Process for producing a food product

Abstract

A process for producing a food product, comprising the steps: - heating a first mixture comprising water, vegetable fat, vegetable protein and thickener to produce a fat emulsion, wherein the thickener is selected from guar gum, konjac, locust bean gum or a mixture thereof; - adding a gelling agent to the fat emulsion to prepare a second mixture, wherein the gelling agent is selected from agar, carrageenan, gellan, methylcellulose, alginate; - Cooling the second mixture to produce the food product.

Description

1. Field of the invention

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of food preparation. In particular, the invention is directed to a process for producing a preferably vegan food product. The process according to the invention allows good sensory properties and basting properties to be achieved in the food product, which also has a high protein content. The food product is particularly suitable as a vegan cheese alternative. 2. Background of the invention

[0002] In Germany, around 8 million people are vegetarian and 1.3 million are vegan. According to estimates, approximately 2,000 vegetarians and 200 vegans are added every day. The vegan trend is also evident globally. The number of people currently following a vegetarian or vegan diet is estimated at 1 billion worldwide, with correspondingly increasing numbers.

[0003] According to market research firm Mintel, more vegan products were launched in Germany in 2016 than in any other European country. Germany now leads the European market with 18% of all launches. Furthermore, the "vegan" label (13%) has now overtaken the "vegetarian" label (7%) for German food and beverage products.

[0004] The generally increasing importance of vegan and vegetarian diets is also evident in the fact that in 2014 three researchers were awarded the German Future Prize for producing plant-based food ingredients from lupins. Lupin protein is used as a basis for vegan products such as yogurt and Used in cream cheese alternatives, desserts, drinks and ice cream.

[0005] The demand for vegan foods therefore represents a very attractive and fast-growing market for food manufacturers. In addition, vegan consumers in particular place great value on natural food production and therefore prefer organic foods.

[0006] However, in the area of ​​vegan cheese alternatives, the range is limited and sometimes unconvincing in terms of sensory properties, labeling, nutritional value, organic quality, and functionality.

[0007] In general, consumers cite the consistency and mouthfeel of the products currently available on the market as unconvincing, among other things. The consistency of vegan cheese alternatives is less elastic and more brittle than natural cheese. Most consumers rate the mouthfeel as not moist and not creamy enough. It can therefore be assumed that an improvement in the sensory properties would lead to higher consumer acceptance.

[0008] The uses of vegan cheese alternatives are similar to those of cheese: They are used as a topping on bread and for gratinating, for example, in casseroles and pizzas. However, the gratinating properties of the vegan cheese alternatives available on the market are inadequate, as they barely melt and therefore do not spread during gratinating. A vegan cheese alternative with cheese-like melting and gratinating properties would therefore be an enrichment for vegan consumers.

[0009] Consumers also criticize the high number of additives used, such as modified starches, carrageenan, acidulants, and similar substances. Some of the additives used, such as carrageenan, are suspected of being harmful to health. Certain carrageenans are said to be able to cause ulcers in the gastrointestinal tract or promote the growth of existing ulcers. Limiting the number of additives and using additives that do not pose health risks would largely satisfy even critical consumers.

[0010] Furthermore, many vegan cheese alternatives are based on food starches, vegetable fat, and binding agents. Protein-rich foods are used only in small amounts or not at all, so the protein content of vegan cheese alternatives is very low. However, a higher protein content is desirable because it could lead to a more balanced and healthier diet.

[0011] Vegan products currently on the market are technologically derived from cheese analogues. Cheese analogues are cheese substitutes in which, for cost reasons, milk fat and milk casein have been increasingly replaced with vegetable fat and starch. Ultimately, this process resulted in a vegan product consisting primarily of starch and vegetable fat, and without protein. The following is an example of a typical cheese analogue recipe as it is offered on the market: 48% water by weight, 26% vegetable fat by weight, 26% modified and native starch by weight.

