IP Library Granted Patent US 10,681,929
Granted Patent B2
US 10,681,929 · App. 13/656,866 · Granted Jun 16, 2020

Food product and coating

Inventors: Michael Jensen (Omaha, NE); Jenny Viviana Bermudez Lopez (Omaha, NE); Kirsten Fletter (Omaha, NE); Jacqueline Mathews (Auburn, MA); Clinton L. Johnson (Omaha, NE)
Assignee: CONAGRA FOODS RDM, INC.
A23L7/191
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,681,929
App. No.
13/656,866
Granted
Jun 16, 2020
Kind
B2
Abstract

The coating can have a low-sweetness perception. During manufacturing and processing, the coating maintains a flowability to allow a glaze state of the coating to be applied to a food. Upon cooling, the glaze state of the coating forms a glass state that provides a low-sweetness impact which facilitates application of savory taste perceptions.

Claims (42)

1. A coating for popped popcorn, the coating having a low-sweetness perception and comprising:

maltodextrin from about 35% to about 50% by total weight of the coating;

sugar alcohol from about 10% to about 30% by total weight of the coating, wherein the sugar alcohol includes at least one member of a group consisting of isomalt, lactitol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, mannitol, glycerol, sorbitol, arabitol, erythritol, maltitol, and xylitol;

water from about 1.0% to about 5.0% by total weight of the coating; and

a sweetness inhibitor from about 0.1% to about 5% by total weight of the coating, wherein the sweetness inhibitor includes at least one member of a group consisting of a carboxylic acid and a gymnemic acid;

wherein the coating has a dextrose equivalent that is less than about 30 and the sweetness value of a 5 wt % aqueous solution of the coating is about equal to a 2% concentration of sucrose.

2. The coating of claim 1 , further comprising oil from about 15% to about 25% by weight of the coating.

3. The coating of claim 1 , further comprising a saccharide from about 5.0% to about 20.0% by total weight of the coating.

4. The coating of claim 3 , wherein the saccharide includes dextrose.

5. The coating of claim 1 , further comprising lecithin from about 0.35% to about 0.60% by total weight of the coating.

6. The coating of claim 5 , wherein the lecithin includes a deflavored lecithin.

7. The coating of claim 1 , wherein the glass transition temperature of the coating is from about 145° F. to about 155° F.

8. The coating of claim 1 , wherein the coating has a glaze state, wherein when in the glaze state, the coating has a viscosity that is less than about 50,000 centipoises at temperatures less than about 325° F.

9. The coating of claim 1 , wherein the coating has a glaze state, wherein when in the glaze state, the coating has a viscosity that is less than about 30,000 centipoises at temperatures less than about 325° F.

10. The coating of claim 1 , wherein the coating has a glaze state, wherein when in the glaze state, the coating has a viscosity that is less than about 10,000 centipoises at temperatures less than about 325° F.

11. The coating of claim 1 , wherein the coating has a glaze state, wherein when in the glaze state, the coating has a viscosity that is less than about 5,000 centipoises at temperatures less than about 325° F.

12. A coating for a popped popcorn product, the coating having a low-sweetness perception and comprising:

maltodextrin from about 35% to about 50% by total weight of the coating;

sugar alcohol from about 10% to about 30% by total weight of the coating;

a sweetness inhibitor from about 2.0% to about 3.5% by total weight of the coating;

water from about 1.0% to 5.0% by total weight of the coating; and

oil from about 15% to about 25% by weight of the coating;

wherein the coating has a dextrose equivalent that is less than about 30 and the sweetness value of a 5 wt % aqueous solution of the coating is about equal to a 2% concentration of sucrose;

wherein the coating has a glass transition from about 145° F. to about 155° F.;

wherein the coating has a glaze state; and

wherein when in the glaze state, the viscosity of the coating is less than about 50,000 centipoises at temperatures less than about 325° F., wherein the sweetness inhibitor includes at least one member of a group consisting of: a carboxylic acid and a gymnemic acid.

13. The coating of claim 12 , wherein the sugar alcohol is at least one member of a group selected from isomalt, lactitol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, mannitol, glycerol, sorbitol, arabitol, erythritol, maltitol, and xylitol.

14. The coating of claim 12 , wherein when in the glaze state, the coating has a viscosity that is less than about 10,000 centipoises at temperatures less than about 325° F.

15. The coating of claim 12 , wherein when in the glaze state, the coating has a viscosity that is less than about 5,000 centipoises at temperatures less than about 325° F.

16. A coating for a popped popcorn product, the coating having a low-sweetness perception and comprising:

maltodextrin from about 35% to about 50% by total weight of coating;

sugar alcohol from about 10% to about 30% by total weight of the coating, wherein the sugar alcohol is at least one member of a group consisting of isomalt, lactitol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, mannitol, glycerol, sorbitol, arabitol, erythritol, maltitol, and xylitol;

a sweetness inhibitor from about 2.0% to about 3.5% by total weight of the coating, wherein the sweetness inhibitor is at least one member of a group consisting of a carboxylic acid and a gymnemic acid;

a saccharide from about 5.0% to about 20.0% by total weight of the coating;

oil from about 15% to about 25% by weight of the coating;

water from about 1.0% to 5.0% by total weight of the coating; and

lecithin from about 0.35% to about 0.60% by total weight of the coating;

wherein the coating has a dextrose equivalent that is less than about 20 and the sweetness value of a 5 wt % aqueous solution of the coating is about equal to a 2% concentration of sucrose, wherein the coating has a glass transition from about 145° F. to about 155° F.; and

wherein the coating has a glaze state, wherein when in the glaze state, the solids content is greater than about 95.0% and the viscosity of the coating is less than about 20,000 centipoises at temperatures from about 270° F. to about 310° F.

17. The coating of claim 16 , wherein the viscosity is less than about 10,000 centipoises at temperatures from about 270° F. to about 310° F.

18. The coating of claim 16 , wherein the viscosity is less than about 5,000 centipoises at temperatures from about 270° F. to about 310° F.

19. The coating of claim 16 , wherein the viscosity is less than about 3,000 centipoises at temperatures from about 270° F. to about 310° F.

Assignments (2)
CERTIFICATE OF CONVERSION Recorded Jul 31, 2025
From: CONAGRA FOODS RDM, INC.
To: CONAGRA FOODS RDM, LLC
Reel/Frame 072309/0471 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 22, 2012
From: JENSEN, MICHAEL; BERMUDEZ LOPEZ, JENNY VIVIANA; FLETTER, KIRSTEN; MATHEWS, JACQUELINE; JOHNSON, CLINTON L.
To: CONAGRA FOODS RDM, INC.
Reel/Frame 029165/0390 →