food

Abstract

The present invention relates to a food product comprising a vegetable nougat component, the vegetable nougat component comprising 0.5-20% by weight of vegetable protein and 1-30% by weight of a vegetable powder, a vegetable caramel component, and a vegetable chocolate component.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a plant-based food product, which may be called a confectionery. A method for producing the food product is also provided. [Background technology]

[0002] Confectionery products such as chocolate are popular foods, and plant-based foods are becoming increasingly desirable for consumers. This is due to consumer concerns related to animal welfare, the environmental impact of animal agriculture, and health risks associated with animal products. Plant-based foods include vegan foods. The traditional raw material for chocolate is derived from cocoa beans. Thus, chocolate can be prepared as a plant-based product.

[0003] However, many chocolate products contain animal-derived ingredients and are not plant-based. Products labeled "milk chocolate" usually contain milk of animal origin with added sugar. Products labeled "dark chocolate" may also contain milk and sugar, but in smaller amounts. Chocolate products may contain other ingredients derived from animals, such as whey, casein, and certain emulsifiers. Many chocolate products also contain additional elements such as caramel, nougat, and biscuits, all of which also contain sugar. It is typically difficult to reformulate existing foods containing animal-derived ingredients into plant-based or vegan products while still providing a food that consumers enjoy.

[0004] Dairy products, such as milk chocolate or confectionery products, containing animal-derived ingredients such as milk, eggs, and milk proteins, can also be problematic for people with allergies or food intolerances, or for people on a dairy-free or vegan diet. There is an increasing need to provide vegan or dairy-free chocolate or confectionery products that have the same taste and pleasant mouthfeel as standard milk chocolate or confectionery products that contain dairy or animal ingredients. Thus, there is a continuing need to meet consumer expectations in the confectionery sector in terms of organoleptically desirable vegan or plant-based confectionery.

[0005] Furthermore, confectionery products containing high levels of refined or added sugars can be problematic for diabetics, or for people who are obese or overweight and are trying to lose weight.Therefore, there is an increasing need to provide vegan or dairy-free chocolate or confectionery products, as well as low-sugar confectionery that has the taste, texture and feel of standard milk chocolate confectionery, is economical to produce, and has favorable processability and rheological properties."Vegan milk chocolate" is well known and has been prepared in the prior art using coconut milk, rice milk, or almond milk.

[0006] However, there is a need to provide plant-based confectionery items with a variety of textures, particularly compound chocolate bars that typically include ingredients consisting of nougat, caramel, and / or nuts. These types of confectionery present particular challenges as the manufacture of such products can be difficult. There is a need for additional plant-based low sugar food products.

[0007] Nougat is another popular confectionery item. Nougat is not usually a vegetable product. It may be available as a separate product in itself or may exist as an ingredient of composite confectionery items such as bars containing other elements such as chocolate, as well as aerated caramels, toffees, fudges, caramels containing nuts, wafers, biscuits, gels, flavoured creams or pralines. Nougat traditionally contains sugar, which may be in the form of a sugar syrup based on honey or refined sugar, as well as egg whites, which provide a source of protein. Some nougat are hard and chewy, while soft nougat, sometimes called nougatine, contain a higher moisture content. They may contain ingredients such as cocoa, milk powder, lactose, malt and powdered sugar, which have a shortening effect. Fats and emulsifiers may also be included. Typical nougat recipes are given, for example, in 'Sugar Confectionery Manufacture' (Berlin:Springer) Second edition, 1995 Ed. EB Jackson, in particular Table 13.3, which gives some specific examples.

[0008] As described in US 2017 / 245519 A1, nougat is typically prepared by mixing appropriate amounts of sugar syrup and a protein mixture, aerating the mixture, and then mixing the resulting frappe with a suitable amount of flavor / grain mixture. Typically, frappes are prepared using a syrup solution prepared by mixing a sugar, such as granule sucrose, with sufficient water to form a solution, and the sugar solution is formed into a "base syrup" or "doctor syrup" by the addition of glucose and optionally other ingredients such as salt.

[0009] It is then generally necessary to subject the base syrup to a heating or cooking procedure to remove at least a portion of the water before the syrup is of the appropriate consistency. For example, high temperatures up to 140°C are generally required to evaporate the water to reduce the moisture content according to the recipe. Upon cooling, the resulting syrup forms a highly saturated solution that changes state to a crystalline form during production to obtain the desired textural properties. The residual energy can then be used to aid in the coagulation of the proteins. In particular, the proteins are typically derived from animals, such as powdered egg and / or milk proteins. Egg and / or milk proteins are typically believed to be necessary to create a stable aerated sugar network.

[0010] Caramel is another popular confectionery product. Caramel, toffee and fudge are particularly popular confectionery items. They may be available as separate products in their own right. Alternatively, they exist as components of composite confectionery items such as bars containing other elements such as chocolate, as well as nougat, nuts, wafers, biscuits, gels, flavoured creams or pralines. Caramel is characterised as a high sugar confectionery. A substantial proportion of the sugar may be provided by glucose syrup or sucrose, but caramel typically also contains fat, milk, flavourings and water.

[0011] The amount of water present in any particular caramel, toffee, or fudge not only affects its taste and texture, but also its processability. Also, some caramel, toffee, or fudge confections are desirably more fluid, for example, ice cream toppings or certain filled confections, while in other applications these confections may desirably have a chewy texture. Such confectionery items contain less water. The former are messy but easy to deposit when consumed, while the latter provide a cleaner consumption experience but can be difficult to handle during production.

[0012] Nougat and caramel are typically not plant-based foods because they contain ingredients such as milk and / or egg proteins. For example, a typical nougat contains an aerated sugar network stabilized by milk and / or egg proteins. A typical caramel contains dairy products such as milk. There is a need for plant-based, low-calorie alternatives to nougat and caramel.

[0013] WO 2018 / 167788 A1 discloses dairy-free and / or vegan confectionery products, in particular chocolate-based products, and methods for their preparation. WO 2011 / 072834 A1 discloses a chocolate composition comprising cocoa butter, sugar, and coconut milk. EP 3369324 A1 discloses the formulation of a mixture specifically designed to produce milk-free (milk protein-free and lactose-free), sugar-free, and soy-free white chocolate, with or without fiber in its composition. EP 3338559 A1 discloses a carob-based chocolate formulation using cocoa and carob as the main ingredients, alternatively supplemented with palm oil, rice derivatives, sweet potato powder and sugars with a low glycemic index, low in caffeine and theobromine, free of animal milk, with or without added sugars, gluten-free, soy-free and with or without fibre.

[0014] Taiwan Patent No. 201032726 A discloses a nougat composition comprising 32-41% by weight maltose, 17-22% by weight sugar, 6-8% by weight fat / oil, 6-10% by weight mixed grain flour, 20-30% by weight nut material, 3-6% by weight water, and 0.01-5% by weight protein material.

[0015] The following disclosure is presented to provide an illustration of the general principles of the present invention and is not intended to limit in any way the inventive concepts contained herein. Moreover, features described in this section can be used in combination with other described features in each of the numerous possible permutations and combinations contained herein. Summary of the Invention

[0016] The present invention relates to A vegetable nougat ingredient comprising 0.5 to 20% by weight of vegetable protein and 1 to 30% by weight of vegetable powder; Vegetable caramel ingredients, and a vegetable-based chocolate ingredient.

