Clean label food ingredient

Abstract

The present invention relates to an improved starch food ingredient, a process and assembly for producing said starch food ingredient, uses of said starch food ingredient and compositions / food products comprising said starch food ingredient. In particular, the present invention relates to a starch food ingredient is a gelatinized and sheer thinned (e.g., drum-dried) partially hydrolyzed starch that can function as a bulking agent, a texturizer and thickening agent and methods / assemblies of producing the same.

Description

CLEAN LABEL FOOD INGREDIENTCROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of European Patent Application No. 24177168.2, filed May 21, 2024, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention relates to a clean label starch food ingredient, a process for producing said starch food ingredient, compositions and consumables comprising the starch food ingredient, uses of the starch food ingredient and an assembly for producing the starch food ingredient. In particular, the present invention relates to a starch food ingredient that is a gelatinized and sheer thinned (e.g., drum-dried) partially hydrolyzed starch.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Food ingredients have a wide variety of uses beyond contributing to the flavor of a food product. For example, a food ingredient can act as: a bulking agent to increase the weight / volume of a food product without adding substantially to the calorific content of the food product; a texturizer to impart a specific texture on the food product; and / or a thickening agent that contributes to the viscosity of the food product. Therefore, the combination of food ingredients that make up the food product contribute to certain aspects of the eventual food product independent of taste, such as the mouthfeel of the food product.

[0003] Starch is a common food ingredient that is used as a thickening agent and texturizer given its properties to facilitate thickening, gelling, and moisture-retention. However, as starch readily increases the viscosity of a food product when combined with water and heated, the amount of starch contained within a food product must be limited to ensure that the food product can be manufactured easily and that the viscosity and mouthfeel of the food product are acceptable to the consumer.

[0004] Instant starches are commonly used as a food ingredient, particularly in dry mixes that produce liquid food products upon the addition of liquid to the dry mix. Instant starches have been pre-gelatinized (pre-cooked) meaning that they can act as a thickening agent when mixed with a liquid without subsequent cooking. When a dry mix containing an instant starch is contacted with water, the starch granules instantly swell causing thickening of the food product. Thus, the overall thickness of the food product is dependent on the amount of instant starch contained in the dry mix; and the swelling ability of said instant starch. The amount of instant starch in the dry mixcan be fine-tuned to result in a specific texture / thickness in the final liquid food product. However, when the amount and / or swelling ability of instant starch in the dry mix is too high, the dispersibility of the instant starch in the solution is impacted resulting in lumps of starch being formed in the liquid food product. Therefore, the amount and / or type of starch in a food ingredient (such as instant starch in dry mixes) needs to be carefully considered meaning that starches generally cannot be used as bulking agents as using starches to increase the bulk of a food product can negatively impact the overall texture and thickness of the food product and thus impact the overall mouthfeel of the food product.

[0005] To address this, certain modified, low viscosity, starches have been used that can be used at higher quantities without negatively affecting the dispersibility of the starch and overall thickness and texture of the food product. However, when exposed to the temperatures associated with manufacturing the starch food ingredient, the viscosity of the modified starch either increases to such an extent that the starch cannot be used with standard production apparatus or remains so low that the starch also cannot be used with standard production apparatus. Therefore, the ability of low viscosity starch products has been limited by their incompatibility with standard production methods / apparatuses.

[0006] As an alternative to starches, maltodextrins have been used. Maltodextrins are produced by enzymatic or acid hydrolysis of native starch until the dextrose equivalents (DE) is above 3 and the granular starch structure is removed. Like starches, maltodextrins are typically used as a thickening agent and a texturizer. However, as the granular structure of the starch molecule has been degraded by enzymatic hydrolysis in the maltodextrin production process, the ability of maltodextrins to act as a thickening agent are greatly reduced compared to a starch. While this may be beneficial to ensure that higher amounts of maltodextrins can be used to add to the bulk of the food product (i.e. as a bulking agent) without negatively affecting the overall viscosity of the food product, further ingredients are required if a specific thickness / texture is required. Moreover, since a significant amount of chemical / enzymatic modification of native starch has occurred to produce maltodextrins, maltodextrins are not a “clean label” food ingredient as they cannot be perceived as a “label friendly” ingredient, which acts as a deterrent for consumers.

[0007] There thus remains a need for a “clean label” food ingredient that retains the thickening and texturizing ability of a starch but is also able function as a bulking agent. There is also a need for processes and apparatuses that can produce such a clean label food ingredient.

[0008] The present invention provides a starch food ingredient and a process and apparatus for producing said starch food ingredient that addresses the problems associated with known thickening and / or texturizing food ingredients.SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0009] In one embodiment, the present invention provides a starch food ingredient this is a gelatinized and sheer thinned (e.g., drum dried) partially hydrolyzed starch. The partially hydrolyzed starch used to produce the starch food ingredient allows the starch food ingredient to function as a starch thereby contributing to the overall texture and thickness of a food product comprising the starch food ingredient. However, the gelatinization and applied sheer (e.g., drum dying) of the starch ensures that the starch does not cause the viscosity of food products comprising the starch food ingredient to become too high such that the texture and overall mouthfeel of the food product is negatively affected meaning that the starch food ingredient of the present invention can also be used to increase the bulk of a food product. Thus, the starch food ingredient can also be used as a bulking agent as well as a texturizer and / or thickening agent.

[0010] In another embodiment, the present invention provides a process for producing the above-mentioned starch food ingredient, the process comprising: a. obtaining a partially hydrolyzed starch; b. contacting the partially hydrolyzed starch with water to produce a starch slurry; c. increasing the viscosity of the starch slurry to produce a paste; and d. drying the paste to produce the starch food ingredient.

[0011] The combination of using a partially hydrolyzed starch and increasing the viscosity of the starch slurry to produce a paste prior to drying ensures that: 1) the starch paste can be dried using suitable equipment (such as a drum drier) as the viscosity of the paste is high enough that the paste can adhere to the necessary equipment; and 2) the eventual food ingredient can function as a texturizer, bulking agent and / or thickening agent due to the intrinsic properties of the partially hydrolyzed starch comprised in the starch food ingredient. The present invention thus represents an improved process for producing a starch food ingredient that is a gelatinized and sheer thinned (e.g., drum dried) partially hydrolyzed starch.

[0012] In another embodiment, the present invention provides an assembly for producing the above-mentioned starch food ingredient and carrying out the above-mentioned process, the assembly comprises: a. a viscosifying unit, comprising: i. an inlet for receiving a starch slurry, ii. a chamber, fluidly connected to the inlet, and configured to increase the viscosity of the starch slurry to produce a paste; and iii. an outlet, fluidly connected to the chamber, for directing the paste out of the viscosifying unit; andb. a drying unit configured to dry the paste to produce the starch food ingredient.

[0013] The ability of the assembly to use a partially hydrolyzed starch and increase the viscosity of the starch slurry to produce a paste prior to drying by virtue of the viscosifying and drying units ensures that: 1) the starch paste can be dried using a suitable drying unit (such as a drum drier) as the viscosity of the paste is high enough that the paste can adhere to the necessary parts of the drying unit; and 2) the eventual food ingredient can function as a texturizer, bulking agent and / or thickening agent due to the intrinsic properties of the partially hydrolyzed starch comprised in the starch food ingredient. The present invention thus represents an improved process for producing a starch food ingredient that is a gelatinized and sheer-thinned (e.g., drum dried) partially hydrolyzed starch.

[0014] In another embodiment, the present invention relates to compositions and consumables comprising the above-mentioned starch food ingredient and uses of the starch food ingredient.

