U.S. patent application number 12/143656 was filed with the patent office on 2008-11-13 for aerated frozen suspensions with adjusted creaminess and scoop ability based on stress-controlled generation of superfine microstructures.
This patent application is currently assigned to NESTEC SA. Invention is credited to Uwe Tapfer, Erich J. Windhab.
Application Number | 20080280005 12/143656 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34138600 |
Filed Date | 2008-11-13 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080280005 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Windhab; Erich J. ; et
al. |
November 13, 2008 |
AERATED FROZEN SUSPENSIONS WITH ADJUSTED CREAMINESS AND SCOOP
ABILITY BASED ON STRESS-CONTROLLED GENERATION OF SUPERFINE
MICROSTRUCTURES
Abstract
Products that are aerated multiphase systems containing an
aqueous continuous fluid phase which may include solutes thus
forming an aqueous syrup and disperse phases like gas/air cells,
water ice crystals and solid/semi-solid fat globules or aggregates
thereof, whereas the disperse phases are that finely structured
that their mean diameters are below phase specific critical maximum
values and thereby generate a most preferred by consumers, full
rich silky-creamy mouth feel at much lower fat content than usual
in conventional related products like premium and super premium ice
creams.
Inventors: |
Windhab; Erich J.;
(Hemishofen, DE) ; Tapfer; Uwe; (Oakland,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WINSTON & STRAWN LLP;PATENT DEPARTMENT
1700 K STREET, N.W.
WASHINGTON
DC
20006
US
|
Assignee: |
NESTEC SA
|
Family ID: |
34138600 |
Appl. No.: |
12/143656 |
Filed: |
June 20, 2008 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
11589123 |
Oct 27, 2006 |
|
|
|
12143656 |
|
|
|
|
10886151 |
Jul 6, 2004 |
7261913 |
|
|
11589123 |
|
|
|
|
60485425 |
Jul 7, 2003 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
426/565 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A23G 9/20 20130101; A23G
9/46 20130101; A23G 9/224 20130101; A23G 9/48 20130101; A23G 9/22
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
426/565 |
International
Class: |
A23G 9/46 20060101
A23G009/46 |
Claims
1. A method for imparting enhanced creaminess to an aerated frozen
suspension, which comprises: partially freezing a solution that
includes a gas or air, a liquid watery fluid phase and a solid or
semi-solid dispersed phase at a temperature of lower than
-5.degree. C. under a shear force to form a partially frozen
aerated suspension in which more than 50 to 80% of freezable water
in the solution is converted to a frozen ice crystal state; and
subjecting the partially frozen aerated suspension to subsequent
freezing to convert any remaining freezable water to a frozen ice
crystal state and form a glassy aerated frozen suspension that
contains a superfine microstructure of ice crystals that imparts
enhanced creaminess compared to an aerated frozen suspension made
by partially freezing the same solution conventionally at a
temperature of about -5.degree. C. wherein less than 50% of
freezable water in the solution is initially converted to a frozen
ice crystal state.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the partial freezing is conducted
at a temperature of -10.degree. C. to -18.degree. C.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least about 55% of the
freezable water is converted to ice crystals during the partial
freezing.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the subsequent freezing is
carried out in a hardening tunnel or a cold storage room at
temperatures from -5.degree. C. to -40.degree. C.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein about 60% of the freezable water
is converted to ice crystals during the partial freezing and about
40% of the freezable water is converted to ice crystals during the
subsequent freezing.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein about 70% of the freezable water
is converted to ice crystals during the partial freezing and about
30% of the freezable water is converted to ice crystals during the
subsequent freezing.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein about 50 to 60% of the freezable
water is converted to ice crystals during the partial freezing, and
the subsequent freezing is conducted to first freeze an additional
fraction of about 30 to 40% of the freezable water in a hardening
tunnel at -40.degree. C. and then freeze another fraction of about
20% of the freezable water in a cold storage room at a temperature
of -25.degree. C. to -30.degree. C.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein 90% in number of the ice crystals
have a diameter that is less than 50 to 60 microns, 90% in number
of the air cells have a diameter that is less than 30 to 40
