FOODSTUFFS

Abstract

A method of making a foodstuff comprises selecting a mass comprising an edible filamentous fungus, especially of Fusarium venenatum; selecting an ingredient (A) which may be pea protein; and processing said mass and ingredient (A) in an extruder cooker to produce an extruded foodstuff.

Claims

1. A method of making a foodstuff, the method comprising: (i) selecting a mass comprising an edible filamentous fungus; (ii) selecting an ingredient (A); (iii) processing said mass and ingredient (A) in an extruder to produce an extruded foodstuff.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein said extruder is an extruder cooker, wherein, in the method, said mass of edible filamentous fungus and ingredient (A) are mixed in the extruder.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said mass comprises particles of said filamentous fungus (herein also referred to as “fungal particles”) and said fungal particles comprise cells of Fusarium species, optionally of Fusarium venenatum A3/5.

4. (canceled)

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said mass comprises 10 to 40% of filamentous fungus, 60 to 90% water; and/or has a viscosity at 800 Pa and 10° C. of at least 5000 and less than 20000,

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein ingredient (A) is selected from: a puree; a starch; a flour; a protein concentrate; a protein isolate; a gum; a native or relatively folded protein; a polysaccharide.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said ingredient (A) is derived from a non-animal source and/or wherein said ingredient (A) is derived from a plant and/or comprises a vegetable protein, optionally derived from pea.

8. (canceled)

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein said method comprises selecting an ingredient (B) and processing said ingredient (B) with said mass and ingredient (A) in said extruder, wherein ingredient (B) is a fibre, optionally a vegetable-derived fibre.

10. (canceled)

11. A method according to claim 1, wherein said method comprises selecting an ingredient (C) and processing said ingredient (C) with said mass and ingredient (A) in said extruder, wherein ingredient (C) is a vegetable-derived starch.

12. (canceled)

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein: the wt % of said mass selected in step (i) based on the total weight of ingredients processed in said extruder to produce said extruded foodstuff (the total weight being referred to as the “TWI”) is at least 20 wt % and is less than 85 wt %; and/or the wt % of ingredient (A) selected in step (ii) based on the TWI is at least 10 wt % and is less than 55 wt %; and/or the sum of the wt % of ingredient (A) and any and all other vegetable proteins introduced into the extruder based on the TWI is at least 10 wt % and is less than 55 wt %.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein: the sum of the wt % of said mass selected in step (i) and the wt % of ingredient (A) selected in step (ii) based on the TWI is at least 60 wt %; and/or wherein the sum of the wt % of said mass selected in step (i), the wt % of ingredient (A) selected in step (ii) and any and all other vegetable proteins processed in said extruder to produce said foodstuff based on the TWI is at least 60 wt %.

15. A method according to claim 1, wherein a ratio (I) defined as the wt % of said mass selected in step (i) divided by the wt % of said ingredient (A) selected in step (ii) is at least 1; and/or a ratio (II) defined as the wt % of said mass selected in step (i) divided by the sum of the wt % of ingredient (A) and any and all other vegetable proteins processed in said extruder to produce said foodstuff is at least 1.

16. A method according to claim 13, wherein the total wt % of water based on the TWI, introduced into the extruder is at least 30 wt %.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein a ratio (Ill) defined as the wt % of said mass of edible filamentous fungus on a dry matter basis divided by the sum of the wt % of all starches processed in said extruder on a dry matter basis is greater than 1.

18. A method according to claim 1, wherein a ratio (IV) defined as the wt % of said mass selected in step (i) on a dry matter basis divided by the wt % of said ingredient (A) selected in step (ii) is at least 0.2.

19. A method according to claim 1, wherein, in the extruder, said mass of edible filamentous fungus attains a maximum temperature of less than 180° C.

20. A method according to claim 1, wherein a ratio (V) defined as the wt % of said mass selected in step (i) on a dry matter basis divided by the sum of the wt % of ingredient (A) and any and all other vegetable proteins processed in said extruder to produce said foodstuff is in the range 0.2 to 2.

21. A method according to claim 1, wherein after subjecting said mass and other ingredients to an elevated temperature in said extruder, the mixture passes to an elongated cooling zone which has a length of at least 0.8 m; and/or the method comprises comminuting said extrudate to define smaller pieces; and/or the method includes contacting the foodstuff with other ingredients.

22. A meat-like foodstuff which is an extrudate comprising an edible filamentous fungus and an ingredient (A), wherein ingredient (A) is selected from: a puree; a starch; a flour; a protein concentrate; a protein isolate; a gum; a native or relatively folded protein; a polysaccharide; wherein said ingredient (A) is derived from a non-animal source; wherein said foodstuff has a hardness of at least 2500; and said filamentous fungus comprises cells of Fusarium species.

23. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

25. (canceled)

26. (canceled)

27. (canceled)

28. (canceled)

29. (canceled)

30. A method according to claim 1, wherein: a ratio (IV) defined as the wt % of said mass selected in step (i) on a dry matter basis divided by the wt % of said ingredient (A) selected in step (ii) is at least 0.2; in the extruder, said mass of edible filamentous fungus attains a maximum temperature of less than 180° C.; a ratio (V) defined as the wt % of said mass selected in step (i) on a dry matter basis divided by the sum of the wt % of ingredient (A) and any and all other vegetable proteins processed in said extruder to produce said foodstuff is at least 0.2; after subjecting said mass and other ingredients to an elevated temperature in said extruder, the mixture passes to an elongated cooling zone which has a length of at least 0.8 m.

31. A method of making a foodstuff, the method comprising: (i) selecting a mass comprising an edible filamentous fungus; (ii) selecting an ingredient (A); (iii) processing said mass and ingredient (A) in an extruder to produce an extruded foodstuff; wherein: said extruder is an extruder cooker; said mass comprises particles of said filamentous fungus which comprise cells of Fusarium species; said mass comprises 10 to 40% of filamentous fungus and 60 to 90% water; ingredient (A) is selected from: a puree, a starch, a flour, a protein concentrate, a protein isolate, a gum, a native or relatively folded protein, a polysaccharide; said ingredient (A) is derived from a non-animal source; and said method comprises selecting an ingredient (B) and processing said ingredient (B) with said mass and ingredient (A) in said extruder, wherein ingredient (B) is a fibre.

Description

[0092] Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0093] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a high moisture extrusion cooking apparatus;

[0094] FIG. 2 is a photo of an extruded product produced without any steam expansion;

[0095] FIG. 3 is a photo of an extruded product with a level steam expansion; and

[0096] FIG. 4 is a photo of an extruded product with an enhanced level of steam expansion compared to that in FIG. 3.

[0097] The following material is referred to hereinafter:

[0098] Mycoprotein paste —Mycoprotein paste-refers to a visco-elastic material comprising a mass of edible filamentous fungus derived from Fusarium venenatum A3/5 (formerly classified as Fusarium graminearum Schwabe) (IMI 145425; ATCC PTA-2684 deposited with the American type Culture Collection, 12301 Parklawn Drive, Rockville Md. 20852) and treated to reduce its RNA content to less than 2% by weight by heat treatment. Further details on the material are provided in WO96/21362 and WO95/23843. The material may be obtained from Marlow Foods Limited of Stokesley, U.K. It comprises about 23-25 wt % solids (the balance being water) made up of non-viable RNA reduced fungal hyphae of approximately 400-750 μm length, 3-5 μm in diameter and a branching frequency of 2-3 tips per hyphal length. The paste has a viscosity, measured as described below, at 800 Pa and 10° C. of 10,462 Pa/s.

Measurement of Viscosity

[0099]

TABLE-US-00001 Rheometer (Malvern) Kinexus Lab+ Apparatus/Geometry 20 mm Parallel Plates (Serrated) Plate Gap 2 mm Test Method Shear Stress Ramp (rSpace V003-1) Range Shear Stress 200-1400 (Pa) Temperature 10° C. Sample Fresh Mycoprotein (23%)

[0100] In the measurement method, a mycoprotein paste sample was placed in the rheometer and sandwiched, with a 2 mm gap, between an upper 20 mm diameter serrated parallel plate and lower flat serrated Peltier plate and cooled to the required measurement temperature. The instrument was operated in Shear Stress Ramp mode where a series of individual stresses was applied to the sample for 60 seconds and a response measured. Stress is defined as force per unit area.

[0101] Referring to FIG. 1, a high moisture extrusion cooking (HMEC) apparatus 2 comprises a twin-screw extruder 4 and, downstream thereof, a cooling and fibre alignment barrel 6. Ingredients are introduced into the extruder 4 via inlets, 8, 10, 12 and mixed by co-rotating screws of the extruder and conveyed through a series of heated zones of the extruder. By way of example, in a first heating zone 14, the temperature may be in the range 140° C. to 160° C. Downstream thereof in a second heating zone 16, the temperature may be in the range 110° C. to 130° C. Downstream of the second heating zone 16 is a pre-cooling zone.

[0102] Downstream of the pre-cooling zone, the extruder 4 is arranged to deliver a mixture into the barrel 6. Barrel 6 includes cooling channels (not shown) in which water at, for example, a temperature in the range 60° C.-85° C. may flow so that a mixture passing through the barrel 6 is slowly cooled. Extrudate 20 exiting the extruder may be at a temperature in the range 105° C.-121° C. The temperature, flow rates and/or pressures within the extruder cooker may be selected to ensure the mixture flows (and does not block) the extruder. In addition, the temperature should not be too high, thereby to avoid burning of any of the ingredients.

