Title of Invention

PROCESS FOR PREPARATION OF LOW GLYCEMIC SWEETS

Abstract

This invention relates to process for the preparation of sweetmeats of low glycemic index using fructose either in crystal or in syrup from, singly or in combination with or without other nutritive and non nutritive sweeteners without problems of browning especially when prepared or cooked at elevated temperatures or after the preparation, at the same time maintaining the desirable organoleptic characteristics. This invention further relates to a novel process for the preparation of fructose syrups of variable viscosity and high consistency, without browning, rendering it stable without decomposing when exposed to elevated temperatures for prolonged period.

Full Text

This invention relates to process for the preparation of confoctionory items especially sweetmeats of low Glycemic Index using fructose either in crystal or in syrup form, singly or in combination with or without other nutritive and non nutritive sweeteners without problems of browning especially when prepared or cooked at elevated temperatures or after the preparation at the same time maintaining the desirable organoleptic characteristics. This invention further relates to a novel process for the preparation of fructose syrups of variable viscosity and high consistency, without browning, rendering it stable without decomposing when exposed to elevated temperatures for prolonged period. Background of the invention Hardboiled confectioneries and/or those-confoctioneries that are processed at elevated temperatures generally use conventional sugar derived out of sugarcane. Examples of these especially in the Asian subcontinent including India are Jangiri, Gulab Jamun, Rasagulla, Laddoo, Sandesh, etc. Such sweets are conventionally prepared using conventional sugar in syrupy - semi syrupy form cooked at elevated temperatures. Attempts have been made in the past to produce sweets with artificial sweeteners such as Aspartame etc., but have not been widely accepted they result in products with bitter after taste. Further, it has not been possible to prepare artificial sweetener based syrups with desirable consistency and viscosity as they decompose when cooked at elevated temperatures resulting in loss of their characteristics. Several attempts have been made with natural sugar substitutes such as fructose but they have suffered from problems of undesirable browning due to caramelization when heated to elevated temperatures and browning of sweet meat due to reaction between carbohydrate and protein. Use of other sugar-based alcohols in the production of sweets MEM have also not been successful as they have been rejected by consumers due to their laxative properties and low levels of sweetness. Sorbitol as a sugar substitute has however been used in the production of one of the hardboiled sweets based on freshly prepared cottage cheese (paneer in India) in sorbitol syrup called "rasagulla". However, the draw back with Sorbitol is that its Glycemic Index value (Gl) is not low enough for consumption by people who have diabetic tendencies. The sweetness index of sorbitol is significantly lower than that of cane sugar and is therefore less satiating than sugar. Moreover sorbitol has fairly high laxative property and hence is not suitable for general consumption. Literature has examples in which certain chocolates, ice creams and biscuits have been prepared from a set of nutritive/non-nutritive sweeteners. However, such sweets do not use syrups cooked at elevated temperatures as in the case of the Asian or Indian Sweetmeats. There is a longstanding need in the sweets industry to produce traditional sweets (of the nature manufactured and consumed in the Indian Subcontinent), with low glycemic index suitable for all consumers and especially for consumers with diabetics or with diabetic tendencies, maintaining the same organoleptic, textural and visual properties of sweets conventionally produced using from cane sugar. Summary of the invention The main object of the invention is to provide a process for the preparation of sweetmeats of low Glycemic Index using fructose singly or in combination with or without other nutritive and non nutritive sweeteners without the problem of browning during or after the processing at elevated temperatures. Another object of the invention is to provide processes for the preparation of fructose syrups of variable viscosity and high consistency, without browning, rendering it stable without decomposing when exposed to elevated temperatures for prolonged period, at the same time maintaining the organoleptic and visual characteristics of sucrose based symps making them suitable for the preparation of sweetmeats of low Glycemic Index. Yet another object of the invention is to provide confoctionory and- sweetmeat preparations of low glycemic index that include among other ingredients, milk/ cereal/lentil/nut based ingredients and their like, requiring elevated temperatures for cooking, most Importantly ensuring that the product does not brown during or after the preparation of the same. Detailed description of the invention The manufacturing process of this invention comprises of one or more of the following steps: • the preparation of non-browned Fructose syrup • the use of non - browned Fructose syrup in the final manufacture of the sweetmeat with low glycemic index • simultaneous manufacture of non-browned Fructose syrup and manufacture of