Freezing method of high-moisture meat product and 3D printing vegetable protein meat

Abstract

The invention provides a freezing method of a high-moisture meat product and 3D printing vegetable protein meat frozen by adopting the freezing method. According to the freezing method provided by the invention, the freezing rate is 0.08-2 DEG C / min, and / or in the freezing process, the time of passing through the maximum ice crystal generation zone is within 30 min; wherein the moisture content in the high-moisture meat product is 40-80%. By adopting the freezing method provided by the invention, the frozen meat contains a large amount of fine ice crystals, the hardness, chewiness and the like of the frozen and unfrozen meat can be effectively improved, so that the mouth feel of the frozen and unfrozen meat is improved, and the freezing method is suitable for meat products with the water content of 40-80%. The taste of the 3D printing vegetable protein meat prepared by the freezing method is also obviously improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of food freezing, and in particular to a freezing method for high-moisture meat products and 3D printed plant protein meat. Background Art

[0002] Meat is rich in high-quality protein and essential nutrients such as iron, zinc, and vitamin B12, which can meet the body's nutritional needs. It has a unique flavor and is an important source of energy for the human body. However, meat has a high content of cholesterol and long-chain saturated fatty acids. Excessive consumption of meat may increase the risk of chronic diseases. At the same time, the rapid growth of the world's population has caused people to have excessive demand for meat, making it difficult for existing meat resources to meet the needs of the world's population. Meat supply shortages, environmental problems, outbreaks of diseases related to animal husbandry, and ethical issues related to animal slaughter have gradually become difficulties and challenges that people have to face in the process of consuming meat. Studies have shown that meat production is one of the most important reasons why humans affect the environment: a large number of forests are cut down to create pastures and arable land to meet the demand for animal feed; animal husbandry production is the main source of greenhouse gases and other pollutants; at the same time, there is a significant demand for water and land resources, and it may aggravate soil erosion. Therefore, the meat industry urgently needs new technologies to solve these problems. If new meat products that can replace some traditional meats can be developed, this will undoubtedly benefit consumers and the development of the food industry.

[0003] Food 3D printing technology is adaptable and can meet the nutritional and sensory needs of food. It can meet the food needs of a growing population and a fast-paced lifestyle by reducing food preparation time, while minimizing food waste and pressure on animal resources, creating a more sustainable economy and environment, and can be an excellent solution to the environmentally unfriendly and unsustainable challenges faced by the meat industry. At present, some companies have used 3D printing technology to produce plant-based meat substitutes. The Spanish company NOVAMEAT uses ingredients such as peas, seaweed and beetroot juice to make 3D printed steaks; Impossible Foods uses soy hemoglobin to form a unique meat color, Beyond Burger uses beet juice extract, and another startup uses tomato sauce. Other natural pigments such as red pepper, paprika, anato and red rice can also be used for this. Walnut protein is a high-quality plant protein that can meet the basic amino acid needs of adults, with high levels of aspartic acid, glutamic acid and arginine, and relatively low levels of lysine. At the same time, walnut peptides have excellent properties such as good solubility, hygroscopicity, emulsification and gastrointestinal digestion stability, as well as multiple biological functions. They have significant effects in anti-oxidation, lowering blood lipids, anti-tumor, improving memory, reducing the risk of Alzheimer's disease, and improving intestinal flora. Walnut peptides have irregular shapes, smooth surfaces, dense structures, and a large number of rough lines and pores, which may affect hardness, elasticity, and chewiness. So far, there are few studies on the use of walnut protein as a raw material for 3D printing plant meat. Choosing walnut protein as a material is of great significance for future research on 3D printing plant meat.

[0004] However, consuming a single type of protein often cannot meet all the nutritional needs of the human body, and products produced from a single protein component will also be lacking in processing quality; and the taste will be greatly reduced after freezing. Summary of the invention

[0005] The present invention aims to solve the problem in the prior art that the taste of frozen foods, especially high-moisture meat products, is greatly reduced after freezing. A freezing method for frozen meat is provided, which controls factors such as freezing temperature and rate so that the high-moisture meat products after freezing contain a large number of fine ice crystals, thereby improving the taste.

[0006] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a method for freezing high-moisture meat products, wherein the freezing rate is 0.08-2°C / min, and / or the time for passing through the maximum ice crystal formation zone during the freezing process is within 30 minutes; wherein the moisture content of the high-moisture meat product is 40-80%.

[0007] At present, artificial meat with high moisture content must be frozen for long-term preservation, but there is a lack of detailed research reports in this field, such as ice crystal growth under different freezing conditions. The freezing method provided by the present invention can form a large number of fine ice crystals in frozen food, especially high-moisture meat products, and after thawing, the structure of the frozen meat is less affected, thereby reducing the impact on the taste of the frozen meat, and achieving the purpose of improving the taste of the frozen meat, including hardness, chewiness, cohesion, etc.

[0008] Preferably, the freezing rate of the vegetable protein meat is 0.2-2°C / min.

[0009] In some embodiments, the high-moisture meat product is selected from at least one of animal meat and artificial meat.

[0010] In some embodiments, the radius of the inscribed circle of the artificial meat is 0-12.5 mm.

[0011] In some embodiments, when the radius of the inscribed circle of the artificial meat is 0-10 mm, the freezing rate is 0.2-2°C / min.

