US4362758A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Process for producing a low-calorie spread
Assignee: Lever Brothers Co
•
Filing: 1981-09-25
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Granted: 1982-12-07
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Expires: 2001-09-25
Abstract
Abstract A process for producing a low-calorie spread which comprises (1) proportioning a liquid fat phase and a proteinaceous, gelled aqueous phase into a rotating container in which conditions prevail which promote the formation of an oil-in-water emulsion; (2) cooling and working the o/w emulsion thus obtained in at least one surface-scraped heat exchanger to achieve crystallization of at least part of the fat; (3) feeding the emulsion thus obtained into a rotating container under conditions conducive to substantially complete phase inversion.
Inventors
- 👤 Avril B. McNeill
- 👤 Neil G. Hargreaves
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 03:14
CPC Classifications
A; A23; A23D; A23D7/00; A23D7/015
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
132 words
A process for producing a low-calorie food spread comprising (i) producing an oil-in-water emulsion by proportioning (a) a liquid fat phase comprising a plastic fat blend of a hardness not exceeding 3,000 g/cm 2 at 5° C. which constitutes less than 65 wt.% of the total emulsion, and (b) a gelled aqueous phase containing at least 0.01 wt.% protein, into a container which rotates at a speed such that the rotated emulsion emerging from said container is water-continuous; (ii) subjecting the oil-in-water emulsion thus obtained to cooling and working in at least one surface-scraped heat exchanger to crystallize at least part of the fat; (iii) feeding the emulsion obtained in step (ii) into a container which is rotated at a speed conducive to substantially complete phase inversion to obtain a water-in-oil emulsion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
132 words
A process for producing a low-calorie food spread comprising (i) producing an oil-in-water emulsion by proportioning (a) a liquid fat phase comprising a plastic fat blend of a hardness not exceeding 3,000 g/cm 2 at 5° C. which constitutes less than 65 wt.% of the total emulsion, and (b) a gelled aqueous phase containing at least 0.01 wt.% protein, into a container which rotates at a speed such that the rotated emulsion emerging from said container is water-continuous; (ii) subjecting the oil-in-water emulsion thus obtained to cooling and working in at least one surface-scraped heat exchanger to crystallize at least part of the fat; (iii) feeding the emulsion obtained in step (ii) into a container which is rotated at a speed conducive to substantially complete phase inversion to obtain a water-in-oil emulsion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process according to claim 1, in which the liquid fat phase has been obtained by heating the fat to a temperature ranging from 35° to 55° C.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
41 words
A process according to claim 1, in which the aqueous phase is first heated to a temperature allowing hydration of the gelling agent and pasteurization and then cooled to a temperature which approximately corresponds to the temperature of the liquid fat.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process according to claim 1, in which a fat blend having a hardness at 5° C. ranging from 100-1,000 g/cm 2 is used.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process according to claim 1, in which the gelled aqueous phase displays a sharp decrease in gel strength at a temperature ranging from 45° to 70° C.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 1, in which the fat blend constitutes 30-50 wt.% of the total emulsion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process according to claim 1, in which the protein level ranges from 0.1 to 2 wt.%.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
58 words
A process according to claim 1, in which step (ii) is carried out in two stages, using two surface-scraped heat exchangers whereby the emulsion emerging from said first heat exchanger has a temperature ranging from 8°-14° C. and said emulsion after having been worked in the second heat exchanger has a temperature ranging from 0° to 8° C.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
A process according to claim 1, further comprising feeding the water-in-oil emulsion obtained in step (iii) into a container which is rotated at a relatively low speed which does not affect the nature of the emulsion, to allow post-crystallization to proceed and obtain a spread of the desired plasticity and texture.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
38 words
A process according to claim 1, wherein part of the final product is recirculated by heating it to a temperature above its melting point and feeding it via a heat exchanger to the rotating container of step (i).
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1985-12-06 | 1986-06-07 | 1986-12-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1989-12-06 | 1990-06-07 | 1990-12-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1993-12-06 | 1994-06-07 | 1994-12-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |