Vegetarian Burger Binder Matrix for Meat-Like Texture and Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vegetarian burgers lack the ability to mimic the eating quality and appearance of meat-based burgers, often falling apart during handling and preparation, and there is a need for a product that can be stored and cooked like traditional meat burgers.
Innovation Solution
A vegetarian burger composition using hydrated textured vegetable protein (TVP) pieces held together by a binder suspension containing methyl cellulose, plant protein, fat, and water, with hydrated TVP microfibers, allowing for a coherent dough that maintains structure during storage and cooking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If vegetarian burger ingredients are used, then the product is vegetarian and healthier, but the eating quality and appearance fail to mimic meat-based burgers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite binder system combining methyl cellulose (2-12% of binder suspension) with plant protein (0.3-12% of binder suspension) to create a material that mimics meat texture. This composite approach allows the vegetarian burger to achieve meat-like eating quality and appearance while maintaining vegetarian status, directly resolving the contradiction between health benefits and meat-mimicry capability.
2Ease of manufacture
If simple vegetarian ingredients are used, then the product is easy to manufacture, but it falls apart during handling and preparation
Solution Approach 1:
The binder suspension acts as an intermediary material between the TVP pieces and other burger components. It contains methyl cellulose and plant protein that form a cohesive matrix, enabling the burger to maintain structural integrity during handling and preparation while keeping the manufacturing process relatively simple. The binder suspension composition (2-12% methyl cellulose, 0.3-12% plant protein, 25-70% fat, 25-70% water) provides the necessary binding strength without complicating production.
3Duration of action of stationary object
If frozen storage is implemented, then the product can be stored like traditional meat burgers, but the texture and flavor may deteriorate during storage and cooking
Solution Approach 1:
The binder suspension is specifically formulated with methyl cellulose and plant protein in controlled proportions (2-12% and 0.3-12% respectively) to maintain compositional stability during frozen storage. This parameter optimization ensures the burger retains its texture and flavor characteristics throughout storage and cooking processes, enabling long-term storage similar to traditional meat burgers without quality deterioration.
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 solution results in a vegetarian burger that retains a 'meaty' character, is easy to manufacture, and can be stored frozen, maintaining texture and flavor upon cooking, similar to traditional meat burgers.
Implementation Method 1
The binder suspension acts as a lubricant and a glue that allows for the preparation of a coherent dough that can be pumped and/or shaped into a burger, and that ensures that the burger does not fall apart during storage, handling and preparation of the vegetarian burger
Implementation Method 2
During preparation of the vegetarian burger, the binder suspension undergoes a transition that has a favourable impact on the texture and taste (e.g. flavour release) of the ready-to-eat vegetarian burger
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a process for preparing a vegetarian burger comprising the step of mixing hydrated TVP pieces with methyl cellulose, plant protein concentrate, fat, water and defibrillated hydrated texturized fibrous vegetable protein material to produce a vegetarian dough.