DE202021101793U1 - Composition for use as a plant-based alternative to fermented milk products - Google Patents

Abstract

A herbal base product that has the components
(a) at least one vegetable raw material and
(b) includes fruit fiber and
- a viscosity of at least about 1.5 - 8 cm / min (Bostwick viscometer, at 20 ° C),
- a pH value of approx. 5.0 - 7.5 and
- Has a protein content of at least approx. 0.2% by weight, preferably approx. 0.2-6% by weight, based on the total weight of the base product.

Description

The invention relates to a vegetable base product and a food product which comprises this vegetable base product or consists of this vegetable base product.

The plant-based base product according to the invention is particularly suitable for the production of plant-based fermented milk alternatives, which can be labeled as vegan and plant-based fermented milk alternatives as clean label. Fermented milk alternatives include sour milk alternatives, these are products that are similar to sour milk, yogurt, kefir, quark and buttermilk, but are made up of vegetable substances.

More and more people are considering a vegan diet. There are currently an estimated 1.3 million vegans living in Germany alone, with a clear upward trend being observed over the past few years. In order to meet this trend, the food industry is developing more and more purely herbal alternatives for well-known products.

In addition, the growing awareness of the population for a healthy lifestyle encourages the search for new products that are natural and E-number-free. The modern nutritional philosophy leads consumers to a clear trend to choose the so-called clean label products, i.e. foods that do not contain E numbers. When choosing between two products of the same quality, one with an E-number and the other without an E-number, consumers will definitely choose the one without.

The plant-based fermented milk alternatives that can be found on the market today are with classic stabilizing systems or thickeners consisting of modified starch (E 1422, E 1442, E 1450), pectin (E 440), guar gum (E 412), locust bean gum ( E 410), xanthan (E 415), gellan (E 418), carrageenan (E 407), waxy maize starch and other stabilizers. Emulsifiers such as soy lecithin or sunflower lecithin (E 322) are also often used.

Out WO 2013/004754 and EP 3 476 221 B1 “non-dairy” yoghurt-like foods are known that consist of “natural” components, but cannot be labeled as clean label products. So revealed WO 2013/004754 a composition that can be used as a vegetable yogurt and is based on rice flour and flour made from cereals such as rice, oats, spelled flour, barley flour or mixtures thereof. This composition contains such thickeners as carrageenan, pectin, locust bean gum, gum arabic, xanthan gum, guar gum and mixtures thereof.

Out EP 3 476 221 B1 a yoghurt-like food made from oatmeal is known in which a thickener made from tapioca starch, pectin or a mixture of both is added before fermentation with lactic acid bacteria.

In WO2019 / 173290 describes a process for the production of a food product in which a mixture containing a plant-based milk alternative, yoghurt cultures and soluble fiber is fermented. The soluble fiber is made from oats, barley, rye, wheat, seaweed or mushrooms. The addition of this soluble fiber leads to a shortening of the fermentation time (pH 4.6 was reached within 4 hours). To make a vegetable yogurt, a thickener such as gum, pectin, starch, or a plant-based thickener is added to the fermented substrate.

The invention is therefore based on the object of providing a basic product that can be labeled as vegan (and thus lactose-free) and E-number-free (clean label). It is particularly interesting to provide a basic product that is not only suitable for "clean" or E-number-free use (free of added emulsifiers, artificial flavors, colorings, preservatives, stabilizers, etc.), but also leads to a food product that has the same physical and sensory properties as a milk-based food product, especially a fermented product (e.g. yogurt). The focus is primarily on the mouthfeel, texture and visual color perception that consumers are used to with a fermented milk-based product.

