A PROCESS FOR PREPARING A DEHYDRATED MEAT-ANALOGUE

Abstract

The invention generally relates to a process for preparing a dehydrated meat-analogue. More specifically the invention relates to a process for preparing a dehydrated meat-analogue with a fibrous appearance and good rehydration properties.

Claims

1. A process for preparing a dehydrated meat-analogue, the process comprising the steps of: a) feeding an extruder barrel with a composition comprising 40-70 wt % water and 15-35 wt % plant protein; b) extruding the composition from step a) above the denaturation temperature of the plant protein; c) cooling the composition from step b) through a cooling die; d) compressing the extruded composition from step c) by applying a compressive force between 250 to 1250 kN/m2; and e) cutting and/or drying the compressed cooled composition from step d).

2. The process for preparing a dehydrated meat-analogue according to claim 1, wherein the dehydrated meat-analogue does not comprise protein from an animal source.

3. The process for preparing a dehydrated meat-analogue according to claim 1 further comprises feeding the extruder barrel with flavouring and/or filler.

4. The process for preparing a dehydrated meat-analogue according to claim 3, wherein the amount of flavouring is in the range of 0.5 to 15 wt %.

5. The process for preparing a dehydrated meat-analogue according to claim 3, wherein the amount of filler is in the range of 0.5 to 15 wt %.

6. The process for preparing a dehydrated meat-analogue according to claim 1, wherein the plant protein is mixed with the water before feeding the extruder barrels.

7. The process for preparing a dehydrated meat-analogue according to claim 1, wherein the plant protein is added to the extruder barrel in the form of a dry powder and water is injected separately into the extruder barrel.

8. The process for preparing a dehydrated meat-analogue according to claim 1, wherein the plant protein is selected from the group consisting of soy protein, pea protein, canola protein, hemp protein, oat protein or wheat gluten, and a combination thereof.

9. The process for preparing a dehydrated meat-analogue according to claim 1, wherein the extruder barrels are heated to a temperature between 80-300° C.

10. The process for preparing a dehydrated meat-analogue according to claim 1, wherein the extruded mixture has an exit temperature at the end of the cooling die between 50-110° C.

11. The process according to claim 1, wherein the drying is selected from hot air drying.

12. A dehydrated meat-analogue obtainable by the process of claim 1.

13. A dehydrated meat-analogue of claim 12 wherein the dehydrated meat-analogue has a protein content after drying of at least 40 wt %.

14. A dehydrated meat-analogue as claimed in claim 12 wherein the dehydrated meat-analogue after drying has a water activity less than 0.6.

Description

EXAMPLES

[0061] Compressive force applied during compressing was measured off-line. A sheet of meat analogue was cut into 2×2 cm in length and width direction. The meat analogue then applied to a compression test

[0062] carried out using Texture Analyser TA-HDplus (Stable Micro System, UK) equipped with 250 kg load cell and P/75 compression platen. Texture Analyser test mode was set to “Compression” with pre-test speed of 1 mm/s, test speed of 0.5 mm/s, post-test speed of 10 mm/s, target mode of “Distance”. Distance was varied to mimic the gap size between roller in Sewer-Rondo SFA 69, i.e. between 2 and 8 mm. Halt time was set to “No”, way back of 10 mm, trigger type to “Auto(Force), and trigger force of 50 gram. Meat analogue sample was placed centrally, and compression was applied into the thickness direction. Compression measurement was carried out in 6 replications.

[0063] Comparison between roller gap diameter and Compression measurement is presented in the table below. As the surface area of the sample is fixed at 2×2 cm, the compressive stress can be measure as:

Compressive stress=compressive force/area

TABLE-US-00001 Gap size Average Compressive between roller Force stress (mm) (N) (kN/m2) 8 38 95 7 64 161 6 147 367 5 186 465 4 247 617 3 384 959 2 542 1355

[0064] The median particle diameter Dv50 is used in the conventional sense as the median of the particle size distribution. Median values are defined as the value where half of the population resides above this point, and half resides below this point. The Dv50 is the size that splits the distribution with half above and half below this diameter. The particle size distribution Dv50 has been measured within this invention by selected sieves. In an embodiment the particle size Dv50 has been measured by selected sieves according to Retsch AS200.