microns, and 90% in number of the fat agglomerates have a diameter
that is less than 30 to 100 microns.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein at least 50% in number of the ice
crystals have a diameter that is between 5 and 30 microns, at least
50% in number of the air cells have a diameter of between 8 and 10
microns, and more than 20% in volume of the fat globules or
agglomerates have a diameter that is between 2 to 20 microns.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the continuous phase includes
solutes and the dispersed phase includes gas/air cells, ice
crystals and fat globules or aggregates.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the dispersed phase is finely
structured with ice crystals having mean diameters that are below
phase specific critical maximum values.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein the superfine microstructure is
created during the partial freezing step using shear stresses
within the range of 2500 to 15000 Pa.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the creaminess of the product is
defined by a loss modulus G'' in the range of 10 to 5.times.10 Pa
in the state where 50 to 60% of the watery phase related to the
freezable water fraction is frozen; and wherein the loss modulus
G'' is measured in an oscillatory shear experiment at oscillation
frequencies between 1 and 2 Hz at shear strain amplitudes in the
linear viscoelastic range of the material where stress and strain
are proportional.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein the creaminess of the product
is further defined by a loss modulus G'' is in the range of 300 to
5000 Pa in a totally melted state of the product at temperatures of
+1 to +10.degree. C.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a Continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 11/589,123, filed on Oct. 27, 2006, which is a Continuation of
U.S. application Ser. No. 10/886,151, filed on Jul. 7, 2004, now
U.S. Pat. No. 7,261,913 B2, which claims the benefit of U.S.
provisional patent application No. 60/485,425, filed on Jul. 7,
2003; the contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by
reference thereto.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to aerated multiphase systems
containing an aqueous continuous fluid phase which may include
solutes, thus forming an aqueous syrup and disperse phases like
gas/air cells, water ice crystals and solid/semi-solid fat globules
or aggregates thereof, whereas the disperse phases are that finely
structured that their mean diameters are below phase specific
critical maximum values and thereby generate a most preferred by
consumers, full rich silky-creamy mouth feel at much lower fat
content than usual in conventional related products like premium
and super premium ice creams, and processes for their
manufacture.
[0003] In conventional frozen and aerated water-based ice slurries
of the ice cream type, creaminess is mainly generated by a disperse
fat phase forming globules with diameters between 0.5 and 2
microns, preferably below 1 micron, and/or fat globule aggregates
built due to partial coalescence of the primary fat globules. Such
interconnected fat globules/fat globule aggregates can form a
three-dimensional network thus stabilizing the air cells in the ice
cream structure, most obviously when the ice crystals are melted.
Fat globule networking in particular at the air cell interface is
supported by more hydrophobic fat globule surfaces. Those are more
available if emulsifiers like mono-/diglycerides containing a
larger fraction of unsaturated fatty acids support the de-hulling
of initially protein covered fat globules in the temperature range
where a major portion of the fat fraction crystallizes. In ice
creams, milk fat is generally used as the main fat component for
which the related relevant crystallizing temperature range is below
5 to 8.degree. C. The well stabilized air cells are mainly
responsible for the creaminess and texture sensation during ice
cream melting in the mouth. The more stable the air cell/foam
structure in the melted state during shear treatment between tongue
and palate, the more pronounced the creaminess is perceived.
Another but smaller direct contribution to the creaminess is
derived from medium sized fat globule aggregates below 30 micron.
If the fat globule aggregates become too large (larger than about
30-50 microns) the creamy sensation turns into a buttery, fatty
mouth feel.
[0004] It has been demonstrated how the diameter reduction of the
fat globules by applying higher homogenization pressure in ice
cream mix preparation supports the build-up of a fat globule
network, improving air cell/foam structure stability and related
creaminess.
