Plant Protein Cheese Composition With Enzyme-Controlled Stretchability
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Plant-based cheese alternatives lack the heat stretchability characteristic of dairy-based cheeses, and adding starch alone does not sufficiently enhance this property.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of a specific enzyme composition, including a protease and optionally an amylase, to treat a plant protein-starch mixture under controlled conditions to improve stretchability, with limited starch dextrinizing activity relative to protease activity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If starch is added to plant-based cheese alternative, then stretchability is improved, but the effect is limited and insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters by adding specific enzymes (protease and amylase) to modify the starch and plant protein structure. This transforms the physical properties of the material, enabling sufficient stretchability that cannot be achieved by starch addition alone. The enzyme treatment creates a gel network structure that provides the necessary elasticity and stretch characteristics.
2Productivity
If amylase with high starch dextrinizing activity is added, then starch breakdown is enhanced, but stretchability is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent establishes a specific parameter range for starch dextrinizing activity (8 U or less per 1 g starch with respect to 100,000 U protease activity per 1 g plant protein). This parameter optimization ensures that starch is sufficiently broken down to work with the protease-generated protein fragments, while maintaining the gel network integrity necessary for stretchability. The balanced enzyme activity ratio is critical for achieving both starch modification and structural preservation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the relationship between protease activity and starch dextrinizing activity as a feedback control mechanism. By limiting starch dextrinizing activity relative to protease activity, the system self-regulates the breakdown process to prevent excessive starch degradation that would compromise the gel structure. This feedback mechanism ensures optimal stretchability while achieving sufficient starch modification.
3Shape
If protease is added to treat plant protein-starch mixture, then stretchability is significantly enhanced, but enzyme activity balance must be precisely controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent defines specific parameter ranges for enzyme activities: protease activity of 100,000 U per 1 g plant protein and starch dextrinizing activity of 8 U or less per 1 g starch with respect to the protease activity. These parameter specifications provide clear guidelines for achieving optimal stretchability while simplifying the control process. The defined ratios eliminate the need for complex trial-and-error optimization.
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 method significantly enhances the stretchability of plant-based cheese alternatives, providing thermal meltability and reducing hydrophobic peptide bitterness, while maintaining a balanced enzyme activity ratio.
Implementation Method 1
treating a material composition containing a plant protein and 0.6 parts by weight or more of starch per 1 part by weight of the plant protein with an enzyme preparation containing a protease
Implementation Method 2
when an amylase is also added to the material composition together with a protease, the starch dextrinizing activity of the amylase that is acceptable for the material composition is limited to a predetermined condition
Data Source
AI summary
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a technique for producing a cheese substitute by which improved stretchability can be imparted to a cheese substitute which contains a plant protein and 0.6 part by weight or more, per part by weight of the plant protein, of starch. A method for producing a stretching cheese substitute, said method comprising a step for treating a starting material composition, which contains a plant protein and 0.6 part by weight or more, per part by weight of the plant protein, of starch, with an enzyme preparation containing a protease optionally together with an amylase, wherein the enzyme preparation is used so as to give a starch gelatinization ability of the amylase of 8 U or less per gram of the starch, relative to 100,000 U of the protease activity of the protease per gram of the plant protein. The cheese substitute obtained by this method has improved stretchability.