A low-sugar plant-based beverage rich in dietary fiber and its preparation method

Abstract

This invention relates to a low-sugar plant-based beverage rich in dietary fiber and its preparation method. The low-sugar plant-based beverage is prepared from the following raw materials by weight percentage: erythritol 2-6%, white kidney beans 5-15%, chickpeas 2-10%, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii 0.5-2.0%, compound dietary fiber 0.55-1.15%, compound enzyme 0.2-0.5 kg / ton of grain, baking soda 0.1-0.40%, and the balance being water. The preparation method includes the following steps: cooking and grinding the white kidney beans and chickpeas, adding the compound enzyme for enzymatic hydrolysis, then adding the remaining raw materials, stirring evenly, and sterilizing. This low-sugar plant-based beverage is not only rich in fiber but also low in sugar, making it suitable for people prone to weight gain. It also has a refreshing, smooth, and delicate taste, meeting the stability requirements of plant-based beverages during the sales period, and has broad market development prospects.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of cereal beverage technology, and in particular to a low-sugar plant-based beverage rich in dietary fiber and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] Plant-based beverages are very popular among consumers. Developing a plant-based beverage rich in dietary fiber can help some people with a tendency to gain weight to adjust their diet. It is more suitable for the diet of modern people who are prone to obesity. It is low in carbohydrates and rich in dietary fiber, protein and some minerals, which can meet the body's basic nutritional needs.

[0003] Grain-based beverages are a type of plant-based beverage. Currently, commercially available grain-based beverages, such as red bean paste and mung bean paste, generally have a grain content of ≤6wt%. This is because when the grain content is >6wt%, the product has a high viscosity, is easy to stick to the mouth, and may have quality abnormalities caused by starch retrogradation.

[0004] Chinese patent application CN116686928A discloses a brown rice cereal beverage comprising the following components by weight percentage: 5%–6% white sugar, 2.5%–3.5% enzymatically hydrolyzed brown rice flour, 1.5%–2.5% enzymatically hydrolyzed rice flour, 0.5%–1.5% rapeseed oil, 0.4%–0.6% maltodextrin, 9%–11% beverage stabilizer, and the balance being water. The preparation method of the brown rice cereal beverage includes the following steps:

[0005] A) Mix and dissolve enzymatically hydrolyzed brown rice flour, enzymatically hydrolyzed rice flour and water, grind them to obtain an enzymatic hydrolysate;

[0006] B) The compound grain beverage stabilizer and rapeseed oil were sheared and dispersed to obtain an emulsion;

[0007] C) The enzymatic hydrolysate is drawn into the emulsion, sheared, dispersed, filtered, and homogenized once to obtain a homogenized liquid; D) White sugar, maltodextrin, and water are mixed, sheared, and filtered to obtain white sugar solution;

[0008] E) Mix the first homogenized liquid and sugar solution, filter, homogenize a second time, sterilize, and fill to obtain the final product.

[0009] The above method uses enzymatic hydrolysis to add more grains, but still maintains a smooth, delicate, full-bodied, refreshing and non-sticky texture.

[0010] However, enzymatically hydrolyzed brown rice flour and enzymatically hydrolyzed rice flour limit the variety of grains used, resulting in a monotonous taste and generally low nutritional value. Adding more diverse grain components often leads to products that are too viscous, making it difficult to achieve a refreshing taste. Even if a low viscosity is achieved, observations during product storage show that it is difficult to meet the stability requirements for the sales period. Therefore, developing nutritionally diverse grain-based beverages still requires continued breakthroughs in improving both taste and stability. Summary of the Invention

[0011] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the problems of limited nutrition, sticky taste, and instability in existing grain-based beverages, and to provide a low-sugar plant-based beverage rich in dietary fiber.

[0012] The grain raw materials used in this invention are white kidney beans and chickpeas, a mixture of which is rich in nutrients. Specifically, every 100 grams of white kidney beans contains 23.1 grams of protein, 1.3 grams of fat, and 56.9 grams of carbohydrates; chickpeas contain >28 wt% protein, approximately 5 wt% fat, approximately 61 wt% carbohydrates, and 4-6 wt% fiber. *Chlamydomonas reinhardtii* is a plant fiber containing approximately 36 wt% protein, approximately 12.5 wt% crude polysaccharides, and approximately 11.9 wt% dietary fiber.

