TECHNICAL FIELD
The present subject matter is related, in general to a food product, and more particularly, but not exclusively to a method for producing sweet or savory filling for making crunchy/crispy snacks or food product.
BACKGROUND
Filled extruded snacks or food products generally have sweet filling which comprises of sugar and/or milk powder, cocoa fat, vegetable fat and flavor mix. However, filled snack 5 products having savory filling are less known. The Sweet or Semi-sweet filling may interfere with the taste of a savory snack which may not compliment the savory snacks or food product.
Addition of savory filling may affect the structural integrity of the food product. The structural integrity is necessary for the food product to reach the consumers as is after being packed at the production factory. The structural integrity also plays an important role in 10 maintaining the desired organoleptic properties of the food product.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS
Figure.l illustrates a flow chart for method for producing a sweet or savory filling composition. 15
It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any diagrams herein represent conceptual views of illustrative systems embodying the principles of the present subject matter.
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SUMMARY
A method for producing extruded snack or food product filled with a sweet or savory composition, the method comprising steps of: mixing and refining a mixture to obtain as a 5 filling; wherein the mixture comprises of 30% to 65% of fat or oil or combination,30% to 70% Spice box contains bulking agent, spices & condiments and 0.2% to 5% emulsifier; wherein the filling contains a water activity from 0.2 to 0.6; conching, the filling to obtain the sweet/savory composition; and forming, the sweet/savory composition into snack or food product through extruder/sheeting to produce the sweet/savory filled extruded snack or food product;
10 characterized in that the method does or does not involve a drying process such as baking in an oven or similar post extrusion/sheeting thermal processing device.
An extruded snack or food product filled with a sweet/savory composition; wherein the sweet/savory composition is characterized by a low water activity ranging from of 0.2 to 0.6, which gives the shelf life of 3 to 24 months and a particle size less than 500 micron. The
15 sweet/savory composition is produced by mixing and refining a mixture to obtain as a filling; wherein the mixture comprises of 30% to 65% of fat or oil or combination,30% to 70% Spice box contains bulking agent, spices & condiments and 0.2% to 5% emulsifier; wherein the filling contains a water activity from 0.2 to 0.6; conching, the filling to obtain the sweet/savory composition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the present document, the word "exemplary" is used herein to mean "serving as an example, instance, or illustration." Any embodiment or implementation of the present subject matter described herein as "exemplary" is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over the embodiments.

While the disclosure is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiment thereof has been shown by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail below. It should be understood, however that it is not intended to limit the disclosure to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, the disclosure is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternative falling within the spirit and the scope of the disclosure.

The terms “comprises”, “comprising”, or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a setup, device or method that comprises a list of components or steps does not include only those components or steps but may include other components or steps not expressly listed or inherent to such setup or device or method. In other words, one or more elements in a system or apparatus proceeded by “comprises… a” does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other elements or additional elements in the system or method.

In the following detailed description of the embodiments of the disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the disclosure may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the disclosure, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The following description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense.

The present invention relates to a method for producing an extruded snack or food product, which includes product with a low water activity ranging from of 0.2 to 0.6, which gives the shelf life of 3 to 24 months and a particle size less than 500 micron. It can be used directly for filled extruded snackor food products which may or may not be dried further by moisture removal processes liked baking.

The present invention provides a method for producing extruded snack or food product by using bulking agents like buttermilk powder. Present invention provides the filling without the use of maltodextrin or milk powder which is otherwise used as bulking agents. The present invention incorporates buttermilk powder as bulking agent which eliminates the addition of sugar as a bulking agent that may interfere with the overall taste of a sweet/savory filled extruded snack product by imparting sweetness.

Figure.1 illustrates a flow chart of a method for producing sweet/savory filling for making crunchy/crispy snack or food product.

At step 102, a sweet/savory composition may be obtained using mixing and refining. The sweet/savory composition may comprise of 30% to 65% of fat or oil or combination of both,30% to 70% Spice box contains bulking agent, spices & condiments and 0.2% to 5% emulsifier. The seasoning mix may comprise of materials such as salt, spices like cumin powder, coriander powder, ginger powder, garlic powder and chili powder.

In the present invention, buttermilk powder may be used as a bulking agent for the reason that buttermilk powder is obtained from milk and is less sweet as compared to sugar and it is having a bulk density around 0.55 gm/ml to 0.56 gm/ml which is similar to that of sugar.

At Step 104 the filling is put through conching to obtain a sweet or savory composition. Conching is a process where shear and heat are applied to the refined mixture.

