High protein extrudates, food products and their manufacturing process

Abstract

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process for forming a high protein extrudate, the process comprising the steps of (i) extruding a protein-containing material to form a plurality of high protein extrudates and a plurality of non-protein extrudates, and (ii) separating the plurality of high protein extrudates from the plurality of non-protein extrudates. The extruded product produced by the above method has industrial applications, for example, as a food additive or as a standalone food product.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to high protein extrudates, mixtures of high protein extrudates and non-protein extrudates, to food products comprising at least a high protein extrudate, and to processes for forming the above products, the process including forming a high protein extrudate and a non-protein extrudate and separating them from one another. [Background technology]

[0002] There is growing interest in concentrated protein products made from sustainable plant-based raw materials for processing into healthy, appealing and diverse food groups (e.g., cereals, bars, pastas, nutritional products, meal replacements, meat alternatives, and ready-to-eat snack foods). If the consumption of such protein products is increasing, it is also desirable that such protein concentrates be efficiently, cost-effectively produced in large quantities from suitable raw materials. To date, various processes are known that provide protein concentrates.

[0003] For example, wet extraction methods are known for concentrating protein fractions, which involve an extraction or solubilization step followed by isoelectric precipitation. Although known wet extraction processes can produce highly concentrated protein concentrates, they require large amounts of water for processing and the drying step requires significant time and energy. Furthermore, high drying temperatures and durations can cause protein denaturation, which can affect the quality of the final concentrated protein product. Thus, such wet extraction processes are not cost-effective, especially for large-scale production.

[0004] On the one hand, dry fractionation methods are known in which a protein-containing material is (for example) milled and fed into an air classifier, which separates the material based on particle size and density to obtain a fine fraction rich in protein and a coarse fraction that may be enriched in non-protein fractions (for example, starch-containing fractions). Although such dry fractionation methods are energy efficient and preserve the integrity of the proteins in the protein fraction, a high concentration (for example, 50 wt% or more) of protein fraction is generally not possible, so that a compromise is often required between protein concentration and yield.

[0005] Thus, there is a need for highly concentrated protein products that can be easily incorporated into foods or are readily available as ready-to-eat foods and can be made from efficient, cost-effective, and highly scalable processes. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve the problems in the conventional techniques described above. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The invention is defined by the features of the independent claims. Some particular embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

[0008] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process for forming a high protein extrudate product, the process comprising the steps of (i) extruding a feedstock comprising a protein component and a fat component to form a plurality of high protein extrudates and a plurality of non-protein extrudates (e.g., high starch extrudates), and (ii) separating the plurality of high protein extrudates from the non-protein extrudates. In one aspect, the high protein extrudates (fragments) are obtained as a result of phase separation that occurs during high shear rate extrusion without the addition of water.

[0009] In another aspect, a process for forming a high protein extrudate product is provided, the process comprising: extruding a plant-based raw material comprising a protein component and a fat component to form a plurality of high protein extrudates having a protein concentration of greater than 50 wt% and a plurality of non-protein extrudates having a protein concentration of less than 10 wt%; and separating the plurality of high protein extrudates from the plurality of non-protein extrudates.

[0010] Surprisingly, the inventors have found that extrusion of a feedstock containing protein and fat components can result in the formation of distinct high protein and non-protein extrudates from the feedstock, which can be easily separated based on suitable properties or parameters (e.g., color, surface texture, hardness, brittleness, size, and / or shape, etc.) Furthermore, the use of extrusion in the process of forming high protein food pieces is particularly advantageous in that minimal drying and addition of water is required during the extrusion step.

[0011] Moreover, the high protein extrudates advantageously have a very high protein concentration (e.g., at least about 55 wt %, e.g., in some embodiments, about 55 to about 75 wt %), and the extruded high protein high concentration extrudates and non-protein extrudates are efficiently separated from each other, resulting in high process yields. Without wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that in the extrusion situation, the proteins come together to form individual clumps or pieces due to the attractive forces between disulfide bridges. These high protein extrudates are advantageously separated from the non-protein extrudates (e.g., starch-containing extrudates) to provide usable fragments of each. The high protein extrudates may be consumed as a stand-alone food product or may be utilized in or used in the formation of other food products, such as baked goods, cereals, plant-based beverages, snack bars, pastas, nutritional products, meal replacements, meat substitutes, and the like. The non-protein extrudates (e.g., starch-containing pieces) may further be utilized as useful products depending on their composition.