non-browned sweet meat as may be required with low glycemic index, in a single step. Non-Browned Fructose syrup may be prepared as follows: • dissolution of Fructose powder in pure water to form a saturated solution normally with of Viscosity of around 1.2cps • purging of inert gas(s) at about 2.5 Kg/ sq cm to 5 Kg /sq cm through the solution for a period of 10 - 16 minutes • progressive heating the fructose solution to boiling with purging of the solution with inert gas(s) and maintaining a blanket of inert gas(s) on the surface of the solution during heating • controlling and monitoring the viscosity of the fructose syrup from about 1.2cps to upto 1,00,000 cps based on the specific requirement of the sweetmeat of confectionery to be prepared • increasing the pressure of the inert gas(s) on the solution with increase in viscosity of the Fructose syrup to ensure inert gas blanket on the solution surface • cooling of the fructose syrup under the inert gas blanket • preparing fructose syrup stock of varying viscosities and storing in inert gas atmosphere. In another emboliment of this process the steps comprise:. • heating the solution of Fructose in a closed chamber with outlet for steam release • progressively heating the Fructose solution providing heat input through super heated steam at pressure ranging from about 2 to about 10 times the atmospheric pressure • controlling and monitoring the time of heating so as to obtain Fructose syrup with viscosity varying from 1.2 cps upto 1,00,000 cps based on the specific requirement of the sweetmeat to be prepared • storing the Fructose Syrup in vacuum or inert gas atmosphere. In yet another embodiment of the process the steps comprise: • prolonged heating the Fructose solution at low pressure or vacuum in a close chamber at temperatures at about 60 degrees to 80 °C • controlling and monitoring the time of heating so as to obtain Fructose syrup with viscosity varying from about 1.2 cps upto about 1,00,000 cps based on the specific requirement of the sweetmeat to be prepared • storing the Fructose syrup in a container with vacuum till it cools to room temperature Manufacture of Sweets of low glycemic index by the process of this invention may be prepared by steps comprising: • preparation of the non-browned Fructose syrup of viscosity lower than the viscosity needed for the particular sweet as described above • adjusting the pH between about 2 to about 6.5 by conventional methods / optionally in the presence of fats • cooking and or preparing the sweetmeat stock without fructose • adding appropriate quantity of the Fructose syrup under inert gas bubbling till the completion of the process or optionally dividing the sweetmeat mass is into masses of suitable quantities and shapes and introducing into the prepared fructose solution of Fructose of appropriate strength, already brought to boiling point under inert gas bubbling and inert gas cover wherein the entire solution with solid mass is continuously heated until the solid mass is well cooked or cooking and or preparing the sweet meat mass, optionally in fat, without adding fructose in initial stage but later adding, near the end stage, appropriate quantity of fructose powder or fructose syrup; wherein inert gas is bubbled through the fructose syrup containing the sweet meat mass • optionally adding herbal extracts, flavouring agents, antioxidants, stabilizers, preservatives etc • cooling of the mass to near room temperature maintaining bubbling of the inert gas or inert gas cover • Optionally adding extra fructose crystals/ fructose syrup as may be required to obtain required sweetness In another embodiment of the process the sweetmeat dough is divided into masses of suitable quantities and shapes and introduced into the prepared fructose solution at pH ranging from about 2 to about 6.5 and heated in a closed chamber with super heated steam at pressure ranging from about 2 to about 10 times the atmospheric pressure, the chamber being provided with an outlet for steam release. The time of heating is controlled and monitored to obtain a fructose syrup of viscosity varying from about 1.2 cps to about 1,00,000 cps based on the specific requirement of the sweetmeat. The system is then cooled to room temperature. In yet another embodiment of the process, the low giycemic index sweetmeats may be prepared • cooking the sweetmeat mass either in fat or in water as the case may be at elevated temperature • adding fructose of desired quantity either as powder or as solution of appropriate strength prepared at room temperature • keeping pH within 2 and 6.5 • heating the entire mass at low temperature under negative pressure cover • bringing the mass to room temperature under negative pressure cover • adding extra fructose crystals or solution or syrup of appropriate viscosity prepared as in any of the methods shown above, to provide the required sweetness In yet another embodiment of the process, the low glycemic index sweetmeats may be prepared in dry or semi-dry form using dry form of fructose Instead of syrup by process comprising of steps as described herein: • Mixing of Fructose with the formulation of the sweetmeat • Cooking of the formulation with through mixing at low heat under an inert gas blanket • Keeping the pH between 2 and 6.5 • Optionally purging inert gas through a perforated sieve at a higher pressure, between about 4kg per sq cm to about 10 Kg per sq cm, to ensure that enough gas permeates through the mass being processed. • Cooling of the mass under the blanket of inert gas • Casting or dividing the cooked mass into desirable sizes and shapes The invention is now illustrated with a few non-limited examples. Various embodiments of the invention are described as hereunder and it should not be construed that the explanation given here does not limit the scope of the inventbn and include possible modifications as known to the persons skilled in the art. Examples Example 1. This example illustrates the preparation of Fructose syrup of the required viscosity without browning. 