[0015] The present invention is set out in the following clauses:1. A starch food ingredient produced by a method comprising: a. obtaining a partially hydrolyzed starch; b. contacting the partially hydrolyzed starch with water to produce a starch slurry comprising 20% to 50% dry substances; c. increasing the viscosity of the starch slurry to produce a paste; and d. drying the paste to produce the starch food ingredient.2. The starch food ingredient of clause 1, wherein the starch food ingredient has a dextrose equivalent (DE) of less than three as measured by Lane-Eynon titration, based on the reduction of copper (II) sulphate solution.3. The starch food ingredient of clause 2, wherein the DE is between 0.05 and 1.5.4. The starch food ingredient of any preceding clause, wherein the starch food ingredient is a bulking agent.5. The starch food ingredient of any preceding clause, wherein the starch food ingredient is a texturizer.The starch food ingredient of any preceding clause, wherein the starch food ingredient has a solubility of between 40-70 % dissolved solids. The starch food ingredient of any preceding clause, wherein the starch food ingredient has a cold viscosity of between 50-5000 mPas when in a slurry comprising 20-30% dry substance, preferably wherein the starch food ingredient has a cold viscosity of 100-1000 mPas when in a slurry comprising 20% dry substance. The starch food ingredient of any preceding clause, wherein the starch food ingredient has a dispersibility score of two or lower. The starch food ingredient of any preceding clause, wherein the partially hydrolyzed starch is an acid-thinned starch. A process for producing the starch food ingredient of any preceding clause, comprising: obtaining a partially hydrolyzed starch; contacting the partially hydrolyzed starch with water to produce a starch slurry; increasing the viscosity of the starch slurry to produce a paste; and drying the paste to produce the starch food ingredient. The process of clause 10, wherein step a) comprises contacting a native or modified starch with an acid to produce the partially hydrolyzed starch, preferably wherein the acid is selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, sulphuric acid, and phosphoric acid. The process of clause 11, wherein the acid and native or modified starch are contacted for a time period of between 0.5 to 20 hours; and / or at a temperature of between 45 to 55 °C; and / or with an amount of acid between 3-60 kg acid per 1000 kg of starch on a dry weight basis (kg / Tds). The process of clause 10 or 11, wherein the native or modified starch is selected from the group consisting of com starch, potato starch, tapioca starch, pea starch, wheat starch, rice starch, waxy variants of said starches, and starches obtained from the respective flours.The process of any one of clauses 10-13, wherein the starch slurry contains up to 45% dry substance. The process of any one of clauses 10-14, wherein the viscosity of the starch slurry is increased by steam. The process of clause 15, wherein the starch slurry and the steam are contacted in a viscosifying unit at a temperature between 70 to 100 °C, preferably 85 to 95 °C. The process of any one of clauses 10-16, wherein the process further comprises milling, sieving and / or comminuting the starch food ingredient to reduce the particle size of the starch food ingredient. The process of any one of clauses 8-15, wherein the paste is dried using a roll / drum drier comprising at least one applicator roller configured to receive the paste and a cylindrical heated drum configured to dry the paste, wherein the at least one applicator roller and the heated drum rotate relative to each other such that the paste contained on the at least one applicator roller is brought into close proximity with the heated drum to dry the paste and deposit the starch food ingredient onto the heated drum. The process of clause 18, wherein the distance between the at least one applicator roller and the heated drum is between 0.2-3 mm. The process of any one of clauses 10-19, wherein the starch in the starch slurry is concentrated prior to increasing the viscosity of the starch slurry to produce a paste and / or drying. A starch food ingredient produced according to the process of any one of clauses 10-20. The starch food ingredient of clause 21 , wherein the starch food ingredient is a bulking agent and / or a texturizer. A composition comprising the starch food ingredient of any one of clauses 1-9, 21 or 22.The composition of clause 23, wherein the composition is a dry mix or powder mix. A consumable comprising the starch food ingredient or composition of any one of clauses 1-9 or 21-23. The consumable of clause 25, wherein the consumable is selected from the group consisting of dry mixes, confectionary products, emulsions, beverages, dairy products, sauces, bakery products, plant-based milk, plant-based meat, ice cream, plant-based ice cream, ready meals, soups, spices, flavor compounds, and cereal bars. Use of the starch food ingredient or composition of any one of clauses 1-9 or 21-23 as a bulking agent, a texturizer, fat replacer, skimmed milk replacer, whey powder replacer, flavor carrier, or seasoning carrier. An assembly for producing the starch food ingredient of any one of clauses 1-9, 21 or 22, the assembly comprising: a viscosifying unit, comprising: an inlet for receiving a starch slurry, a chamber, fluidly connected to the inlet, and configured to increase the viscosity of the starch slurry to produce a paste; and an outlet, fluidly connected to the chamber, for directing the paste out of the viscosifying unit; and a drying unit configured to dry the paste to produce the starch food ingredient. The assembly of clause 28, wherein the chamber is configured to heat the starch slurry to a temperature of between 65-105 °C thereby increasing the viscosity of the starch slurry to produce the paste. The assembly of clause 28 or 29, further comprising a receptacle configured to receive the starch food ingredient from the drying unit, preferably wherein the receptacle is a screw conveyor. The assembly of clause 30, wherein the receptacle comprises a comminutor configured to reduce the particle size of the starch food ingredient.32. The assembly of any one of clauses 28-31, wherein the viscosifying unit further comprises a second inlet configured to direct steam into the chamber such that the steam contacts the starch slurry to increase the temperature of the starch slurry thereby increasing the viscosity of the starch slurry to produce the paste.33. The assembly of any one of clauses 28-32, wherein the drying unit comprises at least one applicator roller configured to receive the paste and a cylindrical heated drum configured to dry the paste, wherein the applicator roller and the heated drum rotate relative to each other such that the paste contained on the applicator roller is brought into close proximity with the heated drum to dry the paste and deposit the starch food ingredient onto the heated drum.34. The assembly of clause 33, wherein the drying unit comprises a plurality of applicator rollers equally distributed along the top side of the cylindrical heated drum.35. The assembly of clause 33 or 34, wherein the distance between the at least one applicator roller or plurality of applicator rollers and the heated drum is between 0.2-3 mm.36. The assembly of clauses 33-35, wherein the assembly comprises a static knife positioned at an angle relative to the heated drum such that the static knife is configured to scrape the starch food ingredient off the roller into the receptacle.37. The assembly of any of clauses 33-36, wherein each applicator roller comprises a transfer member configured to evenly distribute the paste on the applicator roller.38. The assembly of any one of clauses 33-37, wherein the wall of the cylindrical heated drum is heated to a temperature of between 110-190 °C.39. The process of any one of clauses 10-20 using the assembly of any one of clauses 28-38.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

[0016] In order that the present disclosure may be more readily understood, preferable embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0017] The accompanying drawings illustrate various embodiments of systems, methods, and embodiments of various other aspects of the disclosure. Any person with ordinary skills in the art will appreciate that the illustrated element boundaries (e.g., boxes, groups of boxes, or other shapes) in the figures represent one example of the boundaries. It may be that in some examples one element may be designed as multiple elements or that multiple elements may be designed as one element. In some examples, an element shown as an internal component of one element may be implemented as an external component in another and vice versa. Furthermore, elements may not be drawn to scale. Non-limiting and non-exhaustive descriptions are described with reference to the following drawings. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating principles.

[0018] Embodiments of the present disclosure will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like elements throughout the several figures, and in which example embodiments are shown. Embodiments of the claims may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein.

[0019] FIG. 1 is a schematic of a process forming part of the present invention.

[0020] FIG. 2 is a schematic of a viscosifying unit.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] The words “comprising” “having” “containing,” and “including,” and other forms thereof, are intended to be equivalent in meaning and be open ended in that an item or items following any one of these words is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of such item or items or meant to be limited to only the listed item or items. It must also be noted that as used herein and in the appended claims, the singular for “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Although any systems and methods similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of embodiments of the present disclosure, the preferred systems and methods are now described.Some of the terms used to describe the invention are set out below:

[0022] “Acid-thinned starch” as used herein refers to starches prepared by mild to intense treatment of starch, suspended in water and agitated, with dilute acid and below the gelatinization temperature. When the starch reaches the proper degree of conversion, the acid is neutralized, and the starch is washed, filtered and dried. Acid treatment results in partial hydrolysis of the starch, meaning a decreased average chain length of the starch polysaccharides while maintaining thegranular form of the starch. The resulting acid-thinned starch is a partially hydrolyzed starch with a DE of less than 3.

