阅读说明：本技术 带包装的冷冻甜食 (Packaged frozen confection ) 是由 A·R·哈雷尔 D·M·梅斯 P·L·舍伍德 A·V·沃纳 于 2018-05-24 设计创作，主要内容包括：公开了带包装的冷冻甜食(1),其包括柔性袋(2),其中袋(2)包括壁(4),壁界定包含冷冻甜食的腔,并且壁沿着纵向方向从袋的基端(6)延伸至袋的顶端(5)。顶端(5)包括制品出口(8),冷冻甜食可通过制品出口从腔中被挤出。基端(6)包括沿横向方向延伸的角撑(7),顶端(5)包括沿横向方向延伸的顶边缘(3),并且制品出口(8)设置在顶边缘(3)的角部处或邻近。壁(4)至少在袋(2)的基端(6)处是可变形的,以朝着出口(8)推动腔中的冷冻甜食并从出口挤出至少一部分的冷冻甜食。(A packaged frozen confection (1) is disclosed, comprising a flexible pouch (2), wherein the pouch (2) comprises walls (4) defining a cavity containing the frozen confection and the walls extend in a longitudinal direction from a base end (6) of the pouch to a top end (5) of the pouch. The tip (5) comprises a product outlet (8) through which the frozen confection can be extruded from the cavity. The base end (6) comprises a gusset (7) extending in the transverse direction, the tip (5) comprises a tip edge (3) extending in the transverse direction, and the product outlet (8) is provided at or adjacent a corner of the tip edge (3). The wall (4) is deformable at least at a base end (6) of the bag (2) to urge the frozen confection in the chamber towards the outlet (8) and to express at least a portion of the frozen confection from the outlet.)

1. A packaged frozen confection comprising a flexible bag, wherein the bag comprises walls which define a cavity containing the frozen confection and which extend in a longitudinal direction from a base end of the bag to a top end of the bag, wherein the top end comprises an product outlet through which the frozen confection can be extruded from the cavity, and wherein:

The base end includes a gusset extending along a transverse direction;

The top end includes a top edge extending in a lateral direction; and;

The product outlet is disposed at or near a corner of the top edge;

Wherein the wall is deformable at least at a base end of the bag to urge the frozen confection in the chamber towards the outlet and to extrude at least a portion of the frozen confection from the outlet.

2. The packaged frozen confection of claim 1, wherein the bag comprises side edges, each side edge being at opposite ends of the gusset, and each side edge extending in a longitudinal direction.

3. the packaged frozen confection of claim 2, wherein at least one of the side edges comprises a recessed portion.

4. The packaged frozen confection of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cavity has a volume of from 250 to 500 ml.

5. Packaged frozen confection according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the wall is formed from a plastic film material, preferably from a multi-layer laminated plastic film material.

6. A packaged frozen confection according to claim 5 wherein the top edge is formed by a seal between opposite faces of the plastics film material.

7. The packaged frozen confection of any one of the preceding claims, comprising a removable wrap at least partially surrounding a wall of the bag, and the removable wrap is sufficiently flexible to allow transmission of manual force through the wrap to deform the wall at least at a base end of the bag and thereby push the frozen confection in the cavity towards and extrude the frozen confection from the outlet.

8. The packaged frozen confection of claim 7 wherein the wrap is a thermally insulating wrap.

9. The packaged frozen confection of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the frozen confection comprises a freezing point depressant in an amount of from 25 to 35% by weight of the frozen confection, wherein the freezing point depressant has a number average molecular weight<M>_nLess than 250g mol^-1。

10. The packaged frozen confection of claim 9, wherein the freezing point depressant has a number average molecular weight<M>_nNot less than 205g mol^-1。

11. The packaged frozen confection of claim 10, wherein the freezing point depressant comprises erythritol.

12. A method for dispensing a frozen confection from a package, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) Providing a packaged frozen confection according to any one of the preceding claims; and

(b) Applying a manual force to the packaged frozen confection to deform the wall at least at the base end of the bag and thereby urge the frozen confection in the cavity towards the outlet and extrude at least a portion of the frozen confection from the outlet.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to packaged frozen confections, such as ice cream. In particular, the invention relates to a packaged frozen confection comprising a flexible bag.