[0065] Water activity was measured according to ISO 18787:2017 using Hygrolab HC2-AW-USB at a controlled temperature of 25° C. with WP-40TH sample holder connected to water bath and equipped with AW-KHS clamp (Rotronic AG, Switzerland).

[0066] Moisture content was determined thermogravimetrically. Approx. 30 gram of dried meat analogue sample was ground using Retsch Grindomix GM200 for 30 second at 5000 RPM. An aluminum crucible medium (100 μL volume, Mettler-Toledo, USA) and an aluminum piercing lid (Mettler-Toledo, USA) were weighed in an AX-205 balance (Mettler-Toledo, USA); recorded with 0.01 mg accuracy. Approximately 20 μg of ground meat analogue sample was placed in the aluminum crucible. Then, the crucible was hermetically sealed with the aluminium piercing lid. The sealed crucible was re-weighed with 0.01 mg accuracy. The exact sample weight was then determined as mass difference between the first and second weighing.

[0067] Crucibles were then placed in an auto-sampler turntable of Thermogravimetric Analysis-Differential Scanning calorimetry (TGA-DSC1, Mettler-Toledo, USA). The auto-sampler was equipped with a piercing kit, which automatically pierced the crucible immediately before transferring the crucible into the TGA measuring cell. Thermogravimetric measurement was carried out between 30 and 240° C. with heating rate set to 2° C./minute. End temperature of drying (complete removal of all moisture from sample) was determined at temperature where change in sample weight with temperature increase is at minimum following the method proposed by Vuataz and coworkers (G. Vuataz, V. Meunier, J. C. Andrieux, TG-DTA approach for designing reference methods for moisture content determination in food powders, Food Chemistry, Volume 122, Issue 2, 2010). Sample dry weight is determined at end temperature of drying. Moisture content was then determined as:

Moisture content=(Sample initial weight−sample dry weight)/sample initial weight

[0068] Rehydration time was determined sensorially. Thirty gram of dried samples were placed in a bowl. 200 mL of boiling water was poured onto the sample. Pieces of samples were taken out every 15 second from the bowl for sensory test. For longer rehydration time, sampling time was then adjusted accordingly. Full rehydration was determined by three experienced panelists where the texture match the texture of original (non-dried) meat analogue.

Example 1

[0069] The examples are describing the preparation of a dehydrated meat-analogue by the process of this invention. A dry mix of the plant protein was added through a hopper into the extruder barrel and water is separately injected at room temperature. The extruder barrels are heated within a curve between 80-150° C. The cooling die is cooling the extruded mixture to an exit temperature of 70° C. The extruded product is compressed (sheared) with Sewer-Rondo SFA 69 dough sheeter and afterwards cut and dried using a hot air dryer (Afrem International SA, France). The product was made on a Bühler BCTL-42 twin screw extruder from the following materials:

TABLE-US-00002 Ingredient % (w/w) Water 63 Soy Protein concentrate 33 Starch or Flour 0 Flavouring 4 Total Protein content 23.1 from concentrate

Examples 2-14

[0070] The obtained product from example 1 has been used to dry the meat-analogue product according to the following parameter:

