Edible food having meat-like texture at low and high temperatures and its manufacturing method

Abstract

The present invention relates to an edible food product and a method for producing the same, the edible food product comprising a fat matrix, the fat matrix comprising more than 40.00% by weight of vegetable fat and / or fermented fat relative to the total weight of the fat matrix, the fat matrix comprising triglycerides, the triglycerides being more than 40% by weight of unsaturated C18 fatty acids having fewer than 4 carbon-carbon double bonds, based on the total weight of the triglycerides; More than 2% by weight of polyunsaturated C18 fatty acids based on the total weight of said triglycerides Including, The fat matrix further comprises greater than 2.10% protein by weight based on the total weight of the fat matrix, the protein comprising non-human animal protein.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] FIELD OF THE PRESENT ART The present invention relates to the food sector. In particular, the present invention relates to the field of meat substitutes. In particular, the present invention can provide a novel edible product with a meat-like texture over a wide temperature range and a method for producing the same. The edible product with a meat-like texture can be considered as a meat substitute and can have a texture similar to that of, for example, foie gras. [Background technology]

[0002] Description of Related Art Between 2020 and 2050, the world's population is estimated to increase by 2 billion people (United Nations, 2015). Humanity will face a major challenge in food production, including meat production. Traditional meat production is a resource-intensive process that generates a significant environmental footprint. Livestock are raised in agricultural environments that require significant amounts of fresh water, feed, land, and other resources (Mark J Post: “Cultured meat from stem cells: Challenges and prospects” Meat science, Elsevier Science, GB, vol 92, no 3, April 3, 2012, pp. 297-301). As a result, food production has long been considered to account for approximately 26% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, of which livestock and fisheries account for 31%. Reducing global meat consumption could lead to significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions related to climate change, especially if the reductions were made in countries where meat consumption is high or growing (Martin & Brandao, 2017. Evaluating the environmental consequences of Swedish food consumption and dietary choices. Sustainability, 9(12), 2227).〕) (Stoll-Kleemann & Schmidt, 2017, Reducing meat consumption in developed and transition countries to counter climate change and biodiversity loss: A review of influence factors. Regional Environmental Change, 17(5), 1261-1277.; Collier et al. 2021, Identifying barriers to decreasing meat consumption and increasing acceptance of meat substitutes among Swedish consumers; Appetite 167 (2021) 105643.). Furthermore, concerns about animal welfare are also increasing. For example, the European Union has enacted various laws on animal welfare since 1986. Various directives have laid down rules on the protection of laying hens (1986 and 1988), calves and pigs (1991), and in 1998, the Commission Directive 98 / 58 / EC on the protection of animals kept for agricultural purposes established general rules on the protection of animals regardless of species.

[0003] Several meat substitutes have been developed from insects, plant components, and / or cultured animal, fungal or plant cells (i.e., cell technologies). Cell technologies in particular are rapidly developing to meet new consumer demands.

[0004] Importantly, to encourage people to consume meat substitutes, the product must mimic the aesthetic and sensory qualities of meat, such as size, appearance, flavor and texture, as a substitute (Macdiarmid et al., 2016, Eating like there's no tomorrow: Public awareness of the environmental impact of food and reluctance to eat less meat as part of a sustainable diet. Appetite. 1 January 2016; 96:487-493). Fat substitutes that improve food texture have been described before. US Patent 4,324,807 discloses adipose tissue substitutes obtained using vegetable oils and animal proteins. Although texturization techniques to improve the texture and taste of these products are continually improving, meat analogues still differ from real meat in terms of mouthfeel and flavor (Samard & Ryu, 2019; A comparison of Physicochemical characteristics, texture, and structure of meat analogues and meats. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 99(6), 2708-2715). Furthermore, consumers are unfamiliar with how to prepare meals using meat substitutes, and it has been reported that preparing satisfying and tasty meals using such products is more difficult and time-consuming than using meat (Elzerman et al., 2013; Exploring meat substitutes: Consumer experiences and contextual factors. British Food Journal, 115(5), 700-710).

[0005] Edible substitutes with good nutritional value have also been described, for example European patent EP3903593 describes a structured fat system using vegetable oils and animal proteins as suitable emulsifiers.

[0006] Texture has been considered as one of the most important qualities of meat analogues (Sha & Xiong, 2020). Many methods have been proposed to improve the texture of meat analogues. For example, a combination of oat and pea proteins has been proposed as a viable replacement for soy and gluten proteins for the production of meat analogues (Kaleda et al. 2021.Physicochemical, textural, and sensorial properties of fibrous meat analogues from oat-pea protein blends extruded at different moistures, temperatures, and screw speeds.Future Foods 4(2021) 100092). US Patent No. 4,143,164 discloses the use of vegetable-based unsaturated fats to obtain bacon analogues. Biosurfactant-based emulsions have also been proposed to produce 3D printed foods. The study recommends the replacement of oil with biopolymer surfactants to produce fibrous 3D printed reduced-fat meat analogues, and the printed reduced-fat structures show desirable sensory profiles (Shahbazi et al. 2021. Construction of 3D printed reduced-fat meat analogue by emulsion gels. Part II: Printing performance, thermal, tribological, and dynamic sensory characterization of printed objects. Food Hydrocolloids 121(2021)107054). However, many meat analogues still lack satisfying, flavorful fat from the product. The combination of biopolymer surfactants and hydrocolloids does not fully mimic the sensory properties characteristic of animal-derived meat, both texture and taste.

[0007] This difficulty is especially evident in the case of high-fat food matrices (e.g. fat matrices) such as "foie gras", which is composed mostly of fat and has a refined flavour. Foie gras is a luxury food made from the liver of ducks or geese fattened by force-feeding or "gavage". Ducks are force-fed twice a day for 12.5 days and geese three times a day for about 17 days. Ducks are typically slaughtered at 100 days and geese at 112 days. Unlike natural fattening, which is accepted worldwide, force-feeding is increasingly prohibited by general animal protection laws or specific prohibitions. In particular, it is prohibited in Argentina, California (USA), Israel, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey and most countries of the European Union, and is now only practiced in five countries (France, Hungary, Bulgaria, Spain and Belgium). The liver, including the fat, is a very specific food with a very special texture, taste and appearance, and there are notable differences between force-fed (conventional system) and naturally fattened (alternative system). In the conventional system, the liver composition is composed of 67.2% dry matter, 56.6% lipids and 6.1% protein, whereas in the alternative system, the liver composition is composed of 63.9% dry matter, 53.2% lipids and 6.5% protein. In addition, the lipid composition of the liver is dramatically different. Livers from the alternative system contain significantly less triglycerides and free fatty acids. Although the differences are small (-0.4 and -0.12 points, respectively), livers from the alternative group have a significantly higher proportion of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which results in a significantly lower proportion of saturated fatty acids. Naturally fattened liver differs from force-fed fattened liver with respect to sensory indicators related to visual appearance, texture, bitterness and flavor intensity (Fernandez X. et al, Comparison of the composition and sensory characteristics of goose fatty liver obtained by overfeeding and spontaneous feeding, Poultry science, 2019, p6149-6160).It is not easy to reproduce the physicochemical and sensory qualities of meat analogues (Samard & Ryu, 2019, A comparison of physicochemical characteristics, texture, and structure of meat analogues and meats. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, 99(6), 2708-2715), especially when there are already differences in the physicochemical and sensory qualities of meat depending on the rearing protocol. All these parameters make it extremely complex to reproduce the taste and texture of animal meat in an in vitro system.

[0008] Thus, there is a significant need to find alternatives to the slaughter of animals and to intensive production methods (e.g., force-feeding, etc.) to produce edible foods with the pleasant flavor, texture, and cooking behavior expected of meat. In particular, there is a need for meat analogs to mimic the expected textures, especially those of animal fats, so that consumers can cook the product in the same way as conventional meat and experience the same final texture over a wide temperature range. Summary of the Invention

[0009] The following presents a simplified summary of selected aspects, embodiments, and examples of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of the invention. However, this summary is not intended to constitute an extensive overview of all aspects, embodiments, and examples of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present selected aspects, embodiments, and examples of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description of the aspects, embodiments, and examples of the invention that follows.

[0010] The present invention aims to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art. In particular, the present invention proposes an edible food product comprising a fat matrix, said fat matrix comprising more than 40.00% by weight of vegetable fat and / or fermented fat relative to the total weight of the fat matrix, said fat matrix comprising triglycerides, said triglycerides being more than 40% by weight of unsaturated C18 fatty acids having fewer than 4 carbon-carbon double bonds, based on the total weight of the triglycerides; More than 2% by weight of polyunsaturated C18 fatty acids based on the total weight of said triglycerides Including, The fat matrix further comprises greater than 2.10% protein by weight based on the total weight of the fat matrix, the protein comprising non-human animal protein.

[0011] Such an edible product has a texture similar to that of meat (e.g. it can have a texture similar to that of foie gras). In particular, the fat matrix has a texture similar to that of the fat phase of meat when eaten over a wide temperature range. Thus, the fat matrix has a texture similar to that of the fat phase of meat before, during and after cooking. Furthermore, the fat matrix can have a meat-like flavour. Thus, the edible product according to the invention can be considered as a replacement for traditional meat products.

[0012] Such edible products can be engineered to mimic a wide variety of products, such as foie gras, marbled meat, fatty fish meat such as salmon, and primarily plant / fungal derived products that have a fatty phase attached to the fiber and have a meat-like flavor.

[0013] Furthermore, as described below, when the fat matrix comprises duck and / or goose proteins it allows the production of an edible product with the texture and flavour of foie gras whilst avoiding the slaughter and / or force-feeding of ducks or geese.Thus, in some aspects, the present invention allows the production of foie gras from raw materials produced in accordance with animal welfare, in particular without force-feeding animals, with a high quality of flavour (taste and aroma) and consistency, and preferably with olfactory, gustatory and tactile properties (flavour) experienced when eaten that are similar to those experienced when eating foie gras obtained by force-feeding.

[0014] According to other optional features of the edible food product according to the invention, it may optionally comprise one or more of the following features, alone or in combination: The animal protein is selected from among mammalian proteins, avian proteins, ray-finned proteins, malacostraca proteins, and combinations thereof. In particular, the fat matrix comprises at least 1% by weight of non-human animal protein relative to the total weight of the fat matrix, said non-human animal protein being selected from among mammalian proteins, avian proteins, ray-finned proteins, malacostraca proteins, and combinations thereof. For example, the mammalian protein may be a bovine protein, a cervidae protein, a leporidae protein, or a suidae protein, the avian protein may be an anseriform protein or a pheasantidae protein, the ray-finned protein may be a gadidae protein, a hake protein, a platypus protein, a salmonidae protein, or a mackerel protein, and the malacostraca protein may be a Prawns protein. The animal protein is derived from cultured animal cells, for example, the animal cells are selected from among stem cells such as induced pluripotent stem cells, endoderm cells, fibroadipogenic progenitor cells, muscle cells, hepatocytes, fibroblasts, adipocytes, chondrocytes, keratinocytes, and combinations thereof, or the animal protein is derived from animal flesh, for example, the animal flesh is selected from among muscle, skin, organs such as liver, and combinations thereof. The vegetable fat and / or fermented fat comprises at least 50% by weight of triglycerides relative to the total weight of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat. Preferably, the fat matrix comprises at least 25% by wet weight of triglycerides, more preferably at least 40% by wet weight of triglycerides, even more preferably at least 50% by wet weight of triglycerides, for example at least 60% by wet weight of triglycerides. In fact, the presence of triglycerides is responsible for obtaining a more appreciated meat-like texture. The unsaturated C18 fatty acid having less than four carbon-carbon double bonds is selected from oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, and combinations thereof. The linolenic acid can be gamma linolenic acid, alpha linolenic acid, or a mixture thereof. The fat matrix contains less than 60% by weight of saturated C16-C18 fatty acids relative to the total weight of triglycerides of said fat matrix. The fat matrix contains less than 30% by weight of stearic acid relative to the total weight of triglycerides of said fat matrix. The fat matrix contains up to 35.00% palmitic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides of said fat matrix. The fat matrix contains at least 4.00% stearic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides of said fat matrix. The presence of stearic acid appears to be responsible for obtaining the more appreciated meat-like texture. The fat matrix comprises at least 0.01% linolenic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides of said fat matrix. The 0.01% by weight of linolenic acid can be at least 0.01% by weight of gamma linolenic acid, at least 0.01% by weight of alpha linolenic acid or at least 0.01% by weight of a mixture thereof. The presence of linolenic acid appears to be responsible for obtaining a more appreciated meat-like texture. The fat matrix contains more than 40.00% oleic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides of said fat matrix. The presence of high concentrations of oleic acid appears to be responsible for obtaining the more appreciated meat-like texture. It further comprises a protein matrix, a carbohydrate matrix, a plant matrix and / or a fiber matrix in contact with the fat matrix, preferably the fiber matrix is ​​a plant-based fiber matrix, a fungal-based fiber matrix, a bacterial-based fiber matrix or a cultured animal cell-based fiber matrix. · It contains a fat matrix of at least 10% by weight relative to the total weight of the edible food. It is a foie gras substitute, a marbled meat substitute or a fish meat substitute such as salmon, tuna etc. The fat release characteristics are such that the edible food releases a maximum of 30% fat by weight relative to the total weight of the edible food during pan frying on one side for 60 seconds at a surface temperature of 180°C. Alternatively or additionally, the fat release characteristics are such that the edible food releases a maximum of 42% fat by weight relative to the total weight of the edible food during a compression test. Such fat release characteristics contribute that the edible product according to the invention can be considered as an alternative to traditional meat products. Preferably, the samples used for fat release measurements are cylindrical with a diameter of 40 mm and a height of 15 mm. Its hardness 1 is at least 40 N at a temperature of 4° C. Preferably, its hardness 1 is at least 40 N at a temperature of 4° C. for a cylinder with a diameter of 20 mm and a height of 20 mm. Such a hardness 1 contributes that the edible product according to the invention can be considered as a substitute for conventional meat products. Its hardness 2 is at least 25 N at a temperature of 4° C. Preferably, its hardness 2 is at least 25 N at a temperature of 4° C. for a cylinder with a diameter of 20 mm and a height of 20 mm. Such a hardness 2 contributes to the edible product according to the invention being conceivable as a substitute for conventional meat products. Its cohesiveness is at most 0.080 at a temperature of 4° C. Preferably, its cohesiveness is at most 0.080 for a cylinder with a diameter of 20 mm and a height of 20 mm at a temperature of 4° C. Such cohesiveness contributes that the edible product according to the invention can be considered as a replacement for conventional meat products.