750 gm of Fructose powder in 1000 ml of Water was heated with and without purging of inert gas. The time '0' was taken from the point of boiling of the solution. The colour of the solution was measured at 430nm. As described, controlled heating of fructose in the presence of inert gas helps in the production of fructose syrup without change of the initial colour. Table 1 presents representative data of such an experiment. Example 2 Five litres of fresh cow's milk was boiled and 200 ml of vinegar (10% solution of acetic add) was added. The milk was curdled and the whey was filtered off. The solid portion i.e. cottage cheese (known as paneer) was made into balls of about 10 to 12 gms by weight. The paneer bails were made into four portions and each portion was separately soaked into a liter of solutions obtained by dissolving 250 grams of sugar alcohols (polyols) such as sorbitol, lactitoi, xyltol, and manitol. The paneer balls, thus obtained, were introduced into the boiling solution. After 10 minutes of boiling, 5 to 7 ml of 10% solution of a herbal extract of sapindus - trifoliatus was added at intervals of 6 to 7 minutes during cooking. Another aqueous solution was prepared by dissolving 250 gms of fructose in water. This was heated progressively with temperature maintained between 60 and 70 degrees for about 10 minutes till the solution acquired low syrupy consistency. Four separate solutions of the above mentioned quantity and viscosity were prepared. The paneer bails were removed from each of the polyol solutions and put into the fructose solutions to acquire the desired sweetness. Example 3 Paneer balls were made as above. 250 gms of fructose was dissolved in 2 litres of water and brought to boiling. During heating, inert gas was bubbled into the liquid and under an inert gas blanket. As the solution reached its boiling point, the paneer bails were introduced into the solution with continuous heating. pH of the solution was monitored and was maintained between 2 to 6.5. In another lot 1250 gms of fructose was dissolved in 4 Its of water and heated to 60 -70 degrees centigrade for a period of 10 minutes. This solution was added to the solution containing the paneer balls and heating continued for a total period of 20 minutes till the paneer balls acquired the desired sweetness. Example 4 Paneer balls (cottage cheese balls) made as per example two were cooked in water at boiling point with addition of Sapindus-trifollatus extract keeping the pH between 2 and 6.5. ISOOgms of fructose was dissolved in six litres of water and heated to 60 t 70 degrees. The paneer balls cooked as above were introduced into fructose synjp and allowed to cool. Example 5 1 kg of fructose was dissolved in 2 litres of water and heated to boiling with nitrogen purging till the syrup attained the desired consistency. The syaip was cooled to room temperature with continuous purging of inert gas. 1/2 kg condensed cooked milk solid (khoya) was mixed with maida in desired proportion (approximately 10-20 gms) kneaded and made into balls of 10 - 12 gms each. These balls were deep fried in a fat medium (oil or hydrogenated oil) and taken out of the cooking medium and introduced in the fructose syrup. Example 6 1.5 kg of fructose was dissolved in water and brought to boiling point with inert gas bubbling and inert gas cover. 100 ml of Sapindus-trifoliatus extract was added. PH was added between 2 and 6.5 and pennitted reducing agents were added. Paneer balls (as prepared in example 2) were added and cooked in fructose solution keeping inert gas bubbling and inert gas cover until the entire process was completed and the product brought to room temperature. We claim 1. A process for the prepartion of low glycemic sweets comprising the steps of a. the preparation of non-browned fructose syrup as herein described; b. the preparation of sweets by using the fructose syrup of step (i) as herein described and c. optionally, adding fructose powder or fructose syrup of step (i) to the sweet prepared under step (ii) in required quantity to obtain required sweetness. 2. The process as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the process of preparation of non jrowned fructose syrup comprising the steps of a. dissolution of fructose powder in pure water to form a solution normally with of viscosity of atleast 1.2 cps b. purging of inert gas or super heated steam through the solution. c. progressive heating the fructose solution to boiling d. controlling and monitoring the viscosity of the fructose syrup from about 1.2 cps to upto 1,00,000 cps based on the specific requirement of the sweetmeat to be prepared e. cooling of the fructose syrup to the ambient temperature 3. The process of claimed in Claim 2 wherein the process of preparation of non browned fructose syrup comprising the steps of a. dissolution of fructose powder in pure water to form a solution normally with of