Fluidic food composition based on condensed milk and pectin

Abstract

The present invention relates to a fluidic food composition comprising: between 20 and 50 wt% of a condensed milk; between 0.5 and 2.0 wt% of pectin; and aqueous phase, wherein said fluidic food composition has a pH less than 4.5, preferably between 3 and 4.2, more preferably between 3.5 and 4.0. The present invention also relates to a method of making said fluidic food composition and use of said fluidic food composition.

Description

[0001] Fluidic food composition based on condensed milk and pectin

[0002] Field of the invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a fluidic food composition based on condensed milk and pectin, a method of making said fluidic food composition, and use of said fluidic food composition.

[0004] Background

[0005] Spread products currently on the market generally contain large amounts of sugar and fat. There is a growing demand for healthier spread products, without compromising shelf-life stability, mouthfeel, and taste. Condensed milk or evaporated milk can be an interesting ingredient for making spreads. Condensed milk is a long shelf-life milk product that is used worldwide in cooking, for example for sugar confectionery, bakery and preparing desserts, and as a creaming option for tea and coffee. Condensed milk is obtained by removing some of the water from milk. However, condensed milk is not stable under acidic conditions required for food safety, that hinders further ingredients to be added and / or replaced with sugars in condensed milk, thus limiting its possible use in production of spreads and other food products.

[0006] It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a food composition based on condensed milk, which can be effectively used for other food products such as spreads, with maintained shelf-life stability and texture, and a method for manufacturing the same.

[0007] Summary of the invention

[0008] According to the present application, there is provided a fluidic food composition comprising: between 20 and 50 wt% of a condensed milk; between 0.5 and 2.0 wt% of pectin; and aqueous phase, wherein said fluidic food composition has a pH less than 4.5, preferably between 3 and 4.2, more preferably between 3.5 and 4.0.

[0009] The fluidic food composition is based on the combination of condensed milk and pectin. Pectin serves as a stabilizer and prevents coagulation of proteins under acidic conditions. Compared to a conventional condensed milk, the fluidic food composition based on the combination of condensed milk and pectin according to the present invention provides a controlled water activity and an improved shelf-life stability even under acidic pH conditions. This allows addition of further ingredients such as fruit or vegetable puree in addition to or in place of an aqueous phase of the fluidic food composition, thus leading to healthy, low sugar and low fat products with high vegetable / fruit contents.

[0010] Generally, incorporating a high amount of fruits or vegetables in a spread brings down the indulgence, that are not appealing to consumers. Surprisingly, the specific combination of condensed milk and pectin according to the present invention enables to provide an indulgent food product with acceptable sweetness and fattiness perception.

[0011] The fluidic food composition according to the present invention allows to develop more varieties of condensed milk-based food product such as spreads and beverages with different tastes and ingredients, with reduced sugar and / or fat contents without compromising a shelf-life stability, sweetness and indulgent mouthfeel. The fluidic food composition according to the present invention can be applied in a variety of products with varying textures tuned as needed, from a thin liquid or beverage to a thick spread, topping or soft, spoonable textures.

[0012] Brief description of figures

[0013] FIG. 1 is an illustration of stable and unstable trials in Example 1.

[0014] FIG. 2 shows impacts of compositions on physical properties of pectin and condensed milk mixtures in Example 2;

[0015] FIG. 3A shows measurement results of rheology profile for samples with different pectin types (DM) in Example 3;

[0016] FIG. 3B shows measurement results of viscosity for samples with different pectin types (DM) in Example 3;

[0017] FIG. 4A shows measurement results of rheology profile for samples with different pectin types (DM) in Example 4;

[0018] FIG. 4B shows measurement results of viscosity for samples with different pectin types (DM) in Example 4;

[0019] FIG. 5A shows measurement results of rheology profile for samples with different pectin sources in Example 5;

[0020] FIG. 5B shows measurement results of viscosity for samples with different pectin sources in Example 5;

[0021] FIG. 6A shows measurement results of rheology profile for samples with pectin having different molecular weight in Example 6;

[0022] FIG. 6B shows measurement results of viscosity for samples with pectin having different molecular weight in Example 6;

[0023] FIG. 7A shows comparison of viscosity among samples with fat-free, semi-skimmed, full fat condensed milk in Example 7; FIG. 7B shows comparison of viscosity between a sample with full fat condensed milk and a sample with hybrid condensed milk containing vegetable oil in Example 7;

[0024] FIG. 70 shows comparison of viscosity between a sample with full fat condensed milk and a sample with unsweetened condensed milk in Example 7;

[0025] FIG. 8A shows measurement results of rheology profile for samples with different types of condensed milk in Example 8;

[0026] FIG. 8B shows measurement results of viscosity for samples with different types of condensed milk in Example 8;

[0027] FIG. 9A shows measurement results of rheology profile for samples with or without fiber addition in Example 9;

[0028] FIG. 9B shows measurement results of viscosity for samples with or without fiber addition in Example 9;

[0029] FIG. 10A shows measurement results of rheology profile for samples with different oil / fat addition in Example 10;

[0030] FIG. 10B shows measurement results of viscosity for samples with different oil / fat addition in Example 10;

[0031] FIG. 11A shows measurement results of rheology profile for pectin-based or gellan- based samples in Example 11 ;

[0032] FIG. 11 B shows measurement results of viscosity for pectin-based or gellan-based samples in Example 11.

