starch had less tendency to cake (finer powder) than the soy sauce powder made with maltodextrin DE12, as shown in Figure 11. Furthermore, after 7 days of storage at 30°C and 70% RH, the moist soy sauce powder made with porous starch had a lighter color than the corresponding soy sauce powder made with maltodextrin DE12, while otherwise appearing similar.

[0133] Conclusion: The soy sauce powder made with porous rice starch showed lower solubility at 30°C than that made with maltodextrin (62% vs. 94%). The solubility of the soy sauce powder made with porous rice starch increased to 78% and 82%, respectively, after heating at 70°C and 80°C. At a 10% by weight soy sauce suspension, the difference in viscosity between the two soy sauce powders was very small. When the suspension percentage was increased to 30%, the difference became apparent, with the porous starch exhibiting a peak viscosity. This indicates the presence of some non-gelatinized starch in the soy sauce powder made with porous rice starch, which can be avoided by heating the soy sauce-porous starch mixture at a higher temperature before spray drying. The final viscosity of the 30% suspension was slightly higher for the soy sauce powder made with porous rice starch than for the one made with maltodextrin, but it should be kept in mind that a 30% suspension is a very high concentration of soy sauce powder in soup. Both soy sauces showed similar moisture absorption profiles. The soy sauce powder made with porous starch had a less tendency to cake (finer powder) than the soy sauce powder made with maltodextrin DE12. Furthermore, after 7 days of storage at 30°C and 70% RH, the moist soy sauce powder made with porous starch had a lighter color than the corresponding soy sauce powder made with maltodextrin DE12, while the appearance was otherwise similar.

[0134] The results showed that soy sauce powder made with pregelatinized porous starch behaved similarly to that made with maltodextrin. The viscosity of the solution and powder for spray drying is of utmost importance. The solubility of the soy sauce powder should be greater than 50%.

[0135] Example 3: Comparison of the properties of porous rice starch, porous waxy rice starch, and maltodextrin DE Gelatinization properties / viscosity: The viscosity of porous rice starch and porous waxy rice starch was analyzed using rapid viscosity analysis (RVA) for 10% and 30% starch and maltodextrin suspensions. Porous starch or maltodextrin (2.5 g or 7.5 g, dry weight basis) was mixed with water to a final total weight of 25 g (10% and 30% solids content, respectively) in an aluminum canister. The heating profile is shown in Table 1 of Example 1.

[0136] The results are shown in Figures 11 and 12.

[0137] As shown in Figure 11, at a solids content of 10 wt%, the porous waxy rice starch had a lower peak viscosity and lower gelatinization temperature than the porous rice starch, which means that the porous waxy rice starch was easily pregelatinized before the spray drying step. The final viscosities of the porous rice starch and the porous waxy rice starch were similar at less than 20 cP, which was similar to the viscosity of maltodextrin DE12.

[0138] At 30% solids content, the difference between the two porous starches became more apparent, with the porous rice starch exhibiting a much higher peak viscosity and a much higher peak temperature (temperature at which peak viscosity occurs) than the porous waxy rice starch (Figure 12), confirming that the waxy rice starch is more effective as a spray drying aid because it is more easily pregelatinized at lower moisture contents. The final viscosity of the porous waxy rice starch (approximately 15 cP) was lower than that of maltodextrin DE12 (approximately 35 cP), while the final viscosity of the porous rice starch was the highest at approximately 40 cP.

Claims

1. 1. Use of porous starch as a spray drying aid in the preparation of a flavor powder that is neither maltodextrin nor dextrin, the porous starch is a granular native starch hydrolyzed by one or more amylolytic enzymes; Use of a porous starch, wherein said porous starch is mixed with a flavoring solution and then heated above the gelatinization temperature of said porous starch to be pregelatinized before spray drying.

2. 2. The use according to claim 1, wherein the porous starch is selected from the group consisting of porous wheat starch, porous waxy wheat starch, porous maize starch, porous waxy maize starch, porous rice starch, porous waxy rice starch, porous tapioca starch, porous waxy tapioca starch, and mixtures thereof.

3. 3. The use according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the flavor powder is selected from bouillon powder, seasoning powder, seed extract powder, leaf or vegetable extract powder, fruit extract powder, mushroom extract powder, yeast extract powder, miso powder, soy sauce powder, artificial or synthetic flavor powder and mixtures thereof.

