A fully plant-based structured oil and its preparation method and application

Abstract

The present invention discloses a fully plant-based structured oil and its preparation method and application, which belongs to the field of food processing and application. The present invention prepares a fully plant-based structured oil by low-energy shear mixing of plant-based raw materials, vegetable oil and water. The fully plant-based structured oil of the present invention has a simple preparation process and a wide range of applications (different types of plant-based raw materials can be prepared), does not contain oil gel, food additives, trans fatty acids and saturated fatty acids, has good structural properties, excellent stability, and shows advantages in nutrition, safety, functional properties and other aspects. The present invention also discloses the application of fully plant-based structured oil in plant-based meat products, which gives plant-based meat products similar juiciness and oiliness to animal meat, and simulates the taste with a high degree of simulation, providing a new solution for the development of a new generation of plant-based foods.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the field of food processing and application, and specifically relates to a fully plant-based structured oil and fat, and a preparation method and application thereof. Background Art

[0002] In recent decades, global warming has intensified. This year (2022), temperatures in many parts of the world hit record highs. The environment and climate upon which humanity depends are spiraling out of control. The primary culprit behind these changes—greenhouse gas emissions—comes from animal production, accounting for 20% of emissions. If unchecked, this figure could reach 80% by 2050. Furthermore, excessive consumption of animal-based products, particularly animal protein (red meat) and animal fat (saturated fat), is contributing to increasingly severe cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, and high cholesterol. Consequently, driven by environmental sustainability and health concerns and new consumer trends, plant-based foods are gaining popularity worldwide. Plant-based meat products, as the most prominent and earliest plant-based food, have attracted significant investment, both financially and financially, from multinational corporations and research teams. However, the market remains stagnant, with taste and texture still significantly inferior to animal meat, hindering widespread consumer acceptance.

[0003] The reason why animal meat is delicious is because of the pleasure provided by its complex hierarchical structure. Muscle fibers provide chewiness, and the adipose tissue undergoes a phase transition after various cooking processes, releasing some melted fat into hot gravy, providing juiciness. At the same time, the melted fat, under the emulsification effect of saliva, has a lubricating effect on the food pellet fragments and the surface of the oral cavity, providing oiliness. Current plant-based meat products are usually made from plant proteins such as soybeans, wheat and peas. They are formed into an organized solid matrix with a fibrous structure through extrusion or high-moisture extrusion, which can form a fibrous structure similar to animal meat, providing the desired chewiness. However, the chewiness does not represent all the tastes of animal meat. The juiciness and oiliness brought by the fat play an important role in the formation of the taste of plant-based meat products.

[0004] Therefore, structuring vegetable oils rich in unsaturated fatty acids and applying them to plant-based foods has become an important area of ​​focus. The existing technologies for structuring vegetable oils are as follows:

[0005] (1) Hydrogenation, but hydrogenated oils are often rich in saturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids, which do not meet people's health needs;

[0006] (2) Directly adding gelling agents, including small molecule gelling agents (phospholipids, natural waxes, mono- and diglycerides, fatty acids, etc.) and high molecular weight gelling agents (ethyl cellulose). However, many gelling agents in this method cannot be used in actual production. Even if they can be used, they require higher gelling agent concentrations and temperatures, which have a greater impact on the taste and flavor of the oil.

[0007] (3) Structured oils are prepared by emulsion template method, foam template method and solvent replacement method. These methods mostly use animal proteins with good functional properties. The structured oils prepared in this way do not meet the definition of plant-based food. In addition, the structured oils prepared by emulsion template method and foam template method may leak oil due to interface damage before processing, or the oil droplets are tightly bound in the protein network. When used in plant-based meat products, they cannot imitate the characteristics of fat outflow in animal meat. The solvent replacement method involves organic solvents and cannot be used in actual production.

[0008] The Chinese invention patent application "Oleogel, its preparation method and use" discloses a method for preparing an oleogel. However, the oleogel uses whey protein, which is an animal protein and cannot meet the application requirements in plant-based foods. In addition, the method requires denaturation pretreatment of the whey protein, which has a complicated process and cumbersome technology, and is not conducive to industrial continuous production.

[0009] A Chinese invention patent application for a method for preparing an oil gel from a protein gelling agent discloses a method for preparing an oil gel. This method is similar to the Chinese invention patent application for an oil gel and its preparation method and use. It requires the protein to be modified into colloidal particles. The sample pretreatment process is cumbersome, and the preparation method can only be obtained by ball milling homogenization. The ball milling homogenization process has a small sample processing volume, which is not conducive to industrial mass production, limiting its application in food.

