KR20240074861A - Process of processing plants and/or food ingredients - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for processing food raw materials, such as plant and/or legume raw materials, without denaturing the proteins of the raw food material. The process includes a steam-stripping step implemented under high vacuum. The invention also relates to a system for carrying out the above process and a product obtained from the process.

Description

Process of processing plants and/or food ingredients

The present invention relates to a process for treating at least a portion of a plant and/or a raw food material.

Protein is an essential part of the food diet. As new types of diets develop, such as vegetarianism, veganism and/or flexitarianism, we are seeing a proliferation of new products containing plant proteins, especially legumes such as peas. can do. According to Innova Market Insights, based in Duven, Netherlands, the number of new product launches claiming to be “plant-based” in the U.S. increased from 94 in 2012 to 320 in 2016. In its "Food and Beverage Trends 2017" report, Mintel predicts that this year the food and beverage industry will see more products highlighting plants as an ingredient in a way that addresses consumers' concerns about health and wellness.

The success of plant-based protein-based products will depend on several criteria, including taste, palatability, and intact protein content.

Legume ingredients are attractive as an alternative protein source to replace soy products in food and beverages. However, legume materials are often undesirable for use in foods due to their undesirable flavor. For example, pea flour obtained by dry milling peas contains pea aroma and bitter taste. As a result, when pea flour is used in foods, the flavor and bitterness of raw peas are imparted to these products.

To optimize the palatability and taste of plant protein-based products, various processing and/or extraction processes have been developed to prevent off-flavors of plant proteins in the products. Two main examples of processes suitable for extracting protein isolates and concentrates are the “wet method” and the “dry method”, described in detail below for pea protein.

Wet methods for extracting pea proteins are particularly suitable for obtaining protein isolates containing about 70% to 80% protein. The wet method refers to alkali extraction and acid precipitation or ultrafiltration. The final step of the method involves drying the protein isolate through an air dryer at an air temperature of up to 150°C. In these wet methods, exposure to acidic and alkaline media and exposure to heat will adversely affect the quality of proteins extracted from peas. The functions of the protein, such as emulsification properties, water solubility, dispersion properties, gelling properties, foaming properties, and the ability to bind water and/or fat, can be affected by these processing steps. If protein quality is compromised by these methods, it may be necessary to modify the obtained protein composition using complex techniques, for example, enzymatic hydrolysis, to impart the desired properties.

Pea protein concentrates can be obtained using the drying route, i.e. the air classification method, but this method typically contains higher levels of anti-nutritional factors and the final product contains most As it does not suit consumer tastes, its application to food is more limited.

According to the Canadian International Grain Institute (Cigi), Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, yellow peas, navy beans and faba beans are processed into commercial food ingredients through pre-milling heat treatment. It is said to be able to reduce the off-flavor of legumes, including ).

International patent application WO 2019/006286 discloses a method of processing a raw pea composition to reduce non-volatile flavor components, comprising steam cooking the raw pea slurry to form a cooked pea slurry; and drying the cooked pea slurry to form a processed pea composition; wherein the amount of non-volatile flavor components associated with proteins having a molecular weight of about 25 kDa or greater in the processed composition is less than the amount of non-volatile flavor components of the raw material. Cooking according to this process is typically jet cooking using steam at a pressure of at least 5 p.s.i. (~344 mbar) and a temperature of at least 150°F (~65.5°C). These heat and pressure conditions do not allow retaining all properties of the proteins extracted from the raw pea composition.

Additionally, existing processes for reducing undesirable off-flavor components from plant-based raw materials generally do not allow recovery of the extracted off-flavor components or their further processing and/or use.

Finally, traditional protein isolate manufacturing processes generate enormous amounts of wastewater and waste and exhibit high energy consumption.