[0013] The high carbohydrate content of a mixture of white kidney beans and chickpeas results in a thick beverage with an unpleasant taste. To address this issue, this invention reduces the product's viscosity through enzymatic hydrolysis. The preferred composite enzymes used are transglutaminase, mesophilic amylase, and glucosylamylase, with a mass ratio of 1-2:1-3:1-3. Enzymatic hydrolysis under these conditions not only significantly reduces the product's viscosity but also imparts a natural sweetness to the product by producing maltose and glucose, thus reducing the need for erythritol.

[0014] The viscosity of a beverage not only affects its taste but also its stability. Through repeated experiments, the optimal viscosity for the product is 30-60 cps. At this level, a smooth texture is easily achieved while maintaining product stability throughout its shelf life. Therefore, during enzymatic hydrolysis, the total amount of compound enzyme added is 0.2-0.5 kg / ton of grain. Enzymatic hydrolysis is performed at 55-60℃ and pH 4.5-6.5 for 1-2 hours. This improves protein solubility, addresses the rough texture of plant proteins, and enhances the product's smoothness. Simultaneously, enzymatic hydrolysis effectively reduces starch viscosity, resulting in a more refreshing taste and a more natural sweetness.

[0015] In this invention, a composite dietary fiber consisting of resistant dextrin, citrus fiber, and konjac powder provides a stable texture for the product. On one hand, resistant dextrin, citrus fiber, and konjac powder are all dietary fibers, supplementing the product's dietary fiber content and meeting current consumer demands for clean labeling. On the other hand, for the products of enzymatic hydrolysis of cereal raw materials, the composite dietary fiber, when mixed in an appropriate ratio, can have a good stabilizing effect, preventing water separation and precipitation of the hydrolysis products, thereby improving the stability of the beverage. The preferred ratio is 82-90 wt%, 5-12 wt%, and 3-8 wt% of the resistant dextrin, citrus fiber, and konjac powder, respectively. At this ratio, resistant dextrin better enhances the product's texture, allows for a purer and more natural flavor release, and helps alleviate water separation. Citrus fiber and konjac powder primarily help prevent water separation and precipitation. The combination of composite dietary fibers synergistically enhances the product's taste and stability.

[0016] The specific plan is as follows:

[0017] A low-sugar plant-based beverage rich in dietary fiber is prepared from the following raw materials by weight percentage: erythritol 2-6%, white kidney beans 5-15%, chickpeas 2-10%, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii 0.5-2.0%, compound dietary fiber 0.55-1.15%, compound enzymes 0.2-0.5 kg / ton of grains, baking soda 0.1-0.40%, and the balance being water; wherein the grains are white kidney beans and chickpeas;

[0018] The preparation method includes the following steps: cooking white kidney beans and chickpeas, grinding them, adding the compound enzyme for enzymatic hydrolysis, then adding the remaining raw materials, stirring evenly, and sterilizing to obtain a low-sugar plant beverage rich in dietary fiber.

[0019] Furthermore, in the aforementioned low-sugar plant-based beverage rich in dietary fiber, the proportion of added grains is 9-20% of the total weight; preferably, the proportion of added grains is 13-18% of the total weight.

[0020] Furthermore, in the aforementioned low-sugar plant-based beverage rich in dietary fiber, the cereal ingredients are composed of the following ingredients by weight percentage: 8-12% white kidney beans and 4-8% chickpeas; preferably, 9-11% white kidney beans and 5-7% chickpeas.

[0021] Furthermore, the complex enzyme is glutamine transaminase, mesophilic amylase, and glucosylamylase; preferably, the mass ratio of the glutamine transaminase, the mesophilic amylase, and the glucosylamylase is 1-2:1-3:1-3.

