FOOD PRODUCT

Abstract

The present invention relates to a food product that is made up of ingredients of the vegetarian and vegan type, to which one or more natural binders are also added. The present invention further relates to a method for preparing such a food product, for example by means of cooking, baking and roasting.

Claims

1. Food product based on ingredients of the vegetarian and vegan type, further comprising one or more natural binders, selected from the group of glutinous rice and glutinous maize.

2. Food product according to claim 1, characterized in that glutinous rice is used as a natural binder.

3. Food product according to either one of claims 1-2, characterized in that the amount of amylose in the aforementioned natural binders is at most 0.5 wt. %, preferably at most 0.1 wt. %, based on the weight of the aforementioned binder.

4. Food product according to one or more of claims 1-3, characterized in that the amount of amylopectin in the aforementioned natural binders is at least 95 wt. %, preferably at least 98 wt. %, based on the weight of the aforementioned binder.

5. Food product according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the amount of one or more natural binders is in the range 1-30 wt. %, preferably 5-20 wt. %, in particular 10-15 wt. %, based on the total weight of the food product.

6. Food product according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the food product contains, as ingredients of the vegetarian and vegan type, one or more ingredients from the group of chickpeas, quinoa, oatmeal, especially gluten-free oatmeal, and sunflower seeds.

7. Food product according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the food product is free from gluten.

8. Food product according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the food product is free from soya proteins.

9. Food product according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the food product is free from chicken proteins.

10. Food product according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the food product is free from one or more supplementary binders, selected from the group of tapioca, arrowroot, linseed, chia seed, psyllium, potato starch, maize starch, E412, E406, E415, E414 and E410.

11. Food product according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the food product is free from added sugars.

12. Food product according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the food product is free from ingredients of animal origin.

13. Food product according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the food product is a meat substitute, especially a hamburger.

14. Food product according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that glutinous rice and glutinous maize of the unfermented type are used as one or more natural binders.

15. Method for preparing a food product based on ingredients of the vegetarian and vegan type, and further comprising one or more natural binders, said method comprising the following steps: i) providing ingredients of the vegetarian and vegan type; ii) providing one or more natural binders, selected from the group of glutinous rice and glutinous maize; iii) combining the ingredients according to step i) and ii); iv) kneading and forming the composition according to step iii).

16. Method for preparing a food product according to claim 15, further comprising heating the product obtained after step iv).

17. Method for preparing a food product according to either one of claims 15-16, characterized in that glutinous rice and glutinous maize of the unfermented type are used as one or more natural binders in step ii).

Description

EXAMPLES

[0033] Burgers were produced on the basis of four main ingredients, selected from the group of chickpeas, quinoa, oatmeal, especially gluten-free oatmeal, and sunflower seeds, supplemented with one or more other ingredients from the group of onion (fresh), garlic powder, pepper, sea salt, ketchup, bouillon powder (AVO), green olive (granules), tomato flakes, tomato powder, dried oregano, lemongrass (fresh), green pepper (fresh), red chilli powder, lime leaf (fresh), creamed coconut (coconut), turmeric powder, ground cumin seed (cumin), ground coriander (coriander), ginger (fresh), lemon peel, oil, unrefined cane sugar, water, horseradish powder, coconut flakes and coconut milk.

[0034] As binder, glutinous rice, glutinous maize, potato starch and maize starch were added in various amounts, varying from 1 wt. % to 30 wt. %, based on the total weight of the food product. The aforementioned four main ingredients were used in the following amounts: 35-55 wt. % chickpeas, 20-40 wt. % quinoa, 10-30 wt. % oatmeal, especially gluten-free oatmeal, and 1-10 wt. % sunflower seeds, the aforementioned percentages by weight being based on a total amount of 100 g of the aforementioned four main ingredients. A particular composition consists of 45.5 wt. % chickpeas, 30.3 wt. % quinoa, 18.2 wt. % oatmeal, especially gluten-free oatmeal, and 6.1 wt. % sunflower seeds.

[0035] The resultant products were judged by a panel on the basis of smell, taste, bite, cuttability and processability. The results are shown in the following table. The following assessments are used in the table: () not good, () bad/foul/sticky, (0) neutral, (+) good, (++) excellent/delicious.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE assessment results Wt. % Smell Taste Bite Cutting Processability Glutinous rice 1 + + 5 + ++ 0 0 10 + ++ ++ ++ ++ 15 + + ++ ++ ++ 20 + 0 + + 25 0 + 30 0 Glutinous 5 + ++ + 0 maize 10 + ++ ++ + 15 + 0 + + ++ 20 + 0 0 0 25 + 0 Potato starch 5 + 0 0 10 + 0 15 + + + 20 + +

[0036] It can be seen from the above table that both glutinous rice and glutinous maize as binder score a neutral to good assessment for the assessment criteria smell, taste, bite, cuttability and processability. Particularly good results are obtained with glutinous rice in an amount in the range 10-15 wt. %, based on the total weight of the food product.