1. (a) mindestens einen pflanzlichen Ausgangsstoff und
2. (b) Fruchtfaser

und

• - eine Viskosität von mindestens etwa 1,5 - 8 cm/min (Bostwick-Viskosimeter, bei 20 °C),
• - einen pH-Wert von ca. 5,0 - 7,5, bevorzugt 5,5 - 6,5, und
• - einen Proteingehalt von mindestens ca. 0,2 Gew.-%, bevorzugt von ca. 0,2 - 6 Gew.-%, bezogen auf das Gesamtgewicht des Basisprodukts,

aufweist.It was surprisingly easy to achieve this task by means of a herbal base product that comprises the following components:

1. (a) at least one vegetable raw material and
2. (b) fruit fiber

and

• - a viscosity of at least about 1.5 - 8 cm / min (Bostwick viscometer, at 20 ° C),
• - a pH of approx. 5.0-7.5, preferably 5.5-6.5, and
• - a protein content of at least approx. 0.2% by weight, preferably approx. 0.2 - 6% by weight, based on the total weight of the base product,

having.

The basic product according to the invention is free from emulsifiers and customary stabilizers or stabilizing systems, in particular thickeners. It is also free from artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, and the like.

The vegetable starting material (a) represents any component known to the person skilled in the art which is produced from plant (s) and / or plant part (s) and is suitable for the production of a food product, in particular a fermented milk alternative. The vegetable starting material (a) is preferably in a liquid or semi-liquid form.

• (a1) ein Milchersatzprodukt darstellen, das aus Pflanze(n) und/ oder Pflanzenteil(en) hergestellt ist, oder
• (a2) eine Mischung darstellen, die aus
  • (a21) mindestens einer Zubereitung, wie Sirup, eine Paste oder eine Creme aus Pflanze(n) und/ oder Pflanzenteil(en),
  • (a22) mindestens einer Flüssigkeit, die für die Herstellung von Lebensmitteln geeignet ist, und
  • (a23) ggf. pflanzliches Öl, hergestellt ist.

This starting material (a) can preferably either

• (a1) represent a milk substitute product made from plant (s) and / or plant part (s), or
• (a2) represent a mixture that consists of
  • (a21) at least one preparation, such as syrup, a paste or a cream made from plant (s) and / or plant part (s),
  • (a22) at least one liquid that is suitable for the production of food, and
  • (a23) possibly vegetable oil is produced.

The plant parts are selected from the group comprising flowers, buds, leaves, stems, stalks, bark, roots, tubers, bulbs, rhizomes, fruits such as berries, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds and mixtures thereof. The seeds and nuts are preferred.

For example, the seeds can be selected from the group which includes cereals, especially wheat, rye, oats, barley, triticale, corn, rice, millet and bamboo; Pseudograins, in particular buckwheat, quinoa, chia and amaranth; as well as seeds, in particular oil seeds and pulses.

The nuts can, for example, be selected from the group comprising almond, coconut, hazelnut, walnut, macadamia nut, cashew nut.

The milk substitute product (a1) can be any plant milk made from nuts or grains known to the person skilled in the art. Almond milk, rice milk, oat milk, coconut milk, cashew milk and soy milk are preferred.

The mixture (a2) is produced from a preparation (a21) of plant (s) and / or plant part (s), which is in the form of a syrup, a paste or a cream. Nut pulp (also called nut paste), nut cream and grain syrup are the preferred preparations (a21). Almond paste (or almond paste), coconut cream, in particular coconut cream with about 17-30% by weight of fat, oat syrup and / or rice syrup are particularly preferred .

Coconut cream is different from coconut oil. In the present context, the coconut cream contains approx. 17-30% by weight of fat and other components that are obtained from the coconut in its liquid or semi-liquid state. The coconut oil is the extracted oil.

The proportion of preparation (a21) in the basic product according to the invention is a maximum of 50% by weight, preferably from about 1 to 40% by weight.

At least one liquid which is suitable for the production of food, in particular water or coconut water, preferably water, is used as component (a22).

The mixture (a2) can optionally contain at least one vegetable oil as component (a23). The oils selected from the group comprising sunflower oil, rapeseed oil and coconut oil (also called coconut oil or coconut fat) and mixtures thereof are preferred. Sunflower oil is particularly preferred as component (a23). The proportion of vegetable oil in the base product according to the invention can be up to 5% by weight, preferably approx. 1-3% by weight.

The vegetable starting material (a) can be an enzymatically treated starting material (a).

