PROCESS FOR MAKING A PLANT BASED PRODUCT

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for making a plant-based product, comprising mixing vegetables, legumes and/or cereals and optionally a plant extract, preparing a binding agent by mixing dietary fibre and protein, mixing the vegetables, legumes and/or cereals and binding agent, and optionally plant extract, and molding into a shape. A plant-based product obtained by the process of the invention is also provided.

Claims

1. A process for making a plant-based product, comprising a. Mixing 0 wt % to 20 wt % plant extract with water; b. Preparing a binding agent by mixing 0.1 wt % to 10% wt % dietary fibre and 0.3 wt % to 10 wt % plant protein; c. Mixing the binding agent, and optionally hydrated plant extract with vegetables, legumes and/or cereals; and d. Molding into a shape; wherein the plant-based product is substantially free of hydrocolloids, modified starches and emulsifiers, and wherein not less than 30 wt % of the dietary fibre is soluble.

2. A process for making a plant-based product, comprising the step of using for the dietary fibre potato, apple, fenugreek, citrus, or psyllium.

3. A process for making a plant-based product according to claim 1, wherein plant derived ingredients are selected from the group consisting of vegetables, fruits, tubers, legumes, cereals, seeds, oilseeds and nuts.

4. A process for making a plant-based product according to claim 1, wherein about 4.5 wt % plant extract is mixed with water.

5. A process for making a plant-based product according to claim 1, wherein the plant extract is derived from legumes, cereals, or oilseeds.

6. A process for making a plant-based product according to claim 1, wherein about 0.5 wt % to about 4 wt % dietary fibre is mixed.

7. A process for making a plant-based product according to claim 1, wherein the dietary fiber at 5 wt. % in aqueous solution at 20° C. exhibits the following viscoelastic properties 1) shear thinning behavior with zero shear rate viscosity above 8 Pa.Math.s and 2) G′ (storage modulus) greater than 65 Pa and G″ (loss modulus) lower than 25 Pa of at 1 Hz frequency.

8. A process for making a plant-based product according to claim 1, wherein about 0.5 wt % to about 8 wt % plant protein is mixed, preferably about 1 wt % to about 6 wt % protein

9. A process for making a plant-based product according to claim 1, wherein the plant protein gels upon heating at a temperature at or above 50° C.

10. A process for making a plant-based product according to claim 1, wherein the plant protein is at least partially native.

11. A process for making a plant-based product according to claim 1, wherein the plant protein is potato protein.

12. A process for making a plant-based product according to claim 1, wherein the dietary fiber comprises potato fibre.

13. A process for making a plant-based product according to claim 1, wherein a fat source and/or oil are added to the vegetables, legumes and/or cereals, binding agent.

14. A plant-based product obtainable by the process of claim 1, wherein said plant based product is selected from the group consisting of a vegetable burger, vegetable patty, vegetable schnitzels, and vegetable ball.

15. A plant-based product comprising at least one ingredient selected from the group consisting of Vegetables, legumes and cereals; and a Binding agent wherein the plant derived ingredients are selected from vegetables, fruits, tubers, legumes, cereals, seeds, oilseeds and nuts, the plant extract is selected from soy, pea, wheat and sunflower, and wherein the binding agent comprises 0.1 wt % to 10 wt % dietary fibre and 0.3 wt % to 10 wt % plant protein, and wherein not less than 30 wt % of the dietary fibre is soluble.

16. A plant-based product according to claim 15, wherein the binding agent comprises potato fibre and potato protein.

17. A plant-based product according to claim 15, wherein the binding agent is substantially free of hydrocolloids.

18-19. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

[0116] FIG. 1. Apparent viscosity (Pa.$) of potato fibre water dispersions as a function of shear rate (s.sup.−1) at a range concentrations, at 20° C.

[0117] FIG. 2. Strain sweeps for 5 wt % potato fibre water dispersions, measured at constant Frequency of 1 Hz, at 20° C.

[0118] FIG. 3. Mechanical spectra of potato protein gel (PP1) and ovalbumin (OA) gel obtained after heating protein dispersion at 3 wt % and 4 wt % at 85° C. for 15 min in presence of NaCl 0.1M. Filled symbols correspond to elastic modulus G′ and empty symbols to storage modulus G″. Key: dark squares—PP1 (4 wt %); light squares—OA (4 wt %); light triangles—PP1 (3 wt %); and dark triangles—OA (3 wt %).

