Process for production of a frozen food product
The present invention provides a process for the production of a frozen food product including the step of contacting a food intermediate with an emulsifier system, wherein the emulsifier system consists essentially of compounds of formula I: wherein R 1 is a hydrocarbon group; and optionally mono-diglycerides and/or unsaturated lactylated mono-diglycerides.
1. A process for the production of a frozen food product comprising the steps of:
i) contacting a food intermediate with an emulsifier system, and
ii) subjecting the food intermediate to freezing conditions whilst agitating the food intermediate,
wherein the emulsifier system consists essentially of:
a) compounds of formula I:
wherein R 1 is a hydrocarbon group and unsaturated lactylated mono-diglycerides; or
b) compounds of formula I wherein R 1 is a hydrocarbon group and saturated mono-diglycerides; or
c) compounds of formula I wherein R 1 is a hydrocarbon group and saturated mono-diglycerides and unsaturated lactylated mono-diglycerides.
2. A process for the production of a frozen food product comprising the steps of:
i) contacting a food intermediate with an emulsifier system; and
ii) subjecting the food intermediate to freezing conditions whilst agitating the food intermediate;
wherein the emulsifier system consists essentially of:
a) compounds of formula I:
wherein R 1 is a hydrocarbon group and unsaturated lactylated mono-diglycerides; or
b) compounds of formula I wherein R 1 is a hydrocarbon group and mono-diglycerides; or
c) compounds of formula I wherein R 1 is a hydrocarbon group and mono-diglycerides and unsaturated lactylated mono-diglycerides,
wherein the compound of formula 1 is propylene glycol monostearate.
3. A process according to claim 2 wherein the mono-diglycerides are saturated mono-diglycerides.
4. A process according claim 1 wherein R 1 is a C 7 -C 29 hydrocarbon group.
5. A process according to claim 1 wherein R 1 is a C 11 -C 29 hydrocarbon group.
6. A process according to claim 1 wherein R 1 is a saturated hydrocarbon group.
7. A process according to claim 1 wherein R 1 is a (CH 2 ) n CH 3 group, wherein n is an integer.
8. A process according to claim 7 wherein n is an integer from 16 to 22.
9. A process according to claim 8 wherein n is 20.
10. A process according to claim 8 wherein n is 16.
11. A process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the mono-diglycerides and the unsaturated lactylated mono-diglycerides are present.
12. A process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the emulsifier system comprises no sorbitan tristearate.
13. A process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the emulsifier system comprises no acetylated monoglycerides.
14. A process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the compounds of formula I are present in an amount of at least 0.2% by weight of the food intermediate.
15. A process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the compounds of formula I are present in an amount of 0.2% to 1.0% by weight of the food intermediate.
16. A process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the compounds of formula I are present in an amount of about 0.3% by weight of the food intermediate.
17. A process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the compounds of formula I are present in an amount of about 0.45% by weight of the food intermediate.
18. A process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the mono-diglycerides and unsaturated lactylated mono-diglycerides are present in an amount of 0.05% to 1.0% by weight of the food intermediate.
19. A process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the mono-diglycerides and unsaturated lactylated mono-diglycerides are present in an amount of 0.1 to 0.6% by weight of the food intermediate.
20. A process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the compounds of formula I and the mono-diglycerides and unsaturated lactylated mono-diglycerides are present in a ratio of 2:1 to 1:2.
21. A process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the compounds of formula I are present in an amount of about 0.3% by weight of the food intermediate and the mono-diglycerides and unsaturated lactylated mono-diglycerides are present in an amount of about 0.15% by weight of the food intermediate.
22. A process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the food intermediate comprises fat.
23. A process according to claim 22 wherein the fat comprises a high lauric fat or milkfat.
24. A process according to claim 23 wherein the fat comprises a high lauric fat selected from the group consisting of hardened palm kernel oil and hardened coconut oil.
25. A process according to claim 1 or 2 comprising the step of dissolving the emulsifier system in water.
26. A process according to claim 1 or 2 comprising the step of dissolving the emulsifier system in fat.
27. A process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the drawing temperature is about −4° C. to −7° C.
28. A process according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the frozen food product is an aerated frozen food product.
29. A process according to claim 1 wherein the emulsifier system consists essentially of compounds of formula I:
wherein R 1 is a hydrocarbon group; and saturated mono-diglycerides.
30. A process according to claim 29 wherein R 1 is independently selected from a (CH 2 ) n CH 3 group, wherein n is an integer from 6 to 28.
31. A process according to claim 30 wherein n independently selected from integers from 16 to 22.
32. A process according to claim 30 wherein n is independently selected from 14and 16.
33. A method of inhibiting ice-crystal growth in a frozen food product, comprising preparing a frozen food product including an emulsifier system consists essentially of:
a) compounds of formula I:
wherein R 1 is a hydrocarbon group;
b) compounds of formula I wherein R 1 is a hydrocarbon group and unsaturated lactylated mono-diglycerides; or
c) compounds of formula I wherein R 1 is a hydrocarbon group and mono-diglycerides; or
d) compounds of formula I wherein R 1 is a hydrocarbon group and mono-diglycerides and unsaturated lactylated mono-diglycerides.
34. Use according to claim 33 wherein R 1 is independently selected from a (CH 2 ) n CH 3 group, wherein n is an integer from 6 to 28.