Instant food powder comprising pea protein and oat protein and free of dairy protein

Abstract

The present invention relates to a spray-dried beverage or food powder comprising 10% to 35% by weight of pea protein; 2% to 15% by weight of other plant proteins; 3% to 8% by weight, preferably 4% to 5% by weight, of fibers selected from cereals, pseudo-cereal seeds, or a combination thereof; 0% to 30% by weight, preferably 12% to 18% by weight, of a vegetable oil or fat; optionally, a fortifying source; and optionally a stabilizing salt, and wherein the total protein content is from 12% to 40% by weight. The invention also relates to a method for making the beverage or food powder.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an instant beverage or food powder. In particular, the present invention relates to a beverage or food powder having a high vegetable protein content and good reconstitution properties. The food or dairy product may be dairy-free.

[0002] Dairy alternatives do not typically contain dairy protein, but rather alternative protein sources. Background Art

[0003] Some consumers wish to consume less milk or no milk at all, for example, due to its animal origin, lactose intolerance or dairy allergy. They may also foresee potential environmental sustainability issues.

[0004] Consumers are therefore seeking alternatives to milk. Alternatives to milk do exist, and the dairy alternative market is growing at 11% per year, and finding alternatives with good nutrition and taste will be a major advantage in this competitive space.

[0005] WO 2013078510 discloses a nut-based milk analog composition having a nutritional profile substantially similar to bovine milk.

[0006] CA2982280 discloses a method for producing a milk substitute using chickpeas and / or other whole legumes or lentils (conventional, sprouted or fermented), using a combination of pea protein, chickpea protein, and / or plant-based proteins (conventional, sprouted or fermented), using flaxseed oil and / or other vegetable oils, by high rotation mixing, heat and pressure, without having to add gums or emulsifiers or starches, which produces a very smooth mouthfeel.

[0007] Milk substitutes containing pea protein are commercially available. However, consumers are constantly looking for food compositions that can be used as dairy substitutes, which liquid food compositions have excellent nutritional value and pleasant taste characteristics. In particular, there is a need for such food compositions that are high in protein and fiber content.

[0008] Prior art plant-based powders have low protein content or, when the protein content is higher, are not easily reconstituted in dry blend form.

[0009] In particular, it seems difficult to include fiber while maintaining pleasant taste and texture characteristics. In this regard, US20130196028A1 discloses a method for preparing a chickpea soluble fraction, but the method includes removing dietary fiber by filtration.

[0010] Furthermore, if dairy proteins are replaced by plant protein sources, this often results in an unpleasant taste and the composition may be perceived as bitter and / or astringent.

[0011] It would therefore be desirable to provide a powdered beverage that can be used as a milk substitute, contains fiber and has a good nutritional and taste profile.

[0012] Any reference to prior art documents in this specification is not to be taken as an admission that such prior art is well known or forms part of the common general knowledge in the art.

[0013] Purpose of the Invention

[0014] The object of the present invention is to improve the prior art in this field and in particular to provide a beverage or food powder which can be used to prepare a dairy alternative and which is high in protein and fiber and which provides a good nutritional profile and a good taste profile. More particularly, the object of the present invention is to provide a high protein powder which is soluble without precipitation, has improved stability in hard water and has a good dissolution time in hot and ambient water. Summary of the invention

[0015] The invention is provided with improvements by the subject matter of the independent claims. The dependent claims further develop the idea of ​​the invention.

[0016] In a first aspect, the present invention relates to a spray-dried beverage or food powder comprising:

[0017] 10 to 35% by weight of pea protein,

[0018] 2% to 15% by weight of other vegetable proteins,

[0019] 3 to 8 wt. %, preferably 4 to 5 wt. % of fibers selected from cereals, pseudocereal seeds or combinations thereof,

[0020] 0 to 30% by weight, preferably 12 to 18% by weight, of vegetable oils or fats,

[0021] optional reinforcement sources, and

[0022] optionally a stabilizing salt, and

[0023] The total protein content is 12% to 40% by weight.