[0023] “Bulking agent” as used herein means any non-nutritive food ingredient that increases the bulk (volume or weight) of a food product without affecting taste. Traditionally, bulking agents are non-starch polysaccharides that are added to foods to increase the bulk of the food product and achieve a sense of satiety. This has resulted in bulking agents being commonly used as replacement ingredients to reduce the calorific content of food products.

[0024] “Clean label” as used herein refers to food ingredients that have undergone minimal processing from the native ingredient. For example, the starch food ingredients of the present invention are derived from partially hydrolyzed starches and have properties typical of maltodextrins. Since maltodextrins require higher levels of hydrolysis (usually carried out via enzymatic degradation of the native starch) than the starch food ingredient of the present invention, the present invention represents a “clean label” food ingredient as the native starch has undergone minimal processing to produce a food ingredient having the desired properties.

[0025] “Dextrose equivalent (DE)” as used herein refers to the measure of the total reducing sugars calculated as D-glucose on a dry weight basis. The approved method for determining DE is the Lane-Eynon titration, which measures reduction of a copper sulfate solution. Unhydrolyzed starch has a DE value of zero, while the DE value of anhydrous D-glucose is 100. Unless otherwise stated, the method to measure DE is as indicated in the “methodology” section of the present application.

[0026] “Dispersibility” as used herein refers to the ability of the starch to form a unform distribution in solution. Dispersibility is measured by measuring the time necessary to obtain a good dispersion of the food ingredient in demineralized cold water with controlled stirring. A dispersibility score from 1-4 is assigned. A lower dispersibility score (e.g. 1) indicated good dispersibility whereas a high dispersibility score (4) indicated poor dispersibility.

[0027] “Dry substance” as used herein refers to the amount of a dry substance, such as a starch, when combined with a liquid. For example, a starch slurry having 40% dry substance indicates that the starch slurry consists of 40% starch (as the dry substance) and 60% liquid e.g. water.

[0028] “Fluidly connected” as used herein refers to the ability of fluid to flow from one component to another, but the two components need not be physically connected to one another.

[0029] “Food ingredient” as used herein refer to any substance that is added to food to achieve a desired effect. The term includes food additives, which are substances added to foods for a specific technical and / or functional purpose during processing, storage or packaging. The termalso includes ingredients such as texturizers, bulking agents, emulsifiers, gelling agents, thickeners, etc.

[0030] “Maltodextrin” as used herein refers to a polysaccharide having a structure of D-glucose units linked together primarily with a-l,4-glycosidic bonds (with occasional a-l,6-glycosidic bonds) in chains of varying length, having the molecular formula of C6nH(10n+2)O(5n+l). Maltodextrins are the dried products or purified aqueous solutions of saccharides obtained from edible starch having a dextrose equivalency of between 3 and 20. Outside the U.S., the products may be known as dextrins; only the U.S. has an official definition of maltodextrins.

[0031] “Milling, sieving or comminuting” as used herein refer to any technique used to reduce the particle size of a food ingredient.

[0032] “Modified starch” as used herein refers to a starch that has been altered from its native state, resulting in modification of one or more of its chemical or physical properties. Starches may be modified, for example, by enzymes, oxidation, or substitution with various compounds. For example, starches can be modified to increase stability against heat, acids, or freezing, improve texture, increase or decrease solubility, among others. Modified starches may be partially or completely degraded into shorter chains or glucose molecules.

[0033] “Native starch” as used herein refers to a starch that has been isolated directly from a plant source.

[0034] “Paste” as used herein refers to a starch slurry that has been heated such that starch begins to gelatinize thereby increasing the viscosity of the starch slurry. The paste has a viscosity in the region of 50-1000 mPas. The paste will have a viscosity that is greater than the starch slurry.

[0035] “Partially hydrolyzed starch” as used herein refers to starches obtained by partial hydrolysis of a native starch resulting in decreased average chain length of the starch polysaccharides while maintaining the granular form of the starch. The resulting partially hydrolyzed starch has a DE of less than 3. The partially hydrolyzed starch can be comprised within a food product such as a starch flour containing the partially hydrolyzed starch.

[0036] “Percentage by weight” as used herein refers to the percentage of a certain component within the total weight / volume of the product. For example, a starch slurry containing 45% starch indicates that 45% of the total slurry is made up of starch.

[0037] “Viscosifying unit” as used herein refers to a piece of equipment that can be used to increase the viscosity of a starch slurry by facilitating steam injection to increase the temperature of the starch slurry resulting in gelatinization of the starch contained in the starch slurry. The viscosifying unit may also be referred to as a pre-paster or pre-pasting device.

[0038] “Solubility” as used herein refers to the ability of a food ingredient (for example a starch, maltodextrin, etc.) to dissolve in water to form a solution at a desired temperature. Solubility is assessed as indicated in the “methodology” section of the present application.

[0039] “Starch” as used herein refers to a polymeric carbohydrate consisting of a large number of glucose units joined by glycosidic bonds. This polysaccharide is produced by most green plants as energy storage. It is the most common carbohydrate in human diets and is contained in large amounts in staple foods. Suitable starches for use in the present technology may come from any plant source including, but not limited to, potatoes, wheat, maize (corn), rice, tapioca, quinoa, cassava, and the like. Pure starch is a white, tasteless and odorless powder that is insoluble in cold water or alcohol. It consists of two types of molecules: the linear and helical amylose and the branched amylopectin. Depending on the plant, starch generally contains 1 to 25% amylose and 75 to 99% amylopectin by weight. When it is isolated directly from the plant source it is most often referred to as “native starch”. Native starch requires heat to thicken or gelatinize.

[0040] “Starch slurry” as used herein refers to an aqueous suspension of unswollen starch granules also known as “starch suspension” and “starch milk”.

[0041] “Steam injection” as used herein refers to heating of a starch slurry using steam. Apparatus that can be used to perform steam injection include a viscosifying unit (also known as a pre-pasting device), a jet cooker, etc.

[0042] “Texturizer” as used herein refers to a food ingredient that changes the physical texture of the food product. Texturizers can modify the mouthfeel of a food product.Food Ingredient

[0043] An aspect of the present invention relates to improved food ingredients. “The food ingredient” as referred to in European Patent Application No. 24177168.2 is equivalent to “the starch food ingredient” herein.

[0044] The starch food ingredient of the present invention is derived from a partially hydrolyzed starch. The partially hydrolyzed starch used in the process to produce the starch food ingredient allows the starch food ingredient to function as a starch thereby contributing to the overall texture and thickness of a food product comprising the starch food ingredient. However, the gelatinization and applied sheer (e.g., drum drying) of the starch ensures that the starch does not cause the viscosity of food products comprising the starch food ingredient to become too high such that the texture and overall mouthfeel of the food product is negatively affected meaning that the starch food ingredient of the present invention can also be used to increase the bulk of a foodproduct. Thus, the starch food ingredient can also be used as a bulking agent as well as a texturizer and / or thickening agent.

[0045] Therefore, the starch food ingredient of the present invention permits the production of food products that contain a high solid starch content without negatively affecting the overall texture and viscosity of the food product.

[0046] The starch food ingredient of the present invention thus represents an improved food ingredient compared to known food ingredients, such as instant starches.

[0047] Since the starch food ingredient of the present invention can be used as a texturizer, thickening agent and bulking agent, the starch food ingredient of the present invention can be used as an alternative to maltodextrins and / or instant starches. Since the starch food ingredient of the present invention can be used as a maltodextrin replacement, the starch food ingredient of the present invention thus avoids the need for further chemi cal / enzymatic modification of the starch granule to produce maltodextrins.