[0010] In addition, both of the above patent applications focus on the preparation of oil gels based on proteins, which have certain limitations in the context of the diversity of food types and categories, and cannot be widely applied to various types of food. Summary of the Invention

[0011] In response to the problems of poor taste simulation and low consumer acceptance in existing plant-based foods, the present invention provides a fully plant-based structured oil and its preparation method and application. The fully plant-based structured oil contains no animal ingredients and does not add any gelling agents and chemical reagents. It can be applied to plant-based foods and provides a fully plant-based structured oil with a real taste and pleasant feeling. The structuring refers to converting liquid vegetable oil in a flowing state into a semi-solid / solid oil in a non-flowing state, so that the vegetable oil has the properties of solid animal fat. The fully plant-based structured oil is simple to prepare and is suitable for a variety of plant-based raw materials. The fully plant-based structured oil of the present invention has a high oil content (50-90 parts); is freeze-thaw resistant (-40℃12h~25℃12h, three cycles); is in a semi-solid or / and solid state (the storage modulus is significantly higher than the loss modulus); and is applied to plant-based foods. For example, it is applied to plant-based meat products, where part of the oil is released after heating, providing sensory properties similar to animal meat, such as juiciness and oiliness.

[0012] This invention, starting with plant-based raw materials, focuses on solving the difficulty of constructing structured oils and fats from plant proteins. Based on plant proteins, it develops methods for constructing structured oils and fats using a variety of plant-based raw materials (polysaccharides such as starch and microalgae such as Chlorella), providing a production solution for the industrialized, continuous, and large-scale production of plant-based structured oils and fats. Furthermore, the construction of fully plant-based structured oils and fats for use in plant-based foods, with a highly realistic taste, provides a new solution for the development of a new generation of plant-based foods and is of great significance to the development of the global plant-based food industry.

[0013] The present invention provides a method for preparing a fully plant-based structured oil, comprising the following steps:

[0014] (1) dry heat treating the plant-based raw materials;

[0015] (2) grinding and sieving the plant-based raw material after the dry heat treatment in step (1);

[0016] (3) The plant-based raw material, vegetable oil and water need to be mixed in a fixed order. First, the plant-based raw material after grinding and sieving in step (2) is shear-mixed with the vegetable oil and uniformly dispersed to obtain a dispersion;

[0017] (4) adding water to the dispersion obtained in step (3) and shear mixing to obtain a fully plant-based structured oil.

[0018] Furthermore, the preparation method of the all-plant-based structured oil comprises 8-35 parts of plant-based raw materials, 50-90 parts of vegetable oil, and 2-25 parts of water, calculated by weight.

[0019] Furthermore, the plant-based raw materials in step (1) include one or more of plant protein, polysaccharide and microalgae.

[0020] Furthermore, the plant protein includes one or more of soy protein, chickpea protein, lentil protein, peanut protein, almond protein, wheat protein, mung bean protein, pea protein and potato protein.

[0021] Furthermore, the soy protein may include one or more of commercial soy protein isolate, commercial soy protein concentrate, alkali-soluble and acid-precipitated freeze-dried soy protein isolate, alkali-soluble and acid-precipitated spray-dried soy protein isolate, and ethanol-washed soy protein isolate.

[0022] Furthermore, the wheat protein may include one or more of wheat prolamin, wheat glutenin and wheat gluten.

[0023] Furthermore, the polysaccharide includes one or more of starch, cellulose and pectin.

[0024] Furthermore, the starch may include one or more of wheat starch, corn starch, potato starch, mung bean starch, tapioca starch, sweet potato starch, pea starch and modified starch.

[0025] Furthermore, the microalgae include one or more of Spirulina, Chlorella, Dunaliella salina and Haematococcus pluvialis.

[0026] Furthermore, the temperature of the dry heat treatment in step (1) is 50°C-200°C, and the time of the dry heat treatment in step (1) is 0.1h-2h.

[0027] Furthermore, the grinding in step (2) includes one or more of manual mortar grinding, crusher grinding, wall breaking machine grinding, homogenizer grinding, tissue grinder grinding and ball mill grinding.

[0028] Furthermore, the mesh size of the sieve used for the grinding and sieving in step (2) is 100-300 meshes.

[0029] Furthermore, the vegetable oil in step (3) includes one or more of soybean oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, linseed oil, rapeseed oil, cottonseed oil, olive oil, camellia oil, rice bran oil and algae oil.

[0030] Furthermore, the shear mixing includes one or more of manual stirring, magnetic stirring, mechanical stirring, colloid mill mixing, high-pressure micro jet mixing and ball mill mixing.

[0031] Furthermore, the rotation speed of the mechanical stirring is 50 rpm-500 rpm.

[0032] The present invention provides a fully plant-based structured oil prepared by the preparation method.

[0033] Furthermore, the all-plant-based structured oil can be in one or more of a semi-solid state and a solid state.

[0034] The present invention also provides application of the whole plant-based structured oil in preparing plant-based food.