[0022] Furthermore, the enzymatic hydrolysis is carried out at 55-60℃ and pH=4.5-6.5 for 1-2 hours.

[0023] Furthermore, the composite dietary fiber is resistant dextrin, citrus fiber and konjac powder. Preferably, the proportions of resistant dextrin, citrus fiber and konjac powder in the composite dietary fiber are 82-90%, 5-12% and 3-8%, respectively.

[0024] Furthermore, the resistant dextrin has a mass content of 0.5-1.0% in the beverage, the citrus fiber has a mass content of 0.03-0.10% in the beverage, and the konjac powder has a mass content of 0.02-0.05% in the beverage.

[0025] Furthermore, the viscosity of the low-sugar plant-based beverage is 30-60 cps, with a smooth and non-sticky taste. After being stored at room temperature for 8 months, there is no obvious water separation, precipitation, or weak gelation.

[0026] The present invention also provides a method for preparing the aforementioned low-sugar plant-based beverage rich in dietary fiber, comprising: washing and cooking white kidney beans and chickpeas, grinding them, adding the aforementioned compound enzyme and water for enzymatic hydrolysis, performing enzyme inactivation treatment after enzymatic hydrolysis, adding the aforementioned compound dietary fiber, the aforementioned Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, the aforementioned erythritol and the remaining water to the obtained liquid and mixing evenly until completely dissolved, then adding baking soda to adjust the pH to 6.5-7.5, stirring evenly, homogenizing, sterilizing, and filling, preferably homogenizing at 35-40 MPa to obtain the low-sugar plant-based beverage rich in dietary fiber.

[0027] Furthermore, the complex enzyme is transglutaminase, mesophilic amylase, and glucosylamylase; preferably, the mass ratio of transglutaminase, mesophilic amylase, and glucosylamylase is 1-2:1-3:1-3; preferably, the enzymatic hydrolysis is carried out at 55-60℃ and pH=4.5-6.5 for 1-2 hours.

[0028] Beneficial effects: The low-sugar plant-based beverage provided by this invention is fortified with nutrient-rich grains, and the grain content is more than twice that of existing plant-based beverages. Among them, white kidney beans contain highly active α-amylase inhibitors, which are chemically composed of a complex glycoprotein, known internationally as "starch blocker." In this invention, it plays a role in reducing postprandial blood glucose elevation, reducing insulin secretion, and reducing fat synthesis. It can effectively complement the dietary treatment of diabetics and dieters, allowing them to eat their fill, eliminate hunger, and maintain normal postprandial blood glucose and weight gain.

[0029] Furthermore, white kidney beans and chickpeas have high protein and carbohydrate content. This invention addresses the issues of increased viscosity and rough texture caused by adding white kidney beans and chickpeas through enzymatic hydrolysis. Grain-based slurry products typically have a viscosity of 70-400 cps. In this invention, the amount of grain added is higher than in most commercially available grain products. Simultaneously, the enzymatically hydrolyzed material, combined with the remaining raw materials, forms a liquid with a viscosity of 30-60 cps.

[0030] Furthermore, this invention uses resistant dextrin, citrus fiber, and konjac flour as composite dietary fibers through experimental screening. These fibers provide a stable texture for the product, ensuring that it exhibits no significant water separation or sedimentation during its shelf life at low viscosity, thus guaranteeing sufficient shelf life. The low-sugar plant-based beverage of this invention exhibiting no significant water separation, sedimentation, or weak gelation means that after 8 months of storage at room temperature, no visible water separation, sedimentation, or weak gelation occurs. Weak gelation refers to a weakly cross-linked system with a viscosity between 100 and 3000 mPa·s, characterized by predominantly intermolecular cross-linking and secondary intramolecular cross-linking, and possessing a three-dimensional network structure. Detailed Implementation

[0031] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail. While preferred embodiments of the present invention are described below, it should be understood that the invention can be implemented in various forms and should not be limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Where specific techniques or conditions are not specified in the embodiments, they are performed in accordance with techniques or conditions described in the literature in the art or according to the product instructions. Reagents or instruments whose manufacturers are not specified are all commercially available conventional products. In the following embodiments, unless otherwise specified, "%" refers to weight percentage.