[0012] In order to enhance the nutritional and sensory qualities of vegan cheese alternatives, products with a low plant protein content, usually below 2% by weight, have been brought onto the market in recent years. Plant protein is introduced into vegan cheese alternatives, for example, through almond-containing foods or almond flour. Higher protein concentrations are difficult to achieve, especially with plant proteins combined with starch, as this does not create a cheese-like consistency. This has been confirmed in numerous trials. The test products were not sliceable, produced a rough mouthfeel, and had a dull appearance, atypical of cheese. A higher protein content cannot be achieved with other plant protein sources, such as sunflower or rapeseed protein. Furthermore, these protein sources are generally unsuitable due to their brownish color.

[0013] The manufacturing process for vegan cheese alternatives available on the market is similar to that for analogue cheeses. These are produced by mixing and heating the ingredients. This is usually done using heating equipment commonly used in the processed cheese industry (a screw cooker from Karl Schnell or an AGM melting cutter from GLASS). The heated mixture is then filled into plastic bags, which are placed in rectangular metal molds (e.g., Euroblock format 500 x 300 x 100) to cool.

[0014] After cooling, depending on the starch used, the product may be stored for an overnight curing period; this can take several days to weeks. After removing the plastic bags, the finished blocks are cut into bars, which are then sliced ​​using industrial slicers (e.g., Weber).

[0015] In addition to the slices, grated pizza dough, often referred to as "pizza melt," is also offered. This "pizza melt" is used for topping and is produced using a similar process to the previously described slices. Instead of slicing, the bars are grated, mixed with an anticaking agent (e.g., cellulose), and filled into bags filled with nitrogen and / or carbon dioxide.

[0016] In general, a vegan diet is lower in protein than a diet that includes animal products and requires vegan consumers to adopt a conscious eating pattern to meet their daily protein needs. In a vegan lifestyle, the foods in question generally have a lower energy density and can lead to protein deficiencies.

[0017] The low protein content of the vegan cheese alternatives currently on the market therefore does not meet the requirements of a protein-rich vegan diet. A vegan cheese alternative with a significantly higher protein content would support the pursuit of more protein in a vegan diet.

[0018] The US patent application US 2013 / 0 052 304 A1 relates to an egg substitute composition comprising wheat protein, emulsifiers, at least one fat or oil, polysaccharides and optionally supplementary proteins and food gums.

[0019] The US patent application US 2017 / 0 020 156 A1 relates to a vegan cheese product and a process for its production, wherein an emulsion of vegetable protein concentrate and emulsifier is prepared using a two-stage homogenization process.

[0020] The cited document discloses an edible composition, i.e., a food product, containing the following substances: a water-in-oil emulsion, i.e., water and a vegetable fat, vegetable protein, and hydrocolloids, which are a mixture of thickeners and gelling agents. Starch is also disclosed as a thickener. However, a two-step process with a temporal sequence of adding a thickener in a first process step followed by adding a gelling agent in a second process step is missing.

[0021] Due to the aforementioned disadvantages of known vegan cheese products, there is still a need for improved foods suitable for a vegan diet, and in particular, vegan cheese recipes that have good sensory properties in terms of consistency and mouthfeel, achieve good basting properties with a cheese-like melt. Such a food product, especially a vegan cheese alternative, should also contain few additives or no additives with health risks, and have a high protein content. 3. Summary of the invention

[0022] According to one aspect of the present invention, this object is at least partially achieved by a method for producing a food product, preferably a vegan food product, the method comprising the following steps: - heating a first mixture comprising water, vegetable fat, vegetable protein and thickener to produce a fat emulsion, wherein the thickener is selected from guar gum, konjac, locust bean gum or a mixture thereof; - adding a gelling agent to the fat emulsion to prepare a second mixture, wherein the gelling agent is selected from agar, carrageenan, gellan, methylcellulose, alginate; - Cooling the second mixture to produce the food product.

[0023] The process according to the invention is characterized in that the steps of fat emulsification and gelation take place at different times.

[0024] This allows for the creation of a firm, elastic, and sliceable product matrix. In contrast, mixing all recipe ingredients, including the gelling agent, before or during the heating step would result in the fat separating during heating and not being able to be reintegrated into the product matrix. Complete and stable emulsification of the fat would not be possible. Only if the vegetable fat content were reduced to less than 10% would a heating step as described above be possible without fat separation. However, reducing the vegetable fat would not achieve the desired firm, elastic, and sliceable consistency; instead, an almost spreadable mass would be created.