[0119] FIG. 4. G′ as function of temperature for 6%, 14% potato protein solutions (pH 6).

[0120] FIG. 5. Minimal gelling concentration determination of potato protein isolate at pH 7, heated 30′ at 70° C., Minimal gelling concentration is indicated by gray number. The value considered as the minimal gelling concentration is the concentration where the sample stayed at the bottom of the vial (i.e. did not slide down), when they were turned upside down.

[0121] 2% potato protein dispersions heated 30′ at 70° C. at pH 7 or 4, alone or in the in the presence of various concentrations of NaCl (indicated below the picture). Gels are indicated by the grey number. Gel is considered where vial the sample stayed at the bottom of the vial (i.e. did not slide down), when they were turned upside down.

[0122] FIG. 6. DSC thermogram of two potato protein isolates (PP1 and PP2).

[0123] FIG. 7. Images of samples 1, 2 and 4 from the Example 4.

EXAMPLES

Example 1: Rheological Behavior of Potato Fibre

[0124] Potato fibres (Hi Fibre 115, according to supplier specification comprises about 92% total fibre, about 2% protein, wherein 98% of the ingredient is derived from potato source and about 2% of the ingredient is derived from soluble psyllium husk) were selected based on their rheological response when dispersed in water. The desired functionality from the fibre is mostly related to binding of the vegetable pieces, hence enabling molding into desired shape that does not crumble as well as preventing water leakage during cold storage.

[0125] FIG. 1 shows shear viscosity of potato fibre dispersions at a range of concentrations. A Newtonian fluid behavior is observed at low concentrations (below 1 wt %) whereas a shear thinning response becomes apparent at concentrations equal or above 1 wt %. The onset concentration for shear thinning response for this potato fibre is rather low compared to fibres comprising large amounts of insoluble polysaccharides (e.g. cellulose, hemicellulose). This is mainly due to the increased amount of soluble, high molecular polysaccharide chains from the potato fibre (primarily galacturtonic and glucuronic type, but also glucans, mannoses, xyloses, rhamonoses and arabinoses) which are solubilized in the water continuous phase and hence occupy large hydrodynamic volumes.

[0126] The viscoelastic properties of 5 wt % potato fibre water dispersions are shown in FIG. 2, with G′ being significantly greater than G″ and constant over wide range of applied strain (corresponding to the linear viscoelastic region) until the microstructure breaks down and the material yields. The fact that potato fibre dispersions show G′>G″ indicates the dominant solid-like response over the applied strain ranges, which is attributed to the chain entanglement between the previously mentioned polysaccharides that are solubilized in the water-continuous phase. The insoluble fibre fraction of the potato fibre is acting as a filler, with less contribution to the viscoelastic response of the fibre suspension.

[0127] This particular viscoelastic response is not measured when fibres with greater insoluble fraction (comprising primarily cellulose, hemicellulose, and lining) are used at the same concentration. Those fibres behave as particulate dispersions in which insoluble fibre particles have the tendency to sediment thereby displaying lower viscosity values and without any elastic contribution at equal concentration ranges. For these insoluble fibre rich ingredients, increased concentrations are needed for the particulate dispersions to exhibit solid-like behavior. This occurs when the suspensions are densely packed, with an effective phase volume greater than their maximum packing fraction which leads to solid-like linear viscoelastic response that exhibits flows only if a sufficient shear stress is applied (i.e. the yield stress).

Example 2: Rheological Properties of Potato Protein Gels

Mechanical Spectra of Potato Protein Gels

[0128] Gelling properties of potato protein isolate PP1 from a commercial source and ovalbumin from a commercial source were compared using small deformation rheology. Gelation of protein dispersion was performed in situ in an Paar Physica MCR501 (Anton Paar Ostfildern, Germany) stress-controlled rheometer, using a concentric cylinder setup (inner and outer cylinder are 8.33 and 9.04 mm respectively). The rheomether was equipped with a Peltier heating and cooling device. Protein dispersion was placed in the geometry and a thin layer of paraffin oil was carefully placed on top to prevent evaporation during the experiment.

[0129] The temperature was raised from 20° C. to 85° C. at 5° C./min. After 15 minutes holding at 85° C., the temperature was decreased to 20° C. at −5° C./min. After reaching 20° C., the system was left to equilibrate at 0.05% strain and 1 Hz for 10 minutes. A frequency sweep was subsequently performed.

[0130] FIG. 3 shows the mechanical spectra obtained after cooling. All systems formed strong gels with G′ value being higher than G″ over the whole frequency range with a decade of difference between the two moduli.