Background

In recent years, systems have been developed for dispensing frozen confections such as ice cream in which prepackaged ice cream is provided in a container that can be squeezed by hand to extrude the confection. In particular, bag-based systems have been developed.

US2009/0208630a discloses a method for the manufacture of ice cream and frozen yoghurt with a nozzle bag and a device for the injection of the ice cream after the expansion process through a narrow drinking tube of the nozzle bag.

The present inventors have now recognized that there is a need for an improved bag-based package for dispensing frozen confections such as soft ice. In particular, the inventors have found that there is a need for a packaged frozen confection: the packaged frozen confection allows the consumer to effectively squeeze the frozen confection from the bag with minimal effort. The present inventors have also recognized a need for such a bag: the bag allows the frozen confection to empty more completely from the bag and/or the bag allows the flow of frozen confection to be directed towards the product outlet in a more direct manner.

The present inventors have found that one or more of the above needs can be met by packaging a frozen confection in a bag having a particular configuration.

Disclosure of Invention

In a first aspect, the invention relates to a packaged frozen confection comprising a flexible bag, wherein the bag comprises walls defining a cavity containing the frozen confection and the walls extend in a longitudinal direction from a base end of the bag to a top end of the bag, wherein the top end comprises an product outlet through which the frozen confection can be extruded from the cavity, and wherein:

The base end includes a gusset extending along a transverse direction;

The top end includes a top edge extending in a lateral direction; and;

The product outlet is disposed at or adjacent a corner of the top edge;

Wherein the wall is deformable at least at a base end of the bag to urge the frozen confection in the chamber towards the outlet and to extrude at least a portion of the frozen confection from the outlet.

by providing such a packaged frozen confection, the inventors have found that consumers tend to grab the bag at the base end with a brace (typically the thickest part of the bag) and squeeze the bag, which means that the dispensing force is always directed towards the top end where the product outlet is located. Furthermore, unlike the pouch disclosed in e.g. US2009/0208630a, the product outlet is provided at or adjacent a corner of the top edge. The inventors have found that when the product outlet is located in the centre of the top edge (as in US2009/0208630 a), the consumer tends to grab the bag at the side edge and squeeze the bag, which causes the dispensing force to be directed both towards the top end and towards the base end, and this can result in the stream and residual frozen confection becoming blocked in the base end.

Preferably, the bag comprises side edges, each side edge being located at an opposite end of the gusset and each side edge extending in the longitudinal direction because: this further allows the gusseted base end to be the thickest part of the bag. To further prevent the bag from being held and squeezed via the side edges, it is preferred that at least one of the side edges comprises a recess, more preferably each of the side edges comprises a recess.

The inventors have found that the force required to dispense the frozen confection from the bag can be achieved by squeezing the base end with one hand when the size of the bag is not too large. Preferably, the cavity has a volume of no more than 500ml, more preferably no more than 475ml, most preferably no more than 450 ml. Additionally or alternatively, preferably, the cavity is filled with no more than 325g of frozen confection, more preferably no more than 275g, and most preferably no more than 250 g.

The cavity of the bag should be sufficient to contain at least one portion of frozen confection. Preferably, however, the bag contains multiple portions of frozen confection. Thus, it is preferred that the cavity has a volume of at least 250ml, more preferably at least 275ml, and most preferably at least 300 ml. Additionally or alternatively, the cavity is filled with at least 100g, more preferably at least 150g, and most preferably at least 175g of frozen confection.

The product outlet may be in any form, such as a simple orifice. Preferably, however, the outlet is in the form of a mouthpiece, because: this allows for more controlled dispensing, for example, into an ice cream cone or other container. To reduce the amount of manual force required to extrude the confection, it is preferred that the mouthpiece has an internal diameter of at least 10mm, more preferably at least 12mm, and most preferably from 15 to 35 mm.

The walls of the bag are generally formed from a plastics film material, more preferably from a multi-layer laminated polymeric film material. Preferred plastics are polymers such as polyethylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, polyamides, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the film may be a foil-plastic laminate, however the inventors have found that if the film does not contain a foil layer, the sensation of coolness transmitted by the bag to the user's hand may be reduced. Therefore, it is preferable that the plastic film material does not include a metal layer.