The fruit fiber (b) is a citrus fiber and / or apple fiber, preferably a citrus fiber. The proportion of fruit fiber in the vegetable base product is a maximum of 4% by weight, preferably approx. 0.5-2% by weight. In the context of the present invention, citrus fiber is understood to mean a fiber made from lemons, limes, oranges and mandarins or mixtures thereof.

The protein content in the plant-based base product should be approx. 0.2 - 6% by weight. If a starting material (a) is used whose protein content is lower or is classified as inadequate for another reason, at least one vegetable protein can be added as component (c) to the basic product according to the invention. The protein (c) selected from the group comprising pea protein, bean protein, almond protein, chickpea protein, field bean protein, lupine protein or mixtures thereof is preferred. The pea protein or a pea protein concentrate with a protein content of approx. 40-80% by weight, preferably approx. 50-60% by weight, particularly preferably approx. 53% by weight, is particularly preferred.

The basic product according to the invention can additionally contain a sweetener as component (d). The sweetener (d) represents natural carbohydrates or saccharides which are known to the person skilled in the art from the prior art. Examples of sweeteners include: both monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides and polysaccharides, such as. B. sucrose, glucose, fructose, honey, maple syrup, glucose syrup (preferably with 96 - 98 DE), rice syrup or corn syrup. Mixtures of the above can also be used. Crystalline sucrose is particularly preferred.

The proportion of sweetener in the basic product according to the invention can be from approx. 0.2-5% by weight.

The basic product according to the invention can additionally contain salt, in particular sea salt, as component (e). The proportion of salt in the product according to the invention can be approx. 0.05-0.5% by weight.

1. (1) Mischen aller Komponenten miteinander,
2. (2) Kurzzeiterhitzung der Mischung bei 82 - 120 °C für 20 - 40 Sekunden oder wahlweise UHT-Erhitzung auf 130 - 150 °C für 4-30 Sekunden,
3. (3) Mehrstufige Homogenisierung (z.B. mittels Hochdruck-Homogenisator) von 150 bar/30 bar bis 350 bar/60 bar
4. (4) Kühlung der Mischung auf 38 - 42 °C bzw. Raumtemperatur.

The basic product according to the invention can be produced by a process comprising the following steps:

1. (1) Mixing all components together,
2. (2) Brief heating of the mixture at 82 - 120 ° C for 20 - 40 seconds or optionally UHT heating to 130 - 150 ° C for 4-30 seconds,
3. (3) Multi-stage homogenization (eg using a high-pressure homogenizer) from 150 bar / 30 bar to 350 bar / 60 bar
4. (4) Cooling the mixture to 38-42 ° C or room temperature.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, components (a21), (a22) and optionally (a23) are first mixed with one another in step (1). Then the fruit fiber (b), which is optionally mixed with at least one component (c), (d) or (e), is added to the first mixture.

According to the method described above, a basic product is produced that is ready to be filled into a suitable container.

Food product

Another object of the present invention is a plant-based food product which contains the plant-based basic product described above or consists of this basic product.

The vegetable food product can be produced by adding at least one flavoring additive to the vegetable base product described above. These flavoring additives can be selected from the group consisting of vanilla, chocolate, chocolate pieces, fruit preparations (e.g. preparations made from strawberry, blueberry, mango and other fruits and mixtures thereof), nougat, nuts such as hazelnut, walnut, etc., spices That includes herbs. In addition, at least one further component can be added which is selected from the group comprising colorants, flavorings, vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, vegetable fat, vegetable oil and mixtures thereof.

These flavoring additives and the other components can be added both during the process for producing the basic product and after this process. Plant-based food products such as desserts, puddings, spreads or sauces are produced.

In addition, the vegetable base product described above can be subjected to an enzymatic treatment.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a food product is produced from the vegetable base product described above, which can serve as a vegetable alternative for fermented foods, such as sour milk, yoghurt, Greek-style yoghurt, drinking yoghurt, kefir, quark and buttermilk.

• (5.1) durch die Fermentation des pflanzlichen Basisprodukts mit Starterkulturen, bevorzugt bis zum Erreichen eines Ziel-pH-Wertes von 3,9 - 4,6 oder
• (5.2) durch Ansäuern dieses pflanzlichen Basisprodukts mit organischen Säuren bis zum Erreichen eines Ziel-pH-Wertes von 3,9 - 4,6

hergestellt werden.This herbal alternative to fermented foods can be either

• (5.1) by fermenting the plant base product with starter cultures, preferably until a target pH value of 3.9-4.6 or
• (5.2) by acidifying this vegetable base product with organic acids until a target pH value of 3.9 - 4.6 is reached

getting produced.

The fermentation (5.1) is preferably carried out with yoghurt cultures such as Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus bulgaricus, Lactococcus lactis, Bifidobacterium lactis or Lactobacillus acidophilus. The temperature during fermentation is preferably about 38-42 ° C. and the time is about 6-16 hours, preferably about 10-12 hours. The starter cultures, preferably yogurt cultures, are used in an effective amount. It was surprisingly found that the fermentation can also be carried out without adding sweeteners such as sucrose. In this way, a plant-based yogurt can be made without added sugar.

Before acidification (5.2), the vegetable base product is cooled to approx. 4 - 10 ° C and only then is it heated to the above-mentioned pH value with at least one organic acid suitable for the production of food, such as gluconic acid, lactic acid and / or butyric acid. Acidified value. Alternatively, the acid can also be added before the heating and homogenization process.

After this process, the product obtained is marketable as a plant-based fermented milk alternative, in particular as a yogurt-type preparation.

It is clear to the person skilled in the art that the instructions for the preparation for the types of drinking yoghurt, sour milk, Greek-style yoghurt, kefir, quark and buttermilk can be designed from the yoghurt type preparation described by appropriate conversion and handling. This results in typical product viscosities.

• - ein pflanzliches Basisprodukt (a), das eine Mischung enthält, die
  • (a21) mindestens eine Zubereitung, wie einen Sirup, eine Paste oder eine Creme, die aus Samen eines Getreides und/oder Nüssen hergestellt ist,
  • (a22) mindestens eine Flüssigkeit, insbesondere Wasser,
  • (a23) ggf. mindestens ein pflanzliches Öl, insbesondere Sonnenblumenöl,
• - Zitrusfaser als Fruchtfaser (b) und
• - Joghurtkulturen als Starterkulturen

enthält.In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the food product according to the invention comprises the following components:

• - a herbal base product (a) which contains a mixture which
  • (a21) at least one preparation, such as a syrup, a paste or a cream, which is made from the seeds of a grain and / or nuts,
  • (a22) at least one liquid, in particular water,
  • (a23) if necessary, at least one vegetable oil, in particular sunflower oil,
• - citrus fiber as fruit fiber (b) and
• - Yoghurt cultures as starter cultures

contains.

• (c) pflanzliches Protein, insbesondere Erbsenprotein, und/oder
• (d) Süßungsmittel, insbesondere Saccharose, und/oder
• (e) Salz,

enthalten.The food product can optionally contain further components, such as

• (c) vegetable protein, in particular pea protein, and / or
• (d) sweeteners, especially sucrose, and / or
• (e) salt,

contain.

• (a21) ca. 1 - 40 Gew.-% zumindest einer Zubereitung, wie einem Sirup, einer Paste oder einer Creme, die aus Samen eines Getreides und/oder Nüssen hergestellt ist,
• (a22) mindestens eine Flüssigkeit, insbesondere Wasser,
• (a23) ca. 1 - 3 Gew.-% pflanzliches Öl, insbesondere Sonnenblumenöl,
• (b) ca. 0,05 - 3 Gew.-%, bevorzugt ca. 0,5 - 2 Gew.-%, Zitrusfaser,
• (c) ca. 0,2 - 6 Gew.-% pflanzliches Protein, insbesondere Erbsenprotein,
• (d) ca. 0,2 - 5 Gew.-% Süßungsmittel, insbesondere Saccharose,
• (e) ca. 0,05 - 0,5 Gew.-% Salz und
• (f) Joghurtkulturen in einer effektiven Menge,

wobei die Flüssigkeit (a22) auf 100 Gew.-% aufgefüllt wird. Alle Gew.-% sind auf das Gesamtgewicht des Lebensmittelprodukts bezogen.In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the food product according to the invention represents a plant-based alternative to yogurt, which comprises the following components:

