Cream compositions and food foams made therefrom
This invention is directed toward cream compositions containing hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC), methyl hydroxyethyl cellulose(MHEC), methyl cellulose (MC) or ethyl cellulose (EC), and their blends with water-soluble or water-swellable hydrocolloids. The cream compositions are useful in both dairy and non-dairy product compositions. The cream composition can be subjected to thermal processing to produce packaged products which are shelf-stable. The cream compositions are also useful in producing whipped compositions which exhibit a desirable appearance and amount of overrun.
1 . A cream composition comprising
a cellulose ether compound,
a water-soluble or water-swellable hydrocolloid stabilizer,
a fat, and
an aqueous phase,
wherein the cellulose ether compound is selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC), hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), methyl hydroxyethyl cellulose(MHEC), methyl cellulose (MC) and ethyl cellulose (EC) and blends thereof.
2 . The cream composition of claim 1 wherein the water-soluble or water-swellable hydrocolloid stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of microcrystalline cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, starch, carboxymethyl starch, hydrophobically modified starch, guar, pectin, pectinate, pectate, xanthan, carrageenan, agar, gellan, scleroglucan, betaglucan, alginate and alginic acid, propylene glycol-alginate, gum arabic, gum tragacanth, konjac gum, chitin, chitosan, locust bean gum, gelatin, and mixtures thereof.
3 . The cream composition of claim 2 , wherein the fat comprises milkfat.
4 . The cream composition of claim 3 , wherein the cream composition further comprises an emulsifier.
5 . The cream composition of claim 4 , wherein the emulsifier is selected from the group consisting of fatty acid esters of glycerol, hydroxycarboxylic acid, citric, acetic, lactylate, polyglycerol, ethylene or propylene glycol, ethoxylated derivatives of monoglycerides, and sorbitan fatty acid esters, lecithin, sodium stearoyl lactate.
6 . The cream composition of claim 2 , wherein the fat comprises a vegetable fat.
7 . The composition of claim 6 , wherein the cream composition further comprises an emulsifier.
8 . The composition of claim 7 , wherein the emulsifier is selected from the group consisting of fatty acid esters of glycerol, hydroxycarboxylic acid, citric, acetic, lactylate, polyglycerol, ethylene or propylene glycol, ethoxylated derivatives of monoglycerides, and sorbitan fatty acid esters, lecithin, sodium stearoyl lactate.
9 . The cream composition of claim 3 , wherein the aqueous phase further comprises protein, lactose, minerals, and vitamins, derived from a cow, ewe, goat or other mammal.
10 . The cream composition of claim 6 , wherein the aqueous phase is derived from a plant source.
11 . The cream composition of claim 1 , wherein the cream composition exhibits an overrun of greater than 50%.
12 . The cream composition of claim 11 , wherein the cream composition exhibits an overrun of greater than 95%.
13 . The cream composition of claim 12 , wherein the cream composition exhibits an overrun of greater than about 110%.
14 . The cream composition of claim 13 , wherein the cream composition exhibits an overrun of greater than about 125%.
15 . The cream composition of claim 2 , wherein the cellulose ether compound comprises HPC and wherein the water-soluble or water-swellable hydrocolloid stabilizer comprises microcrystalline cellulose.
16 . The cream composition of claim 15 , wherein the water-soluble or water-swellable hydrocolloid stabilizer further comprises carrageenan.
17 . The cream composition of claim 2 , wherein the cellulose ether compound comprises HPMC and wherein the water-soluble or water-swellable hydrocolloid stabilizer comprises microcrystalline cellulose.
18 . The cream composition of claim 15 , wherein the water-soluble or water-swellable hydrocolloid stabilizer further comprises carrageenan.
19 . The cream composition of claim 2 , wherein the cellulose ether compound comprises HPC and wherein the water-soluble or water-swellable hydrocolloid stabilizer comprises carboxymethyl cellulose.
20 . The cream composition of claim 19 , wherein the water-soluble or water-swellable hydrocolloid stabilizer further comprises carrageenan.
21 . The cream composition of claim 2 , wherein the cellulose ether compound comprises HPMC and wherein the water-soluble or water-swellable hydrocolloid stabilizer comprises carboxymethyl cellulose.
22 . The cream composition of claim 21 , wherein the water-soluble or water-swellable hydrocolloid stabilizer further comprises carrageenan.
23 . The cream composition of claim 15 , wherein the cellulose ether compound further comprises HPMC.
24 . The cream composition of claim 16 , wherein the cellulose ether compound further comprises HPMC.
25 . The cream composition of claim 19 wherein the cellulose ether compound further comprises HPMC.
26 . The cream composition of claim 15 wherein the water-soluble or water-swellable hydrocolloid stabilizer further comprises guar.
27 . The cream composition of claim 15 wherein the water-soluble or water-swellable hydrocolloid stabilizer further comprises alginate.
28 . The cream composition of claim 2 wherein the cellulose ether compound comprises HPC and the water-soluble or water-swellable hydrocolloid stabilizer further comprises guar.
29 . The cream composition of claim 15 wherein the cellulose ether compound comprises HPMC and the water-soluble or water-swellable polymer further comprises guar.
30 . The cream composition of claim 15 wherein the water-soluble or water-swellable hydrocolloid stabilizer further comprises locust bean gum.
31 . The cream composition of claim 1 wherein the cellulose ether compound is used in amounts ranging from greater than about 0.01% based on the total weight of the cream composition.
32 . The cream composition of claim 31 wherein the cellulose ether compound is used in amounts ranging from greater than about 0.01% to less than about 1% based on the total weight of cream composition
33 . The cream composition of claim 1 wherein the water-soluble or water-swellable hydrocolloids are included in the cream composition at concentrations of greater than about 0.001% by weight based on the total weight of cream composition.
34 . The cream composition of claim 33 wherein the water-soluble or water-swellable hydrocolloids are included in the cream composition at concentrations in the cream composition at concentrations in the range of greater than about 0.001% by weight to about 0.75% weight based on the total weight of cream composition.
35 . A process for producing a cream compositions comprising:
a) combining a cellulose ether compound, a water-soluble or water-swellable hydrocolloid stabilizer, a fat and an aqueous phase together to obtain a cream composition,
c) applying heat to the cream composition
d) optionally homogenizing the cream composition, and
e) cooling the cream composition,
wherein the cellulose ether compound is selected from the group consisting of hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC), hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), methyl hydroxyethyl cellulose(MHEC) and methyl cellulose (MC).
36 . The process for producing the cream composition of claim 35 , wherein the heat is applied to the cream composition during a pasteurization process.
37 . The process for producing the cream composition of claim 35 , wherein the heat is applied to the cream composition during an Ultra High Temperature (UHT) treatment.
38 . The process for producing the cream composition of claim 37 , wherein the process further comprises the step of aseptic packaging of the cream composition.