[0032] Examples 1-5

[0033] To prepare a low-sugar plant-based beverage, the amounts of each ingredient are shown in Table 1. Follow the steps below:

[0034] After cleaning the white kidney beans and chickpeas, boil them in water and keep them boiling for 40 minutes. Then grind them with a colloid mill until there are no obvious particles. After that, add a compound enzyme at 55-60℃ for enzymatic hydrolysis. The compound enzyme is a mixture of transglutaminase, mesophilic amylase and glucosyl amylase in a mass ratio of 1:1:1. Hydrolyze for 2 hours at 55-60℃ and pH=5.5-6.5 to obtain the enzymatic hydrolysis product.

[0035] The enzymatic hydrolysate is heated to 85-90℃ and kept at that temperature for 10-15 minutes to inactivate the enzyme, resulting in enzymatically hydrolyzed grain slurry. Complex dietary fiber, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, and erythritol are added to the remaining water and stirred at 80-85℃ for 10-15 minutes until completely dissolved. This is then thoroughly mixed with the enzymatically hydrolyzed grain slurry and brought to a final volume. Baking soda is added to adjust the pH to 7.0-7.5, and the mixture is stirred until homogenized at 35-40 MPa. Homogenization at 35-40 MPa better opens up the molecular structure of the complex dietary fiber, providing a smoother, more delicate texture to the beverage, while also offering better stability.

[0036] Finally, the product is sterilized and bottled to obtain a low-sugar plant-based beverage rich in dietary fiber.

[0037] Table 1 Raw Material Usage (Percentage by Mass)

[0038]

[0039]

[0040] Comparative Example 1

[0041] Referring to Example 1, the difference is that the complex enzyme is replaced with an equal mass of glucosylamylase, while the other conditions are the same.

[0042] Comparative Example 2

[0043] Referring to Example 1, the difference is that resistant dextrin is replaced with an equal mass of konjac flour, while the other conditions remain the same.

[0044] Comparative Example 3

[0045] Referring to Example 1, the difference is that citrus fiber is replaced with konjac flour of equal mass, while the other conditions are the same.

[0046] Performance testing

[0047] (1) Taste evaluation method: Randomly select ordinary staff to taste the above-prepared samples and record the taste.

[0048] (2) Viscosity test: Take the samples prepared above and use a viscometer to test each sample 3 times at room temperature. Take the average value as the sample viscosity.

[0049] (3) Stability: The observation experiment was conducted under the conditions of refrigeration at 6℃ for 1 month, room temperature for 8 months, heat preservation at 37℃ for 1 month, and heat preservation at 50℃ for 2 weeks. After the observation period, if the plant beverage showed no obvious water separation, precipitation, or weak gel state, it was determined to have good stability.

[0050] Table 2 Sample Test Results

[0051]

[0052]

[0053] The test results of the prepared samples are shown in Table 2. As can be seen from Table 2, the low-sugar plant-based beverage provided by this invention has a rich, full-bodied, and smooth taste, giving it strong market competitiveness. Its viscosity range is 30-60 cps, ensuring the stability of the aforementioned taste effect and maintaining consistent flavor characteristics, making it easy for consumers to identify. It also performed well in stability tests, showing no obvious water separation, precipitation, or weak gelation.

[0054] Comparative Example 1, which did not use a compound enzyme and had a grain content of 16 wt%, produced a viscous paste with extremely high viscosity and poor taste. Furthermore, it exhibited starch retrogradation and water separation issues, indicating poor product stability and failure to meet shelf-life requirements. Comparative Examples 2 and 3 had poor compound fiber ratios. Although they had the enzymatic hydrolysis effect of the compound enzyme, the overall viscosity of the products exceeded the suitable range of 30-60 cps, resulting in not only poor taste but also gelation and water separation problems.