• (a21) approx. 1 - 40% by weight of at least one preparation, such as a syrup, a paste or a cream, which is made from the seeds of a grain and / or nuts,
• (a22) at least one liquid, in particular water,
• (a23) approx. 1 - 3% by weight of vegetable oil, especially sunflower oil,
• (b) approx. 0.05-3% by weight, preferably approx. 0.5-2% by weight, citrus fiber,
• (c) approx. 0.2 - 6% by weight of vegetable protein, especially pea protein,
• (d) approx. 0.2-5% by weight of sweetener, especially sucrose,
• (e) about 0.05-0.5% by weight salt and
• (f) yogurt cultures in an effective amount,

the liquid (a22) being made up to 100% by weight. All weight percent is based on the total weight of the food product.

At least one flavoring additive can be added to the fermented foods produced in all embodiments. This flavoring additive is selected from the group consisting of vanilla, chocolate, chocolate pieces, fruit preparations (e.g. preparations made from strawberry, blueberry, mango and other fruits and mixtures thereof), nougat, nuts such as hazelnut, walnut, etc., spices, Includes herbs. In addition, at least one further component can be added which is selected from the group comprising colorants, flavorings, vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, vegetable fat, vegetable oil and mixtures thereof.

It was found that the basic product according to the invention leads to the production of vegetable fermented milk alternatives which have a surprisingly creamy and full-bodied texture and a pleasant mouthfeel.

Surprisingly, it was found that the products can be produced entirely without the use of stabilizers and thereby achieve the texture described above.

Another advantage of the composition according to the invention is that it can be advertised as a “clean label” or “E-number-free” (list of ingredients free of ingredients with E-numbers).

The following exemplary embodiments are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. The invention also relates to all of them Combinations of preferred configurations, provided these are not mutually exclusive. The information “about” or “approx.” In connection with a figure means that at least 10% higher or lower values or 5% higher or lower values and in any case 1% higher or lower values are included.

Embodiments:

i) Fermented almond dessert ingredients Amount in kg Almond paste 30th Citrus fiber 16 Pea protein concentrate (53% protein) 2 salt 0.8 Sucrose crystalline 10 water 941 Yogurt cultures 0.2 Fermented almond dessert 1,000

ii) Fermented Coconut Dessert ingredients Amount in kg Coconut cream 24% fat 250 Citrus fiber 16 Pea protein concentrate (53% protein) 2.5 salt 0.8 water 730.5 Yogurt cultures 0.2 Fermented coconut dessert 1,000

iii) Fermented Oat Dessert ingredients Amount in kg Oat syrup 150 Citrus fiber 16 Pea protein concentrate (53% protein) 5 salt 0.8 Sunflower oil 15th water 813 Yogurt cultures 0.2 Fermented oat dessert 1,000

iv) Fermented Rice Dessert ingredients Amount in kg Rice syrup 131 Citrus fiber 16 Pea protein concentrate (53% protein) 10 salt 0.8 Sunflower oil 18th water 824 Yogurt cultures 0.2 Fermented rice dessert 1,000

The fermented desserts (i) - (iv) produced can serve as a vegetable substitute for yogurt. All compositions (i) - (iv) described above have a very good texture and a pleasant mouthfeel. Depending on the product, the measured viscosity is between 3 - 6 cm / min (Bostwick viscometer, at 20 ° C). The sensory properties are similar to those of commercially available vegetable fermented milk alternatives made with stabilizers.

It is evident to the person skilled in the art that the invention is not restricted to the examples described above, but rather can be varied in many ways. In particular, the features of the individually illustrated examples can also be combined with one another or exchanged for one another.