[0024] A high protein content in the powder is desirable when the nutritional target in the final reconstituted powder is about 2 grams of protein or more in 100 ml of reconstituted beverage. While spray drying of low protein systems is relatively easy, spray drying of high protein powders (e.g. above 20 wt%) can be problematic due to clogging or pumping problems. On the other hand, dry mixed or steam condensed plant-based powders have been found to have poor reconstitution in ambient or cold liquids. If the powder is reconstituted in an acidic liquid such as coffee, stability of the beverage or food powder is required. This means that the protein in the final beverage or food product should not flocculate. Finally, high calorie or non-clean label products are undesirable for many purposes.

[0025] The present invention provides an improved beverage or food powder that provides a solution to the technical challenges of:

[0026] -Dispersions of high protein content products have low viscosity to allow spray drying

[0027] - Drying process provides instant reconstitution properties in powder

[0028] -Formulations provide reconstituted beverages with high nutrition, good taste and texture

[0029] - The composition provides the versatility of milk, which can be used to prepare beverages alone, in combination with coffee, or as an ingredient or cooking aid (for example, in pancakes, etc.).

[0030] It has been found that the present invention can provide high in-powder protein content > 15 wt%, high in-powder fiber content > 20 wt%, fast dissolving properties in ambient or hot water, and stability in hard water.

[0031] It has further been found that total protein contents below 12 wt% provide too little protein / nutritional value in the final reconstituted product, while levels above 40 wt% protein in the powder and above 48 wt% total solids in the vegetable protein blend do not permit spray drying.

[0032] In a second aspect, the present invention relates to a method for preparing a beverage powder, the method comprising the following steps:

[0033] - providing a mixture of pea protein, other vegetable proteins, enzymes and vegetable proteins from cereals or pseudocereals, the mixture having 30% to 40% total solids and preferably having a pH between 6 and 9,

[0034] - hydrolyzing the mixture for 10 minutes to 1 hour,

[0035] - optionally dispersing vegetable oil or fat in the mixture, preferably to 40% to 48% total solids,

[0036] - heat treating and homogenizing the mixture, and

[0037] - Spray drying the mixture to obtain a beverage powder.

[0038] Examples of cereals are oats, rice, wheat, barley, corn, millet or a combination thereof. Examples of pseudocereals are quinoa, buckwheat, amaranth or a combination thereof.

[0039] In another aspect, the present invention relates to a method for preparing a beverage or food powder, the method comprising the steps of:

[0040] - Add enzymes to water,

[0041] - Add cereals and / or pseudocereals at 15% to 30% total solids,

[0042] - hydrolyzing the cereals and / or pseudocereals for 10 minutes to 1 hour,

[0043] - adding pea protein and other plant proteins to water to 30% to 40% total solids to form a plant protein mixture, preferably having a pH between 6 and 9,

[0044] - optionally dispersing vegetable oil or fat in the vegetable protein mixture, preferably to 40% to 48% total solids,

[0045] - subjecting the vegetable protein mixture to heat treatment and homogenization, and

[0046] - Spray drying the mixture to obtain a beverage powder.

[0047] As used in this specification, the words "include", "comprising" and similar words should not be understood as having an exclusive or exhaustive meaning. In other words, they are intended to mean "including, but not limited to".

[0048] In the context of the present invention, the other plant proteins may be derived from oats, rice, quinoa, millet, wheat or amaranth. Alternatively, the other plant proteins may be derived from broad beans, chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans, navy beans, pinto beans, haricot beans, lima beans, butter beans, red beans, mung beans, yellow mung beans, green gram, black beans, ural beans, dices, rice beans, garbanzo beans, cranberry beans, lima beans, green peas, snow peas, sugar peas, split peas and black-eyed peas.

[0049] In the context of the present invention, cereals or pseudocereals may be, for example, oats, rice, quinoa, buckwheat and amaranth.

[0050] Furthermore, in the context of the present invention, the enzymes used may be alpha-amylases, alpha-amylases having beta-glucanase activity and amyloglucosidases.

[0051] It has been found that the compositions according to the invention achieve the objects of the invention.

