GR1009947B - Foodstuff with meat substitute - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to food products containing meat substitutes, in particular to products containing a quantity of vegetable proteins, an effective quantity of coconut oil and a quantity of extra virgin olive oil as well as to a method of preparing such products.

Description

FOOD PRODUCTS WITH MEAT SUBSTITUTE

DESCRIPTION

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to food products containing a meat substitute and vegetable oils, in particular to products containing an amount of vegetable protein as a meat substitute, an effective amount of coconut oil and an amount of extra virgin olive oil or other vegetable oil or a mixture thereof, where the these products have nutritional characteristics, texture, aroma and odor similar to the corresponding meat-based products, but without meat of animal origin, and are suitable for healthy eating and for people who watch their diet or follow a diet plan, and a method for the manufacture of these products.

PRIOR ART

In recent years, trends in food consumption show that people are becoming more and more health conscious and monitoring their food intake, as a result of various researches on the possible effects of certain foods on health. Animal products are the only dietary source of cholesterol. Thus, a significant number of health professionals recommend that the public significantly reduce their intake of red meat.

And the health benefits of a vegetarian diet are well established. If a large portion of the human population switched to a more vegetarian diet, there could be a reduction in health care costs.

However, the meat substitutes on the market have failed to induce a shift in consumption to a vegetarian diet, as these products do not have the same texture and mouthfeel as their meat-based counterparts.

Furthermore, since these products are sold pre-cooked or ready-to-eat and already contain artificial flavors and aromas, they fail to reproduce aromas, flavors, and other essential characteristics associated with cooked meat. Therefore, these products are mainly addressed to a limited portion of consumers, the vegetarians, and have failed to attract the larger segment of consumers who are used to eating meat, while we can say that they are receptive to improving their organoleptic characteristics in a significant degree.

There are various methods for producing processed food products with characteristics similar to meat, but without meat, the so-called meat analogues or meat substitutes. However, many of these food products do not have similar characteristics in terms of texture, taste, appearance, color and nutritional value to their meat-based counterparts and are not acceptable to consumers. In addition, the replacement of meat products by any substitute is difficult due to the different proteins in quantity and quality contained in meat substitutes.

Patent application number US 20040161513 discloses meat substitute products containing soy proteins and a method of making these soy-based products, which although may be similar in texture, are limited in their application to dietary products , and do not always have the characteristics, e.g. taste, aroma, moisture, required by the consumer.

Patent application number US 20060204644 describes meat substitute products that contain a combination of soy protein and wheat gluten, but which are difficult to process during the manufacturing process.

Although each of the above patents represents an attempt to overcome the problems associated with meat substitute products, there is still a need for plant protein meat substitute products and in particular products that can be easily processed and have the same or similar nutritional value , texture, taste and appearance as the corresponding meat products.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a meat substitute product and in particular a product containing vegetable proteins overcoming the disadvantages of the prior art.

Furthermore, another object of the present invention is to provide a meat substitute food product, which helps to maintain human health, and which has substantially the same taste, consistency/texture and appearance as the corresponding meat product prepared from meat.

In accordance with the above objects of the present invention, there is provided a meat substitute product comprising vegetable proteins, an effective amount of coconut oil in solid form and an amount of extra virgin olive oil, wherein the product has a similar taste, consistency/texture and appearance as the traditionally prepared meat product.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of preparing a meat substitute product according to claim 1, which comprises vegetable proteins, an effective amount of coconut oil and an amount of extra virgin olive oil, wherein the product has the same taste, consistency/texture and appearance as the traditionally prepared meat product, which method involves the following steps:

a) Emulsion mixture preparation: Pour the cold water, ice and the amount of extra virgin olive oil into the mixer, then add a part of the vegetable fibers and mix until homogenized. Then, with stirring in a cooled mixer, the amount of coconut oil in solid form is added to this mixture and we mix the mixture until it starts to "gel".

b) Preparation of the hamburger: We mix a part of the total quantity of the vegetable soy protein mixture with water and grind it. Then we pour this ground mixture into the mixer while adding water and mix, and then add the flavoring ingredients, natural flavors and colors and the mixture is fermented by adding water or vegetable broth until it is homogenized.

Then we add the rest of the vegetable soy protein, starch and the rest of the fiber and mix until we have a sticky mixture. Next, add the emulsion mixture we prepared and stir slowly until the mixture is completely homogenized. Then shape the hamburgers and place them in the freezer.

Further embodiments of the present invention are defined in claims 2 to 6 and 8 to 10. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the following detailed description.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the present invention is to provide a meat substitute product, which includes vegetable proteins, and which has the same or similar nutritional value as the corresponding meat-based product, and has the taste, consistency/texture, appearance and physical properties of these traditional products at acceptable levels.