Generally, the bag is made from a roll of continuous film material and is cut and sealed from the film material, for example by heat sealing. Preferably, the top edge is formed by a seal between opposed faces of the plastics film material. Additionally or alternatively, the side edges are formed by seals between opposed faces of the plastics film material.

In a preferred embodiment, in particular where the film material comprises a foil, the packaged frozen confection comprises a removable wrap at least partially surrounding the wall of the bag and which is sufficiently flexible to allow transmission of a manual force through the wrap to deform the wall at least at the base end of the bag and thereby push the frozen confection in the cavity towards and squeeze the frozen confection out of the outlet.

The inventors have found that the sensation of coolness experienced when handling bags containing frozen confection depends not only on the temperature of the product contained in the bag, but also on the presence of moisture and/or ice that condenses on the outer surface of the walls. Thus, the wrap of the present invention can be removed from the bag so that the wrap itself need not be stored in a storage freezer, otherwise the surfaces of the wrap will be susceptible to condensation and icing. Thus, when applying the wrap to the bag after removal from the freezer, the surface that the consumer holds is the wrap surface, and there is no uncomfortable cooling sensation to the wrap surface. As used herein, the term "removable" means that the wrap can be repeatedly removed and reapplied to the bag.

The removable feature of the envelope also facilitates recycling and/or reuse, especially if the envelope is made of a different material than the bag wall and therefore cannot be recycled in the same way and/or if the envelope is more durable than the bag and is therefore suitable for reuse with further bags.

Although the most unpleasant cooling sensation caused in the user's hand is reduced by the use of a removable wrap, additional advantages can be obtained by using insulating materials in the wrap. In particular, heat from the user's hands can be quickly transferred through the walls of the bag, causing the frozen confection within the bag to melt and thus disrupt the carefully created microstructure. Thus, preferably, the wrap comprises, consists essentially of, or consists of an insulating material. As used herein, "thermally insulated" means having less than 1Wm^-1K^-1More preferably less than 0.5Wm^-1K^-1And most preferably from 0.0001 to 0.1Wm^-1K^-1Thermal conductivity of (1).

Additionally or alternatively, the jacket comprises, consists essentially of, or comprises an elastomer, and most preferably, the jacket comprises, consists essentially of, or comprises neoprene. The elastomeric material provides additional grip and thus increases the ease of handling and squeezing the bag. Preferably, the elastomer is foamed to enhance thermal insulation, and most preferably, the jacket comprises foamed neoprene.

The sheathing is such that: allowing manual force to be transmitted through the wrap to deform the wall at least at the base end of the bag. Applying a force to the base of the bag is important as this not only allows for a more complete emptying of the bag, but also for an efficient transfer of the force. For example, the inventors have found that it is particularly convenient for many users to grasp the base of the bag and then roll the wrap and wall from the base up while squeezing. Thus, it is preferred that the wrap allows: manual force is transmitted through the wrap to allow the wall to roll up toward the outlet. Additionally or alternatively, the wrap completely encloses the base end of the bag.

The softer the wrap, the easier it is to transmit forces through the wrap to the bag wall. It is therefore preferred that the wrap is flexible so that the wrap cannot stand on its own.

Preferably, the wrap is such that: the wrap allows the user to grasp the bag substantially anywhere. Preferably, therefore, the sheath surrounds at least 80%, more preferably from 90 to 100%, of the outer surface area of the wall.

Preferably, the envelope has a retaining portion releasably engaging a top end of the bag to retain the bag within the envelope during extrusion of the frozen confection through the product outlet. The term "releasable" means that the retaining portion can be repeatedly engaged and disengaged with the top end of the bag.

One disadvantage of reusing a removable wrap is that frozen confectionery residues deposited on the wrap from earlier use can be messy or even pose a hygienic risk. These problems can be ameliorated by designing the jacket such that it has minimal contact with the product outlet during dispensing and during application and removal of the jacket. This object can be achieved by providing a capsule: the wrap includes an opening disposed toward the top end of the bag and through which the base end of the bag may be inserted before the retainer is engaged to the top end of the bag. More preferably, the holder is configured such that the holder can be joined to the tip without passing through the product outlet. For example, the retention portion may include one or more tabs extending from the wrap on a first side of the tip and passing around the outlet to a second side, which tabs may be reversibly secured to the second side.