[0052] The beverage powder of the present invention was found to have fast dissolving properties, smooth texture, good taste, physical stability after reconstitution and high protein content. It was further found that beverages made based on the beverage powder according to the present invention are surprisingly stable in hard water.

[0053] Furthermore, it has been found that a wet mix can be prepared based on the beverage composition at a concentration that allows for cost-effective spray drying at a viscosity within operating limits.

[0054] The total solids of the plant-based mixture should preferably be >35%, while the viscosity should be kept within limits throughout the plant-based mixture preparation steps (mixing, homogenization, heat treatment). This will allow the mixture to be pumped and sprayed normally in the drying tower. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0055] Figure 1 An embodiment of a method of making a beverage or food powder according to the invention is schematically shown.

[0056] Figure 2 A beverage powder and a reconstituted beverage according to the invention are shown.

[0057] Figure 3 is a graph showing the hard water stability of reconstituted beverages.

[0058] Figure 4 is a graph showing the instant reconstitution properties of a beverage or food powder according to the present invention.

[0059] Figure 5a and Figure 5b Shown are plant-based mixtures before spray drying, one treated with a starch degrading enzyme and the other not treated with a starch degrading enzyme.

[0060] Figure 6a It is shown that a stable product is obtained with a beverage or food powder according to the invention. Figure 6b and Figure 6c A product not according to the claimed invention is shown which has flocculation / phase separation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0061] Therefore, the present invention relates to a spray-dried beverage or food powder comprising 10% to 35% by weight of pea protein; 2% to 12% by weight of other plant proteins;

[0062] 3 to 8 wt%, preferably 4 to 5 wt% fiber selected from cereals, pseudocereal seeds or groups thereof; 0 to 30 wt%, preferably 12 to 18 wt% vegetable oil or fat; optionally a fortification source; and optionally stabilizing salts, and wherein the total protein content is 12 to 40 wt%.

[0063] The present invention provides a spray-dried high protein plant-based beverage or food powder having excellent reconstitution properties even at high protein content. In addition, the powder is stable in acidic liquids such as coffee, there is no flocculation of protein in the beverage, and there is no precipitation within the first 20 minutes after preparation of the beverage or food product.

[0064] Powders according to the invention have the added benefit of providing a fibre content of, for example, above 1.25 g / serving 25 g, and can be formulated as a clean label product.

[0065] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, oil is added to the formulation and the spray dried powder can achieve a creamy smooth mouthfeel. It has been found that oil contributes to bulk and mouthfeel due to the presence of small oil droplets in the reconstituted product, whereas adding, for example, more than 5 wt.% oil to the dry blended powder makes the powder stick together and has poor reconstitution properties.

[0066] High protein quality is desired for beverages and food products. Protein quality is indicated by its PDCAAS. Plant-based powders are usually of poor protein quality. The present invention provides powders with high PDCAAS, due to the combination of the inherent amino acid profiles of plant proteins that complement each other. Thus, a beverage or food product according to the present invention comprising pea, oat and rice proteins has a PDCAAS equal to 1.0, while a powder with pea protein has only a PDCAAS of 0.85.

[0067] The process according to the invention provides the additional benefit that a high protein and high fiber ingredient mixture can be spray dried. It has been found that by combining a pulse protein, preferably pea, with a cereal protein and enzymatically treating the mixture with a suitable enzyme to break down starch and optionally fiber, the reduced viscosity obtained is sufficient to allow the mixture to be spray dried. It has been found that spray drying is difficult without enzymatic treatment due to pumping or spraying.

[0068] In a preferred embodiment of the process according to the invention, the proteins are not subjected to hydrolysis, since this could produce off-flavors.

[0069] The powder and method according to the invention may provide the additional benefit of a long shelf life (physical stability) due to the low content of mono- and disaccharides, high physical stability (high Tg = glass transition temperature). It has been found that this is possible when cereal flour is the main source of carbohydrates and the product is low in mono- and disaccharides, since enzymatic hydrolysis of starch does not produce significant amounts of mono- and disaccharides, whereas when the sugar added to the product is a disaccharide in significant amounts, the powder will have a lower Tg (lower physical stability).