[0005] The scoop ability of frozen, aerated slurries like ice cream
is mainly related to the ice crystal structure, in particular the
ice crystal size and their inter-connectivity. Scoop ability is a
very relevant quality characteristic of ice creams in the low
temperature range between -20.degree. C. and -15.degree. C., right
after removing from the freezer. In conventional ice cream
manufacture partial freezing is done in continuous or batch
freezers (=cooled scraped surface heat exchangers) down to outlet
temperatures of about -5.degree. C. Then the ice cream slurry is
filled into cups or formed e.g. at the outlet of extrusion dies.
Following this the products are hardened in freezing systems with
coolant temperatures of around -40.degree. C. until a product core
temperature of about -20.degree. C. is reached. Then the products
are stored and/or distributed. After the pre-freezing step in the
scraped surface heat exchanger (=ice cream freezer) in conventional
ice cream recipes, about 40-45% of the freezable water is frozen as
water ice crystals. Another fraction of about 25-30% is still
liquid. Most of this fraction freezes during further cooling in the
hardening system. In this production step, the ice cream is in a
state of rest. Consequently the additionally frozen water
crystallizes at the surfaces of the existing ice crystals, thus
causing their growth from about 20 microns to 50 microns and
larger. Some of the initial ice crystals are also interconnected
thus forming a three-dimensional ice crystal network. If such a
network is formed the ice cream behaves like a solid body and the
scoop ability becomes very poor.
[0006] It has been shown that the ice crystal growth during
cooling/hardening is claimed to be restricted by the use of
anti-freeze proteins. This is also expected to have a positive
impact on the ice crystal connectivity with respect to improved
scoop ability.
[0007] It has also been claimed that the use of other specific
ingredients like low melting vegetable fat, polyol fatty acid
polyesters or specific sugars like sucrose/maltose mixtures are
claimed to soften the related ice cream products thus improving
scoop ability and creaminess.
[0008] Finally reference has been made to specific processing
equipment, mostly single or twin screw cooled extruders, in order
to modify the ice cream microstructure for improving the texture
and stability properties.
[0009] It has not yet been recognized that all of the disperse
phases in aerated frozen ice cream-like slurries can be reduced or
modified in size and/or connectivity on the basis of a mechanical
shear treatment principle. Thus the mechanical shear treatment
principle can effectively contribute to the adjustment of
microstructure related quality characteristics like scoop ability
and creaminess.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The present invention provides products that are aerated
multiphase systems containing an aqueous continuous fluid phase
which may include solutes thus forming an aqueous syrup and
disperse phases like gas/air cells, water ice crystals and
solid/semi-solid fat globules or aggregates thereof, whereas the
disperse phases are that finely structured that their mean
diameters are below phase specific critical maximum values and
thereby generate a most preferred by consumers, full rich
silky-creamy mouth feel at much lower fat content than usual in
conventional related products like premium and super premium ice
creams.
[0011] The present invention also provides a process that may use a
variety of mechanical moving tools like stirrers, rollers, bands,
blades and the-like as the mechanical first major component to
generate a uniform shear flow field between them or between them
and fixed walls. The second major component of the inventive
process is a thermal cooling system which cools the moving or fixed
tools/walls down to temperatures slightly warmer than the glass
transition temperature Tg' of the multiphase fluid system.
According to the inventive idea the mechanical stresses acting in
the process are applied in such a way that each volume unit of the
fluid system experiences the same stress history (=same stresses
and same stress-related residence times). At the same time the
applied shear treatment is adjusted such, that the heat transfer
from the fluid to the cooling agent in a final treatment state of
the fluid system, with more than 60-70% of the freezable watery
fluid phase forming ice crystals, and/or the total disperse solids
content in the non aerated material fraction (water ice
crystals+fat globules+eventually other disperse solids) exceeding
50% vol., is still sufficient to transfer the heat generated by
viscous friction due to shearing of the material to the cooling
agent without re-melting the partially frozen aerated system.
[0012] Surprisingly it was found, that when shear stresses within a
distinct range of 5000-75000 Pa, preferably 10000-15000 Pa, act on
the microstructure of frozen aerated slurries like ice cream [in
which more than 50-60% of the freezable continuous liquid phase, in
general water, is frozen], all typical disperse structuring
components like ice crystals, air cells and fat globules or
agglomerates thereof are more finely structured. This happens to
such an extent, that scoop ability and creaminess characteristics
are most positively influenced, as long as the dissipated viscous
friction energy is efficiently transferred to a cooling system at
the same time.