[0035] Furthermore, the plant-based food may include one or more of plant-based meat products, plant-based baked goods, plant-based dairy products and plant-based desserts; plant-based meat products may include one or more of plant-based chunks of meat, plant-based sausages, plant-based burgers and plant-based seafood; plant-based baked goods may include one or more of plant-based cakes, plant-based bread and plant-based biscuits; plant-based dairy products may include one or more of plant-based cheese and plant-based ice cream; and plant-based desserts include plant-based chocolate.

[0036] Furthermore, a method for preparing a plant-based meat product having the taste of animal meat by using the all-plant-based structured oil comprises the following steps:

[0037] (1) Mixing a plant-based structured oil, a commercial soy protein isolate solution, and a commercially available fibrous protein in a mass ratio of (0.1-5): (1-5): (1-10) to prepare a mixture 1;

[0038] (2) adding 0.5% to 3% by mass of transglutaminase to the mixture 1 and continuing to mix for 1 to 5 minutes to uniformly distribute the transglutaminase to obtain a mixture 2;

[0039] (3) The mixture 2 is placed in a 45° C. water bath for 1-5 hours to fully crosslink the mixture 2, thereby obtaining the plant-based meat product having the taste of animal meat.

[0040] Furthermore, the method for preparing a plant-based meat product having the taste of animal meat from the all-plant-based structured oil further comprises adding spices and / or flavors and / or food coloring to the oil phase.

[0041] Furthermore, the method for preparing a plant-based meat product having the taste of animal meat from the all-plant-based structured oil further comprises adding spices and / or flavors and / or food coloring to the aqueous phase.

[0042] Furthermore, the method of preparing a plant-based meat product having the taste of animal meat from the all-plant-based structured oil further includes adding spices and / or flavors and / or food colorings to the oil phase, and adding spices and / or flavors and / or food colorings to the water phase.

[0043] Furthermore, the plant-based meat product is plant-based chunk meat.

[0044] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages and beneficial effects:

[0045] 1. The raw materials used in the all-plant-based structured oil of the present invention are all plant ingredients, that is, all-plant-based raw materials. The plant-based raw materials do not require additional processing, do not add any animal ingredients, and do not add any food additives, trans fatty acids and saturated fatty acids. It has a wide range of applications (different types of plant-based raw materials can be prepared), does not contain oil gel, has good structural properties and excellent stability, and shows advantages in nutrition, safety, functional properties, etc., and can meet the application requirements of all plant-based foods.

[0046] 2. The plant-based structured oil of the present invention has a high oil content (50-90 parts per million) and is in a semi-solid or solid state (with a significantly higher storage modulus than loss modulus), making it widely applicable in food systems. It exhibits excellent freeze-thaw stability (-40°C for 12 hours to 25°C for 12 hours, three cycles), maintaining stable properties during processing and transportation.

[0047] 3. The preparation process of the all-plant-based structured oil of the present invention is simple, requiring no gelling agent, heating, or high-energy homogenization mixing, and can be obtained through simple low-energy (low-speed) shear mixing. The all-plant-based structured oil obtained by the present invention can be cross-linked with a high-protein matrix through transglutaminase to form plant-based meat blocks, which have the characteristic of partial fat dissolution after high-temperature heating. This provides plant-based meat products with a juicy and oily feel similar to animal meat, and a highly realistic simulated mouthfeel, providing a new solution for the development of a new generation of plant-based food-specific oils.

[0048] 4. The preparation method of the present invention does not require the addition of any oil gelling agent and emulsifier, the production process is simple and convenient, and meets the definition of clean label; the raw materials of the method are all plant ingredients, which meets the definition of plant-based food.

[0049] 5. The plant-based structured oil provided by the present invention is used as a substitute for animal ingredients in food to prevent related animal diseases and promote sustainable environmental development. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0050] Figure 1 This is a frequency scan diagram of the soy protein structured oil prepared under different conditions in Example 4.

[0051] Figure 2 This is a bar graph of the juice release of the plant-based meat chunks prepared in Example 7. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] To further understand the present invention, preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the following examples. However, it should be understood that these descriptions are intended only to further illustrate the features and advantages of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the claims. It should be noted that all similar substitutions and modifications obvious to those skilled in the art are deemed to be included in the present invention.

[0053] As used in the present invention, plant-based raw materials may include, but are not limited to, plant proteins, polysaccharides, and microalgae. Preferably, the plant-based raw material is plant protein. Plant proteins may include, but are not limited to, one or more of soy protein, chickpea protein, lentil protein, peanut protein, almond protein, wheat protein, mung bean protein, pea protein, and potato protein. Polysaccharides include, but are not limited to, one or more of starch, cellulose, and pectin; preferably, the polysaccharide is starch. Starch may include, but is not limited to, one or more of wheat starch, corn starch, potato starch, mung bean starch, tapioca starch, sweet potato starch, pea starch, and modified starch. Microalgae may include, but are not limited to, one or more of Spirulina, Chlorella, Dunaliella salina, and Haematococcus pluvialis.

