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EP-4740738-A1 - WAFER FILLED WITH A FILLING COMPRISING A COATED FOOD ACID

EP4740738A1EP 4740738 A1EP4740738 A1EP 4740738A1EP-4740738-A1

Abstract

A filled wafer (10) comprising a filling (20), the filling (20) comprises one or more food acids, at least one of the one or more food acids is a coated food acid or a co-crystal of food acids.

Inventors

  • Pellens, Emilie Rita Lieven
  • De Poorter, Adrianus

Assignees

  • Astra Sweets

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20241108

Claims (14)

  1. A filled wafer (10) comprising a filling (20), said filling (20) comprises one or more food acids, at least one of said one or more food acids is a coated food acid or a co-crystal of food acids.
  2. A filled wafer (10) according to claim 1, wherein said one or more food acids comprises coated citric acid and/or coated malic acid.
  3. A filled wafer (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said one or more food acids comprises coated citric acid and coated malic acid.
  4. A filled wafer (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said one or more food acids comprises a co-crystal of food acids of malic acid and alkali metal malate and/or a co-crystal of food acids of malic acid and alkali metal hydrogen malate.
  5. A filled wafer (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said one or more food acids comprises: - a co-crystal of malic acid and sodium hydrogen malate; and/or - a co-crystal of malic acid and bis(potassium hydrogen L-malate); and/or - a co-crystal of dipotassium tetrahydrogen trimalate; and/or - a co-crystal of malic acid and disodium malate.
  6. A filled wafer (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said filling (20) comprises at least 0.5 wt. % of food acids chosen from the group consisting of coated food acids and co-crystals of food acids.
  7. A filled wafer (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said filling (20) comprises up to 15 wt. % of coated citric acid and/or coated malic acid, and - comprises up to 15 wt. % of co-crystal of malic acid and alkali metal malate; or - is free of co-crystal of malic acid and alkali metal malate.
  8. A filled wafer (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said filling (20) further comprises tartaric acid.
  9. A filled wafer (10) according to claim 8, wherein said filling (20) comprises at maximum 2.5 wt.% tartaric acid.
  10. A filled wafer (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said filled wafer (10) comprises an unleavened food sheet casing, said casing enclosing a filling (20).
  11. A filled wafer (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said filling (20) comprises other ingredients chosen from the group consisting of sugars, starches, sweeteners, vitamins, minerals, buffer salts, dietary fibers, sodium carbonates, sodium hydrogenate carbonate, dextrose, maltodextrin and additives.
  12. A filled wafer (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the filled wafer (10) is a confectionery product.
  13. The use of one or more food acids chosen from the group consisting of coated food acids and co-crystals of food acids as ingredient of a filling (20) of a filled wafer (10).
  14. A method to provide a filled wafer (10), comprising the steps of: - providing two or more parts of unleavened food sheet casing; - providing a filling (20) comprises one or more food acids, at least one of said one or more food acids is a coated food acid or a co-crystal of food acids; and - converting the two or more parts of unleavened food sheet casing and the filling (20) into a filled wafer (10).

Description

Technical Field The present invention generally relates to a filled wafer comprising a filling and to a method to provide the filled wafer. Background Filled wafer comprising a filling is well-known in the art, well-known one, e.g. Flying saucers or UFOs, being small spheroidal capsule of sherbet-filled eatable paper. In terms of wafer fillings, in addition to traditional sherbets, fillings have evolved into little balls (known as pearls) and powders (with fruity, sour or cola flavors). Among these products, the filled wafers with sour flavors are very popular with consumers. Whether it is melting the filled wafers in the mouth or biting into the wafer immediately, the sour and sweet surprise brought by the filling is enjoyable. Consumers are satisfied with the impact of the sour shock and how it tingles in their mouth. Sourness has a crucial impact on the overall flavor profile. A complex combination of acid release peaks, ideally with an instant sharp release peak immediately upon contact with saliva followed by a more widespread release peak, creates sourness and flavor complexity. The instant sharp release peak gives the consumer a burst of sourness at the first bite. Thereafter, a lingering sourness blended with sweetness enhances the sourness perception. Most importantly, a carefully selected food acid blend is necessary to create a balance between sourness and sweetness that satisfies the palate. During transportation and storage, unavoidable degradation of product quality shortens the shelf life of the product and ruins the consumer experience. The delicate design and thoughts of the manufacturer in terms of "mouth feelings" or "eating experience" cannot be fully conveyed to the consumers. Furthermore, EU and other national food regulations become more strict in terms of allowable ingredients, and/or amounts of allowable ingredients in a food product. Overall, there is a need for improved filling ingredients for filled wafers that achieve high moisture stability while providing a complex acidity profile upon consumption. Summary According to the first aspect of the invention, a filled wafer is provided. The filled wafer comprises a filling. The filling comprises one or more food acids, at least one of the one or more food acids is a coated food acid or a co-crystal of food acids. Flying saucers or UFOs or Zure ouwels (in Flemish) is a major example of such filled wafer, which is small spheroidal capsule of filled unleavened food sheet casing. Each filled wafer comprises an unleavened food sheet casing and the casing encloses a filling. Unleavened food sheet, i.e. unrisen food sheet, also referred to as "eatable paper", is a thin sheet of baked dough made without leaven, such as yeast and baking powder. The ingredients to make the unleavened food sheet may include water, starch, optionally colorants, optionally aromas, preferably sugarless, and other additives. The thickness of the unleavened food sheet may range from 0.25 mm to 2.5 mm, preferably from 0.5 mm to 2 mm, even preferably from 0.9 mm to 1.1 mm, e.g. 1 mm. The unleavened food sheets, also referred to as "wafer", are generally inelastic and crumbly. These wafers may not be confused with wafers made from flour, starch, sugar, baking powder, and leavening agents, which may be called waffles. The latter baked batter or dough provides an elastic, ductile, sweet baked product that behaves differently from unleavened food sheet or the "wafer". The casing of the filled wafer may comprise more than one unleavened food sheets, e.g. two, three, four or oven more. Preferably, the casing of the filled wafer is provided by two unleavened food sheets. The filling can be but not limited to in powder form, in ball form, and in sherbet form. Preferably, the filling is powder with a certain particle size distribution, such as at least 95 % of the analyzed particles have a size smaller than 3500 µm. The particle size distribution can be single modal, bi-modal or multiple-modal. The filling may comprise one food acid or the filling may comprise more than one food acids. At least one of the food acids can be a coated food acid or a co-crystal of food acids, and the remaining food acid(s) can be food acids without further treatment, such as coating or co-crystallization. Examples of food acid may comprise, but not limited to, citric acid, malic acid, fumaric acid, adipic acid, tartaric acid and acetic acid. Food acids are chemical compounds that impart a sour taste, flavor or tartness to food and they fit for human or animal consumption. Coated food acids, also referred to as encapsulated food acids, are acids coated with fat, emulsifiers (e.g. mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids E 471), natural waxes (e.g. carnauba wax, beeswax, candelilla wax), synthetic waxes (e.g. paraffin), gums (e.g. Arabic), soluble fibers (e.g. inulin) or with one or more salts of the food acid. Salts of the food acid may comprise sodium salts, magnesium salts, calcium salts, potassium