WO1994004046A1

WO1994004046A1 - Natural frozen confection precursors

Info

Publication number: WO1994004046A1
Application number: PCT/US1993/007621
Authority: WO
Inventors: Richard S. Worth
Original assignee: R.W. Frookies, Incorporated
Priority date: 1992-08-20
Filing date: 1993-08-16
Publication date: 1994-03-03
Also published as: AU5009593A

Abstract

Individually packaged ice pop precursor liquid is produced by mixing and heating fruit juice or fruit juice concentrate and natural fruit flavor, water and vegetable gum and/or pectin to a temperature of 170 degrees to 200 degrees and agitates and maintained at such temperature and delivered to a filling station where heat-sealable plastic pouches are nitrogen flushed and filled with the precursor liquid at at least about 190 degrees F and the filled pouches are sealed and cut and cooled to approximately 105-110 degrees F through a cooling means.

Description

NATURAL FROZEN CONFECTION PRECURSORS

The present invention relates generally to the production of comestibles and it relates particularly to a significantly improved method for producing packaged freeze ice pop precursors in a liquid condition.

It has been a well known practice to dispense ice pop forming liquids in sealed packages which are then taken home and frozen in the freezer compartment attendant to their consumption. On a standard basis, liquids are water based with significant sugar content, i.e. sugar, corn syrup, and use flavorings and colorings, primarily artificial, and artificial preservatives, and on occasion a small amount of fruit juice concentrate are found in this liquid. The existing freeze pops are shelf stable due to their concentrations of sugars, preservatives and additives. It was previously believed that an all natural product of this type, particularly one with such a high fruit juice content, could not exist in this shelf stabilized state. The pops are packed off at approximately 105 -110 degrees F. on a normative basis, the standard temperature for this type of product. However, the addition of the artificial ingredients which give the product a long shelf life also introduce undesirable components into the food product. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a method of packing fruit juice and fruit juice components into freezable pouches without so many additives to result in products having a long enough shelf life to be commercially marketable.

Summary of the Invention It is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved method of delivering fruit juice to the home that can be frozen in a freezer compartment.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of producing a packaged fruit juice product that is predominantly concentrated fruit juice that is reconstituted into fruit juice by adding water back into the fruit juice. For the first time a liquid ice pop precursor that contains primarily fruit juice, i.e. reconstituted fruit juice concentrate, and by the unique process described herein, will possess a long shelf life and retain its flavor and stability that when frozen produces a frozen fruit juice of high quality in both taste and texture after long periods of storage at room temperature even though the ingredients are all natural.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a method of the above nature which is easily, conveniently, and efficiently practiced at a reasonable cost with readily available standard equipment when used with additional specified equipment and when used with the processing format to be described.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved packaged ice pop precursor which is liquid at room temperature and which may be frozen by the consumer in a refrigerator freezer compartment.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of producing a packaged fruit-flavored, predominantly fruit juice and/or fruit juice concentrate, liquid ice pop precursor which possesses a long shelf life and retains its flavor and stability. The precursor produces an ice pop when frozen, which is of high quality in both taste and texture after long period of storage at room temperature.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a method of the above nature which is easily, conveniently, and efficiently practiced at low cost with readily available standard equipment and is highly versatile and adaptable.

A method of producing a packaged ice pop precursor liquid in accordance with the present invention comprises the step of mixing the ice pop precursor ingredients including water and fruit juice in normal, extracted or concentrated state as a primary ingredient. These ingredients are mixed and heated in either a kettle type fashion or a heat exchange type fashion and a vegetable gum preferably added. The resulting aqueous composition is continuously agitated and heated to a temperature between 165 degrees F. and 200 degrees F. and is then transferred to a holding tank and maintained at a temperature of 165 to 200 degrees F. while being continuously agitated. The resulting composition is then transferred to the input of a pouch-filling machine, the pouches being formed of a heat-sealable film and having their interiors fluxed with a non-reactive gas such as nitrogen immediately before they are filled with the aqueous mixture at a temperature of at least about 190 degrees F. The liquid-filled pouches are then heat sealed, cut and cooled until their temperature is reduced below 100 degrees F. It has been found that the packaged ice pop precursor produced in the above manner has a very long shelf life for this type of fruit juice pop, up to four months, at room temperature with no significant reduction in the quality and essence of the taste or texture of the frozen end product. Cooling procedures include tunnel washing, freezing techniques and heat exchange cooling.