[0012] According to another aspect of the invention, a mixture of a plurality of high protein extrudates and a plurality of non-protein extrudates is provided.

[0013] According to another aspect, there is provided a mixture comprising a plurality of high protein extrudates and a plurality of non-protein extrudates, wherein the high protein extrudates have a protein concentration of greater than 50 wt% and the non-protein extrudates have a protein concentration of less than 10 wt%. In one embodiment, the mixture is obtained from a single extrusion of a plant-based feedstock comprising a protein component and a fat component.

[0014] According to yet another aspect, there is provided a protein extrudate comprising at least about 55 wt% protein, hi some embodiments, the protein extrudate is an oat-based protein extrudate.

[0015] According to yet another aspect, there is provided a food product comprising a plurality of high protein extrudates and / or non-protein extrudates therein.

[0016] According to yet another aspect, there is provided the use of the high protein extrudates and / or non-high protein extrudates disclosed herein in or in the manufacture of a food or beverage.

[0017] Next, the technology of the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings and some embodiments. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0018] [Figure 1] 1 shows a mixture of protein-containing extrudates and non-protein extrudates according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] ~ [Diagram 5] 1 shows the results of extruding oat flour and fava bean flour into high protein extrudates and non-protein extrudates according to one embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0019] As used herein, the term "non-protein extrudate" refers to extrudate pieces that are not high protein pieces resulting from the separation process described herein, having a protein concentration of less than 10 wt%. Of course, the extrusion process may leave some protein components remaining or not separated from the non-protein extrudate, but the protein concentration within the non-protein extrudate is 10 wt% or less.

[0020] As used herein, the term "high protein" is used for an extrudate when the protein concentration of the extrudate is greater than 50 wt% of the total weight of the extrudate.

[0021] As used herein, the term "extrudate" refers to a material that has already undergone an extrusion process.

[0022] As used herein, the term "about" refers to ±1% of the stated value.

[0023] Unless otherwise stated herein or apparent from the context, all percentages referred to herein are expressed as weight percentages based on the total weight of the respective composition.

[0024] In one embodiment, the determination of the fat content of a selected material (e.g., starting material) was carried out according to ISO 6492 (Animal feed - Determination of fat content, 1999) using a combination of a SoxCap™ 2047 and a Soxtec™ 2050 extraction system, a preliminary acid hydrolysis step and diethyl ether extraction (Foss A / B, Hillerød, Denmark).

[0025] In one embodiment, the protein content of the selected material (e.g., starting material), the high protein extrudate, and / or the non-protein extrudate is determined by separating the high protein extrudate from the non-protein extrudate (if applicable), grinding the selected material, and analyzing the protein content of the material. In one embodiment, the protein content is determined by analyzing total nitrogen (N) by Dumas combustion method and calculating protein as N x 6.25.

[0026] Again, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process for forming a high protein extrudate product, the process comprising: (i) extruding a feedstock comprising a protein component and a fat component to form a plurality of high protein extrudates and a plurality of non-protein extrudates (e.g., concentrated starch extrudates); and (ii) separating the plurality of high protein extrudates from the non-protein extrudates.

[0027] In the processes described herein, the feedstock may include any suitable material having protein and fat components that can be extruded as protein-containing and non-protein-containing extrudates as described herein. The amount of protein in the protein-containing feedstock necessarily leads to and / or provides the desired protein content in the final product (high protein extrudate). In one embodiment, the protein concentration of the feedstock is at least greater than 15 wt%, and in one embodiment, at least about 20 wt%. In one particular embodiment, the protein concentration of the feedstock is about 15 wt% to about 25 wt%. In some embodiments, the protein-containing extrudate comprises at least 65%, at least 70%, or at least 75% of the protein in the feedstock. Thus, the methods described herein provide a high efficiency yield of the protein content of the final product.

