METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A FOOD SOLID COMPRISING KONJAC AND OKARA GLUCOMMANNAN

Abstract

A process for developing a new mixed product from a homogeneous combination of konjac powder and okara powder, which modifies its use and nutritional action. The improvement lies in the addition of high-quality fiber and complete proteins. All products obtained from the claimed mixtures can be used to manufacture pasta or edible rice pearls.

Description

Title of the invention: MANUFACTURING METHOD OF A FOOD SOLID COMPRISING KONJAC AND OKARA GLUCOMMANNAN

[0001] The present invention provides a process for producing a mixed food solid from a homogeneous combination of konjac powder and Okara powder in an aqueous context, a combination which powerfully reinforces the dietary effectiveness of konjac and its nutritional action.

[0002] Description of the invention

[0003] Konjac is currently a product that is sufficiently well known and used throughout the world to need to be described in any other way than by the fact that it is an extract of the flour of the tuber of Amorphophallus konjac.

[0004] For several years it has been used in the West for its nutritional qualities and in particular its total absence of calories and carbohydrates which make it a perfect substitute for pasta, rice and semolina for those who are looking to control their weight.

[0005] Botanically and agriculturally, konjac is a large buried tuber similar to a large potato. From this tuber grow stems and then flowers living on the reservoir of the tuber's energy reserves. When the tuber is empty, the surface plant withers and dies. In Asia, this empty tuber is removed, washed, crushed and ground to make a powder from which pasta, rice and semolina are made.

[0006] Today, the interest of this product of great utility in the fight against overweight, obesity and diabetes is limited by two areas of weakness:

[0007] A lack of fiber: Konjac has its own fibers known as Konjac Glucomannan, but in 100 grams of ready-to-eat pasta, there are only 3 grams of glucomannan and a total absence of protein, a combined absence which reduces the widespread use of it.

[0008] In addition, the interest of konjac is limited by a certain number of deceptive characteristics, odor, translucency which hinder its diffusion and its marketing.

[0009] These foods produced in the Far East are put into packages, preserved in water and exported to Europe, taking months to travel in this aqueous bath.

[0010] When opening the pack, the consumer is bothered by the natural but unpleasant smell of the product in its transport liquid.

[0011] In addition, konjac products have a translucent appearance and an elastic, contractile consistency reminiscent of a non-food plastic substance.

[0012] The present invention is primarily aimed at improving the nutritional qualities of konjac but, in doing so, it further improves attempts to reduce its deceptive characteristics.

[0013] To date, konjac is most often prepared as a single ingredient. In recent years, new patents have been filed on its association with oat fibers to improve its lack of color and transparency and allow it to better absorb the flavors of culinary preparations. But these additions, while they improve the visual presentation and consistency of konjac, do nothing to improve the nutritional characteristics of this very promising product.

[0014] What is missing from current konjac is better quality fiber and moreover, complete proteins having all 8 so-called essential amino acids without which the human body cannot synthesize its vital proteins. These 8 amino acids are: histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan and valine.

[0015] To solve this problem and provide konjac with additional effectiveness in the fight against diseases of civilization based partly on excessive intake of carbohydrate calories, the proposed invention combines it with a new product, Okara.

[0016] Okara is what remains in the industrial press after grinding soybeans to extract soy milk. For a long time, this residue was thrown away as waste. We have managed to extract this Okara in wet form and then atomize it to make a powder containing between 35 and 42% fiber and between 27 and 35% protein.

[0017] In summary, the invention proposed here is indeed a process for producing a mixed food solid from a homogeneous combination of konjac powder and Okara powder in an aqueous context, a combination which powerfully reinforces the dietary effectiveness of konjac and its nutritional action.

[0018] For Konjac, everything starts with washing the tuber and then putting it in an oven to sterilize it. The tuber is then dried and transformed by grinding into powder.

[0019] Then comes the time to hydrate the konjac powder which is first introduced into a mixture of between 20 and 35% of its volume of water.