[0025] For this reason, the fat emulsification step is performed before the gelling agent addition step. For this purpose, a premix of water, fat, protein, and thickener is prepared. A stable emulsion is created from the premix, for example, with vigorous stirring and heating, into which the gelling agent is then added and mixed evenly. By separating the sub-processes of fat emulsification and gelling agent addition, a viscous and homogeneous mass is created when hot, which, after cooling, has a firm, elastic, and sliceable consistency.

[0026] The vegetable fat can be any vegetable fat with a neutral flavor and melting point of approximately 35°C to 40°C, particularly coconut oil. The use of coconut oil has the particular advantage that, in addition to its technological suitability, it also stands for sustainable production.

[0027] The vegetable fat can be present in the first and / or second mixture in a proportion of 5 to 40 wt.%, preferably 15 to 35 wt.%, more preferably 20 to 30 wt.%. This can achieve a cheese-like consistency.

[0028] The vegetable protein can be selected from soy protein, lupin protein, rapeseed protein, pea protein, rice protein, almond protein, or a mixture thereof, preferably soy protein, lupin protein and / or almond protein.

[0029] Protein sources with a high dry matter protein content and low fiber content have been shown to be particularly suitable, such as soy, lupin, rapeseed, pea, and rice protein with a protein content greater than 80% by weight, or almond protein with a protein content of approximately 50% by weight. Soy and lupin protein are preferred for taste. In terms of color, a white, beige, or yellow base color is desired. This is achieved with lupin, soy, and almond protein. A smooth mouthfeel with a cheese-like consistency is achieved, for example, with lupin protein.

[0030] The vegetable protein may be present in a proportion of 1 to 20 wt.%, preferably 2 to 10 wt.%, more preferably 4 to 6 wt.% in the first and / or second mixture.

[0031] The thickener can be selected from guar gum, konjac, locust bean gum, methylcellulose, or a mixture thereof. The thickener can be present in the first and / or second mixture in a proportion of 0.1 to 5 wt.%, preferably 0.2 to 2 wt.%, more preferably 0.3 to 1 wt.%.

[0032] The gelling agent can be selected from agar, carrageenan, gellan, methylcellulose, and alginate. These gelling agents have proven particularly advantageous in the process according to the invention. The gelling agents can lead to gelation of the second mass while still heated, or they can only set upon cooling of the second mixture.

[0033] The gelling agent may be present in the second mixture in a proportion of 0.5 to 5 wt.%, preferably 1 to 4 wt.%, more preferably 1.5 to 2.5 wt.%.

[0034] The heating step can be carried out with stirring to produce a uniform fat emulsion, preferably at 100-8,000 rpm.

[0035] The first mixture can be heated to a temperature in the range of 60°C to 160°C, preferably 80°C to 99°C, more preferably 90°C to 97°C. At these elevated temperatures, a uniform fat emulsion can be achieved.

[0036] The method may further comprise the step: - homogenizing the second mixture, preferably at a temperature in the range of 60°C to 160°C, preferably 80°C to 99°C, further preferably 90°C to 97°C.

[0037] The homogenization step ensures that the finished food product has a homogeneous consistency. Homogenization can be achieved by vigorous stirring, preferably at 5,000–12,000 rpm.

[0038] Homogenization can be carried out over a period of 1 to 30 minutes, preferably 2 to 15 minutes.

[0039] The first mixture and / or the second mixture may further contain one or more flavorings.

[0040] Cooling can be carried out within a period of up to 48 hours, preferably up to 24 hours. Cooling refers to cooling to ambient temperature, for example, room temperature. When filled into plastic casings with a diameter of 6 cm, the hot sausages require approximately 24 hours to cool to ambient temperature. After cooling, the plastic casings can be removed, allowing the sausages to be sliced, for example, on an industrial cutting machine, into slices approximately 2-3 mm thick.

[0041] The second mix can be packaged in portions before cooling. For example, the second mix can be packaged in plastic casings, as individually wrapped cheese slices (IWS), or as slice-on-slice (SOS) slices.