[0015] The present invention also relates to a method for producing an edible food product comprising a fat matrix, the method comprising the steps of: providing a vegetable fat and / or a fermented fat, the vegetable fat and / or the fermented fat comprising triglycerides, the triglycerides comprising: more than 40% by weight, relative to the total weight of said triglycerides, of unsaturated C18 fatty acids having less than 4 carbon-carbon double bonds, more than 2% by weight of polyunsaturated C18 fatty acids relative to the total weight of said triglycerides and providing a protein comprising a non-human animal protein; - processing the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat and the protein to produce an edible food product comprising a fat matrix, the fat matrix comprising: more than 40.00% by weight of said vegetable fats and / or fermented fats relative to the total weight of the fat matrix, and more than 2.10% by weight of said protein relative to the total weight of the fat matrix wherein the protein comprises a non-human animal protein; Includes.

[0016] The manufacturing method of such edible food products is simpler and more sustainable than standard methods. In addition, such methods make it possible to produce edible products with meat-like texture and organoleptic properties. Thus, the edible food products are substitutes for traditional meat products. In particular, the edible food products can mimic the expected texture of animal fats at low and high temperatures during cooking.

[0017] Thus, in some aspects, the invention makes it possible to produce foie gras from raw materials produced in accordance with animal welfare, in particular without force-feeding, said foie gras having a high quality mouthfeel (texture) and preferably olfactory, taste and tactile characteristics (flavour) experienced when eating it similar to those of foie gras obtained from force-feeding.

[0018] Preferably, the method further comprises combining the fat matrix with another food matrix, said food matrix being selected from a carbohydrate matrix, a protein matrix, a plant matrix and / or a fiber matrix. Thus, the edible food product comprises this combination. Thus, the method can be used to produce edible products that mimic complex meat-like structures using a wide range of ingredients.

[0019] Furthermore, the method according to the invention may comprise the step of homogenising the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat with the aforementioned proteins, including non-human animal proteins. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0020] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0021] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a method for producing an edible food product with a meat-like texture according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is an illustration of results generated during texture profile analysis.

[0022] Some aspects of the present invention are disclosed with reference to flow diagrams and / or block diagrams of methods and apparatus.

[0023] In the Figures, flow diagrams and / or block diagrams illustrate the architecture, functionality, and possible implementations of devices or systems or methods according to some embodiments of the present invention.

[0024] In some implementations, the functions associated with the boxes may appear in a different order than shown in the figures: for example, two boxes shown in succession may be performed substantially simultaneously or the boxes may be performed in the reverse order, depending on the functions involved. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0025] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described below.

[0026] The expressions "edible product" or "edible food" as used herein may relate to a product suitable for animal consumption, preferably intended for human consumption. The edible product according to the invention may be a ready-to-eat (i.e. finished) food product or an intermediate product in the production chain of a finished food product. As will be described below, the edible product according to the invention may be produced in the form of snacks, which may be pressed, fried and / or toasted; sauces, spreads, pastas, pastes, transformed meat analogues or luxury foods, such as sausages or smoked sausages, pates or foie gras; meat doughs; soups; smoothies; seafood; untransformed meat analogues, such as "meat-like" products, etc.

[0027] In the following description, the term "meat" can refer to edible parts of an animal, such as animal tissue taken from a dead animal. Thus, meat can refer to liver or other visceral tissue, fat tissue, muscle tissue recovered from a dead animal. Dead animals can refer to all species of the animal kingdom except humans, and preferably to all edible species, such as non-human vertebrates, such as livestock, fish, birds; insects; crustaceans, such as shrimp, prawns, crabs, crayfish, and / or lobsters; mollusks, such as octopus, squid, cuttlefish, scallops, snails, etc. Thus, for example, the present invention allows the production of edible products with a meat-like texture, such as products that mimic foie gras, marbled meat, or salmon meat.

[0028] The expression "by weight" as used herein generally refers to the weight of a food matrix, e.g., a fat matrix or the like, compared to the weight of an edible product, and can consider either wet weight or dry weight. Preferably, percentages are disclosed in terms of wet weight.

[0029] "Flavor" as used herein generally refers to the quality of a product that affects the sense of taste and / or smell. Thus, "meaty flavor" refers to a flavor that is close to or approximates the flavor of a related conventional meat product.

[0030] "Texture" as used herein may be considered as "the combination of rheological and structural (geometric and surface) properties of a food that can be perceived by the mechanical, tactile and, where appropriate, visual and auditory receptors" as defined in 2008 by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO, 2008, Sensory analysis - vocabular, Vols. 1-107, p. 5492). Thus, "meat-like texture" may refer to the rheological and structural (geometric and surface) properties of a food that are close to or approximate the texture of a related conventional meat product (i.e., a meat product obtained from the raising or slaughtering of an animal). The edible food product according to the present invention having a meat-like texture and meat-like flavor may be considered as a substitute for meat products.

[0031] The expression "core temperature" as used herein may be taken to refer to the temperature measured approximately in the center of the edible food product. The core temperature may be measured, for example, with a penetration thermometer.

[0032] "Food matrix" as used herein refers to a matrix, wet or dry, suitable for human dietary intake. The food matrix is ​​composed primarily of lipids, proteins, and / or carbohydrates. The food matrix may be a fat matrix, a protein matrix, a carbohydrate matrix, or a mixture thereof. The food matrix may comprise cultured cells or extracts thereof as defined below. When a composition refers to the weight of a food matrix, such as a fat matrix or a protein matrix, either the wet weight or the dry weight may be considered. Preferably, percentages are disclosed in terms of wet weight. The relative moisture content of a moist food matrix may be 10% or more. For example, the relative moisture content of a moist food matrix may range from 20% to 95%. Preferably, the moisture content of a moist food matrix may range from 30% to 80%. The food matrix may comprise plant material obtained from edible plants, including flowers, fruits, stems, leaves, roots, and seeds. For example, the food matrix, such as a fat matrix, a protein matrix, or a carbohydrate matrix, may comprise at least 20% by weight plant material, preferably at least 30% by weight plant material, more preferably at least 40% by weight plant material, and even more preferably at least 50% by weight plant material.

[0033] "Fat matrix" as used herein can refer to a matrix suitable for human dietary intake.Preferably, the fat matrix is ​​mainly composed of lipids.For example, the fat matrix comprises at least 50% by weight lipids, preferably at least 60% by weight lipids, more preferably at least 70% by weight lipids, and even more preferably at least 80% by weight lipids.

[0034] As used herein, "protein matrix" can refer to a wet or dry matrix suitable for human consumption. Preferably, the protein matrix, when dry, is composed mainly of protein. For example, the protein matrix comprises at least 50% by weight of protein, preferably at least 60% by weight of protein, more preferably at least 70% by weight of protein, and even more preferably at least 80% by weight of protein, based on the total dry weight of the protein matrix.

[0035] As used herein, "carbohydrate matrix" can refer to a wet or dry matrix suitable for human consumption. Preferably, the carbohydrate matrix is ​​mainly composed of carbohydrates. For example, the carbohydrate matrix comprises at least 50% by weight of carbohydrates, preferably at least 60% by weight of carbohydrates, more preferably at least 70% by weight of carbohydrates, and even more preferably at least 80% by weight of carbohydrates.

[0036] As used herein, "plant matrix" can refer to a matrix, wet or dry, suitable for human consumption. Preferably, the plant matrix is ​​mainly composed of plant material. Said plant material refers to any developmental stage or part of edible plant matter, including flowers, fruits, stems, leaves, roots, germs, and seeds. For example, the plant matrix comprises at least 50% by weight of plant material, preferably at least 60% by weight of plant material, more preferably 70% by weight of plant material, and even more preferably 80% by weight of plant material.

[0037] The expressions "cultivated cells" or "cultured cells" as used herein are used interchangeably. They can refer to cells that have been grown, preferably in a controlled environment, using a culture medium. It particularly refers to cells whose growth has been controlled by humans, for example in an industrial process, as opposed to cells from conventional meat grown in vivo or cells grown in a natural environment (e.g. mushrooms grown in a forest). Cultured cells can refer to cells belonging to the animal kingdom, but also to cells belonging to the bacterial and fungal kingdoms. Thus, a food matrix can refer to a cultured cell line matrix. Cultured cells can be cultured from cells of any origin, such as biopsy cells. They can originate from a biopsy sample, be obtained from stem cells, or correspond to stem cells themselves. More specifically, a cultured cell line protein matrix can refer to a protein matrix that is mainly composed of proteins from cultured cells. For example, the cultured cell based protein matrix comprises at least 50% by weight of protein from cultured cells, preferably at least 60% by weight of protein from cultured cells, more preferably at least 70% by weight of protein, and even more preferably at least 80% by weight of protein from cultured cells.

[0038] The expression "extract of cultured cells" as used herein can refer to any fraction of disrupted cells or any purified or partially purified biological material recovered from the disrupted cells. Disrupted cells can be cells whose cell walls are partially or completely disrupted. In food matrices, the extract of cultured cells can include both disrupted cells and / or biological material recovered from the disrupted cells.

[0039] The terms "enhanced" or "optimized" as used herein refer to products of equal or greater quality than those obtained by slaughtering animals or force-feeding animals.

[0040] As used herein, the term "about" can allow for a degree of variation in a value or range, for example, within 10%, within 5%, or within 1% of a stated value or the extreme value of a stated range.

[0041] As used herein, the term "substantially" refers to a majority or majority, such as, for example, at least about 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.5%, 99.9%, 99.99%, or at least about 99.999% or more.

[0042] As mentioned, the production of tasty meat-like products without the slaughter of animals or, in the case of foie gras, force-feeding, is a challenge for both animal welfare and the environment. In addition to animal welfare and environmental protection, it seems necessary to produce foods that meet consumer expectations by exhibiting qualities closer to conventional products, especially those with a meat-like texture.

[0043] A new method has been developed to produce a new edible product with a meat-like texture without containing slaughtered animal tissue. The invention also encompasses an edible product that mimics foie gras without containing liver cells obtained from force-fed animals.

[0044] In particular, the developed solution allows the production of edible products comprising a fat matrix with a significantly improved texture over a wide range of temperatures.

[0045] Thus, according to a first aspect, the present invention relates to an edible food product comprising a fat matrix according to the invention.

[0046] Advantageously, the edible food according to the invention can be considered as a substitute for traditional meat products. The edible food can be, for example, a ready-to-eat food that can be eaten as is or that can finally be eaten after cooking and / or processing steps (e.g., crushing, squeezing, cutting, grinding, mixing, shredding, squeezing, dosing, molding, pressing, 3D printing, extrusion, baking or cooking steps, e.g., smoking, roasting, frying, surface treatment, and / or coating, etc.). The edible food can also be an intermediate product that is used to manufacture a ready-to-eat food in combination with other products. In particular, the edible food can be a meat substitute product that aims to mimic known meat products (e.g., steaks, sausages, pates). As illustrated in the examples, the edible food according to the invention can exhibit a meat-like texture compared to edible foods that do not contain a fat matrix according to the invention. This meat-like structure is particularly related to the fat matrix portion of the edible food.

[0047] As mentioned above, the edible product may correspond to an ingredient used in the preparation of a ready-to-eat food product. For example, the edible product according to the invention may be in the form of a liquid (e.g. a suspension, solution or emulsion), granules or powder and can be used in the preparation of a ready-to-eat food product, such as a meat product replacement.

[0048] The edible food according to the invention is preferably a processed food: in fact, it does not consist of animal flesh per se, but preferably results from a combination of edible substances from organisms of different origin (for example hybrid products combining proteins from the animal kingdom with fats from the plant kingdom).

[0049] Like conventional meat products, the edible food according to the invention may comprise one or more separate matrices. At the very least, the edible food according to the invention comprises at least one fat matrix. The fat matrix can be considered as a food matrix that is mostly fat by weight.

[0050] The fat matrix comprises more than 40.00% vegetable fat and / or fermented fat by weight based on the total wet weight of the fat matrix. For example, the fat matrix may comprise at least 50% vegetable fat and / or fermented fat by weight based on the total weight of the fat matrix. Preferably, the fat matrix comprises at least 55% vegetable fat and / or fermented fat by weight based on the total weight (e.g. wet weight) of the fat matrix, more preferably at least 60%, even more preferably at least 65%, such as at least 70% vegetable fat and / or fermented fat by weight. If the fat matrix comprises vegetable fat and fermented fat, then it should be understood that the above percentages refer to the combined weight percentages of vegetable fat and fermented fat. Preferably, the aforementioned fat is vegetable fat or a mixture of fats from different plants.

