Kale and chia seed cereal meal replacement powder and preparation method thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses kale and chia seed cereal meal replacement powder and a preparation method thereof.The method comprises the steps that fresh kale leaves are blanched with low-temperature steam, then compound lactic acid bacteria are added for anaerobic fermentation, freeze drying is conducted after fermentation, and fermented kale freeze-dried powder is obtained; the chia seeds are subjected to ultramicro airflow pulverization in a low-temperature environment, a wall material solution is sprayed synchronously in the pulverization process, in-situ microencapsulation embedding is conducted on the chia seeds, and microencapsulated chia seed powder is obtained; the preparation method comprises the following steps: mixing cereal powder with water, sequentially carrying out enzymolysis treatment by adopting amylase and beta-glucanase, and carrying out pulsed infrared radiation baking, so as to obtain low-GI cereal base powder; and mixing the fermented kale freeze-dried powder, the microencapsulated chia seed powder, the low-GI cereal base powder and natural flavor substances, spraying atomized MCT, and homogenizing to obtain the meal replacement powder. The bitterness of the kale is thoroughly eliminated, and the product is endowed with a pleasant flavor compounded by fermented frankincense and cereal baking fragrance.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of food technology, and in particular to a kale chia seed cereal meal replacement powder and its preparation method. Background Technology

[0002] With the increasing popularity of healthy eating concepts, meal replacement powders are gaining popularity among consumers due to their convenience and controllable nutrition. Kale is rich in vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and various phytochemicals, while chia seeds are rich in alpha-linolenic acid, dietary fiber, and protein; both are ideal ingredients for meal replacement foods. However, the following problems still exist when using kale and chia seeds in solid meal replacement powders: First, direct drying and pulverizing of kale leaves residues of its inherent bitter substances (such as isothiocyanates) and results in significant loss of heat-sensitive nutrients (such as vitamin C). Second, the active ingredients in chia seeds (such as alpha-linolenic acid) are highly susceptible to oxidative rancidity during conventional pulverization and storage, and their intact form or coarsely pulverized state leads to unpleasant textures (sticky, clumpy) when mixed with other ingredients. Third, grain roasting, often done to improve flavor, tends to increase the glycemic index, which is detrimental to weight and blood sugar management. Finally, current processes mostly involve simple pretreatment and physical mixing of raw materials, failing to achieve flavor fusion and masking between components, synergistic improvement of texture, and targeted enhancement of nutritional functions. Products often rely on additives to improve taste and stability, making it difficult to meet the market's demand for clean-label, nutritionally efficient, and sensorily superior natural health products. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention provides a kale chia seed cereal meal replacement powder and its preparation method to solve the technical problem of poor flavor and taste in current meal replacement powder products.

[0004] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a method for preparing kale chia seed cereal meal replacement powder, comprising the following steps: Step 1: After blanching fresh kale leaves with low-temperature steam, add compound lactic acid bacteria for anaerobic fermentation, and freeze-dry after fermentation to obtain fermented kale freeze-dried powder. Step 2: Chia seeds are pulverized by ultra-fine airflow under low temperature environment, and wall material solution is sprayed in simultaneously during the pulverization process to encapsulate the chia seeds in situ, so as to obtain microencapsulated chia seed powder. Step 3: After mixing the grain powder with water, enzymatic hydrolysis is carried out by amylase and β-glucanase in sequence, followed by pulsed infrared radiation baking to obtain low-GI grain base powder. Step four: Mix the fermented kale freeze-dried powder, the microencapsulated chia seed powder, the low-GI cereal base powder, and the natural flavoring substances, spray in atomized medium-chain triglycerides, homogenize, and obtain the meal replacement powder.

[0005] In some of the embodiments, in step one, the steam temperature of the low-temperature steam blanching is 90℃~95℃ and the steaming time is 60s~90s; the compound lactic acid bacteria are composed of Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus brevis in a mass ratio of 1:(1~3), the fermentation temperature is 30℃~33℃, and the anaerobic fermentation time is 24h~36h.

