Sweetened food product and methods of preparation
Described are coated food products having a sugar (sucrose) coating, the coating exhibiting desirable levels of sucrose crystallinity and a desired sucrose ratio (total sucrose per total soluble solids), as well as methods or preparing such coated food products and coating.
1. A method for preparing a pre-sweetened comestible comprising a base and a coating, the method comprising:
providing a base, and
forming a coating on the base by:
applying a non-sucrose slurry to the base
separately applying a sucrose slurry comprising sucrose and water to the non-sucrose slurry-coated base, wherein the sucrose slurry is different from the non-sucrose slurry and directly applied to the non-sucrose slurry-coated base.
2. The method according to claim 1 wherein
the sucrose slurry comprises from about 80 to about 100 weight percent sucrose and from about 0 to about 20 weight percent non-sucrose solids on a dry basis, and
the non-sucrose slurry comprises at least about 70 weight percent non-sucrose soluble solids on a dry basis.
3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the sucrose slurry, the non-sucrose slurry, or the sucrose slurry and the non-sucrose slurry together, comprise from about 0 to about 1 weight percent soluble salt, and from about 0 to about 15 weight percent insoluble flavorant, on a dry basis.
4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the sucrose slurry comprises at least about 80 weight percent sucrose, and the non-sucrose slurry comprises at least 80 weight percent non-sucrose soluble solids.
5. The method according to claim 1 comprising drying the coating to a dried coating, wherein the percent crystallinity of sucrose in the dried coating is a value y or greater calculated according to the formula:
crystallinity( y )≥2.28 x 2 −1.19 x+ 0.28
wherein x is a ratio of weight sucrose per total weight soluble solids in the coating.
6. The method according to claim 2 wherein the sucrose slurry comprises at least about 80 weight percent sucrose, and the non-sucrose slurry comprises at least 80 weight percent non-sucrose soluble solids.
7. The method according to claim 6 comprising drying the coating to a dried coating, wherein the percent crystallinity of sucrose in the dried coating is a value y or greater calculated according to the formula:
crystallinity( y )≥2.28 x 2 −1.19 x+ 0.28
wherein x is a ratio of weight sucrose per total weight soluble solids in the coating.
8. The method according to claim 7 wherein the sucrose slurry, the non-sucrose slurry, or the sucrose slurry and the non-sucrose slurry together, comprise from about 0 to about 1 weight percent soluble salt, and from about 0 to about 15 weight percent insoluble flavorant, on a dry basis.
9. The method according to claim 1 wherein the base constitutes breakfast cereal pieces.
10. The method according to claim 1 wherein the coating includes, in combination with the sucrose slurry and the non-sucrose slurry, a sweet oil.
11. A method for preparing a pre-sweetened comestible comprising a base and a coating, the method comprising:
providing a base, and
forming a coating on the base by:
applying a non-sucrose slurry to the base
separately applying a sucrose slurry comprising sucrose and water to the non-sucrose slurry-coated base, wherein the sucrose slurry is different from the non-sucrose slurry and forms the outer surface of the pre-sweetened comestible.
12. A method for preparing a pre-sweetened comestible comprising a base and a coating, the method comprising:
providing a base, and
forming a coating on the base by:
applying a non-sucrose slurry to the base
separately applying a sucrose slurry comprising sucrose and water to the non-sucrose slurry-coated base, wherein the sucrose slurry comprises at least 80 weight percent sucrose.
13. A method for preparing a pre-sweetened comestible comprising a base and a coating, the method comprising:
providing a base, and
forming a coating on the base by:
applying a non-sucrose slurry to the base
separately applying a sucrose slurry comprising sucrose and water to the non-sucrose slurry-coated base, wherein the sucrose slurry is different from the non-sucrose slurry and contains from about 10 to about 35 weight percent moisture.
14. The method according to claim 1 wherein the sucrose slurry forms a coating layer including sucrose crystals.