[0051] However, as will be described in more detail later, the fat phase does not only comprise vegetable fats and / or fermented fats. It can comprise fats of other origin and non-fatty ingredients. Thus, the fat matrix can comprise up to 95% by weight of vegetable fats and / or fermented fats relative to the total weight of the fat matrix. Preferably, the fat matrix comprises up to 90% by weight of vegetable fats and / or fermented fats relative to the total weight (e.g. wet weight) of the fat matrix, more preferably up to 85%, even more preferably up to 80% by weight of vegetable fats and / or fermented fats.

[0052] The fat matrix according to the invention can be characterized by its ability to adequately mimic the fat phase of meat, in particular, as described in the Examples section, the fat matrix may have a hardness at cooking temperatures substantially equal to the hardness of the lipid phase of normal meat at said cooking temperatures.

[0053] The edible food product can have good meat-like properties depending on the amount of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. For example, the fat matrix has a weight ratio of unsaturated C18 fatty acids to saturated C16-C18 fatty acids of at least 0.80, preferably at least 1.00, more preferably at least 1.20, and even more preferably at least 1.50. For example, the fat matrix has a weight ratio of unsaturated C18 fatty acids to saturated C16-C18 fatty acids in the range of 0.8-5, more preferably in the range of 0.8-4, more preferably in the range of 1.00-3, and even more preferably in the range of 1.50-2.50.

[0054] The unsaturated fatty acid can be selected from monounsaturated fatty acid and polyunsaturated fatty acid.Thus, the unsaturated C18 fatty acid with less than 4 carbon-carbon double bonds can be selected from oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, and combinations thereof.The polyunsaturated C18 fatty acid can be selected from linoleic acid, linolenic acid, and combinations thereof.When referring to the amount of unsaturated fatty acid, it should be understood that it includes monounsaturated fatty acid and polyunsaturated fatty acid.

[0055] Preferably, the unsaturated and saturated fatty acids in fat matrix can be measured using gas chromatography coupled with a flame ionization detector.Fatty acids are typically converted into fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs), which are more easily separated and quantified than their original forms in triglycerides or as free fatty acids.In particular, they can be measured according to the procedure detailed in the ISO 12966 standard.

[0056] Furthermore, the fatty acids may be free or may be present in the form of glycerides, such as monoglycerides, diglycerides or triglycerides. As described in more detail below, the fatty acids are preferably present mainly in the form of triglycerides. As described below, the vegetable fat and / or the fermented fat comprises triglycerides. Furthermore, the fatty acids, fatty acid composition, and especially fatty acid ratios mentioned above may refer to fatty acids in the form of triglycerides.

[0057] Preferably, most of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat contained in the fat matrix is ​​present in the form of triglycerides. Thus, the fat matrix comprises at least 50% by weight of triglycerides relative to the total weight of fat in the fat matrix, preferably at least 70% by weight of triglycerides relative to the total weight of fat in the fat matrix, more preferably at least 80% by weight of triglycerides relative to the total weight of fat in the fat matrix, and even more preferably at least 90% by weight, such as at least 95% by weight of fat relative to the total weight of fat in the fat matrix, is triglyceride. In one embodiment, these triglycerides are not only derived from the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat, but can also be derived from the cultured cells added to the fat matrix.

[0058] In particular, as shown in the examples, the relative amounts of unsaturated C18 fatty acids, such as oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, etc., and saturated C16-C18 fatty acids, such as stearic acid, palmitic acid, etc., in the fat matrix are important in order to obtain a texture as close as possible to that of a meat product.

[0059] The problem is solved if the edible product according to the invention has a high proportion of unsaturated C18 fatty acids (e.g. with less than 4 carbon-carbon double bonds), preferably in the form of triglycerides. Thus, in particular, as shown in the examples, the triglycerides of the fat matrix contain more than 40% by weight of unsaturated C18 fatty acids with less than 4 carbon-carbon double bonds, based on the total weight of the triglycerides in the fat matrix. Preferably, the triglycerides of the fat matrix contain more than 45% by weight of unsaturated C18 fatty acids with less than 4 carbon-carbon double bonds, based on the total weight of the triglycerides in the fat matrix. More preferably, the triglycerides of the fat matrix contain more than 50% by weight of unsaturated C18 fatty acids with less than 4 carbon-carbon double bonds, based on the total weight of the triglycerides in the fat matrix. Even more preferably, the triglycerides contain more than 55% by weight of unsaturated C18 fatty acids with less than 4 carbon-carbon double bonds, based on the total weight of the triglycerides in the fat matrix.

[0060] As detailed in the examples, the edible product of the present invention should also contain a minimum concentration of polyunsaturated C18 fatty acids, preferably in the form of triglycerides. Thus, in particular, as shown in the examples, the triglycerides of the fat matrix contain more than 2% polyunsaturated C18 fatty acids by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the fat matrix. Preferably, the triglycerides of the fat matrix contain more than 2.5% polyunsaturated C18 fatty acids by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the fat matrix. More preferably, the triglycerides of the fat matrix contain more than 3.5% polyunsaturated C18 fatty acids by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the fat matrix. Even more preferably, the triglycerides contain at least 7% polyunsaturated C18 fatty acids by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the fat matrix. In particular, the edible product of the present invention preferably contains a minimum concentration of linoleic acid, preferably in the form of triglycerides. Thus, in particular, as shown in the examples, the triglycerides of the fat matrix contain, for example, more than 0.01% linolenic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the fat matrix. Preferably, the triglycerides of the fat matrix contain more than 0.10% linolenic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the fat matrix. More preferably, the triglycerides of the fat matrix contain at least 1% linolenic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the fat matrix. Even more preferably, the triglycerides contain at least 2% linolenic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the fat matrix.

[0061] Similarly, the presence of stearic acid in the triglycerides has been found to be beneficial to the needs solved by the present invention. Thus, in particular, as shown in the examples, the triglycerides of the fat matrix comprise at least 4% stearic acid by weight relative to the total weight of the triglycerides in the fat matrix. Preferably, the triglycerides of the fat matrix comprise at least 5% stearic acid by weight relative to the total weight of the triglycerides in the fat matrix. More preferably, the triglycerides of the fat matrix comprise at least 10% stearic acid by weight relative to the total weight of the triglycerides in the fat matrix. Even more preferably, the triglycerides comprise at least 15% stearic acid by weight relative to the total weight of the triglycerides in the fat matrix. However, an excessive proportion of stearic acid in the triglycerides of the fat matrix may be detrimental to the needs solved by the present invention. In a preferred embodiment, the triglycerides of the fat matrix comprise less than 40% stearic acid by weight relative to the total weight of the triglycerides in the fat matrix. Preferably, the triglycerides of the fat matrix comprise more than 30% stearic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the fat matrix, more preferably, the triglycerides of the fat matrix comprise more than 20% stearic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the fat matrix.

[0062] As shown in the examples, an excess amount of saturated C16-C18 fatty acids relative to the total weight of the triglycerides of vegetable fats and / or fermented fats may be detrimental to the needs solved by the present invention.Thus, for example, the fat matrix comprises less than 60% by weight of saturated C16-C18 fatty acids relative to the total weight of the triglycerides of vegetable fats and / or fermented fats, preferably less than 50% by weight of saturated C16-C18 fatty acids relative to the total weight of the triglycerides of vegetable fats and / or fermented fats, more preferably less than 40% by weight of saturated C16-C18 fatty acids relative to the total weight of the triglycerides of vegetable fats and / or fermented fats, and even more preferably less than 30% by weight of saturated C16-C18 fatty acids relative to the total weight of the triglycerides of vegetable fats and / or fermented fats.

[0063] It has been found that an excessive proportion of palmitic acid in the triglycerides of the fat matrix may be detrimental to the needs solved by the present invention. Thus, in particular, as shown in the examples, the triglycerides of the fat matrix contain less than 59.00% palmitic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the fat matrix. Preferably, the triglycerides of the fat matrix contain less than 50% palmitic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the fat matrix. More preferably, the triglycerides of the fat matrix contain less than 40% palmitic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the fat matrix. Even more preferably, the triglycerides of the fat matrix contain up to 35.00% palmitic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the fat matrix.

[0064] In contrast, it has been found that a high proportion of oleic acid in the triglycerides is beneficial to the needs solved by the present invention. Thus, in particular, as shown in the examples, the triglycerides of the fat matrix contain more than 33.00% oleic acid by weight relative to the total weight of the triglycerides in the fat matrix. Preferably, the triglycerides of the fat matrix contain more than 35% oleic acid by weight relative to the total weight of the triglycerides in the fat matrix. More preferably, the triglycerides of the fat matrix contain more than 40% oleic acid by weight relative to the total weight of the triglycerides in the fat matrix. Even more preferably, the triglycerides contain more than 45% oleic acid by weight relative to the total weight of the triglycerides in the fat matrix.

[0065] As mentioned above, the total weight of oleic acid, palmitic acid and stearic acid in the fat matrix (free and in mono-, di- and triglycerides) can be measured by converting the mono-, di- and triglycerides of free fatty acids into fatty acid methyl esters and quantifying them using flame ionization detector or gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometer.For example, this can be done through the ISO 12966 standard.Therefore, a person skilled in the art can easily calculate the weight percentage of oleic acid, palmitic acid and stearic acid in triglycerides.

[0066] In particular, as shown in the examples, the triglycerides in the fat matrix are less than 50% by weight of palmitic acid relative to the total weight of triglycerides of the fat matrix; More than 35% by weight of oleic acid relative to the total weight of triglycerides of the fat matrix, and At least 2% linoleic acid by weight based on the total weight of triglycerides of the fat matrix may include.

[0067] Preferably, as shown in the examples, the triglycerides in the fat matrix are less than 50% by weight of palmitic acid relative to the total weight of triglycerides of the fat matrix; at least 4% by weight of stearic acid relative to the total weight of triglycerides of the fat matrix, More than 35% by weight of oleic acid relative to the total weight of triglycerides of the fat matrix, and At least 2% linoleic acid by weight based on the total weight of triglycerides of the fat matrix Includes.

[0068] More preferably, as shown in the examples, the triglycerides in the fat matrix are less than 50% by weight of palmitic acid relative to the total weight of triglycerides of the fat matrix; at least 4% by weight of stearic acid relative to the total weight of triglycerides of the fat matrix, More than 35% by weight of oleic acid relative to the total weight of triglycerides of the fat matrix; More than 5% linoleic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides of the fatty matrix, and More than 0.01% linoleic acid by weight based on the total weight of triglycerides in the fat matrix Includes.

[0069] The fat matrix may contain only vegetable fats, or only fermented fats, or a combination of vegetable fats and fermented fats. Furthermore, the vegetable fats and / or fermented fats may be complemented with other fats. In fact, the fat matrix may contain animal proteins that may be obtained from cultured animal cells, so that the fat matrix may contain triglycerides of animal cells. Alternatively, the fat of the fat matrix is ​​exclusively selected from vegetable fats and / or fermented fats. The fat of the fat matrix may also be obtained from fractionated oils and / or hydrogenated oils and / or deodorized oils and / or interesterified oils.

[0070] The vegetable fat may comprise fats or oils extracted from edible plants, including, for example, flowers, fruits, stems, leaves, roots, germs and seeds. Preferably, the vegetable fat may comprise fats or oils extracted from, for example, oilseeds or fruits. In particular, the vegetable fat may relate to fats extracted from canola seeds (rapeseed), castor beans, coconuts, linseeds, allanblackia, olives, sunflowers, soybeans, peanuts, illipes, cottonseeds, shea, palm, avocados, safflowers, sesame seeds, lemons, grapeseeds, macadamias, almonds, sal, kokum, or mangoes, or combinations thereof.

[0071] In particular, the vegetable fat used according to the invention may be chosen from olive oil, palm oil, avocado oil, almond oil or combinations thereof.

[0072] The fermented fat may comprise fats or oils extracted from cells cultured in an anaerobic or aerobic fermentation process, particularly processes involving the culture of oleaginous microorganisms or animal cells excluding human cells. For example, the fermented fat may include fats from cyanobacteria, microalgae, yeast, fungi such as filamentous fungi, bacteria or cultured animal cells excluding human cells, such as adipocytes. Preferably, the fermented fat comprises fats or oils extracted from oleaginous yeasts such as Rhodosporidium toruloides, Lipomyces starkeyi and Yarrowia lipolytica.

[0073] Furthermore, in addition to the presence of fat, the fat matrix according to the invention advantageously contains proteins, in particular animal proteins excluding human proteins (also called non-human animal proteins). Indeed, without being limited by theory, the presence of proteins, in particular animal proteins, improves the ability of the fat matrix to meet specified needs. For example, the inventors have hypothesized that in certain fat matrices of the invention, proteins, in combination with certain fat compositions, help to create a suitable mouthfeel that resembles the texture of meat, in particular the texture of the fat phase of meat. Furthermore, the presence of animal proteins improves the organoleptic properties of the fat matrix, in particular the flavor.

[0074] Thus, as shown in the examples, the fat matrix may further comprise more than 2.10% protein by weight relative to the total weight (e.g. wet weight) of the fat matrix. Preferably, the fat matrix further comprises more than 2.50% protein by weight relative to the total weight (e.g. wet weight) of the fat matrix. More preferably, the fat matrix further comprises more than 3% protein by weight relative to the total weight (e.g. wet weight) of the fat matrix. Even more preferably, the fat matrix further comprises more than 4% protein by weight relative to the total weight (e.g. wet weight) of the fat matrix. These proteins may be vegetable proteins, fungal proteins, bacterial proteins, fermented proteins, animal proteins and mixtures thereof. However, as mentioned above, said proteins advantageously comprise non-human animal proteins. Thus, among the more than 2.10% protein by weight relative to the total weight of the fat matrix, at least some of the proteins are non-human animal proteins. Advantageously, as illustrated in the examples, this may be relevant for example for the production of meat analogs that can be confused with conventional meat in the context of a blind taste test, by improving the flavor of the edible product according to the invention.

