The present invention provides a meat processing material that can be used to provide meat having a soft and juicy texture when cooked by heating and having an increased yield after cooking. Provided are a meat improving agent containing inulin and modified starch; a meat-improving liquid composition containing the meat improving agent; and a method of improving meat, including bringing the meat improving agent or the liquid composition into contact with meat.

Provided are food products that have structures, textures, and other properties comparable to those of animal meat, and that may therefore serve as substitutes for animal meat. Also provided are processes for production of such ground meat-like food products.

The invention relates to a process for preparing a pea extract comprising fibres, the process comprising the following steps: (a) bringing shelled peas into contact with an aqueous solution in order to form an aqueous composition comprising peas; (b) leaving the peas to hydrate in said aqueous composition for at least 30 minutes and at most 15 hours; (c) grinding said peas in order to as a result obtain ground peas; and (d) fractionating said ground peas in order to obtain at least one pea extract comprising fibres. The invention also relates to a pea extract that can be obtained according to the process of the invention. The invention also relates to an edible composition comprising the pea extract according to the invention.

The invention relates to separated, decompacted, cellulose-based fibres acquired from a vegetable raw material, wherein the separated, decompacted, cellulose-based fibres have an aspect ratio after soaking in water of longitudinal diameter to transverse diameter of 1:1 to 1000:1 and a water-binding capacity of >200 wt. % and a water retention capacity of >50%, and a method for acquiring and producing these separated, decompacted cellulose-based fibres. The purification method involves incubation of the vegetable material with an aqueous decomposition solution containing at least one dissolved amino acid and/or peptide with 2-50 amino acids to decompose the compacted cellulose-based fibres.

Provided are food products that have structures, textures, and other properties comparable to those of animal meat, and that may therefore serve as substitutes for animal meat. Also provided are processes for production of such ground meat-like food products.

The disclosure provides method for preparing a food product is described which includes mixing a dry ingredient composition, a protein-containing composition, and an alginate composition to provide a first mixture, mixing the first mixture with a setting composition to effect a controlled rate gelation reaction, and processing the product of the gelation reaction to provide a food product. The disclosure also provides pet food compositions comprising food products prepared according to the disclosed process.

A meat analogue may include a set protein emulsion, the protein emulsion having a protein and at least one insoluble particle. In some embodiments, at least a portion of the particle can include at least one mineral material selected from the group consisting of silicium, and calcium, such as one or more of rhombohedral calcite, scalenohedral calcite, silicon dioxide, and magnesium oxide; at least one organic material selected from the group consisting of a bone meal, a cartilage meal, a ground crustacean shell, a ground sea fish shell, and a ground egg shell; and/or a gelled vegetable gum, a gelled hydrocolloid, a polymerized vegetable gum, a polymerized hydrocolloid, or a mixture thereof. The meat analogue can be made by extruding the protein emulsion and cooling the extruded emulsion. The meat analogue can be cut into chunks and/or added to another comestible composition such as a gravy or broth.

The present invention provides a meat product comprising (a) uncooked meat; wherein the uncooked meat has been contacted with (b) acerola [Malpighia emarginata] berry, acerola [Malpighia emarginata] berry extract or mixtures thereof (c) green tea [Camellia sinensis], green tea [Camellia sinensis] extract or mixtures thereof.

The present invention provides peptoid polymers and salts thereof that comprise hydrophobic and polar peptoid monomers and are capable of reducing or inhibiting the formation of ice crystals at sub 0 C. temperatures. Also provided are peptoid-peptide hybrids and salts thereof comprising the peptoid polymers provided herein. The peptoid polymers, peptoid-peptide hybrids, and salts thereof provided herein are useful for making cryoprotectant solutions. The peptoid polymers, peptoid-peptide hybrids, salts thereof, and cryoprotectant solutions provided herein are useful for making antifreeze solutions, frozen food products, and cosmetic care products. Also provided herein are methods for preserving a tissue, an organ, a cell, or a biological macromolecule using the compositions described herein.

Provided is a processed meat product which comprises (a) one or more cellulose ethers and (b) a fiber-containing pectin product or pectin, wherein the weight ratio between components (a) and (b) is from 0.1:1 to 10:1. The combination of (a) one or more cellulose ethers and (b) a fiber-containing pectin product or pectin, wherein the weight ratio between (a) and (b) is from 0.1:1 to 10:1, is useful for improving one or more properties of a processed meat product selected from water binding capacity, cohesion, firmness, juiciness, bite, freeze thaw stability or texture; resistance to shrinking during cooking, or boil-out control.