[0070] Due to the combination of plant proteins and cereals, the reconstituted product has a good taste. For example, the beany taste may be masked by other plant aromas.

[0071] Liquid food compositions prepared with the powder according to the invention do not comprise dairy proteins or hydrocolloids, such as gellan gum.

[0072] According to the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the term "food" is to be understood as any substance intended for human consumption, whether processed, semi-processed or raw, and includes beverages, chewing gum and any substance that has been used in the manufacture, preparation or processing of "food", but does not include cosmetics or tobacco or substances used solely as medicines.

[0073] For the purposes of the present invention, a food is considered high in protein if at least 20% of the energy value of the food is provided by protein.

[0074] For the purposes of the present invention, a food is considered high in calcium if the calcium content in the product is at least twice the "source of calcium" value. A food is considered to be a "source of calcium" if the product contains at least a significant amount of calcium as defined in the Annex to Directive 90 / 496 / EEC or an amount specified by a derogation granted under Article 6 of Regulation (EC) No 1925 / 2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 December 2006 on the addition of vitamins and minerals and certain other substances to foods. 15% of the recommended allowance provided by 100 g or 100 ml or per package (if the package contains only a single portion) should be taken into account to decide what constitutes a significant amount.

[0075] Pea protein isolate is commercially available from a number of sources, for example from suppliers such as Coasuga or Roquette.

[0076] Milk protein is a milk protein synthesized in the mammary gland, and includes casein and whey protein. For example, milk protein may include casein, β-lactoglobulin, α-lactalbumin, serum albumin, immunoglobulin, lactoferrin, and transferrin.

[0077] In a preferred embodiment of the beverage or food powder of the present invention, the other vegetable protein is selected from oat protein, rice protein or a group thereof. This embodiment of the present invention has a PDCAAS equal to 1.0. In addition, due to the combination of vegetable protein and cereals with a low level of beany taste, the reconstituted product has a good taste. It has been found that in this product, oat protein masks the taste of peas.

[0078] In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the beverage or food powder comprises 10 to 20 wt.% pea protein, 6 to 12 wt.% other plant proteins, 5 to 8 wt.% fiber (preferably fiber contained in oat flour) and 0 to 25 wt.% added sugar.

[0079] For example, the powder comprises about 12 wt% pea protein and about 8 wt% oat protein, providing a total of 20 wt% vegetable protein in the powder.

[0080] Preferably, the vegetable protein is in the form of an isolate or a concentrate or a meal, the isolate preferably comprising 75 to 90 wt% protein, the concentrate preferably comprising 50 to 70 wt% protein, and the meal preferably comprising 5 to 30 wt%.

[0081] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the powder comprises 10 wt% to 35 wt% of pea protein isolate.Preferably, the powder comprises 30 wt% to 65 wt% of oat flour, rice flour or a combination thereof.

[0082] When oat flour and / or rice flour are used, they act as leavening agents in the beverage powder and provide fiber to the product. In this preferred embodiment of the invention, the food or beverage powder may have a PDCAAS corresponding to milk. For example, based on the pea isolate content, the powder has 1.25 times the oat flour, so if 15% pea isolate is used, at least 18.75% oat flour is used, and the remaining ingredients may be soluble fiber and sugar.

[0083] Advantageously, the starch in the cereal has been treated with enzymes. As described above, the high protein and high fiber ingredient mixture can be spray dried. It has been found that by combining legume protein (preferably pea) with cereal protein and subjecting the mixture to an enzyme treatment to break down the starch, the reduced viscosity obtained can be sufficient to allow the mixture to be spray dried.

[0084] In a preferred embodiment of the beverage or food powder according to the invention the powder contains no animal products.

[0085] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the fiber is selected from pea, oat, rice, corn fiber or a combination thereof.

[0086] Alternatively or in addition, the fiber source is selected from chicory root, beetroot, sugar cane, Jerusalem artichoke or a combination thereof, and wherein the fiber is preferably inulin from chicory root, soluble corn fiber, resistant dextrin, polydextrose or a combination thereof. Additionally, the fiber source may be selected from pea, oat, rice, corn fiber or a combination thereof.

