Moisture barrier composition for biscuits

Abstract

An at least partial, typically non-continuous, moisture barrier coating composition applied to the external surface of biscuits, such as scones or muffins. Use of the composition achieves significantly improved flavor, moisture retention in the interior of the biscuit, and a significantly improved biscuit exterior.

1 . A food composition comprising:
 a biscuit substrate comprising wheat starch and a biscuit surface; and   a substantially non-continuous coating composition comprising a starch component, wherein the substantially non-continuous coating composition is dried and not visible on the biscuit substrate after thermal processing of the coating and at least partially covers the surface of the biscuit substrate thereby forming a substantially non-continuous coating on at least a portion of the biscuit surface and defining a coated portion of the biscuit surface and wherein the substantially non-continuous coating forms at least a partial moisture barrier on the coated portion of the biscuit surface that allows a portion of the water in the biscuit substrate to escape through the coating.   
   
   
       2 . The food composition of  claim 1 , wherein the biscuit substrate comprises a scone and wherein a single coating composition is applied to the biscuit substrate and wherein the single coating composition at least partially preserves water within the biscuit and allows at least partial evaporation of water in the biscuit through the single coating composition and wherein the coating composition contains no more than about 30 percent by weight sucrose. 
   
   
       3 . The food composition of  claim 1 , wherein the biscuit substrate comprises a muffin and wherein a single coating composition is applied to the biscuit substrate and wherein the single coating composition at least partially preserves water within the biscuit and allows at least partial evaporation of water in the biscuit through the single coating composition and wherein the coating composition contains no more than about 30 percent by weight sucrose. 
   
   
       4 . The food composition of  claim 1 , wherein the biscuit substrate comprises dough. 
   
   
       5 . The food composition of  claim 1 , wherein the coating composition comprises a wet slurry when applied to the biscuit and comprises less than 30 weight percent sucrose. 
   
   
       6 . The food composition of  claim 5 , wherein the starch component comprises a modified wheat starch and the coating composition comprises less than about 20 percent by weight sucrose. 
   
   
       7 . The food composition of  claim 6 , wherein the modified wheat starch comprises an oxidized and substituted wheat starch comprising a substitution level of from about 0.01% to about 1%. 
   
   
       8 . The food composition of  claim 6 , wherein the wet slurry consists of water, an oxidized and substituted wheat starch comprising a substitution level of from about 0.01% to about 1%, and optionally one or more fillers, and wherein the solids content of the coating composition comprises from about 35% to about 45% and wherein the percentage of pick up of the wet slurry on the biscuit is from about 5% to about 10%. 
   
   
       9 . The food composition of  claim 6 , wherein the modified wheat starch has been modified by acetylation, hydroxypropylation, oxidation, substitution, crosslinking or a mixture of these modifications. 
   
   
       10 . The food composition of  claim 5 , wherein the starch component comprises at least one modified starch chosen from the group consisting of a potato starch, a rice starch, a corn starch, a tapioca starch or a wheat starch. 
   
   
       11 . The food composition of  claim 5 , wherein the wet slurry comprises:
 from about 10 to about 90% modified tapioca starch; and   from about 10 to about 90% modified wheat starch.   
   
   
       12 . The food composition of  claim 11 , wherein the wet slurry further comprises corn syrup solids, and wherein the modified wheat starch comprises an oxidized and substituted wheat starch comprising a substitution level of from about 0.01% to about 1%. 
   
   
       13 . The food composition of  claim 5 , wherein the wet slurry comprises:
 a starch component comprising a modified potato starch and a modified wheat starch;   a leavening system;   a stabilizer;   an emulsifier;   a sweetener; and   a dextrin.   
   
   
       14 . The food composition of  claim 13  comprising:
 from about 0.5% to about 3% stabilizer;   from about 0.5% to about 5% emulsifier;   from about 5% to about 30% sweetener; and   from about 5% to about 60% dextrin.   
   
   
       15 . The food composition of  claim 14 , wherein the emulsifier comprises lecithin and the starch component consists of a starch component chosen from the group consisting of a modified potato starch and a modified wheat starch. 
   
   
       16 . The food composition of  claim 15 , wherein the leavening system comprises:
 from about 0.5% to about 5% sodium acid pyrophosphate; and   from about 0.5% to about 5% sodium bicarbonate.   
   
   
       17 . The food composition of  claim 16 , wherein the stabilizer comprises xanthan gum, and wherein the dextrin comprises a low-solubility dextrin. 
   
   
       18 . The food composition of  claim 5 , wherein the starch component comprises a pregelatinized, acetylated, and cross-linked waxy maize starch. 
   
   
       19 . The food composition of  claim 18 , wherein the starch component consists of a pregelatinized, acetylated, cross-linked waxy maize starch. 
   
   
       20 . A method of making a product comprising:
 providing a biscuit substrate at least partially derived from dough comprising wheat flour and a food coating composition comprising a starch component;   at least partially coating the surface of the biscuit substrate with the food coating composition thereby defining a surface of the biscuit substrate coated with the food coating composition wherein the coating composition, upon thermal processing, forms a substantially non-continuous moisture barrier on the surface of the biscuit substrate coated with the food coating composition, wherein the coating composition comprises less than 20 weight percent sweetener;   optionally moistening the biscuit substrate prior to or after application of the coating composition to aid adherence of the moisture barrier to the biscuit substrate; and   thermally processing the biscuit to form a finished biscuit having a dried substantially non-continuous moisture barrier that allows a portion of the water in the biscuit substrate to escape through the surface of the biscuit substrate coated with the food coating composition and wherein the finished biscuit has improved moisture retention compared to an uncoated thermally processed biscuit substrate and wherein the food coating composition is invisible to a consumer on the finished biscuit substrate.