[0048] The starch food ingredient of the present invention thus represents an improved, cleanlabel food ingredient compared to known food ingredients, such as food ingredients comprising maltodextrin.

[0049] In some examples, the starch food ingredient has a dextrose equivalent (DE) of less than three preferably between 0.05 and 1.5. Thus, the starch food ingredient can be considered a starch product. As mentioned, the fact that the starch food ingredient can be considered, and labelled as, a starch product ensures that it is a clean-label product that contributes to the overall texture and thickness of a food product comprising the starch food ingredient.

[0050] In some examples, the starch food ingredient is a bulking agent. Unlike instant starches, the starch food ingredient of the present invention can act as a bulking agent as high levels of the dry substance food ingredient can be incorporated into a food product without negatively affecting the overall texture and thickness of the food product.

[0051] In some examples, the starch food ingredient is a texturizer. Unlike maltodextrins, the starch food ingredient of the present invention retains the starch granule and so can function as a starch would and thus act as a thickening agent to impart a specific texture and / or mouthfeel on a food product the comprises the starch food ingredient of the present invention.

[0052] In some examples, when in a 20% dry substance slurry, the starch food ingredient has a cold viscosity of between 50 - 5000 mPas. Preferably, the starch food ingredient has a cold viscosity of between 150-2500 mPAS, even more preferably 150-2000 mPas. In some examples, when in a 20% dry substance slurry, the cold viscosity of the starch food ingredient is between 100-1000 mPas, as determined using an RVA Viscosity Test (see below methodology section).The cold viscosity of the starch food ingredient ensures that the starch food ingredient can function as a thickening agent and thus contribute to the overall thickness / texture of a food product comprising the starch food ingredient.

[0053] In some examples, the starch food ingredient has a dispersibility score of 2 or less. Preferably, the starch food ingredient has a dispersibility score of 2, even more preferably the starch food ingredient has a dispersibility score of 1. Without being bound to any particular theory or mode of action, the use of partially hydrolyzed starch in the process to produce the starch food ingredient ensures that the starch food ingredient can more fully disperse when in solution and form fewer or no discrete lumps, which negatively affects the texture and mouthfeel of the food product.

[0054] In some examples, the partially hydrolyzed starch is an acid-thinned starch. The actions of acid on the starch polysaccharide produce partially hydrolyzed starches that are particularly good for use in the starch food ingredient of the present invention since they exhibit viscosity and dispersity levels that ensure that the starch food ingredient can function as a bulking agent, texturizer and / or thickening agent.

[0055] By virtue of the starting ingredients and the process for producing the starch food ingredient described herein, improved properties are imparted onto the produced starch food ingredient. For example, the starch food ingredient is produced using partially hydrolyzed starch, which allows the starch food ingredient to function as a starch thereby contributing to the overall texture and thickness of a food product comprising the starch food ingredient. However, the gelatinization and applied sheer ensures that the starch does not cause the viscosity of food products comprising the starch food ingredient to become too high such that the texture and overall mouthfeel of the food product is negatively affected meaning that the starch food ingredient of the present invention can also be used to increase the bulk of a food product. Thus, the starch food ingredient can also be used as a bulking agent as well as a texturizer and / or thickening agent.Process for producing the starch food ingredient

[0056] A further aspect of the present invention relates to a process for producing the starch food ingredient described herein.

[0057] The process comprises a) obtaining a partially hydrolyzed starch; b) contacting the partially hydrolyzed starch with water to produce a starch slurry; c) increasing the viscosity of the starch slurry to produce a paste; and d) drying the paste to produce a starch food ingredient.

[0058] The combination of using a partially hydrolyzed starch and increasing the viscosity of the starch slurry to produce a paste prior to drying ensures that: 1) the starch paste can be driedusing suitable equipment (such as a drum drier) as the viscosity of the paste is high enough that the paste can adhere to the necessary equipment; and 2) the eventual starch food ingredient can function as a texturizer, bulking agent and / or thickening agent. The present invention thus represents an improved process for producing a food ingredient comprising a partially hydrolyzed starch.

[0059] In an example, the process further includes a step of contacting an initial slurry of native or modified starch comprising up to 45% in dry substance with an acid to produce the partially hydrolyzed starch. In this example, the partially hydrolyzed starch is an acid-thinned starch. The initial starch slurry can be mixed with an acid, such as hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid and / or phosphoric acid at an amount of between 3-60 kg per 1000 kg dry substances (kg / Tds), for a time period of between 0.5 to 20 hours and at a temperature of between 45-55 °C. Preferably, the initial starch slurry contains up to 45% in dry substance and is mixed with an acid (35 kg / Tds) for eight hours at 50 °C. In a preferred example, the starch in the initial starch slurry is a native or modified starch or a starch obtained from the respective flour selected from the group consisting of com starch, potato starch, tapioca starch, pea starch, wheat starch, rice starch, waxy variants of said starches, and starches obtained from the respective flours.

[0060] The actions of acid on the starch polysaccharide produce partially hydrolyzed starches (acid-thinned starches) that are particularly good for use in the starch food ingredient of the present invention since they exhibit viscosity and dispersibility levels that ensure that the starch food ingredient can function as a bulking agent, texturizer and / or thickening agent.

[0061] The starch slurry includes 25%-45%, 30-40%, at least 20%, at least 30%, at least 40%, or at most 50% dry substances. In an example, the starch slurry contains up to 45% by weight dry substance (i.e. 45% starch and 55% water). For example, the starch slurry can contain up to 20% by weight, up to 30% by weight up to 40% by weight, or up to 45% by weight dry substance. In a preferred example, the starch slurry contains 40% dry substance. High dry substance percentages can be achieved with the present invention since the partial hydrolysis of the starch polysaccharide results in a starch product that, when slurrified in water or already available as a starch slurry as such, can still be smoothly pasted at high viscous conditions (i.e., can be applied to standard manufacturing equipment). These high viscous conditions are normally incapable of being used with standard manufacturing equipment due to incompatibilities between the manufacturing equipment and the viscosity of the starch slurry. Thus, the present invention allows the use of starch slurries containing a high amount of dry substance by virtue of a combination of the partially hydrolyzed starch and increasing the viscosity of the starch slurry to form a paste prior to drying the paste.

[0062] In an example, in step c), the viscosity of the starch slurry is increased to form a paste using steam, for example by steam injection. In particular, the steam may be mixed with the starch slurry in a viscosifying unit. Injecting steam, particularly using a viscosifying unit, ensures that the starch slurry is heated uniformly at high dry substance percentages and so improves paste production.

[0063] In an example, after step d), the starch food ingredient is milled, sieved and / or comminuted to reduce the particle size of the starch food ingredient. This ensure that the starch food ingredient is a suitable size such that it can be used in down-stream food products, such as dry-mixes. Preferably, after milling, sieving and / or comminuting, the particle size of the starch food ingredient is between 50 and 300 pm, even more preferably between 20 and 250 pm.

[0064] In an example, in step d), the paste is dried using a roll / drum drier. The roll / drum drier comprises a steam heated drum / metal cylinder. The cylinder is heated by steam condensing inside, at a pressure in the range of 4 - 11 bar bringing the temperature of the cylinder wall to 110 - 190 °C. The steam heated cylinder is equipped with one to six applicator rollers with end-plates and scrapers in between the end-plate (normally equally distributed along the applicator roller). The applicator rollers are normally equally distributed among the top side of the cylinder, to receive, distribute and hold the pasted slurry on the unit. Per applicator roll, none, one or more transfer scrapers can be mounted to additionally facilitate distribution of the pasted slurry. The assembly comprises a static knife / doctor's blade, positioned at about three-quarters of a revolution from the point of feeding, at an angle relative to the heated drum such that the knife is configured to scrape the dried paste (the starch food ingredient) off of the heated drum / metal cylinder and into a receptacle. Preferably, the distance between the heated drum / metal cylinder and the applicator roller(s) is between 0.2-3 mm to ensure that gap is small enough to ensure that the low-viscosity paste is able to be applied to the heated drum / metal cylinder.