[0006] In some embodiments, in step two, the low-temperature environment is -10℃ to 0℃; the particle size D90 of the chia seed powder after ultra-micro airflow pulverization is ≤30μm; the wall material solution is composed of resistant dextrin and gum arabic in a mass ratio of (3~1):1, and the amount of the wall material solution sprayed is 5%~15% of the mass of the chia seeds.

[0007] In some of the embodiments, the enzymatic hydrolysis treatment of sequentially using amylase and β-glucanase in step three includes: first adding 5 U to 15 U of α-amylase per gram of grain powder and treating at 70°C to 75°C for 20 to 40 minutes; then adding 10 U to 30 U of β-glucanase per gram of grain powder and treating at 50°C to 55°C for 60 to 120 minutes.

[0008] In some embodiments, in step three, the grain powder includes one or more of the following: Job's tears powder, Poria cocos powder, oat powder, whole wheat powder, brown rice powder, corn powder, and highland barley powder.

[0009] In some embodiments, in step three, the infrared wavelength of the pulsed infrared radiation is 2.5μm~4.0μm, the radiation temperature is 300℃~400℃, the radiation time is 30s~60s, the interval is 10s~30s, and the cycle is repeated 3~6 times.

[0010] In some embodiments, in step four, the natural flavoring substance is at least one of freeze-dried lemon powder, freeze-dried orange powder, or freeze-dried strawberry powder; the amount of medium-chain triglycerides injected accounts for 0.1% to 0.3% of the total mass of the meal replacement powder.

[0011] In some of these embodiments, in step four, the mass ratio of the fermented kale freeze-dried powder, the microencapsulated chia seed powder, and the low-GI cereal base powder is (2~6):(1~4):(10~16).

[0012] Secondly, the present invention also provides a kale chia seed cereal meal replacement powder, which is prepared by the above-mentioned preparation method.

[0013] In some embodiments, the method for preparing the meal replacement powder includes: mixing the meal replacement powder with water at 50°C to 70°C at a mass ratio of 1:(8 to 10), stirring for 10 to 15 seconds to form a uniform and stable suspension.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: By rapidly deactivating bittering enzymes in kale through low-temperature steam blanching, and then biotransforming residual bitter precursors through probiotic fermentation to generate a natural sour aroma, heat-sensitive nutrients are largely preserved while removing bitterness. Chia seeds are subjected to low-temperature ultrafine grinding to inhibit processing heat oxidation, and simultaneously microencapsulation is performed in situ. The surface energy of the newly formed particles instantly forms a protective barrier, locking in easily oxidized α-linolenic acid and altering its hydration characteristics. The cereal substrate is subjected to stepwise enzymatic hydrolysis, through the sequential action of α-amylase and β-glucanase, regulating starch digestibility and dietary content. Pulsed infrared radiation is then used to achieve rapid Maillard reaction for aroma generation and structural crisping, imparting a rich roasted flavor while avoiding the increase in glycemic index (GI) caused by prolonged heating. During the mixing of all materials, atomized MCT surface recombination is used. MCT acts as a flavor fixative and hydrophobic modifier, locking in aroma molecules and optimizing the surface energy of powder particles to promote rapid and uniform hydration, thus completely eliminating the bitterness of kale and giving the product a pleasant flavor that combines fermented milky aroma and roasted cereal aroma. Detailed Implementation

[0015] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention can be practiced in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0016] As used herein, the terms “prepared from” and “comprising” are synonymous. The terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” “containing,” or any other variations thereof, as used herein, are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a composition, step, method, article, or apparatus that includes the listed elements is not necessarily limited to those elements, but may include other elements not expressly listed or elements inherent to such composition, step, method, article, or apparatus.

