Acid-thickened food compositions and products

1. A food composition consisting essentially of sweetened condensed milk, flavoring other than lemon or lime, optionally one or more eggs, optionally one or more thickening agents, and a sufficient amount of one or more edible acids to thicken the food composition to a viscosity that is greater than 5000 cps and at least 200% greater than the viscosity of said food composition in the absence of said one or more edible acids when measured at room temperature or refrigerator temperature, said food composition having a pH of from about 3.2 to about 4.7.

2. The food composition of claim 1 wherein the pH of the composition is from about 3.4 to about 4.7.

3. The food composition of claim 1 wherein the pH of the composition is from about 3.4 to about 4.6.

4. The food composition of claim 1 wherein the pH of the composition is about 4.6.

5. The food composition of claim 1 wherein said edible acid is selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, adipic acid, ascorbic acid, citric acid, glucono delta lactone, fumaric acid, lactic acid, malic acid, phosphoric acid, an acid phosphate, succinic acid, tartaric acid and potassium acid tartrate.

6. The food composition of claim 1 wherein said edible acid is selected from the group consisting of adipic acid, ascorbic acid, citric acid, fumaric acid, malic acid and tartaric acid.

7. The food composition of claim 1 wherein said edible acid is ascorbic acid.

8. The food composition of claim 1 wherein said edible acid is citric acid.

9. The food composition of claim 1 wherein said edible acid is malic acid.

10. The food composition of claim 1 wherein said edible acid is tartaric acid.

11. The food composition of claim 1 comprising ascorbic acid and tartaric acid.

12. The food composition of claim 1 comprising malic acid, citric acid and tartaric acid.

13. The food composition of claim 1 comprising from about 2 g to about 10 g edible acids per kilogram of the food composition.

14. The food composition of claim 1 comprising from about 4 g to about 8 g edible acids per kilogram of the food composition.

15. The food composition of claim 1 comprising about 2 g edible acids per kilogram of the food composition.

16. The food composition of claim 1 comprising about 4 g edible acids per kilogram of the food composition.

17. The food composition of claim 1 comprising about 6 g edible acids per kilogram of the food composition.

18. The food composition of claim 1 comprising about 8 g edible acids per kilogram of the food composition.

19. The food composition of claim 1 comprising from about 4 g ascorbic acid and about 4 g tartaric acid per kilogram of the food composition.

20. The food composition of claim 1 comprising egg.

21. The food composition of claim 20 wherein the egg is in the form of egg yolk or egg white or both egg yolk and egg white.

22. The food composition of claim 21 comprising three to five egg yolks per kilogram of the food composition.

23. The food composition of claim 21 comprising whipped egg whites.

24. The food composition of claim 1 wherein said flavoring is selected from the group consisting of allspice, almond, amaretto, apple cider, applesauce, apricot, banana, berry, blackberry, blueberry, brown sugar, butter pecan, buttermilk, cantaloupe, cherry, cinnamon, clove, cognac, daiquiri, eggnog, fruit punch, ginger, grape, grapefruit, hazelnut, hibiscus, honeydew, kiwi, mango, margarita, mixed berry, mixed fruit, mojito, nutmeg, orange, orange-vanilla, passionfruit, peach, peppermint, pina colada, pineapple, pistachio, plum, pomegranate, raspberry, rum, saffron, sangria, strawberry, strawberry-banana, sugar, tamarind, tangelo, tangerine, tequila, tropical fruit, tropical punch, tutti frutti, walnut, wine and wintergreen.

25. A pie comprising the food composition of claim 1 .

26. A custard comprising the food composition of claim 1 .

27. A pudding comprising the food composition of claim 1 .

28. The food composition of claim 1 wherein said viscosity is at least 300% greater than the viscosity of said food composition in the absence of said one or more edible acids.

29. The food composition of claim 1 wherein said viscosity is at least 400% greater than the viscosity of said food composition in the absence of said one or more edible acids.

30. The food composition of claim 1 wherein said viscosity is at least 500% greater than the viscosity of said food composition in the absence of said one or more edible acids.

31. The food composition of claim 1 that consists essentially of said sweetened condensed milk, said flavoring other than lemon or lime, and said sufficient amount of one or more edible acids.

32. The food composition of claim 1 wherein said flavoring agent is selected from the group consisting of ababai, acerola, allspice, almond, amaretto, anise, apple cider, apple juice, apple pie, applesauce, apple spice, apricot, banana, berry, blackberry, dewberry, boysenberry, loganberry, raspberry, blueberry, cranberry, huckleberry, lingonberry, strawberry, elderberry, gooseberry, mulberry, black walnut, bourbon, brandy, brown sugar, bubble gum, burgundy, butter pecan, buttermilk, butter rum, butterscotch, cantaloupe, cappuccino, caramel, carbonated beverage, cardamom, carrot, cashew, casaba, cassis, champagne, Chardonnay, cheesecake, cherry, cherry cola, chocolate, chocolate ribbon, chocolate ripple, cinnamon, cinnamon sugar, citrus, clove, cocoa, coconut, coffee, coffee liqueur, cognac, cola, cotton candy, cranberry, cream, cream soda, creme brulee, currant, red currant, black currant, white currant, custard, custard cream, daiquiri, dragonfruit, dulce de leche, durien, eclair, egg, eggnog, feijoa, fig, five spice, French vanilla, fruit punch, galangal, ginger, ginger ale, grape, grapefruit, grenadine, guanabana, guava, hazelnut, hibiscus, honey, honeydew, Irish cream, kiwi, lavender, licorice, liqueur, lychee, macadamia, mai tai, mace, mahlab, mango, mangosteen, maple, margarita, marshmallow, milk, mint, peppermint, spearmint, doublemint, wintergreen, mixed berry, mixed fruit, mojito, molasses, nectarine, nutmeg, oatmeal, orange, sweet orange, navel orange, valencia orange, mandarin orange, blood orange, scarlet navel orange, tangerine, tangelo, orange liqueur, orange mint, orange peel, orange-vanilla, orange water, orange blossom water, orange flower water, orange spice, papaya, passionfruit, peach, pear, peppermint, pina colada, pineapple, pistachio, plum, pluot, pomegranate, praline, prune, pumpkin, pumpkin pie, pumpkin spice, quince, raisin, rambutan, raspberry, rhubarb, root beer, rose, rose hip, rosemary, rose water, rum, saffron, sangria, sesame, soda, sour cream, soursop, soy, spearmint, star fruit, strawberry, strawberry-banana, strawberry-kiwi, strawberry-lime, strawberry-melon, sugar, sumac, sweet potato, sweetsop, tamarind, tangelo, tangerine, tequila, thyme, tiramisu, toffee, triple sec, tropical fruit, tropical punch, tutti frutti, vanilla, vanilla bean, walnut, watermelon, whisky, white chocolate, wild berry, wine, yam, yerba buena and yogurt.

33. A method of making a food composition according to claim 1 comprising the step of contacting sweetened condensed milk with a flavoring other than lemon or lime and with a sufficient amount of one or more edible acids to thicken said food composition to a viscosity that is at least 200% greater than the viscosity of said food composition in the absence of said one or more edible acids, thereby yielding said food composition.

34. The method of claim 33 further comprising the step of refrigerating said food composition.

35. The method of claim 33 further comprising the step of freezing said food composition.

36. The method of claim 33 further comprising the step of incubating said food composition at about 325° F.

37. The method of claim 36 further comprising the step of refrigerating said food composition.

38. The method of claim 36 further comprising the step of freezing said food composition.