[0087] The composition of the beverage powder according to the invention may be adjusted so that the final composition has a good taste profile, a good nutritional profile and a milk-like appearance and texture. Figure 2 Examples of powders having these properties are shown.

[0088] To improve the stability to flocculation, a stabilizing salt may be used. In a preferred embodiment, the stabilizing salt is selected from potassium dihydrogen phosphate, dipotassium hydrogen phosphate, sodium bicarbonate, magnesium carbonate, citrate or a group thereof.

[0089] Preferably, the fortification source is selected from tricalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, calcium lactate, calcium chloride, calcium lactogluconate, dicalcium phosphate, tricalcium citrate, iron, any fortifying mineral, or combinations thereof.

[0090] If a composition made from the beverage powder of the present invention is used as a milk substitute, many consumers may wish to add the composition to coffee, both of which are acidic beverages and therefore generally result in undesirable protein flocculation. It has been found that such undesirable protein flocculation can be avoided using the composition of the present invention. It has also been found that the stability of the liquid food composition of the present invention in hot coffee is further improved if dipotassium hydrogen phosphate is added to the composition of the present invention. Particularly advantageous results can be obtained if the composition of the present invention contains about 0.3g to 0.8g of phosphate per 100ml. Preferably, the powder according to the present invention comprises 5% to 7% by weight of dipotassium hydrogen phosphate, potassium dihydrogen phosphate and sodium citrate, citric acid and sodium bicarbonate or a combination thereof. More preferably, the powder comprises a buffer system of dipotassium hydrogen phosphate and sodium citrate or citric acid and sodium bicarbonate.

[0091] If desired, the characteristics of the composition of the present invention can be adjusted. For this reason, flavoring agents can be used. Therefore, the liquid food composition according to the present invention can also include a flavoring agent or a combination of flavoring agents. For example, the flavoring agent can be selected from a milk mouthfeel flavor, a vanilla flavor, a coconut flavor, an almond flavor or a combination thereof.

[0092] Preferably, the vegetable oil is rapeseed oil, high oleic vegetable oil, preferably high oleic sunflower oil. As sunflower oil, any sunflower oil can be used. However, high quality sunflower oil is preferred. Sunflower oil can be considered as a healthy oil with high stability. Sunflower oil has a rich content of vitamin E. It also has a good fatty acid distribution, in which linoleic acid is a polyunsaturated fatty acid and oleic acid is a monounsaturated fatty acid. It is well known that, for example, oils with different fatty acid ratios can be produced by specific cultivation of sunflowers and adjusted manufacturing processes. Oleic acid is associated with a variety of health benefits, such as low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol reduction and blood pressure reduction. Therefore, some consumers may prefer oils with high oleic acid content. High oleic sunflower oil is known and commercially available. The oleic acid of high oleic sunflower oil is very high. High oleic sunflower oil is generally defined as having a minimum of 80% oleic acid. Therefore, in one embodiment of the liquid food composition of the present invention, the sunflower oil can be high oleic sunflower oil.

[0093] Sugar can be used in the powder of the present invention to naturally adjust the sweetness of the composition to the sweetness of milk. However, some embodiments of the powder according to the present invention can also be free of added sugar. If sugar is used, many sugars can be used for this purpose. Preferably, the sugar comes from sugar cane or sugar beet. For example, the sugar used in the framework of the present invention can be sucrose. Sucrose, in particular unprocessed sucrose, can contain small amounts of essential minerals and / or a certain amount of antioxidants.

[0094] Whole milk has an energy content of about 60 kcal / 100 ml, and milk with a fat content of 1% has an energy content of slightly more than 40 kcal / 100 ml. Many consumers prefer products with a lower caloric content, and therefore it would be desirable if the reconstituted composition of the invention had a caloric content of 60 kcal / 100 ml or less. It has been found that the present invention achieves this. Thus, a liquid food composition prepared from a powder according to the invention may have an energy content of, for example, 55 kcal / 100 ml or less, with a recommended dose of about 12.5 g / 100 ml.

[0095] Milk is a rich source of nutrition that meets the needs of the human body. It therefore provides a large variety of nutrients that the human body needs for growth and maintenance. Therefore, many consumers prefer milk alternatives that also have a good nutritional profile.