As a result, there is still a need to develop new processing processes for plant-based materials, such as plant-based food ingredients, that can reduce and/or eliminate undesirable off-flavor compounds while maintaining the full functionality of the proteins contained therein. . Advantageously, this process should further allow recovery of the extracted off-flavor components and their further processing and/or use. More advantageously, these processes should also be economical in terms of solvent, waste water and/or energy consumption to enable the treatment process to be implemented more economically and environmentally friendly.

summary

Therefore, the present invention relates to a process for deodorizing legume raw materials containing starch, protein and off-flavor compounds without denaturing the protein, and the process includes the following steps:

i. contacting the legume raw material with an aqueous solution at a temperature ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C. to produce a hydrated legume material;

ii. Blanching the hydrated legume material by heating the hydrated legume material at a temperature comprised between 60° C. and 121° C. for a period ranging from about 1 to about 30 seconds to produce the hydrated plant and/or food. Blanching raw materials;

iii. Protecting the blanched legume material from protein denaturation by quenching the blanched legume material by applying a high vacuum with agitation, wherein the high vacuum is less than about 123 mbar, less than about 100 mbar, less than about 50 mbar, preferably about exhibiting an absolute atmospheric pressure of less than or equal to 35 mbar, more preferably less than or equal to about 15 mbar, and even more preferably less than or equal to about 5 mbar;

iv. removing off-flavor compounds by steam-stripping under high vacuum (as described in the cooling step) by blending the cooled legume material by injecting water steam, wherein the water steam exhibiting a temperature ranging from about 30° C. to about 50° C.;

v. Setting aside the injected water vapor containing off-flavor compounds to dry the legume material, thereby producing dried and deodorized legume material.

The process may further comprise at least one step vi), wherein the dried and deodorized legume material of step v) is hydrated and subjected to a new steam stripping and drying cycle according to steps iv) and v).

In one embodiment, the legume raw material is selected from peas, typically split yellow peas.

In one embodiment, step i) is performed by spraying the legume raw material with an aqueous solution.

In one embodiment, drying step v) is carried out by condensation, typically using a chiller heat exchanger.

The process may further include milling the deodorized and dried legume raw material into a deodorized legume raw material powder containing starch and protein. The deodorized legume raw powder can then be fractionated into a deodorized protein-rich fraction and a deodorized starch-rich fraction, typically by air fractionation milling. The desorbed protein-rich fraction may exhibit an average particle size of approximately 2 μm.

The invention also relates to a product selected from deodorized legume raw material, deodorized legume flour or a deodorized legume protein-rich fraction, wherein the product is measured on a dry matter basis of the product. exhibiting a hexanal content of less than 3 ppb, preferably less than 2 ppb, even more preferably less than 1.4 ppb, and the product having a hexanal content of less than 20%, preferably less than 20%, compared to the nitrogen solubility of the plant and/or food source protein. It shows a nitrogen solubility index reduced to less than 15%.

In one embodiment, the legume is pea, and the pea protein source, pea meal, or pea protein-enriched fraction exhibits a nitrogen solubility index of at least 60%.

The invention also relates to a food composition comprising the products described above.

Finally, the invention relates to a system for carrying out the process according to the invention, said system comprising:

- Means for hydrating legume raw materials by contacting them with an aqueous solution;

- Means for flash-boiling hydrated legume raw material,

- a columnar recipient, typically a stirring device, providing first and second planes and a heated circumferential surface;

- a chamber surrounding the cylindrical receiver with air-sealing means;

- At least one pump for applying a high vacuum and a vacuum inlet configured to apply a high vacuum to the chamber, wherein the high vacuum is below 123 mbar, below 100 mbar, below 50 mbar, preferably below 35 mbar, more preferably below 15 mbar. A vacuum inlet exhibiting an absolute atmospheric pressure of less than or equal to 5 mbar.

- means for injecting water vapor into the first plane of the cylindrical receiver,

- means for holding water vapor injected together with the off-flavor compound from a second plane of the cylindrical blending device, and

Optionally,

- means for hydrating the contents of the cylindrical receptacle; and/or

- Means for milling legume raw materials.

In one embodiment:

- The means for contacting and hydrating the legume raw material with an aqueous solution may include at least one sprayer, typically at least one sprayer configured to spray an open weave belt conveyor, and/or at least one water tank ( is selected from a water bath);

- The heating means for flash boiling the hydrated legume raw material is selected from a heated, typically steam jacketed, screw conveyor;

- The cylindrical receptor is a blending device, and typically the blending device is a conical blender;

- The heated circumferential surface means of the circumferential blending device is a heated water-jacketed circumferential surface;

- The means for air sealing the chamber is a pneumatically actuated valve, typically a globe-type valve;

- The means for injecting water vapor into the first plane of the cylindrical blending device is at least one steam nozzle,

- The means for recovering the water vapor injected with the off-flavor compound from the second plane of the cylindrical blending device are vapor condensation means, typically selected from at least one chiller heat exchanger,

- The optional means for hydrating the contents of the cylindrical blending device is selected from at least one water sprayer.

