阅读说明：本技术 液体熏烟反应产物 (Liquid smoking reaction product ) 是由 J·托拉森 R·兰戴 于 2018-04-27 设计创作，主要内容包括：液体熏烟反应产物是根据将液体熏烟组合物和氨基酸组合以形成反应溶液并随后加热所述反应溶液的工艺制备的。所得到的液体熏烟反应产物表现出独特的风味、颜色和香气特征以及极好的特性,例如改进的对蛋白质基产品的附着力。公开了用于制备液体熏烟反应产物的方法、得到的液体熏烟反应产物以及所述液体熏烟反应产物在食品和饮料产品中的应用。(The liquid smoke reaction product is prepared according to a process of combining a liquid smoke composition and an amino acid to form a reaction solution and subsequently heating the reaction solution. The resulting liquid smoke reaction product exhibits unique flavor, color, and aroma characteristics as well as excellent properties, such as improved adhesion to protein-based products. Methods for preparing liquid smoking reaction products, the resulting liquid smoking reaction products, and the use of the liquid smoking reaction products in food and beverage products are disclosed.)

1. A process for preparing a liquid smoking reaction product, the process comprising the steps of:

(a) preparing a reaction solution comprising a liquid smoking composition and an amino acid; and

(b) the reaction solution is heated.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the liquid smoking composition has:

(a) a titratable acidity level at a concentration of less than about 25% weight per unit volume (w/v);

(b) a carbonyl compound content of greater than about 0% and up to about 80% weight per unit volume (w/v); and

(c) a phenol content at a concentration of greater than about 0.25 mg/mL.

3. The process of claim 2, wherein the liquid smoking composition has a pH of less than about 7.0.

4. The process of claim 3, wherein the liquid smoking composition has a solids content of greater than 0 and less than about 85% BrixtC.

5. The process of claim 2, wherein the concentration of the liquid smoking composition in the reaction solution is about 1% to about 85% by weight of the reaction mass and the concentration of the amino acid in the reaction solution is about 0.05% to about 35% by weight of the reaction mass.

6. The process of claim 5, wherein the liquid smoking composition and the amino acid are present in the reaction solution in a concentration ratio of about 4:1 to about 2: 3.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein the amino acid is a naturally occurring amino acid.

8. The process of claim 1, wherein the amino acid is selected from the group consisting of: alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tyrosine and valine.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein the amino acid is a non-naturally occurring amino acid.

10. The process of claim 1, further comprising the step of drying the reaction solution after the heating step to produce a powder.

11. A liquid smoke reaction product produced according to the process of claim 1.

12. The liquid smoking reaction product of claim 11, wherein the liquid smoking reaction product has:

(a) a titratable acidity level at a concentration of less than about 25% weight per unit volume (w/v);

(b) a pH of less than about 7.0;

(c) a carbonyl compound content of greater than about 0% and up to about 75% weight per unit volume (w/v);

(d) a phenol content at a concentration of greater than about 0.25 mg/mL.

13. The liquid smoking reaction product of claim 11, wherein the liquid smoking reaction product is free of any emulsifier, additive or adhesive.

14. The liquid smoking reaction product of claim 11, wherein the liquid smoking reaction product exhibits an absorbance at 490nm of greater than about 60.

15. A process for treating a food or beverage product, the process comprising contacting the food or beverage product with the liquid smoking reaction product of claim 11.

16. A treated food or beverage product produced according to the process of claim 15.

1. Field of the invention

The presently disclosed subject matter relates to methods and compositions for affecting food and beverage product properties, such as flavor, aroma, color, and protein binding. More particularly, the presently disclosed subject matter relates to liquid smoking reaction products, methods of making liquid smoking reaction products, and food and beverages treated with the smoking reaction products. The liquid smoke reaction products disclosed herein have unique characteristics that result from the reaction of a liquid smoke composition and an amino acid under a variety of conditions.

2. Background of the invention

Conventional reactive flavors have been used to impart salty, meaty, or yeast flavors to the final food and beverage products. Conventional reactive flavors are typically added in low percentages by flavor blends, marinades, or injections. Other delivery methods may be used, but the system must be able to handle the loss and retain the flavor. These conventional reactive flavors have been used in the final food and beverage products as an enhancement to their cooking process and to enhance existing flavors.