[0017] When a quantity, concentration, or other value or parameter is expressed as a range, a preferred range, or a range defined by a series of upper and lower preferred values, this should be understood as specifically disclosing all ranges formed by any pair of any upper or preferred value with any lower or preferred value, regardless of whether the range is disclosed individually. For example, when the range “1 to 5” is disclosed, the described range should be interpreted as including the ranges “1 to 4”, “1 to 3”, “1 to 2”, “1 to 2 and 4 to 5”, “1 to 3 and 5”, etc. When numerical ranges are described herein, unless otherwise stated, the range is intended to include its endpoints and all integers and fractions within that range.

[0018] Furthermore, the indefinite articles “a” and “an” preceding the elements or components of this invention do not impose any limitation on the quantity requirement (i.e., the number of times) of the elements or components. Therefore, “an” or “a” should be interpreted as including one or at least one, and the singular form of an element or component also includes the plural form, unless the quantity clearly refers to the singular form.

[0019] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains. The terminology used herein in the description of the invention is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Example 1

[0020] A method for preparing a kale chia seed cereal meal replacement powder includes the following steps: Step 1: Using a steam generator, fresh kale leaves are blanched in low-temperature steam at 90℃ for 90 seconds, then transferred to a fermentation tank. A compound lactic acid bacteria consisting of Lactobacillus plantarum (CICC 20241) and Lactobacillus brevis (CICC 23155) in a mass ratio of 1:1 is added, and the mixture is anaerobic fermented at 30℃ for 36 hours. After fermentation, the kale leaves are freeze-dried to obtain fermented kale freeze-dried powder. Step 2: Using an ultra-micro pulverizer, chia seeds are pulverized under ultra-micro airflow at 0℃ until the particle size D90 is ≤30μm. During the pulverization process, a wall material solution composed of resistant dextrin and gum arabic in a mass ratio of 3:1 is simultaneously sprayed in to perform in-situ microencapsulation of the chia seeds, resulting in microencapsulated chia seed powder. The amount of wall material solution sprayed is 15% of the mass of the chia seeds. Step 3: Mix the cereal powder (oat flour and whole wheat flour in a 1:1 mass ratio) with water, add 5U of α-amylase per gram of cereal powder, and treat at 70℃ for 40 minutes; then add 10U of β-glucanase per gram of cereal powder, and treat at 55℃ for 60 minutes; then bake under pulsed infrared radiation to obtain low-GI cereal base powder. The infrared wavelength of the pulsed infrared radiation is 2.5μm, the radiation temperature is 300℃, the radiation time is 60s per radiation, the interval is 30s, and the cycle is repeated 6 times. Step four: The fermented kale freeze-dried powder, the microencapsulated chia seed powder, and the low-GI cereal base powder are mixed in a mass ratio of 2:1:10 with freeze-dried lemon powder. Then, 0.1% of atomized medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) of the total mass of the meal replacement powder are sprayed in, homogenized, and sterilized to obtain the meal replacement powder. Example 2

[0021] A method for preparing a kale chia seed cereal meal replacement powder includes the following steps: Step 1: Using a steam generator, the cleaned fresh kale leaves are blanched in 93℃ low-temperature steam for 75 seconds, then transferred to a fermentation tank, where a compound lactic acid bacteria consisting of Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus brevis in a mass ratio of 1:2 is added and the mixture is anaerobic fermented at 31℃ for 30 hours. After fermentation, the kale leaves are freeze-dried to obtain fermented kale freeze-dried powder. Step 2: Using an ultra-micro pulverizer, chia seeds are pulverized under ultra-micro airflow at a low temperature of -5℃ until the particle size of chia seed powder is D90≤30μm. During the pulverization process, a wall material solution composed of resistant dextrin and gum arabic in a mass ratio of 2:1 is simultaneously sprayed in to perform in-situ microencapsulation of the chia seeds, resulting in microencapsulated chia seed powder. The amount of wall material solution sprayed is 10% of the mass of the chia seeds. Step 3: Mix the cereal powder (coix seed powder and poria powder in a 1:1 mass ratio) with water, then add 10U of α-amylase per gram of cereal powder and treat at 73℃ for 230 minutes; then add 20U of β-glucanase per gram of cereal powder and treat at 53℃ for 90 minutes; finally, bake under pulsed infrared radiation to obtain low-GI cereal base powder. The infrared wavelength of the pulsed infrared radiation is 3.2μm, the radiation temperature is 350℃, the radiation time is 45s per radiation, the interval is 20s, and the cycle is repeated 5 times. Step four: The fermented kale freeze-dried powder, the microencapsulated chia seed powder, and the low-GI cereal base powder are mixed in a mass ratio of 5:2:11, along with freeze-dried orange powder. Then, 0.2% of atomized medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) of the total mass of the meal replacement powder are sprayed in, homogenized, and sterilized to obtain the meal replacement powder. Example 3