Means for holding the water vapor injected together with the off-flavor compound may be configured between the second plane of the cylindrical blending device and the pump inlet.

In one embodiment, the system may further include at least one of the following:

- means for controlling the temperature, pressure, water flow and steam flow rate of the system, and/or

- A means for filtering the air in the system.

Justice

In the present invention, the following terms have the following meanings:

“ About ” means ±10% of the numerical value, preferably ±5% of the numerical value, especially ±1% of the numerical value.

“Raw food material” refers to any edible material suitable for use as is or after processing and/or transformation into a food material.

“ Legume ” refers to the fruit or seed of a legume plant. Non-limiting examples include alfalfa, clover, beans and peas (e.g., red beans, fava beans, broad beans, bell beans, field beans, horsebeans, kidney beans, snap beans). , chickpea, calvance pea, chestnut bean, dwarf pea, garbanzo bean, gram pea, yellow gram, rainbow pea ( cowpea, asparagus bean, black eyed pea, black eyed bean, crowder pea, field pea, southern pea, frijole , guar bean, cluster bean, hyacinth bean, bonavist, lablab, lima bean, butter bean, mung bean, Dry peas, podded peas, snap peas, chicharo, lentils, lupins, peanuts, pigeon peas, soybeans, peas Includes tepary bean and vetch, mesquite, carob and tamarind. In some preferred embodiments, the legume is pea and the legume flour is pea flour. In a very preferred embodiment, the legume is split and dried yellow peas.

“ Flavor ” refers to a quality that can be detected by taste and/or smell.

“ Off-flavor ” refers to vapor volatile compounds (SVOC). Typically, SVOC exhibits undesirable flavors, such as the bitterness or flavor characteristic of raw flour.

“ Off-flavor compound ” refers to a molecule that imparts an off-flavor to a product. In a preferred embodiment, the off-flavor compound is a non-volatile off-flavor compound, or a vapor-volatile off-flavor compound. Flavor is a major factor limiting the use of many plant-based protein ingredients in foods. For example, pulses (i.e., the dried edible seeds of certain plants in the legume family) may contain off-flavors such as (but not limited to) soy, fatty, earthy, bitter, astringent, etc. This is known to be a barrier to the ingredient's expansion into mainstream food applications.

“ Non-volatile flavor compound ” refers to a molecule that provides flavor to a product but is not volatile in the sense that it cannot be removed by methods such as evaporation under atmospheric pressure. This term applies to both liquids and solids.

“ Food ” includes crackers, breads (e.g., rye, wheat, oat, potato, egg white, whole grain products, mixed flours, loafs, twists, buns, rolls). , pita, matzo, focaccia, melba toast, zwieback, croutons, soft pretzel, soft and hard bread sticks, served heated. (heat and serves), toaster pastries, cookies, danishes, croissants, tarts, pie crusts, pastries, muffins, brownies, sheet cakes, donuts, snack foods (e.g. pretzels, tortilla chips, corn chips, potatoes) Chips, processed snacks, processed potato chips, extruded snacks, filled extruded snacks, trail mix, granola, snack mixes, shoe-string potatoes, flour, cornmeal, polenta, Mixes (e.g. cake mix, biscuit mix, brownie mix, bread mix, pancake mix, crepe mix, dough mix, pizza dough), refrigerated dough (e.g. biscuits, bread, bread sticks, croissants, dinner rolls, Pizza dough, cookies, danishes, brownies, pie crusts), frozen foods (e.g. pie crusts, pies, tarts, turnovers, pizzas, food pockets, cakes, French fries, hash browns, breaded products such as chicken and fish, breaded vegetables), bagels, breakfast cereals, biscuits, vegetables (e.g. dried, grilled, roasted, broiled, fried, vacuum dried), Taco shells, hash browns, mashed potatoes, toast, toasted sandwiches, flour and corn tortillas, crepes, pancakes, waffles, dough, pizza crust, rice, herbs, spices, nuts, and nut-based foods (e.g., peanut butter, chopped Foods containing nuts), fruits (e.g. dried, grilled, roasted, broiled, fried, vacuum dried, baked, jellied, pie filling, flambe, raisins), hush puppies, alcoholic beverages (e.g. e.g. beer and ale), products containing roasted cocoa beans (e.g. cocoa, chocolate, confectionery coatings, hot chocolate, hot chocolate mix, candy bars) and animal foods (e.g. dog food, cat food) refers to any edible product such as food.

