Reduced calorie cocoa butter substitutes

Reference Number: N 04-04

Inventors: Cooper, Charles F.

USPTO Link: 5387429

Invention Summary

This invention provides a reduced calorie food product having a fat component, said fat component comprising a fatty acid-esterified propoxylated glycerin composition having an average number of oxypropylene units per equivalent of glycerin of from 3 to 16, a fatty acid acyl group content such that at least 50 mole percent of the fatty acid acyl groups are derived from no more than two different C.sub.12 -C.sub.24 saturated linear fatty acids, an iodine number less than 30, and a ratio of average number of fatty acid acyl group carbons per equivalent of glycerin to average number of oxypropylene units per equivalent of glycerin such that the composition has a solid fat index as measured by dilatometry of more than 50 at 20.degree. C. and less than 10 at 37.degree. C.

Also provided by the invention is a reduced calorie cocoa butter substitute comprised of cocoa butter and at least 25 parts by weight per 75 parts by weight cocoa butter of a fatty acid-esterified propoxylated glycerin composition having an average number of oxypropylene units per equivalent of glycerin of from 3 to 16, a fatty acid acyl group content such that at least 50 mole percent of the fatty acid acyl groups are derived from no more than two different C.sub.12 -C.sub.24 saturated linear fatty acids, an iodine number less than 30, and a ratio of average number of fatty acid acyl group carbons per equivalent of glycerin to average number of oxypropylene units per equivalent of glycerin such that the composition has a solid fat index as measured by dilatometry of more than 50 at 20.degree. and less than 10 at 37.degree. C.

This invention additionally provides a method of reducing the available caloric content of a food product comprised of cocoa butter, said method comprising formulating the food product so as to replace at least a portion of the cocoa butter with a fatty acid-esterified propoxylated glycerin composition having an average number of oxypropylene units per equivalent of glycerin of from 3 to 16, a fatty acid acyl group content such that at least 50 mole percent of the fatty acid acyl groups are derived from no more than two different C.sub.12 -C.sub.24 saturated linear fatty acids, an iodine number less than 30, and a ratio of average number of fatty acid acyl group carbons per equivalent of glycerin to average number of oxypropylene units per equivalent of glycerin such that the composition has a solid fat index as measured by dilatometry of more than 50 at 20.degree. C. and less than 10 at 37.degree. C.

The invention also provides a fatty acid-esterified propoxylated glycerin composition prepared by reacting 1 equivalent of glycerin with from 3 to 16 equivalent of propylene oxide, preferably under base-catalyzed conditions, to yield a propoxylated glycerin and esterifying the propoxylated glycerin with one or more fatty acids or fatty acid derivatives selected such that the resulting fatty acid-esterified propoxylated glycerin composition has a fatty acid acyl group content wherein at least 50 mole percent of the fatty acid acyl groups are derived from no more than two different C.sub.12 -C.sub.24 saturated linear fatty acids, an iodine number less than 30, and a solid fat index as measured by dilatometry of more than 50 at 20.degree. C. and less than 10 at 37.degree. C. Preferably, at least about 80% of the hydroxyl groups of the propoxylated glycerin are esterified.

The cocoa butter substitutes of this invention have a markedly reduced tendency to be digested and absorbed so as to provide energy value when consumed as compared to natural cocoa butter. A confectionary made with such a substitute will consequently have far fewer available calories than an analogous confectionary formulated with an equivalent weight or volume of natural cocoa butter. At the same time, the instant cocoa butter mimetics have the advantage of being easily synthesized at low cost from readily available and inexpensive starting materials. In addition, these substances are remarkably similar to natural cocoa butter in their melting properties and thus provide chocolate products and other confectionaries having excellent storage and handling characteristics at room temperature as well as satisfactory organoleptic qualities.