[0096] In view of this, the composition of the present invention may be high in protein and / or high in fiber and / or high in calcium.

[0097] For example, the food composition of the present invention may contain about 2.0 g to 2.6 g of protein, about 1.3 g to 1.7 g of fat, about 2.2 g to 2.8 g of carbohydrates, and about 1.8 g to 2.8 g of fiber per 100 ml.

[0098] The composition of the invention may be further enriched with vitamins, such as vitamin A, D, B2 and / or B12.

[0099] For example, the liquid reconstituted food composition according to the present invention may comprise vitamins selected from vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin B2 and vitamin B12. In one embodiment of the present invention, the liquid food composition of the present invention may comprise 120 mg to 170 mg calcium, 120 μg to 170 μg vitamin A, 0.75 μg to 1.2 μg vitamin D, 0.21 mg to 0.30 mg vitamin B2 and / or 0.38 μg to 0.6 μg vitamin B12 per 100 ml.

[0100] Oats are an excellent source of dietary fiber and are associated with many health benefits, such as, for example, lower serum cholesterol levels in the body. Oats contain more soluble fiber than most other grains, are high in protein and healthy fats, and are lower in carbohydrates than most other whole grains. Therefore, many breakfasts, such as oatmeal, for example, are based on oats, and some breakfast cereals are also based on oats.

[0101] In order to further improve the nutritional profile of the composition of the present invention, oat flour may be added to the composition of the present invention. Surprisingly it has been found that this is possible without any significant negative impact on the flavor profile and texture of the composition of the present invention.

[0102] Therefore, the liquid reconstituted food composition according to the present invention may further comprise whole-grain oat flour. For example, the composition of the present invention may further comprise 3.5 g to 8.0 g whole-grain oat flour per 100 ml.

[0103] For example, the liquid reconstituted food composition according to the present invention may comprise, per 100 ml, 2.5 to 3.0 g of pea protein isolate, about 1.1 to 1.5 g of sunflower oil, 1.8 to 2.4 g of sugar, 3.5 to 8.0 g of whole grain oat flour, 0.3 to 0.5 g of tricalcium phosphate, about 0.5 to 0.9 g of potassium phosphate, 120 to 170 mg of calcium, 120 to 170 μg of vitamin A, 0.75 to 1.20 μg of vitamin D, 0.21 to 0.30 mg of vitamin B2 and / or 0.38 to 0.60 μg of vitamin B12.

[0104] The liquid food composition prepared based on the beverage powder according to the present invention can be consumed warm, at ambient temperature or cooled. It can remain stable at ambient temperature, allowing distribution and storage without additional cooling facilities.

[0105] It can also be used as a drink. For example, the liquid food composition obtained by reconstitution of the powder according to the invention can be used as a plant-based milk substitute. One advantage of the composition of the invention is that it is stable in certain acidic environments. For example, coffee can have a pH of about 5. The reconstituted liquid food composition obtained with the powder according to the invention can be stable in acidic food compositions such as coffee. In this case, "stable" is understood as no visible protein coagulation for at least 10 minutes. Therefore, the liquid food composition according to the invention can be used as a coffee whitener.

[0106] In a preferred embodiment, the reconstituted beverage powder has a pH in the range of 6.6 to 8.5 when reconstituted in 180 ml of water per 20 to 30 g of powder. This provides good stability for the final product, especially when it is added to a liquid food composition having a pH in the range of 5.0 to 7.0.

[0107] The present invention also relates to a method for preparing a beverage powder, the method comprising the following steps:

[0108] - providing a mixture of pea protein, other vegetable protein, enzymes and oat and / or rice flour, the mixture having 30% to 40% total solids and preferably having a pH between 6 and 9,

[0109] - hydrolyzing the mixture for 10 minutes to 1 hour,

[0110] - optionally dispersing a vegetable oil or fat in the mixture, preferably to 40% to 48% total solids, and

[0111] - Spray drying the mixture to obtain a beverage powder.

