USRE48607EActiveUtility

Thickener composition, thickened nutritive products, methods for preparing thickened nutritive products, and methods for providing nutrition

89
Assignee: KENT PREC FOODS GROUP INCPriority: Mar 15, 2013Filed: Apr 18, 2019Granted: Jun 29, 2021
Est. expiryMar 15, 2033(~6.7 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Douglas A. Stetzer
A23L 29/27A23L 33/15A23L 33/40A23L 33/16A23C 9/206
89
PatentIndex Score
2
Cited by
231
References
30
Claims

Abstract

Disclosed are thickener compositions composed of xanthan gum and a chelating agent, such as ascorbic acid. The chelating agent is present in an amount with respect to said xanthan such that, when said thickener composition is used to thicken a food product, at least one mineral selected from the group consisting of iron, zinc, and calcium present in said food product is relatively more bioavailable than the mineral would be in the absence of said chelating agent. The thickener composition finds particular applicability for use with baby formulas and breast milk intended for dysphagic infants. Also disclosed are baby formulas and thickened breast milk formulations, methods for preparing same, and methods for providing nutrition.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A thickened breast milk product comprising:
 breast milk;   xanthan gum, said xanthan gum being present in an amount from 1 to 2% by weight and   a chelating agent comprising ascorbic acid from 0.001% to 0.005% by weight, to increase the bioavailability of at least one mineral selected from the group consisting of iron, zinc, and calcium relative to the absence of the chelating agent;   wherein the ratio by dry weight of xanthan gum to ascorbic acid is between about 2000:1.5 to about 1000:2.5.   
     
     
       2. The thickened breast milk product of  claim 1 , wherein the xanthan is present in an amount sufficient to thicken the breast milk to a viscosity of between about 100-1000 centipoise. 
     
     
       3. The thickened breast milk product of  claim 1 , wherein the bioavailability of calcium in said thickened breast milk product is at least about 80 percent of the bioavailability of calcium of unthickened breast milk. 
     
     
       4. The thickened breast milk product of  claim 1 , wherein the bioavailability of iron in said thickened breast milk product is at least about 80 percent of the bioavailability of iron of unthickened breast milk. 
     
     
       5. The thickened breast milk product of  claim 1 , wherein the bioavailability of zinc in said thickened breast milk product is at least about 80 percent of the bioavailability of the zinc of unthickened breast milk. 
     
     
       6. The thickened breast milk product of  claim 1 , wherein the chelating agent is ascorbic acid; wherein the xanthan is present in an amount sufficient to thicken the breast milk to a viscosity of between about 100-1000 centipoise; wherein the bioavailability of calcium in said thickened breast milk product is at least about 80 percent of the bioavailability of calcium of unthickened breast milk; wherein the bioavailability of iron in said thickened breast milk product is at least about 80 percent of the bioavailability of iron of unthickened breast milk; and wherein the bioavailability of zinc in said thickened breast milk product is at least about 80 percent of the bioavailability of the zinc of unthickened breast milk. 
     
     
       7. A thickened food product made by a method comprising:
 mixing a food product and a thickener composition in a ratio effective to thicken said food product;   said food product comprising at least one of calcium, zinc, or iron;   said thickener composition comprising xanthan gum, said xanthan gum being present in an amount from 1 to 2% by weight, blended with a chelating agent, said chelating agent comprising ascorbic acid from 0.001% to 0.005% by weight;   wherein the ratio by dry weight of xanthan gum to ascorbic acid is between about 2000:1.5 to about 1000:2.5;   said thickener added in an amount to provide an amount of chelating agent effective to increase the bioavailability to a dysphagic consumer of at least one of calcium, zinc, or iron relative to the absence of the chelating agent.   
     
     
       8. The thickened food product of claim 7, wherein the amount of thickener added thickens the food product to a viscosity of about 150 centipoise to about 2000 centipoise. 
     
     
       9. The thickened food product of claim 7, wherein the thickened food product has a viscosity of between about 100 to about 1000 centipoise. 
     
     
       10. The thickened food product of claim 7, wherein the bioavailability of calcium in said thickened food product is at least about 80 percent of the bioavailability of calcium in the food product without the xanthan gum and the chelating agent. 
     
     
       11. The thickened food product of claim 7, wherein the bioavailability of iron in said thickened food product is at least about 80 percent of the bioavailability of iron in the food product without the xanthan gum and the chelating agent. 
     
     
       12. The thickened food product of claim 7, wherein the bioavailability of zinc in said thickened food product is at least about 80 percent of the bioavailability of zinc in the food product without the xanthan gum and the chelating agent. 
     
     
       13. The thickened food product of claim 7, wherein the food product comprises water. 
     
     
       14. The thickened food product of claim 7, wherein the food product comprises vegetable oil. 
     
     
       15. The thickened food product of claim 7, wherein the food product comprises milk. 
     
     
       16. The thickened food product of claim 7, wherein the thickener composition further includes a dissolution agent. 
     
     
       17. The thickened food product of claim 7, wherein the thickening composition comprises 40-60 wt. % xanthan gum and 40-60% dissolution agent. 
     
     
       18. The thickened food product of claim 17, wherein the dissolution agent is maltodextrin. 
     
     
       19. A method comprising:
 mixing a food product and a thickener composition in a ratio effective to thicken said food product;   said food product comprising at least one of calcium, zinc, or iron;   said thickener composition comprising xanthan gum, said xanthan gum being present in an amount from 1 to 2% by weight, blended with a chelating agent, said chelating agent comprising ascorbic acid from 0.001% to 0.005% by weight;   wherein the ratio by dry weight of xanthan gum to ascorbic acid is between about 2000:1.5 to about 1000:2.5;   said thickener added in an amount to provide an amount of chelating agent effective to increase the bioavailability to a dysphagic consumer of at least one of calcium, zinc, or iron relative to the absence of the chelating agent.   
     
     
       20. The method of claim 19, wherein the amount of thickener added thickens the food product to a viscosity of about 150 centipoise to about 2000 centipoise. 
     
     
       21. The method of claim 19, wherein the thickened food product has a viscosity of between about 100 to about 1000 centipoise. 
     
     
       22. The method of claim 19, wherein the bioavailability of calcium in said thickened food product is at least about 80 percent of the bioavailability of calcium in the food product without the xanthan gum and the chelating agent. 
     
     
       23. The method of claim 19, wherein the bioavailability of iron in said thickened food product is at least about 80 percent of the bioavailability of iron in the food product without the xanthan gum and the chelating agent. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim 19, wherein the bioavailability of zinc in said thickened food product is at least about 80 percent of the bioavailability of zinc in the food product without the xanthan gum and the chelating agent. 
     
     
       25. The method of claim 19, wherein the food product comprises water. 
     
     
       26. The method of claim 19, wherein the food product comprises vegetable oil. 
     
     
       27. The method of claim 19, wherein the food product comprises milk. 
     
     
       28. The method of claim 19, wherein the thickener composition further includes a dissolution agent. 
     
     
       29. The method of claim 19, wherein the thickening composition comprises 40-60 wt. % xanthan gum and 40-60% dissolution agent. 
     
     
       30. The method of claim 29, wherein the dissolution agent is maltodextrin.

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