Baby-food compositions containing egg yolk and methods therefor

Abstract

Baby-food compositions comprising about 5% to about 25% egg-yolk solids and an acidulant in an acceptable, shelf-stable, baby-food preparation is disclosed. The acidulant can be an acid, a cultured food substance containing lactic acid or a fruit or vegetable component which contributes acidity to the composition or a combination thereof. Also disclosed are methods for preparing and using the compositions.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A baby-food composition comprising from about 5% to about 25% egg-yolk solids (grams/100 grams) and an acidulant in an acceptable, shelf-stable baby-food preparation for which Appearance/Color, Flavor, and Mouthfeel/Texture scores on a nine-point hedonic scale are each greater than five, wherein the acidulant comprises an acid, a cultured food substance containing lactic acid, or a fruit or vegetable component which contributes acidity to the composition.  
     
     
         2 . The baby-food composition according to  claim 1  wherein the fruit or vegetable component comprises a puree or juice of apples, pears, pineapples, strawberries, raspberries, elderberries, blueberries, cherries, grapes, peaches, plums, apricots, lemons, clementines, grapefruits, oranges, tomatoes, rhubarbs, sorrels, cress or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         3 . The baby-food composition according to  claim 1  wherein the acid comprises citric acid, ascorbic acid, phosphoric acid, vinegar or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         4 . The baby-food composition according to  claim 1  wherein the cultured food substance containing lactic acid is yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese or sauerkraut or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         5 . The baby-food composition according to  claim 1 , which has a pH of about 5.0 or less.  
     
     
         6 . The baby-food composition according to  claim 5 , which has a pH of about 4.6 or less.  
     
     
         7 . The baby-food composition according to  claim 1 , which comprises from about 5% to about 10% coagulated egg-yolk solids (grams/100 grams).  
     
     
         8 . The baby-food composition according to  claim 7 , which comprises about 6.7% coagulated egg-yolk solids (grams/100 grams).  
     
     
         9 . The baby-food composition according to  claim 8  further comprising a zinc salt, a spice, a filler substance or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         10 . The baby-food composition according to  claim 9  comprising about 6.7% coagulated egg-yolk solids (grams/100 grams), about 55% peach puree (grams/100 grams), about 7% white grape juice (grams/100 grams), about 2% oat flakes (grams/100 grams), about 0.04% ascorbic acid (grams/100 grams), about 0.45% cinnamon (grams/100 grams) and about 0.011% zinc sulfate (grams/100 grams).  
     
     
         11 . The baby-food composition according to  claim 9  comprising about 6.7% coagulated egg-yolk solids (grams/100 grains), about 14% tomato paste (grams/100 grams), about 11% blanched pasta (grams/100 grams), about 8% carrot puree (grams/100 grams), about 7% ground chicken (grams/100 grams), and about 5% grated cheese (grams/100 grams).  
     
     
         12 . The baby-food composition according to  claim 9  comprising about 6.7% coagulated egg-yolk solids (grams/100 grams), about 44% pear puree (grams/100 grams), about 10% white grape juice (grams/100 grams), about 8% raspberry puree (grams/100 grams), about 5.6% cream (grams/100 grams), about 5% yogurt (grams/100 grams), about 3.5% rice flour (grams/100 grams), about 3% milk (grams/100 grams), about 1.5% elderberry juice concentrate (grams/100 grams), about 0.04% ascorbic acid (grams/100 grams), about 0.011% zinc sulfate (grams/100 grams).  
     