[0013] This principle works independent of the apparatus choice and
apparatus geometry if the presumptions of homogeneous shear force
input, heat transfer and narrow residence time distribution are
fulfilled for all volume units.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a graph illustrating ice crystal diameter vs.
cumulative number distribution of the present invention vs. a
conventional freezer;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a graph illustrating aircell diameter of the
present invention vs. a conventional freezer;
[0016] FIG. 3 is a graph illustrating milk fat particle diameter of
the present invention vs. a conventional freezer for 8% milk fat
ice cream formulation;
[0017] FIG. 3A is another graph illustrating particle diameter of
the present invention vs. a conventional freezer for 5.5% milk fat
ice cream formulation;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a graph illustrating storage/loss moduli vs.
temperature of the present invention vs. a conventional
freezer;
[0019] FIG. 5 illustrates an oscillatory shear rheometer;
[0020] FIG. 6 is a graph illustrating storage/loss moduli vs.
temperature of the present invention vs. a conventional
freezer;
[0021] FIG. 7 is a graph illustrating sensory scores of the present
invention vs. conventional products; and
[0022] FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate test market scores of the present
invention vs. conventional products.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] The present invention relates to frozen or partially frozen
concentrated water based aerated slurries like e.g. ice cream or
other frozen deserts which are mechanically treated by means of
mechanical tools generating shear flow with large acting shear
stresses, thus reducing contained disperse phases like ice
crystals/ice crystal agglomerates, gas/air cells and fat
globules/fat globule aggregates in size. According to the present
invention this shear treatment is applied to such an extent that in
the final product the ice crystal mean diameter (mean value of the
volume distribution) does not exceed 30 microns, 10 microns are not
exceeded for the gas/air cell mean diameter and 100 microns for the
fat globule aggregate diameter.
[0024] At the same time, the energy dissipation rate is kept
smaller than the heat transfer rate to the cooling agent, because
otherwise the ice crystals would partially or fully re-melt.
Furthermore this mechanical treatment of the frozen aerated slurry
is uniform with respect to the acting stresses and treatment time
for each volume element of the mass.
[0025] According to the present invention, this is realized by
applying the high shear forces at such low temperatures where more
than 50 to 60% of the freezable water fraction is in the frozen ice
crystal state.
[0026] The maximum freezable water fraction cg' is recipe-specific.
For a pure watery sucrose solution between 75 to 80% are measured
for cg'. If this maximum freeze concentration state is reached the
remaining liquid water fraction is a highly concentrated sucrose
syrup which solidifies in a glassy state if the temperature is
further reduced thus undergoing the so-called glass transition
temperature Tg'. If the added sugars have a lower molecular weight
compared to sucrose, Tg' is shifted to lower temperatures, if
larger e.g. oligo- and/or polysaccharide molecules are added Tg' is
accordingly shifted to higher Tg' values. All molecules dissolved
or colloidally dispersed in the continuous watery phase of the
frozen aerated slurry have a related influence on the glass
transition temperature Tg' of the mass. cg', denoting the freezable
water fraction depends as well on the composition of the molecule
species, which are solved in the continuous water phase.
[0027] If the ice crystal concentration reaches 50-60% of cg'
(=50-60% of the freezable water in the frozen state), the liquid
watery continuous phase is already in a highly concentrated syrup
state containing e.g. sugars, polysaccharides and proteins in
regular ice cream recipes.
EXAMPLES
Example 1
[0028] In a typical ice cream recipe with total dry matter content
of about 40% (related to total mass) and 60% of water, a total
freezable water fraction of 75% (cg'=0.75; related to the pure
water phase) is equivalent to 45% of maximum frozen water content
related to the total mass. If in such a system 50% of the freezable
water are frozen, this is consequently equivalent to 22.5% of
frozen water, related to the total mass. If the total non-dissolved
solids fraction is calculated related to the total mass about 10%
of fat globules/fat globule aggregates have to be added to the
disperse ice crystal fraction of 22.5% (for this example). Such a
slurry containing 32.5 weight % (=equal to about 32.5 volume % due
to the density of the solids close to water density) of disperse
phase is a highly concentrated suspension in which the solid
particles sterically interact with each other if a shear flow is
applied.