[0012] In some embodiments, when the radius of the inscribed circle of the artificial meat is 10-12.5 mm, the freezing rate is 0.5-2°C / min.

[0013] In a second aspect, a 3D printed plant protein meat is provided, which is frozen by the freezing method. After freezing, the number of ice crystals is 1.41×10 6 -6.04×10 7 pcs / m 3 , and / or, the radius of the ice crystal is 4-30 nm. Preferably, after freezing, the number of ice crystals is 1.44×10 7 -6.04×10 7 pcs / m 3 , and / or, the radius of the ice crystal is 4-9nm.

[0014] The plant protein meat provided by the present invention, after being frozen, has the number and size of ice crystals within the above range, which can effectively improve the taste of the plant protein meat composition after being frozen and thawed again, including hardness, chewiness, etc.

[0015] In some embodiments, the 3D printed plant protein meat includes, by weight: 5-30 parts of walnut protein and 20-40 parts of chicken; wherein the total amount of walnut protein and chicken is 45-50 parts.

[0016] The plant protein meat provided by the present invention is a mixture of multiple protein components, and animal protein is mixed with plant protein. On the one hand, it is beneficial to the smoothness of printing and provides a basis for 3D printing. On the other hand, animal meat provides a real fiber structure, which provides a basis for the 3D printed meat model to have physical, chemical and nutritional properties that are highly similar to real meat, which helps to improve the taste of 3D printed meat.

[0017] In some embodiments, the plant protein meat further comprises, by weight: 4.5-5.5 parts of potato starch, 0.4-0.8 parts of edible salt, 2-4 parts of konjac gum, 1-2 parts of carrageenan, and 40-50 parts of water.

[0018] In some embodiments, the plant protein meat includes, by weight: 15-25 parts of walnut protein, 20-30 parts of chicken, 4.5-5.5 parts of potato starch, 0.4-0.8 parts of edible salt, 2-4 parts of konjac gum, 1-2 parts of carrageenan, and 40-50 parts of water; preferably the total amount is 100 parts.

[0019] In some embodiments, the shape of the plant protein meat is selected from at least one of a cube, a cylinder, and a sphere.

[0020] In some embodiments, the plant protein meat is formed by 3D printing, wherein the filling rate during 3D printing is 10-100%. By 3D printing, the plant protein meat composition can be printed into any shape through modeling, such as conventional meat blocks, meat slices, meatballs, sausages, etc., and can also be printed into special shapes, such as animal shapes, geometric shapes, etc., to improve the freshness of food for consumers and increase appetite.

[0021] Preferably, the filling rate during 3D printing is 50-100%.

[0022] The freezing method provided by the present invention can generate a large number of tiny ice crystals inside frozen food, especially high-molecular meat products after freezing. After thawing, the ice crystals melt. Due to their small size, they have less impact on the structure of the meat products after thawing, thereby improving their taste.

[0023] The plant protein meat provided by the present invention can significantly improve the taste after freezing and thawing by freezing and storing using the freezing method. On the other hand, the plant protein meat provided by the present invention is suitable for 3D printing and has the potential to be used as an animal meat substitute, and it is low in fat, low in sodium and high in protein, and can be used as a high-quality nutritional supplement; the plant protein meat composition contains ice crystals of a specific number and size after being frozen using the freezing method, which improves the hardness and chewiness of the plant protein meat after freezing and / or re-thawing, thereby improving its taste. Combined with the parameter settings of 3D printing, such as the filling rate, the taste after freezing and thawing can be more effectively improved. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the present invention or the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying creative work.

[0025] Figure 1 This is one of the printing effects of different components of 3D printed plant protein meat provided by the present invention.

[0026] Figure 2 This is one of the printing accuracy analyses of 3D printed plant protein meat provided according to the present invention.

[0027] Figure 3 This is one of the printing effects of 3D printed plant protein meat with different filling rates in the preparation method of 3D printed plant protein meat provided by the present invention.

[0028] Figure 4 This is one of the printing accuracy analyses of 3D printed plant protein meat with different filling rates in the preparation method of 3D printed plant protein meat provided by the present invention, wherein A, B, and C represent length, width, and height, respectively.

[0029] Figure 5 It is one of the texture measurement results of 3D printed plant protein meat with different filling rates before freezing in the preparation method of 3D printed plant protein meat provided by the present invention.

[0030] Figure 6 It is one of the texture measurement results of 3D printed plant protein meat with different filling rates after freezing and thawing in the preparation method of 3D printed plant protein meat provided by the present invention, wherein A, B, and C represent freezing temperatures of -20°C, -40°C, and -80°C, respectively. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making any creative work shall fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0032] The inventors have found that the taste of high-moisture foods, especially high-moisture meat products, is greatly reduced after being frozen. After continuous trials and analysis, they found that the taste can be effectively improved by controlling the quantity and size of high-moisture meat products after freezing. Based on this, the first aspect of the present invention provides a method for freezing high-moisture meat products, wherein the freezing rate is 0.08-2°C / min, and / or, during the freezing process, the time to pass through the maximum ice crystal formation zone is within 30 minutes; wherein the moisture content of the high-moisture meat product is 40-80%; and the radius of the inscribed circle of the artificial meat is 0-12.5mm. Using the freezing method, high-moisture meat products can be frozen, wherein the number of formed ice crystals is 1.41×10 6 -6.04×10 7 pcs / m 3 , ice crystals with a radius of 4-30nm.

