Process for controlling protein to salt ratio in animal muscle protein composition and protein composition

Abstract

A low salt protein solution not capable of forming a gel is obtained from animal muscle tissue by forming an aqueous acidic protein solution which is filtered to remove salt and acid. The low salt protein solution can be formed into a gel by adding a physiologically acceptable salt to the low salt protein solution and heating the resultant protein solution with added salt.

Description

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application of application Ser. No. 10 / 655,604, filed Sep. 5, 2003 which, in turn, is based on provisional application Ser. No. 60 / 464,614, filed Apr. 23, 2003.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates to a process for making an edible functional animal muscle protein concentrate composition and to a process for making the composition wherein gelation of the composition is controlled. More particularly, this invention relates to a process for making the functional animal muscle protein concentrate from animal muscle tissue wherein gelation of the composition is controlled so that its gelation is effected when it is used such as by being added to a food. [0003] Prior to the present invention, protein compositions derived from animal muscle tissue have been available for human consumption as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,005,073; 6,288,216 and 6,451,975 as well as U.S. patent application...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] In an alternative embodiment of this invention, the protein can be first isolated from animal muscle tissue by the process of U.S. Pat. No. 6,136,959 which is incorporated herein by reference to form an alkaline protein solution having a pH above about 10. The pH of the solution then is reduced to a pH less than about 3.5 with a physiologically acceptable acid such as phosphoric acid and/or citric acid. The thus formed aqueous acidic solution then is treated by filtration or protein addition in the manner described above to effect the desired weight % Protein to weight % Salt ratio (P/S) set forth above.

[0011] The “low salt protein solution” comprises a concentrated aqueous solution of myofibrillar proteins and sarcoplasmic proteins derived from animal muscle tissue and having a pH of 3.5 or less and preferably between about

Problems solved by technology

Unfortunately, the liquid form of these compositions form gels at a time after they are initially formed which is temperature-dependant.

Gel formation of these compositions causes processing problems in that the gel clogs the processing equipment to the point that the composition can not be moved through the processing equipment.

In addition, since gel formation is qu