[0054] As used herein, the amount of plant-based raw materials is 8-35 parts by mass, for example, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 or any value therebetween.

[0055] As used in the present invention, vegetable oils include, but are not limited to, one or more of soybean oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, linseed oil, rapeseed oil, cottonseed oil, olive oil, camellia oil, rice bran oil, and algae oil. In the present invention, the content of the vegetable oil is 50-90 parts by mass, such as 50 parts, 55 parts, 60 parts, 65 parts, 70 parts, 75 parts, 80 parts, 85 parts, 89 parts, 90 parts, or any value therebetween.

[0056] As used in the present invention, the all-plant-based structured oil may also contain an appropriate amount of water, calculated by weight, for example, 2-25 parts, for example, 2 parts, 3 parts, 4 parts, 5 parts, 6 parts, 7 parts, 8 parts, 9 parts, 10 parts, 11 parts, 12 parts, 13 parts, 14 parts, 15 parts, 16 parts, 17 parts, 18 parts, 19 parts, 20 parts, 21 parts, 22 parts, 23 parts, 24 parts, 25 parts or any value between 2-25 parts.

[0057] As used in the present invention, plant-based raw materials require dry heat treatment. The dry heat treatment temperature is 50-200°C, for example, 50°C, 60°C, 70°C, 80°C, 90°C, 100°C, 110°C, 120°C, 130°C, 140°C, 150°C, 160°C, 170°C, 180°C, 190°C, 200°C, or any value within the range of 50-200°C. The dry heat treatment time is 0.1-2 hours, for example, 0.1 hour, 0.5 hour, 1 hour, 1.5 hours, 2 hours, or any value within the range of 0.1-2 hours.

[0058] As used in the present invention, the plant-based raw materials need to be ground and sieved after dry heat treatment. Grinding includes but is not limited to one or more of hand mortar grinding, crusher grinding, wall breaking machine grinding, homogenizer grinding, tissue grinder grinding, and ball mill grinding; the sieve mesh size is 100-300 mesh, such as 100 mesh, 150 mesh, 200 mesh, 250 mesh, 290 mesh, 300 mesh, or any value between 100-300 mesh.

[0059] As used herein, the all-plant-based structured oil can be prepared by shear mixing a plant-based raw material, a vegetable oil, and water. Preferably, the plant-based raw material and the vegetable oil are shear mixed before adding water. In the present invention, shear mixing includes, but is not limited to, one or more of manual stirring, magnetic stirring, mechanical stirring, colloid milling, high-pressure microfluidization, and ball milling.

[0060] As used herein, freeze-thaw resistance refers to a material's ability to withstand alternating hot and cold temperatures while maintaining its original properties. Preferably, freeze-thaw cycle resistance can be measured in a temperature-controlled incubator to demonstrate the freeze-thaw stability of the subject. In the present invention, freeze-thaw cycle resistance can characterize the stability of a fully plant-based structured oil during processing and cold chain transportation.

[0061] As used herein, the semi-solid or solid behavior of all-plant-based structured oils can be characterized by rheological parameters such as storage modulus and loss modulus. The storage modulus, also known as the elastic modulus, reflects the elasticity of the substance under investigation; the loss modulus, also known as the viscous modulus, reflects the viscosity of the substance under investigation. When the storage modulus is much greater than the loss modulus, the substance under investigation is solid; when the storage modulus is slightly greater than or equal to the loss modulus, the substance under investigation is semi-solid; and when the storage modulus is less than the loss modulus, the substance under investigation is liquid.

[0062] As used herein, the whole plant-based structured oil can be applied to plant-based foods, preferably, the plant-based foods are plant-based meat products. Plant-based foods include but are not limited to one or more of plant-based meat products, plant-based baked goods, plant-based dairy products, and plant-based desserts.

[0063] The present invention will be further explained in detail below with reference to the examples. However, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that these examples are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0064] The embodiments of the present application will be described in detail below with reference to examples. However, those skilled in the art will understand that the following examples are only used to illustrate the present application and should not be regarded as limiting the scope of the present application.

[0065] Test method:

[0066] 1. Rheological Properties: Storage modulus and loss modulus were measured using a rheometer. All tests were performed using a 35mm diameter circular plate with a 1mm gap between the plate and the sample stage. First, a strain sweep was performed at a constant frequency of 1Hz and a strain sweep range of 0.01%-100%, confirming that the sample is in the linear viscoelastic region at a strain of 0.1%. Then, a frequency sweep was performed at a strain of 0.1%, a temperature of 25°C, and a frequency sweep range of 0.1-100Hz, recording the changes in the storage modulus and loss modulus with frequency.