[0033] Among them, the freezing rate can be 0.08℃ / min, 0.1℃ / min, 0.2℃ / min, 0.3℃ / min, 0.4℃ / min, 0.5℃ / min, 0.6℃ / min, 1℃ / min, 1.2℃ / min, 1.5℃ / min, 1.6℃ / min, 1.8℃ / min, 2℃ / min, etc., or other freezing rates within the above range, or a range thereof. It has been verified that freezing at the above freezing rate can effectively control the number and size of ice crystals through a shorter time in the maximum ice crystal formation zone, thereby improving the quality of the meat after freezing, including color, taste, etc. Preferably, the freezing rate is 0.2-2℃ / min, which is conducive to the formation of more and smaller ice crystals, thereby better improving the taste of the plant protein meat after freezing and thawing.

[0034] Among them, the water content of high-moisture meat products can be 40%, 45%, 50%, 55%, 60%, 65%, 70%, 75%, 80%, etc.; the radius of the inscribed circle of artificial meat can be 0, 1mm, 2mm, 3mm, 4mm, 5mm, 6mm, 7.5mm, 8mm, 8.5mm, 9mm, 9.5mm, 10mm, 10.5mm, 11mm, 11.5mm, 12mm, 12.5mm, etc.

[0035] In some embodiments, the high-moisture meat product is selected from at least one of animal meat and artificial meat, such as natural animal meat such as beef, mutton, pork, etc., and artificial meat such as plant protein meat, artificial meat prepared by mixing plant protein and animal meat, etc.

[0036] In some embodiments, when the radius of the inscribed circle of the artificial meat is 0-10 mm, the freezing rate is preferably 0.2-2°C / min. For example, when the high-moisture meat product is a cube of 15 mm×15 mm×15 mm, it can be naturally frozen in the air at a freezing temperature of -80°C to -20°C, such as -20°C, -30°C, -40°C, -50°C, -60°C, -80°C, or a range of these temperatures, such as -20°C to -40°C, -40°C to -60°C, -40°C to -80°C, -40°C to -60°C, etc. For another example, when the high-moisture meat product is a cube of 20 mm×20 mm×20 mm, it can be naturally frozen in the air at a freezing temperature of -80°C to -40°C. Such as -40℃, -50℃, -60℃, -80℃, or it can be a range of these temperatures, such as -40℃~ -60℃, -40℃~ -80℃, -40℃~ -60℃, etc.

[0037] If the radius of the inscribed circle of the artificial meat is 10-12.5 mm, the freezing rate is preferably 0.5-2°C / min. For example, when the high-moisture meat product is a cube of 25 mm×25 mm×25 mm, it can be naturally frozen in the air at a freezing temperature below -80°C, such as -80°C, -90°C, -100°C, etc., or -80°C~ -100°C, -80°C~ -90°C, etc.

[0038] In addition to the air mentioned in this application, the freezing medium can also be changed according to actual conditions, such as freezing in a liquid nitrogen environment, or freezing in flowing air, etc., so as to achieve the freezing rate in this application, thereby improving the taste of high-moisture meat products after freezing and thawing.

[0039] The inscribed circle radius of the artificial meat mentioned above refers to the shortest distance between the geometric center of the artificial meat and the surface of the artificial meat. When the artificial meat is a cube, the inscribed circle radius is half of the side length of the cube; when the artificial meat is a sphere, the inscribed circle radius is the radius of the sphere, and so on, which will not be repeated here.

[0040] The second aspect of the present invention provides a 3D printed plant protein meat composition, which is frozen using the freezing method.

[0041] In some embodiments, after the plant protein meat composition is frozen, the number of ice crystals is 1.41×10 6 -6.04×10 7 pcs / m 3 , for example 1.99×10 7 pcs / m 3 , 2.40×10 7 pcs / m 3 , 6.04×107 pcs / m 3 , 1.88×10 6 pcs / m 3 , 1.44×10 7 pcs / m 3 , 1.66×10 7 pcs / m 3 , 1.41×10 6 pcs / m 3 , 1.79×10 6 pcs / m 3 , 1.83×10 7 pcs / m 3 5.90×10 7 pcs / m 3 , 6.19×10 7 pcs / m 3 The range may also be other numbers within the above range or a range consisting of these numbers.

[0042] In some embodiments, the radius of the ice crystal is 4-30 nm, for example, 4 nm, 5 nm, 6 nm, 7 nm, 8 nm, 9 nm, 10 nm, 12 nm, 14 nm, 15 nm, 16 nm, 18 nm, 20 nm, 22 nm, 24 nm, 25 nm, 26 nm, 28 nm, 30 nm, etc.

[0043] It has been verified that the ice crystal number and radius within the above range can more effectively improve the taste of 3D printed plant protein meat after freezing and thawing, and the cooking loss is small. In particular, the ice crystal density is 1.44×10 7 -6.04×10 7 pcs / m 3 , and / or, the radius of the ice crystal is 4-9 nm, which has a better effect on improving the taste and less cooking loss; in particular, the ice crystal density is 5.90×10 7 -6.19×10 7 / m3, with a radius of 4.9-6.6 nm, and better effects such as hardness, chewiness and cohesion, with minimal cooking loss.

