阅读说明：本技术 含有盐、乙酸和糖的水性组合物 (Aqueous composition containing salt, acetic acid and sugar ) 是由 S·K·默克尔 T·鲁贝沙 I·施密特 J·蒂默 M·L·托特 J·E·于克特 于 2019-02-04 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供含有盐、乙酸和糖的水性组合物,其可以用作酱汁或调味料。本发明的优点是水性食品中的酵母和/或霉菌的生长减少,导致组合物的良好保存性。这通过使用相对低的盐水平且无防腐剂而实现,相对低的盐水平且无防腐剂使得该产品非常通用：厨师可以自由使用之,而不存在使制得的食物菜肴的盐水平过量的风险。最后,产品含有糖和乙酸,并且具有3-4.6的pH。(The present invention provides an aqueous composition comprising salt, acetic acid and sugar, which can be used as a sauce or a seasoning. An advantage of the present invention is that the growth of yeast and/or mould in the aqueous food is reduced, resulting in a good keeping of the composition. This is achieved by using relatively low salt levels and no preservatives, which makes the product very versatile: the cook can use it freely without the risk of excessive salt levels of the prepared food dish. Finally, the product contains sugar and acetic acid and has a pH of 3-4.6.)

1. A composition comprising

9-14% by weight of sodium chloride and/or potassium chloride;

7-22% by weight of one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of monosaccharides, disaccharides and oligosaccharides;

0.5-2 wt% acetic acid;

0-3 wt.% of a physically modified starch;

50-70 wt% water;

and has a pH of 3.0-4.6.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition is an edible composition.

3. The composition according to claim 1 or 2, comprising 9-13 wt. -%, preferably 9-12 wt. -%, preferably 9-10 wt. -%, preferably 9 to less than 10 wt. -%, preferably 9-9.9 wt. -% of sodium chloride and/or potassium chloride.

4. The composition according to any one of claims 1-3, wherein the composition comprises a preservative at a concentration of less than 0.1 wt.%, preferably no preservative.

5. The composition according to any one of claims 1-4, wherein the concentration of physically modified starch is from 0 to less than 3 wt%, preferably from 0-2 wt%.

6. The composition according to any one of claims 1-5, wherein the physically modified starch is obtainable by drying native starch to a relative humidity of less than 3% and subsequently heating the starch at a temperature of from 150 ℃ to 200 ℃ during a period of at least 30 minutes.

7. The composition of any one of claims 1-6, wherein the physically modified starch comprises a physically modified waxy corn starch.

8. The composition of any one of claims 1-7, wherein the composition comprises glucose syrup to provide one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of monosaccharides, disaccharides, and oligosaccharides.

9. The composition according to any one of claims 1-8, having a water activity (Aw) of 0.78-0.90, preferably 0.78-0.88, more preferably 0.78-0.85.

10. The composition according to any one of claims 1-9, having an edible oil content of less than 2.5 wt.%, preferably less than 2 wt.%, preferably less than 1 wt.%.

11. Composition according to any of claims 1-10, wherein the total amount of hydrocolloids, excluding starch, is less than 1 wt. -%, preferably less than 0.5 wt. -%.

12. The composition of any one of claims 1-11, wherein the composition comprises an ingredient derived from a plant source or meat extract.

13. A process for preparing the composition according to any one of claims 1-12, the process comprising the steps of:

(i) mixing the ingredients with water; and

(ii) (ii) heating the mixture from step (i); and

(iii) (iii) filling the mixture from step (ii) into a package.

14. Use of a composition according to any one of claims 1-12 for reducing yeast and/or mould growth in an aqueous food product.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an aqueous composition containing salt, acetic acid and sugar, which can be used as a sauce or a seasoning. The invention also provides a process for preparing the composition. Finally, the invention provides the use of said composition to reduce the growth of yeast and/or mould in an aqueous food product.

