Plant-Based Frozen Confection Protein Blend for Creamy Texture
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plant-based frozen confections face challenges in maintaining suitable mix viscosity, texture, and mouthfeel due to differences in protein structures, leading to undesirable taste and texture issues, particularly with pulse proteins like soy and pea proteins.
Innovation Solution
A combination of soy protein and fava bean protein in a specific weight ratio (4:1 to 1:1) is used to improve the microstructure and organoleptic properties of plant-based frozen confections, ensuring a creamy texture and neutral flavor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If pulse proteins (soy protein or pea protein) are used to replace dairy ingredients in frozen confections, then the product becomes dairy-free and meets consumer health trends, but the flavour and texture become unappealing with inherent off-tastes and poor mouthfeel
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple plant proteins (soy protein, pea protein, and fava bean protein) in specific ratios to create a composite protein system. This composite approach allows the formulation to achieve creamy mouthfeel and neutral flavor by leveraging the complementary properties of different plant proteins, thereby resolving the off-taste and texture issues while maintaining dairy-free status
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the concentration and ratio parameters of different plant proteins in the formulation. By adjusting the proportions of soy protein, pea protein, and fava bean protein, along with controlling total protein content and mixing conditions, the formulation achieves desirable sensory properties without dairy ingredients
2Adaptability or versatility
If plant-based proteins are used in frozen confections, then the product appeals to health-conscious consumers, but the mix viscosity becomes unsuitable and protein structure stability deteriorates over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite protein system combining soy protein, pea protein, and fava bean protein. This composite structure provides temporal stability to the mix viscosity by leveraging the different structural properties of each plant protein, preventing excessive thickening or syneresis that occurs with single plant protein systems over time
Solution Approach 2:
The patent controls the concentration parameters of each plant protein type and optimizes the mixing ratio to maintain suitable mix viscosity. By adjusting these parameters, the formulation achieves both plant-based appeal and compositional stability during storage
3Adaptability or versatility
If plant proteins are used to create dairy-free frozen confections, then consumer demand is met, but the texture and mouthfeel fail to replicate the creamy quality of dairy-based ice cream
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a composite of soy protein, pea protein, and fava bean protein where each component contributes different textural properties. This combination creates a synergistic effect that replicates the creamy mouthfeel of dairy ice cream, with the plant proteins working together to provide smooth texture and rich mouthfeel that neither could achieve alone
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses fava bean protein as an intermediary component that bridges the textural gap between plant and dairy proteins. This intermediate protein helps stabilize the partial coalescence of the fat phase and maintains small air bubbles, thereby mediating the texture to achieve dairy-like creaminess in a plant-based system
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a plant-based frozen confection comprising fat in an amount of 1 to 15 wt%; sugars in an amount of 10 to 30 wt%; and plant protein in an amount of 0.4 to 10 wt%, wherein the plant protein comprises a first plant protein (P1) and a second plant protein (P2) in a weight ratio (P1 : P2) of between 4:1 and 1:1, wherein the first plant protein (P1) is soy protein, and the second plant protein (P2) is fava bean protein, and wherein the first plant protein (P1) is present in an amount that is greater than that of the second plant protein (P2).