[0044] In some embodiments, the vegetable protein meat includes, by weight: 5-30 parts of walnut protein, 20-40 parts of chicken, 4.5-5.5 parts of potato starch, 0.4-0.8 parts of edible salt, 2-4 parts of konjac gum, 1-2 parts of carrageenan, and 40-50 parts of water; wherein the total amount of walnut protein and chicken is 45-50 parts, and preferably the total amount is 100 parts.

[0045] The plant protein meat composition provided by the present invention can supplement animal protein and plant protein at the same time, and can meet all the needs of the human body; at the same time, the addition of potato starch, konjac gum and carrageenan not only helps to improve the taste and texture of the plant protein meat composition, but also improves the stability and nutritional value of the product, making it closer to the characteristics of traditional meat. Potato starch has good water absorption and swelling, can absorb moisture in meat products and form gelatinized materials, thereby improving the water retention and stability of the product; the gel formed by it has a high degree of transparency and elasticity, can improve the taste and texture of artificial meat, and make it closer to real meat. Konjac gum has extremely high viscosity, can significantly increase the viscosity and adhesion of food, prevent meat products from dehydrating and oiling during processing, and when carrageenan is used in combination, it can improve gel strength and elasticity, improve the taste of artificial meat, and make it more flexible; Konjac gum is also an excellent soluble dietary fiber with physiological functions such as weight loss, laxative, and hypolipidemic. Carrageenan can combine with proteins in meat products to form a stable gel structure, enhancing the water retention and adhesion of the product; its gel properties can improve the texture of artificial meat, making it more elastic and easier to slice.

[0046] Among them, the chicken content can be 20%, 25%, 30%, 35%, 40%, etc., or 20-25%, 20-30%, etc., and the walnut protein content can be 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30%, etc., or 15-20%, 15-25%, etc.

[0047] In some embodiments, the plant protein meat composition includes, by weight: 15-25 parts of walnut protein, 20-30 parts of chicken, 4.5-5.5 parts of potato starch, 0.4-0.8 parts of edible salt, 2-4 parts of konjac gum, 1-2 parts of carrageenan, and 40-50 parts of water; preferably, the total amount is 100 parts. It has been verified that the plant protein meat composition with the above composition is more suitable for 3D printing, is not easy to collapse, and has higher printing accuracy.

[0048] In some embodiments, the shape of the plant protein meat composition is selected from at least one of a cube, a cylinder, and a sphere.

[0049] The second aspect of the present invention provides a method for preparing the plant protein meat composition, comprising: crushing all raw materials and mixing them evenly to obtain food ink; using 3D printing to form, wherein the filling rate during 3D printing is 10-100%. For example, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 100%, or a range of these filling rates, such as 10-30%, 30-50%, 50-70%, 70-90%, 50-100%, 10-50%, 30-70%, etc., which are not listed here one by one.

[0050] In some embodiments, the filling rate during 3D printing is 50-100%. It has been verified that with the above filling rate, the printed plant protein meat has better stability, is not easy to collapse, has better hardness and chewiness, and is more conducive to improving the taste of 3D printed plant protein meat. For example, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 100%, or a range of these filling rates, such as 50-70%, 70-90%, 50-90%, 90-100%, etc., are not listed here one by one.

[0051] At present, plant meat is mainly stored and circulated by freezing, because freezing can preserve the freshness of the product to the greatest extent and extend the storage period of food. However, after freezing, the quality of meat will generally be lost to a large extent, such as color, taste, water holding capacity, etc. The freezing process is divided into three stages: pre-cooling, phase change, and final cooling. The nucleation and growth of ice crystals occur in the phase change stage, which is a key step in determining the freezing efficiency and the quality of frozen food, and the size and position of ice crystals are important factors in determining food quality. The formation and growth process of crystals is complex and difficult to observe quantitatively. At present, some theoretical modeling methods have been proposed to link crystal properties with food freezing process parameters (including cooling rate and heat transfer) based on different thermodynamic, mass transfer and heat transfer principles. However, plant protein meat focuses on the development of 3D printing food ink components, and no predecessors have combined physical properties to explore the freezing storage process of printed models.

[0052] In the examples, information of each raw material is shown in Table 1 below.

[0053] Table 1 Raw material information

[0054] If no specific techniques or conditions are specified in the examples, the techniques or conditions described in the literature in the field or the product instructions are used. If no manufacturer is specified for the reagents or instruments used, they are all conventional products that can be purchased commercially.

[0055] The present invention is described below with reference to specific embodiments. It should be noted that these embodiments are merely illustrative and do not limit the present invention in any way.

[0056] Example 1 The present embodiment provides a 3D printed plant protein meat, which is composed of: 27g walnut protein, 20g chicken, 4.9g potato starch, 0.6g edible salt, 3g konjac gum, 1.6g carrageenan, and 43g water.

[0057] This embodiment also provides a method for preparing the 3D printed plant protein meat, comprising: (1) Using an electric hand-held blender (205, Ritian Electric Co., Ltd, China) to stir for 10 min to ensure that all materials are mixed into a uniform system, thereby obtaining a food ink containing walnut protein and minced chicken (also known as CBWP ink); (2) Wrapping the food ink with food-grade plastic wrap to prevent evaporation of moisture during storage; placing the 3D printing ink at 4° C. for 12 hours to fully rehydrate; (3) 3D printing: The modeling size is a cube of 15 mm × 15 mm × 15 mm, the nozzle aperture is 0.84 mm, the layer height is 0.4 mm, the filling mode is linear, the filling angle is 45°, the filling rate is 100%, the maximum printing speed is 15 mm / s, and the printing is carried out at room temperature (25°C).