Background

Liquid flavors can be used to provide taste and flavor to the food. Generally, they are used as additives for dishes such as vegetables or meat, as humectants, marinades or flavoring agents. Flavors typically contain a mixture of salt, acid, herbs, spices and other flavoring agents. When cooked, the sauce is typically used in relatively small amounts, which means that some sauce, usually some sauce, remains in its packaging after use. Therefore, the composition of the liquid seasoning should be such that it can be preserved without deterioration. Typically liquid flavors contain large amounts of salt (e.g., sodium chloride), which acts as a preservative. Such a large amount of salt reduces the ability of the cook to freely use a range of ingredients, as the salt may be excessive and it may be difficult to adapt the taste of the dish to the needs of the cook. Furthermore, the current trend is to reduce salt intake as much as possible to prevent health problems from arising.

WO 2017/046301 a1 discloses savoury concentrates containing a combination of two starches in relatively high amounts to obtain a flowable texture. The salt levels of these compositions are also relatively high.

WO 2014/053287 a1 and WO 2014/053288 a1 relate to compositions in the form of gels, which are used for the preparation of food products. The composition comprises xanthan or carrageenan, ungelatinized starch and salt.

WO 2012/023058 a2 relates to compositions for use as food preservatives, in particular to sodium-free compositions. The composition contains sodium chloride and/or potassium chloride, and optionally a sugar.

US 6,379,739B 1 relates to an acidulant system for marinades for meat and fish comprising sodium citrate and citric acid in the specified ranges.

Kim et al (Journal of Food Protection,2004,67(3),499-504) reported inhibitory activity of garlic and onion essential oils against bacteria and yeasts.

Disclosure of Invention

Therefore, it is desirable to reduce the salt content of liquid seasonings without compromising shelf life and without deteriorating during storage of the product. Furthermore, another object is to reduce or even omit the amount of 'chemical' preservatives, as consumers and professional chefs are increasingly inclined to reject food products containing compounds that can be considered artificial or chemical.

This problem has now been solved by aqueous compositions containing a relatively low concentration of salts and further containing sugar and acetic acid to reach a pH of 3-4.6 and which do not deteriorate during storage. This natural combination of compounds is sufficient to produce a composition that does not require preservatives to render the composition storage stable for long periods of time. The relatively low salt levels make the product very versatile: the cook can use it freely without the risk of excessive salt levels of the prepared food dish. The composition may be stored open for e.g. 3 months (meaning that the package has been opened and closed again by the consumer) or a closed shelf life of at most one year (both at room temperature). In particular, yeast and/or mold do not grow during the shelf life, regardless of the water activity of the composition (which is still relatively high (due to the relatively low salt concentration)).

Accordingly, in a first aspect, the present invention provides a composition comprising:

9-14% by weight of sodium chloride and/or potassium chloride;

7-22% by weight of one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of monosaccharides, disaccharides and oligosaccharides;

0.5-2 wt% acetic acid;

0-3 wt.% of a physically modified starch;

50-70 wt% water;

and has a pH of 3.0-4.6.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process for preparing a composition according to the first aspect of the present invention, the process comprising the steps of:

(i) mixing the ingredients with water; and

(ii) (ii) heating the mixture from step (i); and

(iii) (iii) filling the mixture from step (ii) into a package.

According to a third aspect of the invention, the invention provides the use of a composition according to the first aspect of the invention to reduce the growth of yeast and/or mould in an aqueous food product.

Detailed Description

All percentages are by weight (wt.%), unless otherwise indicated.

Except in the operating and comparative examples, or where otherwise explicitly indicated, all numbers in this description indicating amounts or ratios of materials or reaction conditions, physical properties of materials and/or use are to be understood as modified by the word "about".

The composition of the present invention is preferably a pourable composition at 5 ℃ and 20 ℃. "pourable" is understood to mean that the composition is free-flowing, e.g. from a bottle in which it is retained. Preferably the composition of the invention is not in the form of a gel. Preferably the Bostwick value of the composition is from 9 to 17cm/30 seconds. The Bostwick value is a measure of consistency: a higher value means a lower consistency. Measurements are made at a temperature of 20 ℃ for 30 seconds using a CSC Bostwick consistometer (e.g. Fisher scientific, No.1534750) and taken to the nearest 0.1 cm.