[0042] The food product can be a vegan, cheese-like or sausage-like food product or bread topping. 4. Short description of the figure

[0043] Currently preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in the following detailed description with reference to the following figure: Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of the method according to an embodiment of the invention. 5. Detailed description of various embodiments

[0044] Currently preferred embodiments of the invention are described below. However, it is emphasized that the present invention is not limited to these embodiments.

[0045] Fig.1 shows a schematic representation of the process according to one embodiment of the present invention. In a first step, water, vegetable fat, vegetable protein, and thickener can be provided as a mixture. By heating this mixture, preferably with vigorous stirring, a stable fat emulsion can be produced. After the fat emulsion has been formed, a gelling agent is added, preferably while still hot. A homogeneous mass is produced from the resulting mixture, again with vigorous stirring. Depending on the gelling agent used, the homogeneous mass gels while hot or only after cooling, the latter, for example, in the case of agar as the gelling agent. The homogeneous mass can be filled or packaged in portion-sized packages during cooling or later. Example

[0046] An exemplary formulation according to the present invention was prepared comprising: 64.5 wt% water 25.8% by weight vegetable fat 2.1% w / w carrageenan 1.5% w / w salt 0.5% w / w locust bean gum 5.2% w / w lupin protein (Lupino AG) 0.4% w / w vegan flavor (Silesia)

[0047] In a first step, water, protein, vegetable fat, and thickener (locust bean gum) were added to a suitable container (e.g., a stirrer with a heating function). The ingredients were stirred for 1 minute and then heated to 95 °C, which took approximately 10 minutes. The heating step was carried out at approximately 2,000–9,000 rpm.

[0048] After reaching a temperature of 95 °C, the gelling agent (carrageenan) and flavorings were added. The entire mass was then homogenized for 2 minutes with vigorous stirring (8,000-12,000 rpm). The high mechanical processing during homogenization is particularly necessary to create a smooth and slightly creamy mouthfeel.

[0049] After homogenization, the mass was divided into suitable portions and cooled. The resulting product had a cheese-like consistency.

Claims

[1] A process for producing a food product, comprising the steps of: - heating a first mixture comprising water, vegetable fat, vegetable protein and thickener to produce a fat emulsion, wherein the thickener is selected from guar gum, konjac, locust bean gum or a mixture thereof; - adding a gelling agent to the fat emulsion to prepare a second mixture, wherein the gelling agent is selected from agar, carrageenan, gellan, methylcellulose, alginate; - Cooling the second mixture to produce the food product. [2] A process according to claim 1, wherein the vegetable fat is present in a proportion of 5 to 40% by weight, preferably 15 to 35% by weight, more preferably 20 to 30% by weight in the second mixture. [3] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the vegetable protein is selected from soy protein, lupin protein, rapeseed protein, pea protein, rice protein, almond protein, or a mixture thereof, preferably soy protein, lupin protein and / or almond protein. [4] Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the vegetable protein is present in a proportion of 1 to 20 wt.%, preferably 2 to 10 wt.%, more preferably 4 to 6 wt.% in the first and / or second mixture. [5] A process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the thickener is present in a proportion of 0.1 to 5% by weight, preferably 0.2 to 2% by weight, more preferably 0.3 to 1% by weight in the first or second mixture. [6] A process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the gelling agent is present in the second mixture in a proportion of 0.5 to 5 wt%, preferably 1 to 4 wt%, more preferably 1.5 to 2.5 wt%. [7] A process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the heating step is carried out with stirring so that a uniform fat emulsion is produced. [8] A process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first mixture is heated to a temperature in the range of 60°C to 160°C, preferably 80°C to 99°C, further preferably 90°C to 97°C. [9] Method according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising the step: Homogenizing the second mixture, preferably at a temperature in the range of 60°C to 160°C, preferably 80°C to 99°C, further preferably 90°C to 97°C. [10] Process according to the preceding claim, wherein the homogenization is carried out over a period of 1 to 30 minutes, preferably 2 to 15 minutes. [11] A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first mixture and / or the second mixture further contains one or more flavorings. [12] A process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cooling is carried out over a period of up to 48 hours, preferably up to 24 hours. [13] A process according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second mixture is filled into portions before cooling.

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