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent literature cited

• WO 2013/004754 [0006]
• EP 3476221 B1 [0006, 0007]
• WO 2019/173290 [0008]

Claims (10)

A herbal base product that has the components (a) at least one vegetable raw material and (b) includes fruit fiber and - a viscosity of at least about 1.5 - 8 cm / min (Bostwick viscometer, at 20 ° C), - a pH value of approx. 5.0 - 7.5 and - Has a protein content of at least approx. 0.2% by weight, preferably approx. 0.2-6% by weight, based on the total weight of the base product. The basic product according to Claim 1 , characterized in that it is free from emulsifiers and conventional stabilizers, in particular thickeners. The basic product according to Claim 1 or 2 , in which the herbal starting material (a) is either (a1) a milk substitute product made from plant (s) and / or plant part (s), or (a2) is a mixture consisting of (a21) at least one preparation, such as a syrup, a paste or a cream made from plant (s) and / or plant part (s), (a22) at least one liquid that is suitable for the production of food, in particular water, and (a23) optionally at least one vegetable Oil is produced, the plant part (s) being selected from the group (s), the flowers, buds, leaves, stems, stalks, bark, roots, tubers, onions, rhizomes, fruits such as berries, fruits, vegetables , Nuts, seeds and mixtures thereof. The basic product according to one of the preceding claims, in which the fruit fiber is either citrus fiber, apple fiber and / or mixtures, preferably citrus fiber, and the proportion of fruit fibers is a maximum of 4% by weight. The basic product according to one of the preceding claims, wherein it additionally contains at least one component selected from the group which (c) at least one vegetable protein, preferably selected from the group comprising pea protein, bean protein, almond protein, chickpea protein, field bean protein, lupine protein and / or mixtures thereof, (d) sweeteners, such as monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides and / or polysaccharides or mixtures thereof, in particular crystalline sucrose, and (e) Salt, in particular sea salt, which is suitable for the production of food, comprises. A vegetable food product which contains the vegetable base product according to at least one of the preceding claims or consists of the vegetable base product according to one of the preceding claims. The food product according to Claim 6 , characterized in that it is a plant-based alternative to sour milk, yoghurt, Greek-style yoghurt, drinking yoghurt, kefir, quark and buttermilk, has a pH value of 3.9 - 4.6 and either (1) by the fermentation of the vegetable base product according to one of the Claims 1 - 4th with starter cultures, preferably yoghurt cultures, or (2) by acidifying the vegetable base product according to one of the Claims 1 - 4th is produced with at least one organic acid until a target pH value of 3.9-4.6 is reached. The food product according to Claim 6 or 7th , characterized in that it contains at least one further component selected from the group consisting of flavoring additives such as vanilla, chocolate, chocolate pieces, fruit preparations, nougat, nuts, spices, herbs, as well as colorants, flavorings, vitamins, minerals, fiber , vegetable fat, vegetable oil, and mixtures thereof. The food product according to at least one of Claim 7 - 8th , characterized in that it contains as a vegetable base product (a) a mixture which (a21) at least one preparation, such as a syrup, a paste or a cream, which is made from seeds of cereals and / or nuts, (a22) at least a liquid, especially water, (a23) optionally comprises at least one vegetable oil, as fruit fiber (b) citrus fiber, and as starter cultures yoghurt cultures, wherein the food product optionally contains at least one further component, such as (c) vegetable protein and / or (d) sweetener and / or (e) salt. The food product according to at least one of Claim 7 - 9 , characterized in that it represents a plant-based alternative to yoghurt and (a21) approx. 1-40% by weight of at least one preparation, such as a syrup, a paste or a cream, which is made from the seeds of cereals and / or nuts , (a22) at least one liquid, in particular water, (a23) approx. 1-3% by weight of vegetable oil, in particular sunflower oil (b) approx. 0.05-4% by weight, preferably of approx. 0.5 - 2% by weight, fruit fiber, especially citrus fiber, (c) approx. 0.2-6% by weight vegetable protein, especially pea protein, (d) approx. 0.2-5% by weight sweetener, especially sucrose , (e) approx. 0.05-0.5% by weight salt, in particular sea salt, and (f) yoghurt cultures in an effective amount, and wherein the liquid (a22) is made up to 100% by weight, and wherein all% by weight are based on the total weight of the food product.