[0020] The mixing is carried out by vigorous stirring, which results in a substantially homogeneous dispersion of the konjac flour.

[0021] When this homogeneity is obtained, the Okara powder is added so that its proportion in relation to that of the konjac is between 5% and 40%.

[0022] As soon as the Okara powder is incorporated, osmosis is achieved by further vigorous stirring which achieves further interpenetration of the two flours. of konjac and Okara. Hydration is completed by adding water until the mixture reaches saturation.

[0023] It should be noted that the mixture must be carried out with the achievement of homogeneity of the components and fine protection of the integrity of the particles of the two components. These two requirements must be verified by granulometry.

[0024] Okara can be enhanced with any other food texture substrate providing quality protein and fiber such as oat bran or psyllium, pea or fruit fiber.

[0025] Okara can also be enhanced with any other food texture substrate providing quality protein and fiber such as guar or inulin or pectin.

[0026] As for the proteins in Okara, they can be replaced by soy proteins, the only vegetable proteins in the plant kingdom to be complete. And these complete replacement proteins can be animal proteins such as milk or egg.

[0027] All these possible variations make it possible to use the new mixed product resulting from the homogeneous combination of konjac powder and Okara powder and any other strengthening agent to provide its nutritional improvements by making all types of pasta, noodles, shiratakis, vermicelli, spaghetti, fettuccine, all Italian or Asian models as well as rice pearls. This makes it possible to increase the nutritional potential of all these products.

[0028] The process according to the invention being a process for producing a mixed food solid from a homogeneous combination of konjac powder and Okara powder in an aqueous context, this process comprises the following steps:

[0029] - Washing the Konjac tuber;

[0030] - Sterilization of Konjac by placing it in an oven;

[0031] - Drying and transformation by grinding into powder;

[0032] - Hydration of the Konjac powder thus obtained by its introduction into a mixture of between 20% and 35% of its volume of water;

[0033] - Homogenization of the mixture by stirring;

[0034] - Addition of Okara powder to the said mixture, in a proportion of between 5% and 40% compared to that of Konjac;

[0035] - Stirring the mixture as soon as the Okara powder is incorporated to achieve a complement of interpenetration of the two flours of Konjac and Okara;

[0036] - Hydration of said mixture by adding water until saturation; in which the mixing must be carried out with the achievement of perfect homogeneity of the components and fine protection of the integrity of the particles of the two components.

[0037] In the process according to the invention characterized, the contribution of Okara is reinforced by a food texture substrate providing quality proteins and fibers, such as oat bran or psyllium, pea or fruit fibers.

[0038] According to another aspect of the invention, the intake of Okara is reinforced by a food texture substrate providing quality proteins and fibers, such as guar or inulin or pectin.

Claims

Claims

1. Process for producing a mixed food solid from a homogeneous combination of konjac powder and Okara powder in an aqueous context, said process comprising the following steps: - Washing the Konjac tuber; - Sterilization of the Konjac by placing it in an oven; - Drying and transformation by grinding into powder; - Hydration of the Konjac powder thus obtained by introducing it into a mixture of between 20% and 35% of its volume of water; - Homogenization of the mixture by stirring; - Addition of the Okara powder to said mixture, in a proportion of between 5% and 40% relative to that of the Konjac; - Stirring of the mixture as soon as the Okara powder is incorporated to achieve additional interpenetration of the two Konjac and Okara flours; - Hydration of said mixture by adding water until saturation;in which the mixture must be carried out with the achievement of perfect homogeneity of the components and fine protection of the integrity of the particles of the two components.;

2. Method according to claim 1 characterized in that the contribution of Okara is reinforced by a food texture substrate providing quality proteins and fibers, such as oat bran or psyllium, pea or fruit fibers.

3. Method according to claims 1 and 2 characterized in that the contribution of Okara is reinforced by a food texture substrate providing quality proteins and fibers, such as guar or inulin or pectin.