Conventional reactive perfumes are produced by the reaction of reducing sugars such as dextrose, xylose and fructose with amino acids. This reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars is known as the "Maillard" reaction and imparts a unique culinary flavor to food products resulting from heating. In this reaction, carbonyl compounds, in particular reducing sugars, are reacted with compounds having free amino groups, such as amines, amino acids and proteins.

Although conventional reactive perfumes have been used in certain applications, they are still limited in several respects. For example, conventional reactive perfumes provide narrower flavor, color, and aroma characteristics. These characteristics are directly related to the initial sugars and amino acids used, as well as the various secondary changes resulting from pH adjustment, temperature and processing time. Conventional reactive flavors typically have sweet or salty aromas and flavors.

As a further limitation, conventional reactive flavors cannot adhere to protein surfaces using current manufacturing processes (i.e., soaking, atomizing, spraying). Instead, they leach or wash off the product surface during production.

Emulsifiers such as polysorbates, propylene glycol, and lecithin have been used to help attach traditional reactive flavors to protein surfaces, but have not produced satisfactory results. Although the addition of these emulsifiers makes conventional reactive perfumes more uniform, conventional reactive perfumes still do not contain phenolic compounds and still do not bind to protein surfaces. Thus, the resulting reactive emulsifier mixture is easily lost and washed off during the cooking cycle, resulting in reduced color and flavor.

Liquid smoke (herein "LS") solutions/compositions are alternatives for imparting specific flavors, aromas and characteristics to food products. LS solutions are liquid condensates that are capable of imparting a smoked hue or color and a smoked flavor to food products exposed to the liquid or gas phase of the solution. LS has traditionally been used to create dark colors in food products by staining the meat surface for limited cooking and drying times. LS has an affinity for proteins due to its phenolic content and adheres well in the casing. The most effective LS solutions for the dyeing product have an alkaline pH.

Like conventional reactive fragrances, LS solutions also have certain limitations that make them unusable for certain applications. One limitation of LS solutions is their unique flavor. The LS solution has a very strong smoke, ash and caustic bitterness. In many applications, however, a bland or odorless taste is desired. In addition, it is generally desirable that the pH of the reactive flavor be less than 7 to replicate a food system. But LS solutions typically have an alkaline pH. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that high pH reactive fragrances also have undesirable flavors in most applications.

Therefore, there is a need for a reactive flavor with extended flavor, color and aroma characteristics obtainable from conventional reactive flavors and LS solutions. Furthermore, there is a need for a reactive perfume with improved protein binding without the bitter taste of LS.

Brief description of the disclosure

The disclosed LS reaction products overcome various problems in the field related to reactive perfumery. In contrast to conventional reactive perfumes, the present disclosure encompasses the unique flavor, color, and aroma characteristics produced by the LS composition and amino acid reaction. The presently disclosed subject matter provides processes for preparing LS reaction products as well as LS reaction products and food and beverages treated with LS reaction products. The examples of embodiments of the present disclosure described below may overcome the above disadvantages and other disadvantages not described above.

In one aspect, the presently disclosed subject matter provides a process for preparing an LS reaction product, as described herein. The process comprises the steps of preparing a reaction solution comprising LS and an amino acid and heating the reaction solution.

In another aspect, the presently disclosed subject matter provides LS reaction products that exhibit unique flavor, color, and aroma characteristics as well as beneficial properties, such as excellent protein binding.

In another aspect, the presently disclosed subject matter provides a process for treating a food or beverage product with an LS reaction product. The process comprises contacting a food or beverage product with the LS reaction product.

In yet another aspect, the presently disclosed subject matter provides a food or beverage product treated with an LS reaction product.

The objects of the presently disclosed subject matter that have been stated above, as well as other objects and advantages of the presently disclosed subject matter, will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following description and non-limiting examples.

Detailed Description

The disclosed LS reaction products improve conventional reactive fragrances and LS solutions by combining the variability and customization of conventional reactive fragrances with the functionality of LS. The disclosed LS reaction products exhibit unique flavor profiles, which in some embodiments may be, for example, nutty, smoky, or burnt flavors. The LS reaction products also show color depth and breadth unique to conventional reactions of reducing sugars with amino acids. The disclosed LS reaction products also exhibit additional functionality compared to conventional reactive flavors, including but not limited to protein binding, antimicrobial properties, emulsion enhancement, and post-cook browning.