[0028] However, the inventors have found through extensive testing that a fat component in the protein-containing raw material is necessary for the extrusion and separation steps to be effective, for example, without adequate fat content, the extruder die may clog and / or the extruder may require excessive torque.

[0029] In one embodiment, the fat content of the protein-containing feedstock is at least about 4 wt%, preferably at least about 5 wt%, e.g., about 5 wt% to about 10 wt%. It is envisioned that some feedstocks may necessarily contain a minimal amount of fat component to allow for effective extrusion and separation. By way of example only, oat flour or other oat-based materials may have a fat content of about 9 wt%, and thus may be used as is without any fat additive. In such cases, the feedstock may be subjected to extrusion without any fat additive. In other embodiments, the feedstock may contain a fat additive to provide the feedstock with a desired amount of fat component to allow the extrusion and separation steps. Thus, in some embodiments, a fat additive may be added to a precursor feedstock (e.g., a feedstock without a fat additive) to provide the extruded feedstock with a fat component of at least about 4 wt%, preferably at least about 5 wt%, e.g., about 5 wt% to about 10 wt%.

[0030] The fat (lipid) additive may comprise any suitable natural or synthetic material for adding the desired fat content to the feedstock. The fat additive may be an oil, such as, but not limited to, canola oil, corn oil, olive oil, canola oil, palm oil, safflower oil, rapeseed oil, soybean oil, mixtures thereof, etc. The fat additive may also comprise any other fatty material, such as, for example, fatty acid esterified propoxylated glycerin compositions, sucrose fatty acid polyesters, etc.

[0031] In some embodiments, the raw material may include a plant-based protein source, such as a grain, oilseed, or legume material. Thus, in some embodiments, the raw material may include a grain-based material, such as wheat, rice, oats, corn meal, barley, rye, and the like, and combinations thereof. Furthermore, in some embodiments, the raw material may include a legume material, which primarily includes globulin proteins. The legume material may include one or more of cowpea, fava beans, alfalfa, clover, beans, peas, chickpeas, lentils, lupin, mesquite, locust beans, soybeans, peanuts, and the like, and combinations thereof. Thus, without limitation, the raw material may be derived from soybeans, peas, wheat, barley, rye, oats, canola, and the like, and combinations thereof. In some particular embodiments, the raw material may include an oat-based material, such as oat flour. The oat flour may be whole oat flour or non-whole oat flour.

[0032] The ingredients are in a form suitable for extrusion, hi one embodiment, the ingredients are in powder form and may include flour or meal materials.

[0033] In some embodiments, an antioxidant compound may be added to the raw material prior to extrusion of the raw material to limit or prevent lipid oxidation during the extrusion process. Lipid oxidation can potentially cause rancidity of the extruded product, especially when extruding at relatively high extrusion temperatures (e.g., above about 150°C). The antioxidant compound may be any compound or mixture of compounds suitable for limiting or preventing lipid oxidation during extrusion. Examples of antioxidant compounds include, but are not limited to, ascorbic acid, tocopherol, and the like. The antioxidant compound may be provided in any suitable effective amount, such as, for example, 0.01 wt% to 5 wt% of the raw material.

[0034] According to one aspect of the present invention, the ingredients are fed into a suitable extruder or extrusion cooking device well known in the art. Typically, the extruder includes an inlet and an elongated barrel containing one or more rotatable extrusion screws. The screws assist in conveying the food material (e.g., protein-containing ingredients) introduced into the inlet through the elongated barrel to the outlet. The screws, or another created in the barrel, are further heated by frictional or heating elements to melt the food material. The outlet of the barrel includes an open extrusion die. The extruded material exiting the extrusion die may be collected. In some embodiments, one or more cutting devices (e.g., rotary cutting devices) may be provided to cut the extruded material into pieces as needed. In some embodiments, the extruder may include a single screw extruder or a twin screw extruder.

