Fmc Corporation

Unilever Patent Holdings B.v.

Thomas Reid Kelly

Vijay Arjun Sawant

Bryan Edwin Barwick

Anthony Morrison

Philip C Bamford

Penelope E Smith

Problems with incipiently gelling alginate or low-methoxy pectate sols in a bath of an aqueous solution containing calcium ions are reduced by having in the bath a perforated support surface which can be oscillated. The surface is preferably oscillated horizontally and vertically and preferably these oscillations are synchronised. Transport means to remove the product from the bath can be provided at one end of the bath. It is advantageous to ensure that at the beginning of the vertical oscillation the horizontal oscillation is in the direction of such transport means. Portions of the sol can be formed by extrusion either below or above the surface of the bath. The process is particularly useful for sols which have a sugar content greater than 10%. The invention also provides equipment comprising such a perforated support surface. Although the equipment is particularly useful for preparing alginate and low-methoxy pectate products it can also be used advantageously for other products which are formed in a bath and are susceptible to damage before they solidify adequately.

Equipment

Our invention is concerned with a process and equipment and the resulting product. The process and equipment produce simulated cylindrical olive products with a central core. An aqueous alginate or low-methoxy pectate sol containing dispersed olive flesh is co-extruded through a nozzle with a stream of an aqueous solution containing dissolved calcium ions flowing through an inner core of the nozzle at not more than +/&#x2212;30&#xb0; to the horizontal into a bath of an aqueous solution containing dissolved calcium ions. The sol of alginate or low-methoxy pectate gels by diffusion of the calcium ions from the co-extruded stream containing dissolved calcium ions and from the aqueous solution containing dissolved calcium ions in the bath. A cylindrical tube of gelled alginate or low-methoxy pectate containing pulped olive is formed with a hollow core. Preferably the sol contains a calcium salt in addition to the dispersed olive flesh which calcium salt has insufficient free ions to gel the sol but in acidic conditions is soluble and so then can gel the sol. A plurality of nozzles can advantageously be used. The density of the solution in the bath is preferably greater than the density of the extruded sol.

Process and equipment for making simulated olive products by coextrusion, and obtainable product

The invention provides fruit-like products based on alginate or low-methoxy pectate gel which are spherical with two dimples spaced at opposite extremes of the sphere. These are prepared by extruding a sol through a cylindrical nozzle and at the same time extruding a gelling agent through a tube centrally located in the nozzle and co-terminous with it. The extrudate is cut off at the end of the nozzle below the surface of a bath of the gelling agent. The extrudate is allowed to gel by diffusion of calcium ions. The gelling agent is an aqueous solution containing calcium ions. The sol, which is an aqueous alginate or low-methoxy pectate sol, preferably contains dispersed fruit puree. Preferably the solution in the bath has a lower density than the density of the sol. In a preferred form of the invention equipment is used comprising a nozzle, a centrally spaced tube, a gelling bath and a perforated support surface in the bath for the gelling product.

Spherical gelled simulated fruit with dimples, and extrusion process

The invention relates to process and apparatus for creating shaped objects from incipiently gelling alginate or low-methoxy pectate sol in which the incipiently gelling sol is guided into cavities of a movable belt. V-shaped wiper blades can be used as guides. The sol is preferably fed onto the belt at a rate not greater than the volumetric feed rate of the cavities. The process and apparatus can be used to prepare such products as imitation fruit e.g. by incorporating pureed fruit in the incipiently gelling sol.

Process and apparatus

A method of treating maltodextrin by adding a seed material to an aqueous solution of a maltodextrin having a DE not exceeding about 6 and that is heated to a temperature of at least 70.degree. C. Addition of a seed material promotes aggregate formation and so promotes gelling, resulting in production of a firmer gel than conventionally obtainable. The invention also provides a method of treating maltodextrins by maintaining an aqueous solution or dispersion of maltodextrin having a DE not exceeding about 6 (e.g. Paselli SA2) at a temperature of less than 50.degree. C. for at least 1 hour; then heating the solution or dispersion to a temperature of at least 70.degree. C.; followed by cooling. Maltodextrin treated in this way forms a gel that is firmer in consistency than maltodextrin gels produced by conventional processes.

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Kettering, United Kingdom

Thomas Reid Kelly