COMPOSITIONS HAVING AN OIL-IN-WATER DISPERSION OF SUBMICRON PARTICLES TO ENHANCE FOODS AND BEVERAGES

摘要

A composition having an oil-in-water dispersion with enhanced stability is provided. The oil-in-water dispersion has particles of a hydrophobic agent with an average particle size between about 100 to about 999 nm, where the distribution of particle sizes are a monodispersity about the average particle size, and the negative charge on the particles generates a force of repulsion that exceeds the force of coalescence among the particles of the hydrophobic agent in the oil-in-water dispersion. A method for applying the composition to a food and/or beverage is also provided. The submicron average particle size, dispersity, and force of repulsion of the particles in the dispersion increase the extent of penetration and accelerate diffusion of the particles of the hydrophobic agent throughout a water phase of a food or beverage, to enhance the physical, chemical, nutritional and/or sensory properties of the food or beverage, and to prevent freezer burn.

主权项

1. A method of using a composition having an oil-in-water dispersion to enhance a physical, chemical, nutritional and/or sensory property of a food, comprising:
applying a composition into or onto the food, the composition comprising: an oil phase comprising one or more hydrophobic particles of a hydrophobic agent; and an aqueous phase comprising either water or water and one or more water-miscible substances; wherein the oil phase and the aqueous phase are combined and subjected to a process to form an oil-in-water dispersion having particles of the hydrophobic agent with a small negative surface charge; wherein the particles of the hydrophobic agent in the oil-in-water dispersion have an average particle size of about 100 nm to about 999 nm in diameter; wherein about 75 wt % to about 100 wt % of the particles of the hydrophobic agent in the oil-in-water dispersion have a particle size that is ±300 nm of the average particle size of the hydrophobic agent; wherein the small negative surface charge imparted to the hydrophobic particles causes the particles of the hydrophobic agent to repel each other with a force of repulsion; wherein the force of repulsion sufficiently exceeds the force of coalescence among the particles of the hydrophobic agent, thereby enhancing stability of the oil-in-water dispersion by resisting aggregation of the particles of the hydrophobic agent; wherein small average particle size, low polydispersity, and force of repulsion of the particles of the hydrophobic agent in the oil-in-water dispersion increase an extent of penetration of the oil-in-water dispersion throughout a water phase of a substrate of the food; and thereby producing a bloom effect distributing the particles of the hydrophobic agent uniformly throughout the water phase of the substrate that enhances a physical, chemical, nutritional and/or sensory property of the food.