“ Food ” also includes beverage(s). Beverage products disclosed herein include ready-to-drink liquid formulations, beverage concentrates, and the like. Beverages include carbonated and non-carbonated soft drinks, fountain drinks, ready-to-drink frozen drinks, coffee drinks, tea drinks, dairy drinks, powdered soft drinks, purees, as well as liquid concentrates, flavored waters, enhanced waters, This includes fruit juices and fruit juice-flavored beverages, sports drinks, and alcohol products.

“ Protein content ” is the American Oil Chemists Society (AOCS) official method Be 4-91 ( 1997), Aa 5-91 (1997) or Ba 4d-90 (1997), each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

“ Steam-volatile ” in the context of the present invention refers to compounds, such as off-flavor compounds, that can be removed from plant raw materials upon contact with high vacuum steam. Removal of vapor-volatile compounds under high vacuum involves (1) lowering the boiling point of the vapor-volatile compounds to volatilize them under high vacuum conditions and remove them from the plant material and/or (2) hydrogen bonds typically formed between the vapor and the off-flavor compounds. It may include diffusion of vapor volatile compounds to the outer surface of the plant material and removal of vapor volatile compounds by high vacuum steam. That is, diffusion occurs due to the inherent humidity or hydration of the legume raw material, which creates a path for SVOC to diffuse to the legume surface. Once SVOC reaches the pea surface, it forms hydrogen bonds with the high vacuum vapor and is removed from the pea surface. Preferably, the vapor-volatile compound removal under high vacuum comprises diffusion of the vapor-volatile compound (2) described above. Therefore, even if the compound is not volatile under high vacuum conditions in the strict sense, it is understood that it becomes vapor volatile due to the diffusion phenomenon carried out under high vacuum vapor conditions.

details

treatment process

The present invention relates to a process for first treating at least a part of a plant and/or a food raw material, preferably a legume raw material, by injecting water vapor into the plant and/or at least a part of a food raw material. Blending and steam stripping under high vacuum, wherein the water vapor has a temperature ranging from about 30°C to about 50°C.

According to the invention, the steam stripping step aims to remove at least some of the off-flavor compounds of the plant and/or food raw material. In a preferred embodiment, the steam stripping step aims to remove substantially all, preferably all, off-flavor compounds of the plant and/or food raw material. If all off-flavor compounds in the plant and/or food raw material are removed, the amount of off-flavor compounds in the plant and/or food raw material after the steam stripping step is below the detection limit or human taste perception threshold according to classical suitable analytical techniques. , preferably lower than the human recognition threshold. In one embodiment, the analytical technique includes or consists of an analytical chemistry technique, such as gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) or flame ionization detector (GC-FID). When the human detection threshold is lower than the analytical detection threshold, analytical techniques may include sensory scoring of plants and/or food ingredients by groups of human subjects. Additionally or alternatively, the analytical technique includes gas chromatography coupled to olfactometry (GC-O), a technique that integrates the separation of volatile compounds using a gas chromatograph and odor detection using an olfactometer (human evaluator). It can be included.

The plant and/or food ingredient may be any plant and/or food ingredient that contains at least one off-flavor compound. If the off-flavor compounds remain in plants and/or food ingredients, they tend to change the odor and/or taste of the plants and/or food ingredients.

In some embodiments, the plant and/or food raw material is a legume raw material, preferably peas, and even more preferably split yellow peas. Other plant and/or food ingredients to be processed in accordance with the present invention include, but are not limited to, plant-based flours, powdered milk, onion, garlic, avocado oil, fish oil, and marula oil.

Typically, plant and/or food raw materials to be treated according to the present invention include starches, proteins and off-flavor compounds. Advantageously, the process according to the invention removes off-flavor compounds that steam-volatilize as defined above under the high vacuum conditions of the process without the plant or food raw material being subjected to high temperatures, thereby substantially reducing starch and protein, preferably protein. so that it can be maintained intact.

As defined above, off-flavor compounds are vapor-volatile compounds, preferably vapor-volatile under high vacuum conditions according to the invention. Typically, vapor-volatile compounds can be removed by high vacuum steam, for example by forming hydrogen bonds with the high vacuum steam. In some embodiments, the off-flavor compound is selected from the group consisting of aldehydes, alcohols, ketones, acids, pyrazines, and sulfur compounds. In some embodiments, the off-flavor compound is vapor-volatile.

