NZ537423A

NZ537423A - Ice cream products

Info

Publication number: NZ537423A
Application number: NZ53742304A
Authority: NZ
Inventors: Murray Taylor; Julia Crownshaw
Original assignee: Fonterra Co Operative Group
Priority date: 2004-12-22
Filing date: 2004-12-22
Publication date: 2008-04-30
Also published as: WO2006068512A1; AU2005319805A1

Abstract

Disclosed is a frozen sucrose-free ice cream composition that includes at least one fruit juice or at least one fruit juice concentrate, or both, wherein any such fruit juice and/or fruit juice concentrate is free of any added sweetener yet provides, at least almost exclusively, the sweetening of the composition, and wherein the composition is free of sweeteners save for any dairy content and any sugar or sugars from the fruit or fruits of the included juice(s) and/or juice concentrate(s).

Description

New Zealand Paient Spedficaiion for Paient Number 537423 NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT, 1953 No: 537423 Date: 22 December 2004 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION ICE CREAM COMPOSITIONS "SUCROSE-LESS ICE CREAM" We, TIP TOP ICE CREAM COMPANY LIMITED, a company duly incorporated under the laws of New Zealand of 113 Carbine Road, Mt Wellington, Auckland, New Zealand, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: ~ Intellectual Property | _ j _ Office of N.Z. 1 S D"C 2005 i I n c ^ s \/ e: n .I The present invention relates to dairy ice cream compositions. Particularly the invention consists in ice cream sweetened primarily and preferably solely with a natural fruit juice (preferably as a concentrate) and substantially free of any added sucrose or other sugar source.

Traditionally ice cream is sweetened with sucrose and in addition there any many other sweeteners that can be used (see Arbuckle table 5.9 IV edn). There are many formulations for sugar free ice cream using sugar replacers which serve to lower the freezing point of ice cream combined with artificial sweeteners.

It is an object of the present invention to avoid the need for artificial sweeteners and/or sucrose or other such added refined sugar. Instead the present invention visualises a capability of providing a desirable ice cream composition sweetened primarily and preferably solely with a suitable fruit juice concentrate and it is to this that the present invention is directed.

In another aspect the invention consists in an ice cream composition essentially (and preferably) totally free of added sugar save for any sugars that may be present in a fruit juice and/or fruit concentrate included in the blend.

In another aspect the invention is an ice cream composition including at least one fruit juice, at least one fruit juice concentrate or both and which is at least substantially free of added sugar save for any sugars that may be present in the fruit juice and/or fruit juice concentrate.

Preferably a fruit juice concentrate is present.

Preferably the fruit juice concentrate is deionised.

Preferably the fruit juice concentrate is of a brix of 70 or there abouts (e.g. 50 to 90).

Preferably the fruit juice concentrate is selected from pineapple, apple or pear juice. Other fruit concentrates however abound.

Preferably the formulation includes some cream.

Preferably the formulation includes some fresh skim milk concentrate and preferably in excess of the content of any cream.

Preferably stabilisers are utilised such as those selected from gums.

In a further aspect the present invention consists in a method of providing an ice cream at least substantially free of added sweeteners (save for any embodied in one or more of fruit, a fruit juice concentrate and a fruit juice, the method comprising or including the steps of providing a mixture of cream, fresh skimmed milk concentrate (e.g. as MSNF powder) and, fruit and/or fruit juice concentrate [and optionally a stabiliser], which is pasteurised and homogenised, and subsequently freezing the composition.

Preferably the mixing occurs prior to pasteurisation and homogenisation.

Preferably the composition is chilled as a liquid mix prior to being frozen.

Preferably the composition is whipped in air after being frozen.

In still a further aspect the present invention consists in an ice cream formulation or composition comprising at least essentially the following fresh cream 5 to 20 w/w%, fresh skim milk concentrate (e.g. as MSNF) 5tol5w/w%, juice concentrate of 10 to 30 w/w%, and stabiliser(s) 0.05 to 2 w/w%, and optionally flavouring agent(s) 0 to 5 w/w%, interest inclusions (e.g. confectionery, fruit or other items) 0 to 20 w/w%. Preferably said composition has a 20 to 150% overrun as a consequence to whipping, e.g. as a consequence to whipping in the presence of a gas (e.g. air) after being frozen.

In a further aspect the present invention consists in compositions and/or procedures substantially as herein described.

A preferred form will now be described with reference to a sugar free ice cream sweetened only with natural fruit juice.

In this formulation we have used as ingredients, whole fruit juice concentrate for both sweetness and freezing point depression, no other sweeteners or freezing depression compounds. The whole fruit juice concentrate is preferably deionised and of a brix of 70 thereabouts and may be from pineapple, apple or pear juice or any other suitable fruit concentrate.

The formulation is essentially a mixture of fresh cream, fresh skim milk concentrate and juice concentrate and appropriate stabilisers such as Locust Bean Gum, Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum, which is pasteurised and homogenised and held as a chilled liquid mix prior to being frozen and whined.