[0035] Typically, pressure also builds up within the barrel, which may be relieved as the melt exits the die. This pressure relief produces a fluffy, porous structure as the melt cools and rapidly solidifies. Thus, the extruded products described herein may include expanded food products.

[0036] The extruder may be operated under any suitable conditions (e.g., temperature, pressure, moisture content, shear rate, specific mechanical energy (SME), screw speed, etc.) effective to produce the high protein and non-protein extrudates described herein.

[0037] In some embodiments, some water may be added to the extruder in addition to the feedstock to achieve the desired moisture level if the desired level of moisture is not already present in the feedstock. As a further aspect of the invention, the extrusion process does not require significant amounts of water or liquid to be added for extrusion of the material in the extruder and subsequent separation of the high protein extrudate from the non-protein extrudate. In some embodiments, the moisture content of the feedstock is about 30% or less on a moisture-free basis, and in some embodiments, the moisture content of the feedstock during the extrusion process is about 20% or less on a moisture-free basis. In one embodiment, the moisture content is at least about 8% or at least about 10% on a moisture-free basis. In some embodiments, the moisture content is about 10% to about 15% on a moisture-free basis, and in certain embodiments, 11% to 15% on a moisture-free basis.

[0038] In some embodiments, the water / liquid feed rate (mL / min) introduced into the extruder is 15% or less, and in some embodiments, the feed rate of the ingredients is about 5% or less.

[0039] In one embodiment, the extruder includes one or more temperature zones within the barrel of the extruder, and in some embodiments, two, three, or four or more distinct temperature zones. In one embodiment, the material being extruded is heated in the extruder to at least about 100° C. (e.g., in the range of about 100° C. to about 200° C.), in some embodiments to at least about 130° C., in certain embodiments to the range of about 130° C. to about 170° C., and in further embodiments to the range of about 130° C. to about 160° C. If the extrusion temperature is below 130° C., the size of the high protein extrudate tends to decrease, which may reach undesirable levels (depending on the intended application). If the extrusion temperature is above 170° C., the protein content of the final high protein extrudate may be undesirably reduced.

[0040] In some embodiments, the extruder includes two or more temperature zones within the barrel of the extruder, with the temperature of the material in each temperature zone increasing in a direction from the feed side of the extruder toward the die. By way of example only, in one embodiment, the temperature zones of the extruder may be approximately 80° C., 95° C., 150° C., and 160° C. from the feed side of the extruder to the die.

[0041] The pressure during extrusion can be any suitable pressure that achieves the desired results. In one embodiment, the pressure on the material in the barrel of the extruder is at least about 500 psi (3447 kPa), or in some embodiments at least about 700 psi (4826 kPa). In certain embodiments, the pressure is from about 700 psi (4826 kPa) to about 850 psi (5860 kPa). In one embodiment, the pressure is measured at a point prior to exiting the extruder die.

[0042] The screw speed may be any suitable speed that achieves the desired results, in one embodiment, the screw speed is at least about 100 rpm, in one particular embodiment, at least 200 rpm, and in some embodiments, from about 200 rpm to about 400 rpm.

[0043] The specific mechanical energy may be any suitable rate that achieves the desired results. In one embodiment, the specific mechanical energy (SME) is at least 10 Wh / kg, in one particular embodiment at least about 50 Wh / kg, and in some embodiments at least about 100 Wh / kg, for example, from about 100 Wh / kg to about 350 Wh / kg. In one particular embodiment, the extrusion is carried out at a temperature of about 130° C. to about 160° C., an SME of about 250 Wh / kg to about 300 Wh / kg, and a moisture content of about 11% to about 15%.

[0044] The magnitude of the shear rate applied to the material in the extruder may be any suitable magnitude that achieves the desired results. In one embodiment, the shear rate is at least about 50 s -1 , at least about 100s -1, or at least about 200s -1 It is.

[0045] 1 shows a plurality of high protein extrudates 10 and non-protein extrudates 12 emerging from an extruder die. In the illustrated embodiment, the non-protein extrudates 12 are starch-containing pieces, although it will be appreciated that the invention is not so limited. In the illustrated embodiment, the pieces 10, 12 are noticeably different in color, with the protein extrudates being significantly darker in color.