[0058] Example 2 The present embodiment provides a 3D printed plant protein meat, which is basically the same as the embodiment 1, except that its composition is: 22g walnut protein, 25g chicken, 4.9g potato starch, 0.6g edible salt, 3g konjac gum, 1.6g carrageenan, and 43g water.

[0059] Example 3 The present embodiment provides a 3D printed plant protein meat, which is basically the same as the embodiment 1, except that its composition is: 17g walnut protein, 30g chicken, 4.9g potato starch, 0.6g edible salt, 3g konjac gum, 1.6g carrageenan, and 43g water.

[0060] Example 4 The present embodiment provides a 3D printed plant protein meat, which is basically the same as the embodiment 1, except that its composition is: 12g walnut protein, 35g chicken, 4.9g potato starch, 0.6g edible salt, 3g konjac gum, 1.6g carrageenan, and 43g water.

[0061] Example 5 The present embodiment provides a 3D printed plant protein meat, which is basically the same as the embodiment 1, except that its composition is: 7g walnut protein, 40g chicken, 4.9g potato starch, 0.6g edible salt, 3g konjac gum, 1.6g carrageenan, and 43g water.

[0062] In Examples 1-5, the samples were named CBWP (20), CBWP (25), CBWP (30), CBWP (35) and CBWP (40) according to the different amounts of chicken paste added.

[0063] Example 6 This embodiment provides a 3D printed plant protein meat, which is basically the same as Example 2, except that the filling rate is 10% during its preparation process.

[0064] Example 7 This embodiment provides a 3D printed plant protein meat, which is basically the same as Example 2, except that the filling rate is 30% during its preparation process.

[0065] Example 8 This embodiment provides a 3D printed plant protein meat, which is basically the same as Example 2, except that the filling rate is 50% during its preparation process.

[0066] Example 9 This embodiment provides a 3D printed plant protein meat, which is basically the same as Example 2, except that the filling rate is 70% during its preparation process.

[0067] Example 10 This embodiment provides a 3D printed plant protein meat, which is basically the same as Example 2, except that the filling rate is 90% during its preparation process.

[0068] Embodiment 11 This embodiment provides a 3D printed plant protein meat, which is basically the same as Example 2, with the only difference being that during its preparation process, the printing size is 20 mm×20 mm×20 mm.

[0069] Example 12 This embodiment provides a 3D printed plant protein meat, which is basically the same as Example 2, with the only difference being that during its preparation process, the printing size is 25mm×25mm×25mm.

[0070] Example 13 The present embodiment provides a method for freezing 3D printed plant protein meat, wherein the plant protein meat sample prepared in Example 2 is frozen at -20±2°C: the plant protein meat sample is placed in the center of a small aluminum box (4 cm in diameter, 2 cm in depth), and the freezing is terminated when the geometric center temperature of the sample reaches -18°C.

[0071] Before the freezing, the refrigerator was equilibrated at the set temperature overnight (12 hours) before the test. The interior of the refrigerator was completely empty except for the sample being tested. During the test, the refrigerator door was sealed with tape to ensure the sealing of the refrigerator door.

[0072] Embodiment 14 This embodiment provides a method for freezing 3D printed plant protein meat, which is basically the same as Example 13, except that the freezing temperature is -40±2°C.

[0073] Embodiment 15 This embodiment provides a method for freezing 3D printed plant protein meat, which is basically the same as Example 13, except that the freezing temperature is -80±2°C.

[0074] Example 16 This embodiment provides a method for freezing 3D printed plant protein meat, and the plant protein meat sample provided in Example 11 is frozen and stored at -20±2°C.

[0075] Embodiment 17 This embodiment provides a method for freezing 3D printed plant protein meat, which is basically the same as Example 16, except that the freezing temperature is -40±2°C.

[0076] Embodiment 18 This embodiment provides a method for freezing 3D printed plant protein meat, which is basically the same as Example 16, except that the freezing temperature is -80±2°C.

[0077] Embodiment 19 This embodiment provides a method for freezing 3D printed plant protein meat, and the 3D printed plant protein meat sample provided in Example 12 is frozen and stored at -20±2°C.

[0078] Embodiment 20 This embodiment provides a method for freezing 3D printed plant protein meat, which is basically the same as Example 19, with the only difference being that the freezing temperature is -40±2°C.

[0079] Embodiment 21 This embodiment provides a method for freezing 3D printed plant protein meat, which is basically the same as Example 19, with the only difference being that the freezing temperature is -80±2°C.

[0080] Test Example 1: Stability and Printing Deviation Analysis Test subjects: The plant protein meat samples CBWP (20), CBWP (25), CBWP (30), CBWP (35) and CBWP (40) in Examples 1-5, that is, the plant protein meat samples in Examples 6-10.

