Solid foam products and methods of making the same

Abstract

An air-stable edible solid foam product includes at least one sweetener. In some embodiments, the air-stable edible solid foam is free of a whipping agent, and the foaming occurs by vacuum expansion. In some embodiments, the air-stable edible foam product includes at least one proteinaceous whipping agent derived from a plant source and the foaming occurs by whipping. A method of enhancing a beverage includes contacting a solid foam beverage enhancer including at least one sweetener and at least one flavoring agent to the beverage and disintegrating the solid foam beverage enhancer in the beverage within a predetermined period of time. Methods of making an air-stable edible solid foam product are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A food product comprising an air-stable edible solid foam that disintegrates in the presence of an aqueous liquid, the air-stable edible solid foam comprising at least one proteinaceous whipping agent derived from a plant source and at least one sweetener. 
     
     
         2 . The food product of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one sweetener comprises sugar. 
     
     
         3 . The food product of  claim 1  further comprising at least one coloring agent, at least one flavoring agent, or both. 
     
     
         4 . The food product of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one proteinaceous whipping agent comprises an aqueous protein extract of a legume. 
     
     
         5 . The food product of  claim 4 , wherein the aqueous protein extract comprises aquafaba. 
     
     
         6 . The food product of  claim 1 , wherein the air-stable edible solid foam consists of the at least one proteinaceous whipping agent derived from a plant source and the at least one sweetener. 
     
     
         7 . A food product comprising an air-stable edible solid foam that disintegrates in the presence of an aqueous liquid, the air-stable edible solid foam comprising a sweetener including sugar in an amorphous state and at least one flavoring agent, the air-stable edible solid foam being free of a whipping agent. 
     
     
         8 . The food product of  claim 1  or  7 , wherein the air-stable edible solid foam has a predetermined minimum disintegration time of less than 60 seconds in a target beverage. 
     
     
         9 . The food product of  claim 8  wherein the target beverage has a temperature of 10° C. or less. 
     
     
         10 . The food product of  claim 7 , wherein the air-stable edible solid foam product includes no acid ingredient. 
     
     
         11 . The food product of  claim 7  further comprising at least one coloring agent. 
     
     
         12 . The food product of  claim 1  or  7  including cocoa. 
     
     
         13 . The food product of  claim 12 , further comprising chocolate flavoring. 
     
     
         14 . The food product of  claim 7  comprising in the range of about 65% by weight to about 90% by weight sweetener. 
     
     
         15 . The food product of  claim 14 , the sweetener comprising sucrose in the range of about 40% by weight to about 55% by weight. 
     
     
         16 . The food product of  claim 15 , comprising a second sweetener in the range of about 25% by weight to about 35% by weight. 
     
     
         17 . The food product of  claim 16 , wherein the second sweetener is a liquid syrup. 
     
     
         18 . A method of making an air-stable edible solid foam product comprising:
 whipping a foamable mixture comprising at least one proteinaceous whipping agent derived from a plant source, at least one sweetener, and at least one flavoring agent to form a foamed mixture; and   baking the foamed mixture to form the air-stable edible solid foam product.   
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one proteinaceous whipping agent comprises an aqueous protein extract of a legume. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the aqueous protein extract comprises aquafaba. 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A method of making an air-stable edible solid foam product comprising:
 mixing and heating a composition comprising a sweetener including sugar, water, and at least one flavoring agent to form an expandable mixture;   pulling the expandable mixture to incorporate air into the expandable mixture;   vacuum expanding the expandable mixture at a temperature above a glass transition temperature of the expandable mixture to form the air-stable edible solid foam product; and   cooling the air-stable edible solid foam product to below the glass transition temperature and then releasing a vacuum on the air-stable edible solid foam product.   
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the air-stable edible solid foam product includes no whipping agent. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the air-stable edible solid foam product includes no acid ingredient. 
     
     
         28 . (canceled) 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the composition further comprises a second sweetener in addition to sugar, the second sweetener comprising a liquid syrup. 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . The food product of  claim 1  including cocoa.