viscosity of atleast 1.2 cps b. purging of inert gas/s at about 2.5 kg/sq cm to 5 kg/sq cm through the solution for a period of 10 - 15 minutes c. progressive heating the fructose solution to boiling with purging of the solution with inert gas (s) and maintaining a blanket of inert gas (s) on the surface of the solution during heating d. controlling and monitoring the viscosity of the fructose syrup from 1.2 cps to upto 1,00,000 cps based on the specific requirement of the sweetmeat to be prepared e. increasing the pressure of the inert gas{s) on the solution with increase in viscosity of the fructose syrup to ensure inert gas blanket on the solution surface f. cooling of the fructose syrup under the inert gas blanket g. Preparing fructose syrup stock of varying viscosities and storing in vacuum or inert gas atmosphere 4. The process as claimed in claim 2 wherein the process of preparation of non browned fructose syrup comprising the steps of a. heating the solution of Fructose in a closed chamber with outlet for steam release, b. progressively heating the Fructose solution providing heat input through super heated steam at pressure ranging from about 2 to about 10 times the atmospheric pressure c. controlling and monitoring the time of heating so as to obtain Fructose syrup with viscosity varying from 1.2 cps upto 1,00,000 cps based on the specific requirement of the sweetmeat to be prepared d. storing the Fructose Syrup in vacuum or inert gas atmosphere. 5. The process as claimed in Step ill of claim 2 wherein optionally, the prolonged heating of the fructose solution at low pressure or vacuum in a closed chamber at temperatures ranging from 60 ° C to 80° C a. prolonged heating the Fructose solution at low pressure or vacuum in a close chamber at temperatures at about 60 degrees to 80 °C b. controlling and monitoring the time of heating so as to obtain Fructose syrup with viscosity varying from about 1.2 cps upto about 1,00,000 cps based on the specific requirement of the sweetmeat to be prepared c. storing the Fructose syrup in a container with vacuum till it cools to room temperature 6. The process as claimed in step III of claim 1 wherein a. preparation of the non-browned Fructose syrup of viscosity lower than the viscosity needed for the particular sweet as described above b. adjusting the pH between about 2 to about 6.5 by conventional methods / optionally in the presence of fats c. cooking and or preparing the sweetmeat stock without fructose d. adding appropriate quantity of the Fructose syrup under inert gas bubbling till the completion of the process or optionally dividing the sweetmeat mass is into masses of suitable quantities and shapes and introducing into the prepared fructose solution of Fructose of appropriate strength, already brought to boiling point under inert gas bubbling and inert gas cover wherein the entire solution with solid mass is continuously heated until the solid mass is well cooked or cooking and or preparing the sweet meat mass, optionally in fat, without adding fructose in initial stage but later adding, near the end stage, appropriate quantity of fructose powder or fructose syrup; wherein inert gas is bubbled through the fructose syrup containing the sv/eet meat mass e. optionally adding hert^al extracts, flavouring agents, antioxidants, stabilizers, preservatives etc f. cooling of the mass to near room temperature maintaining bubbling of the inert gas or inert gas cover g. Optionally adding extra fructose crystals/ fructose syrup as may be required to obtain required sweetness 7. The process as claimed in claim 6 wherein when the sweetmeat is cooked in a fat the entire mass is heated at low temperature(60°C to 80C) by bubbling inert gas or under negative pressure cover, and bringing the cooked mass to room temperature under negative pressure cover in inert gas blanket. 8. The process as claimed in claim 1 wherein the preparation of low glycemic index sweets is optionally canied out by using dry form of fructose instead of fiructose syrup prepared, as described here above. 9. The process as claimed in claim 8 wherein the preparation of low glycemic Index sweets comprising the steps of a. Mixing of Fructose with the formulation of the sweetmeat, b. Cooking of the formulation with through mixing at low heat under an inert gas blanket c. Keeping the pH between 2 and 6.5 d. Optionally purging inert gas through a perforated sieve at a higher pressure, between about 4kg per sq cm to about 10 Kg per sq cm, to ensure that enough gas permeates through the mass being processed. e. Cooling of the mass under the blanket of inert gas f. Casting or dividing the cooked mass into desirable sizes and shapes 10. The process as claimed in claim 8 & 9 wherein the low glycemic index sweets prepared are either in dry or in semidry form. 11. The process as claimed in any of the preceding daims wherein the sweet meat mass is optionally divided into masses of suitable quantities and shapes before introducing Into fructose syrup. 12. A process for the preparation of low glycemic index sweets is substantially as herein described and exemplified.

Documents:

0126-che-2003 abstract.pdf

0126-che-2003 claims duplicate.pdf

0126-che-2003 claims.pdf

0126-che-2003 correspondence others.pdf

0126-che-2003 correspondence po.pdf

0126-che-2003 description (complete) duplicate.pdf

0126-che-2003 description (complete).pdf

0126-che-2003 form-1.pdf

0126-che-2003 form-19.pdf

0126-che-2003 form-3.pdf