[0081] Test method: (i) Stability: After printing, place it in place for 3 hours to observe whether it collapses and the degree of collapse; (ii) Printing deviation: The length, width, and height of the 3D printed meat samples were measured immediately after printing with a vernier caliper. The printing deviation (mm) of each sample was evaluated by measuring the dimensions (length, width, and height) of each sample after printing at three different positions (bottom, middle, and top). The printing deviation was calculated by the difference between the modeling size and the printed size. The average value of each result was used. A positive value indicates that the size becomes larger, and a negative value indicates that the size becomes smaller. The smaller the value, the smaller the deviation and the better the printing accuracy.

[0082] Test results: The printing effects of the plant protein meat samples in Examples 1-5 are as follows: Figure 1 As shown, the printing accuracy is Figure 2 As shown; the printing effect of the vegetable protein meat sample in Example 6-10 is as follows Figure 3 As shown in the figure (photos of the printed model and 3D printed plant protein meat from different angles), the printing accuracy is as follows Figure 4 shown.

[0083] Depend on Figure 1 It can be seen that all samples showed varying degrees of collapse after being placed for 3 hours after printing. Among them, the plant protein meat samples with a chicken protein content of 35% and 40% collapsed most obviously, the plant protein meat sample with a chicken content of 20% collapsed second, and the plant protein meat samples with a chicken content of 25% and 30% collapsed to a lesser extent; this indicates that the plant protein meat composition provided in Examples 2 and 3 is more suitable for 3D printing.

[0084] Figure 2 The length, width and height of the printed cubes with different recipes are displayed with the size printing deviation of the computer model. The results show that the printing deviation of the plant protein meat sample printed by adding 25% chicken to walnut protein is the smallest, indicating that the viscoelasticity and mechanical strength of the food ink containing 25% chicken are most suitable for 3D printing, and the stability of the printed product is the best.

[0085] The samples printed in the experiment were similar to the pre-designed theoretical model, which shows that 3D printing can achieve accurate printing of personalized formulas. Figure 3 As can be seen, the images of 3D printed meat samples with different infill ratios clearly show the printing paths that the food 3D printer executes to achieve the set geometry. Figure 3 Some very thin and easily collapsed internal grid structures can be observed, especially for low filling ratio levels (e.g., samples with 10% and 30% filling ratio); Figure 3 It can be seen that the sample with a filling rate of 100% has the best internal grid structure, is not prone to collapse, and has the strongest support capacity. Since the material is soft after printing, it collapses from a cube to a ladder over time; the printed meat with a filling rate of 30% is most likely to have internal structure collapse after printing.

[0086] according to Figure 4 ,By comparing the relationship between the printed 3D printed meat sample dimensions (length, width and height) and the 3D printer set dimensions, the dimensional printing deviation of each sample was calculated to determine the printing accuracy. The results show that these dimensions are less affected by the filling rate. From A, B and C, it can be seen that the deviation values ​​of length, width and height are -11.22% to -1.67%, -8.89% to -0.33% and -13.11% to -4.89%, respectively, but the overall gap between the groups is not large.

[0087] Test Example 2 Analysis of basic nutrients of products Test subject: the plant protein meat sample in Example 2.

[0088] Test methods: Total fat content was determined by acid hydrolysis of homogenized samples followed by Soxhlet extraction with petroleum ether as solvent; N content was measured using an automatic nitrogen analyzer (C. Gerhardt GmbH & Co. KG, KÖ nigswinter, Germany) based on the Dumas combustion method (AOAC 992.15), and protein content was calculated using a protein conversion factor of 6.25. Moisture content was determined gravimetrically according to Regulation (CE) No. 152 / 2009, and carbohydrate and sodium contents were determined using the methods described in GB / Z21922-2008 and GB5009.268–2016, respectively.

[0089] Test results: as shown in Table 2.

[0090] Table 2 Comparison of basic nutrients between protein meat sold on the market and this product (CBWP)

[0091] As can be seen from Table 2, compared with the basic nutrients of the plant protein meat brand Po Ding Zao Meat, the plant protein meat sample in Example 2 has a similar protein content and has the potential to be used as an animal meat substitute. It is low in fat, sodium and protein, and can be used as a high-quality nutritional supplement.

[0092] Test Example 3 Product Texture Analysis Test subjects: the plant protein meat samples in Examples 2, 6-10.

[0093] Test method: 3D printed meat samples with different filling rates were measured by TPA mode using a texture analyzer before freezing; frozen at different freezing temperatures (-20℃, -40℃, -80℃) and thawed naturally, and then measured again by TPA mode using a texture analyzer. The probe type was selected as N673005 cylindrical probe 5 mm, the test rate was 1 mm / s, and the return rate was 1.0 mm / s. The samples were compressed at room temperature and compressed to 50% of their original height to evaluate the hardness, chewiness and cohesion of the 3D printed meat samples. Each sample was tested three times and the average value was taken.

[0094] Test results: Texture test results before freezing are shown in Figure 5 The texture test results after freezing and thawing are shown in Figure 6 shown.

[0095] The 3D printed meat samples with different filling rates showed an uneven mesh structure in the middle. Figure 5 It can be seen that the hardness and chewiness of the plant protein samples printed with different filling rates before freezing generally increase with the increase of filling rate. This is because the increase in filling rate will improve the printing of the internal structure, making the internal structure more compact, and the hardness and chewiness increase, which helps to improve the taste of plant protein meat; cohesion achieves higher values ​​when the filling rate is 50% and 100%. Cohesion can represent the internal bonding of the muscle and directly affects the texture of plant protein meat.