[0046] In one embodiment, the high protein extrudate 10 and the non-protein extrudate 12 may be dry separated from one another. "Dry separated" again means that no water, solvent, or liquid needs to be added to the materials being separated to cause separation. In some embodiments, the high protein extrudate 10 and the non-protein extrudate 12 may be separated based on surface texture, size, shape, hardness, brittleness, and / or any other suitable parameter. Suitable tools and apparatus for performing separation based on color, surface texture, size, hardness, brittleness, shape, and / or other parameters to carry out the separation process of the present invention are commercially available and known in the art.

[0047] In some further embodiments, the high protein extrudate 10 and the non-protein extrudate 12 may be separated from one another in a wet separation manner. In one such embodiment, the high protein extrudate 10 and the non-protein extrudate 12 may be separated from one another in an aqueous separation manner. In one embodiment, the aqueous separation manner is any suitable process capable of separating the extrudates 10, 12 from one another based on differences in the dispersibility and / or solubility of the extrudates 10, 12 in water. In one embodiment, for example, the high protein extrudate 10 and the non-protein extrudate 12 may be immersed in water for a period of time effective to separate the extrudates 10, 12 from one another. Generally, the high protein extrudate 10 is insoluble in water, while the non-protein extrudate 12 is dispersible or soluble in water, allowing the extrudates 10, 12 to be separated from one another.

[0048] Advantageously, the protein concentration of each piece of the high protein extrudate is at least greater than 50 wt%, at least about 55 wt%, at least about 60 wt%, or at least about 65 wt%. In one particular embodiment, the protein concentration of the high protein extrudate is from about 68 wt% to about 85 wt%.

[0049] In some embodiments, the fat content of the high protein extrudate may be at least about 2 wt% or at least about 4 wt%. In some embodiments, the fat content of the high protein extrudate may be from about 2 wt% to about 8 wt%, preferably from about 3 wt% to about 6 wt%. It is contemplated that some of the initial fat content of the feedstock may be separated and incorporated into the non-protein extrudate.

[0050] Additionally, the high protein extrudates may be of any suitable size and shape. In some embodiments, the high protein extrudates are irregular in shape. The high protein extrudate pieces may be at least about 1 cm in their longest dimension, and in some embodiments, from about 1 cm to about 20 cm. In some embodiments, the high protein extrudates may be further reduced in size, for example by grinding, milling, etc.

[0051] In some embodiments, the high protein extrudate comprises a legume- or grain-based extrudate having a protein concentration of at least about 65 wt%, and in some embodiments at least about 68 wt%. In some particular embodiments, the high protein extrudate comprises an oat-based extrudate derived from an oat-based material (e.g., oat flour).

[0052] In some embodiments, the non-protein extrudates may each have their own desired utility. For example, the non-protein extrudates may include starch-containing pieces. In some embodiments, the starch-containing pieces individually have a starch concentration of greater than about 50 wt%. In some embodiments, the starch concentration is at least about 60 wt%, and in some embodiments, at least about 65 wt%. In some embodiments, the starch-containing pieces may be incorporated into food and / or non-food products as a filler or binder. In other embodiments, the non-protein extrudates may include a fat component instead of or in addition to the starch component.

[0053] The high protein extrudate and / or non-protein extrudate may be consumed as a stand-alone food product or may be incorporated into or used to form other foods. In some embodiments, the protein extrudate pieces may be packaged and sold in bulk quantities as a stand-alone food product or may be packaged to be used as a topping for yogurt or the like. In other embodiments, the protein extrudate pieces may be in a form that is ready for incorporation into foods without further processing, such as snack mixes with nuts, dried fruit, candy pieces, and the like. In still other embodiments, the high protein extrudate is in a form that is ready for use in forming foods such as meat substitutes and snack bars. In still other embodiments, the non-protein pieces (e.g., starch) may be used as a filler, and the like. In still other embodiments, the high protein extrudate may be used as an additive in plant-based beverages (e.g., oat milk, and the like).