In an embodiment, a chocolate conching machine, which is typically used to distribute cocoa butter within chocolate, may be used to mix the sweet or savory composition. A conventional conching machine generally comprises a surface scraping mixer and agitator that uniformly distributes cocoa butter within chocolate and may be used for distributing the fat or oil or combination of both components within bulking agent, seasoning mix and emulsifier. It may also act as a polisher to the particles and promotes flavor development through frictional heat, release of volatiles and acids.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the sweet or savory composition may incorporate and utilize buttermilk powder as bulking agent which helps to provide a structure to the sweet/savory composition. The high protein content of around 30% may provide a stabilized matrix to the composition which minimizes oil and water migration along with emulsifier. Use of buttermilk powder as bulking agent in place of previously used sugar and/ or milk powder or by partially replacing them provides desired taste and texture. Use of fat or Oil or combination of both along with bulking agent may help in providing the flowability without the addition of water and maintains the water activity from 0.2 to 0.6.

At Step 106, after conching, the sweet/savory composition is formed in a snack or food product through extruder/sheeting to produce the sweet/savory filled extruded/sheetingsnack or food product. “Forming” may include shaping or cutting steps or both which can be performed simultaneously or one after other sequentially. A pillow shape cut may be made almost immediately thereafter, such as at some subsequent small distance following the exit from the die face before the product cools by pinch cutter with a moisture content at extrusion/sheeting-oven end of between about 0.8 % to about 6.0 %. Anyextruded shape or sheeting product that can be cut into a ready-to-eat snack or food product, which sets shape upon cooling. The crispy/crunchy product may immediately be sent for optional dryer and seasoning steps.

In an embodiment of the present invention, the sweet/savory composition may be introduced into the center of an extruded/sheeted filled mixture. The introduction of the sweet/savory composition into the filled product may be performed by without limitation an annular co-axial tube or any shape for co-extrusion. However, care may be taken to ensure that the maximum temperature of the filling is about 40°C to about 60 °C to prevent undesirable burning of the filling composition. The filled material comprises Multigrain meals and wherein said filling material comprises one or more seasoning powders.

EXAMPLE
The following example is used to illustrate the invention but is not intended to limit the invention in any way.
Example 1:
Table 1: Sweet or Savory Filling Composition Formulation
Table : 1
Filling material formulation
Components %
Fat or Oil or Fat + Oil 30 – 65
Spice Box
(Bulking Agent + Seasoning mix) 30 -70
Emulsifier 0.2 –5

Advantages of the embodiment of the present disclosure are illustrated herein.

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method to produce shelf-stable food products having desirable low moisture while maintaining a low water activity.

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method to further allow for the production ofsweet or savory expanded or food products with a desirable savory taste, low water activity and crunchy/crispy texture.

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method of producing sweet/savory center-filled snack or food products with fillings that enhance or compliment the taste, texture and overall eating experience of sweet/savory extruded or food products.

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a low raw material cost of sweet/savory composition which cost in the range of Rs.80 to 95 per kg. Therefore, the present invention has economic significance as well as technical advance as compared to the existing knowledge. ,CLAIMS:1. A method for producing extruded snack or food product filled with asweet or savory composition, the method comprising steps of:
mixing and refining a mixture to obtain as a filling; wherein the mixture comprises of 30% to 65% of fat or oil or combination of both,30% to 70% spice box containing bulking agent, spices & condiments and 0.2% to 5% emulsifier;wherein the filling contains a water activity from 0.2 to 0.6;conching, the filling to obtain thesweet or savory composition; and
forming, the sweet or savory composition into salty snack/ food product through extruder or sheeting lines to produce the sweet or savorycoated or filled extruded or sheetedsnack food product.

2. The method as claimed in Claim 1, whereinthespice box contains bulking agent, spices & condiments is provides structural integrity to the extruded or sheetedsalty snack or food product.

3. The method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the use of fat or oil or combinationof both along with bulking agent in the mixture provides the flowabilityto the sweet or savoury composition and maintaining the water activity in the range of 0.2 and 0.6.

4. The method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the mixing process ensures the uniform distribution of ingredients which takes 5to 120 minutes as per particle size

5. The method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the refining process breaks the particles of the bulking agent, seasoning mix and emulsifier to a particle size less than 500 micron.

6. The method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the conching facilitates the polishing of the particles and maintains the structural integrity which can take up to5 hours.

7. An extruded or sheetedsalty snack or food product filled with a sweet or savory composition; wherein the sweet or savory composition is characterized by a low water activity ranging from of 0.2 to 0.6, which gives the shelf life of 3 to 24 months

8. The extruded or sheetedsalty snack or food product as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the sweet or savory composition is produced by mixing and refining a mixture to obtain as a filling which comprises of 30% to 65% of fat or oil or combination,30% to 70% spice box containing bulking agent, spices & condiments and 0.2% to 5% emulsifier; wherein the filling contains a water activity from 0.2 to 0.6 followed by conching of the filling to obtain the sweet or savory composition.

9. The extruded or sheetedsalty snack or food product as claimed in Claim 7wherein the spice box containing bulking agent, spices & condiments provides structural integrity to the extruded or sheetedsalty snack or food product.