[0075] Thus, as shown in the examples, the fat matrix may further comprise at least 1% by weight of non-human animal protein based on the total wet weight of the fat matrix, and preferably may comprise more than 2.10% by weight of non-human animal protein based on the total weight (e.g. wet weight) of the fat matrix. Preferably, the fat matrix further comprises more than 2.50% by weight of non-human animal protein based on the total weight (e.g. wet weight) of the fat matrix. More preferably, the fat matrix further comprises more than 3% by weight of non-human animal protein based on the total weight (e.g. wet weight) of the fat matrix. Even more preferably, the fat matrix further comprises more than 4% by weight of non-human animal protein based on the total weight (e.g. wet weight) of the fat matrix.

[0076] However, the fat matrix preferably does not contain significant amounts of protein, in particular animal protein. Thus, the fat matrix may contain less than 55% protein by weight relative to the total weight of the fat matrix. Preferably, the fat matrix preferably contains less than 40% protein by weight relative to the total weight of the fat matrix. More preferably, the fat matrix further contains less than 30% protein by weight relative to the total weight of the fat matrix. Even more preferably, the fat matrix further contains less than 20% protein by weight relative to the total weight (e.g. wet weight) of the fat matrix. Of these proteins, the fat matrix may contain less than 40%, less than 30%, less than 20%, less than 15% non-human animal protein by weight relative to the total weight (e.g. wet weight) of the fat matrix.

[0077] Preferably, the fat matrix further comprises 2.5% to 55% by weight of protein based on the total weight of the fat matrix. More preferably, the fat matrix further comprises 3% to 33% by weight of protein based on the total weight of the fat matrix. Even more preferably, the fat matrix further comprises 4% to 25% by weight of protein based on the total weight (e.g. wet weight) of the fat matrix. Of these proteins, the fat matrix may comprise 1% to 30%, 1% to 25%, 1% to 20%, 1% to 15%, or 1% to 10% by weight of non-human animal protein based on the total weight of the fat matrix.

[0078] Preferably, the non-human animal protein is selected from among bovine proteins, avian proteins, porcine proteins, lagomorph proteins, ray-finned proteins, and combinations thereof. More preferably, the non-human animal protein is selected from among duck proteins, goose proteins, beef proteins, pork proteins, tuna proteins, salmon proteins, and combinations thereof.

[0079] In one embodiment, the animal protein may be obtained from animal flesh, excluding human flesh, in particular from animal flesh selected from muscle, organs, such as liver, skin, and combinations thereof.

[0080] In one embodiment, the animal protein can be obtained from cultured animal cells, excluding human cells. For those who do not understand this meaning, those skilled in the art understand that duck protein is a protein produced by duck cells, and said duck cells may be cultured outside of a duck organism. Duck cells belong to or are derived from organisms that, depending on their ancestry, belong to a kingdom (Anamilia), a family (Anatidae), a genus (Acanthidae), or a species, such as mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) or Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata).

[0081] The animal cells can be selected from among stem cells, fibroblasts, adipocytes, muscle cells, keratinocytes, and combinations thereof. Stem cells may refer to pluripotent or multipotent or totipotent cells, or oligopotent stem cells of neuroectodermal, mesodermal, endodermal lineages. Preferably, the animal cells are selected from among cells obtained from the differentiation of non-human embryonic stem cells, cells obtained from the differentiation of non-human induced pluripotent stem cells, cells obtained from transdifferentiated non-human isolated cells, immortalized mature non-human cells, and differentiated cells obtained from the differentiation of non-human progenitor cells.

[0082] cultured cells Lack of flavour or inappropriate texture can be a common problem in meat-like products, especially those of plant origin. The texture or flavour of cultured cell-based products can also be improved. The invention is particularly suitable for edible products made at least in part from cultured cells. Thus, preferably, the fat matrix comprises cultured cells or cultured cell extracts, said cultured cells being cells belonging to an organism of the kingdom Animalia excluding humans, the kingdom Bacteria or the kingdom Fungi, preferably said cultured cells being cells belonging to an organism of the kingdom Animalia excluding humans.

[0083] Thus, preferably, the edible product with meat-like texture according to the present invention is obtained from cultured cells. Such cultured cells may remain intact or they may be disrupted, for example when homogenized, extruded, mixed, blended, or subjected to melt-blowing, electrospinning, centrifugal spinning, blow spinning. If the cultured cells are disrupted, the method according to the present invention may include a step of extracting certain compounds after disruption. For example, the method according to the present invention may include a step of extracting proteins and / or lipids (such as fatty acids or phospholipids) from the cultured cells.

[0084] The adipose matrix can comprise animal cells, other than human cells, selected from cells obtained from the differentiation of non-human embryonic stem cells, cells obtained from the differentiation of non-human induced pluripotent stem cells, cells obtained from transdifferentiated non-human isolated cells, immortalized mature non-human cells, and differentiated cells obtained from the differentiation of non-human progenitor cells.

[0085] The adipose matrix can comprise hepatocytes, excluding human hepatocytes, selected from hepatocytes obtained from differentiation of non-human embryonic stem cells, hepatocytes obtained from differentiation of non-human induced pluripotent stem cells, hepatocytes obtained from transdifferentiated non-human isolated cells, immortalized mature non-human hepatocytes, and differentiated hepatocytes obtained from differentiation of non-human progenitor cells.

[0086] In particular, the hepatocytes may be non-fatty hepatocytes or fatty hepatocytes.

[0087] The adipose matrix can comprise cardiomyocytes other than human cardiomyocytes, e.g., selected from cardiomyocytes obtained from differentiation of non-human embryonic stem cells, cardiomyocytes obtained from differentiation of non-human induced pluripotent stem cells, cardiomyocytes obtained from transdifferentiated non-human isolated cells, immortalized mature non-human cardiomyocytes, and differentiated cardiomyocytes obtained from differentiation of non-human progenitor cells.

[0088] Differentiation of non-human embryonic stem cells The cells in the adipose matrix may be derived from the differentiation of non-human embryonic stem cells. Differentiation involves a series of processes by which undifferentiated or unspecialized cells acquire their function. The stem cells are isolated from the embryo and cultured using a culture medium to achieve proliferation of the cells and maintenance of a dedifferentiated state. In one embodiment, the medium formulation utilizes a synthetic serum-free medium.

[0089] The embryonic stem cells can then be induced to differentiate, for example, into hepatocytes, fibroblasts, keratinocytes, muscle cells, or adipocytes. For example, in the case of hepatocytes, the non-human embryonic stem cells are induced into cells of the definitive endoderm, preferably by specific growth factors, such as activin A, WNT, FGF, or BMP, or other components that affect differentiation, such as insulin-transferrin-selenium, rapamycin, KOSR, or sodium butyrate. The cells of the definitive endoderm are then specified into hepatic endoderm cells and then hepatoblasts, preferably by specific factors, such as HGF, FGF, FGF, and BMP. The hepatoblasts are differentiated into hepatocytes by differentiation induced by a combination of factors, such as HGF, oncostatin M, dexamethasone, and TGF-β. The differentiated hepatocytes can then be cultured and expanded to the desired cell mass.

[0090] Differentiation of non-human induced pluripotent stem cells The cells in the adipose matrix may be derived from differentiation of non-human induced pluripotent stem cells.

[0091] For example, an episomal reprogramming strategy of avian dermal fibroblasts isolated from geese, ducks or chickens can be used to generate induced pluripotent stem cells from fibroblasts without using classical viral reprogramming techniques.

[0092] Induced pluripotent stem cells can be cultured using optimized media substrates and media formulations to achieve sustained cell proliferation and maintenance of a dedifferentiated state. The media formulation utilizes a synthetic serum-free medium. Preferably, the cells are cultured in a pathogen-free cell culture system. The pluripotent stem cells can then be primed, differentiated into hepatocytes, and expanded to a desired cell number.

[0093] Transdifferentiated non-human isolated cells The cells in the adipose matrix may be obtained from transdifferentiated non-human isolated cells. Transdifferentiation refers to the differentiation of one differentiated cell type to another, preferably in one step. Transdifferentiation refers to a method of changing the differentiation phenotype or developmental potential of a cell without the formation of a pluripotent intermediate cell. That is, the cell does not need to be first dedifferentiated (or reprogrammed) and then differentiated into another cell type. Instead, the cell type is simply "switched" from one cell type to another without going through a less differentiated phenotype. Transdifferentiation can include a first step of exposing a first cell with a first cell fate to conditions that generate a second cell (i.e., a less differentiated cell) that can differentiate into a second cell fate, and a second step of exposing the less differentiated cell to conditions to differentiate into a cell with a second cell fate, such as a hepatocyte.

[0094] For example, non-human cells, such as embryonic fibroblasts, embryonic stem cells, muscle cells, etc., are isolated using techniques known in the art of cell biology and cultured in a medium containing basal medium, antibiotics, non-essential amino acids, reducing agents, serum, minerals and growth factors.

[0095] Immortalized mature non-human hepatocytes The cells in the fat matrix can be selected from immortalized mature non-human hepatocytes. The specificity of immortalized mature non-human hepatocytes lies in the fact that the cells can divide indefinitely. Mature avian hepatocytes can be isolated from the liver of ducks, geese or chickens. Hepatocytes can be immortalized using classical techniques, such as transformation or natural hepatocyte immortalization by successively passing hepatocytes until spontaneous mutation occurs resulting in immortalization. The immortalized hepatocytes can be expanded to the desired cell mass and grown in culture medium.

[0096] Differentiated cells obtained from the differentiation of non-human precursor cells The cells in the adipose matrix can be selected from differentiated hepatocytes obtained from the differentiation of non-human progenitor cells. The progenitor cells can be expanded using an optimized medium substrate and medium formulation to obtain sustained cell proliferation and maintenance of the pluripotent state. The medium formulation can include a synthetic serum-free medium. The hepatic stem cells are then induced to differentiate into mature hepatocytes and expanded to the desired cell mass thanks to differentiation factors.

[0097] Advantageously, regardless of the origin of the hepatocytes, the cultured hepatocytes can be considered as cells grown in a culture medium. Advantageously, the culture medium does not contain fetal bovine serum. The culture medium is preferably gradually supplemented with hydrolysates as plants or yeasts. Such serum-free medium allows the reduction and elimination of animal-derived components.

[0098] Various media formulations are optionally used to allow the cell population to maintain self-renewal capability during proliferation, etc. As described, the media formulations can be modified from traditional media so that they do not require fetal bovine serum or animal substitutes for bovine serum. Rather, the media can include plant or yeast hydrolysate. Examples of plant-based formulations include soy-based and plant hydrolysate-based media formulations. Some media formulations can include at least one component to enhance the nutritional content of cultured cells.

[0099] In addition, the medium contains all the components and nutrients for the development of the cells, such as salts, glucose, water, inorganic salts, amino acids, and the like.

[0100] In one embodiment, the culture medium may comprise a scaffold.

[0101] Cells are cultured in an incubator conditioned at 37°C, 5% CO2, pH 7, and at least 95% moisture.

[0102] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the cultured hepatocytes may be steatotic cells. Thus, the present invention may include a step of inducing steatosis in the cultured hepatocytes.

[0103] According to one embodiment, the medium can be supplemented with increasing concentrations of free fatty acids, causing hepatocytes to undergo steatosis by taking up and storing excess amounts of extracellular fatty acids.

[0104] The fatty acids may be selected from butyric acid, isobutyric acid, isovaleric acid, caproic acid, caprylic acid, pelargonic acid, capric acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, oleic acid, docosahexaenoic acid, stearic acid, arachidic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, palmitoleic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid, or mixtures thereof.

[0105] The length of time that the cells are exposed to lipid concentrations sufficient to induce steatosis will vary depending on the type of cell, the size of the cell population, the age of the cell population, the passage number, the genetic modification or manipulation of the cells, the type and components of the culture medium, the desired amount of lipid accumulation or steatosis, or a combination thereof.

[0106] For example, certain cell types take up exogenous lipids from the culture medium more slowly than others and therefore require longer incubation periods in lipid-rich medium to induce the desired amount of steatosis.

[0107] In many cases, the cells are cultured in a medium with a high lipid concentration for about 30 to about 60 days.

[0108] According to another embodiment, steatosis can be induced by increasing the expression in cells of lipid pathways responsible for lipid metabolism and storage. In this case, genetic manipulation leads to the accumulation of lipid droplets in the cytoplasm of liver cells, thereby resulting in steatosis. Inducing or enhancing the expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism can promote or enhance lipid accumulation and / or steatosis in target cells, such as hepatocytes. According to one embodiment of the present invention, the liver cells in which steatosis is induced can be non-steatotic liver cells.

[0109] Proteins, especially animal proteins, can be added to form the fat matrix in any form compatible with normal food processing methods.For example, animal proteins can be added in the form of a protein-containing solution, such as a protein extract obtained from cells, in the form of cells, or in the form of disrupted cells.Thus, the proteins used, especially non-human animal proteins, can be obtained by fermentation with microorganisms, such as bacteria and fungi, as well as eukaryotic cells.As already mentioned, proteins can be obtained from non-human animal cells, more preferably from cultured non-human animal cells.

[0110] The edible food according to the invention may be composed mostly of fat matrix, which may be the case when the edible food according to the invention is a foie gras substitute. For example, the edible food comprises at least 20% fat matrix by weight relative to the total weight of the edible food. Preferably, the edible food comprises at least 40% fat matrix by weight relative to the total weight of the edible food. More preferably, the edible food comprises at least 60% fat matrix by weight relative to the total weight of the edible food. Even more preferably, the edible food comprises at least 80% fat matrix by weight relative to the total weight of the edible food. It is also possible that the edible food comprises more than 95% fat matrix by weight relative to the total weight of the edible food.