     
         13 . A method for increasing the nutritional intake in an infant, the method comprising feeding to the infant a baby-food composition comprising from about 5% to about 25% egg-yolk solids (grams/100 grams) and an acidulant in an acceptable, shelf-stable baby-food preparation for which Appearance/Color, Flavor, and Mouthfeel/Texture scores on a nine-point hedonic scale are each greater than five, wherein the acidulant comprises an acid, a cultured food substance containing lactic acid, or a fruit or vegetable component which contributes acidity to the composition.  
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the fruit or vegetable component comprises a puree or juice of apples, pears, pineapples, strawberries, raspberries, elderberries, blueberries, cherries, grapes, peaches, plums, apricots, lemons, clementines, grapefruits, oranges, tomatoes, rhubarbs, sorrels, cress or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the acid comprises citric acid, ascorbic acid, phosphoric acid, vinegar or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the cultured food substance containing lactic acid is yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese or sauerkraut or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 13  wherein the composition has a pH of about 5.0 or less.  
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the composition has a pH of about 4.6 or less.  
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the composition has from about 5% to about 10% coagulated egg-yolk solids (grams/100 grams).  
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein the composition comprises about 6.7% coagulated egg-yolk solids (grams/100 grams).  
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20  wherein the composition further comprises a zinc salt, a spice, a filler substances or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21  wherein the composition comprises about 6.7% coagulated egg-yolk solids (grams/100 grams), about 55% peach puree (grams/100 grams), about 7% white grape juice (grams/100 grams), about 2% oat flakes (grams/100 grams), about 0.04% ascorbic acid (grams/100 grams), about 0.45% cinnamon (grams/100 grams) and about 0.011% zinc sulfate (grams/100 grams).  
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 21  where the composition comprises about 6.7% coagulated egg-yolk solids (grams/100 grams), about 14% tomato paste (grams/100 grams), about 11% blanched pasta (grams/100 grams), about 8% carrot puree (grams/100 grams), about 7% ground chicken (grams/100 grams), and about 5% grated cheese (grams/100 grams).  
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 21  wherein the composition comprises about 6.7% coagulated egg-yolk solids (grams/100 grams), about 44% pear puree (grams/100 grams), about 10% white grape juice (grams/100 grams), about 8% raspberry puree (grams/100 grams), about 5.6% cream (grams/100 grams), about 5% yogurt (grams/100 grams), about 3.5% rice flour (grams/100 grams), about 3% milk (grams/100 grams), about 1.5% elderberry juice concentrate (grams/100 grams), about 0.04% ascorbic acid (grams/100 grams), about 0.011% zinc sulfate (grams/100 grams).  
     
     
         25 . A method for preparing a baby-food composition containing egg yolk, the method comprising combining about 5% to about 25% egg-yolk solids (grams/100 grams), an aqueous liquid, and an acidulant in an acceptable, shelf-stable baby-food formulation for which Appearance/Color, Flavor, and Mouthfeel/Texture scores on a nine-point hedonic scale are each greater than five, wherein the acidulant comprises an acid, a cultured food substance containing lactic acid, or a fruit or vegetable component which contributes acidity to the composition.  
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25  wherein the fruit or vegetable component comprises a puree or juice of apples, pears, pineapples, strawberries, raspberries, elderberries, blueberries, cherries, grapes, peaches, plums, apricots, lemons, clementines, grapefruits, oranges, tomatoes, rhubarbs, sorrels, cress or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 25  wherein the acid comprises citric acid, ascorbic acid, phosphoric acid, vinegar or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 25  wherein the cultured food substance containing lactic acid is yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese or sauerkraut or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the composition has a pH of about 5.0 or less.  
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 29 , wherein the composition has a pH of about 4.6 or less.  
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 25 , wherein the composition comprises from about 5% to about 10% coagulated egg-yolk solids (grams/100 grams).  
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 31 , wherein the composition which comprises about 6.7% coagulated egg-yolk solids (grams/100 grams).  
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 25  wherein combining about 5% to about 25% egg-yolk solids (grams/100 grams), an aqueous liquid, and an acidulant comprises combining about 5% to about 25% egg-yolk solids (grams/100 grams) and a fruit juice which contributes water and acidity to the composition.  
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 32  further comprising adding a zinc salt, a spice, a filler substance or a combination thereof.  
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 34  comprising combining about 6.7% coagulated egg-yolk solids (grams/100 grams), about 55% peach puree (grams/100 grams), about 7% white grape juice (grams/100 grams), about 2% oat flakes (grams/100 grams), about 0.04% ascorbic acid (grams/100 grams), about 0.45% cinnamon (grams/100 grams) and about 0.011% zinc sulfate (grams/100 grams).  
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 34  comprising combining about 6.7% coagulated egg-yolk solids (grams/100 grams), about 14% tomato paste (grams/100 grams), about 11% blanched pasta (grams/100 grams), about 8% carrot puree (grams/100 grams), about 7% ground chicken (grams/100 grams), and about 5% grated cheese (grams/100 grams).  
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 34  comprising combining about 6.7% coagulated egg-yolk solids (grams/100 grams), about 44% pear puree (grams/100 grams), about 10% white grape juice (grams/100 grams), about 8% raspberry puree (grams/100 grams), about 5.6% cream (grams/100 grams), about 5% yogurt (grams/100 grams), about 3.5% rice flour (grams/100 grams), about 3% milk (grams/100 grams), about 1.5% elderberry juice concentrate (grams/100 grams), about 0.04% ascorbic acid (grams/100 grams), about 0.011% zinc sulfate (grams/100 grams).