An object of the present invention is to provide a protein-containing food having a smooth, grittiness-free texture without aggregation or roughness of the protein, even after severe sterilization such as retort sterilization.

The object of the present invention is achieved by a protein aggregation inhibitor comprising welan gum.

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.

Provided is a brine solution comprising (a) water (b) salts comprising (i) sodium chloride and (ii) one or more phosphate salts, (c) one or more methyl cellulose, one or more hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, or a mixture thereof, and (d) one or more carboxymethyl cellulose, wherein (b) is present in an amount of 3% to 20% by weight based on the weight of the brine solution, wherein (c) and (d) are present in amounts such that the amount of (c) plus the amount of (d) is 0.2% to 5% based on the weight of the brine solution, wherein the amount of (d) is 15% to 30% by weight based on the sum of the weights of (c) and (d).

Also provided is a method for treating meat comprising bringing said meat into contact with such a brine solution.

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.

This invention concerns reduction of moisture loss during the processing of meat. The present invention resides in the finding that pre-treatment of fresh meat with compositions comprising acetic acid salts and certain polysaccharide materials can reduce moisture losswith as much as 15%, as compared to non-treated meat. In some embodiments, the compositions are based on ingredients that can be labeled as natural ingredients. The invention provides compositions comprising such combinations of one or more acetic acid salts with one or more polysaccharide materials; methods and uses involving the treatment of meat with said compositions; as well as the meat products that are accordingly obtained.

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.

A process for manufacturing an animal feed in the form of pieces varied in size and irregular in shape is provided. The process comprises creating a solidified combined stream of material comprising stratified layers of first and second streams of material and cutting the solidified combined stream of material to form slices having a thickness of less than 6 mm. The arrangement of the shaped, layered second streams within the solidified combined stream of material and/or the incomplete disintegration of the shaped, layered second streams provide animal feed in the form of pieces varied in size and/or irregular in shape.

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 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 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.