[0111] However, the edible food according to the invention may comprise a mixture of fat matrix and other food matrices, such as protein matrix or carbohydrate matrix. Thus, in some embodiments, the fat matrix should not be the main component of the edible food. For example, the edible food comprises a fat matrix of up to 80% by weight relative to the total weight of the edible food. Preferably, the edible food comprises a fat matrix of up to 60% by weight relative to the total weight of the edible food. More preferably, the edible food comprises a fat matrix of up to 40% by weight relative to the total weight of the edible food. Even more preferably, the edible food comprises a fat matrix of up to 20% by weight relative to the total weight of the edible food. It is also possible that the edible food is composed of less than 10% by weight of fat matrix relative to the total weight of the edible food.

[0112] In this connection, suitable binders can be used to provide adhesion between the matrices. In particular, emulsion gels, which are matrices composed of cross-linked protein or carbohydrate networks containing emulsified lipids, have been studied. It has been proposed to use methylcellulose or ethylcellulose to form oleogel. This is usually achieved by dispersing derivatized cellulose molecules in oil above their glass transition temperature and then cooling the polymer solution below its gelation point (Davidovich-Pinhas, Barbut, & Marangoni, 2014; 10.1007 / s10570-014-0377-1). Similarly, the matrix can be attached by a protein isolate suspension, such as a soy protein isolate suspension, gelled by heating or the addition of transglutaminase (Herz E. et al, 2021; 10.1016 / j.ifset.2021.102806). Thus, preferably, the fat matrix further comprises transglutaminase. More preferably, the fat matrix further comprises protein fibres, such as collagen or gelatin, etc. Even more preferably, the fat matrix comprises protein fibres and transglutaminase.

[0113] As mentioned above, the fat matrix according to the present invention can be considered as a fat matrix that confers texture. Hereby, the edible food preferably comprises another food matrix, such as a protein matrix or a carbohydrate matrix, in contact with the fat matrix. For example, the edible food preferably comprises a mixture of a fat matrix and a protein matrix or a carbohydrate matrix. The edible food can comprise a fat matrix arranged above or below the protein matrix or the carbohydrate matrix.

[0114] In particular, the fat matrix can act as a binder for the fiber matrix, such as a protein matrix or a carbohydrate matrix. In addition to the above-mentioned sensory properties, this binder can ensure the cohesion of the fibers of the fiber matrix. Thus, the edible food product preferably comprises the fiber matrix in contact with the fat matrix. For example, the fat matrix can be placed in the edible food product in order to cover or encase the fibers or to swallow the fibers.

[0115] For example, the edible food comprises at least 20% by weight of the fiber matrix relative to the total weight of the edible food. Preferably, the edible food comprises at least 40% by weight of the fiber matrix relative to the total weight of the edible food. More preferably, the edible food comprises at least 60% by weight of the fiber matrix relative to the total weight of the edible food. Even more preferably, the edible food comprises at least 80% by weight of the fiber matrix relative to the total weight of the edible food.

[0116] The fiber matrix may comprise a fiber structure that mimics muscle meat type products. Such structures may be obtained by muscle fiber culture, use of mycoprotein, wet spinning, electrospinning, extrusion, cryostructuring, cells cultured on scaffolds, high moisture extrusion, low moisture extrusion, dry spinning, wet dry spinning, protein layered nutrient embedding technology, microextrusion, or shear cell technology. The fiber matrix may be based on any kind of cellulose fibers / fibrils or amylose fibers / fibrils. The fiber structure preferably has a length of more than a micrometer.

[0117] The fiber matrix may be a plant-based fiber matrix, a fungal-based matrix, such as a yeast-based fiber matrix, a bacterial-based fiber matrix, an algae-based fiber matrix, or a cultured animal cell-based fiber matrix. Thus, the fiber matrix may comprise fibers derived from plants, fibers derived from fungi, such as fibers derived from yeast, fibers derived from bacteria, fibers derived from algae, fibers derived from cultured animal cells, or combinations thereof.

[0118] The edible food may comprise at least 20% by weight of the plant matrix relative to the total weight of the edible food. Preferably, the edible food comprises at least 40% by weight of the plant matrix relative to the total weight of the edible food. More preferably, the edible food comprises at least 60% by weight of the plant matrix relative to the total weight of the edible food. Even more preferably, the edible food comprises at least 80% by weight of the plant matrix relative to the total weight of the edible food.

[0119] As previously mentioned, the edible food may be a finished product or an ingredient for food processing. Preferably, the edible food mimics an edible food of animal origin. The edible food may be a cooked, uncooked or pre-cooked product.

[0120] For example, the edible food may be a cooked edible food or a pre-cooked edible food, e.g., the edible food has been pre-cooked for further frying, or the edible food may be an uncooked product.

[0121] Thus, the edible food may be packaged in a flexible container such as a plastic sheet, or in a rigid container such as a cylindrical or non-cylindrical jar. Advantageously, the edible food may be a cooked edible food. Thus, the edible food may be packaged in a jar, said jar being the same as a cooking jar.

[0122] Physicochemical properties of the edible food product according to the invention Fat release characteristics of edible products containing a fat matrix according to the invention One advantage of the present invention is that it mimics conventional food cooking behavior. The fat release values ​​during cooking below may refer to fat released during cooking, for example while frying the sample on one side for 60 seconds at a surface temperature of 180°C. Preferably, the samples used for measuring fat release during cooking are cylindrical with a diameter of 40 mm and a height of 15 mm. The fat release value during cooking is preferably an average value obtained from at least five independent samples. For example, fat release can be measured by using a weighed first paper napkin to absorb and collect the fat that leaks onto the cooking surface after the cooking process. The difference in weight of the first paper napkin before and after frying corresponds to the weight of fat released during cooking.

[0123] The ability of a sample to release fat during cooking can be expressed in w / w% using the following formula: ((weight of fat absorbed by the first paper napkin after cooking) / (weight of sample before cooking)) x 100

[0124] Thus, an edible food product according to the present invention can be formulated to release, during cooking (e.g., pan-frying, etc.), at least 2% fat by weight based on the total weight of the edible food product. Preferably, it can release at least 5% fat by weight based on the total weight of the edible food product. More preferably, it can release at least 7.5% fat by weight based on the total weight of the edible food product. Even more preferably, it can release at least 10% fat by weight based on the total weight of the edible food product.

[0125] However, the fat released during cooking should not be too much. Thus, for example, an edible food according to the invention can be formulated to release up to 30% fat by weight based on the total weight of the edible food during cooking (e.g. pan-frying, etc.). Preferably, it can release up to 25% fat by weight based on the total weight of the edible food. More preferably, it can release up to 20% fat by weight based on the total weight of the edible food. Even more preferably, it can release up to 15% fat by weight based on the total weight of the edible food.

[0126] Thus, for example, the edible food according to the present invention can be formulated so as to release, during cooking (e.g., frying in a frying pan), 2% to 30% by weight of fat relative to the total weight of the edible food, preferably 5% to 25% by weight of fat, more preferably 7.5% to 20% by weight of fat, and even more preferably 10% to 15% by weight of fat, relative to the total weight of the edible food.

[0127] In particular, these fat release values ​​during cooking may refer to the fat release values ​​during cooking of a fat matrix according to the invention in relation to the weight of the fat matrix.

[0128] Also, fat release by edible foods during mastication can be an interesting technical feature when mimicking conventional foods. The mechanical conditions of a typical mastication process can be reproduced by applying pressure to edible foods. Thus, fat released during compression of an edible product is a relevant technical feature when mimicking conventional foods.

[0129] The fat release during compression can be measured using a texture analyzer (or texturometer) probe. The probe is set to drive to the 0 mm limit at a speed of 100 mm / min for 30 seconds to crush the sample once at 45° C. Preferably, the samples used for fat release during compression measurement are cylindrical with a diameter of 40 mm and a height of 15 mm. The fat release value during compression is preferably an average value obtained from at least five independent samples.

[0130] For example, each pan-fried sample is placed on a second paper napkin under the probe of the texturometer. The difference in weight of the second paper napkin before and after compression corresponds to the weight of fat released during compression.

[0131] The ability of a sample to release fat during compression (e.g., simulating chewing) can be expressed in w / w % using the following formula: ((weight of fat absorbed by the second paper napkin after compression) / (weight of sample after cooking)) x 100

[0132] Advantageously, the edible food according to the present invention should have fat release characteristics during compression similar to conventional foods. For example, the edible food according to the present invention can release at least 2.5% fat by weight based on the total weight of the edible food during compression. Preferably, it can release at least 5% fat by weight based on the total weight of the edible food during compression. More preferably, it can release at least 10% fat by weight based on the total weight of the edible food during compression. More preferably, it can release at least 15% fat by weight based on the total weight of the edible food during compression. Even more preferably, it can release at least 20% fat by weight based on the total weight of the edible food during compression.

[0133] The fat release during compression should not be too high. For example, the edible food according to the invention can be formulated to release up to 42% fat by weight based on the total weight of the edible food during compression. Preferably, it can release up to 40% fat by weight based on the total weight of the edible food during compression. More preferably, it can release up to 38% fat by weight based on the total weight of the edible food during compression. Even more preferably, it can release up to 36% fat by weight based on the total weight of the edible food during compression.

[0134] Thus, for example, an edible food product according to the present invention may be formulated to release, during compression, from 2.5% to 42% fat by weight based on the total weight of the edible food product, preferably from 5% to 40% fat by weight based on the total weight of the edible food product, more preferably from 10% to 38% fat by weight, and even more preferably from 20% to 36% fat by weight.

[0135] In particular, these fat release values ​​during compression may refer to fat release values ​​during compression of a fat matrix according to the invention in relation to the weight of the fat matrix.

[0136] Mechanical properties of edible products containing a fat matrix according to the invention The edible product according to the invention can also be defined by its mechanical properties, such as its hardness and its cohesiveness.

[0137] Hardness is a mechanical property of a food product and can reflect the force required for a consumer to compress the food product between the molars or between the tongue and palate during chewing. Hardness is preferably quantified (in Newtons) using a texturometer in combination with a compression plate probe. For example, a Lloyd Instrument LS1SH-230V texturometer can be combined with a compression plate probe with a diameter of 80 mm using Nexygen 3.0 Plus software to operate the system. Hardness testing is based on multiple cycles in which a compression phase followed by a release phase is separated by a rest phase. For example, in the first cycle of compression, the probe is lowered to 0.75 times the height of the sample at a speed of 60 mm / min. The probe then returns to its initial position at a speed of 60 mm / min and is held for 60 seconds. The second cycle of compression is the same as the first cycle. The mechanical property value (hardness or cohesiveness) is preferably an average value obtained from at least five independent samples.

[0138] Hardness is defined as the maximum force applied to an edible food sample during the compression phase of the Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) test, as explained in the Examples section. Briefly, as shown in Figure 2, TPA consists in applying two compression cycles (a, d) followed by a release phase (b, e) to the sample under the probe, each cycle separated by a rest phase (time between b and d), allowing the measurement of Hardness 1 and 2 (maximum value of compression for each cycle) and the calculation of the cohesiveness of the sample. In Figure 2, Hardness 1 is identified by the peak of the first phase of compression and Hardness 2 is identified by the peak of the second phase of compression. Mechanical properties such as hardness may vary depending on the temperature and the shape of the test sample.

[0139] For example, for a cylinder with a diameter of 20 mm and a height of 20 mm, at a temperature of 4° C., the edible food product according to the invention has a hardness 1 of at least 40N, preferably at least 50N, more preferably at least 55N, even more preferably at least 60N.

[0140] For example, for a cylinder with a diameter of 20 mm and a height of 20 mm, at a temperature of 4° C., the hardness 1 of the edible food product according to the invention is at most 100 N, preferably at most 95 N, more preferably at most 90 N, even more preferably at most 85 N.

[0141] Therefore, for example, in a cylinder having a diameter of 20 mm and a height of 20 mm, at a temperature of 4°C, the hardness 1 of the edible food according to the present invention is 40N to 100N, preferably 50N to 95N, more preferably 55N to 90N, and even more preferably 60N to 85N.

[0142] In particular, these Hardness 1 values ​​may refer to the Hardness 1 values ​​of the fat matrix according to the invention.

[0143] For example, for a cylinder with a diameter of 40 mm and a height of 15 mm, at a temperature of 45° C., the edible food product according to the invention has a hardness 1 of at least 12 N, preferably at least 14 N, more preferably at least 16 N, even more preferably at least 18 N.

[0144] For example, for a cylinder with a diameter of 40 mm and a height of 15 mm, at a temperature of 45° C., the hardness 1 of the edible food product according to the invention is at most 45 N, preferably at most 40 N, more preferably at most 35 N, even more preferably at most 30 N.

[0145] Therefore, for example, in a cylinder having a diameter of 40 mm and a height of 15 mm, at a temperature of 45°C, the hardness 1 of the edible food according to the present invention is 12N to 45N, preferably 14N to 40N, more preferably 16N to 35N, and even more preferably 18N to 30N.

[0146] In particular, these Hardness 1 values ​​may refer to the Hardness 1 values ​​of the fat matrix according to the invention.

[0147] For example, for a cylinder with a diameter of 20 mm and a height of 20 mm, at a temperature of 4° C., the hardness 2 of the edible food product according to the invention is at least 25 N, preferably at least 27.5 N, more preferably at least 30 N, even more preferably at least 32.5 N.

[0148] For example, for a cylinder with a diameter of 20 mm and a height of 20 mm, at a temperature of 4° C., the hardness 2 of the edible food product according to the invention is at most 65 N, preferably at most 60 N, more preferably at most 55 N, even more preferably at most 50 N.

