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EP-3641559-B1 - METHOD FOR PRODUCING A FOOD, IN PARTICULAR A SNACK PRODUCT, WITH IMPROVED INTRODUCTION OF AN ADDITIVE BY APPLICATION OF AN ELECTRIC FIELD

EP3641559B1EP 3641559 B1EP3641559 B1EP 3641559B1EP-3641559-B1

Inventors

  • Ostermeier, Robin
  • BEYER, ISABELL
  • TOEPFL, STEFAN

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20180612

Claims (12)

  1. A method for producing a food product comprising the following steps: - conditioning the food product by applying an electric field; - incorporating an additive into the food product; and - preserving the food product after the additive has been incorporated, characterized by the further step of adjusting a desired oil content of the food product, wherein the oil content is adjusted during the incorporation of the additive into the food product, and wherein an oil-soluble, flavor-imparting additive is incorporated, which is present as an oil solution or in an emulsified form and is brought into contact with the food product.
  2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that a pulsed electric field is applied during conditioning, thereby causing cell disruption.
  3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the step of conditioning takes place before or during the step of introducing the additive.
  4. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by the further step of applying mechanical energy to the food product during or after the step of introducing the additive.
  5. A method according to claim 4, characterized in that mechanical energy is applied by grinding, stirring, kneading, beating, and/or tumbling the food product.
  6. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the oil-soluble, flavor-imparting additive is a flavoring or a spice, or a precursor convertible into such an additive is introduced into the food product.
  7. A method according to claim 6, characterized in that a precursor is introduced into the food product, wherein the precursor is converted into the additive during the preserving step.
  8. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the additive is injected into the food product, the food product is immersed in the additive, the food product is coated with the additive, the food product is dusted with the additive, and/or the food product is sprayed with the additive.
  9. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that , during the preservation step, the food product is heated, cooled, frozen, irradiated, dried, vacuum-packed, and/or fumigated.
  10. A method according to claim 9, characterized in that the food product is cooked.
  11. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the food product is produced from a plant-based raw material.
  12. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the produced food product is a snack product, preferably a snack food, and most preferably a savory snack.

Description

The present invention relates to the production of a food product, in particular a snack product. Snack products are preserved foods intended as a light meal or snack, often packaged and ready to eat as finger food. Examples of snack products include crunchy snacks such as dried fruit, nut mixes, or savory snacks like potato chips, peanut flips, or crackers. In the production of such snack products, it is common practice to apply additives such as flavorings, salts, and spices superficially at the end of the manufacturing process, after preservation. However, applying the additive to the surface leads to uneven distribution, as it doesn't penetrate the core of the food. This is not only detrimental to product quality, such as taste, but also necessitates a higher dosage of the additive on the surface to compensate for its lack of penetration into the food's interior. In the EP 1 994 836 A1 A process for producing potatoes with a reduced content of reducing sugars is described. In this process, the potatoes are suspended in an aqueous carrier material and subsequently subjected to a PEF ("pulsed electric fields") treatment, whereby the reducing sugars leach from the potatoes into the liquid carrier before the potatoes are cut and finally fried. The US 2017/035078 A1 This concerns a process for producing potato chips. Whole potatoes or potato slices are treated with PEF and then deep-fried in a two-stage process. In the EP 1 980 158 A1 It is described that potatoes are treated using PEF, then shredded, washed in one or more immersion baths and finally processed into a snack product. In the EP 2 941 968 A1 It is described to treat potatoes using PEF in order to wash out reducing sugars from the potato cell before frying. In the EP 2 142 005 A1 This describes a process for treating plant material in which the material is treated with PEF and subsequently subjected to enzyme treatment. This process can be used, for example, in the production of chips or fries. In the EP 2 201 084 A1 This document describes a method for freezing plant products. The method comprises the steps of applying a pulsed electric field, adding an antifreeze agent, applying pressure to the plant material, followed by a resting phase and final freezing. The WO 03/070026 A1 discloses the treatment of liquids, for example fruit juices, by means of pulsed electric fields as well as the addition of antifungal agents, before or after the PEF treatment, to the liquid foods. In the EP 2 298 088 A1 is a method for preserving food, especially beverages, in which dialkyl dicarbonates and other antimicrobial preservatives are added to the food to be treated and the food is then treated using PEF. In the US 4 695 472 A is a method for preserving a food, for example a fruit juice or liquid egg product, in which a PEF treatment is carried out. In the scientific publication Jihene Ben Ammar et al., “Effect of a Pulsed Electric Field and Osmotic Treatment on Freezing of Potato Tissue,” FOOD BIOPHYSICES, vol. 5, no. 3, pages 247 - 254 , is a method for freeze-drying potato pieces, in which the potato pieces are subjected to PEF treatment and subsequent osmotic treatment. In the US 2006/0110504 A1 This describes a method for improving the properties of food through electroporation using electrical pulses. Following electroporation, the process includes the step of exposing the food to a food agent, allowing it to penetrate the food. The object of the present invention is therefore to produce a food product, in particular a snack product, in which the additives are evenly distributed and which thus has a more homogeneous product quality. The present invention solves this problem by a method for producing a foodstuff comprising the following steps: Conditioning the food by applying an electric field; Introducing an additive into the food; Preserving the food after the additive has been added; and Adjusting a desired oil content of the food prior to the preservation step, wherein the oil content is adjusted during the introduction of the additive into the food, and wherein an oil-soluble flavoring additive is introduced, which is in the form of an oil solution or emulsified and is brought into contact with the food. The present invention has surprisingly demonstrated that conditioning a foodstuff by applying an electric field introduces an additive evenly into the foodstuff, and that the additive remains homogeneously distributed within the foodstuff after preservation. Compared to a purely surface application of, for example, a spice or flavoring, the method according to the invention thus achieves a more uniform distribution of the additive and results in a foodstuff with a more consistent taste. Furthermore, it has been surprisingly found that a more homogeneous product quality can be achieved even with a lower dosage of the additive than with surface application after preservation. If a desired oil content of, for example, 10% is set, it is sometimes possib