[0054] Working Example Example 1: Oat flour was fed into an APV Baker MPF 19 / 25 extruder at about 60 g / min. The protein content of the starting material was about 19.2 wt%. Some water was added to the feed at the top of the barrel (about 2 g / min). At the end of the extruder, the flour was processed at a temperature of 130-170°C, a moisture content of about 14%, and a screw speed of 250-450 rpm. The material exited the die in two pieces. A temperature profile (from the die to the feed side) of 150-140-95-80°C gave a protein content of 73% with a yield of 71.5% of the total protein in the high protein extrudate (piece). A temperature profile (from the die to the feed side) of 130-120-95-80° C. gave slightly higher protein content and yield (75% and 73%, respectively), but the size of the high protein extrudate (fragments) was smaller.

[0055] After extrusion, the high protein extrudate and non-protein extrudate (e.g., the high starch fraction in this example) were mixed with water to separate them. This resulted in the high starch fraction being dispersed into a slurry while the high protein fraction remained solid. The high starch fraction was then separated from the high protein fraction by sieving. During sieving, the dispersed high starch fraction passed through the sieve while the solid high protein fraction was retained within the sieve. The high protein extrudate was dried and analyzed for protein content (approximately 73-75 wt%) and the protein yield was calculated. In this example, 71.5-73% of the total protein in the starting material was recovered. The remaining protein was most likely the dispersed phase.

[0056] Example 2: Fava bean flour was also processed to obtain a high protein extrudate as described. The protein content of the starting fava bean material was 29.5 wt%. Due to the low fat content, 10 wt% fat was added to the flour before extrusion and then extrusion was carried out under the same conditions as in Example 1. The protein content of the final high protein extrudate was about 68 wt%.

[0057] Example 3: Several trials were carried out with oat flour and fava flour as starting materials. The initial protein content of the oat flour was 18.9 wt%. The fat content of the oat starting material was 8 wt%. The initial protein content of the fava flour (with 5 wt% oil added) was 32.7 wt%. Although not measured, the fat content of the fava flour before the addition of oil was probably about 1.5-2 wt%. Extrusion of each material was carried out under various conditions as shown in Figures 2-5. In each figure, the Y-axis represents the moisture added. In each trial, the starting moisture was about 10%. The total moisture of both the oat and fava starting materials was 11.5-14%.

[0058] After extrusion, the high protein extrudates were separated from the non-protein extrudates by a wet process. Specifically, the extrudates were immersed in warm water. The non-protein extrudates were dispersed in water due to their high starch content, while the high protein extrudates were not dispersed. The high protein fraction was then collected on a sieve, while the liquid containing the starch material was passed through the sieve. The protein yield was calculated as the ratio of the total protein in the separated fraction (high protein extrudate) to the total protein in the starting material, i.e., the percentage of the total protein that went into the high protein fraction. In some embodiments, some amylase may be added to the extruded components as described herein to weaken the residual starch (if any).

[0059] It is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments of the invention are not limited to the particular structures, process steps, or materials disclosed herein, but extend to equivalents thereof as would be recognized by one of ordinary skill in the art. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is used only for the purpose of describing particular embodiments, and is not intended to be limiting.

[0060] Reference throughout this specification to one embodiment or an embodiment means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with that embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearances of the phrases "in one embodiment" or "in an embodiment" in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. For example, when a numerical value is referenced using a phrase such as about or substantially, the exact numerical value is also disclosed.

[0061] As used herein, a number of items, structural elements, compositional elements, and / or materials may be present in common lists for convenience. However, these lists should be construed as if each element of the list were individually identified as a separate and unique element. Thus, the individual elements of such lists should be construed as de facto equivalents of any other elements of the same list solely based on their presence in a common grouping, unless otherwise indicated. Furthermore, various embodiments and examples of the invention may be referenced herein in conjunction with alternatives with respect to their various components. It should be understood that such embodiments, examples, and alternatives should not be construed as de facto equivalents of each other, but should be considered as separate and independent manifestations of the invention.