[0029] If such a concentrated suspension is additionally aerated
with typically about 50% of gas/air volume related to the total
volume under atmospheric pressure conditions, the liquid fluid
phase is additionally, partially immobilized within the foam
lamellae which leads to a further increase in aerated slurry
viscosity.
[0030] According to these structure/phase conditions frozen aerated
water slurries like conventional ice cream form a highly viscous
mass with dynamic viscosities in the range of about 500-1500 Pas at
shear rates of about 10 l/s, if 50% of the freezable water are
frozen. Depending on freezing point depression and glass transition
temperature Tg' which depend on the composition of ingredients
which are soluble in the continuous water phase, the 50% frozen
state (related to the freezable water fraction) is reached at
different temperatures. For conventional ice creams this is in the
range of around -10 to -11.degree. C. Related mean dynamic
viscosities are around 1000 Pas (at shear rate of 10 l/s) as stated
before. Further decrease in temperature related to further increase
in frozen ice fraction, increases viscosity exponentially up to
about 3000 Pas (shear rate 10 l/s) at -15.degree. C. The related
acting shear stresses at shear rates of 10 l/s are given by the
product of dynamic viscosity and shear rate, which results in a
shear stress of 30000 Pa at -15.degree. C. for the example given
before.
[0031] If such large shear forces are applied to the aerated frozen
slurries, the specific mechanical power input (power per volume of
the slurry) which is transferred into micro-structuring work as
well as into viscous friction heat is approximately proportional to
the dynamic viscosity and proportional to the square of the shear
rate. This means for the given example, that at -15.degree. C. and
a shear rate of 10 l/s a power of about 3 kW per liter slurry will
be dissipated. For comparison, at -12.degree. C. there will be
about 0.6 kW/liter.
[0032] The power input or respectively related energy input
(=power.times.residence time) will partially be consumed by
micro-structuring work within the partially frozen slurry causing
air cell, fat globule/fat globule agglomerate and ice crystal/ice
crystal agglomerate deformation and/or break-up. Another second
major part of the power/energy input during shear treatment will be
consumed by Coulomb friction between the solid disperse components
and viscous friction within the continuous fluid phase.
[0033] If the friction energy is not efficiently transferred to a
cooling medium via cooled walls or cooled shearing tools, local
heating and re-melting of ice crystals has to be expected.
Consequently the shear treatment in the highly frozen state at
>50-60% of frozen water fraction (related to the freezable water
fraction) will be limited by the heat transfer to the cooling
medium.
[0034] According to the present invention the micro-structuring
which is relevant to change the microstructure of frozen aerated
slurries to such an extent, that scoop ability and creaminess are
remarkably and significantly (based on consumer tests) improved, is
reached in the low shear rate range between 1-50 l/s preferably
1-20 l/s at shear stresses acting in the range of 2000 to 75000 Pa,
preferably between 10000 and 15000 Pa at ice crystal fractions
larger than 50-60% of the maximum freezable fraction of the liquid
(water) phase.
[0035] Conventionally ice cream as a well known frozen aerated
slurry is continuously partially frozen in scraped surface heat
exchangers so-called ice cream freezers. Air is dispersed in
parallel in the flow around the rotating scraper blades. At a
conventional draw temperature of about -5.degree. C. the relative
amount of frozen water is about 40% related to the freezable water
fraction. An additional water fraction of about 30-40% (related to
the freezable water fraction) is subsequently frozen in a hardening
tunnel (-40.degree. C. air temperature, 2-6 hours residence time)
and finally another 20% in a cold storage room (-25 to -30.degree.
C.).