[0067] 2. Freeze-thaw resistance: The plant-based structured oil was placed in a -40°C freezer for 12 hours, then removed and placed in a 25°C incubator for 12 hours. This cycle was repeated three times. After each cycle, the rheological properties were measured using rheological methods.

[0068] 3. Juiciness Determination: The amount of juice released from the vegetable-based meat samples was determined by measuring the β-carotene content using an indirect UV spectrophotometer. The β-carotene was pre-dissolved in vegetable oil.

[0069] Test steps:

[0070] (1) Sample extraction: 5 g of the prepared plant-based meat was heated to 100°C and maintained for 10 min. After cooling to room temperature, the meat was fully crushed to simulate oral chewing. 2.5 mL of n-hexane was added, shaken, and centrifuged to extract the β-carotene-rich oil phase released from the sample. The oil phase obtained by centrifugation was diluted 6 times with 12.5 mL of n-hexane for later use.

[0071] (2) Sample determination: The absorbance of the diluted oil phase was measured at 450 nm, and the β-carotene content in the sample was calculated using a β-carotene standard curve prepared under the same conditions.

[0072] (3) Result description: The β-carotene content was used to characterize the juice release capacity of plant-based meat chunks; the higher the β-carotene content released, the better the juiciness of the sample.

[0073] 4. Sensory Assessment: The juiciness of plant-based meat can also be quantitatively characterized using sensory evaluation. A sensory evaluation of plant-based meat was conducted using quantitative descriptive analysis. Two sensory attributes, oiliness and perceived thickness, were analyzed.

[0074] Sensitivity assessment steps:

[0075] (1) Sensory training: The evaluation criteria for oiliness were the oiliness felt when sliding the sample across the roof of the mouth with the tongue; the evaluation criteria for thickness were the thickness of the sample after spitting it out and pressing the tongue against the roof of the mouth with an up-and-down motion. The definition of the two sensory attributes was practiced in multiple sessions using water and soybean oil. For each sensory attribute, drinking water represented the lack of that attribute and was scored as "0"; drinking oil represented the richness of that attribute and was scored as "10".

[0076] (2) Sensory evaluation: A certain weight (2 g) of plant-based meat that had been heated to 100°C (holding for 10 min) and cooled to room temperature was placed in the mouth and chewed. The chewed meat was spit out when swallowing and the sensory evaluation of the sample was scored. The mouth was cleaned with bread and water between samples.

[0077] 5. Appearance scoring: Analyze all-plant-based structured oils using an observation and scoring method.

[0078] √√√: indicates uniform and delicate appearance;

[0079] √√: Indicates that the appearance is basically uniform and slightly rough;

[0080] √: Indicates uneven appearance and rough surface;

[0081] ×: indicates no forming.

[0082] Example 1: Preparation of structured oils from different plant-based raw materials

[0083] Table 1: Structured oil formulas with different plant-based raw materials

[0084] Plant-based ingredients soybean oil water Appearance Rating 28 servings of soy protein 65 servings 7 servings √√√ 26 servings of pea protein 61 copies 13 servings √√ 28 parts wheat starch 66 servings 6 servings √√√ 23 servings of Chlorella 54 servings 23 servings √

[0085] Structured oils can be made from various plant-based ingredients, and the appearance of structured oils made from different plant-based ingredients varies significantly. When the plant-based ingredient is plant protein, the structured oil appears yellowish-brown; when the plant-based ingredient is wheat starch, the structured oil appears white and solid, more like animal fat (lard); and when the plant-based ingredient is chlorella, the color is brownish-green and the appearance is poor.

[0086] Soy protein, pea protein, wheat starch and chlorella structured oils were prepared according to the ratio in Table 1 (1 part in Table 1 represents 1g). Specifically, 28 parts of soy protein, 26 parts of pea protein, 28 parts of wheat starch and 23 parts of spirulina, which were dry-heat treated (200°C, 0.5h) and ground and sieved (the mesh size was 200 mesh) by a grinder, were added to 65 parts, 61 parts, 66 parts and 54 parts of soybean oil, respectively. The mixture was sheared and mixed for 0.5h by mechanical stirring at a low speed (100rpm) to obtain a uniform mixture. Then, 7 parts, 13 parts, 6 parts and 23 parts of water were added to the above uniform mixture, respectively. The mixture was sheared and mixed for 6 minutes by mechanical stirring at a low speed (100rpm) to obtain the structured oils of different plant-based raw materials.

