Whippable topping with high freeze-thaw stability

1. An edible whippable topping composition comprising:

(a) 10 to 30% by weight of water-soluble carbohydrates;

(b1) 8 to 30% by weight of hydrogenated vegetable fat;

(b2) 0 to 13% by weight of milk fat;

(c) 0.5 to 1.5% by weight of an emulsifier formulation consisting of 1 to n different emulsifier compounds (ci) and having an HLB Formulation value according to formula (I) of less than 9:

HLB

Formulation

=

∑

i

=

1

n

⁢

⁢

(

HLB

i

·

x

i

)

(

I

)

wherein HLB i and x i are the HLB value and weight fraction (based on the total weight of the emulsifier formulation) of the ith emulsifier compound (ci);

(d1) 0.05 to 0.9% by weight of a first hydroxypropyl methylcellulose having an average degree of substitution DS methyl of from 1.4 to 2.5 and a 2% by weight aqueous solution viscosity of from 20 to 100 mPa·s;

(d2) 0.005 to 0.2% by weight of a second hydroxypropyl methylcellulose having an average degree of substitution DS methyl of from 0.8 to 1.9 and a 2% by weight aqueous solution viscosity of from 2800 to 5500 mPa·s;

(e) 0.02 to 0.4% by weight of protein;

(f) 0 to 0.17% by weight of non-protein hydrocolloid stabilizer different from components (d1) and (d2); and

(g) water in an amount adding up to 100% by weight,

all percentages being based on the total weight of the whippable topping composition,

wherein the weight ratio of first hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (d1) to the second hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (d2) is within the range of from 3:1 to 13:1.

2. The edible whippable topping composition of according to claim 1 comprising:

(b1) 8 to 20% by weight of hydrogenated vegetable fat;

(b2) 6 to 13% by weight of milk fat.

3. The edible whippable topping composition according to claim 1 wherein the weight ratio of first hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (d1) to second hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (d2) is within the range of from 4:1 to 12:1.

4. The edible whippable topping composition according to claim 1 wherein the water-soluble carbohydrates (a) are selected from monosaccharides, disaccharides and mixtures thereof.

5. The edible whippable topping composition according to claim 1 wherein the hydrogenated vegetable fat (b1) is selected from hydrogenated palm kernel oil, hydrogenated coconut oil, hydrogenated cottonseed oil, hydrogenated peanut oil, hydrogenated olive oil, hydrogenated corn oil, hydrogenated soybean oil and hydrogenated palm oil, and mixtures thereof.

6. The edible whippable topping composition according to claim 1 wherein the emulsifier formulation (c) has an HLB Formulation value of less than 8.

7. The edible whippable topping composition according to claim 1 wherein the emulsifier compounds (ci) of emulsifier formulation (c) have a molecular weight of less than 2000.

8. The edible whippable topping composition according to claim 1 wherein the protein (e) is selected from sodium caseinate, isolated soy protein, and mixtures thereof.

9. The edible whippable topping composition according to claim 1 comprising 0.01 to 0.17% by weight of non-protein hydrocolloid stabilizer (f) different from components (d1) and (d2).

10. The edible whippable composition according to claim 9 wherein the non-protein hydrocolloid stabilizer (f) is a natural gum.

11. The edible whippable topping composition according to claim 1 further comprising 0 to 2% by weight, based on the total weight of the whippable topping composition, of optional additives (h).

12. A method for preparing an edible whippable topping composition comprising:

(a) 10 to 30% by weight of water-soluble carbohydrates;

(b1) 8 to 30% by weight of hydrogenated vegetable fat;

(b2) 0 to 13% by weight of milk fat;

(c) 0.5 to 1.5% by weight of an emulsifier formulation consisting of 1 to n different emulsifier compounds (ci) and having an HLB Formulation value according to formula (I) of less than 9:

HLB

Formulation

=

∑

i

=

1

n

⁢

(

HLB

i

·

x

i

)

(

I

)

wherein HLB i and x i are the HLB value and weight fraction (based on the total weight of the emulsifier formulation) of the ith emulsifier compound (ci);

(d1) 0.05 to 0.9% by weight of a first hydroxypropyl methylcellulose having an average degree of substitution DS methyl of from 1.4 to 2.5 and a 2% by weight aqueous solution viscosity of from 20 to 100 mPa s;

(d2) 0.005 to 0.2% by weight of a second hydroxypropyl methylcellulose having an average degree of substitution DS methyl of from 0.8 to 1.9 and a 2% by weight aqueous solution viscosity of from 2800 to 5500 mPa s;

(e) 0.02 to 0.4% by weight of protein;

(f) 0 to 0.17% by weight of non-protein hydrocolloid stabilizer different from components (d1) and (d2); and

(g) water in an amount adding up to 100% by weight,

all percentages being based on the total weight of the whippable topping composition,

wherein the weight ratio of the first hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (d1) to the second hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (d2) is within the range of from 3:1 to 13:1;

wherein the method comprises the steps:

(i) dispersing emulsifier compound(s) (ci), hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (d1), hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (d2), protein (e), and optional further non-protein hydrocolloid stabilizer (f) in the fat(s) (b) to form an oil phase;

(ii) dissolving or dispersing water-soluble carbohydrates (a) and further optional water-soluble or water-dispersible ingredients in water to form an aqueous phase;

(iii) mixing the aqueous phase from (ii) with the oil phase from (i);

(iv) pasteurizing the mixture;

(v) homogenizing the mixture;

(vi) cooling down the mixture quickly to a temperature of from 4 to 8° C.; and

(vii) aging the mixture at a temperature of from 3 to 7° C.