More specifically, the LS reaction product has new and unique reactive flavor characteristics that are currently unavailable in the market without blending several savoury reactive flavors with the LS solution. The LS reaction product also has improved properties compared to conventional reaction-type perfumes, such as improved adhesion to protein-based products, allowing the LS reaction product to pass through multiple process steps without detachment or leaching. The LS reaction products also exhibit unique flavors (which may be, for example, nutty, smoky, or burnt flavors) as well as unique aromas and unique color depth and breadth compared to products conventionally obtainable by conventional reactions of sugars and amino acids.

Unlike conventional reactive flavors, the LS reaction product does not rely on sugars, which are one of the key drivers of the maillard reaction. Instead, the reaction utilizes various carbonyl-containing compounds naturally present in LS and its derivatives. The reaction of a series of carbonyl compounds in LS with amino acids provides a novel, unique flavor profile and a dark robust color palette, previously unavailable.

Furthermore, unlike conventional reactive perfumes, the disclosed LS reaction products bind to protein structures rather than being separated and leached from the product surface. While conventional food and beverage systems require the incorporation of additives to perform such functions, the disclosed LS reaction products unexpectedly exhibit excellent protein binding capability without the addition of emulsifiers, additives or attachment agents. The disclosed LS reaction products achieve excellent protein binding through the reaction of as few as two components-LS and amino acids.

Liquid smoking

The disclosed LS reaction products are prepared from the reaction of an LS composition with an amino acid. LS compositions known in the art can be used as starting materials. For example, non-limiting varieties of LS compositions include aqueous liquid smoke, oil soluble smoke, and dry smoke powder. Preferred LS compositions are aqueous smokers, which include, but are not limited to, primary smokers, concentrated smokers, and buffered/neutral smokers. As known in the art, LS compositions are condensation products resulting from destructive distillation of wood. The LS composition is obtained from the pyrolysis of hardwood sawdust and contains components resulting mainly from the thermal degradation of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. One typical commercial preparation method of LS compositions for food surface applications is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,106,473 to Hollenbeck, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Commercial production of LS compositions typically begins with smoke generated by pyrolysis and limited combustion of wood, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,106,473 to Hollenbeck. Pyrolysis produces different proportions of condensable liquids, non-condensable gases and solids depending on the reaction conditions. The condensable liquids derived from pyrolized wood can be further subdivided into water soluble organics and water insoluble tars.

After pyrolysis or combustion, the smoke is then collected and passed through a tower counter-currently to a recirculating water stream. The resulting dilution of the condensable smoke components in water results in the undesirable removal of tar and water-insoluble components. The liquid solution needs to be further refined to separate water soluble organics containing the LS composition for flavor and color applications.

LS compositions in the art are produced by different methods including, for example, calciners and rapid thermal processing (referred to as "RTP") methods. U.S. Pat. No. 3,106,473 to Hollenbeck, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, describes a calciner process. U.S. patent No. 4,876,108 to Underwood and Graham provides a description of this process with respect to RTP smoke collection, and is also incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

LS compositions for flavour and colour applications are complex, variable mixtures of chemicals, including over 400 chemical compounds. An exemplary summary of the components found in liquid Smoke is provided by Maga in "meal in Food Processing" CRC Press, pages 61-68 (1968), which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

As more than 400 compounds were identified as ingredients of these compositions, the color and flavor chemicals of LS compositions were very complex. Due to this complexity, LS compositions are characterized by their content of certain classes of compounds, namely acids, carbonyl compounds and phenols. Phenols are mainly flavour and fragrance compounds, carbonyl compounds are mainly responsible for surface colouring, acids are mainly preservatives and pH control agents. Acids and carbonyl compounds also contribute to minor flavour and may enhance the surface properties of the smoked meat product.

As one non-limiting example, a representative commercial LS composition may include a titratable acidity level of about 11%, about 13% carbonyl compounds, about 1.5% phenol, and at least 70% water. The remaining ingredients (about 4.5% of the total material balance of the LS composition) include basic and neutral organic compounds.

Preparation of liquid smoking reaction products

The disclosed LS reaction products can be produced using heating process steps known in the art that are capable of heating a liquid to a specified temperature for a period of time. For example, in certain embodiments, the heat treatment step is capable of heating the liquid to a temperature of at least 85 ℃ for 5 minutes or more. Preferably, the heating process step is food grade, corrosion resistant, and capable of being stirred.

In an advantageous embodiment, a sealed reaction vessel with constant stirring is used. The agitation rate may be greater than 5,000Re to maintain turbulent flow in the vessel. The use of a reactor vessel with constant agitation preferably increases reactant contact and maintains product uniformity.