[0096] from Figure 6 It can be seen that after freezing and thawing at different temperatures, the hardness, chewiness and cohesion are better than before freezing. This is because the freezing process further forms the organizational structure of the plant protein meat; the product with a filling rate of 100% has better hardness, chewiness and cohesion; the plant protein meat printed with the same filling rate, after freezing and thawing at -80℃, has better hardness, chewiness and cohesion. This may be because when frozen at this temperature, the number of ice crystals formed inside the plant protein meat is more and the size is smaller, which can better improve the taste after freezing and thawing.

[0097] Test Example 4 Number and radius of ice crystals Test object: Frozen vegetable protein meat composition obtained by the freezing method in Examples 13-21.

[0098] Test method: The vegetable protein meat provided in Examples 2, 11 and 12 was frozen using the freezing method of Examples 13-21. During the freezing process, a T-type thermocouple was inserted into the geometric center of the sample, and the freezing process of the 3D printed meat (CBWP) was recorded using a temperature indicator with an accuracy of 0.1°C (Graphtecmidi LOGGER GL240, GRAPHTEC corporation, Japan). During the freezing process, temperature data was collected every 5 s. With temperature as the ordinate and time as the abscissa, a freezing curve was obtained, and the freezing rate was calculated and expressed in °C / min.

[0099] An optical microscope (LV100ND, Nikon, Japan), a cold stage (THMS 600, Linkman, Japan) and a digital camera (YTV55, Nikon, Japan) were used to capture the dynamic phase transition of ice crystal growth. The eyepiece and objective lens were 10× and 20×, respectively. The CBWP ink was evenly and thinly coated on a microscope slide (18 mm in diameter) and then placed on the cold stage. Then, the sample was frozen and crystallized from 0℃ to -18℃ under the temperature environment of -20, -40 and -80℃ on the cold stage according to the freezing rate in Table 3. The digital camera was used to accurately record the ice crystal images of the sample at the beginning and completion of the phase transition. The whole process was recorded using Image View and powersoft software. The number and radius of ice crystals within the range of 200 μm × 200 μm before and after the phase transition in the same field of view were counted.

[0100] Data analysis was performed using Origin software (Origin2023b, OriginLab Corp, Northampton, MA, USA) and SPSS software (IBM SPSS Statistics 24, SPSS Inc., NY, USA).

[0101] Test results: The time to pass through the maximum ice crystal formation zone (-1 ℃ ~ -5 ℃) was obtained from the freezing curve. The results are shown in Table 3; the results of ice crystal quantity are shown in Table 4, and the results of ice crystal radius are shown in Table 5.

[0102] Table 3 Time (min) and freezing rate (℃ / min) of samples of different sizes (15mm, 20mm, 25mm) passing through the maximum ice crystal formation zone (-1℃~-5℃) at different freezing temperatures (-20℃, -40℃, -80℃)

[0103] Different letters in each row (AC) and column (ac) represent significant differences (p < 0.05). During the freezing process, the temperature from -1°C to -5°C is widely considered to be the main stage of ice crystal formation (maximum ice crystal formation zone), which has a significant impact on food quality. The speed of freezing can generally be divided by the time it takes for the center temperature of the food to drop. The time required for the center temperature of the food to drop from -1°C to -5°C (i.e., the time it takes to pass through the maximum ice crystal formation zone, reflecting the freezing rate) is within 30 minutes, which is considered fast freezing, and more than 30 minutes is considered slow freezing.

[0104] According to Table 3, the time it takes for the sample to pass through the maximum ice crystal production zone can be calculated. It can be concluded that the 15 mm CBWP is quickly frozen under the three temperature environments; the 20 mm CBWP is slowly frozen at -20 ℃, and quickly frozen at -40 ℃ and -80 ℃; the 25 mm CBWP is slowly frozen at -20 ℃ and -40 ℃, and quickly frozen at -80 ℃. The freezing rate of CBWPs with the same physical size increases significantly with the decrease of the freezing environment temperature. Under the same freezing environment, the freezing rate of CBWPs decreases significantly with the increase of physical size. These results show that freezing temperature and sample physical size are important factors affecting the freezing process of CBWP, and the freezing process can be changed by regulating these two factors.

[0105] Table 4 Number of ice crystals of samples of different sizes at different freezing temperatures (pieces)

[0106] As shown in Table 4, the number of ice crystals ranged from 15 to 28 during slow freezing and from 67 to 286 during fast freezing. At the same ambient temperature, there was a significant difference between the fast freezing group and the slow freezing group.

[0107] Table 5 Ice crystal radius of samples of different sizes at different freezing temperatures (nm) As can be seen from Table 5, from the standard error of the ice crystal radius, under the same physical size, with the increase of freezing rate (decrease of freezing temperature), the variability of the average crystal size radius within the observed fixed range (200 μm × 200 μm) tends to decrease. Therefore, at higher freezing rates than at lower freezing rates, ice crystal growth tends to be consistent in size, and the impact on the quality stability of plant protein meat will also be reduced.