[0055] The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above. However, the present invention is not limited to the specific details in the above embodiments. Within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention, various simple modifications can be made to the technical solution of the present invention, and these simple modifications all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

[0056] It should also be noted that the various specific technical features described in the above embodiments can be combined in any suitable manner without contradiction. To avoid unnecessary repetition, the present invention will not describe the various possible combinations separately.

[0057] Furthermore, various different embodiments of the present invention can be combined in any way, as long as they do not violate the spirit of the present invention, they should also be regarded as the content disclosed by the present invention.

Claims

1. A low sugar plant beverage enriched with dietary fiber, characterized in that: According to the mass percentage, the following raw materials are prepared: erythritol 2-6%, white kidney beans 5-15%, chickpeas 2-10%, chlamydomonas reinhardtii 0.5-2.0%, composite dietary fiber 0.55-1.15%, compound enzyme 0.2-0.5 kg / ton of grain, baking soda 0.1-0.40%, and the balance is water; the grain is white kidney beans and chickpeas; the composite dietary fiber is resistant dextrin, citrus fiber and konjac powder, and the proportion of the resistant dextrin, the citrus fiber and the konjac powder in the composite dietary fiber is 82-90%, 5-12% and 3-8% respectively; The preparation method comprises the following steps: grinding the cooked white kidney beans and chickpeas, adding the compound enzyme for enzymolysis, the compound enzyme being glutamine transaminase, medium temperature amylase and glucoamylase, the mass ratio of the glutamine transaminase, the medium temperature amylase and the glucoamylase being 1-2:1-3:1-3, then adding the remaining raw materials, stirring uniformly, sterilizing to obtain the low-sugar plant beverage rich in dietary fiber, the viscosity of the low-sugar plant beverage being 30-60 cps, the taste being smooth and not sticky, and the low-sugar plant beverage being stored at room temperature for 8 months without obvious water separation, precipitation and weak gel.

2. The low sugar, dietary fiber enriched plant beverage according to claim 1, wherein: In the low-sugar plant beverage rich in dietary fiber, the added proportion of the grain is 9-20% of the total weight.

3. The low sugar, dietary fiber enriched plant beverage according to claim 2, wherein: The added proportion of the grain is 13-18% of the total weight.

4. The low sugar, dietary fiber enriched plant beverage according to claim 2, wherein: In the low-sugar plant beverage rich in dietary fiber, the grain raw material is composed of the following raw materials according to the mass percentage: white kidney beans 8-12% and chickpeas 4-8%.

5. The low sugar, dietary fiber enriched plant beverage according to claim 4, wherein: In the low-sugar plant beverage rich in dietary fiber, the grain raw material is composed of the following raw materials according to the mass percentage: white kidney beans 9-11% and chickpeas 5-7%.

6. The low sugar, dietary fiber enriched plant beverage of claim 1, wherein: The enzymolysis is carried out at 55-60°C and pH=4.5-6.5 for 1-2 hours.

7. The low sugar, dietary fiber enriched plant beverage according to claim 1, wherein: The mass content of the resistant dextrin in the beverage is 0.5-1.0%, the mass content of the citrus fiber in the beverage is 0.03-0.10%, and the mass content of the konjac powder in the beverage is 0.02-0.05%.

8. Process for the preparation of a low-sugar, dietary fiber-enriched plant beverage according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: It comprises: The white kidney beans and chickpeas are washed, cooked, ground, the compound enzyme and water are added for enzymolysis, the enzyme is inactivated after enzymolysis, the composite dietary fiber, the chlamydomonas reinhardtii, the erythritol and the remaining water are added to the obtained material liquid, mixed uniformly until completely dissolved, baking soda is added to adjust pH=6.5-7.5, stirred uniformly, homogenized, sterilized and filled to obtain the low-sugar plant beverage rich in dietary fiber.

9. The process for the preparation of a low sugar plant beverage enriched in dietary fiber according to claim 8, characterized by the fact that: Homogenization is carried out at 35-40 MPa.

10. The process for the preparation of a low sugar plant beverage enriched in dietary fiber according to claim 8, characterized by the fact that: The enzymolysis is carried out at 55-60°C and pH=4.5-6.5 for 1-2 hours.

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