It has surprisingly been found that meat substitute products can be prepared in an industrially economical way using vegetable products based on vegetable proteins mainly from soy. Also, it has been found that the products of the present invention have in addition very unexpected properties and can contribute to the maintenance, strengthening and improvement of the normal functions of the human body.

Thanks to the vegetable proteins, coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil, the product of the present invention is a good alternative to meat-based products and has more general "beneficial" effects on the health of the one who consumes it.

Thus, according to the present invention, the meat substitute product comprises a mixture consisting of a percentage of soy vegetable protein blend, an effective amount of coconut oil and an amount of extra virgin olive oil. The product according to the present invention may also contain other vegetable oil, various vitamins, minerals, trace elements, seasonings, spices and fiber.

Meat substitute food products may taste like sausage, hamburger, burger, steak, chicken nuggets, etc.

In one embodiment, the meat substitute of the present invention is prepared according to the following production method, which involves two steps:

A) Emulsion mixture preparation: Pour cold water, ice and a quantity of extra virgin olive oil into the mixer, and then add a portion of the vegetable fibers. The temperature is maintained throughout this emulsification stage at approximately 4°C by the addition of ice.

Then, with stirring in a cooled mixer, the amount of coconut oil in solid form is added to this mixture and we mix the mixture until it starts to "gel".

B) Preparation of the product with a meat substitute: We mix a part of the total quantity of vegetable soy protein with water and grind it. Next, pour this ground mixture into the mixer with the simultaneous addition of water and mix. Then we add the rest of the ingredients, such as beetroot, dried vegetables, yeast extract, various seasonings, spices, herbs, salt, natural flavoring and coloring matter and the mixture is fermented with the addition of water or vegetable stock until homogenized.

The temperature is maintained throughout this homogenization stage at around 0°C degrees by the addition of ice and generally we make sure that the temperature does not exceed 6° - 8°C. Then we add the rest of the vegetable soy protein, the starch and the rest of the fiber and stir until we have a sticky mixture.

Next, add the emulsion mixture we prepared and stir slowly until the mixture is completely homogenized. Then we shape the food products with meat substitute and place them in the freezer.

Meat substitute products according to the present invention may contain modified starch as stabilizer and/or emulsifier.

Vegetable proteins can be derived from cereals or legumes or a mixture thereof, preferably from soy.

Cereal flour can come from: durum wheat, common wheat, buckwheat, oats, barley, corn, rye, rice or a mixture of these.

Legume flours can come from: chickpeas, peas, beans, peas, lentils, beans, soybeans, quinoa, fava beans or a mixture of these.

Cereal or legume flours can be whole grain, processed, or in the form of bran with various qualities.

Instead of extra virgin olive oil, any edible vegetable oil can be used, such as sunflower oil, olive oil, sesame oil, corn oil, palm oil, soybean oil, peanut oil, walnut oil, canola oil, rapeseed oil, safflower oil, or mixtures thereof.

Spices used may include: garlic powder, fennel seed, rosemary, oregano, thyme, lemon thyme, basil, pistachio, almonds, walnuts, sesame, paprika, beetroot, paprika, black pepper, chili, salt, basil, parsley , yeast extract etc.

Optionally, an ingredient to improve the texture of the final product can be used, such as honey, which can be in an amount up to about 2%, which is used because it contributes to improving the general texture of the product.

The texture of the final product can be further improved by the addition of one or more texture improving ingredients such as egg white, corn starch or potato starch.

Also, the meat substitute product of the present invention may also contain other nutrients, such as ingredients containing calcium or a salt thereof, such as calcium carbonate or calcium chloride, vitamins, minerals, herbs, spices, seasonings and mixtures thereof.

Other ingredients that can be added are seasonings (such as onions, garlic, celery, parsley, spice extracts and paprika), spices (such as pepper, sage, ginger, thyme, oregano, marjoram, fennel), seasonings, water, antioxidants ( such as butylated-hydroxy-anisole (BHA), butylated-hydroxy-toluene (BHT), citric acid, propylgallate), diluents (such as grains, grain derivatives, vegetable protein texture), flavor enhancers (such as MSG, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, autolyzate extract yeast), sweeteners (such as natural or artificial sugar, dextrose, synthetic sweeteners such as cyclamate salts), coloring agents (such as paprika, beetroot, etc.), ripening agents (such as sodium nitrite alone or in combination with sodium erythorbate, or sodium ascorbate ) and vitamins.

Examples of vitamins available as additional ingredients include, but are not limited to, vitamin A (retinol), vitamin D (cholecalciferol), vitamin E group (alpha-tocopherol and other tocopherols), vitamin K group (phylloquinones and menaquinones), thiamin (vitamin B1), riboflavin (vitamin B2), niacin, group of vitamin B6, folic acid, vitamin B12 (cobalamin), vitamin C (ascorbic acid), and mixtures thereof. Examples of trace elements that can be used as additional ingredients include, but are not limited to, calcium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, iodine, selenium, potassium, copper, manganese, molybdenum, and mixtures thereof.