[0017] In some embodiments, one or more of the plant-based nougat component, the plant-based caramel component, and the plant-based chocolate component comprise soluble fiber.It has been found that the plant-based low sugar food products according to the present invention have received good scores in consumer taste tests, and therefore provide an acceptable alternative to existing food products that contain animal-derived ingredients. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0018] This specification provides certain definitions and methods to better define the invention and guide those skilled in the art in the practice of the invention. The provision, or lack of provision, of a definition of a particular term or phrase does not imply any particular importance or lack of importance. Rather, unless otherwise stated, the terms are to be understood according to conventional usage by those skilled in the relevant art. Additional features and advantages of the present invention will be described in or apparent from the following description of the currently preferred embodiments.

[0019] As used herein, the term "vegetable" refers to a product that is formulated without animal-derived ingredients. A vegetable product may contain trace amounts of animal-derived ingredients, such as trace amounts of dairy ingredients. For example, trace amounts of dairy ingredients may be present in a vegetable product due to the use of a manufacturing line that was previously used to produce dairy products. The term "vegetable" may refer to a product that contains less than 1% by weight, preferably less than 0.1% by weight, of animal-derived ingredients.

[0020] As used herein, the term "botanical" encompasses the term vegan. The term "vegan" refers to a product that is formulated without ingredients of animal or insect origin. The term "vegan" may refer to a product that contains less than 1% by weight, preferably less than 0.1% by weight, of ingredients of animal or insect origin. The botanical products and processes of the present invention are preferably vegan products and processes.

[0021] As used herein, the terms "low sugar", "added sugar", "monosaccharide" and "refined sugar" refer to processed sugars, such as those resulting from the processing of sugar beets and sugar cane to obtain the pure monosaccharides glucose and fructose, or the disaccharide sucrose. Refined sugars, such as pure sucrose, glucose and fructose, are hyperglycemic carbohydrates and are therefore undesirable for people trying to control their weight. The terms are not intended to encompass any naturally occurring sugar products, such as honey, or any naturally occurring polysaccharides or oligosaccharides containing glucose or fructose, or any lactose (a disaccharide) that may be naturally present in any milk or dairy product that may be used in the preparation of food products.

[0022] As used herein, the terms "dietary fiber", "soluble dietary fiber", "soluble fiber", or "soluble (dietary) fiber" refer to naturally occurring materials such as inulin, polyfructose-based fructans, and shorter oligofructosaccharides that are water-soluble or at least swell in water. Other soluble dietary fibers that may be used in any of the food ingredients include dextrins, which are low molecular weight polyglucose molecules produced by hydrolysis of starch or glycogen. These materials have low calorie content (about 1 cal / g) and are therefore desirable alternatives to refined sugar, especially bulk sugar replacements typically used in confectionery. Other sources of soluble dietary fiber include beta-glucan, carrageenan, guar, acacia gum, xanthan gum, and pectin, and combinations thereof. Further examples of soluble dietary fibers include soluble corn fiber (SCF), an example of such an SCF is PROMITOR® Soluble Fibre 70 (provided by Tate & Lyle).

[0023] As used herein, "low sugar" milk chocolate is milk chocolate that has less than 50%, or less than 30%, or less than 25% by weight of added / refined sugars selected from sucrose, glucose, and fructose, including its syrup.

[0024] As used herein, references to "weight percent" or "wt. %" refer to the amount of a particular ingredient in a composition based on the total weight of that composition. For example, a reference to the "wt. %" of soluble fiber in a caramel component is a reference to the amount (wt. %) of soluble fiber in the caramel component, not the total amount (wt. %) of soluble fiber in the food product that includes the caramel component, unless otherwise specified.

[0025] food In this specification, A vegetable nougat ingredient comprising 0.5 to 20% by weight of vegetable protein and 1 to 30% by weight of vegetable powder; Vegetable caramel ingredients, and a vegetable-based chocolate ingredient.

[0026] In this specification, A botanical nougat ingredient as described herein; A vegetable caramel ingredient as described herein; and the botanical chocolate ingredient described herein.

[0027] Food is A botanical nougat ingredient as described herein; A vegetable caramel ingredient as described herein; The botanical chocolate ingredient may comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of the botanical chocolate ingredient described herein.

[0028] The food product may have a weight typical of a confectionery product. For example, the weight may be 1-70g, for example 5-70g, 5-60g, optionally 20-60g, optionally 30-60g, optionally 40-60g, optionally 20-40g, optionally 1-20g, optionally 1-10g. The weight may preferably be about 20g. The food product may be a confectionery product. The product may have dimensions typical of confectionery products. The food product may be in the form of a bite-sized product or a bar. The bar may have a length of 15-50mm, preferably 20-45mm, most preferably 25-40mm, a width of 10-50mm, preferably 15-45mm, most preferably 20-40mm, and a height of 5-35mm, preferably 10-30mm, most preferably 12-25mm. The height of the vegetable nougat may be from 4 to 25 mm, such as from 4 to 20 mm, for example from 6 to 15 mm, preferably from 8 to 12 mm, preferably about 10 mm, along the length (longest dimension) of the food product. The height of the vegetable caramel may be from 1 to 10 mm, preferably about 3 mm, along the length (longest dimension) of the food product.

[0029] Preferably, the plant-based food is a composite confectionery product. Preferably, the plant-based food is a composite confectionery product comprising the components of a plant-based chocolate, a plant-based nougat, and a plant-based caramel. The plant-based composite food may further comprise inclusions within any of the components. Preferably, the plant-based chocolate forms a coating that surrounds or enrobes the plant-based nougat and the plant-based caramel.

[0030] The food product may comprise 1-60% by weight, preferably 10-50% by weight, preferably 15-55% by weight, preferably 25-45% by weight, preferably 25-40% by weight, most preferably 30-40% by weight of vegetable chocolate, 1-60% by weight, preferably 5-40% by weight, preferably 10-20% by weight, preferably 15-55% by weight, preferably 25-45% by weight, most preferably 30-40% by weight of vegetable caramel, with at least 90% by weight, optionally 100% by weight, of the remaining food product being vegetable nougat. The food product may comprise a layer comprising vegetable nougat and a further layer comprising vegetable chocolate. The vegetable chocolate may partially or completely cover the vegetable nougat. The vegetable nougat may form a layer, and the vegetable chocolate may cover one or more sides, optionally all sides, of the layer of vegetable nougat. The food product may comprise a layer comprising vegetable nougat and a further layer comprising vegetable caramel. The vegetable caramel may partially or completely cover the vegetable nougat. The vegetable nougat may form a layer and the vegetable caramel may cover one or more sides, optionally all sides, of the vegetable nougat layer. The food product may be in the form of a bar, which may be an elongated bar or a generally square bar.