[0065] In an example, the starch in the starch slurry / paste is concentrated prior to drying. Concentration involves removal of part of the liquid component of the slurry / paste. This ensures that the concentration of starch applied to heated / steam roller is increased resulting in a better drying performance and higher yield of food ingredient after the drying process.Compositions and consumables comprising the starch food ingredient

[0066] A further aspect of the present invention relates to compositions and consumables comprising the above-mentioned starch food ingredients.

[0067] In an example, a composition in accordance with the present invention is a dry mix or powder mix. Incorporating the starch food ingredient into a dry mix or powder mix ensures thatwater can be added to the dry / powder mix to produce a liquid food product containing a high dry substance of the starch food ingredient and having the advantageous properties associated with the starch food ingredients of the present invention - e.g. improved texture and dispersibility.

[0068] In an example, consumables in accordance with the present invention can include dry mixes, confectionary products, emulsions, beverages, dairy products, sauces, bakery products, plant-based milk, plant-based meat, ice cream, plant-based ice cream, ready meals, soups, spices, flavour compounds or cereal bars. The ability of the starch food ingredient of the present invention to be incorporated at high dry substance percentages and function as a texturizer / thickening agent ensures that the mouth feel of a consumable can be tailored accordingly meaning that the starch food ingredient of the present invention can be used in numerous consumables.Use of the starch food ingredient or composition

[0069] A further aspect of the invention relates to uses of the above-mentioned food ingredient and / or consumable.

[0070] Due to the ability of the starch food ingredient to be present at high dry substance percentages and retain the identity of a starch, the starch food ingredient can thus function as a bulking agent, texturizing agent and / or thickening agent. Therefore, in an example, the starch food ingredient and compositions comprising the starch food ingredient of the present invention can be used as bulking agents, texturizers, fat replacers, skimmed milk replacers, whey powder replacers, flavor carrier, seasoning carrier.Assembly for producing the starch food ingredient

[0071] A further aspect of the invention relates to an assembly for producing the above- mentioned food ingredient and for use in the above-mentioned process.

[0072] The assembly comprises a viscosifying unit and a drying unit. The viscosifying unit is configured to increase the viscosity of a starch slurry containing high levels of dry substance thereby producing a paste. The paste is then transferred to the drying unit where the paste is dried to produce the starch food ingredient.

[0073] The viscosifying unit comprises an inlet that receives a starch slurry. The starch slurry is then passed to a chamber that is fluidly connected to the inlet and so can receive the starch slurry from the inlet. Once in the chamber, the viscosity of the starch slurry is increased, preferably by an increase in temperature thereby causing gelatinization of the starch. Once the viscosity of the starch slurry has been increased to form a paste, the paste is directed out of the chamber for downstream applications e.g. for drying. The chamber will generally be a static mixing chamber,in which the manner in which the components are introduced into the chamber promotes their mixing and there are no moving components facilitating the mixing. Traditional mixing devices using moving components to facilitate mixing will not be suitable with the high levels of dry substances in the starch slurry and in the resulting paste, accordingly the static mixing chamber is utilized to increase viscosity of an already high viscosity starch slurry.

[0074] In an example, the chamber is configured to heat the starch slurry to a temperature between 70 to 100 °C. This temperature range ensures that the viscosity of the starch slurry can be increased to produce a starch paste. In a preferred example, the temperature is between 75 and 100 °C and, even more preferably, between 85 and 95 °C. The temperature can be adjusted to account for the type of partially hydrolyzed starch contained in the starch slurry and the desired viscosity levels.

[0075] In a preferred example, the viscosifying unit further comprises a second inlet configured to direct steam into the chamber. The steam contacts the starch slurry in the chamber thereby increasing the temperature of the starch slurry resulting in gelatinization of the starch comprised in the starch slurry and an increase in viscosity thereby producing the starch paste. Use of steam injection ensures that the starch slurry can be heated directly and uniformly thereby increasing the efficiency of the apparatus. The introduction of the starch slurry and the steam into the mixing chamber may be the only source of mixing, in other words the mixing chamber is a static mixing chamber and there is no mechanical or moving element mixing the steam and starch slurry to increase viscosity of the starch slurry and form a paste.

[0076] A suitable viscosifying unit for use with the present invention is shown in FIG. 2. The viscosifying unit 201 includes a first inlet 203 for receiving the starch slurry, a second inlet 205 for receiving steam, a static mixing chamber 207 fluidly connected to the first inlet 203 and second inlet 205 where the starch slurry and the steam are mixed at a temperature between 90 and 110 °C, increasing the viscosity of the starch slurry and producing a homogenized paste. The paste exits the viscosifying unit via outlet 209, where it is transferred to a drum dryer.

[0077] In a preferred example, the drying unit is a drum-drier that comprises at least one applicator roll that surrounds a cylindrical heated drum. Preferably, the drum-drier comprises a plurality of applicator rolls surrounding a cylindrical heated drum. Preferably, the drum-drier comprises 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 applicator rolls surrounding a cylindrical heated drum.

[0078] In a preferred example, the distance between the applicator roll(s) and the cylindrical heated drum is between 0.2-3 mm, preferably between 0.3-1.5 mm. While the viscosifying unit produces a starch paste with a viscosity high enough that permits application of the starch paste to the applicator roll(s), the viscosity of the starch paste is still low due to the starch componentbeing a partially hydrolyzed starch meaning that the starch paste can flow through any large gaps between the applicator roll(s) and the heated cylinder. The narrow distance between the applicator roll(s) and cylindrical heated drum ensures that the starch slurry can be controlled and transferred from the applicator roll(s) to the cylindrical heated drum. In a further preferred example, the applicator roll(s) comprise one or more transfer members (e.g. transfer scrapers) that facilitates application of the starch paste onto the cylindrical heated drum. The combination of the end-plates and scrapers ensures that the starch paste remains on the assembly by preventing the starch paste from running off the ends of the applicator rollers / drum.

[0079] The paste produced from the viscosifying unit is applied to the applicator roll(s) and the cylindrical heater drum rotates in a clockwise or anti-clockwise direction relative to the applicator roll(s). This ensures that the starch paste is evenly distributed across the cylindrical heated drum and permits uniform drying. In a preferred example, the one or more applicator rolls rotate in the opposite direction to the cylindrical heated drum, for example if the cylindrical heated drum rotates in a clockwise direction, then the applicator roll(s) rotate in an anti-clockwise direction. This further ensures an even distribution of the paste onto the cylindrical heated drum. In a further preferred example, the assembly comprises six applicator rolls positioned around the circumference of the cylindrical heated drum wherein five applicator rolls rotate in the opposite direction to the cylindrical heated drum and one applicator roll rotates in the same direction as the cylindrical heated drum. This further permits even distribution of the paste around the cylindrical heated drum and improves drying.

[0080] In an example, the wall of the cylindrical heated drum is heated to a temperature of between 110-180 °C. These temperatures ensure that the starch paste can be dried. The cylindrical heated drum is heated by steam condensing inside, at a pressure in the range of 4 - 11 bar bringing the temperature of the cylinder wall to between 110 - 190 °C, preferably between 140 - 180 °C. Upon drying, the starch in the starch slurry further gelatinizes thereby further affecting the viscosity resulting in a dried film being present on the cylindrical heated drum, which represents the starch food ingredient. In a preferred example, the wall of the cylindrical heated drum is heated to a temperature of between 150-180 °C. These temperatures are particularly suited for drying starch-based products.