[0033] FIG. 12A shows measurement results of rheology profile over a 1 year shelf-life for a pectin-based sample in Example 12;

[0034] FIG. 12B shows measurement results of viscosity over a 1 year shelf-life for a pectin- based sample in Example 12;

[0035] FIG. 13 shows oil droplet size distribution measured by confocal microscopy for a pectin-based sample in Example 12;

[0036] FIG. 14 shows measurement results of viscosity for a sweet condensed milk sample and a skimmed milk powder sample in Example 13;

[0037] FIG. 15 shows microscopy images of the sweet condensed milk sample (right) and the skimmed milk powder sample (left) in Example 13. Oil droplets appear in white / light gray and the protein are seen in grey. The proteins stick to the interface of the oil droplet in the milk powder samples while the proteins go to the bulk in the condensed milk samples.

[0038] Embodiments of the invention

[0039] The present invention relates to a fluidic food composition comprising: between 20 and 50 wt% of a condensed milk; between 0.5 and 2.0 wt% of pectin; and aqueous phase, wherein said fluidic food composition has a pH less than 4.5, preferably between 3 and 4.2, more preferably between 3.5 and 4.0.

[0040] In some embodiments, the aqueous phase comprises any of water, a vegetable puree, a fruit puree and the combination thereof.

[0041] In some embodiments, viscosity of the fluidic food composition measured at 25 °C at a shear rate of 10 s-1is between 100 and 100,000 mPa s.

[0042] In some embodiments, a protein content of the fluidic food composition is between 2 and 5 wt%. Said protein content is based only on a protein content in the condensed milk.

[0043] In some embodiments, a sugar content of the fluidic food composition is between 10 and 30 wt%.

[0044] In some embodiments, the pectin is high methoxy pectin with a degree of methoxylation (DM) of at least 50%, preferably at least 60%. In some embodiments, the pectin is high methoxy pectin with a degree of methoxylation (DM) of between 50 and 75%, preferably between 60 and 70%.

[0045] In some embodiments, the pectin is derived from citrus, apple or sugar beet, preferably derived from citrus.

[0046] In some embodiments, the fluidic food composition further comprises less than 15 wt% of added fat, preferably between 5 and 15 wt% of added fat.

[0047] In some embodiments, the added fat is vegetable fat and / or animal fat which is liquid or solid at room temperature.

[0048] In some embodiments, the fluidic food composition further comprises one or more components selected from the group consisting of salt, fiber, fruit powder, and vegetable powder. Preferably, the fluidic food composition further comprises fiber, preferably citrus fiber.

[0049] In some embodiments, the total content of the one or more components in the fluidic food composition is less than 60 wt% of the fluidic food composition. In some embodiments, the total content of the one or more components in the fluidic food composition is less than 50 wt%, preferably less than 25 wt% of the fluidic food composition.

[0050] The present invention further relates to a method of making the above-described fluidic food composition, comprising: a. mixing between 20 and 50 wt% of a condensed milk with between 0.5 and 2.0 wt% of pectin; b. adding an aqueous phase to the mixture of step a) so that the fluidic food composition has a pH less than 4.5; and c. optionally heating the mixture of step b). In some embodiments, the method further comprises d) adding less than 15 wt% of fat to the mixture of step b) and emulsifying before step c).

[0051] The present invention further relates to use of the above-described fluidic food composition, for one or more selected from the group consisting of: a. a spread; b. a topping; c. a sauce; d. a dessert; e. a dip; f. a filling; g. a flavor carrier; h. a fat replacer; and i. a beverage.

[0052] The invention also relates to a food product comprising the fluidic food composition according to the present invention, and a food product made by using the fluidic food composition according to the present invention.

[0053] Detailed description

[0054] Fluidic food composition

[0055] For the purpose of the present application, the term “fluidic food composition" may refer to a food composition which is fluid, liquid or viscoelastic at room temperature. The fluidic food composition may be or comprise an emulsion.

[0056] Viscosity of the fluidic food composition measured at 25 °C at a shear rate of 10 s-1may be between 100 and 100,000 mPa s.

[0057] Condensed milk

[0058] For the purpose of the present application, the term “condensed milk" may also be called “evaporated milk". The term “condensed milk" may refer to milk that has been thickened by evaporation or condensation. In some embodiments, the condensed or evaporated milk is a milk from which about 60 wt% of water is removed.

[0059] The condensed milk may be sweetened or unsweetened. The condensed milk may optionally be sweetened by adding a sugar and called “sweetened (or sweet) condensed milk (SCM)”, in contrast to “unsweetened condensed m / 7 ”with no added sugar.

[0060] The condensed milk may comprise between 0 and 65 wt%, or between 5 and 60 wt%, or between 10 and 55 wt % of sugar, based on the entire content of the condensed milk.

[0061] The condensed milk may comprise between 0 and 10 wt%, or 0.2 and 9 wt%, or between 0.5 and 8.5 wt% of fat / oil, based on the entire content of the condensed milk. The condensed milk may comprise between 1 and 10 wt%, or 3 and 9 wt%, or between 5 and 8 wt% of protein, based on the entire content of the condensed milk.

[0062] The condensed milk may comprise: full fat condensed milk; fat-free condensed milk; semi-skimmed condensed milk; fresh condensed milk made by condensing fresh milk; recombined condensed milk derived from skimmed milk and milk fat that have been recombined; filled condensed milk in which at least part of the milk fat has been replaced by vegetable fat / oil; and / or plant-based condensed milk alternative.