[0087] Example 2: Preparation of structured oils from different vegetable oils

[0088] According to the ratio in Table 2 (1 part in Table 2 represents 1 g), different vegetable oil soy protein structured fats were prepared. Specifically, 28 parts of soy protein, which had been dry-heat treated (200°C, 0.5 h) and ground and sieved (200 mesh) in a grinder, were added to 65 parts of soybean oil, sunflower oil, and algae oil, respectively. The mixture was sheared and mixed for 0.5 h using a low-speed (100 rpm) mechanical stirring method to obtain a uniform mixture. Subsequently, 7 parts of water were added to the above-mentioned uniform mixture, and the mixture was sheared and mixed for another 6 minutes using a low-speed (100 rpm) mechanical stirring method to obtain the different vegetable oil structured fats.

[0089] Table 2: Structured oil formulas of different vegetable oils

[0090] soy protein vegetable oil water Appearance Rating 28 servings 65 parts soybean oil 7 servings √√√ 28 servings 65 parts sunflower oil 7 servings √√√ 28 servings 65 parts of algae oil 7 servings √√√

[0091] Different types of vegetable oils can be used to prepare structured oils. The appearance of structured oils from different vegetable oils is slightly different. The structured oils prepared from soybean oil and sunflower oil have low transparency and are brownish yellow, while the structured oils prepared from algae oil have better transparency and are bright yellow.

[0092] Example 3: Preparation of soy protein structured oil under different conditions

[0093] Soy protein structured oils (Sample A and Sample B) were prepared under different conditions according to the proportions in Table 3 (1 part in Table 3 represents 1 g). Specifically, 30 parts and 16 parts of soy protein that had been dry-heat treated (200°C, 0.5 h) and ground and sieved (200 mesh) in a grinder were added to 66 parts and 76 parts of soybean oil, respectively. The mixture was shear-mixed using a low-speed (100 rpm) mechanical stirring method for 0.5 h to obtain a uniform mixture. Then, 4 parts and 8 parts of water were added to the uniform mixture, respectively. The mixture was shear-mixed using a low-speed (100 rpm) mechanical stirring method for an additional 6 minutes to obtain the soy protein structured oils under the different conditions.

[0094] Comparative Example 1: Soy protein structured oils (Sample C) were prepared under different conditions according to the proportions in Table 3. Specifically, 16 parts of soy protein that had been dry-heat treated (200°C, 0.5 h) and ground and sieved (200 mesh) in a grinder were added to 8 parts of water and shear-mixed for 0.5 h using mechanical stirring at a low speed (100 rpm) to obtain a uniform mixture. Then, 76 parts of soybean oil were added to the uniform mixture and shear-mixed for an additional 6 minutes using mechanical stirring at a low speed (100 rpm) to obtain the soy protein structured oils under the different conditions.

[0095] Comparative Example 2: Soy protein structured oils (Sample D) were prepared under different conditions according to the proportions in Table 3. Specifically, 16 parts of soy protein that had not been dry-heat treated or ground and sieved was added to 76 parts of soybean oil, and shear-mixed for 0.5 h using mechanical stirring at a low speed (100 rpm) to obtain a uniform mixture. Then, 8 parts of water were added to the uniform mixture, and shear-mixed for an additional 6 minutes using mechanical stirring at a low speed (100 rpm) to obtain the soy protein structured oils under the different conditions.

[0096] Comparative Example 3: Soy protein structured oils (Sample E and Sample F) were prepared under different conditions according to the proportions in Table 3. Specifically, 30 parts and 21 parts of soy protein that had been dry-heat treated (200°C, 0.5 h) and ground and sieved (200 mesh) in a grinder were added to 69 parts and 48 parts of soybean oil, respectively. The mixture was shear-mixed using a low-speed (100 rpm) mechanical stirring method for 0.5 h to obtain a uniform mixture. Then, 1 part and 31 parts of water were added to the uniform mixture, respectively. The mixture was shear-mixed using a low-speed (100 rpm) mechanical stirring method for an additional 6 minutes to obtain the soy protein structured oils under the different conditions.

[0097] Comparative Example 4: Soy protein structured oils (Sample G and Sample H) were prepared under different conditions according to the proportions in Table 3. Specifically, 6 parts and 44 parts of soy protein that had been dry-heat treated (200°C, 0.5 h) and ground and sieved (200 mesh) in a grinder were added to 85 parts and 51 parts of soybean oil, respectively. The mixture was shear-mixed using a low-speed (100 rpm) mechanical stirring method for 0.5 h to obtain a uniform mixture. Then, 9 parts and 5 parts of water were added to the uniform mixture, respectively. The mixture was shear-mixed using a low-speed (100 rpm) mechanical stirring method for an additional 6 minutes to obtain the soy protein structured oils under the different conditions.

