Tasty, convenient, nutritionally balanced food compositions

Abstract

The present invention relates to tasty, ready-to-eat, nutritional foods that offer an alternative to appealing but unhealthy foods. More particularly, tasty, ready-to-eat, nutritional foods that provide a balanced mix of amino acids, fat, and carbohydrates are disclosed. Processes for making, and methods of using said tasty, ready-to-eat, nutritional foods are also disclosed. The nutritious foods of the present invention are formulated and processed such that they resolve the dilemma that consumers have always been faced with—healthy eating or enjoying what they eat.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 .) A ready-to-eat food having, at a 60% confidence level, a lower taste value greater than −8.00; a water activity of less than 0.90; and comprising, on a single reference serving basis: 
 a.) an amino acid source that provides at least 19% of the total caloric value of said food;  
 b.) a fat that provides less than 30% of the total caloric value of said food; and  
 c.) a carbohydrate that provides the balance of the total caloric value of said food and at least about 2.5 grams of dietary fiber.  
 
     
     
         2 ) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 1  wherein said water activity is less than 0.85; said fat provides less than 27% of the total caloric value of said food; and said food comprises an adjunct ingredient.  
     
     
         3 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 1  having a lower taste value that is greater than 1.64 and an upper taste value less than 39.45; and wherein said amino acid source provides at least 19% but less than 50% of the total caloric value of said food; and said carbohydrate provides from about 2.5 grams to about 5.0 grams of dietary fiber.  
     
     
         4 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 3  wherein said food is a filled cracker, filled extruded snack, enrobed extruded snack, spread, potato crisp, or brownie.  
     
     
         5 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 1  wherein said amino acid and fiber sources are at least 75% active; and said fiber is selected from the group consisting of soluble fiber having a viscosity of from 1 to 2 centipoise for a 10% solution at 25° C., insoluble fiber having a particle size of less than 150 microns and a water absorption less than 7.0 grams per gram of fiber, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         6 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 1  having an amino acid score from 0.60 to 1.00.  
     
     
         7 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 1  wherein said fat comprises saturated fat and said saturated fat comprises less than 18% of the total caloric value of said food.  
     
     
         8 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 7  wherein said saturated fat comprises less than 10% of the total caloric value of said food.  
     
     
         9 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 1  comprising a material selected from the group consisting of non-digestible lipids, partially digestible lipids, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         10 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 1  comprising a material selected from the group consisting of arabinogalactan fiber, beta-glucan soluble fiber, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         11 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 1  comprising fluoride; sodium; potassium; and, on a 30 gram basis, from about 10% to about 100% of the U.S. RDI of the vitamins A, D, E, K, C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B −6 , folate, vitamin B −12 , biotin, and pantothenic acid, and from about 10% to about 100% of the U.S. RDI of the minerals calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, iodine, selenium, copper, manganese, chromium, molybdenum, and chloride.  
     
     
         12 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 1  wherein said food is a filled cracker, filled extruded snack, enrobed extruded snack, spread, potato crisp, or brownie.  
     
     
         13 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 1  having, at an 80% confidence level, a lower taste value that is greater than 4.00.  
     
     
         14 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 13  wherein said water activity is less than 0.85; said fat provides less than 27% of the total caloric value of said food; and said food comprises an adjunct ingredient.  
     
     
         15 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 13  having a lower taste value that is greater than 3.09 and an upper taste value less than 41.33; and wherein said amino acid source provides at least 19% but less than 50% of the total caloric value of said food; and said carbohydrate provides from about 2.5 grams to about 5.0 grams of dietary fiber.  
     
     
         16 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 15  wherein said food is a filled cracker, filled extruded snack, enrobed extruded snack, spread, potato crisp, or brownie.  
     
     
         17 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 13  wherein said amino acid and fiber sources are at least 75% active; and said fiber is selected from the group consisting of soluble fiber having a viscosity of from 1 to 2 centipoise for a 10% solution at 25° C., insoluble fiber having a particle size of less than 150 microns and a water absorption less than 7.0 grams per gram of fiber, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         18 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 13  having an amino acid score from 0.60 to 1.00.  
     
     
         19 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 13  wherein said fat comprises saturated fat and said saturated fat comprises less than 18% of the total caloric value of said food.  
     
     
         20 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 19  wherein said saturated fat comprises less than 10% of the total caloric value of said food.  
     