Preferred calcium compounds include, but are not limited to, in particular calcium phosphates, calcium carbonate, calcium lactate and calcium chloride, but also many other compounds such as calcium sulfate, calcium citrate, calcium tartrate, calcium glutamate, calcium gluconate and others physiologically acceptable compounds of calcium are possible.

The following example describes a preferred embodiment according to the present invention without limiting the scope or spirit of the invention:

example

Composition 1: Hamburger with meat substitute with coconut oil and an amount of extra virgin olive oil

The meat substitute product of composition 1 is prepared according to the following preparation method:

Emulsion mixture preparation: Pour the cold water, ice and the amount of extra virgin olive oil into the mixer, and then add a part of the vegetable fibers. The temperature is maintained throughout this emulsification stage at approximately 4°C by the addition of ice.

Then, with stirring in a cooled mixer, the amount of coconut oil in solid form is added to this mixture and we mix the mixture until it starts to "gel".

Preparation of the hamburger: We mix a part of the total quantity of vegetable soy protein with water and grind it. Next, pour this ground mixture into the mixer with the simultaneous addition of water and mix.

Then we add the rest of the ingredients, such as beetroot, dried vegetables, yeast extract, various seasonings, spices, herbs, salt, natural flavoring and coloring matter and the mixture is fermented with the addition of water or vegetable stock until homogenized.

The temperature is maintained throughout this homogenization stage at around 0°C degrees by the addition of ice and generally we make sure that the temperature does not exceed 6° - 8°C.

Then we add the rest of the vegetable soy protein, the starch and the rest of the fiber and mix until we have a sticky mixture. Next, add the emulsion mixture we prepared and stir slowly until the mixture is completely homogenized. Then shape the hamburgers and place them in the freezer.

The meat substitute products with the addition of coconut oil and extra virgin olive oil prepared according to example 1 of the present invention were compared with traditional meat-based hamburgers and found to be pleasant in taste with no difference in appearance, consistency/texture and odor. compared to their meat-based counterparts.

While the present invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (10)

1. A meat substitute product, which includes vegetable proteins, an effective amount of coconut oil in solid form and an amount of extra virgin olive oil, where the product has a similar taste, consistency/texture and appearance to the traditionally prepared meat-based product . 2. The meat substitute product according to claim 1, which additionally comprises another vegetable oil, such as sunflower oil in a ratio of 50% sunflower oil and 50% extra virgin olive oil. 3. The meat substitute product according to claim 1, wherein the vegetable proteins are derived from cereal flour, such as durum wheat, common wheat, buckwheat, oats, barley, corn, rye, or rice, or a mixture thereof, or from legume flour such as chickpeas , peas, beans, peas, lentils, beans, soybeans, quinoa or fava beans or a mixture of these. The product according to claim 1, wherein the vegetable proteins are from soy. 5. The product according to claim 1, which further comprises vegetable fibers and emulsifiers. 6. The meat substitute product according to any preceding claim, further comprising water or ice, flavoring ingredients, natural flavors and colorings, such as salt, potato starch, beetroot, dried vegetables, yeast extract, herbs, spices and seasonings. 7. A method of making a meat substitute product according to claim 1, which comprises vegetable proteins, an effective amount of coconut oil and an amount of extra virgin olive oil, wherein the product has the same taste, consistency/texture and appearance as traditionally prepared meat product, which method includes the following steps: a) Emulsion mixture preparation: Pour the cold water, ice and the amount of extra virgin olive oil into the mixer, then add a part of the vegetable fibers and mix until homogenized. Then, with stirring in a cooled mixer, the amount of coconut oil in solid form is added to this mixture and we mix the mixture until it starts to "gel". b) Preparation of the hamburger: We mix a part of the total quantity of vegetable soy protein with water and grind it. Then we pour this ground mixture into the mixer while adding water and mix, and then add the flavoring ingredients, natural flavors and colors and the mixture is fermented by adding water or vegetable broth until it is homogenized. Then we add the rest of the vegetable soy protein, the starch and the rest of the fiber and mix until we have a sticky mixture. Next, add the emulsion mixture we prepared and stir slowly until the mixture is completely homogenized. Then shape the hamburgers and place them in the freezer. 8. A method of preparing a meat substitute product according to claim 7, wherein the vegetable proteins are from soy. 9. A method of preparing a meat substitute product according to claim 7, wherein throughout the emulsification step during the preparation of the emulsification mixture the temperature is maintained at about 4°C by the addition of ice. 10. A method of preparing a meat substitute product according to claim 7, wherein throughout the homogenization step the temperature is maintained at approximately 0°C degrees by the addition of ice and generally the temperature is maintained not to exceed 6° - 8°C.