[0131] Interestingly this first screening showed that similar profiles were obtained for PP1 and Ovalbumin at 3 wt % and 4 wt % protein in the presence of 0.1M NaCl suggesting similar gel strengths.

G′ for 6%, 14% Potato Protein Solutions as Function of Temperature, at pH=6.

[0132] A solution of potato protein was prepared by dispersing the protein in a degassed water and stirring overnight. The pH was adjusted to pH of 6 using a solution of HCl.

[0133] Evolution of G′ was measured as function of temperature in stress-controlled rheometer (MCR 502, Anton Paar) with a sandblasted concentric cylinder geometry. Samples were placed and left to stabilize for 5 minutes at 20° C. After that, the following heating/cooling sequence was applied: heating ramp from 20° C. to 90° C. at 5° C./min, holding at 90° C. for 20 minutes, followed by cooling from 90° C. to 20° C. at 4° C./min. Measurements were carried out at a constant strain of 0.5% and a constant frequency of 1 Hz (FIG. 4).

[0134] In order to prevent evaporation, the samples were covered using mineral oil during rheological measurements.

Minimal Gelling Concentration of Potato Protein Determination

[0135] Dispersions having increasing protein concentrations were prepared by dissolving corresponding amount of potato protein isolate in Millipore® water. Subsequently pH was adjusted to 4 or 7 by using 1M and 2M HCl or NaOH. After preparation, 3 mL of each sample was transferred into a 4 mL glass vial with screw-cap and heated in a water bath without stirring. Samples were heated 30 minutes at at 70° C. After cooling on ice, the sol-gel transition of the samples was analysed using the ‘tilting-test’, i.e. vials with samples were turned upside down and when the sample stayed at the bottom of the vial (i.e. did not slide down), it was considered as a gel.

[0136] The minimal gelling concentration in the presence of 10 mM NaCl at pH 7 decreased to 2% protein while at pH 4 20 mM NaCl had negative impact on gel formation.

[0137] To test the influence of salt addition on minimal gelling concentration, 2M NaCl solution was prepared and added in different amounts to chosen protein dispersions to achieve 10 mM and 20 mM NaCl.

Example 3: Denaturation Temperature of Potato Protein Isolates

[0138] Heating causes denaturation of proteins as a result of disruption of bonds that are involved in the formation and maintenance of the protein structure. Denaturation temperatures of potato protein isolates were determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Presence of endothermic peaks observed in thermograms (FIG. 6) suggest that both evaluated potato protein isolates (PP1 and PP2) contain native proteins that denature upon heating above 65° C.

Example 4: Vegetable Schnitzel

[0139] Vegetable ingredients (carrot cubes, onion cubes, bell pepper cubes, corn kernels, potato chips and peas) were combined. Gluten was mixed in a Hobart mixer with water solution of vinegar and ascorbic acid. Vegetable mix, oil and dries (flavoring, egg white powder or HiFiber 115/potato protein binder) were added and mixed with gluten until the ingredients were distributed homogeneously. The matrix was then molded into patties and coated with breadcrumbs. Subsequently, product was fried in oil at 178° C. for 33 s, grilled at 610° C. for 3.1 min and/or heated at 200° C. for 4 min in an oven. Product was stored frozen before use.

TABLE-US-00001 Recipes: 1 2 3 4 5 6 Vegetables 67 64.7 66.7 65.7 64.7 63.7 Flavoring 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 2.3 (salt, pepper, onion powder) Canola oil 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 3.5 Water 9.6 9.6 9.6 9.6 9.6 9.6 Egg white powder 2.7 Potato fibre (HiFibre 115) 2 3 1 1 1 Potato protein 3 0 3 4 5 Gluten 4.6 4.6 4.6 4.6 4.6 4.6 Water, vinegar and ascorbic 10.3 10.3 10.3 10.3 10.3 10.3 acid solution Total 100 100 100 100 100 100 (All values expressed in the above table are wt %)

[0140] All samples with HiFibre 115 and potato protein had sufficient cohesion between vegetable ingredients and provided enough stability for molding and cooking (FIG. 7). The sample where potato fibre was used alone, had crumbly texture after cooking and it was excluded from further consideration. In a technical tasting, the products prepared with the potato fibre/potato protein combinations showed preferable in-mouth texture without appreciable off-flavors. Samples with higher amount of potato protein (samples 5 and 6) had a firmer texture compared to other samples, including the control (sample 1).