A fat delivery system includes particles of at least one emulsified fat at least partially encapsulated in gelled material. A food product includes a plant-based protein base and a plurality of fat delivery particles dispersed within the plant-based protein base. The food product may be a plant-based meat analogue that approximates the appearance, flavor and texture of certain meat products. Methods for making the fat delivery particles and the food product are also disclosed.

Described herein are various embodiments of methods for binding together textured substrates using mycelium-producing fungi. The method can generally include providing a textured substrate, such as a textured protein substrate, that may or may not be subjected to various pre-processing steps used to help promote mycelium growth inside, outside or inside and outside of the textured substrate, inoculating the textured substrate with mycelium-producing fungi, and growing mycelium inside, outside, or inside and outside of the textured substrate to bind the textured substrate. The bound textured substrate can be used as a high protein food, such as meat substitutes, meat analogues, or seafood analogues. In some embodiments, the mycelium-producing fungi is used to bind together multiple textured substrates to form larger composite food products.

A texturized food analogue production system includes a first heating element, a second heating element, and a pump. The pump may be configured for moving a dough into the first heating element and across the second heating element. The second heating element includes a microwave applicator. A method for heating and protein texturization of a meat or non-meat dough includes heating the dough to a first temperature in a first heating element using shear heating and heating the dough to a second temperature using microwaves emitted from a second heating element.

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.

A use of texturized dairy proteins is suggested, obtainable or obtained by providing (a) a mixture, containing or consisting of (a1) about 25 to about 75% by weight dairy proteins, and (a2) about 75 to about 25% by weight a plant protein and/or a fibre material with the proviso that the quantities add up to 100% by weight, (b) the mixture is extruded in the presence of water and/or whey, applying a temperature gradient of about 20 to about 200 C. and a pressure in the range of 1 to about 200 bar, and (c) subsequently expanding the extrudate,
as a substitute for carbohydrates and as a source of protein in foods.

An edible meat substitute product includes a fibrous mycelium mass in a range of 10 wt % to 100 wt %. The fibrous mycelium mass has a protein content greater than 40 wt % of a dry mass of the fibrous mycelium mass. The edible meat substitute product includes a water content in a range of 0 w % to 90 wt %.

Provided herein are micelle and micelle-like compositions and the methods of making the same. The micelle and micelle-like compositions may be used to form dairy-like products.

The method for protein selection can include: characterizing a protein set, training a prediction model, determining target characteristic values, and determining a candidate protein set based on the target characteristic values.

The invention relates to a product having a foam structure with a set ratio of gas pores open to the product surface and closed to the product surface. The invention also relates to a method with four embodiments according to the invention for the defined mechanical opening of closed foam pores. Furthermore, the invention relates to a device having four embodiments according to the invention for the defined mechanical opening of closed foam pores. The invention also relates to the use of products designed according to the invention as meat analogs or plant protein-based textured multiphase foods, more particularly vegetable or fruit composites. Particular advantages of the invention relate to the targeted influencing of the deformation and texture properties of foamed products and their accessibility from the outside for quick and easy filling of the open pores with fluid systems which introduce additional functionalities into the product.

The invention relates to a product having a foam structure with foam pores which are partially open to the surface and are filled, partially or completely, with a fluid. The invention further relates to a method having embodiments for filling open foam pores in a defined manner. The invention also relates to a device having embodiments for filling open foam pores in a defined manner. The invention furthermore relates to the use of the foam products designed and filled according to the invention as main components for plant protein-based meat analogs. Particular advantages of the invention are the simplified multifunctionality of the products according to the invention in terms of their sensory and nutritional properties for adaptation to preferences and needs of certain target groups including individual customization.