[0112] Alternatively, the present invention relates to a method for preparing a beverage powder, the method comprising the steps of:

[0113] - Add enzymes to water,

[0114] - Add oat and / or rice flour at 15% to 30% total solids,

[0115] - hydrolyze oats and / or rice for 10 minutes to 1 hour,

[0116] - adding pea protein and other plant proteins to water to 30% to 40% total solids to form a plant protein mixture, preferably having a pH between 6 and 9,

[0117] - optionally dispersing vegetable oil or fat in the vegetable protein mixture, preferably to 40% to 48% total solids, and

[0118] - Spray drying the mixture to obtain a beverage powder.

[0119] Figure 1 An embodiment of the method according to the invention is schematically shown.

[0120] exist Figure 1 In the hydrolysis tank, oat and / or rice and pea proteins and optionally a calcium source are hydrated. Enzymes are added to water and water is added to the tank. Optional heating may be performed to inactivate the enzymes. Vegetable oil or fat is then added during mixing. Heat treatment and homogenization are then performed, followed by spray drying. In order to reduce the particle size, a grinding step may be part of the method according to the invention. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the homogenization is a high pressure homogenization.

[0121] The enzyme is preferably added to water in an amount of 0.1 to 0.2 wt % (based on oats and rice).

[0122] In the context of the present invention, enzymes are starch degrading enzymes and optionally fiber degrading enzymes, such as alpha-amylases, amyloglucosidases, alpha-amylases with beta-glucanase activity.

[0123] Optionally, sugars, polyols or one or more polysaccharides or mixtures thereof are added to the vegetable protein mixture.

[0124] When vegetable oil or fat is added in the process according to the invention, the ingredient mixture is preferably homogenized under high pressure (>100 bar). It has been found that dry mixtures of ingredients containing a large amount of protein do not dissolve in liquids. In the case of high total solids content, the mixture cannot be pumped and sprayed. At the same time, the pH of the ingredient mixture must be above 6, otherwise the proteins will flocculate and the protein structure will change.

[0125] In one embodiment of the beverage powder according to the invention, dry ingredients are added to the final spray-dried powder.

[0126] In one embodiment of the method according to the invention, the method comprises the step of optionally adding sugar, polyol or one or more polysaccharides or a mixture thereof to the vegetable protein mixture;

[0127] The protein acts as an emulsifier, eliminating the need to add emulsifiers to the mixture.

[0128] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that they are free to combine all features of the present invention disclosed herein. In particular, features described for the product of the present invention may be combined with uses of the present invention, and vice versa. In addition, features described for different embodiments of the present invention may be combined.

[0129] Although the present invention has been described by way of example, it will be appreciated that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

[0130] Furthermore, where known equivalents exist for specific features, such equivalents should be incorporated as if explicitly mentioned in this specification.Further advantages and features of the present invention will become apparent upon reference to the accompanying drawings and non-limiting examples.

[0131] Example

[0132] Use Figure 1 The method shown makes the beverage powder according to the present invention. In the following examples, this method is applied to the following formula:

[0133]

[0134] Refactoring :

[0135] Prepare one cup of milk substitute by mixing 25 g of powder with 180 mL of water (ambient temperature 20°C or warm temperature 40°C).

[0136] The composition was tested by experts and it was found that the powder dissolved easily and quickly, and the resulting beverage had a pleasant taste and texture, without lumps and without sediment.

[0137] Preparation of a cup of white coffee: Add 1g of pure soluble coffee + 3g of beverage powder according to the present invention (as shown in Table 1) + 2.5g of sugar to 100mL of water at 80°C. The powder dissolves easily and quickly, and the resulting beverage has a pleasant taste and texture, without lumps, precipitation, or flocculation.

[0138] Figure 3 The hard water stability of the reconstituted beverage is shown. There is no flocculation below 550 ppm,

[0139] Figure 4 The instant reconstitution properties of the beverage powder according to the invention are shown. Instant reconstitution is obtained with t90 < 15 s,

[0140] Figure 5a and Figure 5b Shown are plant-based mixtures before spray drying, one treated with a starch degrading enzyme and the other not treated with a starch degrading enzyme. Figure 5b The plant-based blend in the ® was not pumpable or spray-dried at 48% TS.