[0098] Table 3: Soy protein structured oil formulas prepared under different conditions

[0099] Sample number soy protein soybean oil water Appearance Rating A 30 servings 66 servings 4 servings √√√ B 16 servings 76 servings 8 servings √√√ C 16 servings 76 servings 8 servings × D 16 servings 76 servings 8 servings √ E 30 servings 69 copies 1 serving × F 21 servings 48 servings 31 servings × G 6 servings 85 servings 9 servings × H 44 servings 51 copies 5 servings ×

[0100] According to a fixed shear mixing order, that is, first mixing the plant-based raw materials with the vegetable oil and then adding water to mix, a fully plant-based structured oil can be successfully prepared. When the addition order is reversed, it will not form. The plant-based raw materials are pre-dry heat treated and ground and sieved to prepare a fully plant-based structured oil with a uniform and delicate appearance. When the plant-based raw materials are not pre-treated, the prepared structured oil has a rough surface and poor appearance. Within a certain addition range, a fully plant-based structured oil can be successfully prepared. When the amount of water added does not meet 2-25 parts or the amount of plant-based raw materials added does not meet 8-35 parts, it will not form.

[0101] Example 4: Rheological properties of soy protein structured oils prepared under different conditions

[0102] Soy protein structured oils under different conditions were prepared according to the ratios in Table 4 (1 part in Table 4 represents 1 g). Specifically, 30 parts and 16 parts of soy protein that had been dry-heat treated (200°C, 0.5h) and ground and sieved (200 mesh) in a grinder were added to 66 parts and 76 parts of soybean oil, respectively. The mixture was sheared and mixed for 0.5h using a low-speed (100 rpm) mechanical stirring method to obtain a uniform mixture. Then, 4 parts and 8 parts of water were added to the above-mentioned uniform mixture, and the mixture was sheared and mixed for another 6 minutes using a low-speed (100 rpm) mechanical stirring method to obtain the soy protein structured oils under the different conditions. The rheological properties were measured by the method described above.

[0103] Table 4: Soy protein structured oil formulas prepared under different conditions

[0104] Sample number soy protein soybean oil water Appearance Rating I 28 servings 65 servings 7 servings √√√ J 18 servings 74 servings 8 servings √√√

[0105] Depend on Figure 1It can be seen that within the appropriate range of moisture and plant-based raw material addition, the storage modulus G′ of the sample is greater than the loss modulus G″, exhibiting solid-like elastic behavior.

[0106] Example 5: Freeze-thaw cycle stability

[0107] First, a soy protein structured oil was prepared. Specifically, 28 parts of soy protein, which had been dry-heat treated (200°C, 0.5h) and ground and sieved (to a 200-mesh size) in a grinder, were added to 65 parts of soybean oil. The mixture was shear-mixed for 0.5h using a low-speed (100 rpm) mechanical stirring method to obtain a uniform mixture. Seven parts of water were then added to the uniform mixture, and the mixture was shear-mixed for another 6 minutes using a low-speed (100 rpm) mechanical stirring method to obtain the soy protein structured oil. Freeze-thaw cycles were performed and rheological properties were measured according to the method described above. Table 5 shows the results.

[0108] Table 5: Rheological properties of soy protein structured oils subjected to freeze-thaw cycles

[0109] Number of freeze-thaw cycles <![CDATA[Storage modulus / Pa × 10 5 > No freeze-thaw 5.5 once 5.4 twice 5.1 three times 5.0

[0110] Example 6: Preparation of plant-based meat chunks

[0111] Sample K: Plant-based meat chunks were prepared using soy protein structured oil. Specifically, 5 g of the soy protein structured oil prepared in Example 1, 5 g of a commercial soy protein isolate solution (8 wt%, with distilled water as the solvent), and 10 g of commercially available fibrous protein were mixed in a mass ratio of 1:1:2 to prepare a mixture 1; 1.5% of the mass of the mixture 1, transglutaminase (0.3 g) was added to the mixture 1 and mixed for 5 minutes to uniformly distribute the mixture, thereby obtaining a mixture 2; the mixture 2 was poured into a mold, and the mold was placed in a 45°C water bath for 4 hours to fully cross-link the mixture 2, thereby obtaining the plant-based meat chunk A. Before preparing the dyed plant-based meat chunks, the food coloring was dissolved in vegetable oil or water. Sensory evaluation was performed according to the method described above. Table 6 shows the sensory evaluation scores.

[0112] Sample L: Plant-based meat nuggets prepared using an emulsion-templated structured oil. Specifically, 2g (2 parts) of commercial soy protein isolate was dissolved in 33g (33 parts) of water. Once fully dissolved, 65g (65 parts) of soybean oil was added. High-speed shearing was performed using a high-speed homogenizer at 10,000 rpm for 3 minutes to obtain a uniform emulsion. This emulsion was then heated in an 80°C water bath for 20 minutes and then cooled in ice water to obtain the emulsion-templated structured oil. Mixture 1 was prepared by mixing 5g of emulsion-templated structured oil, 5g of commercial soy protein isolate solution (8wt%, solvent: distilled water), and 10g of commercially available fibrous protein in a mass ratio of 1:1:2. 0.3g of transglutaminase (1.5% by mass of mixture 1) was added to mixture 1 and mixed for 5 minutes to achieve uniform distribution, yielding mixture 2. Mixture 2 was poured into a mold, which was then placed in a 45°C water bath for 4 hours to fully crosslink mixture 2, yielding plant-based meat nugget B. Sensory evaluation was conducted according to the method described above. Table 6 shows the sensory evaluation scores.