     
         21 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 13  comprising a material selected from the group consisting of non-digestible lipids, partially digestible lipids, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         22 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 13  comprising a material selected from the group consisting of arabinogalactan fiber, beta-glucan soluble fiber, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         23 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 13  comprising fluoride; sodium; potassium; and, on a 30 gram basis, from about 10% to about 100% of the U.S. RDI of the vitamins A, D, E, K, C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B −6 , folate, vitamin B −12 , biotin, and pantothenic acid, and from about 10% to about 100% of the U.S. RDI of the minerals calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, iodine, selenium, copper, manganese, chromium, molybdenum, and chloride.  
     
     
         24 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 13  wherein said food is a filled cracker, filled extruded snack, enrobed extruded snack, spread, potato crisp, or brownie.  
     
     
         25 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 1  having, at a 90% confidence level, a lower taste value that is greater than −2.00.  
     
     
         26 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 25  wherein said water activity is less than 0.85; said fat provides less than 27% of the total caloric value of said food; and said food comprises an adjunct ingredient.  
     
     
         27 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 25  having a lower taste value that is greater than 4.15 and an upper taste value less than 42.89; and wherein said amino acid source provides at least 19% but less than 50% of the total caloric value of said food; and said carbohydrate provides from about 2.5 grams to about 5.0 grams of dietary fiber.  
     
     
         28 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 27  wherein said food is a filled cracker, filled extruded snack, enrobed extruded snack, spread, potato crisp, or brownie.  
     
     
         29 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 25  wherein said amino acid and fiber sources are at least 75% active; and said fiber is selected from the group consisting of soluble fiber having a viscosity of from 1 to 2 centipoise for a 10% solution at 25° C., insoluble fiber having a particle size of less than 150 microns and a water absorption less than 7.0 grams per gram of fiber, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         30 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 25  having an amino acid score from 0.60 to 1.00.  
     
     
         31 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 25  wherein said fat comprises saturated fat and said saturated fat comprises less than 18% of the total caloric value of said food.  
     
     
         32 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 31  wherein said saturated fat comprises less than 10% of the total caloric value of said food.  
     
     
         33 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 25  comprising a material selected from the group consisting of non-digestible lipids, partially digestible lipids, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         34 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 25  comprising a material selected from the group consisting of arabinogalactan fiber, beta-glucan soluble fiber, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         35 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 25  comprising fluoride; sodium; potassium; and, on a 30 gram basis, from about 10% to about 100% of the U.S. RDI of the vitamins A, D, E, K, C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B −6 , folate, vitamin B −12 , biotin, and pantothenic acid, and from about 10% to about 100% of the U.S. RDI of the minerals calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, iodine, selenium, copper, manganese, chromium, molybdenum, and chloride.  
     
     
         36 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 25  wherein said food is a filled cracker, filled extruded snack, enrobed extruded snack, spread, potato crisp, or brownie.  
     
     
         37 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 1  having, at a 99% confidence level, a lower taste value that is greater than 1.00.  
     
     
         38 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 37  wherein said water activity is less than 0.85; said fat provides less than 27% of the total caloric value of said food; and said food comprises an adjunct ingredient.  
     
     
         39 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 37  having a lower taste value that is greater than 7.09 and an upper taste value less than 46.96; and wherein said amino acid source provides at least 19% but less than 50% of the total caloric value of said food; and said carbohydrate provides from about 2.5 grams to about 5.0 grams of dietary fiber.  
     
     
         40 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 39  wherein said food is a filled cracker, filled extruded snack, enrobed extruded snack, spread, potato crisp, or brownie.  
     
     
         41 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 37  wherein said amino acid and fiber sources are at least 75% active; and said fiber is selected from the group consisting of soluble fiber having a viscosity of from 1 to 2 centipoise for a 10% solution at 25° C., insoluble fiber having a particle size of less than 150 microns and a water absorption less than 7.0 grams per gram of fiber, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         42 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 37  having an amino acid score from 0.60 to 1.00.  
     
     
         43 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 37  wherein said fat comprises saturated fat and said saturated fat comprises less than 18% of the total caloric value of said food.  
     
     
         44 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 43  wherein said saturated fat comprises less than 10% of the total caloric value of said food.  
     
     
         45 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 37  comprising a material selected from the group consisting of non-digestible lipids, partially digestible lipids, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         46 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 37  comprising a material selected from the group consisting of arabinogalactan fiber, beta-glucan soluble fiber, and mixtures thereof.  
     