[0149] Therefore, for example, in a cylinder having a diameter of 20 mm and a height of 20 mm, at a temperature of 4°C, the hardness 2 of the edible food according to the present invention is 25N to 65N, preferably 27.5N to 60N, more preferably 30N to 55N, and even more preferably 32.5N to 50N.

[0150] In particular, these Hardness 2 values ​​may refer to the Hardness 2 values ​​of the fat matrix according to the invention.

[0151] For example, for a cylinder with a diameter of 40 mm and a height of 15 mm, at a temperature of 45° C., the hardness 2 of the edible food product according to the invention is at least 8 N, preferably at least 9 N, more preferably at least 10 N, even more preferably at least 11 N.

[0152] For example, for a cylinder with a diameter of 40 mm and a height of 15 mm, at a temperature of 45° C., the hardness 2 of the edible food product according to the invention is at most 30 N, preferably at most 27.5 N, more preferably at most 25 N, even more preferably at most 22.5 N.

[0153] Therefore, for example, in a cylinder having a diameter of 40 mm and a height of 15 mm, at a temperature of 45°C, the hardness 2 of the edible food according to the present invention is 8N to 30N, preferably 9N to 27.5N, more preferably 10N to 25N, and even more preferably 11N to 22.5N.

[0154] In particular, these Hardness 2 values ​​may refer to the Hardness 2 values ​​of the fat matrix according to the invention.

[0155] Cohesiveness is the resistance of a product to a second deformation compared to its resistance to a first deformation. Cohesiveness is inferred from the data of both compression / release cycles applied to measure Hardness 1 and 2. It is therefore calculated as the working area during the second compression divided by the working area during the first compression (Figure 2). Cohesiveness=(d+e) / (a+b)

[0156] For example, the cohesiveness of the edible food product according to the present invention is at most 0.080, preferably at most 0.075, more preferably at most 0.070, even more preferably at most 0.065 for a cylinder of diameter 20 mm and height 20 mm at a temperature of 4°C.

[0157] For example, the cohesiveness of the edible food product according to the invention is at least 0.015, preferably at least 0.020, more preferably at least 0.025, even more preferably at least 0.030 for a cylinder of 20 mm diameter and 20 mm height at a temperature of 4°C.

[0158] Therefore, for example, the cohesiveness of the edible food according to the present invention, in a cylinder having a diameter of 20 mm and a height of 20 mm, at a temperature of 4°C is 0.015 to 0.080, preferably 0.020 to 0.075, more preferably 0.025 to 0.070, and even more preferably 0.030 to 0.065.

[0159] In particular, these cohesiveness values ​​may refer to the cohesiveness values ​​of the fat matrix according to the present invention.

[0160] For example, the cohesiveness of the edible food product according to the present invention is at most 0.20, preferably at most 0.19, more preferably at most 0.18, even more preferably at most 0.17 for a cylinder of 40 mm diameter and 15 mm height at a temperature of 45°C.

[0161] For example, the cohesiveness of the edible food product according to the invention is at least 0.025, preferably at least 0.05, more preferably at least 0.075, and even more preferably at least 0.1 for a cylinder of 40 mm diameter and 15 mm height at a temperature of 45°C.

[0162] Therefore, for example, the cohesiveness of the edible food according to the present invention, in a cylinder having a diameter of 40 mm and a height of 15 mm, at a temperature of 45°C is 0.025 to 0.20, preferably 0.05 to 0.19, more preferably 0.075 to 0.18, and even more preferably 0.1 to 0.17.

[0163] In particular, these cohesiveness values ​​may refer to the cohesiveness values ​​of the fat matrix according to the present invention.

[0164] According to a second aspect, the present invention relates to a method 100 for producing an edible food product comprising a fat matrix.

[0165] The manufacturing method 100 according to the invention preferably allows the production of an edible food product with a meat-like texture, such as an edible food product according to the invention. Preferably, the manufacturing method 100 includes all steps and features that make it possible to obtain a product according to the invention in its preferred or non-preferred embodiments.

[0166] As shown in FIG. 1 , the method includes steps 110, 120, of providing a vegetable fat and / or a fermented fat, 130, of providing an animal protein, and 150, of processing said vegetable fat and / or fermented fat and said animal protein to produce a fat matrix, in particular to produce an edible food product comprising said fat matrix.

[0167] The production of food may include several other steps, such as blanching, heat pasteurization, evaporation and distillation, dehydration, smoking, baking and roasting, frying, high pressure processing, pulsed electric field (PEF) processing, ultrasonic / cavitation / shock wave processing, pasteurization, application of cold plasma, dielectric, ohmic and infrared processing, microwave heating / blanching / assisted extraction, food irradiation, UV microbial inactivation, pulsed light technology, supercritical extraction, extrusion, freezing, cooling, modified atmosphere, drying techniques (freeze drying, membrane), fermentation, homogenization, mincing, grinding, shredding, salting, tumbling, salting, brine injection, etc. In particular, the method according to the invention may also include several additional steps, such as step 130 of adding food additives, step 155 of homogenizing fat and animal protein, step 160 of performing heat processing, step 170 of combining the fat matrix with another food matrix, and / or step 180 of conditioning the edible food.

[0168] We have already described in detail the general and preferred properties of each of the components of the fat matrix and edible food product according to the invention, and these embodiments are applicable both to the edible food product according to the invention and to other aspects of the invention, such as the method for producing said edible food product.

[0169] As shown in FIG. 1, a method 100 for producing an edible food product according to the present invention includes a step 110 of providing a vegetable fat and / or a fermented fat.

[0170] This process is especially designed to improve the textural quality of the edible product. In particular, such a treatment improves the meat-like texture of the fat matrix. Thus, such a process contributes to solving the problem solved by the present invention.

[0171] As described for the edible product according to the invention, preferably the vegetable fat and / or the fermented fat comprises triglycerides.

[0172] Thus, the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat may comprise at least 50% triglycerides by weight relative to the total weight of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat, preferably at least 70% triglycerides by weight relative to the total weight of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat, more preferably at least 80% triglycerides by weight relative to the total weight of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat, even more preferably at least 90% triglycerides by weight, such as at least 95% triglycerides by weight relative to the total weight of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat.

[0173] Furthermore, the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat contain more than 40% by weight of unsaturated C18 fatty acids with less than 4 carbon-carbon double bonds, based on the total weight of the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat. Preferably, the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat contain more than 45% by weight of unsaturated C18 fatty acids with less than 4 carbon-carbon double bonds, based on the total weight of the triglycerides in the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat. More preferably, the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat contain more than 50% by weight of unsaturated C18 fatty acids with less than 4 carbon-carbon double bonds, based on the total weight of the triglycerides in the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat. Even more preferably, the triglycerides contain more than 55% by weight of unsaturated C18 fatty acids with less than 4 carbon-carbon double bonds, based on the total weight of the triglycerides in the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat.

[0174] Also, the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat contain more than 2% polyunsaturated C18 fatty acids by weight relative to the total weight of the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat. Preferably, the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat contain more than 2.5% polyunsaturated C18 fatty acids by weight relative to the total weight of the triglycerides in the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat. More preferably, the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat contain more than 3.5% polyunsaturated C18 fatty acids by weight relative to the total weight of the triglycerides in the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat. Even more preferably, the triglycerides contain at least 7% polyunsaturated C18 fatty acids by weight relative to the total weight of the triglycerides in the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat. In particular, the edible product of the present invention preferably contains a minimum concentration of linoleic acid, preferably in the form of triglycerides. Thus, in particular, as shown in the examples, the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat contain more than 0.01% linolenic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat. Preferably, the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat contain more than 0.10% linolenic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat. More preferably, the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat contain at least 1% linolenic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat. Even more preferably, the triglycerides contain at least 2% linolenic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat.

[0175] Thus, in particular, as shown in the examples, the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat contain at least 4% stearic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat. Preferably, the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat contain at least 5% stearic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat. More preferably, the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat contain at least 10% stearic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat. Even more preferably, the triglycerides contain at least 15% stearic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat. However, an excessive proportion of stearic acid in the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat may be detrimental to the needs solved by the present invention. In a preferred embodiment, the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat contain less than 40% stearic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat. Preferably, the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat contain more than 30% stearic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat. More preferably, the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat contain more than 20% stearic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat.

[0176] As shown in the examples, an excess amount of saturated C16-C18 fatty acids relative to the total weight of the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat may be detrimental to the needs solved by the present invention.Thus, for example, the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat comprises less than 60% by weight of saturated C16-C18 fatty acids relative to the total weight of the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat, preferably less than 50% by weight of saturated C16-C18 fatty acids relative to the total weight of the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat, more preferably less than 40% by weight of saturated C16-C18 fatty acids relative to the total weight of the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat, and even more preferably less than 30% by weight of saturated C16-C18 fatty acids relative to the total weight of the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat.

[0177] It has been found that an excessive proportion of palmitic acid in the triglycerides of the fat matrix may be detrimental to the needs solved by the present invention. Thus, in particular, as shown in the examples, the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat contain less than 59.00% palmitic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat. Preferably, the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat contain less than 50% palmitic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat. More preferably, the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat contain less than 40% palmitic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat. Even more preferably, the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat contain up to 35.00% palmitic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat.

[0178] In contrast, a high proportion of oleic acid in the triglycerides has been found to be beneficial to the needs solved by the present invention. Thus, in particular, as shown in the examples, the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat contain more than 33% oleic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat. Preferably, the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat contain more than 35% oleic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat. More preferably, the triglycerides of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat contain more than 40% oleic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat. Even more preferably, the triglycerides contain more than 45% oleic acid by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the fat matrix.

[0179] 1, a method 100 for producing an edible food product according to the present invention includes a step 120 of providing animal protein excluding human protein. As mentioned above, the protein provided in this step includes animal protein (excluding human protein), but can also include other proteins, such as, for example, vegetable protein, bacterial protein, fungal protein, or mixtures thereof.

[0180] This process is especially designed to improve the sensory and textural qualities of the edible product. In particular, such a treatment improves the meat-like texture of the fat matrix. Thus, such a process contributes to solving the problem solved by the present invention.

[0181] As mentioned above, the animal protein, excluding human protein, can be provided in any form compatible with normal food processing methods. For example, the animal protein, excluding human protein, can be provided in the form of a solution, such as a protein extract obtained from cells, in the form of cells, or in the form of disrupted cells. The animal protein that can be used in this process can refer to any embodiment, regardless of whether they are the preferred embodiment of the edible product according to the present invention.

[0182] For example, the animal protein is preferably selected from among bovine cells, cervid cells, leporidae cells, suidae cells, anseriidae cells, pheasant cells, gadidae cells, hake cells, plaice cells, salmonid cells, mackerel cells, Prawns cells, and combinations thereof. Also, preferably, the animal protein is derived from cultured animal cells, for example, the animal cells are selected from among stem cells, such as induced pluripotent stem cells, germ layer cells, fibroadipogenic progenitor cells, muscle cells, such as skeletal muscle cells, cardiac cells or smooth muscle cells, hepatocytes, fibroblasts, adipocytes, chondrocytes, keratinocytes, and combinations thereof.

[0183] As mentioned above, the process may further comprise the addition of vegetable proteins, bacterial proteins, fungal proteins or mixtures thereof.For example, the vegetable proteins are preferably selected from among sunflower protein, soy protein, pea protein, canola protein, mung bean protein, chickpea protein, broad bean protein, lentil protein, seaweed protein, potato protein, quinoa protein, nut proteins, wheat protein, winged bean protein, bambara bean protein, dulse protein, mesquite bean protein, duckweed protein, winged bean protein, dried broad bean protein, dried cowpea protein, lupin protein, jackfruit protein, amaranth protein, millet protein, oat protein, chia protein, hemp seed protein and rice protein or combinations thereof.

[0184] The method 100 for producing an edible food product according to the present invention may include a step 130 of adding a food additive. This step is especially designed to improve the flavor, texture, appearance or shelf life of the edible food product. The edible food product may contain 0.01-10% by weight of the food additive, preferably 0.01-4% by weight of the food additive.

[0185] As shown in FIG. 1, methods according to the present invention can include the addition of food additives before 131 and / or after 132 the step 150 of processing the fat and animal protein to produce a fat matrix and / or the addition of food additives after 133 the heat treatment step 160.

[0186] The food additive may be selected from a seasoning, a flavor additive, a texturizer additive, a food colorant, a preservative additive, or a combination thereof.

[0187] The seasonings may be selected from, for example, salt, pepper, aromatic herbs and / or spices (including rosemary, sage, mint, oregano, parsley, thyme, bay leaf, cloves, basil, chives, marjoram, nutmeg, cardamom, chilli, cinnamon, fennel, fenugreek, ginger, saffron, vanilla and coriander), alcohol (including wines such as Jurançon, Sauternes or Pacherin, spirits such as Cognac or Armagnac, etc.), or any combination thereof.

[0188] The flavor additive may be selected, for example, from a flavor enhancer, a sweetener, or any combination thereof.

[0189] The texturizer additive may be selected, for example, from a thickening or thickening agent, a drying agent, a hardening agent, or any combination thereof.

[0190] The preservative additives may be selected from antimicrobial agents, pH adjusting agents, or any combination thereof.

[0191] The food colouring agent may for example be selected from natural colouring agents such as carotene, tomato, beetroot etc. or mixtures thereof. The edible food product may contain 0.01% to 4% of the food colouring agent.

[0192] As shown in FIG. 1, a method 100 for producing an edible food product according to the present invention includes a step 150 of processing the aforementioned vegetable fats and / or fermented fats and proteins, including animal proteins, to produce a fat matrix.