[0063] For either fresh or recombined condensed milk, the solid ( / .e. non-aqueous) content of the condensed milk may include non-fat milk solids, milk fat, and optionally added sugar.

[0064] The condensed milk may be subject to a further processing before mixing with the pectin. For example, a caramelized condensed milk or dulce de leche also falls within the definition of the condensed milk in the present application.

[0065] The plant-based condensed milk alternative may also be called a dairy-free or vegan condensed milk. The term “dairy-free" refers to food compositions that are substantially free from dairy products, such as milk. The term “vegan" refers to food compositions using and containing no animal products. The plant-based condensed milk alternative may comprise the same or equivalent amount of vegetable oil / fat in place of milk fat.

[0066] Pectin

[0067] The pectin may be a high methoxy pectin. The degree of methoxylation (DM) of the pectin may be of at least 50%, preferably at least 60%. For example, DM of the pectin may be between 60 and 70%. The pectin may be a high methoxy pectin derived from a citrus, an apple or a sugar beet. Preferably, the pectin is a high methoxy pectin derived from a citrus, having DM of at least 50%. The degree of methoxylation (DM) of the pectin may be measured according to any appropriate method which is known to the skilled person, for example a method based on saponification followed by methanol quantification.

[0068] A molecular weight (Mw) of the pectin may be between 100 and 800 kDa, preferably between 200 and 700 kDa. A low molecular pectin may have a molecular weight below 100 kDa.

[0069] The fluidic food composition may comprise between 0.5 and 2.0 wt% pectin, for example about 0.5 wt% pectin, or about 0.75 wt% pectin, or about 1.0 wt% pectin, or about 1 .5 wt% pectin, or about 1.75 wt% pectin, or about 2 wt% pectin. Aqueous phase

[0070] The aqueous phase may comprise any of water, a vegetable puree, a fruit puree, and the combination thereof. The water may be acidified water with citric acid, for example. pH of the aqueous phase is arranged so that the fluidic food composition has pH of less than 4.5. In some embodiments, pH of the aqueous phase is less than 4.5, preferably between 3 and 4.2, more preferably between 3.5 and 4.0.

[0071] The vegetable or fruit puree may be or comprise a smooth cream of liquidized or crushed fruit(s) or vegetable(s).

[0072] The term “vegetable puree" may comprise a pulse puree, i.e. a puree of edible seeds of plants in the legume family such as dry beans, dry broad beans, dry peas, chickpeas, cow peas, pigeon peas, lentils, Bambara beans, vetches, lupins and pulsesnes.

[0073] The vegetable or fruit puree may be obtained from Bromeliaceae such as pineapple; Rosaceae such as cherry, raspberry, blackberry, plum, apricot, peach, strawberry, pear, apple, almond; Ericaceae such as blueberry, cranberry; Ribes such as currant, gooseberry; Polygonaceae such as rhubarb; Rutaceae such as orange, lemon, lime, mandarin, grapefruit; Anacardiaceae such as mango, pistachio, cashew; Caricaceae such as papaya; Musaceae such as banana; Actinidiaceae such as kiwifruit; Passifloraceae such as passionfruit; Solanaceae such as eggplant, tomato, pepper, paprika, potato; Brassicaceae such as broccoli, cauliflower, mustard, cabbage, radish; Apiaceae such as carrot, celery, parsnip; Amaranthaceae such as beet, spinach; and Cucurbitaceae such as zucchini, cucumber, pumpkin, watermelon, melon, for example. The vegetable or fruit puree may be obtained from one vegetable or fruit, or two or more different vegetables and / or fruits. Preferably, the aqueous phase comprises vegetable and / or fruit puree having acidic pH.

[0074] The aqueous phase may be present in an amount between 30 and 70 wt% of the fluidic food composition.

[0075] Preferably, the fluidic food composition comprises between 20 and 50 wt% of condensed milk, between 0.5 and 2.0 wt% of pectin, and between 30 and 70 wt% of aqueous phase. Preferably, the fluidic food composition comprises between 20 and 50 wt% of condensed milk, between 0.5 and 2.0 wt% of pectin, and between 30 and 70 wt%, more preferably between 50 and 70 wt% of vegetable and / or fruit puree.

[0076] Fat / Oil

[0077] The fluidic food composition may optionally comprise added fat, which is to be added besides any fat originally contained or inherently present in the condensed milk.

[0078] The fat may be any fat ingredient which is solid or liquid at a room temperature. For the purpose of the present application, the terms “fat" and “oil" may be used interchangeably. The fat may be vegetable-based or animal-based fat. Examples of animalbased fat / oil are milk fat. Examples of vegetable-based fat / oil are sunflower oil, for example high oleic sunflower oil (HOSO), canola oil, linseed oil, palm oil, palm stearin oil, cocoa butter and coconut fat / oil.

[0079] The added fat may be less than 15 wt% of the fluidic food composition, preferably between 5 and 15 wt%, more preferably between 5 and 10 wt% of the fluidic food composition.

[0080] The addition of fat / oil provides further advantageous effects in the fluidic food composition, for example to increase thickness perception in mouth, to improve mouthfeel, to increase solid-like character, and to enable desired spreadability.

