Disclosed herein is an extrudate comprising a yeast material wherein the yeast material constitutes between 35% and 100% by dry weight of the extrudate. Further, compositions and food products comprising same are disclosed. Further methods for improving the flavor of a yeast material, by adjusting its pH are also disclosed.

The present invention relates to a process for manufacturing a formed meat analogue product, which preferably has a visual aspect of a marbled meat product.

A method of producing a denatured pea protein solution comprises the steps of mixing pea protein with an alkali solvent to provide a 1-10% pea protein solution (w/v) having a pH of at least 10, resting the pea protein solution for at least 15 minutes, heating the pea protein solution under conditions sufficient to heat-denature the pea protein without causing gelation of the pea protein solution, and rapidly cooling the denatured pea protein solution to prevent gelation, wherein at least 90% of the pea protein in the denatured pea protein solution is soluble. Also described is a method of producing microparticles having a denatured pea protein matrix, the method comprising the steps of providing a denatured pea protein solution according to the invention, treating the denatured pea protein solution to form microdroplets; and cross-linking and chelating the droplets to form microparticles.

A method of producing a denatured pea protein solution comprises the steps of mixing pea protein with an alkali solvent to provide a 1-10% pea protein solution (w/v) having a pH of at least 10, resting the pea protein solution for at least 15 minutes, heating the pea protein solution under conditions sufficient to heat-denature the pea protein without causing gelation of the pea protein solution, and rapidly cooling the denatured pea protein solution to prevent gelation, wherein at least 90% of the pea protein in the denatured pea protein solution is soluble. Also described is a method of producing microparticles having a denatured pea protein matrix, the method comprising the steps of providing a denatured pea protein solution according to the invention, treating the denatured pea protein solution to form microdroplets; and cross-linking and chelating the droplets to form microparticles.

Provided herein are compositions with enhanced protein content, compositions with functional proteins, protein combinations and methods for the preparation thereof.

Embodiments include systems and methods for texturizing and tenderizing plant protein meat analog food products with animal meat-like qualities using an enzymatic treatment of a High Moisture Extrusion (HME) extrudate. For example, automatically executing a recipe with a baseline plant protein meat analog food texture and a baseline plant protein meat analog food tenderness, using an automatic and dynamic enzymatic treatment for texturizing and tenderizing a plant protein meat analog food product to the baseline plant protein meat analog food texture and the baseline plant protein meat analog food tenderness thereby texturizing and tenderizing the plant protein meat analog food product with qualities to taste like animal meat by reducing a density of the plant protein meat analog food product by creating space between fibers of the plant protein meat analog food product resulting in an animal meat-like mouthfeel and taste for consumers.

Embodiments include systems and methods for texturizing and tenderizing plant protein meat analog food products with animal meat-like qualities using an enzymatic treatment of a High Moisture Extrusion (HME) extrudate. For example, automatically executing a recipe with a baseline plant protein meat analog food texture and a baseline plant protein meat analog food tenderness, using an automatic and dynamic enzymatic treatment for texturizing and tenderizing a plant protein meat analog food product to the baseline plant protein meat analog food texture and the baseline plant protein meat analog food tenderness thereby texturizing and tenderizing the plant protein meat analog food product with qualities to taste like animal meat by reducing a density of the plant protein meat analog food product by creating space between fibers of the plant protein meat analog food product resulting in an animal meat-like mouthfeel and taste for consumers.

A meat analogue may include a macrostructure of connected sheared fibers oriented parallel to one another and gaps positioned between the sheared fibers. The macrostructure may include meat and may include a vegetable protein. An extrusion system may include an extruder and a die. The extrusion system may produce a meat analogue. A meat analogue may include an animal protein. The extruder may be connectable to the die. The extrusion system may be configured to direct a material including an animal protein from the extruder to the die and through a fluid path extending through the die. The die may be configured to inject a fat or a fat analogue into the material such that the fat or the fat analogue is embedded but visually distinct from the material including the animal protein when the fat or the fat analogue and the material exit the die.

A system configured to hydrate and process foodstuff materials can include an exterior tube, an inner shaft, and multiple water inlets. The exterior tube can have a foodstuff inlet, an outlet, and a longitudinal axis, and can facilitate the conveyance of foodstuff materials along a material passage from the foodstuff inlet to the outlet. The inner shaft can be located within the exterior tube, can extend along the longitudinal axis, and can combine with the exterior tube to define the material passage. The inner shaft can be configured to be rotationally driven and can include one or more particle resizing features extending therefrom. The multiple water inlets can be spaced apart along the length of the material passage and can be configured to provide water to the foodstuff materials at different locations along the length of the material passage as the foodstuff materials are being conveyed along the material passage.

A system configured to hydrate and process foodstuff materials can include an exterior tube, an inner shaft, and multiple water inlets. The exterior tube can have a foodstuff inlet, an outlet, and a longitudinal axis, and can facilitate the conveyance of foodstuff materials along a material passage from the foodstuff inlet to the outlet. The inner shaft can be located within the exterior tube, can extend along the longitudinal axis, and can combine with the exterior tube to define the material passage. The inner shaft can be configured to be rotationally driven and can include one or more particle resizing features extending therefrom. The multiple water inlets can be spaced apart along the length of the material passage and can be configured to provide water to the foodstuff materials at different locations along the length of the material passage as the foodstuff materials are being conveyed along the material passage.