[0031] The food product may comprise a first layer comprising a vegetable nougat, a second layer comprising a vegetable caramel, and a third layer comprising a vegetable chocolate. The vegetable chocolate may partially or completely cover the vegetable nougat and the vegetable caramel. The food product may comprise a layer of vegetable nougat and a layer of vegetable caramel arranged on a side of the vegetable nougat, the vegetable chocolate may cover one or more sides, optionally all sides, of the vegetable nougat and vegetable caramel layers. The food product may comprise a single layer of vegetable nougat and a single layer of vegetable caramel arranged on a side of the vegetable nougat, the vegetable chocolate may cover one or more sides, optionally all sides, of the vegetable nougat and vegetable caramel layers to form a vegetable chocolate covered bar. The food product may be in the form of a bar, which may be an elongated bar or a substantially square bar.

[0032] Provided herein is a method of producing a food product, the method comprising combining a botanical nougat component described herein, a botanical caramel component described herein, and a botanical chocolate component described herein to form a food product.

[0033] In one embodiment, the vegetable nougat is preferably produced in the form of a layer, then a layer of vegetable caramel is placed on the vegetable nougat to form an intermediate bar, and then the vegetable chocolate is coated on one or more sides, preferably all sides, of the intermediate bar to completely encase the vegetable caramel and vegetable nougat.

[0034] In some examples the food product comprises a sugar content of less than 30% by weight, however it will be understood that this refers to the total content of naturally occurring sugars such as refined sugars and / or honey and not any naturally occurring polysaccharides or oligosaccharides that may be present as soluble fiber.

[0035] It has been unexpectedly found that chocolate enrobed caramel and nougat plant-based foods can be prepared without sacrificing any of the sensory experience, at least in terms of flavor and texture.

[0036] Vegetable nougat The food product comprises a vegetable nougat component comprising 0.5-20% by weight vegetable protein and 1-30% by weight vegetable flour.

[0037] The vegetable nougat ingredients may comprise 0.5-20% by weight vegetable protein, 1-30% by weight vegetable flour. In some embodiments, the vegetable nougat is a low sugar nougat and comprises 0.5-20% by weight vegetable protein, 1-40% by weight soluble fiber, and 1-30% by weight vegetable flour, preferably 15-25% by weight soluble fiber, also known as water-soluble dietary fiber, and preferably 1-20% by weight vegetable flour. The inclusion of soluble fiber allows the amount of refined sugar to be reduced while maintaining the quality and organoleptic properties of the product. Water-soluble dietary fiber is suitable for diabetics as it does not result in an increase in blood sugar levels. Depending on the soluble fiber content, the nougat may be referred to as a high fiber nougat. Introducing these levels of fiber into the nougat can result in a nutritious food with a desirable sensory experience and reduce the amount of refined sugar and traditional moisturizers required to maintain user satisfaction and product shelf life.

[0038] The vegetable nougat ingredients may include soluble dietary fiber in the form of soluble corn fiber such as PROMITOR® 85L, prebiotic soluble corn fiber in liquid form with at least 85% dietary fiber, and less than 2% sugar. The vegetable nougat ingredients may include soluble dietary fiber in the form of naturally occurring polysaccharides such as fructans, or oligofructosaccharides. The vegetable nougat ingredients may include soluble dietary fiber derived from chicory root. Soluble dietary fiber, often referred to as functional fiber, is a prebiotic material that has proven important in balancing the gut flora and supporting a low glycemic diet. The soluble dietary fiber in the vegetable nougat ingredients can provide a creamy texture and a sweet taste, which means that less fat and less refined sugar need to be included in the vegetable nougat.

[0039] The vegetable nougat ingredient may include vegetable powder, for example, a powder derived from a vegetable or fruit. As used herein, "vegetable powder" should be understood to be a different ingredient than any vegetable protein used to form the basis of the vegetable nougat. In some examples, the vegetable powder may be referred to as vegetable coloring and / or vegetable flavoring ingredient, with the understanding that the vegetable protein used herein is substantially devoid of any discernible odor or flavor and is primarily a structural component of the nougat and provides stability. The powder may be obtained by drying any suitable part of any suitable vegetable or fruit and grinding these dried vegetables or fruits by any suitable means to obtain a powder. Similarly, any of the above powders may be purchased. Drying of the fruit or vegetable may be performed by freeze-drying parts of the fruit or vegetable or by heating at a temperature of about 50° C. or less, for example about 35° C., until a constant weight is obtained. Having a constant weight indicates that the fruit or vegetable is completely dried, i.e., all water has been removed. Forming a powder from the dried material can be accomplished through the use of any grinding equipment; on a small scale a pestle and mortar may be used, while for large scale production a grinder and industrial mill may be used.

[0040] The vegetable or fruit powder may be selected from the group of root vegetables, winter squash, and fruits. Examples of root vegetables that may be used to form the botanical powder include carrot, parsley, rutabaga, sweet potato (which is a tuberous vegetable), beet (which includes beetroot), cassava, ginger, turmeric, ginseng, and lotus root. Examples of winter squash include pumpkin, butternut squash, common pumpkin, acorn squash, golden gourd, and ambercup squash. Examples of fruits include cherries, strawberries, raspberries, grapes, mangoes, papayas, plums, peaches, apricots, blueberries, blackberries, and blackcurrants. Any part of a plant or vegetable that is suitable for consumption may be used to generate the botanical powder. For example, the entire beetroot, including the leafy tops, may be used to form a beetroot-based powder, or the leafy tops may be omitted in other embodiments. In some embodiments, the vegetable or fruit powder is selected from any one of carrot, sweet potato, cherry, butternut squash, or beetroot powder. In some embodiments, more than one type of fruit and / or vegetable may be used in a blended powder form. For example, a blend of two or more of strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, red currant, and black currant may be used to create a "forest fruit" flavored powder.

[0041] In some examples, the botanical powder may include or consist of a powder obtained from drying upcycled vegetables or fruits. As used herein, the term "upcycled" refers to fruits or vegetable cultivations that are discarded or have already been discarded by producers or retailers for not meeting consumer expectations and would not have reached human consumption. These are sourced and produced using a verifiable supply chain, and upcycling such cultivations can have a positive impact on the environment. In addition to the botanical powder being an upcycled powder of any of the above-mentioned vegetables or fruits, the botanical powder may also include a powder obtained by upcycling any other botanical material, including but not limited to coffee grounds, spent grains from the brewing and distilling industry, discarded bread, cocoa by-products such as cocoa shells, or any fruit by-products including pulp and peanut shells.

[0042] The vegetable nougat may be a brownie nougat. The vegetable nougat may include a chocolate ingredient that makes it a vegetable brownie nougat. The vegetable nougat may include cocoa butter, cocoa liquor, cocoa powder, or mixtures thereof to form a vegetable brownie nougat.

[0043] In addition, the vegetable nougat comprises vegetable protein and sugar syrup. The vegetable nougat may also comprise nut inclusions. It will be understood that the vegetable protein is in addition to any protein present in the nut inclusions. Advantageously, due to the combination of ingredients, the vegetable nougat can maintain a stable aerated sugar network without the need for egg or milk protein as a stabilizer. Stability refers to the ability of the nougat to maintain its structure without collapsing, separating or splitting.