[0193] This process is specifically designed to improve the sensory quality of the edible product. In one embodiment, such processing can improve the meat-like texture of the fat matrix and of the edible food products that contain this fat matrix. Thus, such a process can contribute to solving the problem solved by the present invention.

[0194] During processing step 150, fat (vegetable and / or fermented) can be gradually incorporated into the protein, including animal protein, or vice versa. Alternatively, fat and protein can be mixed until homogenous. Optionally, processing step 150 can be performed at a temperature between 30°C and 100°C.

[0195] Preferably, and as broadly described above in connection with preferred and non-preferred embodiments of the edible food product, the fat matrix comprises more than 40.00% by weight of said vegetable fats and / or fermented fats relative to the total weight of the fat matrix, and preferably the fat matrix comprises at least 55% by weight of said vegetable fats and / or fermented fats relative to the total weight of the fat matrix and more than 2.1% by weight of said protein, including animal protein, relative to the total weight of the fat matrix. Preferred embodiments of edible food products related to animal protein or fat concentration are applicable to the presently described methods.

[0196] The processing step may include blending the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat with the aforementioned proteins, including animal proteins. Thus, as shown in FIG. 1, the method 100 for producing an edible food product according to the invention may include a homogenization step 155. This step is specifically designed to homogenize the fat matrix and / or to mix all the ingredients together. The homogenization step may therefore be a blending step, an emulsifying step or a stirring step. During this step, an emulsion may be made, preferably a microemulsion. It may be used, for example, when the fat matrix is ​​supplemented with other ingredients, such as plant materials or food additives, or when it is combined with another food matrix.

[0197] The fat matrix may be homogenized before and / or after processing the fat and animal protein to produce the fat matrix 150. The fat matrix may be homogenized during processing the fat and animal protein to produce the fat matrix 150.

[0198] Preferably, the homogenization step 155 is carried out using a high speed mixer, or homogenizer, such as a rotor stator homogenizer, a cutter, or a colloid mill.

[0199] The homogenization step 155 may be carried out for at least 30 seconds, preferably at least 1 minute, more preferably at least 2 minutes, for example at least 10 minutes. The homogenization step 155 may be carried out for up to 1 hour, preferably up to 45 minutes, more preferably up to 30 minutes, even more preferably up to 10 minutes, for example up to 2 minutes. Thus, the homogenization step 155 may be carried out for 30 seconds to 60 minutes, preferably 1 minute to 45 minutes, more preferably 2 minutes to 30 minutes, for example about 10 minutes.

[0200] The homogenization step 155 can be carried out at least 100 rpm, preferably at least 1000 rpm, more preferably at least 2000 rpm, for example at least 5000 rpm. The homogenization step 155 can be carried out at a maximum of 30000 rpm, preferably at a maximum of 25000 rpm, more preferably at a maximum of 20000 rpm, for example at a maximum of 15000 rpm. Thus, the homogenization step 155 can be carried out at a speed of 100 rpm to 30000 rpm, preferably 1000 rpm to 25000 rpm, more preferably 2000 rpm to 20000 rpm, and even more preferably 5000 rpm to 15000 rpm.

[0201] Homogenization preferably induces emulsions, more preferably microemulsions, in the fat matrix. Without being limited by theory, such microemulsions improve the texture of the fat matrix. The emulsion or microemulsion according to the present invention produces lipid droplets with a mean diameter of droplet size distribution of less than 25 μm, preferably less than 20 μm, more preferably less than 15 μm, even more preferably less than 10 μm. The mean diameter of droplet size distribution can be measured, for example, by dynamic light scattering according to ISO 22412 and / or using a Mastersizer 3000 from Malvern Panalytical devices.

[0202] As shown in Figure 1, the method 100 for producing an edible food product with a meat-like texture according to the present invention can include a heat treatment step 160. This step can be specifically designed to cook and / or pre-cook the edible food product and develop its flavor. This step can also be designed to sterilize the edible product.

[0203] Another advantage of this process is that it can play an important role in characterizing the quality attributes of the final product, such as flavor, color and texture.

[0204] The heat treatment step 160 may be carried out until the core temperature reaches at least 30° C., preferably at least 40° C., and more preferably at least 50° C. The heat treatment step 160 may be carried out for at least 5 minutes, preferably at least 10 minutes, and more preferably at least 15 minutes.

[0205] The heat treatment step 160 may be carried out until the core temperature reaches a maximum of 130° C., preferably a maximum of 100° C., more preferably a maximum of 80° C., and even more preferably a maximum of 60° C. The heat treatment step 160 may be carried out for a maximum of 120 minutes, preferably a maximum of 60 minutes, more preferably a maximum of 30 minutes, and more preferably a maximum of 15 minutes.

[0206] The heat treatment step 160 can be carried out until the central temperature reaches 30° C. to 130° C., preferably 30° C. to 80° C., more preferably 30° C. to 60° C., and even more preferably 35° C. to 60° C. The heat treatment step 160 can be carried out for 5 to 60 minutes, preferably 5 to 30 minutes, and more preferably 5 to 15 minutes.

[0207] Alternatively, the heat treatment step can correspond to sterilization or pasteurization.

[0208] The heat treatment step can be carried out using a conveyor belt and an oven (e.g., the oven can be a tunnel oven within which a conveyor belt runs), or can be carried out using an oven, a hot liquid bath, steam projection, microwave or radio frequency irradiation.

[0209] According to one embodiment, the method may comprise, for example after the heat treatment step, a cooling step, which is preferably carried out in a water bath or a cold room, for example at least overnight, or in a cooling tunnel or blast chiller with a conveyor belt running inside.

[0210] 1, a method 100 for producing an edible food product according to the present invention can include a step 170 of combining a fat matrix with another food matrix. The edible food product then includes the fat matrix and the other food matrix.

[0211] As mentioned above, the edible food product according to the present invention comprises at least a fat matrix.

[0212] However, an edible food product according to the present invention may comprise a mixture of a fat matrix and one or more other food matrices, such as a protein matrix, a carbohydrate matrix, a plant matrix, and / or a fiber matrix, etc. Combining 170 the fat matrix with another food matrix may comprise adding transglutaminase to the fat matrix and / or the one or more other food matrices.

[0213] Thus, a method 100 for producing an edible food product according to the present invention may include a step 170 of combining a fat matrix with another food matrix, such as a protein matrix, a carbohydrate matrix, a plant matrix, and / or a fiber matrix.

[0214] Preferably, during the combining step 170, the fat matrix has a lower viscosity than the other food matrices. For example, during the combining step 170, the fat matrix is ​​liquid while the other food matrices are solid. There are many technical means available to the skilled person to combine multiple food matrices. For example, a suitable combining means can be selected from 3D printing, co-extrusion, molding, pressing, vacuuming, pressing, dosing, or combinations thereof.

[0215] As shown in FIG. 1, a method 100 for producing an edible food product according to the present invention can include a step 180 of conditioning the edible food product.

[0216] This process is especially designed to obtain an edible food product with meat-like properties, such as meat-like organoleptic properties, especially a meat-like texture.

[0217] According to the present invention, conditioning 180 an edible food product can include steps such as steps that affect moisture content, shape or texture, flavor, and even shelf life.

[0218] For example, according to the present invention, conditioning 180 the edible food product can include steps such as drying, desiccation, dehydration, freeze-drying, filtering, or combinations thereof.

[0219] For example, in accordance with the present invention, conditioning 180 the edible food product can include steps such as sterilization or pasteurization.

[0220] For example, according to the present invention, conditioning 180 an edible food product can include processes such as grinding, squeezing, cutting, grinding, mixing, shredding, squeezing, dosing, molding, pressing, 3D printing, extruding, or combinations thereof, etc. It can also include baking or cooking processes such as smoking, roasting, frying, surface treating, coating, or combinations thereof, etc.

[0221] Finally, in accordance with the present invention, conditioning 180 the edible food product can include steps such as cooling, refrigerating, freezing, packaging, or combinations thereof. EXAMPLES

[0222] The present invention will be further described in detail with reference to the following experimental examples. These examples are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to be limiting unless otherwise specified. Therefore, the present invention should not be construed as being limited to the following examples in any way, but rather as embracing any and all variations that become evident as a result of the teachings provided herein.

[0223] Without further description, it is believed that one of ordinary skill in the art can, using the preceding description and the following illustrative examples, make and utilize the present formulations and practice the claimed methods. The following examples, therefore, specifically illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention, and are not to be construed as limiting in any way the remainder of the disclosure.

[0224] As detailed above, the present invention includes edible food products having a fatty matrix with a meat-like texture, preferably comprising cultured cells or extracts thereof, and these examples are specifically directed to such embodiments.

[0225] Materials and Methods Vegetable fats and / or fermented fats The vegetable fat and / or fermented fat can be obtained by mechanical or chemical extraction from seeds or other parts of the fruit. It can then be purified and, if necessary, refined or chemically modified. Many commercial references can be used, such as, for example, a mixture of CremoFLEX® L and CremoFLEX® E.

[0226] Alternatively, fermented fat produced by microalgae such as diatoms, green algae, ophthalmophytes, red algae or zygophytes can be used.

[0227] Chemical analysis of the fatty materials, in particular the triglyceride or fatty acid concentration, can be carried out using analytical and quantification methods known to those skilled in the art (for example, using ISO 12966).

[0228] Protein preparation The duck cells were either duck cells obtained from a biopsy or cultured cells. The cultured cells could be duck liver progenitor cells, duck embryonic stem cells that were initially isolated from duck liver and adapted to grow in suspension in an amorphous medium. These cells are characterized by their ability to grow in larger suspensions in a bioreactor.

[0229] Duck cells are cultivated in a 30 L stainless steel bioreactor at 37°C and pH 7.1, regulated by injecting CO2 with constant agitation at 50 rpm. Four days after seeding, cells are harvested from the bioreactor, subjected to a two-stage centrifugation, and the dry pellet is weighed.

[0230] The hepatocytes are then considered to be suitable duck cells for use in the adipose matrix. Protein administration can be performed using the Bradford method.

[0231] Fresh liver from non-force-fed ducks can also be used. Fresh liver is washed, weighed, and used as duck cells. Protein administration is performed using the Bradford method.

[0232] Preparation of edible foods The duck cells are mixed with food additives and seasonings (e.g., salt, pepper, and sugar), vegetable fat is melted if necessary and then slowly added at room temperature, and the mixture is then blended using a blender.

[0233] The mixture is then pre-cooked or cooked at 70°C (water bath) for 10 minutes and then immediately submerged in an ice bath before storing it in the refrigerator.

[0234] This process can be used to produce a final product or an intermediate product comprised of a fat matrix.

[0235] Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) Texture analysis was performed using the Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) test. TPA was performed using a Lloyd Instrument LS1SH-230V texturometer combined with an 80 mm diameter compression plate probe and Nexygen 3.0 Plus software.

[0236] As shown in Figure 2, TPA consists in applying to the sample under the probe two compression cycles (a, d) followed by a release phase (b, e), each cycle separated by a rest phase (the time between b and d), allowing the measurement of hardness 1 and 2 (the maximum value of compression for each cycle) and the calculation of the cohesiveness of the sample.

[0237] Hardness is the maximum force (in Newtons) applied to an edible food sample during each compression stage of the test. It relates to the force required for the consumer to compress the material between the molars or between the tongue and the roof of the mouth during chewing. In Figure 2, Hardness 1 relates to the peak force (in Newtons) applied to the sample during the first compression / release cycle, and Hardness 2 relates to the peak force (in Newtons) applied to the sample during the second compression / release cycle. Hardness 1(N)=F1 Hardness 2(N)=F2

[0238] Cohesion is the resistance of a product to a second deformation compared to its resistance to the first deformation. It is calculated as the working area during the second compression divided by the working area during the first compression (Figure 2). Cohesiveness=(d+e) / (a+b)

[0239] Measurement of fat release characteristics Quantifying the fat release phenomenon is important in assessing the textural properties of meat products because it can be correlated with the fat burst and mouthfeel experienced by the consumer during eating, especially during chewing.

[0240] The test to measure fat release consists in comparing the weight of a sample before and after a cooking process, or before and after a cooking process followed by a compression step under a texturometer probe.

[0241] The edible food samples were cut into slices 15 mm high and 40 mm wide and stored at 15° C. to ensure uniform core temperature for all samples. Once that was achieved, they were weighed individually.

[0242] Two measurements were made: (i) fat release measurements after the samples were pan-fryed for 60 seconds on each side at a surface temperature of 180°C; and (ii) fat release measurements of pan-fryed samples of step (i) during the compression step after the pan-frying process to mimic the forces applied during the first bite when fat is released from the product in the mouth. An 80 mm diameter compression plate probe of a Lloyd Instrument LS1SH-230V texturometer was used to apply the compression force to the edible food products.

[0243] Each sample was separately pan-fried for 60 seconds on each side at a surface temperature of 180°C. After pan-fried, the samples were re-weighed. The first paper napkin was weighed and then used to collect and absorb the grease leaking onto the pan-fried surface. The first paper napkin, now full of grease, was re-weighed.

[0244] Before starting the compression, each pan-fried sample was placed on a second paper napkin under the probe of the texturometer, which was set to drive to the 0 mm limit at a speed of 100 mm / min for 30 seconds to crush the sample once.

[0245] The samples were reweighed after compression, and the second paper napkin into which the fat had been absorbed during compression was also reweighed.

[0246] Finally, the percent weight loss was calculated for each sample. The difference in weight of the first napkin before and after frying corresponds to the weight of fat released during cooking. The difference in weight of the second napkin before and after compression corresponds to the weight of fat released during eating.

