Process for producing a spreadable emulsion

Claim 1

A process for producing an edible spreadable margarine-like emulsion, which comprises: (a) producing an oil-in/water emulsion which comprises (i) 20-80 wt.% of a dispersed fat having at 10° C. a solid fat content exceeding 40%, of which the average major dimension does not exceed 6 microns; (ii) 80-20 wt.% of an aqueous phase; and (iii) an effective amount of an emulsifier conducive to surface nucleation of fat crystals, deformation of the dispersed fat and/or growth of fat crystals through the oil/water interface into the aqueous phase; (b) simultaneously subjecting said emulsion to a mild shearing regime resulting from turbulent or non-turbulent flow conditions together with a cooling regime wherein said emulsion is cooled to a temperature ranging from 0° to 15° C. to allow fat crystallization to take place and at least partly achieve phase inversion; (c) applying a temperature cycling involving warming up the cooled emulsion to a temperature ranging from 25° to 45° C. at which partial melting occurs; and (d) cooling to a temperature at which the fat at least partly recrystallizes.