In certain embodiments, the sealed reactor vessel may be operated at pressures between 0-100 PSI. The pressure depends on the amount of headspace in the reaction vessel and the reactants used in the process. Some reactions release a lot of gas and generate a lot of pressure, while others generate little pressure.

In one embodiment, the reaction mass is added to a food-grade heated reactor vessel equipped with a heat source and agitation. The reaction is carried out at a pressure of 0-100 PSI. The reactor vessel is heated to a temperature of between about 85 ℃ and about 150 ℃, preferably between about 105 ℃ and about 125 ℃. The temperature may be maintained for about 5 to about 150 minutes. Preferably, the temperature is maintained for about 15 minutes to about 120 minutes. During the reaction, the reaction solution is preferably continuously stirred at a rate greater than about 5,000 Re.

In carrying out the reaction for preparing the disclosed LS reaction products, the LS composition is used as a reactant, including the calciner and the RTP LS composition. In certain embodiments, the LS composition has a carbonyl compound content of greater than 0% and up to about 80%. More preferably, the LS composition has a carbonyl compound content greater than about 1% up to about 50%.

In certain embodiments, the LS compositions used to prepare the disclosed LS reaction products may also have one or more of a pH of less than about 7.0, an acid content of less than about 25 wt.%, a Brix tC greater than about 0 and less than about 85, and a phenol content (measured as the concentration of 2, 6-dimethoxyphenol at 580 nm) greater than about 0.25mg/mL phenol, with some of the LS composition reactants having a phenol content of up to about 400 mg/mL.

Exemplary LS composition reactants for preparing the disclosed LS reaction products include, but are not limited to, ZestCODE 10, Red Arrow RA12054, Red Arrow RA95075, ZestSUPERSMOKE 100, Red Arrow SELECT R24, as follows:

the disclosed LS reaction products can be produced by the reaction of LS and amino acid reactants in a range of concentrations, with different proportions of reactants producing different flavor, color, and aroma characteristics. In one embodiment, the amount of LS reactant is from about 1% to about 85% by weight of the reaction mass. Preferably, the LS reactant is included in an amount of about 5% to about 50% by weight of the reaction mass. The LS reactants may be used alone or in a combination of two or more.

Amino acids are used as reactants for producing the disclosed LS reaction products. This includes both natural and unnatural amino acids. In certain embodiments, the amino acid is alanine, arginine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, proline, serine, threonine, tyrosine, and valine. The amino acid reactants may be used singly or in combination of two or more. The amino acids can be provided in various forms, such as a powder or solution reagent, such that when combined with the liquid smoking reactants, the reactants undergo a Maillard reaction to produce a liquid smoking reaction product that can be used in the food and beverage products described herein.

In certain embodiments, one or more amino acid reactants are added in an amount of about 0.05% to about 35% by weight of the reaction mass. Preferably, the one or more amino acids are used in an amount of about 0.05% to about 25% by weight of the reaction mass.

In certain embodiments, the reaction mixture contains from about 20% to about 99% water by weight of the reaction mass.

In certain embodiments, the pH of the reaction mixture is preferably less than 7.0, and may be adjusted using a suitable pH adjusting agent. For example, pH adjusters include, but are not limited to, sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid.

In certain embodiments, the disclosed LS reaction products are prepared using only natural ingredients and solvents. The reaction mixture used to produce the disclosed LS reaction products may be limited to LS condensate produced by pyrolysis of natural materials (e.g., wood), natural amino acids, pH adjusters, and water. The reaction mixture used to produce the disclosed LS reaction product may not include non-natural ingredients and solvents including, but not limited to, added colorants, artificial flavors, and synthetic materials. The LS reaction product may also not include any additives including, but not limited to, emulsifiers and attachment agents.

After the reaction is complete, the LS reaction product can be used without further purification. In certain embodiments, the LS reaction product may be further processed into other forms, such as a powder or a diluent. The LS reaction product may be dried using any commercially available technique, with or without a carrier. The carrier may include, but is not limited to, maltodextrin, gum arabic, edible starch, modified edible starch, or malted barley flour.

Liquid smoking reaction product

Since the reaction between LS and the amino acid reactant involves multiple chemical rearrangements, the reaction can be driven in multiple directions based on temperature, reactant concentration, pH, and time. Thus, the LS reaction product may exhibit a range of unique flavors with different taste characteristics, colors, and aromas.

In one embodiment, the disclosed LS reaction product has a phenol content (measured by the concentration of 2, 6-dimethoxyphenol at 580nm wavelength) of greater than 0.25mg/ml phenol. In certain embodiments, the disclosed LS reaction products have a phenol content of about 400 mg/mL.

In one embodiment, the LS reaction product has a pH in the acidic range of between about 0 to about 7 and an acid content of less than about 25 wt.%.

In one embodiment, the LS reaction product has a carbonyl compound content of between about 0% and about 75%. The LS reaction product preferably has a carbonyl compound content of between about 0% and about 50%.

The disclosed LS reaction products may have a range of solids content. The final solids content of the product is determined by the initial concentrations of the amino acid and LS composition reactants used. Using a maximum carbonyl compound content of 80% (carbonyl compound concentration measured at 480nm wavelength with a reacted 2-butanone standard solution) and a maximum amino acid content of 25%, the resulting product would be a gel or a complete solid and therefore not commercially viable. Therefore, the maximum solids content needs to be determined case by case. The solids content will be acceptable as long as the product has a minimum degree of flowability. For example, in certain embodiments, a maximum of 85% brix tC is acceptable.

The disclosed LS reaction products may also exhibit various colors. In one embodiment, the LS reaction product exhibits an absorbance at 490nm wavelength of greater than 60 using the color index method. In other embodiments, the LS reaction product exhibits an absorbance of greater than 100 at a wavelength of 490nm using the color index method. Color index method is a comparison of a 1:1000 dilution of the product in deionized water with a water blank at 490nm wavelength absorbance.

Exemplary LS reaction products (LSRPs) of the present disclosure include, but are not limited to, the following:

application of liquid smoking reaction product

The disclosed LS reaction products are useful for imparting unique flavors and aromas to a variety of food and beverage products, which are generally not limited. In some embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter, the food product is a ready-to-eat ("RTE") food product. In some embodiments, the RTE food product comprises poultry, pork, or beef. In some embodiments, RTE foods include cooked meats (e.g., turkeys, roast beef, ham, chicken, salami (salami), bologna (bologna), etc.) and hot dogs.

In some embodiments of the presently disclosed subject matter, the food product is a ready-to-cook ("RTC") food product. In some embodiments, the RTC food products include poultry, pork, and beef. In some embodiments, the RTC food products include ground beef and par-baked dough products, such as bread and rolls. In other embodiments, the disclosed LS reaction products may be applied in soups, sauces, seasonings, baked goods, candies, snacks and beverages.

Methods of using the disclosed LS reaction products are generally not limited and include methods known in the art. Conventional production processes include, for example, soaking, atomizing and spraying. The disclosed LS reaction products can be used to color and flavor food products by treating the food in various ways. The application of the LS reaction product can be carried out on the individual articles by dip-spraying in a batch or continuous manner. For large batches, atomized liquid sooting clouds may be used. In addition, sausages and hams can be processed in casings which have been incorporated with liquid smoke.

In certain embodiments, soaking is one example of an external application on meat products. In this process, a solution of 5 to 100% LS reaction product in water can be used as the permeate. The impregnation liquid is sprayed at a constant rate onto the surface of the food, for example chicken breast or ham. The flow rate, residence time and solution concentration will determine the final color and flavor desired by the producer. After the food product has been saturated, it is heat treated to evaporate excess water and bind the LS reaction products to the outer protein surface. For example, after application of the LS reaction product, the treated food product may be baked in a convection oven for a period of time, such as 15 minutes at 375 ° f.

Once the food product has been heat treated, it is cooled and packaged. The packaging conditions of the treated food product may be one of vacuum, non-vacuum and modified atmospheric conditions.

In other embodiments, the LS reaction product may also be used as a flavoring agent in natural or artificial casings and nets. The LS reaction product is added and uniformly fixed into the casing according to the manufacturer's process and specifications. These casings are then used to make sausages, cooked meat products or other suitable wrapped meat products.

In still other embodiments, the LS reaction product may be blended into the ground and shaped meat product at a usage rate of, for example, 0.05-5.0% to add flavor and color. The LS reaction product can be added separately from the other ingredients or can be blended into a standard food mix with the wet ingredients until uniformly distributed into the product.

In the examples given below, various exemplary LS reaction products, conventional LS compositions and derivatives, and conventional reaction products were used for quantitative and qualitative testing. The results of these examples demonstrate the unique flavor and fragrance profile, color and protein binding of the LS reaction products disclosed herein.