[0044] The vegetable nougat may comprise 30-75% by weight, or 40-65% by weight, or 45-55% by weight of sugar syrup). The sugar syrup may be selected from sucrose, glucose, invert sugar, honey, and mixtures thereof. The sugar syrup may comprise water. For example, the sugar syrup may comprise 1-20% by weight of water and 99-85% by weight of sugar, preferably 10-20% by weight of water and 90-80% by weight of sugar. The nougat may comprise or be formed from at least 50% by weight of sugar syrup, optionally at least 60% by weight of sugar syrup, optionally at least 65% by weight of sugar syrup, optionally at least 70% by weight of sugar syrup. The vegetable nougat may comprise 41-72% by weight of sugar, preferably 56-76% by weight of sugar, most preferably 60-68% by weight of sugar (sugar being dry sugar in this context). The sugar may be selected from sucrose, glucose, sugar from invert syrup, sugar from honey, and mixtures thereof.

[0045] In some embodiments, the vegetable nougat comprises less than 30% by weight, such as less than 20% by weight, such as less than 15% by weight, such as less than 10% by weight of added or simple sugars, such as refined sugars selected from pure sucrose, fructose or glucose, or syrups thereof.

[0046] The vegetable nougat may contain 0.5-20% by weight of vegetable protein, preferably 1-15% by weight, most preferably 2-10% by weight. It will be understood that these amounts do not include vegetable protein present in other ingredients of the nougat, such as, for example, nut inclusions. The vegetable protein of the vegetable nougat may be selected from potato protein, e.g. potato protein isolate, bean cooking liquid, and soy protein, e.g. soy protein isolate, although the skilled person will understand that other sources of vegetable protein are also suitable. The vegetable protein and sugar syrup are capable of forming a stable aerated sugar network.

[0047] The invention may utilise either a native potato protein mixture which may be added in the form of a common potato protein isolate, or utilise a patatin isolate or a protease inhibitor isolate. The inventors have found that potato protein is particularly effective in the production process in that the aerated product is particularly stable and can be produced with a taste, texture and appearance comparable to nougat made from animal proteins such as egg or milk proteins, compared to comparable products made with other vegetable proteins.

[0048] Potato proteins can be classified in a number of ways. In one classification, potato proteins can be classified according to whether they are acid soluble or acid coagulable. Acid soluble proteins are proteins that are soluble in water at pH 3-5 and acid coagulable proteins are proteins that are insoluble in water at pH 3-5 (because they have coagulated). Acid soluble potato proteins can be fractionated, i.e. isolated or separated from acid coagulable potato proteins. Acid soluble proteins tend to have a higher molecular weight than acid soluble proteins. Acid soluble proteins have been found to have molecular weights in the range of 32-87 kDa as measured by SDS-PAGE analysis. Acid coagulable potato proteins have been found to have molecular weights in the range of 17-28 kDa as measured by SDS-PAGE analysis. Potato protein isolates may comprise potato proteins isolated and fractionated on the basis of molecular weight, for example potato protein isolates fractionated into isolates containing predominantly acid soluble or acid coagulable proteins.

[0049] In one embodiment, at least 50%, optionally at least 75%, optionally at least 90%, optionally at least 95% by weight of the potato protein isolate contains potato proteins having a molecular weight of 30 kDa or more, as measured by SDS-PAGE analysis. Potato proteins having such a molecular weight are commercially available from Avebe, for example Solanic 200. Such potato proteins include the glycoprotein family patatin.

[0050] Nougat produced with this type of potato protein has been found to have a slightly darker colour compared to that of lower molecular weight proteins, a slightly stronger potato taste and a texture that is comparable to that of nougat conventionally made with egg or milk proteins.

[0051] In one embodiment, at least 50%, optionally at least 75%, optionally at least 90%, optionally at least 95% by weight of the potato protein isolate contains potato proteins with a molecular weight of less than 30 kDa, as determined by SDS-PAGE analysis. Potato proteins with such molecular weight are commercially available from Avebe, for example Solanic 3000. Such potato proteins contain protease inhibitors. Methods for obtaining such potato proteins are, for example, published in WO 2008 / 069650. It was found that nougat produced with this type of potato protein had the same colour and substantially the same texture and taste as nougat produced in a conventional manner with egg or milk proteins. This appeared to require a lower whipping time than nougat produced with higher molecular weight potato proteins.

[0052] Fractions or derivatives of the above can be used. These proteins or fractions thereof mentioned above are preferably administered in the form of a dry potato protein powder with a moisture content of 5-10% by weight. The amount of native potato protein present in the nougat may be 0.5-15% by weight of nougat, optionally 0.5-10% by weight, optionally 0.5-8.0% by weight of nougat.

[0053] Bean broth is the water in which legume seeds, such as chickpeas, are cooked and / or soaked. The legume seeds may be kidney beans, chickpeas, green lentils with skin, yellow peas, soybeans, and the like. Preferably, the legume seeds are chickpeas. Bean broth formed from chickpeas is known as "aquafaba." In one aspect, the vegetable protein is aquafaba.

[0054] The bean cooking liquid may comprise further ingredients or may consist of the bean cooking liquid. Preferably, the bean cooking liquid may comprise salt. The salt may be present in an amount of 1-10% by weight of the bean cooking liquid, preferably 3-7% by weight, most preferably about 5% by weight. An exemplary bean cooking liquid comprises 99-90% by weight chickpea water and 10-1% by weight salt, preferably 97-93% by weight chickpea water and 7-3% by weight salt, most preferably about 95% by weight chickpea water and about 5% by weight salt.

[0055] The vegetable protein may be provided in the form of a dry powder, for example potato protein powder or soy protein powder. Advantageously, the dry powder form of the protein is efficient for use in large-scale industrial manufacturing processes.

[0056] The vegetable nougat may comprise a nut content, for example 5-50% by weight nuts, preferably 10-40% by weight nuts, most preferably 20-30% by weight nuts. If present, the nuts in the vegetable nougat may be one or more of whole nuts and chopped nuts, for example chopped nuts of about 2-4 mm in size. The whole nuts or chopped nuts in the vegetable nougat may be selected from peanuts, almonds, cashew nuts, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, pecans, walnuts, and macadamia nuts. Most preferably, the nuts are peanuts.

[0057] The density of vegetable nougat is between 600 and 1100 kg / m 3 , preferably 800 to 1000 kg / m 3 , and most preferably about 890 kg / m 3 may be also possible.

[0058] Nougat typically lacks gelatin and / or gelling starch, for example, vegetable-based nougat may contain less than 5% by weight gelatin and / or gelling starch, optionally less than 2% by weight gelatin and / or gelling starch, optionally less than 1% by weight gelatin and / or gelling starch, optionally less than 0.5% by weight gelatin and / or gelling starch, and optionally no gelatin and / or gelling starch.

[0059] Advantageously, the vegetable nougat provides acceptable sensory properties compared to typical non-vegetable nougat.