[0036] In contrast in the shear treatment according to the
invention the frozen aerated slurry (e.g. ice cream) is
continuously frozen to draw temperatures of about -12 to
-18.degree. C. and related fractions of the freezable water of
about 50 to 80%. When the mass temperature decreases from -5 to
about -15.degree. C., viscosity increases by 2 to 3 decades.
[0037] High shear forces at low temperatures are forming a finely
disperse microstructure (ice crystals, air cells, fat globules and
agglomerates thereof). To obtain improved product quality with
respect to scoop ability and creaminess, two disperse
structure-related criteria classes are of importance: [0038] 1.
Characteristic size below a critical size: ice crystals, air cells,
fat globules and agglomerates thereof have to be smaller than
specific critical diameters in order to avoid unwanted structure
characteristics causing reduced consumer acceptance which were
found to be about 50-60 microns to avoid iciness and roughness for
the ice crystals and their agglomerates, about 30-40 microns for
air cells to avoid too fast coalescence and structure break-down
during melting in the mouth and about 30-100 microns for fat
globule agglomerates to avoid a buttery and/or fatty mouthfeel. Due
to the existence of size distributions these criteria have to be
interpreted as 90% in number of the related disperse
particles/agglomerates shall be below these critical diameter
values. [0039] 2. Increased fraction within a specific size range:
ice crystals, air cells, fat globules and agglomerates thereof
shall be in a specific diameter range in order to enhance positive
sensory and stability characteristics. At least 50% in number of
ice crystals/ice crystal agglomerates in a size range between 5 and
30 microns (or mean value below 8-10 microns) together with a low
degree of ice crystal interconnectivity improve scoop ability and
creaminess. At least 50% in number of air cells in the diameter
range between 2-10 microns (or mean value below 8-10 microns)
delays bubble coarsening by coalescence during melting in the mouth
so strongly, that creaminess sensation is significantly enhanced.
The volume of fat globules/fat globule agglomerates in the size
range between 2-20 microns have a significant direct impact on
improving creaminess sensation in the mouth and also contribute to
increased air cell structure stability against coalescence thus
supporting also indirectly the creaminess attribute.
[0040] The criteria under class 1 are partially fulfilled by
existing processing techniques for ice cream. The criteria package
under class 2 is only fulfilled by the present invention-based
treatment of related aerated frozen slurries in shear flows
according to the shear rate, shear stress, mechanical power
consumption and heat transfer criteria described in detail
herein.
Example 2
[0041] In the following using ice cream as a typical aerated frozen
slurry example, the structure criteria given before as well as the
relationship to the sensory characteristics of scoop ability and
creaminess shall be exemplary described.
[0042] In micro-structuring studies in accordance with the present
invention, the influence of low temperature, low shear treatment at
ice crystal fractions larger than 50-60% has been investigated for
a conventional vanilla ice cream with total dry matter content of
38% including 8% of milk fat and compared with conventionally
treated/manufactured ice cream.
[0043] For this ice cream system it was shown that the mean ice
crystal size in the freshly produced ice cream by low temperature,
low shear treatment was reduced by the factor of 2-3 compared to a
conventionally freezered (scraped surface heat exchanger) and
hardened ice cream of the same recipe. The related size
distribution functions of the ice crystals are given in FIG. 1.
[0044] Air cell sizes were also reduced by a factor of 2.8 using
the inventive low temperature low shear treatment as demonstrated
in FIG. 2.
[0045] The influence of low temperature low shear processing on the
fat globule and fat globule aggregate structure is given in FIG. 3
for a 8% milk fat containing ice cream formulation. Most
significant changes in the fat globule aggregate size distribution
are seen in the size range of 2-20 microns where a two-fold
increase with the inventive treatment is reached compared to the
conventional Freezer treatment. Furthermore using two levels of
high shear for the inventive treatment, both under required heat
transfer conditions, increased shear stress leads to an increased
fraction of fat globule aggregates in the denoted size range.
Similar trends are shown in FIG. 3A for a 5.5% milk fat containing
ice cream formulation. The size range of 2-20 micron is increased
at least two-fold. Simultaneously the larger fat globule aggregate
size distribution in the range of 20-100 micron, resulting in an
unpleasant buttery and/or fatty mouthfeel, is significantly
reduced.