The high vacuum steam stripping step may be implemented under any suitable conditions to remove at least some of the off-flavor compounds. The vapor-stripping step is performed at a pressure of about 123 mbar or less, about 100 mbar or less, about 50 mbar or less, preferably about 35 mbar or less, more preferably about 15 mbar or less, even more preferably about 5 mbar or less, for example 1 It is carried out under high vacuum below mbar, or below 0.1 mbar.

Water vapor is injected into the reactor, which is typically a cylindrical receiver, to blend at least a portion of one plant and/or one food ingredient. According to a first variant, the water vapor is injected in the form of water vapor, typically under the high vacuum and temperature conditions of the process defined above. According to a second variant, water vapor is injected in the form of liquid water having a temperature of about 30° C. to about 60° C., preferably about 50° C., which is immediately converted into water vapor after passing through the high vacuum conditions of the process. The appropriate amount and flow rate of water vapor will depend on several parameters such as the nature of the plant and/or food raw material, the amount of the plant and/or raw material, and/or the volume of the reactor. Preferably, the water vapor flow rate is 10 to 1000 kg/hour, preferably 50 to 200 kg/hour. In some embodiments, the water vapor flow rate may be about 100 kg per hour, for example for a 4 ton batch.

The resulting vapors containing off-flavors can be removed in this vapor stripping step. Typically, after being injected into plants and/or food raw materials, water vapor removes off-flavors, and the generated water vapor containing off-flavors is preferably transferred to a chiller heat exchanger, more preferably a chiller heat exchanger, at a temperature of about -10°C to 10°C. When used at high temperatures, water vapor containing off-flavors can be condensed by condensing on the surface.

The temperature of water vapor can vary widely. In some embodiments, the water vapor exhibits a temperature ranging from about 30°C to about 50°C. Preferably, the water vapor exhibits a temperature of less than about 40°C, more preferably less than about 35°C, and typically the water vapor exhibits a temperature in the range of about 30°C to about 35°C. If the invention is implemented according to the second variant in which the water vapor is injected in the form of liquid water having a temperature of about 30° C. to about 60° C., preferably about 50° C., as water vapor as soon as it is injected into the high vacuum conditions of the process. It is understood that the temperature is converted and cooled to the above-mentioned water vapor temperature by reaching the saturation temperature, typically under vacuum conditions inside the cylindrical device.

Therefore, according to a preferred embodiment, the process comprises the following steps:

- The plant and/or food raw material, preferably the legume raw material, is heated to about 123 mbar or less, about 100 mbar or less, about 50 mbar or less, preferably about 35 mbar or less, more preferably 15 mbar or less, even more preferably steam stripping under a high vacuum of about 5 mbar or less, for example 1 mbar or less, or less than 0.1 mbar, wherein the steam stripping includes injecting water or water vapor under high vacuum, wherein the steam stripping is performed on plants and/or Including injecting water or water vapor into food ingredients;

The water vapor has a temperature ranging from about 30°C to about 50°C, preferably less than about 40°C, more preferably less than about 35°C, and typically the water vapor has a temperature in the range from about 30°C to about 35°C. Step representing .

- A step of condensing the water vapor after being injected into plants and/or food raw materials, preferably using a chiller heat exchanger, more preferably a chiller heat exchanger, at a temperature of about -10°C to 10°C to condense the water vapor containing off-flavors. .

The treatment process according to the invention makes it possible to remove off-flavor compounds from plants and/or food raw materials while maintaining protein functionality. In addition, the process according to the invention additionally allows recovery of separated off-flavors. Finally, the process according to the invention requires much less waste water, waste and energy than the treatment processes currently used.