The packaged frozen confection of the present invention allows for efficient transmission of manual forces and thus for efficient dispensing of a range of frozen confections. However, to assist dispensing, it is preferred that the frozen confection in the bag is formulated to be soft and stable at the temperature ranges common in domestic freezers. In particular, it is preferred that the frozen confection comprises a freezing point depressant in an amount of from 25 to 35% by weight of the frozen confection, wherein the freezing point depressant has a number average molecular weight<M>_nLess than 250g mol^-1。

For the purposes of the present invention, the average molecular weight of the freezing point depressant mixture is determined by the number average molecular weight<M>_nDefine (equation 1). Wherein w_iIs the mass of item i, M_iis the molar mass of item i, and N_iIs of molar mass M_iThe number of moles of the type i of (a).

The freezing point depressant defined in the present invention comprises:

Mono-and disaccharides

Oligosaccharides containing three to ten monosaccharide units bound by glycosidic bonds.

Dextrose Equivalent (DE) greater than 20, preferably>40 and more preferably>60 corn syrup. Corn syrup is a complex multicomponent sugar mixture and dextrose equivalents are a common industrial classification method. Since corn syrup is a complex mixture, the number average molecular weight of corn syrup<M>_nCan be calculated according to equation 2 below. (Journal of Food Engineering,33(1997)221-226)

Erythritol, arabitol, glycerol, xylitol, sorbitol, mannitol, lactitol and maltitol.

Ethanol.

The amount of ice in the product is largely determined by the amount and molecular weight of the freezing point depressant. If the amount of ice is too high, extruding the confection becomes too difficult under the low temperature (e.g., -22 ℃) conditions common in certain storage freezers. Therefore, the freezing point depressant preferably has not more than 250g mol^-1Number average molecular weight of (2)<M>_nand the freezing point depressant is present in an amount of at least 25% by weight of the frozen confection. More preferably, the amount of freezing point depressant is at least 26%, even more preferably at least 27% by weight of the frozen confection.

Preferably, the freezing point depressant has a number average molecular weight<M>_nNot more than 240, more preferably not more than 230 and most preferably not more than 220g mol^-1。

on the other hand, if the amount of freezing point depressant becomes too high and/or the molecular weight of the freezing point depressant becomes too low, at the higher temperatures (e.g., -16 ℃) common in certain storage freezers, the rheology will be very liquid-like. Therefore, the freezing point depressant preferably has not less than 200gmol^-1Number average molecular weight of (2)<M>_nAnd the freezing point depressant is present in an amount not exceeding 35% by weight of the frozen confection. More preferably, the amount of freezing point depressant is no more than 34% by weight of the frozen confection, more preferably no more than 33% by weight of the frozen confection, and most preferably no more than 32% by weight of the frozen confection.

Preferably, the freezing point depressant has a number average molecular weight<M>_nNot less than 205, more preferably not less than 208 and most preferably not less than 210g mol^-1。

Erythritol is particularly effective in imparting desirable rheological properties to frozen confections. Furthermore, erythritol does not produce unpleasant off-flavors, is not excessively sweet, and does not interfere with the natural digestion and excretion of foods, as compared to some other sugar alcohols. Therefore, it is preferable that the freezing point depressant includes erythritol.

Preferably the amount of erythritol is at least 0.25%, more preferably at least 0.5%, even more preferably at least 0.7% and most preferably at least 1% by weight of the frozen confection.

Preferably, the amount of erythritol is not too high, otherwise the confection may be too liquid-like and/or it may be difficult to formulate a confection having the desired sweetness. Thus, it is preferred that the amount of erythritol does not exceed 7% by weight of the frozen confection, more preferably does not exceed 6% by weight of the frozen confection, even more preferably does not exceed 5% by weight of the frozen confection, still more preferably does not exceed 4% by weight of the frozen confection, and most preferably does not exceed 3% by weight of the frozen confection.

In addition to erythritol, it is preferred that the freezing point depressant be substantially composed of saccharides. Preferably, the freezing point depressant comprises at least 90%, more preferably at least 92%, by weight of the freezing point depressant, mono-, di-and oligosaccharides. The total amount of mono-, di-and oligosaccharides and erythritol in the freezing point depressant is preferably at least 98%, more preferably 99 to 100% by weight of the freezing point depressant.