[0081] Once the dried product is obtained on the external surface of the cylindrical heated cylinder, the dried product must be removed. Any method can be used to remove the dried food ingredient from the external surface of the cylindrical heated drum. In a preferred example, the assembly further comprises a static knife positioned at an angle relative to the cylindrical heated drum. The angle of the static knife ensures that the dried food ingredient can be scraped off of thecylindrical heated drum. In a particularly preferred example, the cylindrical heated drum rotates and the blade of the static knife contacts that cylindrical heated drum thereby effectively scraping the dried food ingredient off of the cylindrical heated drum.

[0082] In an example, the assembly further comprises a receptacle that receives the starch food ingredient once it has been removed from the cylindrical heated drum. In a preferred example, the assembly comprises a screw conveyor, which receives the starch food ingredient and moves the starch food ingredient to a specific destination. The assembly can further comprise a comminutor, which reduces the particle size of the starch food ingredient. In a particularly preferred example, the starch food ingredient is removed from the cylindrical heated drum and is received by a screw conveyor. The screw conveyor then passes the starch food ingredient to the comminutor, which subsequently reduces the particle size of the starch food ingredient to a desired particle size. The starch food ingredient can then be used for downstream applications.EXAMPLES

[0083] The following are non-limiting examples that discuss, with reference to tables, the advantages of the present invention. The examples set forth herein are merely examples among other possible examples.Example 1 - Production of a Starch Food Ingredient

[0084] This example describes the production of a starch food ingredient encompassed by the present invention. This starch food ingredient is labeled LV99310 and used in subsequent examples.Preparation of acid thinned starch

[0085] An agitated reactor was loaded with approximately 28 metric tons of a dispersed dry (dent) com starch in water at a concentration of at about 35 - 40 % (w / w) starch solids. This represents a slurry density of 20 - 23 ° Baume (about 35.5% to 40.9% dry substances). The dispersed dry corn starch in water was pre-heated to 52.5 °C while continuously stirred. Concentrated (31 - 33 %) hydrochloric acid was added to the dispersed starch in water at 113 kg per metric ton of starch and the mixture was further temperature controlled with low stirring at a temperature of 50 °C. The mixture was allowed to react with the acid for about 6 hours.

[0086] Upon reaction completion, the mixture was cooled to a temperature of about 30 °C. While cooling, a 25 % solution of caustic soda was used to neutralize the slurry to a pH of 4.5 - 5.5. The cooled, pH adjusted composition was then transferred to the feeding tank of a multi-stagehydro cyclone washing battery to wash out the majority of the salts and target a conductivity level of the composition of at around 1000 - 1500 ps / cm. The washed composition was de-watered on a REINEVELD® starch centrifuge (at a centrifuge speed of 750-800 rpm for about 2-5 min), and the resulting wet solids were flash dried to a 10-14% moisture content to produce the acid thinned starch hydrolysate.Viscosifying and drum drying to prepare the starch food ingredient

[0087] The acid thinned starch hydrolysate with a 10-14% moisture content was resuspended in water to a Baume between 23.5 - 24.5 (about 41.4% to 43.5% dry substances) to form a starch slurry. The slurry was pH adjusted to 6.0 and pumped to a viscosifying unit that is designed in such a way that it can handle the indicated slurry Baume and smoothly gelatinize the slurry at a temperature between 90 and 110 °C. A suitable viscosifying unit 201 is shown in FIG. 2. The viscosifying unit 201 includes a first inlet 203 for receiving the starch slurry, a second inlet 205 for receiving steam, a static mixing chamber 207 fluidly connected to the first inlet 203 and second inlet 205 where the starch slurry and the steam are mixed at a temperature between 90 and 110 °C, increasing the viscosity of the starch slurry and producing a homogenized paste. The paste exits the viscosifying unit via outlet 209, where it is transferred to a drum dryer.

[0088] In this example, the distance between the outlet and the drum surface was around 20 - 30 cm and the pipe between the viscosifying unit and the drum dryer is positioned to deliver the homogenized paste in-between the relevant applicator rolls of the drum dryer. Due to the thinness of the homogenized paste, the gap distance between the applicator roll and the drum surface was adjusted to between 0.2-3 mm to achieve proper and smooth distribution of the homogenized starch paste along the drum. The drum used was a cast iron drum, manufactured by Andritz Gouda BV, approximately 4 meters in length and 2 meters in diameter and equipped with the necessary components, including applicator rolls, product transfer scrapers, and endplates, to drum dry the homogenized starch paste. The drum was steam headed with 4-7 bar stream pressure and operated with a circulating speed between 4-10 rotations per minute (RPM). Under these conditions, the homogenized paste was dried to a smooth, firm, gelled sheet that could be scrapped off the drum using a knife bar. The starch food ingredient scrapped from the drum was milled to form the starch food ingredient of the present invention.Example 2 - Clean Label Tomato Soup

[0089] Three dry mix tomato soup composition were produced containing either maltodextrins or a food ingredient encompassed by present invention (LV99310) as bulking agent. The ingredients of each dry mix are shown in Table 1 :Table 1 :

[0090] A tomato soup was made by combining 15 g of dry mix 1 or 2 or 14.6 g of dry mix 3 with 150 mL of boiling water. The solution was stirred well using a spoon.

[0091] When water was added to dry mixes 2 and 3, no lumps were observed indicating that each dry mix had good dispersibility. This was comparable to dry mix 1, which contains maltodextrins as the bulking agent and are known to be dispersible in water. Therefore, the present invention demonstrates that a clean label, starch-based product can be used as a bulking agent that has comparable dispersibility properties to maltodextrins. Given that starch-based products often form lumps when water is added, the fact that the starch food ingredient does not negatively affect the dispersibility of the dry mix when water is added is a surprising, beneficial technical effect. Therefore, the starch food ingredient of the present invention can be used at high levels (e.g. around 25% by weight of total dry mix) without affecting the dispersibility of a dry mix when water is added.

[0092] Moreover, since the starch food ingredient is starch-based, there are beneficial effects on the texture and mouthfeel of the soup when compared to a soup produced from dry mix 1. For example, soups produced using dry mixes 2 and 3 had improved mouthfeel and body as well as clean flavor profiles. Therefore, without affecting the dispersibility of the dry mix when water is added, the starch food ingredient of the present invention is still able to contribute to the texture,mouthfeel and body of the food product as it still retains certain properties that are typical of starch products.

[0093] Additionally, the dispersibility, texture and mouthfeel of tomato soups produced from dry mixes 2 and 3 were similar. Therefore, the starch food ingredient of the present invention can further be used as a fat / cream replacement.

[0094] Therefore, the present invention relates to an improved food ingredient.Example 3 - Dispersibility

[0095] 50 g of either 1) maltodextrin; 2) instant starch or 3) food ingredient of the present invention were combined with 100 mL of water and stirred at 700 rpm. The dispersibility was assessed by observing the dispersion of powder in water and a dispersibility score relevant to the amount of time needed to disperse the product in water was attributed to each condition. The results are shown in Table 2.Table 2:

[0096] The starch food ingredient of the present invention thus has superior dispersion qualities to instant starches and, in terms of dispersibility, is closer to a maltodextrin. However, unlike maltodextrins, the starch food ingredient of the present invention has the ability to increase the viscosity of liquids since it is still a starch, Therefore, the starch food ingredient of the present invention would be useful as a thickening agent used in in products that require an even dispersion of upon the addition of water, such as dry mixes.Example 4 - Solubility

[0097] The solubility of a starch food ingredient of the present invention was assessed using the methodology outlined in the below methodology section. European Patent Application No. 24177168.2 referred to solubility using the units “solubles (c.b.)”, where “c.b.” refers to “commercial base,” in other words based on the product as is, including dry substances and any moisture present. The present applications refers to solubility of the starch food ingredient of the present invention using both the units of “solubles (c.b.)” and “dissolved solids”.

