THE PROCESS FOR PRODUCTION OF A MEAT ANALOGUE, AND MEAT ANALOGUE PREPARED THEREBY

Abstract

The present invention provides a process for the production of a meat analogue, comprising the steps of: a) introducing a meat batter comprising i) animal protein other than egg powder, ii) plant fiber and/or starch, and iii) egg powder, into a heating unit and heating the meat batter to a temperature above the melting point of the protein to produce a heat-treated product, b) cooling the heat-treated product by moving through a cooling unit, so that the heat-treated product has a temperature below water boiling temperature at ambient pressure when exiting the cooling unit, and c) dividing the cooled heat-treated product into pieces.

Claims

1. A process for the production of a meat analogue, comprising the steps of:a) introducing a meat batter comprising i) animal protein other than egg powder, ii) plant fiber and/or starch, and iii) egg powder, into a heating unit and heating the meat batter to a temperature above the melting point of the protein to produce a heat-treated product, b) cooling the heat-treated product by moving through a cooling unit, so that the heat-treated product has a temperature below water boiling temperature at ambient pressure when exiting the cooling unit, and c) dividing the cooled heat-treated product into pieces.

2. The process of for the production claim 1, wherein, in step a), the meat batter is introduced into a first heating unit and the meat batter is heated to a temperature above the denaturation temperature of the protein in the meat batter, but below the melting point of the protein to produce a first heat-treated product, the first heat-treated product is then transferred to a second heating unit and the first heat-treated product is heated to a temperature above the melting point of the protein to produce a second heat-treated product.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein the meat batter comprises: 75-85 wt % meat and meat by-products as animal protein, at least 7 wt % of plant fiber and/or starch, and at least 8 wt % of egg powder, based on the total weight of the meat batter.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein the egg powder is selected from full egg powder, egg white powder, egg yolk powder or mixtures thereof

5. The process of claim 1, wherein the plant fiber is selected from cellulose powder, sugar beet pulp powder, pectin containing materials or mixtures thereof.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the meat batter comprises plant protein in a maximum content of 40 wt %, based on the total weight of the meat batter.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein the meat batter comprises plant protein in an amount of less than 10-20 wt %, based on the total weight of the meat batter.

8. A The process of claim 1, wherein the meat batter is gluten free, preferably grain and/or soy free.

9. The process of claim 2, wherein at least one of the first and second heating units comprises a scraped surface heat exchanger, preferably the first and second heating units both comprise a scraped surface heat exchanger.

10. A The process of claim 2, wherein the meat batter is heated in the first heating unit to a temperature of about 90° C. to about 120° C. and the first heat-treated product is heated in the second heating unit to a temperature of about 140° C. to about 170° C.

11. A meat batter, comprising: animal protein other than egg powder, plant fiber and/or starch, and egg powder.

12. A meat analogue, obtainable by a process according to claim 1.

Description

EXAMPLE 1

[0067] A meat batter of the following composition was prepared, wherein the below given amounts are weight percentages, based on the total weight of the meat batter:

TABLE-US-00001 chicken liver 28.000 pork spleens 11.518 chicken (mechanical deboned meats = separated muscle fibers) 40.000 cellulose powder 4.180 beet pulp fiber 4.180 egg whole powder 10.173 minerals, vitamins, etc. add up to 100

[0068] The mixture was continuously fed at a rate of 4 kg/min into a first SSHE unit with a volume of approx. 17 L and a surface to volume ratio of 60 m.sup.2/m.sup.3 under 1,200 kPa product pressure. The first SSHE unit was continuously supplied with steam at a temperature between 134-136° C. and the shaft operated at 200rpm. The outlet temperature of the material from this heating unit was between 109 and 111° C. The material was immediately directed into a second SSHE unit with a volume of approx. 9.7 L and a surface to volume ratio of 60 m.sup.2/m.sup.3 under 1,200 kPa product pressure. The second SSHE unit was continuously supplied with steam at a temperature between 166-168° C. and the shaft operated at 300rpm. The outlet temperature of the material from this heating unit was between 158-160° C. The residence time in the two heating units was distributed as two-thirds in the first heating unit and one third in the second heating unit. The material was then directed to a cooling area through which its temperature was brought down to below 80° C. The solid material obtained was cut to produce meat analogues with internal fibrosity.

[0069] The features disclosed in the foregoing description and in the claims may, both separately and in any combination, be material for realizing the invention in diverse forms thereof.