The invention relates to a method for producing a raw piece of reconstituted meat and to a raw piece of reconstituted meat combined according to the method. Many known reconstituted meat products are rejected because they contain chemical additives such as aminases; they are expensive to produce, because the meat first is reconstituted and stabilized and is then preserved; and reconstituted meat combinations often have an inhomogeneous appearance and may tend to separate out their constituents. In order to overcome these disadvantages, a reconstituted meat composition contains only glycerol and salt as the binders, is stabilized and preserved by drying in a single step in a method for producing a raw piece of reconstituted meat and provides a combined raw piece of reconstituted meat the main constituents of which contain only meat ingredients from animal origin, it has the appearance of pure meat, and has a similar elasticity and a precise residual juice content.

The invention provides pseudo-loaf food compositions comprising meat analog chunks and gravy, the gravy comprising a thickener selected from the group consisting of a gum present in the gravy in an amount from about 0.5 to about 3.0% of the gravy by weight, a starch present in the gravy in an amount from about 2.0 to about 9.0% of the gravy by weight, and combinations thereof. The food composition has a moisture content from about 60% to about 74% of the composition by weight and has a loaf-type structure. In an embodiment, the moisture content of the pseudo-loaf food composition is from about 67% to about 74% of the composition by weight. In addition, the invention provides methods of making pseudo-loaf food compositions and also provides blended food compositions comprising one or more pseudo-loaf compositions and one or more comestible ingredients compatible with the pseudo-loaf food compositions.

A method of producing a hybrid foodstuff is provided. The method comprises combining a plant-originated substance with an amount of cultured animal cells so as to enhance a meat organoleptic and/or meat nutritional property in the hybrid foodstuff, wherein the animal cells do not form a tissue, and wherein the amount is below 30% (w/w) of the hybrid foodstuff.

Methods and devices heat or cool viscous materials, such as meat emulsions useful for producing food and other products. The devices have a heat exchanger including a first plate, a second plate attached to the first plate, and a first spacer and a second spacer arranged between the first plate and the second plate. The first plate, the second plate, the first spacer, and the second spacer define at least one temperature controlled passage for a product to pass through the heat exchanger.

The invention provides protein compositions containing structured protein products having protein fibers that are substantially aligned.

The invention provides food analogs and methods of making the food analogs. In general, the methods comprise comminuting one or more meats to produce a meat slurry, admixing one or more flours to produce a powder blend, admixing the meat slurry and the powder blend to produce a dough, and extruding the dough at a shear mechanical energy ranging from about 50 kJ/kg to about 500 kJ/kg and at a temperature ranging from about 60 C. to about 120 C. to produce a food analog. Colorant can be added before, during, or after the admixing or extrusion processes to provide a more natural appearance to the food analog. The food analog can be a meat analog having the appearance of a meat or a non-meat food analog such as a fruit or vegetable.

A ready-to-eat, shelf-stable tater-tot type snack food made from one or more of the following food products: vegetable (including starches from root vegetables), fruit, meat, bean, or meat analog. The tater tot-type snack food has a crispy outer layer or layers and crunchiness throughout the tater tot-type snack food. The tater tot-type snack food does not require cooking or warming prior to consumption. The tater tot-type snack food has extended shelf stability, especially when packaged in an oxygen free environment. The tater tot-type snack food can be manufactured using either freeze drying or vacuum frying techniques.

The invention relates to food technology. Specifically, it discloses a 3D-printed high-protein and prebiotic dietary-fiber-rich finger food adapted to provide balanced nutrition for the elderly and people with swallowing disorders. By including lean meat (e.g., pork), prebiotic dietary-fibers-rich berry pomace, broth, collagen, structured oil as a bigel (biphasic system), salt and seasonings as main raw materials and through pureeing, blending, shaping by extrusion, baking, the 3D-printed product is rich in protein and prebiotic dietary fiber. Further, it is suitable for people with dysphagia, complying International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) level 6, which classifies the product as soft and bite-sized. The invention discloses a method s of producing such 3D-printed food products, from selecting and processing the initial ingredients to ready-to-eat products. The steps include preparing a nutritious formulation with properties suitable for 3D printing, 3D-printing, and heat-treating with specifically defined parameters.

Disclosed are methods for separating non-soy plant materials to produce a fat-enriched fraction, a reduced-fat plant extract, reduced-fat plant protein compositions, a crude oil, plant gums, a degummed oil and a protein-fat sediment. Also disclosed are food products containing or prepared from the reduced-fat extracts, fat-enriched fraction, gums, oils, protein-fat sediments and reduced-fat protein compositions.

Methods and devices heat or cool viscous materials, such as meat emulsions useful for producing food and other products. The devices have a heat exchanger including a first plate, a second plate attached to the first plate, and a first spacer and a second spacer arranged between the first plate and the second plate. The first plate, the second plate, the first spacer, and the second spacer define at least one temperature controlled passage for a product to pass through the heat exchanger.