Vegan Animal Snack Composition for Meat-Like Texture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing animal snacks, particularly for pets, struggle to provide a meat-reduced, vegetarian, or vegan option that balances consistency, taste, and nutritional ingredients effectively.
Innovation Solution
An animal snack composition comprising gluten, glycerin, water, and a yeast component, along with fillers and additives, is extruded at controlled low temperatures to achieve a meat-like consistency and high protein content, using a twin-screw extruder with multiple temperature zones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If meat content is reduced or eliminated to create vegetarian/vegan snacks, then the snack becomes suitable for vegan diets and reduces animal product usage, but the consistency and taste acceptance by animals deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical and physical parameters of plant-based ingredients, particularly using gluten with specific protein content (20-55 wt.%) and water content (1-20 wt.%), to transform the texture and taste properties of vegetarian snacks, making them more acceptable to animals while maintaining vegan composition
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite material system combining multiple plant-based ingredients (gluten, starch, protein, fillers, binders, flavorings) in specific ratios to achieve a meat-like consistency and taste profile without using animal products, thereby resolving the contradiction between vegan composition and animal acceptance
2Quantity of substance
If protein content is increased to improve nutritional value, then the snack becomes more nutritious, but the consistency and texture may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the water content parameter (1-20 wt.%) and protein content parameter (20-55 wt.%) of gluten to achieve a balance where high protein content does not compromise consistency, but rather contributes to the desired meat-like texture when combined with appropriate binders and fillers
Solution Approach 2:
The patent formulates a composite material system where high-protein ingredients (gluten, plant proteins) are combined with binders, fillers, and flavorings in specific ratios to maintain both high nutritional value and acceptable consistency, preventing the deterioration that would normally occur with high protein content
3Stability of the object's composition
If gluten content is increased to improve consistency and protein content, then the snack achieves better texture and nutritional value, but the meat-reduced goal may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses gluten as a plant-based ingredient with controlled parameters (20-55 wt.% protein content, 1-20 wt.% water content) to achieve meat-like consistency without using animal products, thereby maintaining both the desired texture and the vegetarian/vegan status of the snack
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 resulting snack offers an optimal compromise between consistency, taste, and ingredients, being well-accepted by animals and having a high protein content, while being meat-reduced and preferably vegan.
Implementation Method 1
the mixture is conveyed through the extruder and thermally treated in temperature zones
Implementation Method 2
thermally treated and wherein the temperature in each of the temperature zones of the extruder is less than 99 °C, in particular less than 97 °C, preferably less than 95 °C
Implementation Method 3
a mixture of at least gluten, at least one filler, water and preferably at least one yeast component is conveyed through the extruder
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The invention relates to an animal snack. The animal snack comprises 20 to 55 wt.% gluten, 3 to 25 wt.% glycerin, 1 to 20 wt.% at least one filler and less than 14 wt.% water.