As the fruit juice concentrate used is typically deionised the flavour contributed by the fruit juice does not dominate the flavour profile when over flavoured with Vanilla and other flavours. When the formulation is frozen to -18°C the texture and creaminess is of a

Claims

-4- typical ice cream, the characteristics will be determined by the particular formulation used in the percentage of milk fat, milk solids not fat, total sugars and overrun. Note: fructose (fruit sugar) has commonly been used in ice cream formulations but as an extract of formulated product. By way of example consider the following compositions. Example 1 fresh cream 5 to 20 w/w% fresh skim milk concentrate (i.e. milk solids not fat - MSNF) 5 to 15 w/w% juice concentrate of 10to30w/w% stabiliser(s) 0.01 to 2 w/w% flavouring agent(s) 0 to 5 w/w% interest inclusions (e.g. confectionery, fruit or other items) 0 to 20 w/w%. Example 2 fresh cream 5 to 20 w/w% fresh skim milk concentrate (i.e. milk solids not fat) 5 to 15 w/w% deionised pineapple juice concentrate of 70 brix or thereabouts 10 to 30 w/w% stabiliser(s) selected from one or more of the gums, locust bean gum, guar gum, Xanthan gum/% flavouring vanilla 0.01 to 3 w/w%. The compositions were mixed together, pasteurised and homogenised and then held as a chilled liquid mix at from 2 to 8°C for 4 to 12 hours prior to being frozen and then whipped so as to achieve an overrun of 20 to 150%. The compositions had overall a taste equivalent to notional ice cream of no sweetening other than sucrose and having a 15 w/w% sucrose addition. -5- CLAIMS:

1. A frozen sucrose-free ice cream composition that includes at least one fruit juice or at least one fruit juice concentrate, or both, wherein any such fruit juice and/or fruit juice concentrate is free of any added sweetener yet provides, at least almost exclusively, the sweetening of the composition, and wherein the composition is free of sweeteners save for any dairy content and any sugar or sugars from the fruit or fruits of the included juice(s) and/or juice concentrate(s).

2. A composition as claimed in claim 1 wherein a fruit juice concentrate is present.

3. A composition of claim 2 wherein the fruit juice concentrate is deionised.

4. A composition as claimed in claim 2 or 3 wherein the fruit juice concentrate is of a brix of from 50 to 90.

5. A composition of claim 4 wherein the fruit juice concentrate is of a brix of about 70.

6. A composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the fruit juice concentrate is selected from a concentrate of pineapple, apple or pear juice.

7. A composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims which includes cream.

8. A composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims which is at least primarily dairy based.

9. A composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims which includes fresh skim milk concentrates.

10. A composition as claimed in claim 9 wherein the amount of fresh skim mi]k concentrate is in excess of the amount of cream present.

11. A composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims which includes at least one stabiliser.

12. A composition as claimed in claim 11 wherein the at least one stabiliser is a gum.

13. A composition as claimed in any one of the preceding claims comprising at least the following: a cream 5 to 20 w/w%, fresh skim milk concentrate (e.g. as MSNF) 5 to 15 w/w%, juice concentrate 10 to 30 w/w%, and stabiliser(s) 0.05 to 2 w/w%, flavouring agent(s) 0 to 5 w/w%, interest inclusions (e.g. confectionery, fruit or other items) 0 to 20 w/w%.

14. An ice cream composition at least primarily reliant on juice concentrate for its sweetness, the composition comprising at least the following a cream Intellectual Property, 4, Office of »vz. ^to2D Intellectual Property Office of iv 2. 1 i MAR 2008 r f r. f i v f n 12 mar 2008 ret; etve C- n f nif • f / w%, -6- fresh skim milk concentrate (e.g. as MSNF) 5 to 15 w/w%, juice concentrate of 10 to 30 w/w%, and stabiliser(s) 0.05to2w/w%, flavouring agent(s) 0 to 5 w/w%, interest inclusions (e.g. confectionery, fruit or other items) other than an added bare sugar(s) and sweetener(s) 0 to 20 w/w% and being free of dispersed sucrose or other sweeteners not natural to the juice concentrate.

15. A composition of any one of the preceding claims having a 20 to 150% overrun as a consequence to whipping, in the presence of a gas after being frozen.

16. A composition of claim 15 wherein the gas is air.

17. A method of providing an ice cream free of added sweeteners save for any embodied in, but not added to, one or more of fruit, fruit juice and fruit juice concentrate inclusions therein, the method comprising or including the steps of providing a mixture of (1) a cream, (2) fresh skimmed milk concentrate and (3) fruit, fruit juice and/or fruit juice concentrate [and optionally (4) a stabiliser], which is pasteurised and homogenised, and subsequendy freezing the mixture.

18. A method of claim 17 wherein the fresh skimmed milk concentrate is MSNF powder.

19. A method of claim 17 or 1 8 wherein mixing occurs prior to pasteurisation and homogenisation.

20. A method of any one of claims 17 to 19 wherein the mixture is chilled as a liquid mix prior to being frozen.

21. A method of any one of claims 17 to 19 wherein the mixture is whipped in air after being frozen.

22. A composition of any one of claims 1 to 16 when prepared by a method of any one of claims 17 to 21. Intellectual Property Office of N.Z. 1 i MAR 2008 RECEIVE 'n%ctual Property Office of iVi z j': R £ C EI y F n 1