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Phytosterol esterification product and method of make sameRelated Patent Categories: Food Or Edible Material: Processes, Compositions, And Products, Products Per Se, Or Processes Of Preparing Or Treating Compositions Involving Chemical Reaction By Addition, Combining Diverse Food Material, Or Permanent Additive, Fat Or Oil Is Basic Ingredient Other Than Butter In Emulsion FormPhytosterol esterification product and method of make same description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070148311, Phytosterol esterification product and method of make same. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] This invention relates to a class of phytosterol esters that are useful as ingredients in food products. More particularly, this invention relates to a class of phytosterol esters that are useful as ingredients in the preparation of specialty shortening products with nutritional and functional benefits, and that are substantially solid at ambient temperatures, and to methods of their manufacture. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The term "phytosterols" as used herein covers both plant sterols, plant stanols, wood sterols, and wood stanols. Plant sterols are naturally occurring substances that are components of edible vegetable oils. Plant stanols, occurring in nature at a lower level, are saturated fatty acid compounds of the respective plant sterols. Wood sterols and wood stanols are also naturally occurring substances that are present in whole or in part from tall oil, a product derived during the processing of paper from wood. Commercial quantities of plant stanols are derived from the process of catalytic hydrogenation. [0003] The use of phytosterols and phytosterol esters as cholesterol lowering adjuncts in a variety of food products has been well documented. As reported by the Institute of Food Science and Technology, sterols dissolved in edible fat products have been found to be more effective at reducing blood cholesterol levels than sterols in crystalline form. It is difficult to incorporate free sterols into edible fats or oils because of their insolubility, whereas sterols esterified to fatty acids are more fat soluble. The enrichment of foods such as margarines with phytosterols is one of the recent developments in functional foods to enhance the cholesterol-lowering ability of traditional food products. [0004] While phytosterols possess desirable qualities in terms of potential for lowering cholesterol, they can pose challenges in the manufacture of food products for consumer use. While conventional fatty acids tend to form round crystal structures that promote spreadability and ease of handling, phytosterols tend to form sharp needle-like crystals at ambient temperatures that result in a brittle product. Such a product can be difficult for a manufacturer to work with, and can be less desirable to a consumer when used in products such as spreads [0005] Typically, phytosterol esters are created by esterifying a phytosterol material with relatively high levels of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids, and with the fatty acids of long-chain triglycerides. Such products will be very viscous at 40.degree. F., but can range from viscous to liquid at ambient temperature. These products are well suited for use in dressings and similar products, but may not be suitable for use in those applications in which the ingredient should be substantially solid at ambient temperature, such as margarine-type products and bakery shortenings, where hardness at room temperature can make them undesirable. [0006] U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,886 discloses a process for the preparation of stanol fatty acid esters having any desired fatty acid groups, the preparation comprising the interesterification of stanol fatty acid esters with a source for one or more fatty acid moieties of a desired composition. Such sources for fatty acid moieties preferably contain high amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acid moieties. [0007] U.S. Pat. No. 6,117,475 discloses fat based food products having an optimal ratio of free and esterified sterols, such products not showing instability and/or crystal formation. [0008] U.S. Pat. No. 6,531,463 discloses a method of making a homogeneous and stable paste by mixing .beta.-sitosterol and a food grade oil, heating until all the solids are dissolved in the oil, cooling the mixture, and adding water to disperse it. [0009] U.S. Pat. No. 6,753,032 discloses a "plant sterol-containing fat composition . . . comprising a plant sterol fatty acid ester(A); and from 10 to 70% by weight of a partial glyceride(B)." The composition can be made by "effecting the esterification reaction of a plant sterol, and a partial glyceride and/or triglyceride under solventless conditions by using a lipase or an alkali as a catalyst." (Col. 2, lines 32-42) [0010] U.S. Pat. No. 6,800,317 discloses sterol and/or stanol fatty acid ester compositions, in which more than 50% of the fatty acid moieties comprises polyunsaturated fatty acids, and less than 7% comprises saturated fatty acids, and the composition shows no texturizing properties. [0011] US 2004/0219277 discloses a fat blend including a reduced level of a conventional hardstock rich in absorbable saturated or a trans-unsaturated fat, wherein the solid fat component is composed of either fully a phytosterol ester or ester blend, defined as a texturizing agent, or of a blend of the texturizing agent and conventional hardstock. [0012] US 2005/0038270 discloses a process for preparing sterol and stanol esters using a base-catalyzed transesterification of the free sterols with fatty acid glycerides coupled to removal of the produced glycerol under vacuum. [0013] WO 98/06405 discloses a stanol composition containing sitostanol and a substantial amount of at least 10% campestanol; the composition can be esterified to provide a substance that can be used in fat-containing foods. [0014] WO 01/91587 A2 discloses an oil composition comprising triglycerides bearing short and medium chain fatty acid residues derived from fatty acids having from 4 to 14 carbon atoms and long chain fatty acid residues derived from fatty acids having from 15 to 22 carbon atoms. [0015] Bailey's Industrial Oils and Fat Products, vol. 2, 4.sup.th ed., edited by Daniel Swem, at pp. 113-124 discloses the background of esterification and a general process for carrying out esterification reactions. [0016] It is thus an object of the invention to provide a phytosterol based product that is substantially solid at room temperature, so as to be suitable for use in margarine and/or bakery shortenings. [0017] It is another object of the invention to provide a phytosterol-based product that is substantially solid at room temperature, and that provides greater cholesterol-lowering potential than standard saturated fats that are solid at room temperature. [0018] It is still another object of the invention to provide a phytosterol based product that is substantially solid at room temperature, and yet is spreadable at room temperature. so as to be useful in spreads and other food products desirable to consumers. [0019] It is another object of the invention to provide a method for making such a phytosterol product. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0020] The present invention relates to a composition suitable for use as an ingredient for a food product, the composition comprising the esterification product of a phytosterol material and at least one saturated fatty acid, the esterification product being substantially solid at ambient temperature. The esterification can be carried out in the presence or absence of a catalyst. The esterification preferably is conducted under vacuum to remove the moisture evolved during the esterification reaction. The product can be filtered one or more times to remove residual catalyst. The product is suitable for use in the production of shortening and bakery margarines with enhanced health benefits to the consumer, while having a crystal morphology that provides for a product that can be spreadable at room temperature. [0021] The present invention further relates to a method for making such a composition. In accordance with the invention, the method comprises: providing a quantity of a phytosterol material, a quantity of at least one saturated fatty acid, and a source of hydroxyl moieties, and forming a mixture thereof; heating the mixture to a temperature of about 230-250.degree. C.; maintaining the temperature of the mixture for a time sufficient for esterification to take place; neutralizing the mixture; filtering the mixture; and cooling the mixture to ambient, such that the composition becomes substantially solid. The esterification can be carried out in the presence of a catalyst, and preferably is conducted under vacuum to remove the moisture evolved during the esterification reaction. The process can be carried out using a concentrated approach, in which the reaction mixture comprises about 60-75% of phytosterol and about 20-30% of saturated fatty acid, or the reaction can be carried out using a dilute approach, in which the mixture comprises about 50-59% of phytosterol and about 40-47% saturated fatty acid. DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Continue reading about Phytosterol esterification product and method of make same... Full patent description for Phytosterol esterification product and method of make same Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Phytosterol esterification product and method of make same patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. 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