According to FDA regulations, butter and margarine must contain at least 80% fat. The fat in butter is derived from milk and thus has a high content of saturated fats and contains significant amounts of cholesterol. A 100 gram portion of butter contains 250 mg of cholesterol, 81 g of fat and 716 calories (Composition of Foods, Agriculture Handbook No. 8, USDA, 1975).
Margarine is usually produced from an emulsion of oils and fats derived from vegetables. In accordance with the regulations set forth in the standard of identity section of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, 21 CFR 116,110, margarine should contain the same fat content as butter. However, most margarines are cholesterol-free because the fat is derived from vegetables.
Health organizations and medical experts have been recommending that consumers reduce their fat intake as well as their cholesterol intake. The Surgeon General of the USA, in a 1988 report, recommended that consumers should reduce their fat, especially saturated fats, and cholesterol intake. The Surgeon General also recommended the maintenance of desirable weight through caloric control. Butter and margarine are both significant sources of fat and calories. Butter is also a significant source of cholesterol.
Attempts were made to reduce the fat content of margarine-like spreads. These diet margarines typically contain 40% fat or more. The most successful products in the market have about 60% fat. Some of the commercial products include a 48% vegetable oil spread with 40% less fat and calories than margarine. Also available is 60% fat spread and several brands of 40% fat spreads. It is interesting to note that the low fat spreads prominently state "not recommended for baking or frying".
In general it is known, to those familiar with the art, that these lower fat, reduced calorie spreads do not meet consumer expectations in that they are not stable, and in that the fat and caloric reductions are not sufficient. In addition, since butter and margarine are used not only as spreads, but also for frying, these low fat products exhibit an unacceptable level of spattering when used on frying pans. Indeed, as set forth above, most low calorie spreads clearly state that the product is not suitable for cooking or frying.
The patent literature describes many approaches to overcoming these problems and/or to producing better products. Bakal, et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,414,229 describes an approach to overcoming the artificial flavor problem associated with margarine and low-calorie spreads.
Hawley in U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,121 describes a process for making a reduced fat spread which contains about 28% fat and 4% soy protein isolate. Voorburg, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,037, describes a low fat spread using gelatin and other proteinaceous substances as the gelling agent and a process for making an emulsion containing 40% fat. Thus, this product has approximately 370 calories per 100 grams. U.S. Pat. No. 4,849,243 describes a high the use of gelatin as a thickening agent for preparing a low fat spread. Bosco, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,273,795, describes a low-fat spread containing between 10-30% fat and emulsion stabilizer and an emulsifier systems. The stabilizers are of the gum type such as microcrystalline cellulose and carboxymethyl cellulose.
Lenchin, et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,510,166 describes the use of converted starches as fat or oil replacers. The patent describes the use of these materials, which are derived from tapioca, corn or potato starch, in margarine-like spreads. The patent states "In the 53% fat margarine the fry, blandness and color was not as good, in the 30% fat margarine the fry was not equivalent but the product was considered acceptable." It is thus clear that the use of these materials was not regarded as successfully meeting consumer needs. U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,919 describes a composition for a spread containing between 44 and 55% fat and a low level of low D.E. maltodextrin.
U.S. Pat. No. Re 30,086 describes the use of palm oil in spreads. U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,520 describes a low fat spread using cellulose ether as a thickening agent. U.S. Pat. No. 4,160,850 describes a shelf stable mix for making spreadable butter substitutes consisting of an emulsifier, hard fat and oil.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,408 describes a composition of low fat spreads having a fat content of 15-35% by weight utilizing a low D.E. non-gelling starch hydrolyzate with a D.E. of about 4 but not more than 25%. The amount of this low D.E. starch hydrolyzate is about 25% by weight in a 20% fat spread. Although the spread of this patent is described as having the mouthfeel and taste of higher fat spreads, it cannot be used for frying in the same manner as higher fat spreads due to the use of the non-gelled starch hydrolysate. Still further, the use of the non-gelled starch hydrolysate limits the shelf-life of the product because it is not possible to fill containers with the product while the product is hot since gelling would occur.
Other patents of interest are U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,131 which uses starch which remains in the spread as "granules in the crystalline state". Cain, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,917,915 teaches the use of a gel-forming composition having a high viscosity of at least 20 mPa (preferably much higher) at 5.degree. C. and at a shear rate of 17090 sec.sup.-1. This is achieved through the use of gelling gums such as carrageenan, hydrolyzed potato starch, gelatin and combinations thereof. U.S. Pat. No. 4,956,193 of Cain, et al. teaches the use of gel-forming compositions comprising two gelling agent such as gelatin, carrageenan, etc. on the one hand and a gelling starch and denatured soy protein.
All of the above patents teach that the use of starch alone at non-gelling concentrations will not yield acceptable, stable, water-in-oil emulsion-type spreads.