IP Library Granted Patent US 7,727,570
Granted Patent B2
US 7,727,570 · App. 11/567,922 · Granted Jun 1, 2010

Emulsion comprising a nut paste

Assignee: Unilever Bestfoods, North America, division of Conopco, Inc.
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,727,570
App. No.
11/567,922
Granted
Jun 1, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A process for the preparation of a bake stable nut butter emulsion which comprises the following steps (a) selecting a sugar syrup solution and diluting it with water until it contains an amount of sugar solids which is in the range 55-80 wt. %, (b) heating the solution to a temperature in the range 40-100° C., (c) dispersing a starch into the heated solution until it contains 1-5 wt. % of dissolved starch, (d) dispersing an emulsifier into the heated solution until it contains 0.5-3 wt. % of dissolved emulsifier, (e) dispersing a gelling agent into the heated solution until it contains 0.2-1 wt. % of dissolved gelling agent, (f) cooling the heated solution into which the starch, emulsifier and gelling agent have been dispersed to a temperature which is in the range of 20-50° C., (g) dispersing under vigorous stirring conditions a nut butter into the cooled solution, while controlling the rate of addition such that the resulting emulsion remains water continuous, (h) allowing the emulsion to cool and to obtain a plastic consistency. The process delivers an edible nut butter containing emulsion which comprises 10-25 wt. % of a dispersed fat phase and 75-90 wt. % of a continuous aqueous phase which comprises sugar solids, starch, gelling agent and emulsifier, which emulsion has a plastic consistency and which emulsion possesses bake stability. The invention also relates to a bake stable nut butter emulsion.

Claims (19)

1. An edible nut butter containing emulsion which comprises 10-25 wt. % of a dispersed fat phase from an emulsified nut butter and 75-90 wt. % of a continuous aqueous phase which comprises sugar solids, 1-5 wt % starch having an amylose content of 15-70%, gelling agent selected from the group consisting of xanthan gum, carrageenan, locust bean gum, guar gum, modified celluloses, low-esterified pectines in combination with a calcium salt, fibres and mixtures of these, and 0.5-3 wt % of emulsifier, which emulsion has a plastic consistency and which emulsion possesses bake stability.

2. A nut butter emulsion according to claim 1 , characterized in that the nut butter is peanut butter.

3. A nut butter emulsion according to claim 1 in which the aqueous phase comprises 55-80 wt. % of sugar solids.

4. A nut butter emulsion according to claim 1 in which the aqueous phase comprises 0.2-1 wt. of gelling agent.

5. A nut buffer emulsion according to claim 1 in which the aqueous phase comprises one or more emulsifiers which are selected from the group consisting of stabilised egg yolk, partial glycerides, lecithin and mixtures of these.

6. A process for the preparation of the bake stable nut butter emulsion according to claim 1 which comprises the following steps:

a) selecting a sugar syrup solution and diluting it with water until it contains an amount of sugar solids which is in the range 55-80 wt %,

b) heating the solution to a temperature in the range 40-100° C.,

c) dispersing a starch having an amylose content of 15-70% into the solution until it contains 1-5 wt % of dissolved starch,

d) dispersing an emulsifier into the solution until it contains 0.5-3 wt % of dissolved emulsifier,

e) dispersing a gelling agent selected from the group consisting of xanthan gum, carrageenan, locust bean gum, guar gum, modified celluloses, low-esterified pectines in combination with a calcium salt, fibres and mixtures of these into the solution until it contains 0.2-1 wt. % of dissolved gelling agent,

f) cooling the solution to a temperature which is in the range of 20-50° C.,

g) dispersing under vigorous stirring conditions a nut butter into the solution, while controlling the rate of addition such that the resulting emulsion remains water continuous,

h) allowing the emulsion to cool and to obtain a plastic consistency and bake stability.

7. A process according to the claim 6 where the rate of nut butter addition does not exceed 18 wt. % of the total amount of nut butter per minute.

8. A nut butter emulsion according to claim 1 wherein the starch has an amylose content of 15-30%.

9. A nut butter emulsion according to claim 1 wherein the starch is tapioca starch.

10. A nut butter emulsion according to claim 1 wherein the emulsion has a viscosity in the range 6000-8000 cP.

11. A nut butter emulsion according to claim 1 wherein bake stability is defined as retention of flavor, retention of plastic viscosity and no oil exudation after baking when the emulsion is used as a dough filling and baked at a temperature in the range from 175° C. to 250° C. for 2 to 15 minutes.

Assignments (2)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Sep 27, 2018
From: UNILEVER BCS US INC.
To: UPFIELD US INC.
Reel/Frame 047158/0449 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 5, 2017
From: CONOPCO, INC., D/B/A UNILEVER
To: UNILEVER BCS US, INC.
Reel/Frame 042166/0596 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 1086940100 · Jun 16, 2004
Related Publication 20070082113A1 · Apr 12, 2007