Tomato-derived thickening agent

Abstract

The present invention provides a tomato-derived thickening agent, said agent being characterized in that, on a dry N weight basis, it contains: 0.1-3 wt. % of lycopene; 14-34 wt. % of protein; 11-35 wt. % of pectin; 17-39 wt. % of sugars selected from fructose, glucose, and combinations thereof. The invention further relates to a process for preparing a tomato-derived thick-ening agent and to the use of such a thickening agent in food products such as tomato ketchup, tomato-based sauces, pizza sauce, tomato soup and tomato juice.

1 . A tomato-derived thickening agent, said agent being characterized in that, on a dry weight basis, it contains:
 0.1-3 wt. % of lycopene;   14-34 wt. % of protein;   11-35 wt. % of pectin;   17-39 wt. % of sugars selected from ructose, glucose, and combinations thereof.   
     
     
         2 . Thickening agent according to  claim 1 , wherein the agent contains
 at least 25% of pectin by weight of dietary fibre; and   no more than 75% of insoluble dietary fibre by weight of dietary fibre.   
     
     
         3 . Thickening agent according to  claim 1 , wherein agent is 100% tomato derived. 
     
     
         4 . Thickening agent according to  claim 1 , said agent comprising, on a dry weight basis:
 6-20 wt. % of fructose;   6-20 wt. % of glucose.   
     
     
         5 . Thickening agent according to  claim 1 , wherein the agent contains at least 20 wt. % of tomato insoluble solids (TIS) by weight of dry matter. 
     
     
         6 . Thickening agent according to  claim 1 , wherein at least 50 wt. % of the insoluble particles present in the agent has a size smaller than 25 μm. 
     
     
         7 . Thickening agent according to  claim 1 , wherein the agent is a free flowing powder. 
     
     
         8 . A process for preparing a tomato-derived thickening agent comprising the steps of
 a. providing a tomato pulp containing 3-15 wt. % tomato soluble solids (TSS) and 0.3-5 wt % tomato insoluble solids (TIS);   b. isolating from said tomato pulp a tomato serum fraction having a reduced TIS content of less than 2.0 wt. % and a TSS content of at least 3 wt. %;   c. subjecting said tomato serum fraction to a filtration step to produce a retentate and a filtrate, said filtration step employing a membrane with a molecular weight cut-off (MWCO) in the range of 10-20,000 kDa;   d. collecting the retentate; and   e. optionally drying the retentate.   
     
     
         9 . A process according to  claim 8 , wherein the optionally dried retentate is a tomato-derived thickening agent. 
     
     
         10 . A process according to  claim 8 , wherein the tomato serum fraction is isolated from the tomato pulp by means of a solid-liquid separation technique selected from centrifugation, decanting, sieving, filtration and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . Process according to  claim 8 , wherein the optionally dried retentate is combined with another tomato derived fraction that is obtained as a high solids fraction during isolation step b), said high solids fraction having a TIS content of at least 50% of by weight of dry matter. 
     
     
         12 .- 15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A tomato ketchup product obtainable by the process that comprises incorporating into said ketchup 0.01-2 wt. % of a tomato-derived thickening agent as defined in  claim 1 , said product containing no added thickening agents of non-tomato origin, said product containing at least 0.5 wt. % of tomato pectin and further being characterised by a Brix value of not more than 34° and a Bostwick value of at most 6.5 cm/30s; and
 wherein said product does not contain non-tomato derived thickening agents. 
 
     
     
         17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . The tomato ketchup product according to claim  16 , wherein said product does not contain non-tomato derived thickening agents.