TABLE-US-00003 Comp. Comp. Comp. Exam- Exam- Exam- Exam- ple 2 ple 3 ple 4 ple 5 Compressive force (kN/m2) — — — 465 Air drying temp. [° C.] 105 105 120 105 Drying time [min] 30 60 40 30 Product median diameter (D50) 8 8 8 8 [mm] Moisture content [wt %] 12.28 3.79 6.57 3.66 Aw 0.62 0.13 0.41 0.13 Rehydration time [min] 9 7 10 2.5 Sensory Comp. Example 6 Example 7 Example 8 Compressive force(kN/m2) 150 367 514 Air drying temp. [° C.] 105 105 105 Drying time [min] 30 30 30 Sieve median diameter (D50) 8 8 8 [mm] Moisture content [wt %] 10.20 5.09 3.5 aw 0.57 0.20 0.13 Rehydration time [min] 7.0 3.5 3.0 Sensory Comp. Example 9 Example 10 Compressive force(kN/m2) 617 1355 Air drying temp. [° C.] 105 105 Drying time [min] 30 30 Sieve median diameter (D50) 8 8 [mm] Moisture content [wt %] 3.4 2.85 aw 0.12 0.10 Rehydration time [min] 2.5 2.5 Sensory Too many fine particles, less fibrous meat bites Comp. Comp. Exam- Exam- Exam- Exam- ple 11 ple 12 ple 13 ple 14 Compressive force — 465 — 465 Vacuum drying temp. [° C.] 90 90 — — Oven drying temp. [° C.] — — 120 120 Sieve median diameter (D50) 8 8 8 8 [mm] Drying time [min] 120 90 60 60 Moisture content 5.68 6.75 5.48 1.67 aw 0.31 0.33 0.20 0.10 Rehydration time [min] 12 3 14 4.5

[0071] Examples 5, 7-9, 12 and 14 are examples according to the present invention showing that applying a compressive force has a surprising effect having a fibrous appearance of real meat with faster dehydration and rehydration times. Comparison example 10 applies a compressive force below the claimed invention and comparison example 16 above the claimed invention.

Example 15-16

[0072] Following the process of example 1 an extruded product has been obtained from the following materials:

TABLE-US-00004 Ingredient % (w/w) Water 51 Soy Protein concentrate 43 Starch or Flour 2 Flavouring 4 Total Protein content 30.1 from concentrate Comp. Example 15 Example 16 Compressive force — 465 Air drying temp. [° C.] 105 105 Drying time [min] 30 30 Sieve median diameter (D50) 8 8 [mm] Moisture content 14.50 4.6 aw 0.67 0.24 Rehydration time [min] 15 3.5

[0073] Example 16 is an example according to the present invention showing that applying a compressive force has a surprising effect having a fibrous appearance of real meat with a faster dehydration and rehydration time.

Example 17-18

[0074] Following the process of example 1 an extruded product has been obtained from the following materials:

TABLE-US-00005 Ingredient % (w/w) Water 55 Soy Protein concentrate 30 Wheat Gluten Protein 10 concentrate Starch or Flour 0 Flavouring 5 Total Protein content 29.3 from concentrate Comp. Example 17 Example 18 Compressive force — 465 Air drying temp. [° C.] 105 105 Drying time [min] 30 30 Sieve median diameter (D50) 8 8 [mm] Moisture content 13.20 3.80 aw 0.65 0.24 Rehydration time [min] 13 3.0

[0075] Example 18 is an example according to the present invention showing that applying a compressive force has a surprising effect having a fibrous appearance of real meat with a faster dehydration and rehydration time.

Example 19-20

[0076] Following the process of example 1 an extruded product has been obtained from the following materials:

TABLE-US-00006 Ingredient % (w/w) Water 50 Pea Protein isolate 41 Starch or Flour 0 Sunflower oil 3 Flavouring 6 Total Protein content 36.5 from concentrate Comp. Example 19 Example 20 Compressive force — 465 Air drying temp. [° C.] 105 105 Drying time [min] 30 30 Moisture content 15.00 3.60 aw 0.64 0.22 Rehydration time [min] 8 3

[0077] Example 20 is an example according to the present invention showing that applying a compressive force has a surprising effect having a fibrous appearance of real meat with a faster dehydration and rehydration time.