The composition of the invention is an aqueous composition and the amount of water is from 50 to 70% by weight. During the preparation of the composition, pure water may be used, or water may be present as a compound of other ingredients of the composition (e.g. in vinegar).

Preferably, the composition is an edible composition. The composition may preferably be used as a food product, for example as a sauce or sauce.

"monosaccharides" are the basic units of carbohydrates, and they are the simplest forms of sugars. Examples of monosaccharides are glucose and fructose. A "disaccharide" is a compound formed by the reaction between two monosaccharides. Examples are sucrose and maltose. The term "oligosaccharide" as used herein refers to a saccharide having a Degree of Polymerization (DP) of at least 3-9.

In the context of the present invention, the total amount of acetic acid is expressed as a combination of dissociated and undissociated acetic acid. The total concentration of acetic acid (dissociated and undissociated) specified in combination with a pH of 3.0-4.6 means that the composition contains undissociated acetic acid at a concentration of at least 0.2% by weight. The pH referred to herein is determined at a temperature of 20 ℃. Preferably the pH of the composition is from 3.2 to 4.4, more preferably from 3.4 to 4.2, more preferably from 3.5 to 4.

Preferably the composition comprises 9-13 wt%, preferably 9-12 wt%, preferably 9-10 wt%, preferably 9 to less than 10 wt%, preferably 9-9.9 wt% sodium chloride and/or potassium chloride. Preferably, the salt used in the composition is sodium chloride. Preferably the total amount of salt in the composition is provided by sodium chloride and/or potassium chloride. Preferably the composition does not contain other salts than sodium chloride and/or potassium chloride. However, other ingredients added to the composition may contain trace amounts of salt. If the salt level is below 10%, it is preferred that the pH of the composition is below 4.

Preferably the composition comprises a preservative at a concentration of less than 0.1 wt%, preferably no preservative. In the context of the present invention, "preservative" refers to a compound that can be considered by the consumer as a chemical and is specifically added to a composition to prevent the growth of undesirable microorganisms such as bacteria, yeasts and molds and thus prolong its shelf life. Preferably the composition of the invention comprises one or more of the following compounds in a total concentration of less than 0.1% by weight, more preferably the composition does not contain any of the following compounds: sorbic acid, sodium sorbate, potassium sorbate, calcium sorbate, heptylparaben, benzoic acid, sodium benzoate, potassium benzoate, calcium benzoate, ethylparaben (ethylparaben), sodium ethylparaben, propylparaben (propylparaben), sodium propylparaben, methylparaben (methylparaben), sodium methylparaben, sulfur dioxide, sodium sulfite, sodium bisulfite (sodium bisulfite), sodium metabisulfite, potassium sulfite, calcium hydrogen sulfite (preservative), potassium bisulfite, biphenyl, diphenyl (diphenylyl), orthophenylphenol, sodium orthophenylphenoxide, thiabendazole, nisin, natamycin, pimaracin, formic acid, sodium formate, calcium formate, hexamine (hexamethylenetetramine), formaldehyde, dimethyldicarbonate, Potassium nitrite, sodium nitrate (chilies' niter), potassium nitrate (niter), dehydroacetic acid, sodium dehydroacetate, propionic acid, sodium propionate, calcium propionate, potassium propionate, boric acid and sodium tetraborate (borax). However, if these compounds are naturally present in any of the ingredients or starting materials used to prepare the compositions of the present invention, then very small amounts of any of these compounds may be part of the composition. Most preferably, however, none of these compounds are added to the composition as is for the purpose of acting as a preservative.

The composition of the invention may comprise physically modified starch in a concentration of up to 3% by weight. The composition may also be free of physically modified starch. Preferably, the concentration of physically modified starch is from 0 to less than 3 wt%, preferably from 0 to 2 wt%. More preferably, the concentration of the physically modified starch is 0 to 1% by weight. If physically modified starch is present, a concentration of at least 0.01% by weight is preferred.

