MONOMODAL NUT BUTTERS AND SPREADS WHICH HAVE SUPERIOR FLUIDITY, TEXTURE AND FLAVOR

摘要

The present invention relates to a novel nut paste having a particular monomodal particle size distribution and to monomodal full-fat nut butters and monomodal reduced fat nut spreads which contain the novel nut paste and which, as a result, have superior fluidity, texture and flavor. These nut butters and nut spreads typically comprise from about 50 % to 100 % of a nut paste. The Casson plastic viscosity of the nut paste is less than about 15 poise and the fat content of the nut paste is at least about 45 %. The nut butters have a fat content ranging from about 25 % to about 80 %. The final nut butters and nut spread products of the present invention have a Casson plastic viscosity of less than about 17 poise and a yield value below about 300 dynes per square centimeter. The water insoluble solids comprising the nut butters or spreads of the present invention have a monomodal particle size distribution such that at least about 90 % of the water insoluble solids comprising the nut butter or spread have a particle size of less than about 21.6 microns, at least about 85 % of the water insoluble solids comprising the nut butter or spread have a particle size of less than about 16.7 microns, at least about 75 % of the water insoluble solids comprising the nut butter or spread have a particle size of less than about 13.0 microns, at least about 60 % of the water insoluble solids comprising the nut butter or spread have a particle size of less than about 10.1 microns, at least about 45 % of the water insoluble solids comprising the nut butter or spread have a particle size of less than about 7.9 microns and at least about 30 % of the water insoluble solids comprising the nut butter or spread have a particle size of less than about 6.2 microns. The particles size distribution curve of the water insoluble solids comprising the nut butter or spread is centered at from about 7 microns to about 9 microns.