[0037] Four tests were carried out with different amounts of probiotics for fermentation, added to a heated base mixture of glutinous rice and water. The aforementioned were carried out in order to investigate whether fermented glutinous rice can offer an advantage as a binder for vegetarian and vegan meal products.

[0038] Preparation of the Base Mixture

[0039] An amount of 20 g of ground glutinous rice was added to 150 g of water. The water was first heated to the boiling point, after which the total amount of 20 g of glutinous rice was added. The mixture was stirred with a mixer for 30-60 s and then cooled to a constant temperature of 42 degrees Celsius.

[0040] Fermentation Mixture 1

[0041] The base mixture thus prepared was mixed with 1 capsule of Orthiflor Basic (a probiotic, namely a bacterial preparation (0.510.sup.8 colony-forming units (CFU), made up of (roughly equal proportions of Bifidobacterium lactis, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus casei, Lactococcus lactis; marketed by Orthica)). The aforementioned probiotic also contained maize starch, gelatine, maltodextrin and a natural protein isolate. This hot fermentation mixture was then transferred to a cleaned container, sealed to be air-tight and stored for 72 hours at a constant temperature of 42 degrees Celsius.

[0042] Fermentation Mixture 2

[0043] The base mixture thus prepared was mixed with 2 capsules of Orthiflor Basic (a probiotic, namely a bacterial preparation (0.510.sup.8 colony-forming units (CFU), made up of (roughly equal proportions of Bifidobacterium lactis, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus casei, Lactococcus lactis; marketed by Orthica)). The aforementioned probiotic also contained maize starch, gelatine, maltodextrin and a natural protein isolate. This hot fermentation mixture was then transferred to a cleaned container, sealed to be air-tight and stored for 72 hours at a constant temperature of 42 degrees Celsius.

[0044] Fermentation Mixture 3

[0045] The base mixture thus prepared was mixed with 3 capsules of Orthiflor Basic (a probiotic, namely a bacterial preparation (0.510.sup.8 colony-forming units (CFU), made up of (roughly equal proportions of Bifidobacterium lactis, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus casei, Lactococcus lactis; marketed by Orthica)). The aforementioned probiotic also contained maize starch, gelatine, maltodextrin and a natural protein isolate. This hot fermentation mixture was then transferred to a cleaned container, sealed to be air-tight and stored for 72 hours at a constant temperature of 42 degrees Celsius.

[0046] Fermentation Mixture 4

[0047] The base mixture thus prepared was mixed with 4 capsules of Orthiflor Basic (a probiotic, namely a bacterial preparation (0.510.sup.8 colony-forming units (CFU), made up of (roughly equal proportions of Bifidobacterium lactis, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus casei, Lactococcus lactis; marketed by Orthica)). The aforementioned probiotic also contained maize starch, gelatine, maltodextrin and a natural protein isolate. This hot fermentation mixture was then transferred to a cleaned container, sealed to be air-tight and stored for 72 hours at a constant temperature of 42 degrees Celsius.

[0048] The consistency of the fermentation mixtures 1, 2, 3 and 4 thus prepared was judged at various time points. After a period of 1 day, the fermentation mixtures 1, 2, 3 and 4 appeared to be unchanged. After a period of 2 days, the fermentation mixtures 1, 2, 3 and 4 appeared to be unchanged. After a period of 3 days the fermentation mixtures 1, 2, 3 and 4 showed a turning point in behaviour. The fermentation mixtures 1, 2, 3 and 4 had changed from the initially thick sticky mass to a thin watery liquid.

[0049] The present inventors thus observed that after a period of about 60 hours the fermentation mixtures 1, 2, 3 and 4 changed quite suddenly (within a short period of time of a number of hours) from a thick sticky porridge to a watery substance. The present inventors assume that the amylopectins are no longer usable and had decomposed in the fermentation process.

[0050] The fermentation mixtures 1, 2, 3 and 4 thus obtained were not suitable for use as a binder for vegetarian and vegan meal products.

[0051] The fermentation process of glutinous rice, before the glutinous rice is used as a binder for vegetarian and vegan meal products, is thus to be regarded as an extra operation that offers no advantage, but costs time and money. Consequently, in the present application, glutinous rice and/or glutinous maize are used as binders without any fermentation process at all, and in particular heating of glutinous rice and/or glutinous maize is carried out as a processing step.