[0081] Other components

[0082] The fluidic food composition may further comprise one or more components selected from the group consisting of salt, fiber, fruit powder and vegetable powder. The total content of the one or more components in the fluidic food composition is less than 60 wt%, preferably less than 50 wt%, more preferably less than 25 wt% of the fluidic food composition.

[0083] Preferably, the fluidic food composition further comprises fiber. Preferably, the fluidic food composition further comprises less than 20 wt%, preferably less than 10 wt%, more preferably less than 5 wt% of fiber. The fiber may be citrus fibers. The addition of fibers provides further advantageous effects in the fluidic food composition, for example to increase viscosity, to decrease shininess, to improve sensory properties such as decrease of stickiness in mouth, and to improve spreadability.

[0084] Method of producing fluidic food composition

[0085] A method of making the fluidic food composition according to the present invention comprises a step of mixing between 20 and 50 wt% of condensed milk with between 0.5 and 2.0 wt% of pectin; and a step of adding an aqueous phase to the mixture of condensed milk and pectin so that the fluidic food composition has a pH less than 4.5, preferably between 3 and 4.2, more preferably 3.5 and 4.0.

[0086] Preferably, the aqueous phase having acidic pH is added to the mixture of condensed milk and pectin. For example, vegetable puree or fruit puree already having acidic pH may be added to the mixture of condensed milk and pectin, or the aqueous phase may be prepared to have acidic pH, for example with citric acid, before adding to the mixture of condensed milk and pectin. In any case, pH and the amount of the aqueous phase to be added to the mixture of condensed milk and pectin are arranged so that the resulting fluidic food composition has a pH less than 4.5, preferably between 3 and 4.2, more preferably

[0087] 3.5 and 4.0.

[0088] The mixing step may be performed for example by homogenization, or high-shear mixing.

[0089] Homogenization may be carried out under pressure, for example at a pressure from 50 to 200 bar.

[0090] High shear mixing may be carried out for example at shear rates of between 170 and 3400 s’1.

[0091] Optionally, the method may comprise a step of heating the mixture of the condensed milk, the pectin and the aqueous phase. The heating step is optional and is only used for food safety according to the application and usage of the fluidic food composition. However, the fluidic food composition according to the present invention is equally stable without heating.

[0092] Heating step may be performed at a temperature from about 25 °C to about 90 °C for about 1 minute, or about 2 minutes, or about 3 minutes to about 5 min, preferably for about 5 minutes at a minimum temperature of 50 °C.

[0093] Heating step may be pasteurization step, for example high-temperature short-time (HTST) pasteurization or ultra-high-temperature (UHT) pasteurization.

[0094] Optionally, the method may further comprise a step of adding less than 15 wt%, preferably between 5 and 15 wt% of fat to the mixture of the condensed milk, the pectin and the aqueous phase, and a step of emulsifying this fat-added mixture. The emulsifying step is performed before the optional heating step.

[0095] Optionally, the method may further comprise a step of cooling the mixture after the optional heating step, for example to a temperature from about 40 °C to about 25 °C.

[0096] Use of fluidic food composition

[0097] The fluidic food composition may be used for (a) a spread; (b) a topping; (c) a sauce; (d) a dessert; (e) a dip; (f) a filling; (g) a flavor carrier; (h) a fat replacer; or (i) a beverage. These example food products using the fluidic food composition may be sweet or salty.

[0098] Food product comprising or made by using fluidic food composition

[0099] A food product comprising the fluidic food composition and a food product made by using the fluidic food composition may be, for example (a) a spread; (b) a topping; (c) a sauce; (d) a dessert; (e) a dip; (f) a filling; (g) a flavor carrier; (h) a fat replacer; or (i) a beverage.

[0100] The food product comprising or made by using the fluidic food composition according to the present invention is shelf-life stable, for example for 6 months or more at a temperature of 25°C. The fluidic food composition according to the present invention enables shelf-life stability even in an acidic condition.

[0101] Packaging

[0102] The fluidic food composition, and the food product comprising or made by using the fluidic food composition according to the present invention may be packaged in an appropriate format, for example in a pouch, a bottle including a solid bottle and a compressible or squeezable bottle, a can including a tin-plated steel can and an aluminum can, a canister, a jar, a bin, a pot, and a tube.

[0103] The definition of certain terminology used within the present application is provided below.

[0104] As used herein, "about" is understood to refer to numbers in a range of numerals, for example the range of -30% to +30% of the referenced number, or -20% to +20% of the referenced number, or -10% to +10% of the referenced number, or -5% to +5% of the referenced number, or -1 % to +1 % of the referenced number. All numerical ranges herein should be understood to include all integers, whole or fractions, within the range. Moreover, these numerical ranges should be construed as providing support for a claim directed to any number or subset of numbers in that range. For example, a disclosure of a range from 45 to 55 should be construed as supporting a range of from 46 to 54, from 48 to 52, from 49 to 51 , from 49.5 to 50.5, and so forth.

[0105] As used herein, "substantially devoid" means being present in an amount less than 0.1 wt%, more preferably 0.05 wt%, more preferably being completely absent.

[0106] The term "vegetarian" refers to an edible composition which is entirely devoid of meat or fish products. The term "vegan" refers to an edible composition which is entirely devoid of animal products, or animal derived products. Non-limiting examples of animal products include meat, fish, eggs, milk, and honey.