An alternative method of producing a packaged ice pop precursor liquid aqueous composition includes the steps of heating the composition to a temperature of at least 190 degrees F in a heat exchanger to destroy microorganisms which may cause spoiling, cooling the composition in the heat exchanger to 105 degrees F, sterilizing plastic pouches by exposing them to ultraviolet radiation and filling the composition into the plastic pouches.

The invention also provides a freezable comestible with a long shelf life including a liquid composition including a high proportion of fruit juice with a natural soluble solids content of at least 16 brix and a gum in an aqueous mixture, the mixture being free of artificial preservatives, sealed in a pouch formed of a film including a layer of a heat-sealable thermoplastic synthetic organic resin, and substantially sterile so that despoiling microorganisms do not degrade the composition within at least 24 weeks at room temperature. The proportion of fruit juice (which may be reconstituted from concentrate) should be more than the 10% or less that current products have. Proportions of 30%, 50% or more are preferable. More preferably, the proportion is 90% or more and preferably the brix if above 20.

The above and other objects of the present invention wall become apparent from a reading of the following description which sets forth a preferred embodiment thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A grape flavored ice pop precursor liquid in the improved process, by way of example, contains the following ingredients: INGREDIENTS: WEIGHT IN POUNDS

Concentrated Grape Juice - 68 Brix - Amber Color (68% solids, 32% water) 169 +/-30 Concord Grape Juice (30 to 1) 39 +/-10

Lemon Juice Concentrate 4 +/- 2

Natural Grape Flavor 3 +/- 2

Water 485.5 +/- 100

Vegetable Gum (Alginate) 0.858 +/- 0.40

Any type of fruit juice concentrate and flavor may be substituted in whole or in part in corresponding quantities for the above ingredients, for example, orange, pineapple, lemon, lime, strawberry, cranberry, raspberry, banana, chocolate, etc., and may be adjusted to achieve the desired taste, color, pH and other parameters. Additional ingredients may include fruit pectin, different gums, natural emulsifiers, natural preservatives and natural coloring matter. In a preferred embodiment the liquid is 95-98% fruit juice. Natural products such as grape skin extracts may be added for color. Other natural fruit solids may also be used, as desired.

In accordance with the improved process, the steps for producing the packaged ice pop precursor include the following sequential steps: 1. The liquid carrying lines and pouch filling and sealing (Proto-Pak) machine are purged with 200 degrees F. water. 2. All of the ingredients except for the vegetable gum are mixed together into a steam jacket kettle with swept surface agitation.

3. The ingredients are mixed for one to two minutes on medium speed.

4. The vegetable gum is sifted into the liquid ingredients while agitating at low speed for 1 to 5 minutes.

5. The product is heated to 190 degrees F. while continuously agitating.

6. When the product in the kettle reaches 190 degrees F. to 200 degrees F., it is pumped into a holding tank. (Holding tank is also steam jacketed with swept surface agitation. The pipes between kettles are insulated.) 7. The product is kept in the holding tank at 190 degrees F. with continuous agitation and is then pumped into the hopper above the pouch filling and sealing (Proto-Pak) machine which is also heated to 190 degrees F.

8. The pouch filling and sealing (Proto-Pak) machine, which is commercially available, flushes the film pouches with nitrogen, fills them at 190 degrees R, seals and cuts the pouches.

9. The finished filled pouches go through a cooling tunnel, perhaps at ambient room temperature, which brings the temperature down to approximately 110 degrees F. before they are packed off. Three methods of cooling may be used: (a) cooling tunnel; (b) heat exchange; (c) refrigeration.

While the mixture of the above specified ingredients is continuously maintained at a temperature of about 190-212 degrees, this temperature may be varied to about 170 degrees to the boiling point of the aqueous mixture. However, it is important that the mixture be maintained in this elevated temperature range from the time of its final preparation to the time the pouches are filled. At the time of filling the pouches, the aqueous mixture should be at a temperature of at least 190 degrees F. However, other time-temperature regimes may be used, as long as the mixture is rendered sterile - that is, free of despoiling microorganisms. Generally, however, it should be kept in mind that heat is the enemy of fruit, robbing the fruit of flavor, so that it is desirable to keep the heating of the fruit to a minimum.

The pouches are formed of a flexible heat-sealable film which is liquid impervious and resistant to reaction with or corrosion by the hot liquid mixture and designed to be impermeable to oxygen to prevent spoilage. As an example of the pouch forming film, there is employed a laminate of .00048 inch polyester film, .00015 intermediate adhesive layer and .0025 inch polyethylene film of low density EVA. An example of an alternate material is saran-coated cellophane with linear, low density polyethylene film. These materials are desirable because they are good barriers to passage of oxygen into the product.