"physically modified starch" refers to a starch that has been subjected to a heat treatment in the presence of a relatively small amount of water or moisture. No other agents were added to the starch during the heat treatment. Heat treatment methods include wet-heat (heat-moisture) and annealing treatments, both of which cause physical modification of the starch without any gelatinization, damage to particle integrity or loss of birefringence (Miyazaki et al, Trends in Food Science & Technology 17(2006) p.591-599). "annealing" means "physical modification of a starch slurry in water at a temperature below gelatinization" and moist heat treatment means "exposing the starch to higher temperatures with very limited moisture content (18-27%)" (Tester et al, International Journal of biological Macromolecules 27(2000) p.1-12). Physical modification should be distinguished from gelatinization of starch, which is typically carried out by heating the starch in excess water. Other terms used for this type of starch are "heat-treated starch" and "heat-modified starch".

Preferably the physically modified starch may be obtained by drying native starch to a relative humidity of less than 3% and subsequently heating the starch at a temperature of 150 ℃ to 200 ℃ during a period of at least 30 minutes. Preferably the physically modified starch is obtained by drying native starch to a relative humidity of less than 3% and subsequently heating the starch at a temperature of 150 ℃ to 200 ℃ during a period of at least 30 minutes. A preferred physically modified starch is the starch described in WO 95/04082 (which is incorporated herein by reference).

Preferably the pH of the native starch before drying the starch is at its native pH and does not require adjustment. Alternatively, the pH of the native starch before drying is adjusted to a neutral or alkaline pH. Preferably the native starch before drying has a pH of 7-12, preferably 7.5-12, preferably 8.0-10.5. The native starch may be weakly acidic to neutral, and in this case, it is preferable to adjust the pH to a pH within the preferred range. The adjustment of the pH is preferably performed with a food grade base selected from the following or any mixture of these bases: sodium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, ammonium orthophosphate, disodium orthophosphate, trisodium phosphate, calcium carbonate, calcium hydroxide, potassium carbonate, and potassium hydroxide.

Drying the starch to the desired moisture level is preferably performed simultaneously with heating the starch to the desired heating temperature. This heating from ambient temperature to the desired heating temperature may be carried out over a period of up to 5 hours, preferably up to 3 hours. The heating is preferably carried out at a temperature of from 150 ℃ to 190 ℃, preferably from 160 ℃ to 180 ℃. The heating time at the desired temperature is preferably from 30 minutes to 6 hours, preferably from 30 minutes to 4 hours, preferably from 1 to 3 hours, preferably up to 2 hours.

If present, the physically modified starch is preferably not pregelatinized, meaning that the physically modified starch preferably needs to be cooked (cook up) before it can be used to prepare the composition of the invention.

Preferred physically modified starches include physically modified waxy corn starch. A suitable physically modified starch for use in the compositions of the present invention is Novation prism 300 (Ingredion Inc. of wischester, illinois, usa).

If the composition of the invention contains starch, it preferably contains only the physically modified starch in the concentrations indicated. Preferably the composition is free of chemically modified starch and enzymatically modified starch. The composition may contain native starch, but preferably native starch is also absent. In the context of the present invention, native starch refers to starch that is not chemically or enzymatically modified and is not physically modified starch. "enzymatically modified starch" refers to starch that has been treated with one or more enzymes to alter its properties. "chemically modified starch" refers to starch that has been reacted with an agent that has been added to the starch to form new covalent bonds between those molecules and starch molecules. Thus, it is preferred that the total amount of starch is at most 3% by weight of the composition, preferably less than 3% by weight of the composition. Preferably, if starch is present, these starches are only physically modified starches.

In addition to acetic acid, the composition may comprise lactic acid at a concentration of 0.05 to 1% by weight. More preferably, however, lactic acid is not present in the composition.