[0107] Unless noted otherwise, all percentages in the specification refer to weight percent, where applicable.

[0108] When a composition of product or ingredient is described herein in terms of wt% (weight percent), this means wt% of the total recipe of the related product or ingredient, unless indicated otherwise. For example, ingredient B comprises x wt% of component b means that ingredient B comprises x % of component b by weight of ingredient B. Likewise, product C comprises y wt% of ingredient B means that product C comprises y % of ingredient B by weight of product C.

[0109] By "shelf-stable", it is understood a product which has a shelf-life of several months when stored under ambient conditions. This also generally applies when it is stored under chilled conditions. The term "ambient conditions" refers to temperatures ranging from 15°C to 25° C, preferably from 20°C to 22°C. Especially, a shelf-stable product has a shelf-life of at least 3 months, preferably of at least 6 months, more preferably at least 12 months when stored under ambient conditions. These storage temperatures relate to the storage of the product before being commercially obtained by an end consumer. Generally, the end consumer is advised to store the product under the same ambient conditions until consumption, for example in a shelf at room temperature.

[0110] Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms have and should be given the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs.

[0111] The invention will now be illustrated by way of examples, which should in no way be thought to limit the scope of the invention as herein described.

[0112] EXAMPLES

[0113] Examples were prepared according to the following process and materials unless otherwise specified.

[0114] Process:

[0115] Emulsion mixtures were prepared using a high shear mixer. For compositions selected as model systems, the following procedure was followed: The condensed milk and a portion of the total water were added to the mixer in addition to the pectin. The mixture was heated to 50 °C and allowed to mixed to medium speed for at least 5 min, preferably at least 10 min. Once hydrated, the pH was adjusted to 3.8 with a 10% citric acid solution. The remaining water was finally added. If optional oil / fat was added in the formulation, it was slowly added in, and emulsified at high speed for at least 1 minute. Finally, as an optional heating step, the mixture was heated to 95 °C for 5 minutes, transferred to a glass jar and cooled down.

[0116] When the fruit puree was used as the aqueous phase instead of acidified water, the pectin was directly dispersed in the condensed milk and hydrated for 5 min before adding the fruit puree. The pH was adjusted with lemon juice and the oil was emulsified. The heat treatment was performed as described above.

[0117] Raw materials

[0118] Raw materials used in the following examples are described in Table 1 .

[0119] Table 1

[0120] The lactose content of the fat-free condensed milk (Nestle Leite Condensado Magro

[0121] - Origin Portugal) in the above Table 1 was measured using Megazyme kit (K-LACGAR, based on AOAC method 2006.06). It was found to be 12.1%. Typical lactose content of all types of condensed milk generally ranges between 9 and 15 wt%.

[0122] Water activity

[0123] Water activity (Aw) was assessed using the volatile water activity meter (AquaLab TDL).

[0124] Texture analysis

[0125] Sample hardness was assessed by an adaptation of a probe tack test method, using a texture analyser (TA HD plusC-, Stable Micro Systems Ltd, Godaiming, UK). Cylindrical plates were filled with the samples right after their preparation until maximum capacity and with a flat surface. A cylindrical plexiglass probe of 45 mm of diameter moved downwards at 0.5 mm s-1 until it went down to 2 mm into the sample. Then, the probe moved upwards at 10 mm s-1 for 5 s. The hardness (N) was measured as the peak force when the probe was 2 mm in the sample. In all the experiments each sample was measured eight times.

[0126] Rheology and viscosity

[0127] The viscoelastic properties of the products were measured using an Anton Paar rheometer, by performing a frequency test from 10 to 0.1 Hz at a fixed amplitude of 1 %, which belongs to the linear viscoelastic response of the gel materials. Viscosity was measured by varying the shear from 0.1 to 100 %.

[0128] Microscopy and PSD

[0129] Confocal microscopy was performed using a LSM 710 CLSM microscope. The protein was stained using Fast Green and the fat with Nile Red. Both were observed by exciting respectively at 633 nm and 488 nm. Particle Size Distribution (PSD) was performed on the average of at least 4 images for each sample at different magnifications.

[0130] Example 1 : Impact of composition on stability

[0131] The stability range of pectin and condensed milk emulsions was probed using the following ingredients and recipes in Table 2.

[0132] Table 2

[0133] All the formulations were obtained as described in the above “process” section and the pH was constantly adjusted to 3.8 with citric acid. Samples were allowed to return to room temperature and stability was assessed visually by checking for phase separation. The results are given in Table 3, and an illustration of unstable and stable samples is given in FIG. 1. Table 3

[0134] In the absence of pectin, no stable emulsion could be obtained from condensed milk and sunflower oil (T01). The addition of pectin was sufficient to stabilize the emulsion (T02), and could stabilize high amount of condensed milk (T03). Pectin amount as low as 0.5% were sufficient to stabilize the 25% condensed milk emulsions (T04), but lower concentrations of condensed milk did not result in stable emulsion (T05). These results and FIG. 1 show that the combination of pectin and condensed milk advantageously provided stable emulsion.

[0135] Example 2: Impact of composition on texture

[0136] In this example, the physical properties and texture mapping of pectin and sweet condensed milk mixtures was investigated using a design of experiment approach. The relative impact of each ingredient on the rheology, viscosity, tribology, penetration force, water activity and particle size distribution (PSD) was assessed using a 16-trial factorial design. 16 trials T06-T21 were prepared using 0.5-2 wt% of pectin (Citrus, DM = 70%), 25- 50 wt% of fat-free sweet condensed milk, and 10-15 wt% of sunflower oil, as specified in Table 4.