[0022] A method for preparing a kale chia seed cereal meal replacement powder includes the following steps: Step 1: Using a steam generator, the cleaned fresh kale leaves are blanched in 95℃ low-temperature steam for 60 seconds, then transferred to a fermentation tank. A compound lactic acid bacteria consisting of Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus brevis in a mass ratio of 1:3 is added, and the mixture is anaerobic fermented at 33℃ for 24 hours. After fermentation, the kale leaves are freeze-dried to obtain fermented kale freeze-dried powder. Step 2: Using an ultra-micro pulverizer, chia seeds are pulverized under ultra-micro airflow at a low temperature of -10℃ until the particle size of chia seed powder is D90≤30μm. During the pulverization process, a wall material solution composed of resistant dextrin and gum arabic in a 1:1 mass ratio is simultaneously sprayed in to perform in-situ microencapsulation of the chia seeds, resulting in microencapsulated chia seed powder. The amount of wall material solution sprayed is 5% of the mass of the chia seeds. Step 3: Mix the cereal powder (brown rice flour and corn flour in a 1:1 mass ratio) with water, add 15U of α-amylase per gram of cereal powder, and treat at 75℃ for 20 minutes; then add 30U of β-glucanase per gram of cereal powder, and treat at 50℃ for 120 minutes; then bake under pulsed infrared radiation to obtain low-GI cereal powder. The infrared wavelength of the pulsed infrared radiation is 4.0μm, the radiation temperature is 400℃, the radiation time is 30s each time, the interval is 10s, and the cycle is repeated 3 times. Step four: The fermented kale freeze-dried powder, the microencapsulated chia seed powder, and the low-GI cereal base powder are mixed in a mass ratio of 3:2:8, along with freeze-dried strawberry powder. Then, 0.3% of atomized medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) of the total mass of the meal replacement powder are sprayed in, homogenized, and sterilized to obtain the meal replacement powder.

[0023] Comparative Example 1 The difference from Example 1 is that Comparative Example 1 uses hot air drying (70°C, 4h) instead of the low-temperature steam blanching in step one; Comparative Example 2 The difference from Example 1 is that step one of Comparative Example 2 removes lactic acid bacteria fermentation; Comparative Example 3 The difference from Example 1 is that Comparative Example 3 uses room temperature (25°C) pulverization instead of the ultrafine airflow pulverization in step two; Comparative Example 4 The difference from Example 1 is that step two of Comparative Example 4 removes the sprayed wall material solution; Comparative Example 5 The difference from Example 1 is that Comparative Example 5 uses hot air (160°C, 20 min) instead of pulsed infrared radiation baking in step three. Comparative Example 6 The difference from Example 1 is that step three of Comparative Example 6 removes pulsed infrared radiation; Comparative Example 7 The difference from Example 1 is that in Comparative Example 7, after mixing all materials in step four, atomized MCT is no longer sprayed in.

[0024] 1. Vitamin C retention rate: Refer to GB 5009.86-2016 "Determination of ascorbic acid in food" to determine the vitamin C content in the final product and the vitamin C content in the kale raw material, and calculate the vitamin C retention rate.