[0060] Process for making vegetable nougat Provided herein is a method of making a vegetable nougat, the method comprising aerating a whipping solution comprising vegetable protein, and before, during or after aeration of the whipping solution, a sugar syrup is added to the whipping solution to form a frappe, and vegetable powder is added to the frappe to form the vegetable nougat. In an alternative embodiment, vegetable powder is added to the whipping solution before aeration to form a frappe, and the frappe is then a nougat. The vegetable powder may be added to the frappe as part of a slurry. The slurry may comprise vegetable powder dispersed in a fatty matrix, for example palm oil.

[0061] The vegetable nougat may be made by a process comprising the steps of: providing a whipped solution comprising vegetable protein; aerating the whipped solution; adding heated sugar syrup to the whipping solution; - whipping a whipping solution containing added sugar syrup to form a frappe; -Mixing vegetable powder into the frappe.

[0062] In some embodiments, the plant powder is first added to the fat-derived vehicle or substrate and then added to the frappe.

[0063] The sugar syrup may be added to the whipping solution before the whipping solution is aerated. Preferably, the sugar syrup is added to the whipping solution after the whipping solution is aerated.

[0064] That is, preferably, the process for making vegetable nougat comprises: providing a whipped solution comprising vegetable protein; aerating the whipped solution to provide an aerated whipped solution; adding heated sugar syrup to the aerated whipping solution; - whipping an aerated whipping solution containing added sugar syrup to form a frappe; -Mixing vegetable powder into the frappe.

[0065] In embodiments where the vegetable nougat is a low sugar vegetable nougat, the sugar syrup used in the above-described process may comprise or be substantially replaced by a soluble fiber syrup as described herein.

[0066] The term "frappe" refers to an aerated or foamed mixture containing sugars and proteins stabilized by proteins.

[0067] The process may further include blending one or more nut inclusions into the frappe, for example by blending the nut inclusions at the same time that the nut butter is blended into the frappe. The nut inclusions may form 5-50% by weight, preferably 10-40% by weight, most preferably 20-30% by weight of the ingredients used to make the vegetable nougat. The nut inclusions are as described above in relation to the vegetable nougat and may be whole or chopped nuts, or nut butter.

[0068] The vegetable protein, vegetable powder, sugar syrup and nut inclusions are as described above in relation to vegetable nougat. For example, the nut inclusions may be whole nuts or chopped nuts. Providing the whipping solution may include adding vegetable protein in dry powder form to water. Alternatively, providing the whipping solution may include adding vegetable protein in the form of a solution or suspension in a liquid such as water to a further amount of water that may be present in the water or sugar syrup. Alternatively, the whipping solution may be in the form of bean cooking liquid, as described above in relation to vegetable nougat.

[0069] The whipping solution may form 0.5-45% by weight, preferably 1-15% by weight, most preferably 2-10% by weight of the ingredients used to make the vegetable nougat. The sugar syrup may form 30-75% by weight, or 40-65% by weight, or 45-55% by weight of the ingredients used to make the vegetable nougat. The nut content may form 5-50% by weight, preferably 10-40% by weight, most preferably 20-30% by weight of the ingredients used to make the vegetable nougat.

[0070] The sugar syrup may be heated to 110-150°C, preferably 115-145°C, most preferably 120-140°C.

[0071] Suitable aeration techniques include dispersing air under pressure into the mixture or utilizing a pressure beater to aerate the mixture. Aeration may also be achieved by whipping. Aeration may be achieved in a pressurized system using a pressure beater. Such devices generally comprise a stator and a rotor, which may be provided with pins to form a "pin beater". In this arrangement, the mixture is mixed in a vessel to which pressurized air is supplied. The pressure of the pressurized air depends on factors such as the consistency of the medium to be aerated (including sugars and proteins) and the parameters of the pressurized system, for example, the degree of back pressure delivered into the pressure device by the downstream pressure valve, but is typically in the range of 3-5 bar. Suitable mixing speeds are in the range of 300-1200 rpm. The temperature at which the aeration is performed is selected to ensure that the viscosity of the mixture is appropriate to agitate the mixture, allow air bubbles to be trapped and dispersed therein, and to allow the air bubbles to be retained within it. This may be in the range of 25-110°C, or 30-90°C, or 35-65°C, but at higher levels, the protein may coagulate. If this is not necessary, the temperature may be kept below 65° C. Whipping refers to vigorous stirring. Whipping may also cause aeration.

[0072] Vegetable Caramel

[0073] The food product comprises a vegetable caramel component. The vegetable caramel may comprise vegetable milk, vegetable protein, vegetable fat, and sugar syrup. In some embodiments, the vegetable caramel comprises 1-70% by weight, preferably 1-50% by weight, of sugar syrup, such as glucose syrup. In some embodiments, the vegetable caramel ingredient is a low sugar vegetable caramel ingredient, in which some or all of the sugar syrup is replaced with 1-70% by weight, preferably 1-50% by weight, of soluble fiber, also called soluble dietary fiber. The inclusion of soluble fiber allows the amount of refined sugar to be reduced while maintaining the quality and organoleptic properties of the product. Soluble dietary fiber is suitable for diabetics, as it does not result in an increase in blood sugar levels. Depending on the content of soluble fiber, the caramel may be called high fiber caramel. Introducing these levels of fiber into the caramel can result in a nutritious food with a desirable sensory experience, and reduce the amount of refined sugar and traditional moisturizers required to maintain user satisfaction and product shelf life.

[0074] The vegetable caramel ingredient may include soluble dietary fiber in the form of soluble corn fiber such as PROMITOR® 85L, prebiotic soluble corn fiber in liquid form with at least 85% dietary fiber, and less than 2% sugar. The vegetable caramel ingredient may include soluble dietary fiber in the form of naturally occurring polysaccharides such as inulin, fructans, or oligofructosaccharides. The caramel ingredient may include soluble dietary fiber derived from chicory root. Soluble dietary fiber, often referred to as functional fiber, is a prebiotic material that has been shown to be important in balancing the gut microflora and supporting a low glycemic diet. The soluble dietary fiber in the vegetable caramel ingredient can provide a creamy texture and a sweet taste, which means that less fat and less refined sugar need to be included in the caramel.

[0075] In some embodiments, the vegetable caramel comprises soluble dietary fiber and a sugar syrup, such as invert syrup. In some embodiments, the vegetable caramel comprises soluble dietary fiber and a sugar syrup, such as invert syrup and added glucose.

[0076] The sugar syrup may be selected from sucrose, glucose, invert sugar, honey, and mixtures thereof. The sugar syrup may comprise water. The vegetable caramel may comprise less than 50% by weight, such as less than 40% by weight, such as less than 30% by weight, such as less than 20% by weight, such as less than 10% by weight, such as 1-10% by weight. The content of soluble dietary fiber allows the use of less refined sugar and sugar syrup. In some embodiments, the sugar syrup is invert sugar syrup. The vegetable caramel component may comprise less than 50% by weight, such as less than 40% by weight, such as less than 30% by weight, such as less than 20% by weight, such as less than 10% by weight, such as 1-10% by weight.

[0077] In some embodiments, the vegetable caramel comprises less than 30% by weight, such as less than 25% by weight, such as less than 20% by weight, such as less than 10% by weight of added or simple sugars, e.g. refined sugars selected from pure sucrose, fructose or glucose, or syrups thereof.