4. Use according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the porous starch is obtained from native starch granules exclusively by enzymatic hydrolysis.

5. The use according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the flavour powder comprises 10% to 90% by weight of porous starch relative to the total weight of the flavour powder.

6. The flavor powder is 10% to 90% by weight of porous starch, based on the total weight of the flavor powder; 10% to 80% by weight of a flavoring ingredient based on the total weight of the flavor powder; and The use according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising 0 to 40% by weight of additives relative to the total weight of the flavour powder.

7. A process for producing a flavor powder, comprising adding porous starch as a spray drying aid, but not adding maltodextrin and / or dextrin; A process comprising a heating step in which the porous starch, after being added to a flavoring solution, is heated above the gelatinization temperature of the porous starch to cause it to gelatinize, and a spray drying step after the heating step.

8. 8. The process for producing a flavor powder according to claim 7, wherein the porous starch is selected from the group consisting of porous wheat starch, porous waxy wheat starch, porous corn starch, porous waxy corn starch, porous rice starch, porous waxy rice starch, porous tapioca starch, porous waxy tapioca starch, and mixtures thereof.

9. 9. The process for producing flavor powder according to claim 7 or 8, wherein the flavor powder is selected from bouillon powder, seasoning powder, seed extract powder, leaf or vegetable extract powder, fruit extract powder, mushroom extract powder, yeast extract powder, miso powder, soy sauce powder, artificial or synthetic flavor powder, and mixtures thereof.

10. 10. The process for producing flavor powder according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the porous starch is obtained from native starch granules solely by enzymatic hydrolysis.

11. The flavor powder is 10% by weight based on the total weight of the flavor powder. A process for producing a flavor powder according to any one of claims 7 to 10, comprising up to 90% by weight of porous starch.

12. The flavor powder is 10% to 90% by weight of porous starch, based on the total weight of the flavor powder; 10% to 80% by weight of a flavoring ingredient, based on the total weight of the flavor powder; and The use according to any one of claims 7 to 11, comprising 0 to 40% by weight of additives relative to the total weight of the flavour powder.

13. The process comprises: (1) mixing a flavoring solution with porous starch until a homogeneous mixture is obtained; (2) heating the mixture obtained in step (1) above the pregelatinization temperature of the porous starch; and 13. A process for producing the flavor powder according to any one of claims 7 to 12, comprising: (3) spray-drying the mixture obtained in step (2).

14. A flavor powder comprising porous starch obtainable from the process defined in any one of claims 7 to 13.

15. A flavor powder comprising a spray drying aid containing or consisting of porous starch, and containing no dextrin or maltodextrin; The porous starch is a granular native starch that has been hydrolyzed by one or more amylolytic enzymes until numerous pores are visible on the surface of the starch granules by microscopic techniques; The flavor powder is obtained by a process including a heating step in which the porous starch is heated to a temperature higher than the gelatinization temperature of the porous starch after being added to a flavoring solution to cause gelatinization, and a spray-drying step after the heating step.

16. 16. The flavor powder of claim 15, wherein the porous starch is selected from the group consisting of porous wheat starch, porous waxy wheat starch, porous corn starch, porous waxy corn starch, porous rice starch, porous waxy rice starch, porous tapioca starch, porous waxy tapioca starch, and mixtures thereof.

17. 17. The flavor powder according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the flavor powder is selected from bouillon powder, seasoning powder, seed extract powder, leaf or vegetable extract powder, fruit extract powder, mushroom extract powder, yeast extract powder, miso powder, soy sauce powder, artificial or synthetic flavor powder, and mixtures thereof.

18. Flavor powder according to any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein the porous starch is obtained from native starch granules solely by enzymatic hydrolysis.

19. The flavor powder according to any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein the flavor powder comprises 10% to 90% by weight of porous starch relative to the total weight of the flavor powder.

20. The flavor powder is 10% to 90% by weight of porous starch, based on the total weight of the flavor powder; 10% to 80% by weight of a flavoring ingredient, based on the total weight of the flavor powder; and The flavor powder according to any one of claims 15 to 19, comprising 0% by weight to 40% by weight of an additive based on the total weight of the flavor powder.

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