Food Compositions Compromising Dried Probiotics, Methods Of Manufacture And Uses Thereof
The invention is directed to improvements of food compositions containing an edible base mix component and a dried probiotic component. Such improvements allowing dried probiotics to be stored at room temperature and manufactured at freezing temperatures with minimal effects to the probiotics during the freezing process. In particular, the edible base mix component may include any suitable food component, such as one or more dairy components (e.g., milk or cream components), a sweetener component (e.g., sugar, dextrose, fructose, corn syrup, maple sugar, honey, brown sugar, malt syrup, molasses, lactose), an egg component (e.g., liquid eggs, frozen eggs, dried eggs, egg yolks, frozen egg yolks, dried egg yolks), water, a stabilizer (e.g., sodium alginate, gelatin, gum acacia, guar seed gum, gum karaya, locust bean gum, gum tragacanth, carrageenan, furcellaran, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, psyllium seed husk), an emulsifier (e.g., lecithin, mono and/or diglycerides, polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan tristearate, polysorbate 80), a thickener (e.g., propylene glycol alginate, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium citrate, disodium phosphate, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate , calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, calcium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide), and/or the like.
In the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, the edible base mix is a dessert mix, such as a dessert mix employed in the production of a frozen dessert. The base mix may be in liquid or dry powder form.
The probiotic component may include a probiotic bacterial strain, such as any suitable viable probiotic bacterial strain that is capable of being dried and/or frozen while maintaining its viability. For instance, a suitable bacterial strain may be a strain of the genera Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, and/or Streptococcus. In some instances, the probiotic bacterium may be Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Bifidobacterium bifidum, and/or Streptococcus thermophilus. In certain instances, the probiotic component may be freeze-dried or spray dried.
In the illustrative embodiment of the present invention, the edible base mix component is combined with the dried probiotic component to produce a food composition for use in the production of a food product. A novel feature of the subject food compositions containing a dried probiotic component is that the compositions are capable of being transported and/or stored at room temperature and then processed and converted to a frozen food product having/including a viable probiotic component with minimal effects to the probiotics contained therein. The edible base mix component and the probiotic component of the food composition may be combined before or after transport and at any suitable time prior to formation of the illustrative frozen food product. In certain instances, the food product is a dessert product which may be frozen in a particular manner to produce a frozen yogurt or ice cream.
Accordingly, in certain instances, the edible base mix component and the probiotic component are capable of being transported, stored, and combined at one temperature, e.g., room temperature, and further capable of being processed, e.g., mixed, and/or served at a second temperature, e.g., a temperature below room temperature. That is, the second temperature may be substantially below room temperature, however, at the same time is able to maintain the viability of the probiotic component
In certain instances, the food products provided herein are capable of providing a beneficial amount of viable probiotics to a subject consuming the food product, e.g., frozen dessert. Also provided are methods for manufacturing the food compositions, methods for using the same for the production of a food product, and methods for the use of the subject food composition, such as in frozen desserts, for the prevention and treatment of an adverse condition.