[0078] In some embodiments, the vegetable caramel comprises 1-70% by weight (e.g., 1-50%) soluble dietary fiber and 1-50% by weight (e.g., 1-20% by weight, e.g., 1-10% by weight) sugar syrup, such as invert syrup. In some embodiments, the vegetable caramel comprises 1-70% by weight (e.g., 1-50%) soluble dietary fiber and 1-50% by weight (e.g., 1-20% by weight, e.g., 1-10% by weight) sugar syrup, such as invert syrup, and less than 10% by weight added glucose.

[0079] The vegetable caramel may comprise a vegetable milk selected from coconut milk, almond milk, soy milk, rice milk, cashew milk, hemp milk, oat milk, flax milk, hazelnut milk, pea milk, and mixtures thereof. Preferably, the vegetable milk is selected from coconut milk and / or soy milk. The vegetable milk may be present in the vegetable caramel in an amount of 15-55% by weight, such as 25-45% by weight, such as 30-40% by weight. The vegetable milk may be commercially available.

[0080] The vegetable caramel may be formed from vegetable flour and / or vegetable protein powder, for example nut flour and / or nut protein powder. The vegetable caramel may be formed by combining the nut flour or nut protein with water and sugar to obtain a "milk mix". The nut flour or nut protein may be present in the milk mix in an amount of 1-40% by weight, such as 1-30% by weight, for example 1-20% by weight. The nut flour or nut protein powder may be derived from peanuts, almonds, cashew nuts, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pistachio nuts, pecan nuts, walnuts, macadamia nuts, and combinations thereof. The sugar may be a refined sugar selected from pure sucrose, fructose or glucose, or a syrup thereof, present in an amount of 1-70% by weight, such as 1-60% by weight, for example 15-50% by weight, for example 20-40% by weight. Water may be present in an amount making up the remaining balance.

[0081] The vegetable fat may be selected from arachis oil, palm oil, cocoa butter, palm fat, olive oil, and sunflower oil, and mixtures thereof. It will be understood that the vegetable fat is in addition to the fat present in the vegetable milk. The fat may be present in the caramel in an amount of 1 to 30% by weight, such as 1 to 20% by weight, for example 1 to 15% by weight.

[0082] The vegetable caramel may comprise a humectant. The humectant may be a polyol. The humectant may be selected from sorbitol, glycerol, hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, hydrogenated isomaltose, maltitol, mannitol, xylitol, erythritol, and mixtures thereof. Preferably, the humectant is glycerol. The vegetable caramel may comprise 0.5-60% by weight, 2-30% by weight, preferably 5-25% by weight, most preferably 10-20% by weight of a humectant.

[0083] The density of vegetable caramel is 800-1400 kg / m 3 , for example, about 1160 kg / m 3 , and most preferably 400 to 1400 kg / m 3 may be also possible.

[0084] The vegetable caramel may further comprise inclusions. Preferably, the vegetable caramel further comprises nuts. The vegetable caramel may comprise 5-50% by weight of nuts, preferably 5-30% by weight of nuts, most preferably 10-20% by weight of nuts. If present, the nuts in the vegetable caramel may be one or more of whole nuts and chopped nuts. The whole nuts or chopped nuts in the vegetable caramel may be selected from peanuts, almonds, cashew nuts, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pistachio nuts, pecan nuts, walnuts, and macadamia nuts. Most preferably, the nuts are peanuts.

[0085] Advantageously, vegetable caramel provides sensory properties comparable to caramels containing much higher amounts of refined sugar, as well as typical non-vegetable caramel.

[0086] Process for making vegetable caramel Caramel may be made by a process comprising the steps of: - providing a batch milk containing a "milk mix" containing vegetable milk and vegetable fat, or vegetable flour and vegetable fat; -Adding heated sugar syrup to batched milk to form caramel.

[0087] The method may include adding soluble fiber to the batched milk at the same time as the addition of the sugar syrup, or at a different time, or in place of some or all of the sugar syrup. The process may further include mixing the ingredients into the caramel.

[0088] The sugar syrup may be heated to 115-145° C., preferably 120-140° C., most preferably 125-135° C. The sugar syrup may form 25-55% by weight, preferably 30-50% by weight, most preferably 35-45% by weight of the ingredients used to make the vegetable caramel. The soluble fibre may be added to the sugar syrup before heating or may be heated separately to the same temperature and added separately to the batch milk.

[0089] The batch milk may be heated, preferably to 30-80°C, most preferably 40-70°C, before the sugar syrup is added. The process may include a further step of heating the caramel, preferably at a temperature of 100-150°C, most preferably 120-145°C, to evaporate the water to form a brown caramel. Advantageously, the brown caramel has an improved flavour. The heating time and temperature can be adjusted as required, with longer times and higher temperatures leading to a darker brown caramel with a stronger flavour. The soluble fibre contained in the caramel does not adversely affect the formation or quality of the caramel and may in fact improve the consumer experience whilst reducing the sugar and calorie content.

[0090] The process may include the further step of adding a humectant to the caramel. The humectant is preferably added to the brown caramel. The humectant may form 1-20%, or 3-15%, or 7-12% by weight of the ingredients used to make the vegetable caramel. Advantageously, the humectant improves the rheological properties of the vegetable caramel, making it more suitable for use in downstream processes. The humectant is as described above.

[0091] The batch milk may comprise further ingredients selected from sugars such as glucose, flavourings such as vanilla extract, salts and mixtures thereof. For example, the batch milk may comprise 1-25% or 5-15% by weight of sugars such as glucose that form the ingredients used to make the vegetable caramel.

[0092] The vegetable milk or vegetable flour may form 15-55%, preferably 25-45%, most preferably 30-40% by weight of the ingredients used to make the vegetable caramel. The vegetable fat may form 1-20%, preferably 3-15%, most preferably 5-10% by weight of the ingredients used to make the vegetable caramel. It will be understood that these amounts do not include vegetable fat present in other ingredients of the caramel, such as vegetable milk.

[0093] The vegetable caramel may have a moisture content in the range of 0.1% to 16% by weight, preferably 0.5% to 14% by weight, even more preferably 5.0% to 14% by weight.

[0094] The vegetable caramel of the present invention has a melting point of 100 to 8,000 kg / m 3 , preferably 500 to 5000 kg / m 3 , more preferably 600 to 3000 kg / m 3 , more preferably 800 to 1500 kg / m 3 , and most preferably 400 to 1400 kg / m 3 The density may be

[0095] A process for making vegetable caramel may include mixing ingredients in a heated vessel, heating the ingredients to form a uniform heated mixture while scraping the bottom of the vessel during heating to avoid burning, and increasing the heat to boil the ingredients to a temperature and for a time to achieve a desired level of caramelization. The process may include mixing nut inclusions into the caramel before heating to achieve caramelization, or may include mixing nut inclusions into the caramel after caramelization has been achieved.