[0141] Figure 6a The stable product obtained with the beverage or food powder according to the invention is shown. The product has dispersion stability, no precipitation and no flocculation. Figure 6b and Figure 6c Not according to the claimed invention, which has flocculation / phase separation.

Claims

1. A spray-dried beverage or food powder, comprising 10 to 35% by weight of pea protein, 2% to 15% by weight of other vegetable proteins, 3 to 8 wt. %, preferably 4 to 5 wt. % of fibers selected from cereals, pseudocereal seeds or combinations thereof, 0 to 30% by weight, preferably 12 to 18% by weight, of vegetable oils or fats, optional reinforcement sources, and optionally stabilizing salts, and wherein the total protein content is from 12 wt% to 40 wt%.

2. The beverage or food powder according to claim 1, wherein the other plant protein is selected from oat protein, rice protein or a combination thereof.

3. The beverage or food powder according to claim 1, wherein the powder comprises 10 to 20% by weight of pea protein, 6% to 12% by weight of other vegetable proteins, 5 to 8% by weight of fiber, preferably fiber contained in oat flour, and 0 to 25 wt. % added sugars.

4. A beverage or food powder according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the vegetable protein is in the form of an isolate or a concentrate or a powder, the isolate preferably comprising 75 to 90 wt% protein, the concentrate preferably comprising 50 to 70 wt% protein, and the powder preferably comprising 5 to 30 wt% protein.

5. A beverage powder or food according to any one of the preceding claims comprising 10 to 35 wt% pea protein isolate.

6. The beverage powder or food according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising 30 to 65 wt% oat flour, rice flour or a combination thereof.

7. A beverage or food powder according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the starch in the cereal has been enzymatically treated.

8. A beverage or food powder according to any one of the preceding claims, which has no added sugar.

9. A beverage or food powder according to any one of the preceding claims which is free of animal products.

10. The beverage or food powder according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fortification source is selected from tricalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, calcium lactate, calcium chloride, calcium lactogluconate, dicalcium phosphate, tricalcium citrate, iron, any fortifying mineral or a combination thereof.

11. A beverage or food powder according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the beverage powder comprises additional fibre from a fibre source selected from chicory root, beetroot, sugar cane, Jerusalem artichoke, soluble corn fibre, resistant dextrin, polydextrose or a combination thereof.

12. The beverage or food powder according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fibre is selected from pea, oat, rice, corn fibre or a combination thereof.

13. The beverage or food powder according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the stabilizing salt is selected from potassium dihydrogen phosphate, dipotassium hydrogen phosphate, sodium bicarbonate, magnesium carbonate, citrate or a combination thereof.

14. The beverage or food powder according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the vegetable oil is rapeseed oil or a high oleic vegetable oil, preferably high oleic sunflower oil.

15. A beverage or food powder according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the beverage powder when reconstituted in a liquid is a plant-based milk substitute.

16. A method for making a beverage or food powder, the method comprising the steps of: - providing pea protein, other vegetable proteins, enzymes and a vegetable protein mixture of cereals and / or pseudocereals, the vegetable protein mixture having 30% to 40% total solids and preferably having a pH between 6 and 9, - hydrolyzing the mixture for 10 minutes to 1 hour, - optionally dispersing vegetable oil or fat in the mixture, preferably to 40% to 48% total solids, - subjecting the mixture to heat treatment and homogenization, and - Spray drying the mixture to obtain beverage powder.

17. A method for making a beverage or food powder, the method comprising the steps of: - Add enzymes to water, - Add cereals and / or pseudocereals at 15% to 30% total solids, - hydrolyzing the cereals and / or pseudocereals for 10 minutes to 1 hour, - adding the pea protein and other vegetable proteins to water to 30% to 40% total solids to form a vegetable protein mixture, preferably having a pH between 6 and 9, - optionally dispersing vegetable oil or fat in the vegetable protein mixture, preferably to 40% to 48% total solids, - heat treating and homogenizing the vegetable protein mixture, and - spray drying the mixture to obtain a beverage powder.

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