[0137] Table 4

[0138] Water containing citric acid was used as an aqueous phase to adjust the pH to 3.8 in all trials.

[0139] The physical properties of the samples are summarized in Table 5. Statistical analysis of the results showed that viscosity values were strongly correlated whatever the chosen shear stress, and the same was observed for the tribology and rheology results. Therefore, the statistical analysis was only performed with one representative value for each parameter.

[0140] The following Table 5 shows physical properties of selected compositions: friction factor (measured by tribology), storage modulus (G’) and loss factor (tan 5, measured by rheology), viscosity (q), penetration force (positive force), water activity and particle size distribution (PSD, measured by confocal microscopy).

[0141] Table 5

[0142] The impact of each parameter was studied using an analysis of variance (ANOVA). The relative importance of each parameter is summarized in FIG. 2.

[0143] The sample properties were surprisingly well explained by the recipe composition, with very good correlations between measured and predicted texture parameters, with only a minor percentage that could not be explained (< 20%), with the exception of the tan 5, probably as this is a ratio and not a single measurement. In addition, not all properties were governed by a single ingredient, meaning that some properties can be tuned independently from others.

[0144] Pectin is the most impactful parameter, either as the main contributor (rheology, viscosity, positive force) or as a non-neglectable one (tribology, PSD). Surprisingly, and while it accounts for up to 50% of the recipe, the condensed milk had a lower contribution to viscosity and positive force, while it significantly contributed to tribology and water activity. Equally surprising, the oil had only minor impact on texture, and mostly contributed to the viscosity.

[0145] Example 3: Impact of pectin DM

[0146] In this example, impact of pectin types on rheological properties was investigated.

[0147] A series of recipes and pectin types were selected to determine the impact of pectin types on the general stability of the mixtures. Two test formulations Test 1 and 2, each for 6 different types of pectin (see the above “raw material” section) were prepared as described in the above “process” section with compositions as seen in Table 6. Water acidified with citric acid was used as an aqueous phase to adjust the pH to 3.8.

[0148] Table 6

[0149] The observed stabilities are given in Table 7. Observations across both tests 1 and 2 show that the type of pectin has a notable impact on the overall stability. This demonstrates that the type of pectin is important to the creation of a stable emulsion system. Notably, pectin derived from citrus with DM of 70% (C_DM70) provided a stable emulsion even with 0.5 wt% of pectin.

[0150] Table 7

[0151] FIG. 3A shows measurement results of rheology profile in storage modulus (G’) and loss modulus (G”) for Test 2 samples of C_DM70, C_DM50, C_DM30. FIG. 3B shows measurement results of viscosity for Test 2 samples of C_DM70, C-DM50, C_DM30. Rheology plots and viscosity plots for comparisons of pectins with differing degrees of methoxylation showed that the DM has a significant effect on the properties of the emulsion. For both the rheology and viscosity the general trend observed was that the 50% DM pectin showed the highest values, followed by the 70%. The low methoxy 30% pectin showed considerably lower values for both rheology and viscosity values. Results from this comparison highlight the fact that the DM has a significant impact on the bulk properties of the emulsion and should be considered.

[0152] Example 4: Impact of pectin DM on sensory properties

[0153] Emulsion samples according to the recipe in Table 8 were prepared following the procedure described in the above “process” section.

[0154] Table 8

[0155] The physical properties of the different emulsion samples were measured by rheology and viscosity (FIG. 4A and 4B). No differences were measured with pectins having DM = 70% or DM = 60%, while the DM = 30% pectin gave significantly lower viscosity and rheology properties (FIG. 4A and 4B). With time oil droplets were formed on top of the spreads prepared with the DM = 30% pectin.

[0156] In a blind sensory assessment with 5 people, the following assessments were made: The DM = 70% pectin (recipe 1) provided a strong mouthcoating and indulgent mouthfeel.

[0157] The DM = 60% pectin (recipe 2) had no mouthcoating and was perceived of the same body as the previous recipe (recipe 1). This big sensory difference was surprising as the rheological properties and viscosities for both samples of DM = 70% and DM = 60% were very similar.

[0158] The DM = 30% pectin (recipe 3) was perceived as very thin and small oil droplets were visible on the surface.

[0159] Example 5: Impact of pectin source

[0160] A comparison was made with pectins derived from various natural sources. Emulsion samples according to the recipe 1 of the above Table 8 were prepared with different sources of pectin, as described in the above “process” section. The DM was held constant at 70%, but the source of the pectin was varied. Pectins from citrus, sugar beet, and apple were selected for comparison. FIG. 5A shows measurement results of rheology profile in storage modulus (G’) and loss modulus (G”), and FIG. 5B shows measurement results of viscosity, respectively, for emulsion samples with pectin derived from citrus (C_DM70), from sugar beet, and from apple. Results indicated that for both rheology and viscometry the citrus pectin displayed the highest values, followed by the sugar beet and then the apple. This was consistent across all values and emphasized the importance of pectin source on final emulsion properties.