A particularly preferred disaccharide is lactose, as lactose provides a freezing point depression without imparting a high amount of sweetness. Preferably, the freezing point depressant comprises lactose in an amount of at least 5% by weight of the freezing point depressant, more preferably from 10 to 25% by weight of the freezing point depressant. Lactose may be present in the confection as part of the milk solids and/or added separately from the milk solids.

Certain freezing point depressants are undesirable because they can produce an unpleasant taste and/or physiological effect.

preferably, the frozen confection comprises less than 0.5%, more preferably less than 0.1%, and still more preferably less than 0.01%, and most preferably 0% ethanol by weight of the frozen confection.

Preferably, the frozen confection comprises less than 1.5%, more preferably less than 1%, and still more preferably less than 0.5%, and most preferably from 0.2 to 0% glycerol by weight of the frozen confection. Additionally or alternatively, the total amount of arabitol, glycerol, xylitol, sorbitol, mannitol, lactitol and maltitol in the frozen confection is less than 1.5% by weight of the frozen confection, more preferably less than 1% by weight of the frozen confection, and still more preferably less than 0.5% by weight of the frozen confection, and most preferably from 0.2 to 0% by weight of the frozen confection.

Preferably the frozen confection comprises less than 5%, more preferably less than 3%, and most preferably from 0 to 2% fructose by weight of the frozen confection.

Preferably, the freezing point depressant imparts a desired sweetness to the frozen confection without the use of intense sweeteners. By "intense sweetener" is meant one or more of the following: aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame potassium, alitame, thaumatin, cyclamate, glycyrrhizin, stevioside, neohesperidin, sucralose, monellin, and neotame. Preferably, the frozen confection is substantially free of intense sweeteners. More preferably, the frozen confection comprises less sweetener than the amount required to impart an equivalent sweetness to 1% sucrose, more preferably less than the amount required to impart an equivalent sweetness to 0.5% sucrose, and most preferably less than the amount required to impart an equivalent sweetness to 0.1% sucrose. Additionally or alternatively, the frozen confection comprises less than 0.003% intense sweetener, more preferably less than 0.001%, and most preferably from 0.0001 to 0%.

Frozen confections are generally prepared by freezing a mixture (more preferably, a pasteurized mixture) of ingredients such as water, fat, freezing point depressants, proteins (typically milk proteins), and optionally other ingredients such as emulsifiers, stabilizers, colors, and flavors. Frozen confections include ice cream, gelato, frozen yoghurt, sorbet, granita, water ices and the like. Preferably, the frozen confection is ice cream.

The frozen confection is preferably aerated. By "aerated" is meant that the confection has an overrun of at least 30%. More preferably, the frozen aerated confection has an overrun of from 70 to 135%, most preferably from 80 to 110%.

the expansion ratio (OR) is defined by the following equation 3

Measured at atmospheric pressure. The ambient temperature was 20 ℃.

The frozen confection preferably comprises fat in an amount of from 1 to 15%, more preferably from 4 to 12%, and most preferably from 5 to 10% by weight of the frozen confection.

The frozen confection preferably comprises protein in an amount of from 0.5 to 8%, more preferably from 1 to 6%, and most preferably from 1.5 to 5% by weight of the frozen confection.

In another aspect, the invention provides a method for dispensing a frozen confection from a package, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) Providing a packaged frozen confection according to any embodiment of the first aspect; and

(b) Applying a manual force to the wrapped frozen confection to deform the wall at least at the base end of the bag and thereby urge the frozen confection in the cavity towards the outlet and extrude at least a portion of the frozen confection from the outlet.

Typically, between dispensing scenarios, bags are stored in a home freezer. Thus, it is preferred that between dispensing portions of frozen confection, the bags are stored in a freezer at a temperature below-10 ℃, more preferably at a temperature of from-14 to-25 ℃ and most preferably at a temperature of from-16 to-22 ℃.

Except in the examples, all numbers expressing quantities of materials, periods of time, ranges of lengths, reaction conditions, physical properties of materials, and/or uses, used in the specification are to be understood as being modified by the word "about".

It should be noted that in specifying any range of values, any particular upper limit value can be associated with any particular lower limit value.