[0247] The ability of a sample to release fat during cooking (e.g., frying) can be expressed in w / w% using the following formula: ((weight of fat absorbed by the first paper napkin after cooking) / (weight of sample before cooking)) x 100

[0248] The ability of a sample to release fat during compression (e.g., simulating chewing) can be expressed in w / w % using the following formula: ((weight of fat absorbed by the second paper napkin after compression) / (weight of sample after cooking)) x 100

[0249] Sensory evaluation Food samples were de-identified before tasting, and panelists were provided with tap water to rinse their mouths between samples and crackers to reset their taste receptors.

[0250] In addition, after tasting the products, the panelists rated the edible food samples for overall liking and meat-like flavor, e.g., when the foie gras substitute was tested, the panelists also rated the edible food samples for foie gras flavor.

[0251] Effect of the composition of the fat matrix Table 1 below shows compositions and indicates whether they are able to solve the technical problem addressed by the present invention (invention) or not (comparison).

[0252] In particular, different concentrations of protein, fat and triglycerides are tested and the effect of these concentrations on texture is evaluated to find one that has consumer acceptance. Tests are performed on cold (approximately 5°C) and hot (approximately 40°C) compositions. The fat matrix produced in these experiments needs to mimic the mouthfeel when eating a meat product and produce the appropriate mouthfeel in both cold and hot conditions.

[0253] Table 1 below shows the amounts used for each preparation.

[0254] [Table 1]

[0255] Preparations 1A and 1B are comparative examples. They are not related to the present invention. The products that can be produced from these two compositions do not have the texture expected of meat substitutes. For example, the product obtained with preparation 1A may show mouthfeel problems, while the other one (2A) does not form a stable emulsion.

[0256] Conversely, compositions 1C, 1D and 1E make it possible to obtain products with a texture expected of meat substitutes. In particular, composition 1D may have a better texture at 40°C compared to composition 1C. Furthermore, composition 1E may show less fat release during cooking compared to composition 1D. Without being limited by theory, this may be related to the higher concentration of triglycerides and / or proteins.

[0257] Effect of fatty acid composition of vegetable or fermented fats The fatty acid composition of the fat used in the fat matrix of the edible food product of the present invention is very important for the stability of the emulsion and the resulting texture.

[0258] Table 2 below shows compositions that solve (inventive) or do not solve (comparative) the technical problem addressed by the invention. Different concentrations of fatty acids are proposed and the effect of these concentrations on the mouthfeel is evaluated. As before, several compositions are tested on a fat matrix containing duck cells to find one that has consumer acceptance. Tests are carried out on cold compositions (approximately 5° C.) and hot compositions (approximately 40° C.). The fat matrix produced in these experiments must mimic the mouthfeel when eating a meat product and show a suitable mouthfeel in both cold and hot conditions.

[0259] [Table 2]

[0260] The tests carried out with different concentrations of fats and triglycerides make it possible to evaluate the importance of the composition on the sensory satisfaction brought to the consumer. Compositions 2A and 2B are comparative examples (comparison). They are not relevant to the present invention since they have a low concentration of unsaturated C18 fatty acids, especially polyunsaturated C18 fatty acids.

[0261] Preparations 2E and 2F give the best results, preparation 2C gives good results, and preparation 2D has a good texture at low temperatures but is just acceptable at high temperatures.

[0262] Preparation of composite edible foods As mentioned above, the present invention also relates to edible food products comprising the combination of matrices comprising the fat matrix of the present invention, which can thus be used to produce, for example, marbled beef substitutes, dried duck breast substitutes comprising cultured duck cells and plant material.

[0263] For marbled beef, a first blend of protein matrix and a second blend of fat matrix according to the invention can be used to produce the composite edible food product in an extrusion device.For dried duck breast substitute, a first blend of plant matrix and a second blend of fat matrix according to the invention can be used to produce it in a 3D printing device.

[0264] Table 3 below provides examples of fat and protein matrices that can be used to prepare a complex edible food product such as a marbled beef substitute.

[0265] [Table 3]

[0266] Table 4 below provides examples of fat and plant matrices that can be used to prepare a composite edible food product such as a dried duck breast substitute.

[0267] [Table 4]

[0268] As shown, the fat matrix according to the invention comprises vegetable fats with cultured animal cells, such as beef or duck cell extracts, and can be combined with a plant matrix comprising primarily plant material (e.g., vegetable protein extracts) in combination with animal cell extracts to produce duck breast substitutes by extrusion or further meat substitutes that can be completed dried in a dedicated process. Transglutaminase can be used, for example at 0.1 IU / g, to promote cohesion between the different matrices.

[0269] Texture of edible food according to the present invention Texture is one of the key parameters for consumer acceptance of food. However, recreating meat texture, especially from cultured cells, is complex.

[0270] Therefore, a texture profile analysis was performed to compare the texture of an edible meat substitute containing a fat matrix according to the present invention with that of two conventional food products: regular foie gras and a plant-based foie gras substitute.

[0271] Table 5 below shows the TPA properties of a composition according to the invention (Sample 3C), regular foie gras (Sample 3A) and a plant-based foie gras substitute (Sample 3B). The TPA was carried out at a temperature of 4° C. on a cylinder with a diameter of 20 mm and a height of 20 mm.

[0272] [Table 5]

[0273] As shown in Table 5, the food product according to the present invention (Sample 3C) exhibits similar texture characteristics compared to the conventional food product (Sample 3A). In addition, the present invention performs better than the plant-based foie gras substitute, Sample 3B.

[0274] In particular, the edible food product according to the invention has a hardness similar or identical to that of normal foie gras: in fact, the plant-based substitute has a hardness 1 of less than 40 N, whereas the product comprising a fat matrix according to the invention, like a normal food product, has a hardness 1 of more than 50 N.

[0275] Additionally, the cohesiveness of the edible food product according to the present invention is significantly improved compared to the cohesiveness of plant-based foie gras substitutes.

[0276] Thus, this TPA indicates that an edible food product comprising a fat matrix according to the present invention can have a texture similar to that of regular meat.

[0277] Fat release characteristics of edible foods according to the present invention As already mentioned, the phenomenon of fat release during cooking and chewing is important when evaluating the textural properties of meat products, especially meat products with high fat content, such as marbled beef or foie gras, and can be correlated with the fat burst and mouthfeel experienced by the consumer during chewing.

[0278] Because the edible food products according to the present invention contain a fat matrix, a way to assess their ability to mimic the behavior of normal foods was to assess the amount of fat that leaked during pan-frying style cooking.

[0279] Fat release measurements were carried out to compare the leaked fat of edible meat substitutes containing a fat matrix according to the invention with the leaked fat of two commercially available food products: vacuum packed regular foie gras and frozen regular foie gras.

[0280] Table 6 below shows the results of fat release measurements for a composition according to the invention (Sample 4C), vacuum packed regular foie gras (Sample 4A) and frozen regular foie gras thawed at ambient temperature (Sample 4B).

[0281] [Table 6]

[0282] As shown in this Table 6, the food product according to the invention (Sample 4C) shows similar fat release properties compared to the vacuum-packed regular food product (Sample 4A). Indeed, the frozen food product (Sample 4B) leaks more than 30% of its initial weight in fat, whereas the product containing the fat matrix according to the invention leaks less than 15% of fat during cooking.

[0283] Furthermore, the results of fat released during compression show that products containing a fat matrix according to the invention behave like normal food even under conditions of mechanical stress, such as those that may occur during cooking.

[0284] Such behavior may also be correlated with the fat explosion that consumers experience in the mouth while chewing it.

[0285] The results also show that the product according to the invention behaves similarly to normal meat during cooking. Furthermore, the edible food product comprising the fat matrix according to the invention has a cooking behavior similar to that of normal products, thus recreating for the consumer the experience of cooking normal food.

[0286] Thus, this fat release experiment demonstrates that edible foods containing a fat matrix according to the present invention have a meat-like texture even when cooked at high temperatures.

[0287] Overall, therefore, the results show that products containing a fat matrix according to the invention have a texture similar to that of regular meat before, during, after cooking and during chewing. The food products according to the invention exhibit an overall quality close to that of meat and are consistent with the consumer experience when cooking and eating meat.

[0288] Sensory evaluation of edible foods The product according to the invention showed similar textural properties to the normal product. To further evaluate the sensory properties of the food according to the invention, a sensory evaluation of the edible food preparation according to the invention (sample 3C) was carried out in comparison with normal foie gras (sample 3A) and a plant-based foie gras substitute (sample 3B). The sensory evaluation included 16 panelists.

[0289] Of the 16 panelists, all were able to identify the plant-based alternative (Sample 3B), while only one panelist was able to guess which was the edible food preparation according to the invention (Sample 3C), meaning that over 93% of people confused the edible food preparation according to the invention with regular foie gras.

[0290] Thus, the edible food product comprising a fat matrix according to the invention induces the development of a meat-like texture in the food product. Panelists were unable to distinguish the substitute edible food product according to the invention from regular premium meat, and further demonstrated that such edible food products have organoleptic properties similar to meat.

[0291] The present invention may be subject to numerous modifications and applications other than those described above. In particular, unless otherwise specified, the different structural and functional characteristics of each of the above-described implementations should not be considered as combined with each other and / or closely and / or inseparably related, but should be considered as simple juxtapositions instead. In addition, the structural and / or functional characteristics of the various embodiments described above may be subject to any different juxtapositions or any different combinations, in whole or in part.

Claims

1. An edible food containing a fat matrix, wherein the fat matrix contains more than 40.00% by weight of vegetable fat and / or fermented fat relative to the total weight of the fat matrix, the fat matrix contains triglycerides, and the triglycerides are - Unsaturated C18 fatty acids having fewer than 4 carbon-carbon double bonds, which make up more than 40% by weight of the total weight of the triglycerides. - Polyunsaturated C18 fatty acids exceeding 2% by weight relative to the total weight of the triglycerides. Includes, An edible food product wherein the fat matrix further contains protein in an amount exceeding 2.10% by weight relative to the total weight of the fat matrix, and the protein includes non-human animal protein.

2. The edible food according to claim 1, wherein the fat matrix contains at least 1% by weight of non-human animal protein relative to the total weight of the fat matrix, and the non-human animal protein is selected from mammalian protein, avian protein, ray-finned fish protein, malacostraca protein, and combinations thereof.

3. The edible food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the non-human animal protein is derived from cultured animal cells, and for example, the animal cells are selected from stem cells such as induced pluripotent stem cells, germ cells, fibroadipogenic progenitor cells, muscle cells, hepatocytes, fibroblasts, adipocytes, chondrocytes, keratinocytes, and combinations thereof.

4. The edible food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat contains at least 50% by weight of triglycerides relative to the total weight of the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat.

5. The edible food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fat matrix contains saturated C16-C18 fatty acids in a weight of less than 60% of the total weight of triglycerides in the fat matrix.

6. The edible food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fat matrix contains palmitic acid in an amount of up to 35.00% by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the fat matrix.

7. The edible food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fat matrix contains at least 4.00% by weight of stearic acid relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the fat matrix.

8. The edible food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fat matrix contains at least 0.01% by weight of linolenic acid relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the fat matrix.

9. The edible food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fat matrix contains oleic acid in an amount of more than 40.00% by weight relative to the total weight of triglycerides in the fat matrix.

10. The edible food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the edible food further comprises, in contact with the fat matrix, a protein matrix, a carbohydrate matrix, a plant matrix and / or a fiber matrix, preferably the fiber matrix being a plant-based fiber matrix, a fungal fiber matrix, a bacterial fiber matrix, or a cultured animal cell-based fiber matrix.

11. The edible food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the edible food contains the fat matrix in an amount of at least 10% by weight relative to the total weight of the edible food.

12. The edible food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the edible food is a foie gras substitute, a marbled beef substitute, or a fish meat substitute such as salmon or tuna.

13. The edible food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fat-releasing characteristics of the edible food are such that, while one side is cooked in a frying pan at a surface temperature of 180°C for 60 seconds, it releases up to 30% of the total weight of the edible food by weight in fat.

14. The edible food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fat-releasing properties of the edible food release up to 42% by weight of the total weight of the edible food during a compression test.

15. The edible food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the hardness 1 of the edible food is at least 40 N at a temperature of 4°C.

16. The edible food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the hardness 2 of the edible food is at least 25 N at a temperature of 4°C.

17. The edible food according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cohesiveness of the edible food is a maximum of 0.080 at a temperature of 4°C.

18. A method for producing an edible food containing a fat matrix (100), wherein the method is - A step (110) of providing vegetable fat and / or fermented fat, wherein the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat contains triglycerides, ○ Unsaturated C18 fatty acids having fewer than 4 carbon-carbon double bonds, which make up more than 40% by weight of the total weight of the triglycerides. ○ A step comprising adding polyunsaturated C18 fatty acids in an amount exceeding 2% by weight relative to the total weight of the triglycerides, - A step (120) to provide proteins containing non-human animal proteins, - A step (150) to produce an edible food containing a fat matrix by processing the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat and the protein, wherein the fat matrix is ○ The vegetable fat and / or fermented fat exceeding 40.00% by weight relative to the total weight of the fat matrix, ○ A step comprising the protein comprising more than 2.10% by weight relative to the total weight of the adipose matrix, wherein the protein comprises a non-human animal protein. A manufacturing method (100) including the above.

19. The manufacturing method (100) according to claim 18, further comprising a step (170) of combining the fat matrix with another food matrix, wherein the food matrix is ​​selected from a protein matrix, a carbohydrate matrix, a plant matrix and / or a fiber matrix.

20. The manufacturing method (100) according to claim 18 or 19, further comprising a step (155) of homogenizing the vegetable fat and / or fermented fat with the protein containing non-human animal protein.

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