[0161] Example 6: Impact of pectin molecular weight

[0162] A comparison was then made with a pectin with DM of 70%, derived from the same source, but with varying molecular weight to understand the impact of the molecular weight (Mw) on the emulsion’s physical properties. Emulsion samples according to the recipe 1 of the above Table 8 were prepared using citrus pectin with DM = 70% and high Mw, and citrus pectin with DM = 70% and low Mw, respectively, as described in the above “process” section. FIG. 6A shows measurement results of rheology profile in storage modulus (G’) and loss modulus (G”), and FIG. 6B shows measurement results of viscosity, respectively, for samples with high Mw pectin (C_DM70) and samples with low Mw pectin (C_DM_LowMw). The results indicated that the pectin with higher molecular weight showed higher rheology and viscometry values. This is of interest as it demonstrates that in addition to DM and source of pectin, the molecular weight of the pectin may also be an important factor to be considered to achieve desired textures.

[0163] Example 7: Impact of a type of condensed milk on viscosity

[0164] In this example, the impact of the condensed milk composition was investigated using the following recipe in Table 9. Emulsion samples were prepared as described in the above “process” section where pH was adjusted to 3.8. The composition of each condensed milk type is given in the above “raw materials” section.

[0165] Table 9

[0166] The investigated condensed milk in recipes 4 to 8 had similar protein content and only differed by their fat content. Recipe 7 was made from a hybrid condensed milk containing vegetable oil instead of milk fat. All 4 to 7 recipes had similar sugar contents. Recipe 8 used an unsweetened condensed milk.

[0167] FIG. 7A shows comparison of viscosity among recipes 4 to 6. The viscosity of the formulation was strongly dependent on the fat content of the condensed milks, where higher milk fat content generally results in a lower viscosity (FIG. 7A).

[0168] FIG. 7B shows comparison of viscosity between recipes 6 and 7. In recipe 7, a hybrid condensed milk containing a similar composition (proteins, fat, sugar) to the one used in recipe 6 was used, in which vegetable oil instead of milk fat. The resulting viscosities seen in FIG. 7B show that the vegetable oil-based condensed milk had twice as high a viscosity as the standard condensed milk, which was not expected considering the similarity in composition of both ingredients.

[0169] FIG. 70 shows comparison of viscosity between recipes 6 and 8. Comparison of milks with similar fat amounts, but varying quantities of added sugar also shows a difference in the viscosities seen in the formulation. Seen in FIG. 7C, the addition of sugar has a notable impact on the viscosity, where the added sugar results in an overall lower viscosity. Results emphasize that the sugar content can have an overall effect on the texture of the final emulsion. These results show that the composition of the condensed milk has an overall notable impact on the viscosities of the final formulations.

[0170] All these results in Example 7 generally show that the condensed milk for the fluidic food composition of the present invention is not limited to full fat sweet condensed milk only, but various different types of condensed milk equally work to effectively enable the desired viscosity in the fluidic food composition.

[0171] Example 8: Impact of a type of condensed milk on sensory attributes

[0172] Emulsion samples according to the following recipes 9 and 10 in Table 10 were prepared as described in the above “process” section where pH was adjusted to 3.8. The composition of each condensed milk type is given in the above “raw materials” section.

[0173] Table 10

[0174] The samples did not show any visual difference with the different SOM. In a blind sensory assessment (5 people, untrained panel), no difference could be tasted between the both SOM. No differences were seen neither by rheology nor by viscosity measurements (FIG. 8A and 8B).

[0175] This example generally indicates that both full fat SOM and fat-free SOM equally work for the fluidic food composition of the present invention.

[0176] Example 9: Impact of fiber addition Emulsion samples according to the following recipes 11 and 12 in Table 11 were prepared as described in the above “process” section where pH was adjusted to 3.8.

[0177] Table 11

[0178] As seen in FIG. 9A and 9B, the addition of citrus fiber significantly increased the viscosity and the gel-like character (increased G’, lower loss factor). The addition of the fiber decreased the shininess of the product and improved its spreadability. From a sensory perception, the addition of the citrus fiber increased the thickness perception in mouth and decreased the mouthcoating of the spreads compared to the pectin only recipe.

[0179] Example 10: Impact of fat addition

[0180] Emulsion samples according to the following recipes 13 to 15 in Table 12 were prepared as described in the above “process” section where pH was adjusted to 3.8.

[0181] Table 12 The fat was melted prior to addition to the pectin and condensed milk mix. The samples were left to cool down slowly to avoid that the fat recrystallized too fast and got expelled from the water phase.

[0182] FIG. 10A shows measurement results of rheology profile in storage modulus (G’) and loss modulus (G”). The replacement of oil by a hard fat not only increased the storage modulus (G’) by up to a factor of 10 for milk fat, it also increased the solid-like character of those emulsions, which went from spoonable to spreadable textures. This shows that the hard fat brings similar benefits to the addition of fiber. Surprisingly, the effect of fat addition on viscosity was relatively minor, as seen in FIG. 10B.

[0183] Example 11 : Benefits of pectin against other hydrocolloids

[0184] The aim of this example was to compare the functionality of pectin against other hydrocolloids used in dairy products, such as carrageenan and high acyl gellan. Emulsion samples according to the following recipes 16 to 18 of Table 13 were prepared as described in the above “process” section where pH was adjusted to 3.8.

[0185] Table 13

[0186] After transferring in a glass jar, the carrageenan sample separated into 2 phases within minutes. This was not expected, as carrageenan has been used in acidified dairy products such as cheese and in condensed milk products. The gellan gum product was stable over a few days.