For the avoidance of doubt, the term "comprising" is intended to mean "including" but not necessarily "consisting of … … or" consisting of … … ". In other words, the listed steps or options are not necessarily exhaustive.

The disclosure of the invention as found herein is to be considered to cover all embodiments as may exist in the claims as being multiply dependent upon one another, irrespective of the fact that claims may not exist in multiple dependency or redundant repetition.

Where a feature is disclosed in relation to a particular aspect of the invention, such disclosure should also be deemed applicable, mutatis mutandis, to any other aspect of the invention.

drawings

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1a shows a front view of an embodiment of the packaged frozen confection of the present invention.

figure 1b shows a side view of the packaged frozen confection of figure 1 a.

Figure 1c shows a bottom view of the packaged frozen confection of figure 1 a.

Figure 2 shows the packaged frozen confection of figure 1 being used to dispense a portion of the frozen confection into a cone.

Figure 3 shows a front view of another embodiment of a packaged frozen confection of the present invention.

Fig. 4 shows an embodiment of a jacket suitable for use in the present invention.

Fig. 5 shows the packaged frozen confection of fig. 1 further comprising a wrap of fig. 4 applied to the bag.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1a to 1c show a packaged frozen confection (1) according to one embodiment of the invention. A packaged confection (1) comprises a flexible bag (2) enclosing a frozen confection.

The bag comprises a wall (4) formed from a multi-layer polymer laminated film sheet, wherein, after formation of the gussets (7), opposing front and rear faces (11a, 11b) are heat sealed together at side edges (9a, 9b) and at a top edge (3) of the wall (4). The pocket extends in the longitudinal direction from a base end (6) to a top end (5). A gusset (7) is located below the base end (6), the gusset (7) forming a base upon which the bag (2) stands on its own on a flat surface. As best shown in fig. 1b, the bag (2) is thickest at the base end (6) due to the presence of the gusset (7), and the bag has a tapered thickness along the longitudinal direction.

At one corner of the top end (5), an article outlet (8) in the form of a mouthpiece is sealingly joined to the wall (4), for example by heat sealing or adhesive. Although not shown, the product outlet (8) is preferably closable by a removable lid.

Figure 2 shows a bag (2) being used to dispense a portion of frozen confection (40) into a container (50) such as a wafer cone. The specific shape of the bag is designed to encourage a user to grasp and squeeze the base end (6) with a first hand (60a) while supporting the top end (5) of the bag (2) with a second hand (60b) with the spout (8) directed toward the container (50). This ensures that the dispensing force always pushes the frozen confection in the bag towards the mouthpiece (8) and not towards other parts of the bag (2).

Figure 3 shows another embodiment of the packaged frozen confection (20) of the present invention. The pouch (22) is similar to the pouch (2) shown in fig. 1 and 2, and has a spout (28) and a wall (24) extending in a longitudinal direction from a gusseted base end (26) to a top end (25) and sealed at a top edge (23) and side edges (29a, 29 b). The bag (22) shown in fig. 3 differs from the bags of fig. 1 and 2 in that each side edge (29a, 29b) includes a recess (30a, 30b) located approximately midway between the top end (25) and the bottom end (26). The presence of the recessed portions (30a, 30b) makes it inappropriate for a user to grasp the bag (22) by the side edges (29a, 29b) for dispensing, and thus further encourages the user to hold the bag (20) during dispensing by the base end (26) and the top end (25).

Fig. 4 shows a capsule (10) suitable for use with the packaged frozen confection (1) of fig. 1 in a state ready to receive a bag (2). The wrap is made of a single sheet of insulating elastomeric material (such as, for example, foamed neoprene) rolled into a cylindrical tube extending from a base opening (18) to a top opening (13) provided at the top end (5) of the bag (2) when applied to the bag (2). A retention strap (16) spans the base opening (18). The wrap (10) comprises two retention tabs (12a and 12b) provided at the top and side edges of the wrap, respectively. Each flap (12a, 12b) has a reversible attachment area (14a, 14b) associated with an attachment area (15a, 15b) on the outer surface of the wrapper (10),15b) And (7) corresponding. The attachment regions correspond such that the attachment regions form a reversible bond upon contact. For example, the attachment areas (14a and 14b) on the flaps may comprise hooks and the corresponding areas (15a and 15b) comprise loops, such that the attachment areas form a hook and loop bond when contacted. Such hook and loop fasteners are well known in the art and includeThose sold by brands.