In some embodiments, the treatment process according to the invention comprises the following steps:

i. contacting the plant and/or food raw material, preferably legume raw material, with an aqueous solution at a temperature ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C. to produce a hydrated plant and/or food material;

ii. Typically,

iia) blanching the hydrated plant/food ingredient by heating at about 121° C. for a period ranging from about 1 second to about 5 seconds (flash heating to inactivate enzymes), or

iib) blanching the hydrated plant/food ingredient by heating at a temperature of about 60° C. to about 75° C. for a period ranging from 17 to 30 seconds (long-term intermediate temperature enzyme inactivation),

blanching the hydrated plant and/or food raw material by heating the hydrated legume material at a temperature of 60° C. to 121° C. for a period of time ranging from about 1 to about 30 seconds;

iii. A step of protecting the blanched plants and/or food ingredients from protein denaturation by rapidly cooling the blanched plants and/or food ingredients by applying a high vacuum while stirring, wherein the high vacuum is about 123 mbar or less, about 100 mbar or less, or about 50 mbar or less. , preferably less than or equal to about 35 mbar, more preferably less than or equal to 15 mbar, even more preferably less than or equal to about 5 mbar, for example less than or equal to 1 mbar;

iv. Blending the cooled plant and/or food ingredients by injecting water vapor as described in (iii) above. removing off-flavor compounds by steam stripping under high vacuum, wherein the steam has a temperature ranging from about 30° C. to about 50° C.; and

v. A step of producing dried and deodorized plants and/or food ingredients by drying the plants and/or food ingredients by allowing injected water vapor containing off-flavor compounds to stand.

Steps (i) to (v) are preferably implemented in the order mentioned. Additional additional and/or intermediate processing and/or recovery steps may be included before and/or after any of the mentioned steps of the process according to the invention.

Step (i) may be implemented by any suitable technique. For example, step (i) can be performed by spraying the aqueous solution on the plants and/or food ingredients or immersing the plants and/or food ingredients in the aqueous solution. In some embodiments, particularly when step (i) is performed by immersion in an aqueous solution, the aqueous solution used in step (i) is an aqueous solution having a pH ranging from about 4 to about 5, preferably about 4.5. This pH range is particularly suitable for most legumes such as soybeans, split yellow peas, mung beans, cowpeas or lentils to minimize protein leaching.

The duration of step (i) can vary widely depending on the plant and/or food raw material, aqueous solution and step temperature. Classically, the duration of step (i) may consist of 30 minutes to 6 hours, preferably 2 to 5 hours, especially about 4 hours.

The temperature of step (i) can likewise vary widely. The temperature of step (i) is from about 5°C to about 40°C, preferably from 5°C to 25°C, especially from 10°C to 20°C.

The hydrated plant and/or food raw material preferably exhibits a moisture content consisting of about 15% to about 25% w/w, preferably about 20% w/w. One skilled in the art can adjust the various parameters of step (i) to achieve the desired moisture content.

Step (ii) may be implemented by any suitable technique. Step (ii) aims to disinfect the hydrated plant and/or food raw material and to inactivate the enzymes and/or their inhibitors. Enzymes and/or their inhibitors that can be inactivated in step (ii) include lipoxygenases that catalyze the oxidation of alkenes, lectins, especially fatty acids with the ability to aggregate carbohydrate molecules, and protease inhibitors (e.g. LOX- Enzymes causing off-flavors such as 1, LOX-2 and/or LOX-3) may be mentioned. If step (ii) is performed for too long, protein quality may begin to deteriorate. If step (ii) is not carried out for sufficient time, enzyme activity such as LOX activity may still be present.

According to a first variant, step (ii) is carried out at a temperature of about 121° C. for about 1 to about 5 seconds (variant step iiia) such that blanching occurs by flash heat inactivation of the enzyme. According to a second variant, step (iib) is carried out at a temperature comprised between about 60° C. and about 75° C. for about 17 seconds to about 30 seconds to blanch the hydrated material by prolonged intermediate temperature enzyme inactivation.

Lipoxygenase (LOX) enzymes have been reported to be involved in the development of characteristic SVOC off-flavor compounds, such as soy or grassy odors, in legume seed products and in the instability and regression of extracted oils during storage. In one embodiment, the lipoxygenase activity is reduced to less than 100 units, preferably less than 50 units, and even more preferably the lipoxygenase activity is undetectable. Any means known in the art for measuring lipoxygenase activity can be applied. For example, samples of plant and/or food ingredients from step (ii) can be blended, diluted to various concentrations with additional water, and then incubated with the LOX substrate potassium linoleate. Therefore, lipoxygenase activity can be calculated by measuring the change in optical density over time.