[0108] As for the number and size of ice crystals, taking the cooking loss index of the sample with a size of 15 mm as an example, the number of ice crystals increased and the size of ice crystals decreased under the temperature conditions of -20℃, -40℃ and -80℃, and the corresponding cooking losses were 2.64±0.20%, 2.19±0.61% and 1.69±0.86%, respectively. It can be seen that the cooking loss has decreased. Among all the methods for characterizing water holding capacity, the cooking loss has the highest correlation with the juiciness of meat. The greater the cooking loss, the more water is lost in the meat, which directly affects the weight and texture (taste) of the meat. Similarly, after frying the vegetable protein meat, the brightness of the sample with a size of 15 mm ( L values) were 53.05±1.07, 59.42±0.74, and 57.19±1.40, respectively. L The larger the value, the brighter the color of the plant protein meat and the higher the consumer acceptance.

[0109] The cooking loss determination method is as follows: weigh 5 g of the sample accurately, put it into a 50 mL centrifuge tube and seal it. The initial weight is recorded as w 0 After heating at 80°C for 20 minutes in a steamer, the sample was cooled at 4°C for 20 minutes and the surface moisture was wiped off with filter paper. The final mass of the sample was determined and taken as w 1 Processing. Cooking loss (%) is calculated as (w 0 −w 1 ) / w 0 × 100.

[0110] The color measurement method is as follows: the sample is fried at 80℃ for 5min until the surface is golden, and then the color is measured using a colorimeter (NH300, 3nh, China). L value.

[0111] In summary, the present invention provides a plant protein meat and a preparation method thereof, wherein the plant protein meat contains 45-50% walnut protein and chicken, and its nutritional components are similar to those of commercially available artificial meat, and it has the potential to be used as an animal meat substitute, and it is low in fat, low in sodium, and high in protein, and can be used as a high-quality nutritional supplement; during its preparation, the filling rate is selected to be 100%. The present invention further provides a frozen storage method for the plant protein meat, which controls the number and size of ice crystals in the plant protein meat during the freezing process by controlling the freezing temperature, freezing rate, etc. during the freezing process, thereby improving the freezing quality of the plant protein meat and improving the taste and color after freezing.

[0112] Although the present application is only described by taking a regular cube as an example, it is not difficult for a person skilled in the art to understand that when printing an irregular shape, since freezing starts from the surface closest to the geometric center, ice crystals are formed and gradually freeze toward the center, and during the freezing process, only the area where ice crystals are formed will affect the taste due to the thawing of ice crystals, so during the freezing process of high-moisture meat products, the most easily affected part is the area from the surface closest to the geometric center to the geometric center. Therefore, no matter what shape, whether the shape is regular or symmetrical, such as a cuboid, a triangular pyramid, etc., as long as the radius of the inscribed circle is within the range of 0-12.5 mm, the freezing method provided by the present invention can achieve the purpose of improving the taste of high-moisture meat products.

[0113] Finally, it should be noted that the above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention, rather than to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that they can still modify the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments, or make equivalent replacements for some of the technical features therein. However, these modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for freezing high-moisture meat products, characterized in that: The freezing rate is 0.08-2°C / min, and / or, during the freezing process, the time to pass through the maximum ice crystal formation zone is within 30 minutes; wherein the moisture content of the high-moisture meat product is 40% to 80%.

2. The freezing method according to claim 1, characterized in that: The freezing rate is 0.2-2°C / min.

3. The freezing method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The high-moisture meat product is selected from at least one of animal meat and artificial meat.

4. The freezing method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that: The radius of the inscribed circle of the artificial meat is 0-12.5 mm; Preferably, when the radius of the inscribed circle of the artificial meat is 0-10 mm, the freezing rate is 0.2-2° C. / min; Preferably, when the radius of the inscribed circle of the artificial meat is 10-12.5 mm, the freezing rate is 0.5-2°C / min.

5. A 3D printed plant protein meat, characterized in that: The product is obtained by freezing using the freezing method according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The vegetable protein meat according to claim 5, characterized in that: After freezing, the number of ice crystals is 1.41×10 6 -6.04×10 7 pcs / m 3 , and / or, the radius of the ice crystal is 4-30nm.

7. The vegetable protein meat according to claim 6, characterized in that: After freezing, the number of ice crystals is 1.44×10 7 -6.04×10 7 pcs / m 3 , and / or, the radius of the ice crystal is 4-9nm.

8. The vegetable protein meat according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that: By weight, it comprises: 5-30 parts of walnut protein and 20-40 parts of chicken; wherein the total amount of walnut protein and chicken is 45-50 parts; Preferably, the 3D printed plant protein meat further comprises, by weight: 4.5-5.5 parts of potato starch, 0.4-0.8 parts of edible salt, 2-4 parts of konjac gum, 1-2 parts of carrageenan, and 40-50 parts of water; Preferably, the 3D printed plant protein meat comprises, by weight: 15-25 parts of walnut protein, 20-30 parts of chicken, 4.5-5.5 parts of potato starch, 0.4-0.8 parts of edible salt, 2-4 parts of konjac gum, 1-2 parts of carrageenan, and 40-50 parts of water.

9. The vegetable protein meat according to any one of claims 5 to 8, characterized in that: The shape is selected from at least one of a cube, a cylinder and a sphere.

10. The vegetable protein meat according to any one of claims 5 to 9, characterized in that: It is formed by 3D printing, and the filling rate during 3D printing is 10-100%.

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