[0046] Within the following paragraph, the relationships of
disperse microstructure and sensory perception of scoop ability and
creaminess shall be explained. A crucial analytical tool to
describe the microstructure-sensory quality relationships is
rheometry which deals with flow measurements in order to
characterize viscous and elastic material functions which are then
correlated with the sensory characteristics of scoop ability and
creaminess received from consumer tests.
[0047] The relevant rheological test is a small deformation shear
test (oscillatory shear) which is adapted to the typical flow
characteristics in the consumer's mouth between tongue and palate.
Consequently two parallel plates, simulating tongue and palate are
used between which a tablet like cut sample of the frozen aerated
slurry (here: ice cream) is placed and slightly compressed to fix
it. The surfaces of the two plates are of well-defined roughness in
order to avoid wall slip effects. The shear frequency is also
adapted to typical moving frequencies of the tongue relative to the
palate in testing creaminess between 0.5 and 2 Hertz (here 1.6 Hz
fixed). The shear amplitude is chosen rather small, such that
non-linear effects in the stress-strain dependencies are minimized.
During oscillatory shear the temperature of the sample is changed
from -20 (initial storage state) up to +10.degree. C. which
represents the fully melted state in the mouth. The time for the
temperature sweep is fixed to 1 hour in order to get the sample
fully equilibrated for each temperature increment.
[0048] The rheological characteristics measured are the so-called
storage modulus G' representing the elastic material properties and
the loss modulus G'' describing the viscous properties of the
sample. From the elastic modulus G' the networking properties of
the disperse structure like interconnectivity can be derived, from
the viscous modulus G' the viscous shear flow behavior is
received.
[0049] It was shown that both moduli G' and G'' show a typical
dependency from temperature which consists of a more or less
pronounced plateau value domain in the temperature range between
-20.degree. C. and -10.degree. C. (zone I), a strong decrease of
the moduli in the temperature range between -10.degree. C. and
0.degree. C. (zone II) and a plateau domain of the moduli in the
"high temperature" range between 0.degree. C. and +10.degree. C.
(zone III) as demonstrated in FIG. 4.
[0050] Ice cream samples were drawn either after conventional
freezing or low temperature low shear treatment exemplary carried
out in an extruder device. In order to guarantee a high
reproducibility of the rheological measurements a constant sample
preparation procedure was performed prior to oscillation rheometry.
At a temperature of about -20.degree. C. ice cream tablets with a
diameter of 25 mm and a height of 5 mm were formed a using
cylindrical cutting device. The samples were then stored at a
temperature of -20.degree. C. and measured either directly after or
24 hours after preparation.
[0051] The oscillatory shear measurements were carried out using a
rotational rheometer (Physica MCR 300, shown in FIG. 5) with a
plate-plate geometry (diameter 25 mm). Using Peltier-elements at
the upper and lower plate a negligible temperature gradient within
the sample was achieved. A moveable hood covering the plate-plate
geometry prevented the heat exchange with the environment.
[0052] The results of measurements with conventionally and low
temperature low shear treated samples are given in FIG. 6. These
results are interpreted within the three zones I-III as follows
taking the related microstructure into account:
[0053] Zone I: (-20.degree. C. to -10.degree. C.)
[0054] The ice crystal microstructure is dominating the rheological
behavior. A more pronounced decrease of the elastic modulus G' in
comparison to G'' from -20.degree. C. to -10.degree. C. can be
attributed to the decrease of the solid body like behavior and loss
of interconnectivity of ice crystals with decreasing ice fraction.
The loss modulus, shows an upper slightly pronounced plateau level,
which corresponds to the viscous behavior and flow-ability of ice
cream in the low temperature range (FIG. 4). In sensory terms the
level of G' and G'' below a temperature of -10.degree. C. can be
correlated to the rigidity and scoop ability of ice cream. The
samples which were treated according to the inventive procedure
show a strongly reduced plateau value of the moduli in this
temperature zone I compared to the conventionally processed samples
(factor 4.5 at -15.degree. C.) thus clearly indicating the reduced
rigidity and reduced interconnectivity of the ice crystal structure
(FIG. 6 exemplary for the G'' temperature dependency).