[0098] The solubility of the starch food ingredient was determined to be between 45-70 % solubles (c.b.) (40-65% dissolved solids) whereas the solubility of an instant starch was between 2-20 % solubles (c.b.). Although not measured, it is expected that the solubility of a maltodextrin would range from 60-90 %solubles (c.b.).

[0099] The starch food ingredient of the present invention thus has superior solubility qualities to instant starches and, in terms of solubility, is closer to a maltodextrin. However, unlike maltodextrins, the starch food ingredient of the present invention has the ability to increase the viscosity of liquids since it is still a starch. Therefore, the starch food ingredient of the present invention would be useful as a thickening agent used in in products that require an even dispersion of upon the addition of water, such as dry mixes.Methodology

[0100] Methods used to measure the properties of the starch food ingredient of the present invention are outlined below.Dispersibility

[0101] Dispersibility was assessed by measuring the time necessary to obtain good dispersion of the starch food ingredient in demineralized cold water with controlled stirring.

[0102] The materials required are: a. A magnetic stirrer b. A 4.5 cm magnetic bar c. A 400 mL beaker (low form) d. A stop watch.

[0103] The method is as follows: a. Pour 100 mL of demineralized water at room temperature into a 400 mL low form beaker. b. Place a 4.5 cm magnetic bar into the beaker. c. Place the beaker on the stirrer and set the stirring speed to 700 rpm. d. Pour 50g of the starch food ingredient into the center of the beaker - into the vortex created by the stirrer. e. Start the stopwatch at the end of the addition and stop stirring at 1 minute. f. Check the dispersion of the powder and the presence of any white masses on the surface of the water and at the bottom of the beaker.g. If the dispersion is poor (e.g. large white masses are present), stir again a minute at a time until dispersion is achieved.

[0104] Based on the length of time required to achieve dispersion, a dispersibility score can be attributed to the starch food ingredient. The dispersibility scores range from 1-4 and are outlined in the below table (Table 3):Table 3:Dextrose equivalence

[0105] Dextrose equivalence was calculated by determining the content of reducing sugars contained in a sugar solution using Fehling reagent using titration in return of excess oxidant with sodium thiosulfate in the presence of potassium iodide (iodometry).

[0106] The materials used were: a. Conical flasks b. 25 mL pipettes c. A stopwatch d. 50 mL burette e. Gas burner f. Glass marbles

[0107] The reagents used include: a. Fehling reagent b. Glacial acetic acid c. Potassium iodide powder d. 6 N sulfuric acid e. Sodium thiosulfate solution, 01 N (Na2S2O3) f. 1% starch solutiong. IN hydrochloric acid (HC1 Imol / L)

[0108] To prepare the white, the method includes: a. In a 25 mL conical flask, pipette 25 mL of Fehling Reagent and 25 mL of demineralized water. b. Slowly bring the solution to the boil and start the stopwatch as soon as the first bubble appears. Boil for two minutes. c. After two minutes, cool the solution under the cold water tap making sure that no tap water enters the conical flask. d. In the following order, introduce to the solution 5 drops of glacial acetic acid, a teaspoon of potassium iodide powder, and 20 mL of 6 N sulfuric acid. e. Titrate the solution with 0.1 N sodium thiocyanate. When the orange colour of the iodine disappears, add a few drops of 1% starch, which will result in a blue solution. f. Continue titration until the blue tint disappears.

[0109] To prepare the solution to be titrated, the method includes: a. Collect the samples in a 500 mL bottle containing a few mL of 10 N hydrochloric acid and mix well. b. Dilute the sample by half with distilled water if it is a circuit or macerator sample. c. Read the refractive index of the mixture and refer to the table index (Tables 4 and 5 below) to determine the mass of sample to be added to the Erlen mixture. d. Weigh the amount of sample and transfer to a 500 mL flask complete with demineralized water. e. Pipette 25 mL of Fehling reagent and 25 mL of the prepared solution into a conical flask. Add three glass marbles.Table 4:Table 5:

[0110] The sample is titrated using the same conditions as for the white: a. Slowly bring the solution to the boil and start the stopwatch as soon as the first bubble appears. Boil for two minutes. b. After two minutes, cool the solution under the cold water tap making sure that no tap water enters the conical flask. c. In the following order, introduce to the solution 5 drops of glacial acetic acid, a teaspoon of potassium iodide powder, and 20 mL of 6 N sulfuric acid. d. Titrate the solution with 0.1 N sodium thiocyanate. When the orange colour of the iodine disappears, add a few drops of 1% starch, which will result in a blue solution. e. Continue titration until the blue tint disappears.

[0111] The volume difference between the white and the sample should be calculated by subtracting the volume poured for the test sample from the volume poured from the white. The difference (X) can be converted to a function of DE by reference to the below table (Table 6):Table 6:Solubility

[0112] An amount of sample is stirred into water or water / ethanol. After centrifugation and / or filtration, the amount of substance dissolved in solution is determined by evaporation and weighing.

[0113] The equipment required includes: a. Analytical balance b. Shaker for laboratory flasks c. Magnetic stirrer d. Drying oven (100°C / 120°C) e. Ceramic heating platef. Beakers (150 mL) g. Volumetric flasks (100 and 200 mL) h. Magnetic stirring bar i. Measuring cylinder (50 mL) j . Glass funnel k. Whatman filter V2, S&S beef filter (0 150 597) l. Evaporation dishes m. Centrifuge tubes n. Pipette (20 mL) o. Dessicator with silica gel p. Ethanol (absolute alcohol) q. Distilled water.

[0114] The method is as follows: a. Weigh 2 g c.b. of product into a 200 ml volumetric flask. b. Add 20 ml of absolute ethanol with a pipette. c. Dilute with distilled water up to + / - 170 ml. d. Shake for a period of 2 hours with a shaker for laboratory flasks at 200 rpm. e. Dilute with distilled water till exact 200 ml. f. Shake briefly and filtrate on a Whatman V2 filter paper. g. Transfer 50 ml to a tared evaporation disk. h. Evaporate on the ceramic heating place (setting 300 °C). i. Place the evaporating dish in the drying oven (100 °C) for 2 hours. j . Cool in a desiccator for 20 to 25 minutes. k. Weigh the sample again to determine the weight of the evaporation dish and the residue contained within the evaporation dish. l. Make the following calculation to determine the weight of the residue: i. Weight of evaporation dish + residue - weight of evaporation dish. m. Multiple the weight of the residue by 200 to determine the % solubles (c.b). The multiplication by 200 accounts for the dilution factor and conversion to a percentage.Viscosity

[0115] To determined the cold viscosity, the starch is dispersed in a mixture of water-ethylene glycol, and subject to the RVA viscosity test.

[0116] The apparatus and reagents used required are: a. Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA), minimum RVA-4 version or TecMaster (Equipment must be clean and dry, RVA turned on 30 minutes before use, and necessary checks made based on instruction manuals) b. Aluminium sample canister, fitted with a polycarbonate paddle (Canister and paddle can be reused up to 10 times according to manufacturer instruction) c. Refrigerated circulating water bath, set at 10 °C (Water bath filed with demineralized water with upto 10% antifreeze) d. Two 600 ml low-form glass or plastic beaker e. One 100 ml low-form glass or plastic beaker f. Laboratory balance having a precision of 0.01 g g. Plastic rod or spoon h. Standard laboratory demineralised water i. Ethylene glycol (Merck, Nr 10949)