[0096] Plant-based chocolate The food product comprises a vegetable chocolate ingredient. The vegetable chocolate ingredient may be a low sugar vegetable chocolate ingredient comprising 1-30% by weight of soluble fiber. In some embodiments, the chocolate ingredient comprises a low sugar vegetable milk chocolate comprising one or more dietary fibers selected from dextrin, inulin, and fructooligosaccharides. Soluble dietary fibers such as these have been found to be suitable for replacing refined sugar without loss of sweetness while at the same time enhancing the creaminess of the food product.

[0097] The plant-based chocolate ingredient may include one or more types of soluble dietary fiber as a major component of the plant-based chocolate ingredient. The one or more types of soluble dietary fiber may be present in an amount greater than any added sugar or refined sugar ingredient. For example, the plant-based chocolate ingredient may include 1-30% by weight of soluble dietary fiber, such as 10-30% by weight, such as 20-30% by weight. It will be appreciated that the plant-based chocolate ingredient may also include other ingredients necessary to make a plant-based milk chocolate, including cocoa butter, cocoa liquor, plant milk, vegetable fats such as vegetable fats, and flavorings such as vanilla.

[0098] In some embodiments, the vegetable milk chocolate contains less than 30% by weight, such as less than 25% by weight, such as less than 20% by weight, of added or simple sugars, e.g. refined sugars selected from pure sucrose, fructose or glucose, or syrups thereof.

[0099] Vegetable chocolate is readily available from numerous commercial suppliers. The vegetable chocolate may be a composite chocolate. The vegetable chocolate is preferably a vegetable "milk chocolate". The vegetable "milk chocolate" may include sugar, cocoa butter, cocoa solids, and vegetable milk. Vegetable "milk chocolate" or couverture chocolate containing rice milk has been found to provide a good flavor profile in combination with other ingredients of the food product.

[0100] Process for making food Provided herein is a method of making a food product, the method comprising combining a caramel botanical component, a nougat botanical component, and a chocolate botanical component to form the food product.

[0101] In one embodiment, a vegetable nougat component is produced and then other ingredients of the food product are coated onto the vegetable nougat component.

[0102] In one embodiment, the vegetable nougat is produced, preferably in the form of a layer, then the vegetable caramel is coated on one or more sides of the vegetable nougat, and then the vegetable chocolate is coated on at least one side of the vegetable nougat and vegetable caramel, and optionally on all sides of the vegetable nougat and vegetable caramel, so as to completely encase the vegetable nougat and vegetable caramel in the vegetable chocolate.

[0103] For ease of processing, the vegetable nougat may be in a cooled form during production, as this reduces the viscosity of the vegetable nougat and allows the chocolate ingredients in liquid form to solidify more quickly during enrobing. EXAMPLES

[0104] Example 1 – Beetroot Brownie Nougat A vegetable nougat was prepared from the following ingredients: 1. Frappe containing (50% by weight): a) Whip solution (13% by weight): 80% by weight base syrup 14% by weight water 6% by weight potato protein (Solanic® 200) Total 100% b) Sugar syrup (87% by weight): 38% by weight of glucose 62DE 34% by weight granulated sugar 7% by weight invert sugar 20% by weight water 1% by weight salt Total 100% Total 100% 2. Beetroot slurry (26% by weight) containing: 9% by weight chocolate liquor 30% soft palm fat by weight 51% Beetroot Powder by Weight 10% vegetable chocolate by weight Total 100% 3. Chopped peanuts (24% by weight)

[0105] The whipping solution was aerated and sugar syrup was cooked to 140°C and added to the aerated whipping solution and the result was whipped into a frappe. Chopped peanut and beetroot (brownie) slurry was added to the frappe.

[0106] A vegetable caramel was prepared from the following ingredients: 1. Caramel syrup (55% by weight) containing: >98% by weight syrup 69 DE 1% by weight salt <1% by weight vanilla flavoring Total 100% 2. Batch milk (45% by weight) containing: a) Milk mix (83% by weight): 33% by weight water 13% by weight soy protein powder 54% by weight granulated sugar Total 100% b) Fat (17% by weight): 100% soft palm fat by weight Total 100%

[0107] The batch milk was warmed to 60-70°C. The syrup was cooked to 130-140°C and added to the batch milk. The resulting caramel was cooked at 130-140°C. Peanuts may then be mixed into the caramel.

[0108] The food product was made from vegetable nougat, vegetable caramel, and a commercial vegetable milk chocolate. The product contained 51% by weight nougat (containing 24% by weight peanuts), 14% by weight caramel, and 35% by weight chocolate.

[0109] Example 2 – Carrot Nougat A similar nougat slurry (26% by weight of the nougat ingredient) was prepared and incorporated into another nougat ingredient and food product otherwise identical to Example 1. The nougat slurry contained 30% by weight palm fat, 51% by weight carrot powder, and 19% by weight "milk compounds".

[0110] Example 3 – Butternut Pumpkin Nougat A vegetable nougat was prepared from the following ingredients: 1. Frappe (56% by weight) containing: a) Whipped mix (86% by weight): - 93% by weight of raw syrup containing: 40% by weight syrup 63 DE 40% sugar by weight >19% water by weight <1% by weight salt Total 100% - 7% by weight of potato protein (Solanic® 200) Total 100% b) Water (14% by weight) Total 100% 2. A slurry (14% by weight) containing: Palm oil (75% by weight) Butternut pumpkin powder (21% by weight) Vanilla flavoring (4% by weight) Total 100% 3. Peanut Spritz (30% by weight)

[0111] The whipping solution was aerated and sugar syrup was cooked to 50-60°C and added to the aerated whipping solution and the result was whipped into a frappe. Chopped peanuts and a slurry were added to the frappe.

[0112] A vegetable caramel was prepared from the following ingredients: 1. Sugar syrup (71% by weight) containing: 67% by weight syrup 63 DE 1% by weight salt 24% sugar by weight <1% by weight vanillin 8% by weight water Total 100% 2. "Milk" mix (29% by weight) containing: a) Recon (50% by weight): 30% peanut flour by weight 35% water by weight 35% sugar by weight Total 100% b) Fat (50% by weight): 100% by weight palm oil (4R400) Total 100%

[0113] The Recon was mixed for 20 minutes (1700 rpm). The Recon and fat were then mixed for 20 minutes (2800 rpm) to form the "Milk" mix. The "Milk" mix was warmed to 60-70°C. The syrup was cooked to 100-120°C and added to the batch milk. The resulting caramel was cooked at 100-120°C.

[0114] Example 4 – Cherry Nougat A similar slurry (14% by weight of the nougat ingredient) was prepared and incorporated into another otherwise identical nougat ingredient as described in Example 3. The slurry contained palm oil (81% by weight), acerola cherry powder (9% by weight), beetroot powder (9% by weight), and natural cocoa powder (<1% by weight). The two food products were made from two vegetable nougat bars (butternut and cherry), vegetable caramel, and a commercially available vegetable milk chocolate. Photographs of the butternut pumpkin nougat bar and the cherry nougat bar are shown in Figures 1 and 2, respectively.