[0055] Zone II: (-10.degree. C. to 0.degree. C.)
[0056] As the ice crystals are melting and losing connectivity
completely with increasing temperature in this zone, G' and G'' are
decreasing more rapidly (FIG. 4). The steeper the slope of the
G'/G''-temperature functions the faster the ice cream melts. Faster
melting requires a larger heat flux from the mouth to the ice cream
sample. Consequently a steep slope corresponds to a more pronounced
sensorial impression of coldness. The samples which were treated
according to the inventive procedure show a reduced slope of the
G'' temperature dependency (FIG. 6) indicating the sensory
impression of a "warmer" mouth feel during melting and/or a higher
melting resistance.
[0057] Zone III:
[0058] In the temperature range between 0 and 10.degree. C. G' and
G'' show a well-defined lower plateau level (FIG. 4). All ice is
melted in this temperature range, therefore only the disperse air-
and fat-phases have an impact on the rheological and quality
characteristics. The loss modulus G'' plateau in this temperature
zone is highly correlated to the perception of creaminess. The
samples which were treated according to the inventive procedure
show a strongly increased plateau value of G'' (factor 2) in this
temperature zone III (FIG. 6) compared to the conventionally
processed samples thus indicating the increased foam structure
stability of the melted system which is supported by smaller air
cell size and improved stabilization of these air cells by more
efficient fat globule aggregates in the size range between 2 and 20
microns.
[0059] The Correlation between Oscillation Thermo-Rheometry (OTR)
and sensorial perception studies of ice cream scoop ability and
creaminess were investigated with a trained panel of 7 experts. In
the related sensorial studies it was shown that scoop ability and
creaminess of ice cream can be closely correlated with the upper
loss modulus G''-plateau values in the low temperature zone I
(scoop ability) and the lower G''-plateau values in the high
temperature zone III (creaminess). The scoop ability and creaminess
were classified by the panelists according to a 6 point sensory
scale with 6 being the highest positive score.
[0060] In FIG. 7 the average sensory score values of the 8
panelists is related to the measured G'' plateau values in the low
temperature and high temperature zones I and III. Both
characteristics for scoop ability and for creaminess fit to an
exponential relationship as indicated by the straight approximation
of the functional dependencies in the semi-logarithmic plot (log
G'' versus sensory average score).
[0061] Scoop ability got a higher score for lower G'' plateau
values in the low temperature zone I. The creaminess was evaluated
the better the higher the G'' high temperature (zone III) plateau
value measured in the molten state.
[0062] If conventionally processed ice cream was additionally
treated with the inventive procedure the G'' plateau value
decreased at a temperature of -15.degree. C., but increased in the
molten state (FIG. 6). As indicated in FIG. 8 the inventive
treatment increased the sensory quality score on the sensory scale
by about 1 point on a 9 point scale. However the functional
dependency (curve) was still fitted. This was found for the scoop
ability as well as for the creaminess attributes.
[0063] These results clearly indicate the impression of the sensory
panelists that the inventive low temperature shear (LTS) treatment
of ice cream samples improves the scoop ability and creaminess
behavior of frozen aerated slurries strongly (FIG. 7). A shift of
about 2 score points indicates the commercial and marketing related
relevance of the inventive treatment.
[0064] In order to confirm this outlook, market tests with LTS
treated ice cream samples and conventionally processed ice cream
samples of the same recipe have been performed on a test market.
The market overall acceptance scores significantly confirmed that
the consumers of the test market gave clear preference to the LTS
treated samples of the same recipes (indicated with "ET" in the
list of tested products in FIGS. 8 and 9) compared to the
conventionally produced ice creams.
[0065] The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the
present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration
and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit
the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many
modifications and variations are possible in light of the above
teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to
best explain the principles of the invention and its practical
application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best
utilize the invention and various embodiments with various
modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It
is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the
claims appended hereto and their equivalents.
* * * * *