There are provided a fat lump composition containing a granular body that contains an oil and/or fat having a melting point of 0.1? C. or higher and containing an edible and ionically crosslinkable polymer that is crosslinked with a cation, in which an average particle diameter of the granular bodies is 50 ?m or more and 500 ?m or less; and a meat substitute.

The invention provides a protein composition derived from silk fibroin, which composition possesses enhanced solubility and stability in aqueous solutions. The primary amino acid sequence of native fibroin is modified in the SDP such that cysteine disulfide bonds between the fibroin heavy and fibroin light protein chains are reduced or eliminated. Additionally, the composition can have a serine content that is reduced by greater than 40% compared to native fibroin protein, and the average molecular weight of the SDP is less than about 100 kDa.

A protein-rich food product comprising water and solids, wherein at least 70% of the solids consist of protein, and a method for making the protein-rich food product. The protein-rich food product is capable of replacing flour food products as a low-calorie, gluten-free, high-protein alternative.

Provided is a protein aggregation inhibitor capable of inhibiting aggregation of a protein even when the protein is heated, and further, capable of inhibiting a decrease in the protein activity even when the protein is heated, which characteristically contains a sulfobetaine polymer obtained by polymerizing monomer components containing sulfobetaine monomer represented by the formula (I):

##STR00001##

wherein R.sup.1 is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R.sup.2 is an alkylene group having a carbon number of 1-4, R.sup.3 is an alkyl group having a carbon number of 1-4, R.sup.4 is an alkylene group having a carbon number of 1-4, and X is an NH group or an O group.

The invention provides a protein composition derived from silk fibroin, which composition possesses enhanced solubility and stability in aqueous solutions. The primary amino acid sequence of native fibroin is modified in the SDP such that cysteine disulfide bonds between the fibroin heavy and fibroin light protein chains are reduced or eliminated. Additionally, the composition can have a serine content that is reduced by greater than 40% compared to native fibroin protein, and the average molecular weight of the SDP is less than about 100 kDa.

A fluid gel may be produced by stirring a solution containing a protein and transglutaminase and the like.

The present invention relates to a method for the production of an edible object, comprising providing an edible powder composition and at least one edible liquid, wherein the edible powder composition comprises a water soluble protein, a hydrocolloid and a plasticizer, and subjecting said composition to powder bed printing by depositing the edible liquid by spraying it onto the powder and thereby obtaining the edible object. Also food products obtainable with the method of the invention, particularly, a pasta, a cake object and a protein bar are disclosed.

Both dairy and non-dairy based high protein ingredient systems that are available in either a liquid or dry powder blend. These ingredient system options have been balanced to provide a rich and creamy mouthfeel which can be easily added into a wide array of products to enhance their protein and nutritional levels without creating the sandy or gritty texture that typically forms. The liquid version has already been pasteurized or asceptically packaged for easy incorporation into other liquid products such as smoothies, yogurts, puddings, jells, toppings, fillings, carbonated or still beverages such as juices of milks, ice cream mixes, frozen yogurts and frozen desserts. The powdered version is designed to be easily blended into other dry mixes, batters, baked goods, cereals, dressings, hummus products, breads, and dry dessert mixes, while liquid additive versions may be added to water, milk products such as liquid milk and yogurt, etc.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a food product, in which odor derived from plant-based raw material is suppressed. The present invention relates to a flavor improver or water retention improver for plant-based raw materials, which includes a cyclodextrin-producing enzyme, and a food product, which is obtained by allowing a cyclodextrin-producing enzyme to act on a plant-based raw material. In addition, the present invention relates to a method for producing a food product, including a step of allowing a cyclodextrin-producing enzyme to act on a plant-based raw material.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a medium, in which cells to be used for producing a cultured meat can be proliferated, by adding a food material as an additive. The present inventors cultured cells with the use of food components as additives and, consequently, found that when whey was added as a cell proliferation promoting agent, fibroblasts, adipocytes and myoblasts exhibited high proliferation ability. Thus, the present invention, which pertains to a cell proliferation medium comprising a basic medium and whey as a cell proliferation promoting agent, has been completed.