Process for preparing a food product using depolymerised pectin as stabiliser
The present invention provides a process for the production of a food product comprising the steps of (i) contacting a food material with a stabilizer to provide a food intermediate; and (ii) fermenting the food intermediate; wherein the stabilizer comprises a depolymerized pectin and wherein the food material comprises a protein.
1. A process for the production of a fermented dairy product comprising the steps of:
(i) contacting a food material with a stabiliser to provide a food intermediate;
(i)(a) pasteurising the food intermediate;
(i)(b) inoculating the food intermediate; and
(ii) fermenting the food intermediate;
wherein the stabiliser is present in an amount of 0.3 to 3.0 wt %, and comprises a depolymerised pectin having a degree of esterification of at least 50% wherein the food material comprises milk.
2. A process according to claim 1 further comprising the step of (iii) pasteurising the product of step (ii).
3. A process according to claim 1 further comprising the step of (iv) adding juice and/or acid to the product of step (i)(b) and/or to the product of step (ii) and/or to the product of step (iii).
4. A process according to claim 1 wherein the depolymerised pectin has a viscosity at 25° C. in a 5% solution of 15 cP to 400 cP.
5. A process according to claim 1 wherein the depolymerised pectin has a viscosity at 25° C. in a 5% solution of 20 cP to 200 cP.
6. A process according to claim 1 wherein the depolymerised pectin has a viscosity at 25° C. in a 5% solution of 25 cP to 50 cP.
7. A process according to claim 1 wherein the depolymerised pectin is an essentially linear carbohydrate polymer.
8. A process according to claim 1 wherein the depolymerised pectin has a galacturonic acid content of at least 65%.
9. A process according to claim 1 wherein the depolymerised pectin has a degree of esterification of from 50 to 85%.
10. A process according to claim 1 wherein the depolymerised pectin has a degree of esterification of from 65 to 75%.
11. A process according to claim 1 wherein the food material further comprises a protein of vegetable and/or microbial origin.
12. A process according to claim 1 wherein the milk has a milk solid non-fat content of 0.1 to 25 wt %.
13. A process according to claim 1 wherein the milk is whole fat milk or partially defatted milk.
14. A process according to claim 1 wherein the fermentation step (ii) takes place at a temperature of from 30 to 50° C.
15. A process according to claim 1 wherein the fermentation step (ii) takes place over a period of 2 to 48 hours.
16. A process according to claim 2 wherein the pasteurising step (iii) takes place at a temperature of at least 80° C.
17. A process according to claim 2 wherein the pasteurising step (iii) takes place over a period of 5 to 30 seconds.
18. A process according to claim 1 wherein the fermented dairy product is a beverage.
19. A process according to claim 1 wherein the fermented dairy product is a fermented milk drink.
20. A process according to claim 1 wherein the fermented dairy product is a yoghurt drink.
21. A process according to claim 1 wherein the fermented dairy product is a drinking yoghurt drink.
22. A process according to claim 1 wherein the fermented dairy product is a stirred yoghurt.
23. A process according to claim 1 wherein the fermented dairy product contains a live food-grade micro-organism in an amount of from 0.01 to 0.03 wt %.
24. A process according to claim 1 wherein the fermented dairy product has a pH of less than 4.6.
25. A process according to claim 1 wherein the depolymerised pectin is amidated.
26. A process according to claim 1 wherein the stabiliser is a blend of a HE depolymerised pectin and a LE depolymerised pectin.
27. A process according to claim 1 wherein the stabiliser is a blend of a LE amidated depolymerised pectin and a HE depolymerised pectin.
28. A process according to claim 1 wherein the stabiliser is a HE depolymerised pectin and a high molecular weight pectin.
29. A process for improving the texture and/or viscosity of a fermented dairy product, comprising including a stabiliser in said fermented dairy product, wherein the stabiliser comprises a depolymerised pectin having a degree of esterification of at least 50%, and wherein said stabiliser is present in an amount of 0.3 to 3.0 wt %, and applied directly to the dairy product prior to fermentation.
30. The process according to claim 29 wherein the high molecular weight pectin is a high ester pectin.