| abstract |
EDIBLE GELS A B S T R A C T Thermo-irreversible aqueous gels are prepared by subjecting a gellable combination of xanthan gum and a glucomannan gum, preferably from the corms of an Amorphophallus species at a pH above 6 to a heat treatment under conditions of temperature and time to cause the gel to become thermo irreversible. The pH is preferably between 6 and 10 and more especially between 6 and 8. The preferred ratio of xanthan gum to glucomannan is in the range of from 5:95 to 95:5, more especially 1:10 to 10:1 and the preferred concentration of xanthan gum and glucomannan in the aqueous phase is 0.02% to 6%, more preferably .5 to 4%, by weight. The thermo irreversible gels of the invention, with the inclusion of food materials, such as minced meat, fruit and vegetables, simulate the texture of natural meat offals and other food structures. |