[0025] 2. Peroxide value (POV): Refer to GB 5009.227-2016 "Determination of peroxide value in food" to determine the content of primary oxidation products in the oil of the product, so as to reflect the degree of oxidative rancidity of α-linolenic acid in chia seeds.

[0026] 3. To accelerate oxidative stability, the sample was placed in a constant temperature oven at 60℃±1℃ for 7 days to accelerate storage. The changes in POV before and after acceleration were measured, and the POV growth rate was calculated.

[0027] Table 1. VC retention rate and POV results for Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 7

[0028] As shown in Table 1, Examples 1 to 3 exhibited good VC retention and oxidative rancidity. Compared to Example 1, Comparative Example 1 showed a significantly lower VC retention rate, indicating that the highly heat-sensitive VC was extensively oxidized, decomposed, and thermally degraded under traditional hot air drying. In contrast, the low-temperature steam blanching of this invention, using short-time steam treatment, can instantly passivate the endogenous enzymes that cause VC oxidation and rapidly kill microorganisms, providing more effective protection for heat-sensitive nutrients than traditional hot air drying. Comparative Examples 3 and 4 showed a higher degree of rancidity, indicating that the temperature generated by friction during room-temperature pulverization directly triggers and accelerates the oxidation chain reaction of chia seed oil, resulting in a large amount of peroxides (high initial POV) generated during processing. The unencapsulated chia seed powder was directly exposed to air, making it prone to continuous oxidation in subsequent processing. This demonstrates that low-temperature protection and encapsulation protection are key steps in preventing chia seed oxidation. Comparative Example 7 showed a low initial POV but a high POV growth rate, indicating that atomized MCT can form a protective film on the surface of powder particles, enhancing the overall oxygen barrier capacity of the powder.

[0029] 4. Reconstitution and sensory quality testing: 4.1. Dispersion time: Take 15g of sample and pour it into a cup containing 150ml of 55℃ water. Start timing from the moment of contact, stir with a glass rod at a fixed rate, and record the time required for the powder to be completely wetted and for there to be no dry powder clumps on the liquid surface.

[0030] 4.2. Sedimentation rate: After the above-mentioned reconstituted solution has been left to stand for 1 hour, carefully remove the supernatant, weigh the wet weight of the sediment at the bottom, and calculate the percentage of the sediment in the total weight of the reconstituted solution.

[0031] 4.3. Sensory evaluation: Ten judges will evaluate the bitterness of the liquid on a scale of 0 to 10 and take the average score (the lower the score, the stronger the bitterness). They will also evaluate the overall flavor and taste of the product on a scale of 1 to 9 and take the average score (the higher the score, the higher the preference).

[0032] 5. Nutritional metabolic characteristics test: Referring to the in vitro simulated gastrointestinal digestion method, the hydrolysis rate of starch in the sample at different time points was tested. With white bread as a reference (GI=100), the glycemic index (eGI) was calculated and estimated.

[0033] Table 2 Results of tests on the reconstitution properties, sensory quality, and nutritional metabolic characteristics of Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Examples 1 to 7

[0034] Table 2 shows that Examples 1-3 exhibited good reconstitution properties, sensory quality, and eGI. Compared to Example 1, Comparative Examples 1 and 2 had lower bitterness scores, indicating that low-temperature steam blanching and fermentation are necessary steps to remove the bitterness from kale. Comparative Examples 3 and 4 had poor reconstitution taste, indicating that microencapsulation can improve the reconstitution problem of chia seeds. Comparative Examples 5-7 showed a decrease in flavor scores, indicating that pulsed infrared roasting and MCT recombination affected the overall quality. Comparative Examples 5 and 6 showed a significant increase in eGI to high GI, indicating that the combination of pulsed infrared radiation roasting and enzymatic hydrolysis is the decisive process for successfully maintaining the low GI characteristics of grains while imparting roasted aroma. Traditional hot air roasting would significantly increase the proportion of rapidly digestible starch.