The wrap (10) is applied to the bag (2) by inserting the base end (6) of the bag (2) into the top opening (13) of the wrap (10) and then sliding the wrap upwardly until the strap (16) contacts the base of the bag (2). The flaps (12a and 12b) are then folded around the top end (5) of the bag (2) and fixed in place by mating the respective attachment areas (14a and 15a and 14b and 15 b). Thus, as shown in fig. 5, in the case of a wrap (10) applied to the bag (2), the flaps (12a and 12b) hold the top end (5) snugly so that the bag (2) does not fall out of the wrap (10) when the packaged frozen confection is inverted for dispensing.

dispensing is preferably effected by the user grasping the sheath near the top (5) and base (6) ends and squeezing and rolling the base (6) ends upwardly and inwardly toward the top (5).

After dispensing, the attachment areas (14a, 15a, 14b, 15b) can be released simply by pulling the flaps (12a, 12b) outwards. The bag (2) can then be slid upwards and out of the envelope (10) without the product outlet (8) coming into contact with the envelope (10). The bag (2) can then be placed in a freezer for storage. Upon removal of the bag (2) from the freezer for the next dispensing scenario, the wrap (10) may then be reapplied to the bag (2) as described above, thereby preventing the user from having to touch the very cold outer wall (4) of the bag (2) during dispensing.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following examples.

Example 1

Two ice creams with different ice contents (calculated at-18 ℃) and erythritol amounts were formulated as shown in table 1 (quantity units% w/w).

TABLE 1

The formulation properties are shown in table 2.

TABLE 2

	1	2
			Ice content (% w/w)	36	37
Freezing point depressant (% w/w)	31	30
			<M>n(g mol-1)	214	212
Erythritol (% w/w)	1.6	2.3

ice cream is prepared by pasteurising and homogenising a mixture prepared according to the above formula. The mixture was allowed to age (ged) overnight at 4 ℃ and then frozen and aerated in a scraped surface heat exchanger (standard ice cream freezer). The air input to the chiller is controlled to produce a target expansion rate of 100% (the actual expansion rate varies between 92 and 110%). Freezing was controlled to produce a target extrusion temperature of-7 ℃ (actual extrusion temperature varied between-6 and-9 ℃).

The mixture was extruded directly into a commercial food grade bag for beverages and similar to the bag shown in fig. 1. The bag wall material is a laminated film comprising polyethylene terephthalate, aluminum, oriented polyamide and polyethylene. The product outlet was a mouthpiece with an internal diameter of 22 mm. The volume of each bag was 750 ml. A quantity of 425g of ice cream was filled into each bag through the mouthpiece and then the cap was screwed into place. The bags were then allowed to harden in a blast freezer and then transferred to a home freezer (-18 ℃) for several days before use.

When the bag is removed from the freezer, it can be seen that the bag is extremely cold to the touch, such that holding the bag for only a few seconds can make touching uncomfortable.

On the other hand, by applying the wrap to the bag, as shown in fig. 4 and 5, the bag can be comfortably held for several minutes. The sheath is clamped on the Lycra^TMA 1mm thick layer of foamed neoprene between the fabrics and the wrap can be easily removed from the bag and reattached to the bag multiple times.

Example 2

Additional packaged ice cream was prepared in a manner similar to that described in example 1, except that a different bag was used. The pouch shape is shown in fig. 3. The bag wall material is a laminated film comprising polyethylene terephthalate, oriented polyamide and polyethylene layers but no aluminium layer. The product outlet was a mouthpiece with an internal diameter of 22 mm. The capacity of each bag was 400 ml. A quantity of 230g of ice cream was filled into each bag via the mouthpiece and the cap was then screwed into place. The bags were then allowed to harden in a blast freezer and then transferred to a home freezer (-18 ℃) for several days before use.

when the bag was removed from the freezer, it was found that the bag was easy to handle even without the wrap due to the difference in bag film material and smaller size compared to the bag of example 1. In addition, the shape and size of the bag allows the user to conveniently and almost completely dispense the contents.