[0113] Table 6: Sensory evaluation scores of plant-based meat chunks prepared by different methods

[0114] sample greasy feeling Sensory thickness K 7 8 L 1 2

[0115] Both plant-based meat samples K and L exhibited a complete appearance, resembling the structure of animal meat, with no oil leaking before heating. This demonstrates that both the fully plant-based structured oil prepared by the present invention and the emulsion-templated structured oil prepared in Example 6 can be successfully applied to the preparation of plant-based meat chunks. However, the sensory evaluation scores in Table 6 indicate that the structured oil prepared by the traditional emulsion-templated method fails to impart fat-related properties and juiciness to plant-based meat products. The fully plant-based structured oil of the present invention, by releasing a certain amount of oil, can enhance the juiciness of plant-based meat products and address the taste deficiencies of current plant-based foods.

[0116] Example 7: Juice Release Capacity of Vegetable-Based Nuggets

[0117] According to the method of Example 6, plant-based meat chunks were prepared to which the soy protein structured oil prepared in Example 1 of the present invention and the emulsion template structured oil prepared in Example 6 were added, and the juice release amount was measured by the method described above.

[0118] Figure 2 This is a bar graph showing the juice release of the plant-based meat chunks prepared in Example 7. It can be seen that the juice release of the plant-based meat chunks containing the all-plant-based structured oil of the present invention is much greater than that of the plant-based meat chunks containing the emulsion-templated structured oil. The plant-based meat chunks containing the all-plant-based structured oil of the present invention have the same juiciness as animal meat.

[0119] The above embodiments are preferred implementation modes of the present invention, but the implementation modes of the present invention are not limited to the above embodiments. Any other changes, modifications, substitutions, combinations, and simplifications that do not deviate from the spirit and principles of the present invention should be considered as equivalent replacement methods and are included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a fully plant-based structured oil, characterized in that: The method comprises the following steps: (1) subjecting the plant-based raw material to dry heat treatment at 50°C-200°C for 0.1h-2h; (2) grinding the plant-based raw material after dry heat treatment in step (1) and passing it through a 100-300 mesh sieve; (3) mixing 8-35 parts of the plant-based raw material after grinding and sieving in step (2) with 50-90 parts of vegetable oil by weight through mechanical stirring and shear mixing at 50-500rpm, and dispersing them uniformly to obtain a dispersion; (4) adding 2-25 parts of water to the dispersion obtained in step (3), and mixing them through mechanical stirring and shear mixing at 50-500rpm to obtain a fully plant-based structured oil; wherein the plant-based raw material is one or more of plant protein, polysaccharide and microalgae.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The plant protein includes one or more of soy protein, chickpea protein, lentil protein, peanut protein, almond protein, wheat protein, mung bean protein, pea protein and potato protein; the polysaccharide includes one or more of starch, cellulose and pectin; and the microalgae includes one or more of spirulina, chlorella, Dunaliella salina and Haematococcus pluvialis.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The vegetable oil in step (3) includes one or more of soybean oil, corn oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, sesame oil, linseed oil, rapeseed oil, cottonseed oil, olive oil, camellia oil, rice bran oil and algae oil.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The mechanical stirring includes one or more of colloid mill mixing, high-pressure micro jet mixing or ball mill mixing.

5. A fully plant-based structured oil prepared by the method according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. Use of the fully plant-based structured oil according to claim 5 in the preparation of plant-based foods.

7. The use according to claim 6, characterized in that: The plant-based food includes one or more of plant-based meat products, plant-based baked foods, plant-based dairy products and plant-based desserts.

8. The use according to claim 7, characterized in that: The plant-based meat products include one or more of plant-based chunks of meat, plant-based sausages, plant-based burgers and plant-based seafood.

9. The use according to claim 8, characterized in that: The preparation method of the plant-based meat product comprises: (1) mixing a whole plant-based structured oil, a commercial soy protein isolate solution and a commercially available fibrous protein in a mass ratio of (0.1-5): (1-5): (1-10) to prepare a mixture 1; (2) adding 0.5% to 3% by mass of transglutaminase of the mixture 1 to the mixture 1 and continuing to mix for 1 to 5 minutes until uniformly mixed to obtain a mixture 2; (3) The mixture 2 is placed in a 45°C water bath for 1-5 hours to fully cross-link the mixture 2, thereby obtaining a plant-based meat product having the taste of animal meat.

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