The resulting packaged ice pop precursor liquid has a shelf life at room temperature of up to four months, the resulting frozen product being of excellent taste, texture and color. Of course, once the product is frozen, the frozen condition extends its life significantly.

In another embodiment, the process may take place in a heat exchanger, in which the fruit juice mixture (as described above) is heated to 190 degrees F. to destroy microorganisms which may cause spoiling. The juice mixture is then cooled in another portion of the heat exchanger to 105 degrees F. Meanwhile, the plastic pouches are sterilized by exposing them to ultraviolet radiation. The mixture is then filled into the plastic pouches, which are then sealed. Alternatively, since the heat exchanger is enclosed, the temperature may be maintained at 190 degrees F. and the packages filled at that temperature without need of the UV treatment. The plastic pouches can be frozen, thawed, refrozen, etc. repeatedly without rupturing or substantially degrading the product. In particular, various natural additives may be included as desired, as long as artificial additives are avoided. "Natural" and "artificial" additives means additives generally recognized by the health food industry as having those attributes. For example, in some formulations, fruit juice levels may be below the highest levels recited herein if pure crystalline fructose is added. Other natural sugars could also be used, but would be less desirable. Particular additives to be avoided are BHT, BHA and other artificial preservatives.

While there has been described a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations, additions and omissions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

Claims

1. A method of producing a packaged ice pop precursor liquid aqueous composition comprising the steps of agitating and heating the composition to a temperature of at least 165 degrees F., storing the composition in a storage tank while maintaining the temperature attendant to the delivery thereof to a machine for filling open pouches, at a pouch-filling station, flushing the pouches with a gas, filling the pouches immediately following the gas flushing thereof with the liquid composition at a temperature of at least 170 degrees F. and thereafter sealing the pouches and cooling the filled pouches.

2. The method of claim 1 including the step of agitating the liquid composition in the storage tank.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the composition includes water and a flavoring.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the flavoring includes a fruit juice, fruit juice concentrate, fruit juice solids or a combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the composition contains a vegetable gum or pectin.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the vegetable gum or pectin is added following the mixing of the other ingredients of the composition.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the gas is nitrogen.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the pouches are formed of a film including a layer of a heat-sealable thermoplastic synthetic organic resin.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the pouches are formed of a saran- coated cellophane with linear low density polyethylene film.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the pouch-filling machine is initially purged with water at a temperature of at least 190 degrees F.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the filled sealed pouches are cooled by a method selected from the group consisting of a cool water bath, moving air and refrigeration.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the composition is prepared and stored in holding successive containers connected by heat-insulated pipes.

13. A freezable comestible with a long shelf life comprising a liquid composition including a fruit juice, fruit juice extract or fruit solids and a gum or pectin in an aqueous mixture, said mixture being free of artificial preservatives, sealed in a plastic pouch and substantially sterile so that despoiling microorganisms do not degrade the composition within at least 24 weeks at room temperature.

14. A comestible as claimed in claim 13 wherein said composition is substantially entirely fruit juice.

15. A comestible as claimed in claim 13 wherein said composition has a natural soluble solids content of at least 16 brix.

16. A comestible as claimed in claim 13 wherein said composition is a high proportion of fruit juice.

17. A comestible as claimed in claim 13 wherein the pouch is formed of a film including a layer of a heat-sealable thermoplastic synthetic organic resin.

18. A comestible as claimed in claim 13 wherein the pouch is a saran- coated cellophane with linear low density polyethylene.

19. A comestible as claimed in claim 13 wherein said soluble solids content is at least 20 brix.

20. A freezable comestible with a long shelf life comprising a liquid composition including 95-98% fruit juice with a natural sugar content of at least 20 brix and a gum or pectin in an aqueous mixture, said mixture being free of preservatives, sealed in a pouch formed of a film including a layer of a heat-sealable thermoplastic synthetic organic resin, and substantially sterile so that despoiling microorganisms do not degrade the composition within at least 24 weeks at room temperature.

21. A method of producing a packaged ice pop precursor liquid aqueous composition comprising the steps of heating the composition to a temperature of at least 190 degrees F in a heat exchanger to destroy microorganisms which may cause spoiling, cooling the composition in the heat exchanger to 105 degrees F, sterilizing plastic pouches by exposing them to ultraviolet radiation and filling the composition into the plastic pouches.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21 comprising the preliminary steps of making up the composition with a high proportion of fruit juice.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein said making up step does not include adding artificial additives.