[0062] Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, various specific details are set forth, such as examples of lengths, widths, shapes, etc., to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the invention may be practiced without one or more of these specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations have not been shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.

[0063] While the above-described embodiments illustrate the principles of the present invention in one or more specific applications, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes in form, usage, and details of the embodiments may be made without the exercise of the inventive faculty and without departing from the principles and concepts of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not intended to be limited except as by the claims that follow.

[0064] In this document, the verbs "to comprise" and "to include" are used as open limitations that do not exclude or require the presence of unrecited features. Features recited in the dependent claims may be freely combined with each other, unless expressly stated otherwise. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the use of "a" or "an", i.e. the singular, does not exclude a plurality throughout this document. [Industrial Applicability]

[0065] The methods of the present invention and the products produced thereby find industrial application, for example, as stand-alone food products (eg, snacks) and / or as additives in the manufacture of food products.

[0066] Citation List Patent Literature European Patent Application Publication No. 3155903A1 US Patent Application Publication No. 2020 / 0196630 US Patent Application Publication No. 2012 / 0171351 U.S. Patent No. 7,709,033

Claims

1. 1. A process for forming a high protein extrusion product comprising: extruding a plant-based material including a protein component and a fat component to form a plurality of high protein extrudates having a protein concentration of greater than 50 wt % and a plurality of non-protein extrudates having a protein concentration of less than 10 wt %; separating said plurality of high protein extrudates from said plurality of non-protein extrudates; A process including.

2. the protein concentration of the plurality of high protein extrudates is at least about 55 wt.%; 2. The process of claim 1.

3. the separating step is based on size, shape, surface texture, color, hardness, brittleness, or a combination thereof. The process according to any one of claims 1 to 2.

4. wherein the separating step is performed based on color of the plurality of high protein extrudates and the plurality of non-protein extrudates. The process of claim 3.

5. The separating step is carried out in an aqueous separation manner. The process according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The raw material comprises a plant-based protein source comprising a legume material, an oilseed material, or a grain material. The process according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The raw material comprises an oat material. The process according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The plant-based raw material comprises at least 4 wt% fat content. The process according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

9. The plant-based ingredient is characterized in that it has a fat content of about 5 wt % to about 10 wt %. The process according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of non-protein extrudates comprises a starch-containing extrudate. The process according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. The plant-based raw material is obtained by adding a fat additive to a plant-based precursor raw material. The process according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. Adding an antioxidant compound to the plant-based raw material prior to the extrusion step to limit or prevent lipid oxidation during the extrusion step. The process according to any one of claims 1 to 11, further comprising:

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the extrusion step is performed at a temperature of about 130°C to about 160°C, a specific mechanical energy of about 250 Wh / kg to about 300 Wh / kg, and a moisture content of about 11% to about 15%. The process according to any one of claims 1 to 12.

14. A mixture comprising a plurality of high-protein extrudates and a plurality of non-protein extrudates, wherein the high-protein extrudates have a protein concentration greater than 50 wt.%, and the non-protein extrudates have a protein concentration less than 10 wt.%.

15. The mixture of claim 14, wherein the mixture is obtained from a single extrusion of a plant-based raw material comprising a protein component and a fat component.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the protein concentration of the plurality of high protein extrudates is at least 65 wt.%.

16. A mixture according to claim 14 or 15.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the mixture of high protein extrudates and non-protein extrudates is extruded from a legume material, an oilseed material, or a grain material. A mixture according to any one of claims 14 to 16.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the mixture of high protein extrudates and non-protein extrudates is extruded from an oat material. A mixture according to any one of claims 14 to 17.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the fat content of the high protein extrudate is from about 2 wt % to about 8 wt %. A mixture according to any one of claims 14 to 18.

20. A food or beverage comprising the high protein extrudate and / or the non-high protein extrudate described in any one of claims 14.

21. Use of the high protein extrudate and / or non-high protein extrudate of claim 14 in a food or beverage or in the manufacture of a food or beverage.

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