[0117] The procedure is carried out as follows: a. System Start-up: i. A first check of the RVA instrument is done by operating it with a plastic paddle and zeroing the equipment at 160 rpm according to the procedure explained in the instruction manual. This check of the zero value should be performed on a daily basis. b. System calibration: i. The standard calibration check procedure for the RVA is fully described in the instruction manual and in CAM-V-01C. The RVA manufacturer recommends to perform this procedure once a week. c. Sample preparation: i. Place a 600 ml low-form glass or plastic beaker on the laboratory balance, and zero the balance. ii. Weigh into the beaker the required amount of sample (m), to the nearest 0.01 g, according to the moisture, and to the product specifications.iii. To calculate the amount of sample required, the below equation should be applied:240 m = -(100where m is the sample weight expressed in grams (g), 240 is the total weight of the CWSS or of the pre-gelatinized starch / water-ethylene glycol mixture, c is the percent dry substance of the paste to be prepared (target d.s.) mentioned in the manufacturing specifications, and h is the moisture of original sample expressed in percent (moisture should be determined by CESAM ST-M100 or ISO 16666) iv. Place a 100 ml low-form glass or plastic beaker on the laboratory balance, and zero the balance. v. Weigh precisely 25.00 g ± 0.02 g of ethylene glycol. vi. Place the other 600 ml low-form glass or plastic beaker on the laboratory balance, and zero the balance. vii. Weigh precisely [240 - (25 + m)] g ± 0.02 g of demineralised water. viii. For a cold water swellable starch, pour the ethylene glycol in one shot in the CWSS, and mix it immediately with the CWSS using the plastic rod or spoon for 30 to 45 seconds maximum. The whole quantity of CWSS must be wetted. ix. For a pre-gelatinized starch, pour the ethylene glycol in one shot to the pre-gelatinized starch and mix it immediately till a homogeneous mixture is obtained. x. Pour the water in one shot in the CWSS or pre-gelatinized starch / ethylene glycol mixture, and mix manually and continuously with the plastic rod or spoon during 40 seconds. A homogeneous mixture must be obtained. d. Sample analysis: i. Set the RVA parameters as follow in Table 7 :Table 7:Idle tolerance (±) : 1Sample rate : 4 ii. Immediately after the 40 seconds of manual mixing of the mixture CWSS or pre-gelatinized starch / water-ethylene glycol, poor precisely 30.0 g ± 2 g of the mixture in the aluminum canister. iii. Insert immediately the canister in the RVA equipment. e. Result i. Report the viscosity in mPas after 30 minutes at 30 °C. It corresponds to the viscosity after a total run time of 34 min 10 sec. ii. Report the viscosity mentioning the dry substance of the mixture used for the measurement.Slurry Density - Baume

[0118] A standard Baume hydrometer is used to determine the slurry density, referred to as the degrees Baume (° Baume), of a mixture of starch and water.

[0119] The equipment required includes : a. A standard Baume hydrometer with streamlined form, about 30.5 cm in overall length, with cylindrical body about 13 cm long by 20 mm diameter tapering at the bottom to a heavy walled tip containing a fixed metal ballast, and joined at the top to a stem about 5 mm in diameter which contains a paper scale graduated over a range of 12 ° Baume in intervals of 0.1 ° Baume and accurate to ± 1 division b. A 250 mL capacity hydrometer cylinder c. A thermometer

[0120] The method is as follows:a. A clean dry hydrometer cylinder is loaded with a sufficient amount of the slurry sample such that the entire cylinder will be filled after immersion of the hydrometer in the cylinder b. A clean dry hydrometer is lowered into the cylinder containing the slurry sample until the stem is slightly wet (not over 3 mm) above the point at which it comes to rest c. The ° Baume on the hydrometer is read after the hydrometer and the sample are equilibrated to the same temperature by observing the point where the plane of the surface interests the hydrometer stem d. The temperature of the solution is also determined and corrected to 15,5 °C based on Table 8. The correction is added to the observed reading to reduce to 15,5 °C. e. For com starch suspensions, the corrected ° Baume value can be converted to a dry substances concentration using the values outlined in Table 9.Table 8:Table 9:Conductivity

[0121] Conductivity was measured using an INOLAB® Cond 7110 single unit meter equipped with a 4 poll measuring cell TetraCon® 325, 0.01 M, with integrated temperature measurement. Prior to measurement the conductivity probe was standardized with 0.01 M and 0.02 M potassium chloride solutions corresponding to conductivity measurements of 141 pohms / cm and 276 pohms / cm, respectively. Samples were diluted to 30% dissolved / dispersed solids in a measuring container prior to measurement. The conductivity probe was rinsed with distilled water and placed into the measuring container. After obtaining a stable value the conductivity was noted. The units of ohms / cm can be converted to units of microsiemens (ps) / cm using the equation ps = (ohms)'1x IO '6.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A method for producing a starch food ingredient, the method comprising: a. obtaining a partially hydrolyzed starch; b. contacting the partially hydrolyzed starch with water to produce a starch slurry comprising 20% to 50% dry substances; c. increasing the viscosity of the starch slurry to produce a paste; and d. drying the paste to produce the starch food ingredient.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises contacting a native or modified starch with an acid to produce the partially hydrolyzed starch, preferably wherein the acid is selected from the list consisting of hydrochloric acid, sulphuric acid or phosphoric acid, and preferably wherein the native or modified starch is selected from the group consisting of com starch, potato starch, tapioca starch, pea starch, wheat starch, rice starch, waxy variants of said starches, and starches obtained from the respective flours.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the acid and native or modified starch are contacted for a time period of between 0.5 to 20 hours; and / or at a temperature of between 45 to 55 °C; and / or with an amount of acid between 3-60 kg acid per 1000 kg of starch on a dry weight basis (kg / Tds).

4. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the starch slurry comprises 25%-45%, 30- 40%, at least 20%, at least 30%, at least 40%, or at most 50% dry substances.

5. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the viscosity of the starch slurry is increased by steam, preferably wherein the starch slurry and the steam are contacted in a viscosifying unit at a temperature between 70 to 100 °C, preferably 85 to 95 °C.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the viscosifying unit comprises: i. a first inlet for receiving a starch slurry, ii. a second inlet for receiving steam; iii. a chamber, fluidly connected to the first and second inlets, and configured to increase the viscosity of the starch slurry to produce a paste; andiv. an outlet, fluidly connected to the chamber, for directing the paste out of the viscosifying unit, wherein the second inlet is configured to direct steam into the chamber such that the steam contacts the starch slurry to increase the temperature of the starch slurry thereby increasing the viscosity of the starch slurry to produce the paste7. The method of any preceding claim, wherein the paste is dried using a roll / drum drier comprising at least one applicator roller configured to receive the paste and a cylindrical heated drum (110 to 190 °C) configured to dry the paste, wherein the at least one applicator roller and the heated drum (110 to 190 °C) rotate relative to each other such that the paste contained on the at least one applicator roller is brought into close proximity with the heated drum to dry the paste and deposit the starch food ingredient onto the heated drum, preferably wherein the distance between the at least one applicator roller and the heated drum is between 0.2-3 mm.

8. A starch food ingredient produced according to the process of any preceding claim.

9. The starch food ingredient of claim 8, wherein the starch food ingredient has a dextrose equivalent (DE) of less than three as measured by Lane-Eynon titration, based on the reduction of copper (II) sulphate solution, preferably the DE is between 0.05 and 1.5.

10. The starch food ingredient of claim 8 or claim 9, wherein the starch food ingredient has a solubility of between 40-70 % dissolved solids.

11. The starch food ingredient of any one of claims 8-10, wherein the starch food ingredient has a cold viscosity of between 50 - 5000 mPas when in a slurry comprising 20% dry substance, preferably between 100-1000 mPas when in a slurry comprising 20% dry substance.

12. The starch food ingredient of any one of claims 8-11, wherein the starch food ingredient has a dispersibility score of 2 or less.

13. A composition comprising the starch food ingredient of any one of claims 8-12, preferably wherein the composition is a dry mix or powder mix.

14. A consumable comprising the starch food ingredient or composition of any one of claims 8-13.

15. Use of the starch food ingredient or composition of any one of claims 8-13 as a bulking agent or a texturizer, fat replacer, skimmed milk replacer, whey powder replacer, flavor carrier, seasoning carrier.

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