[0187] FIG. 11 A and 11 B show comparison of rheology profile and of viscosity between recipe 16 with pectin and recipe 18 with gellan. As seen in FIG. 11 A, the rheological properties of the gellan-based and of the pectin-based emulsions were very different. Gellan-based suspensions were significantly thicker and harder gels than pectin emulsions. This highlights the uniqueness of pectins in condensed milk matrices.

[0188] Example 12: Shelf-life study The following spread sample was produced following the below recipe in Table 14. The condensed milk used for this Example 12 was the full fat condensed milk (Nestle La Lechera Original - Origin Spain) in the above Table 1.

[0189] Table 14

[0190] The recipe was prepared as described in the above “process” section where pH was adjusted to 3.8. The product was prepared in a glass jar and stored at room temperature. Stability was assessed over a 1 year shelf-life by a combination of rheology (FIG 12A), viscosity (FIG 12B) and microscopy (FIG 13). No differences were observed for any of these techniques, confirming the samples are stable over shelf for 1 year.

[0191] The lactose content of these spreads was 3.2% and the protein content was 2.3%, considering the protein content of the condensed milk was 7.5%.

[0192] Example 13: Benefits of sweet condensed milk against other dairy products

[0193] The aim of this example is to compare the functionality of sweet condensed milk against milk powder, which could be reconstituted to reach similar protein content. The following emulsion samples in Table 15 were prepared. The condensed milk used for this Example 13 was the fat-free condensed milk (Nestle Leite Condensado Magro - Origin Portugal) in the above Table 1 .

[0194] Table 15 This amount of milk powder was chosen to match the protein content between sweet condensed milk (SCM) and milk powder samples. The sweet condensed milk recipe was prepared as described earlier. For the milk powder sample, skimmed milk powder was first rehydrated in warm water, then the same procedure was followed. While samples produced with SCM formed a stable matrix, the sample containing skimmed milk powder showed phase separation over time. Not only was viscosity (FIG 14) of the skimmed milk powder sample lower than the SCM sample, but the internal structure also showed difference, with proteins having a higher tendency to locate at the interface when the skimmed milk powder was used (FIG. 15, left). In SCM sample the proteins stayed in the bulk and had a limited interfacial property (FIG. 15, right). This difference in behavior is consistent with the lower viscosity, as the formation of a network is expected to lead to higher viscosity.

Claims

Claims1 . A fluidic food composition comprising:- between 20 and 50 wt% of a condensed milk;- between 0.5 and 2.0 wt% of pectin; and- aqueous phase, wherein said fluidic food composition has a pH less than 4.5, preferably between 3 and 4.2, more preferably between 3.5 and 4.0.

2. The fluidic food composition according to claim 1 , wherein the condensed milk comprises between 5 and 60 wt% of sugar, between 0.2 and 9 wt% of fat or oil, and between 5 and 8 wt% of protein based on the entire content of the condensed milk.

3. The fluidic food composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the aqueous phase comprises any of water, a vegetable puree, a fruit puree and the combination thereof.

4. The fluidic food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein viscosity of the fluidic food composition measured at 25 °C at a shear rate of 10 s-1is between 100 and 100,000 mPa s.

5. The fluidic food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a protein content of the fluidic food composition is between 2 and 5 wt%.

6. The fluidic food composition according to claim 5, wherein the protein content of the fluidic food composition is based only on the protein content of the condensed milk.

7. The fluidic food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein a sugar content of the fluidic food composition is between 10 and 30 wt%.

8. The fluidic food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the pectin is high methoxy pectin with a degree of methoxylation (DM) of at least 50%, preferably at least 60%.

9. The fluidic food composition according to claim 8, wherein the pectin is derived from citrus, apple or sugar beet, preferably derived from citrus.

10. The fluidic food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising less than 15 wt% of added fat, preferably between 5 and 15 wt% of added fat, besides any fat originally contained or inherently present in the condensed milk.

11. The fluidic food composition according to claim 10, wherein the added fat is vegetable fat and / or animal fat which is liquid or solid at room temperature.

12. The fluidic food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 11 , further comprising one or more components selected from the group consisting of salt, fiber, fruit powder and vegetable powder.

13. The fluidic food composition according to claim 12, wherein the total content of the one or more components in the fluidic food composition is less than 60 wt% of the fluidic food composition.

14. The fluidic food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the fluidic food composition has a shelf-life of at least 3 months, preferably of at least 6 months, more preferably at least 12 months when stored under ambient conditions.

15. A method of making the fluidic food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 14, comprising: a. mixing between 20 and 50 wt% of a condensed milk with between 0.5 and 2.0 wt% of pectin based on the total content of the fluidic food composition; b. adding an aqueous phase to the mixture of step a) so that the fluidic food composition has a pH less than 4.5; and c. optionally heating the mixture of step b).

16. The method according to claim 15, further comprising d) adding less than 15 wt% of fat based on the total content of the fluidic food composition to the mixture of step b) and emulsifying before step c).

17. Use of the fluidic food composition according to any one of claims 1 to 14, for one or more selected from the group consisting of: a. a spread; b. a topping; c. a sauce; d. a dessert; e. a dip; f. a filling; g. a flavor carrier; h. a fat replacer; and i. a beverage.

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