[0035] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0036] The specific embodiments described above further illustrate the purpose, technical solution, and beneficial effects of the present invention. It should be understood that the above descriptions are merely specific embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. In particular, it should be noted that any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention for those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a kale and chia seed cereal meal replacement powder, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: Step 1: After blanching fresh kale leaves with low-temperature steam, add compound lactic acid bacteria for anaerobic fermentation, and freeze-dry after fermentation to obtain fermented kale freeze-dried powder. Step 2: Chia seeds are pulverized by ultra-fine airflow under low temperature environment, and wall material solution is sprayed in simultaneously during the pulverization process to encapsulate the chia seeds in situ, so as to obtain microencapsulated chia seed powder. Step 3: After mixing the grain powder with water, enzymatic hydrolysis is carried out by amylase and β-glucanase in sequence, followed by pulsed infrared radiation baking to obtain low-GI grain base powder. Step four: Mix the fermented kale freeze-dried powder, the microencapsulated chia seed powder, the low-GI cereal base powder, and the natural flavoring substances, spray in atomized medium-chain triglycerides, homogenize, and obtain the meal replacement powder.

2. The kale and chia seed cereal meal replacement powder as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In step one, the steam temperature of the low-temperature steam blanching is 90℃~95℃, and the steaming time is 60s~90s; the compound lactic acid bacteria are composed of Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus brevis in a mass ratio of 1:(1~3), the fermentation temperature is 30℃~33℃, and the anaerobic fermentation time is 24h~36h.

3. The kale and chia seed cereal meal replacement powder as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In step two, the low temperature environment is -10℃ to 0℃; the particle size D90 of the chia seed powder after ultra-micro airflow pulverization is ≤30μm; the wall material solution is composed of resistant dextrin and gum arabic in a mass ratio of (3~1):1, and the amount of wall material solution sprayed is 5%~15% of the mass of chia seeds.

4. The kale and chia seed cereal meal replacement powder as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The enzymatic hydrolysis process in step three, which involves sequentially using amylase and β-glucanase, includes: first, adding 5 U to 15 U of α-amylase per gram of grain powder and treating at 70°C to 75°C for 20 to 40 minutes; then, adding 10 U to 30 U of β-glucanase per gram of grain powder and treating at 50°C to 55°C for 60 to 120 minutes.

5. The kale and chia seed cereal meal replacement powder as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In step three, the grain powder includes one or more of the following: Job's tears powder, Poria cocos powder, oat powder, whole wheat powder, brown rice powder, corn powder, and highland barley powder.

6. The kale and chia seed cereal meal replacement powder as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In step three, the infrared wavelength of the pulsed infrared radiation is 2.5μm~4.0μm, the radiation temperature is 300℃~400℃, the radiation time is 30s~60s, the interval is 10s~30s, and the cycle is repeated 3~6 times.

7. The kale and chia seed cereal meal replacement powder as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In step four, the natural flavoring substance is at least one of freeze-dried lemon powder, freeze-dried orange powder, or freeze-dried strawberry powder; the amount of medium-chain triglycerides injected accounts for 0.1% to 0.3% of the total mass of the meal replacement powder.

8. The kale and chia seed cereal meal replacement powder as described in claim 1, characterized in that, In step four, the mass ratio of the fermented kale freeze-dried powder, the microencapsulated chia seed powder, and the low-GI cereal base powder is (2~6):(1~4):(10~16).

9. A kale and chia seed cereal meal replacement powder, characterized in that, It is prepared by the preparation method according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

10. The kale and chia seed cereal meal replacement powder according to claim 9, characterized in that, The preparation method of the meal replacement powder includes: mixing the meal replacement powder with water at 50℃~70℃ in a mass ratio of 1:(8~10), stirring for 10s~15s to form a uniform and stable suspension.

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