The composition comprises 7-22 wt.%, preferably 8-21 wt.%, more preferably 10-21 wt.%, more preferably 15-20 wt.% of a compound selected from the group consisting of monosaccharides, disaccharides and oligosaccharides. Preferably, at least a portion of the one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of monosaccharides, disaccharides, and oligosaccharides is provided to the composition as a compound of glucose syrup. Thus, it is preferred that the composition comprises glucose syrup to provide one or more compounds selected from the group consisting of monosaccharides, disaccharides and oligosaccharides. Preferably, the glucose syrup has a Dextrose Equivalent (DE) of 54 to 65. The concentration of the glucose syrup is preferably 10 to 20% by weight. Preferably the glucose syrup has a solids content of 40-65%. Preferably the glucose syrup is pourable at a temperature of 20 c, more preferably 5 c. The mono-and/or disaccharides may also be added to the composition as pure compounds, for example as glucose or fructose or sucrose.

To ensure that the composition does not deteriorate during storage, the water activity should be low enough to prevent the growth of moulds and yeasts and other undesirable microorganisms. Thus, it is preferred that the composition has a water activity (Aw) of from 0.78 to 0.90, preferably from 0.78 to 0.88, more preferably from 0.78 to 0.85. Preferably the water activity has a value of at least 0.80, more preferably at least 0.81, more preferably at least 0.82. Preferably the water activity is from 0.80 to 0.90, preferably from 0.80 to 0.89, preferably from 0.80 to 0.88, preferably from 0.80 to 0.85. Preferably the water activity is from 0.81 to 0.90, preferably from 0.81 to 0.89, preferably from 0.81 to 0.88, preferably from 0.81 to 0.85. Preferably the water activity is from 0.82 to 0.90, preferably from 0.82 to 0.89, preferably from 0.82 to 0.88, preferably from 0.82 to 0.85. Generally, most spore forming bacteria do not grow at these water activities. Yeast and mold can grow at these water activities, which can lead to spoilage of the product. However, we have now found that despite the absence of preservatives, yeast and/or mould do not grow during the shelf life, regardless of the water activity of the composition (which is still relatively high (due to the relatively low salt concentration)).

Preferably the composition has an edible oil content of less than 2.5 wt%, preferably less than 2 wt%. Preferably the edible oil content is less than 1.5 wt%, more preferably less than 1 wt%. If edible oils are present, these oils are preferably added as part of the other ingredients. Preferably, no pure edible oil is added to the composition during its preparation. The term "edible oil" as used herein refers to a lipid selected from the group consisting of triglycerides, diglycerides, monoglycerides, and combinations thereof. Preferably the oil in the context of the present invention comprises at least 90 wt.%, more preferably at least 95 wt.% triglycerides. Edible oils in the context of the present invention include vegetable oils which are liquid at 5 ℃ and dairy oils which are normally solid at 5 ℃. Such oils include, for example, sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, olive oil, soybean oil, milk fat, and ghee, as well as combinations of these oils.

Preferably the total amount of hydrocolloids other than starch is less than 1 wt%, preferably less than 0.5 wt% of the composition. Preferably the composition of the invention is hydrocolloid free, except for starch as described above. Preferably the composition is free of hydrocolloids such as gums (guar, xanthan, locust bean, gum arabic, carrageenan), pectins or other polysaccharides. In addition, it is preferred that the composition be free of insoluble fibrous water structurants such as cellulose fibers derived from citrus fruits or other plant sources.

The composition of the present invention may contain a variety of other ingredients in order to provide the composition with a taste and make it suitable for use in combination with meat and/or vegetable dishes. Preferably, such ingredients are derived from plant (vegetable or botanical) sources, but such ingredients may also be derived from animal sources. The concentration of such compounds is preferably from 0.1 to 40 wt.%, preferably from 0.1 to 35 wt.%, more preferably from 1 to 30 wt.%. Preferably the composition of the invention comprises ingredients derived from plant sources or meat extracts. Such ingredients preferably comprise one or more of the following compounds: miso, mushroom powder or fresh mushroom, onion product (e.g. juice, concentrate, puree), garlic product (e.g. juice, concentrate, puree), soy sauce, meat or meat extract, vegetable and/or fruit puree or concentrate.