Step (iii) may be implemented by any suitable technique. The high vacuum of step (iii) is preferably about 123 mbar or less, about 100 mbar or less, about 50 mbar or less, preferably about 35 mbar or less, more preferably about 15 mbar or less, even more preferably about 5 mbar or less. , meaning a pressure of, for example, less than 1 mbar, or less than 0.1 mbar. The temperature at which the blanched plants and/or food ingredients are cooled may be about 2°C to 10°C. Rapid cooling means that the cooling in step (iii) is carried out in less than 30 minutes, preferably in less than 10 minutes and especially in less than 5 minutes. Advantageously the cooling step (iii) is carried out in less than 1 minute, preferably in less than 30 seconds and especially in less than 10 seconds. In one embodiment, cooling step (iii) is carried out in less than 5 seconds, preferably in less than 3 seconds and especially in less than 1 second. The stirring in step (iii) can be carried out by mechanical and/or magnetic stirring, for example using a screw. Step (iii) may be implemented in a circumferential blending device providing a first plane, a second plane and a heated circumferential surface at a temperature ranging from about 35° C. to about 50° C.

If step (iii) is implemented in a columnar device as described above, step (iv) may be implemented by injecting water vapor into the first plane of the columnar device.

Step (v) may be implemented by any suitable technique. For example, step (v) may be performed by condensation, typically using a chiller heat exchanger. The temperature of step (v) can vary widely. In some embodiments, the temperature used to condense the vapor in step (v) consists of about -10°C to 10°C. If step (iii) is implemented in a cylindrical device as described above, the injected water vapor comprising off-flavor compounds can be recovered from the second plane of the device in step (v). Once step (v) is complete, the pressure can be restored to atmospheric pressure using atmospheric pressure or nitrogen.

Each step or group of steps in the process according to the invention may be repeated as many times as necessary and/or to achieve the desired level of processing. With regard to drying, the present invention obtains plant and/or food raw materials, typically deodorized plant and/or food raw materials, comprising a moisture content of 15% w/w or less, preferably 10 to 12% w/w. It's about doing.

In some embodiments, the process according to the invention further comprises at least one step (vi), wherein the dried and deodorized legume material of step (v) is hydrated, typically using water spray, and step ( iv') and (v') apply. Steps (iv') and (v') are identical to steps (iv) and (v), respectively. Steps (iv') and (v') may also be referred to as new cycles of steps (iv) and (v).

In some embodiments, the process according to the invention further comprises the step (vii) of milling the optionally deodorized plant and/or food raw material to obtain plant and/or food raw material flour. Preferably, the plant and/or food raw material powder obtained in step (vii) comprises starch and protein.

In some embodiments where the process of the invention comprises a milling step (vii), the process according to the invention fractionates the deodorized plant and/or food raw material flour into a deodorized protein-rich fraction and a deodorized starch-rich fraction. It includes step (viii). This step can be implemented by any suitable fractionation technique, typically air fractionation milling.

The protein-rich fraction and the starch-rich fraction can be further used independently for different purposes. In some embodiments, the deodorized protein-rich fraction exhibits an average particle size consisting of 0 to 50 μm, preferably 1 to 10 μm, especially about 2 μm.

In one embodiment, the treatment process of the present invention further comprises recovering at least one off-flavor component after step (iv).

deodorization product

Another object of the invention is the product obtainable by the treatment process according to the invention. In one embodiment, the product according to the invention is obtained by a treatment process according to the invention.

The products according to the invention are preferably dried and/or deodorized plants and/or food raw materials obtained in step (v) of the process according to the invention, preferably plants obtained in step (vii) of the process according to the invention. and/or food raw powder, or preferably the deodorized protein-rich fraction obtained in step (viii) of the process according to the invention.

In one embodiment, the deodorized protein-rich fraction contains at least 30%, preferably 30 to 70%, even more preferably 40 to 70%, or 40 to less than 60% protein by weight on a dry weight basis. It is a deodorized protein concentrate that indicates the content.

In one embodiment, the deodorized protein-rich fraction is a deodorized protein isolate exhibiting a protein content of greater than 70%, greater than 80%, preferably greater than 90% or greater than 95% by weight on a dry weight basis.

In one embodiment, the product exhibits a hexanal content of less than 3 ppb (3000 pg/g), preferably less than 2 ppb, and even more preferably less than 1.4 ppb, on a dry matter (DM) basis of the product.