[0103] The length of the barrel 6 may be in the range 800 cm-3200 cm to allow extrudate to be slowly cooled during its passage through the barrel downstream of the extruder.

[0104] A typical recipe for processing in the apparatus described may be as follows:

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 1 Ingredient wt % Pea protein 28.5-30.5 dry weight basis isolate Pea fibre 3.0-3.5 dry weight basis Mycoprotein 61.0-65.0 wet weight basis Pea starch 0.9-1.1 dry weight basis Additional water 0.0-0.7

[0105] Using the apparatus of FIG. 1, pea protein isolate and pea fibre may be introduced into the extruder. A dry mix of the ingredients may be pre-blended in a ribbon or paddle blender and then charged to a hopper of a loss in weight feeder from which the ingredients may be fed into the extruder via inlet 8. Downstream thereof, any additional water may be introduced via inlet 10 at a controlled rate. Downstream of inlet 10, mycoprotein may be introduced via inlet 12, using a high pressure positive displacement pump. The ingredients contact one another in the extruder and are mixed under conditions of high temperature, high shear and high pressure.

[0106] During passage through the extruder, the globular pea protein melts. Surprisingly, it is found that, despite the presence of its tough chitin cell wall, the mycoprotein is also sufficiently softened so that it can be homogenously mixed with and/or fragmented and/or mixed into the other ingredients.

[0107] Downstream of the extruder 4, in the cooling and fibre alignment barrel 6, the mixture is slowly cooled. During cooling, the mixture, in particular the proteins therein, appear to reassemble and eventually become set into a 3D fibrated structure that is found to deliver a meaty texture. The structure is believed to be held together by a combination of covalent, electrostatic and hydrogen bonds as well as hydrophobic interactions. The extrudate 20 which emerges from the barrel 6 is in the form of a long continuous belt having a typical moisture content in the range 45-55 wt %.

[0108] Depending on conditions used, for example the rate of cooling in the barrel 6, and how quickly steam leaves the product on exiting barrel 6, products having different appearances/properties may be produced as illustrated in FIGS. 2 to 4 and in the subsequent specific examples.

[0109] After cooling to ambient temperature, the extrudate may be size reduced by shredding, slicing, dicing, cutting or flaking and/or such comminuted foodstuff may be used as an ingredient in other products.

[0110] Table 2 summarises the conditions which may be used in two different apparatus 2 which are as described in FIG. 1.

TABLE-US-00003 Machine Reference A B Number of Temperature zones 10 10 Cooking zone 1 temperature range 140° C.-160° C. 130° C.- 45° C. Cooking zone 2 temperature range 130° C.-110° C. 130° C.- 45° C. Pre cooling zone 125° C.-100° C. 130° C.- 20° C. Temp of material exiting extruder 105° C.-121° C. 129° C.- 35° C. Extruder barrel pressure 4-7 bar 17-26 bar Cooling die recirculation temperature 85° C.-60° C. 90° C.- 60° C. Cooling die length 800 cm 800-3200 cm Extruder screw speed Typically Typically 500 rpm. 800 rpm. Rotation Co-rotating Co-rotating Throughput of mycoprotein 2-15 kgph 57-95 kgph Throughput of pea protein & pea fibre 2-7.5 kgph 30-51 kgph Throughput of water 0-10 kgph 0-6 kgph Total throughput (exit die) 11-20 kgph 87-146 kgph Table 2

[0111] The following examples further illustrate the invention.

EXAMPLES 1 TO 6

[0112] The apparatus described above was used to produce a range of different samples using the following ingredients.

TABLE-US-00004 Calculated barrel Ingredient State wt % water Pea protein isolate Dry 30.5 1.522 Pea fibre Dry 3.5 0.175 Mycoprotein Wet 65.0 48.75 Pea starch Dry 1.1 0.0525 Water — 0.0 —

[0113] Although pea protein isolate, pea fibre and pea starch are nominally dry, they do include some water, the amount of which has been calculated and included in the table above.

[0114] The table below details the conditions used in the apparatus and provide remarks on the nature of the product.