These ingredients may naturally contain other compounds such as salt (sodium chloride) or acetic acid, sugar and edible oils. Proteins and carbohydrates may also be added with these ingredients. If these amounts are substantial, the amount of, for example, salt or vinegar added to the composition to make the composition of the invention may be reduced while the concentration of such ingredients will still be within the desired range of the invention. It is preferred that the concentration of carbohydrates other than the compound selected from the group consisting of monosaccharides, disaccharides and oligosaccharides is preferably at most 13 wt.%, preferably 3-12 wt.%, preferably 6-12 wt.%. The amount of protein in the composition is preferably at most 5% by weight, preferably 0.5-4%, preferably 1-4%.

The products of the invention may be prepared in a manner conventional in the art. Accordingly, in a second aspect, the present invention provides a process for preparing a composition according to the first aspect of the invention, said process comprising the steps of:

(i) mixing the ingredients with water; and

(ii) (ii) heating the mixture from step (i); and

(iii) (iii) filling the mixture from step (ii) into a package.

In step (i), the mixing of the ingredients may be carried out in a mixing vessel as is conventional in the art. In step (ii), the mixture from step (i) is pasteurized and optionally the starch (if present) is gelatinized during this step. The mixture is preferably heated to a temperature of 80 ℃ to 90 ℃ during a period of 1 to 10 minutes. Preferably the mixture is heated at a temperature of at least 85 ℃ during a temperature of at least 85 ℃. Preferably, the heating is carried out during a time period of 2 to 9 minutes, preferably 3 to 8 minutes, preferably 4 to 7 minutes. In step (iii), the mixture from step (ii) is filled into packaging material to enable dispensing of the product to a consumer. The package is preferably a bottle, or may be any other suitable packaging material. The filling may be carried out after the product from step (ii) has cooled, or may be carried out while still hot.

In a third aspect, the present invention provides the use of a composition according to the first aspect of the invention to reduce the growth of yeast and/or mould in an aqueous food product. It is meant here that yeasts and/or moulds do not grow in the product of the invention and are inhibited or killed even in case the composition is contaminated.

Preferably the growth of any of the following genera of yeast is reduced: candida, Pichia and Zygosaccharomyces. More preferably the growth of any of the following yeast species is reduced: candida magnoliae (Candida magnolia), Candida parapsilosis (Candida parapsilosis), Candida rugosa (Candida rugosa), Pichia membranaefaciens (Pichia membranaefaciens), Zygosaccharomyces bailii (Zygosaccharomyces bailii), and Zygosaccharomyces rouxii (Zygosaccharomyces rouxii).

Preferably, the growth of any of the following genera of mildew is reduced: aspergillus (Eurotium), Penicillium (Penicillium), Paecilomyces (Paecilomyces), Cladosporium (Cladosporium) and Aspergillus (Aspergillus). More preferably, the growth of the following species of mold is reduced: eurotium cercosum (Eurotium herbaricum), Eurotium amstelodami (Eurotium amstelodami), Penicillium roqueforti (Penicillium roquefortii), Penicillium brevicompactum (Penicillium brevicompactum), Paecilomyces variotii (Paecilomyces variotii), Cladosporium cladosporioides (Cladosporium cladosporioides), Aspergillus tamarii (Aspergillus tamarii), and Aspergillus niger (Aspergillus niger).

In this respect, the invention also provides a method of reducing yeast and/or mould growth in a food product by using a composition according to the first aspect of the invention. The preferred features described above also apply to the method.

Except in the operating and comparative examples, or where otherwise explicitly indicated, all numbers in this description indicating amounts or ratios of materials or reaction conditions, physical properties of materials and/or use are to be understood as modified by the word "about".