[0115] Example 5 – Beetroot Nougat A vegetable nougat was prepared from the following ingredients: 1. Frappe (52% by weight) containing: a) Whipped mix (86% by weight): - 93% by weight of raw syrup containing: 40% by weight syrup 63 DE 40% sugar by weight >19% water by weight <1% by weight salt Total 100% - 7% by weight of potato protein (Solanic® 200) Total 100% b) Water (14% by weight) Total 100% 2. A slurry (25% by weight) containing: Palm oil (53% by weight) Beetroot powder (47% by weight) Total 100% 3. Peanut Spritz (23% by weight)

[0116] The whipping solution was aerated and sugar syrup was cooked to 130-140°C and added to the aerated whipping solution and the result was whipped into a frappe. Chopped peanuts and a slurry were added to the frappe.

[0117] A vegetable caramel was prepared from the following ingredients: 1. Sugar syrup (71% by weight) containing: 67% by weight syrup 63 DE 1% by weight salt 24% sugar by weight 8% by weight water Vanillin Total: 100% 2. "Milk" mix (29% by weight) containing: a) Recon (50% by weight): 20% by weight almond protein powder 20% by weight water 60% sugar by weight Total 100% b) Fat (50% by weight): 100% by weight palm oil (4R400) Total 100%

[0118] The Recon was mixed for 30 minutes (1500 rpm). The Recon and fat were then mixed for 20 minutes (2600 rpm) to form the "Milk" mix. The "Milk" mix was warmed to 60-70°C. The syrup was cooked to 120-130°C and added to the batch milk. The resulting caramel was cooked at 120-130°C.

[0119] Example 6 - Purple sweet potato nougat A similar slurry (25% by weight nougat ingredient) was prepared and incorporated into another otherwise identical nougat ingredient as described in Example 5. The slurry contained palm oil (78% by weight), purple sweet potato powder (22% by weight).

[0120] Two food products were made from two vegetable nougat (beetroot and purple sweet potato), vegetable caramel, and a commercially available vegetable milk chocolate. Photographs of the beetroot nougat bar and the purple sweet potato nougat bar are shown in Figures 3 and 4, respectively.

[0121] The product was in the form of a bar with a layer of nougat and a layer of caramel, surrounded by chocolate. The taste panel found the product to be a pleasing tasting confectionery product, despite being a plant-based, low-calorie food.

[0122] It should be understood that various changes and modifications to the presently preferred embodiments described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and without diminishing its attendant advantages. It is therefore intended that such changes and modifications be covered by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A food product, a vegetable nougat ingredient comprising 0.5 to 20% by weight of vegetable protein and 5 to 20% by weight of vegetable flour; Vegetable caramel ingredients, A food product comprising a vegetable chocolate ingredient.

2. 2. The food product of claim 1, wherein the vegetable nougat component comprises 30 to 75%, or 40 to 65%, or 45 to 55% by weight of sugar syrup.

3. 2. The food product of claim 1, wherein the vegetable nougat component comprises 1 to 15%, 2 to 10% by weight of vegetable protein isolate, such as potato protein isolate.

4. 10. The food product of claim 1, wherein the vegetable nougat component comprises 1 to 40% by weight of soluble fiber.

5. 10. The food product of claim 1, wherein the vegetable caramel component comprises 1 to 70% by weight of soluble fiber.

6. 10. The food product of claim 1, wherein the botanical chocolate ingredient comprises 1 to 30% by weight of soluble fiber.

7. 2. The food product of claim 1, wherein the plant powder is a vegetable powder or a fruit powder, optionally the vegetable powder or the fruit powder may be selected from carrot powder, sweet potato powder, cherry powder, butternut squash powder, and beetroot powder.

8. 2. The food product of claim 1, wherein the vegetable nougat component comprises 15-25% by weight of soluble fiber, and / or the soluble fiber comprises soluble corn fiber or soluble fiber in the form of oligofructosaccharides.

9. 10. The food product of claim 1, wherein the vegetable nougat component comprises less than 10% by weight of added sugars selected from sucrose or glucose.

10. 2. The food product of claim 1, wherein the vegetable nougat component comprises one or more nut ingredients of whole nuts and chopped nuts, and optionally the whole nuts and chopped nuts may be selected from peanuts, almonds, cashews, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, pecans, walnuts, and macadamia nuts.

11. 2. The food product of claim 1, wherein the vegetable caramel component comprises vegetable milk, vegetable protein, vegetable fat, and sugar syrup, and optionally the vegetable caramel component may comprise inclusions, and optionally the vegetable caramel component may comprise nuts, or may comprise 5 to 50% by weight of nuts, or 5 to 30% by weight of nuts, or 10 to 20% by weight of nuts.

12. 12. The food product of claim 11, wherein the inclusions of the caramel component include one or more nut inclusions of whole nuts and chopped nuts, and optionally the whole nuts and chopped nuts may be selected from peanuts, almonds, cashews, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, pistachios, pecans, walnuts, and macadamia nuts.

13. 2. The food product of claim 1, wherein the vegetable caramel component comprises less than 30% by weight, such as less than 25% by weight, such as less than 20% by weight, of added sugars selected from sucrose or glucose or syrups thereof.

14. 2. The food product of claim 1, wherein the vegetable caramel component comprises 1 to 50% by weight of soluble fiber, and / or the vegetable caramel component comprises soluble fiber in the form of soluble corn fiber, inulin, or fructooligosaccharides.

15. 2. The food product of claim 1, wherein the vegetable caramel component comprises 1 to 50% by weight, for example 1 to 10% by weight, of invert sugar syrup.

16. 16. A method for producing a vegetable nougat ingredient according to any one of claims 1 to 15, the method comprising aerating a whipping solution comprising vegetable protein, wherein a sugar syrup is added to the whipping solution before, during or after aeration of the whipping solution to form a frappe, and adding vegetable powder to the frappe to form the vegetable nougat ingredient, and optionally adding ingredients to the vegetable nougat ingredient, and optionally the ingredients may include nuts, or may comprise 5 to 50% by weight of nuts, or 10 to 40% by weight of nuts, or 20 to 30% by weight of nuts.

17. 10. The food product of claim 1, in the form of a bar comprising a layer of said vegetable caramel component and a layer of said vegetable nougat component.

18. 18. The food product of claim 17, wherein the layer of botanical caramel component and the layer of botanical nougat component are enrobed into the botanical chocolate component.

19. 10. The food product of claim 1, wherein the botanical chocolate component comprises a low sugar vegetable milk chocolate having less than 30% by weight added sugars selected from sucrose, glucose, and fructose.

20. 10. The food product of claim 1, wherein the plant-based chocolate component comprises a low-sugar plant-based milk chocolate containing one or more soluble fibers selected from dextrin, inulin, and fructooligosaccharides.

21. 10. The food product of claim 1, 1 to 70 wt. %, for example 10 to 60 wt. %, or 25 to 55 wt. % of a vegetable nougat component; 1 to 60% by weight, for example 5 to 40% by weight, or 10 to 20% by weight of a vegetable caramel component; and 1 to 60% by weight, for example, 10 to 50% by weight, or 25 to 40% by weight, of a vegetable chocolate ingredient.

22. 22. A method of making the food product of any one of claims 1-15 and 17-21, said method comprising combining the botanical caramel component, the botanical nougat component, and the botanical chocolate component to form the food product.