TABLE-US-00005 Temper- Through- ature of Throughput put pea Through- mass outlet Motor Amount Example Mycoprotein material put water extruder speed cooling number (kg/h) [kg/h] [kg/h] [° C.] [1/min] dies 1 57 30 0 119 1300 4 2 74 39 6 129 800 3 3 57 30 2 123 1500 3 4 74 39 0 133 800 3 5 74 39 0 133 800 3 6 94.9 51.1 0 128 800 2 Ratio temperature Total mycoprotein Example Torque cooling units Pressure through- to total number [%] [° C.] bar put throughput Remarks 1 18 70-70/60/60 34 87 65.5% Product slightly expanded (structure is not constant) 2 23 80-80-70- 26 119 62.2% Good expansion over entire product 3 19 70-70-60- 17 89 64.0% Comparable to Example 2, good flow, very small expansion 4 22 80-80-70- 22 113 65.5% Big bubbles in the middle, outside hard 5 22 80-80-90- 22 113 65.0% Good expansion, also product edge is slightly expanded; product is not so flaky 6 26 60-61 23 146 65.0% Product is more torn and more irregular flow with the additon of starch

[0115] Products produced were tested as described in Example 7.

EXAMPLE 7—TEXTURE PROFILE ANALYSIS (TPA)

[0116] Products produced as described in Example 1 to 6 were cut into 25 mm×25 mm squares to define samples for testing. The samples were of varying thickness, ranging from 10 mm-20 mm, dependent on the extrusion method that had been used to produce the products. All samples were defrosted from a frozen state in a 4° C. chiller for 12 hours prior to analysis and were analysed within 10 minutes of removal from chill hold.

[0117] TPA was performed using a TA. XT Plus Texture Analyser (Stable Micro Systems, Godalming UK) and a stainless-steel compression platen of 75 mm diameter (Stable Micro Systems, Godalming UK). The platen attachment was used to compress each sample using the standard ‘Simplified TPA’ method, found within the Exponent software from Stable Micro Systems; a modified version of the original instrumental test method created by A. Szczesniak (1963) and General Foods Corporation Technical Centre in 1963- see SZCZESNIAK, A. S., BRANDT, M. A. and FRIEDMAN, H. H. (1963), Development of Standard Rating Scales for Mechanical Parameters of Texture and Correlation Between the Objective and the Sensory Methods of Texture Evaluation. Journal of Food Science, 28: 397-403.

[0118] Parameters used for the method were as detailed in the table below.

TABLE-US-00006 Pre-Test Speed 5.00 mm/sec Test Speed 3.00 mm/sec Post-Test Speed 5.00 mm/sec Compression Percentage 35% Time Between Compressions 5.00 seconds Trigger Force 20 g

[0119] Samples were compressed using the compression platen to a percentage of 35% at a speed of 3.00 mm/sec, using a 2-cycle analysis which allowed a 5.00 second gap between compressions. Extrusion samples were benchmarked to current commercial Quorn™ Vegetarian and Vegan Pieces. The deformation curve of each sample was obtained, and results used to determine the mechanical parameters of the samples, including; Hardness, Resilience, Cohesiveness, Springiness and Chewiness. The five characteristics were calculated by the ‘Simplified TPA’ macro included in the Exponent software from Stable Micro Systems. Each textural/mechanical parameter is explained below in Table 2, with reference to Texturetechnologies.com. (2019). Texture Profile Analysis. [online] Available at: https://texturetechnologies.com/resources/texture-profile-analysis#select-characteristics [Accessed 5 Nov. 2019].

TABLE-US-00007 Hardness Peak Force 1 Resilience Area 4/Area 3 Cohesiveness Area 2/Area 1 Springiness Distance 2/Distance 1 Chewiness Hardness × Cohesiveness × Springiness

Results

[0120] TPA Results for Examples 1 to 6 and for the two commercial Quorn™ control samples are provided in the table below. The table shows the five texture characteristics measured using the TPA method.

TABLE-US-00008 Example No. Hardness (N) Resilience Cohesiveness Springiness Chewiness (N) 1 29437 61 0.86 200 53900 2 9226 54 0.85 119 8207 3 31047 59 0.86 93 24931 4 24154 58 0.69 79 10515 5 29410 51 0.80 93 21811 6 1353 52 0.93 664 8325 QUORN ™ 2442 45 0.84 97 1976 Vegetarian Standard QUORN ™ 1691 38 0.76 93 1187 Vegan Standard

[0121] The results show that the apparatus can produce products with advantageous properties which may surpass the properties of current commercially-available QUORN™ products. In addition, these additional properties provide the option of tailor making the texture to suit other downstream process such as shredded or pulled meat. This is not possible using current techniques used for making commercially-available QUORN™ products. FIGS. 2 to 4 illustrate different textures that may be obtained. Example 5 may, in some circumstances, be a preferred product due to its combination of properties. The sample advantageously has higher hardness comparable resilience, cohesiveness and springiness and higher chewiness compared to the commercial QUORN™ products.

[0122] Products produced as described may be further processed into commercial products such as mince, chunks or shredded pieces by addition of other ingredients such as flavourants, fats, oils, marinades, coatings etc.

[0123] Using machines A and B as described allows up to 70 wt % of mycoprotein to be incorporated into the mixture to produce an even, homogenous, fibrous mass of product.

[0124] The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.