     
         47 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 37  comprising fluoride; sodium; potassium; and, on a 30 gram basis, from about 10% to about 100% of the U.S. RDI of the vitamins A, D, E, K, C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B −6 , folate, vitamin B −12 , biotin, and pantothenic acid, and from about 10% to about 100% of the U.S. RDI of the minerals calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, iodine, selenium, copper, manganese, chromium, molybdenum, and chloride.  
     
     
         48 .) The ready-to-eat food of  claim 37  wherein said food is a filled cracker, filled extruded snack, enrobed extruded snack, spread, potato crisp, or brownie.  
     
     
         49 .) A method for evaluating the taste system of one or more food products comprising: 
 a.) selecting panelists who are representative, as a group, of the general population of the region, country, or territory of interest, with respect to at least one demographic variable of interest;    b.) assigning one or more products, wherein said products comprise one or more reference products and one or more test products, to at least one panelist;    c.) providing at least one assigned reference product and at least one assigned test product to the panelists who were assigned said assigned reference product and said assigned test product;    d.) having one or more of the panelists who were provided with a reference product, taste as much of at least one of the reference products the panelist received, as necessary to score the taste system of said tasted reference product; and having one or more of the panelists who were provided with a test product, taste as much of at least one of the test products the panelist received as necessary to score the taste system of said tasted test product;    e.) having at least one panelist, who scored a reference product, communicate, to a test sponsor or representative, the score for at least one reference product scored by said panelist; and having at least one panelist who scored a test product communicate, to a test sponsor or representative, the score for at least one reference product scored by said panelist;    f.) statistically analyzing the communicated scores as follows: 
 (i) calculating the sample mean of the communicated reference product scores for at least one reference product;  
 (ii) calculating the sample mean of the communicated test product scores for at least one test product; and  
 (iii) for at least one of the test products having a calculated sample mean; calculating a relative taste score, wherein said relative score is defined as the difference between a test product's calculated sample mean and the calculated sample mean of a reference product.  
   
     
     
         50 .) The method of  claim 49  comprising, where mathematically possible, the step of calculating a confidence interval for at least one calculated relative taste score.  
     
     
         51 .) The method of  claim 49  wherein the panelists cleanse their mouths of any pre-existing flavor prior to tasting an assigned product.  
     
     
         52 .) The method of  claim 49  wherein said assigned products are randomly assigned to said panelists.  
     
     
         53 .) The method of  claim 49  wherein a 0 to 100 point scale is used, by the panelists, to score the products.  
     
     
         54 .) The method of  claim 49  wherein only one reference product is assigned to said panelists.  
     
     
         55 .) The method of  claim 50  comprising the steps of: 
 a.) randomly separating the panelists into a reference product group and a test product group, said groups containing an equal number of panelists per group; and  
 b.) providing a single reference product to each panelist in said reference product group and a single test product to each panelist in said test product group.  
 
     
     
         56 .) The method of  claim 50  comprising the steps of: 
 a.) providing a single reference product and a single test product to said panelists;  
 b.) randomly separating the panelists into two groups containing an equal number of panelists per group;  
 c.) having one group of panelists taste and score the reference product and then taste and score the test product; and having the other group of panelists taste and score the test product and then taste and score the reference product; and  
 d.) where mathematically possible, calculating a confidence interval for the calculated relative taste score using a linear model for a two period cross-over design.  
 
     
     
         57 .) A process of making a filling or spread that contains shortening and other filling ingredients comprising the steps of: 
 a.) crystallizing any vitamins with shortening, to form a vitamin shortening mix, before adding said vitamins to any other filling ingredients;    b.) crystallizing any remaining shortening before adding said remaining shortening to any other filling ingredients;    c.) cooling said other filling ingredients to a temperature below the crystallization temperature of said shortening and maintaining said other filling ingredients at a temperature below the crystallization temperature of said shortening until said vitamin shortening mix, and said remaining shortening is combined with said other ingredients;    d.) combining said vitamin shortening mix, said remaining shortening, and said other filling ingredients to form a filling mix; and    e.) where needed, mixing said filling mix at the lower of the shortening's crystallization temperature or 90° F. (32.2° C.).    
     
     
         58 .) The process of  claim 57  wherein said vitamin shortening mix has a weight ratio of total vitamins to shortening of about 1:1.