Multicomponent food product and methods of making and using the same

• US 20010014360A1
• Filed: 02/05/2001
• Published: 08/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kal kan Foods, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Laura Paluch
• Inventors: Paluch, Laura
• Granted Patent: US 6,312,746 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 426/2
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 40/20 by moulding, e.g. making cakes or briquettes
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 40/25 by extrusion
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 40/30 by encapsulating; by coating
• CPC Class Codes: A23K 50/42 Dry feed
• CPC Class Codes: A23P 20/20 Making of laminated, multi-layered, stuffed or hollow foodstuffs, e.g. by wrapping in preformed edible dough sheets or in edible food containers
• CPC Class Codes: A23P 30/25 Co-extrusion of different foodstuffs
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 426/805 Pet food for dog, cat, bird, or fish

Abstract

A delivery system for process unstable or sensitive ingredients that consists of a dual texture food product having a first and second component. The first component contains a mixture of lipid and solid ingredients forming a cream-textured matrix that is formed without an aqueous phase and a total moisture content less than about 15 wt %. The first component includes a process unstable or sensitive ingredient. The second component contains at least one ingredient comprising a carbohydrate, fat, protein or combination thereof. The second component has a total moisture content less than about 20 wt %. The second component completely surrounds the cream-textured matrix of the first component thereby maintaining the viability of the process unstable or sensitive ingredient. The food product delivery system is formed by the co-extrusion of the first component within the second component to form one dual component extrudate.

Claims

1. A delivery system for process unstable or sensitive ingredients comprising,

a dual texture food product having a first component containing a mixture of lipid and solid ingredients forming a cream-textured matrix, the first component being formed without an aqueous phase and a total moisture content less than about 15 wt %;

the first component including a process unstable or sensitive ingredient; and

a second component containing at least one ingredient comprising a carbohydrate, fat, protein or combination thereof, the second component having a total moisture content less than about 20 wt %;

wherein the second component completely surrounds the cream-textured matrix of the first component thereby maintaining the viability of the process unstable or sensitive ingredient, the food product delivery system being formed by the co-extrusion of the first component within the second component to form one dual component extrudate.

2. The delivery system of

claim 1

, wherein a process unstable or sensitive ingredient is an ingredient that becomes inactive due to high heat, acid levels, light or oxygen.

3. The delivery system of

claim 1

, wherein the process unstable or sensitive ingredients are selected from a group consisting of functional, nutritional, pharmaceutical, prebiotic and probiotic ingredients.

4. The delivery system of

claim 1

, wherein the total moisture content of the first component is between about 8 to 12 wt %.

5. The delivery system of

claim 4

, wherein the total moisture content of the first component is less than about 6 wt %.

6. The delivery system of

claim 1

, wherein the total moisture content of the second component is between about 10 to 12 wt %.

7. The delivery system of

claim 1

, wherein the first component has a water activity, aw, between about 0.35 to <

0.65.

8. The delivery system of

claim 7

, wherein the first component has a water activity, aw, less than about 0.35.

9. The delivery system of

claim 1

, wherein the lipid content of the first component is between about 10 to 30 wt % of a total 100% weight of the first component.

10. The delivery system of

claim 1

, wherein the lipid content of the first component is greater than about 30 wt % of a total 100% weight of the first component.

11. The delivery system of

claim 1

, wherein the first component comprises about 40-90 wt % solids and about 10-60 wt % lipids of a total 100 wt %.

12. The delivery system of

claim 11

wherein the first component comprises about 55-65 wt % solids and about 35-45 wt % lipids of the total 100 wt %.

13. The delivery system of

claim 1

, wherein the first component comprises about 20 to 40 wt % of a total 100% weight of the animal food product.

14. The delivery system of

claim 1

, wherein the mixture of lipids and solids includes a lipid comprising a long- or medium-chain saturated or unsaturated, mono-, di-, or tri-acylglycerols.

15. The delivery system of

claim 1

, wherein the second component includes the ingredients of a carbohydrate, a fat, and a protein.

16. The delivery system of

claim 1

, wherein the first component further includes an ingredient selected from the group consisting of carbohydrates, fats, proteins and combinations thereof.

17. A method of providing a pet animal a delivery system for process unstable or sensitive ingredients comprising the step of feeding the pet animal a dual texture food product comprising:

a first component containing a mixture of lipid and solid ingredients forming a cream-textured matrix, the first component being formed without an aqueous phase and a total moisture content less than about 15 wt %;

the first component including a process unstable or sensitive ingredient; and

a second component containing at least one ingredient comprising a carbohydrate, fat protein or combination thereof, the second component having a total moisture content less than about 20 wt %;

wherein the second component completely surrounds the cream textured matrix of the first component thereby maintaining the viability of the process unstable or sensitive ingredient, the food product delivery system being formed by the co-extrusion of the first component within the second component to form one dual component extrudate.

18. The method of

claim 17

, wherein a process unstable or sensitive ingredient is an ingredient that becomes inactive due to high heat, acid levels, light or oxygen.

19. The method of

claim 17

, wherein the process unstable or sensitive ingredients are selected from a group consisting of functional, nutritional, pharmaceutical, prebiotic and probiotic ingredients.

20. A method of making a delivery system for process unstable or sensitive ingredients comprising the steps of:

forming a first component containing a mixture of lipid and solid ingredients creating a cream-textured matrix, the first component being formed without an aqueous phase and a total moisture content less than about 15 wt %;

adding a process unstable or sensitive ingredient to the first component;

forming a second component containing at least one ingredient comprising a carbohydrate, fat, protein or combination thereof, the second component having a total moisture content less than about 20 wt %;

co-extruding the first component within the second component to form one dual component extrudate, wherein the second component completely surrounds the cream-textured matrix of the first component thereby maintaining the viability of the process unstable or sensitive ingredient.

21. The method of

claim 20

, wherein a process unstable or sensitive ingredient is an ingredient that becomes inactive due to high heat, acid levels, light or oxygen.

22. The method of

claim 20

, wherein the process unstable or sensitive ingredients are selected from a group consisting of functional, nutritional, pharmaceutical, prebiotic and probiotic ingredients.