Extrusion Cooked Legume Protein Texture Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vegetable proteins lack the striation of meat proteins, making them difficult to create meat-like textures without additional processing, and existing methods like extrusion cooking often result in inconsistent particle sizes and textures.
Innovation Solution
The development of an extrusion cooked vegetable protein composition using a mixture of legume proteins from the same type but processed differently, with specific particle size distribution and moisture content, to enhance textural properties and usability in food applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If extrusion cooking is used to create meat-like texture from vegetable proteins, then textural properties are improved, but particle size consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The extrusion process segments the legume protein mixture into discrete particles of controlled size. The screw-like shaft propels the feedstock through segmented zones in the cylinder, creating uniform particle structures with consistent dimensions that maintain both textural quality and size precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The extrusion process transforms the physical and chemical parameters of the legume protein mixture through controlled moisture addition, heating, and shearing. These parameter changes convert raw legume proteins into extrusion-cooked particles with improved textural properties while maintaining consistent particle size distribution.
2Ease of manufacture
If moisture is added during extrusion to enable phase transition, then processing feasibility is improved, but final product moisture content control becomes more challenging
Solution Approach 1:
Moisture is added to the legume protein feedstock to enable the necessary phase transition during extrusion cooking. This allows the proteins to undergo gelatinization and form the desired extruded structure, while the process controls the final moisture content to less than 10% through controlled drying after extrusion.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The extrusion cooked vegetable protein composition achieves a desired particle size distribution, high protein content, and improved textural properties, making it suitable for use as a texturizer and ingredient in various food products, including coatings and fillers.
Implementation Method 1
During extrusion, moisture is added to the feedstock. This allows the feedstock to undergo a phase transition needed to become the extrusion cooked product.
Implementation Method 2
The segments of the cylinder and shaft can be configured to supply controllably any of moisture to the feedstock, heat to the feedstock, and shear to the feedstock.
Implementation Method 3
The segments of the cylinder and shaft can be configured to supply controllably any of moisture to the feedstock, heat to the feedstock, and shear to the feedstock.
Data Source
AI summary
The technology disclosed in this specification pertains to an extrusion cooked vegetable protein composition having protein content greater than about 60% having defined small particle size. In at least some embodiments, the extrusion cooked vegetable proteins are useful as a coatings or fillers in food compositions, for example as a replacement for bread crumbs or wheat flour.