In one embodiment, the product exhibits a hexanal content of less than 50 pg per gram dry matter (DM). In one embodiment, the hexanal content is less than 40 pg/g (DM). In one embodiment, the hexanal content is less than 30 pg/g (DM). In one embodiment, the hexanal content is less than 20 pg/g (DM). In one embodiment, the hexanal content is less than 15 pg/g (DM). In one embodiment, the hexanal content is less than 10 pg/g (DM). In one embodiment, the hexanal content is less than 5 pg/g (DM). In one embodiment, the hexanal content is less than 10 pg/g (DM). In one embodiment, the hexanal content is undetectable.

In one embodiment, the product exhibits a 2-methoxy-3-(1-methylpropyl)pyrazine content of less than 15 pg 2-methoxy-3-(1-methylpropyl)pyrazine per gram dry matter (DM). In one embodiment, the 2-methoxy-3-(1-methylpropyl)pyrazine content is less than 10 pg/g (DM). In one embodiment, the 2-methoxy-3-(1-methylpropyl)pyrazine content is less than 8 pg/g (DM). In one embodiment, the 2-methoxy-3-(1-methylpropyl)pyrazine content is less than 7 pg/g (DM). In one embodiment, the 2-methoxy-3-(1-methylpropyl)pyrazine content is less than 5 pg/g (DM). In one embodiment, the 2-methoxy-3-(1-methylpropyl)pyrazine content is undetectable.

In one embodiment, the product contains less than 15 pg of 2-methoxy-3-isopropyl-5-methylpyrazine or 2-methoxy-3-isopropyl-6-methylpyrazine per gram of dry matter (DM). Indicates the content of oxy-3-isopropyl-5-methylpyrazine or 2-methoxy-3-isopropyl-6-methylpyrazine. In one embodiment, the 2-methoxy-3-isopropyl-5-methylpyrazine or 2-methoxy-3-isopropyl-6-methylpyrazine content is less than 10 pg/g (DM). In one embodiment, the 2-methoxy-3-isopropyl-5-methylpyrazine or 2-methoxy-3-isopropyl-6-methylpyrazine content is less than 8 pg/g (DM). In one embodiment, the 2-methoxy-3-isopropyl-5-methylpyrazine or 2-methoxy-3-isopropyl-6-methylpyrazine content is less than 7 pg/g (DM). In one embodiment, the 2-methoxy-3-isopropyl-5-methylpyrazine or 2-methoxy-3-isopropyl-6-methylpyrazine content is less than 5 pg/g (DM). In one embodiment, the 2-methoxy-3-isopropyl-5-methylpyrazine or 2-methoxy-3-isopropyl-6-methylpyrazine content is undetectable.

In one embodiment, the product exhibits a 2-methyl-3-isopropylpyrazine content of less than 15 pg of 2-methyl-3-isopropylpyrazine per gram of dry matter (DM). In one embodiment, the 2-methyl-3-isopropylpyrazine content is less than 10 pg/g (DM). In one embodiment, the 2-methyl-3-isopropylpyrazine content is less than 8 pg/g (DM). In one embodiment, the 2-methyl-3-isopropylpyrazine content is less than 7 pg/g (DM). In one embodiment, the 2-methyl-3-isopropylpyrazine content is less than 5 pg/g (DM). In one embodiment, the 2-methyl-3-isopropylpyrazine content is undetectable.

In one embodiment, the product has a total of hexanal, 2-pentyl-furan, (E)-2,4, heptadienal and 1-octen-3-ol of less than 15 pg, preferably 10 pg per g of product. less than, more preferably less than 5 pg/g dry matter, or less than 4 pg total of hexanal, 2-pentyl-furan, (E)-2,4, heptadienal and 1-octen-3-ol. indicates.

In one embodiment, the product exhibits greater than 2000 ppb, greater than 2500 ppb, greater than 3000 ppb, greater than 3200 ppb, or greater than 3500 ppb 3-methylbutanal. In one embodiment, the amount of 3-methylbutanal ranges from 2000 to 4000 ppb. In one embodiment, the amount of 3-methylbutanal ranges from 3100 ppb to 4000 ppb or 3200 ppb to 4000 ppb.

In one embodiment, the product exhibits greater than 50 ppb, greater than 55 ppb, greater than 60 ppb, greater than 61 ppb, or greater than 62 ppb benzaldehyde.

Preferably, the product according to the invention has undetectable trypsinase inhibitor and/or lipoxygenase activity and/or undetectable traces of hexanal and/or by-products thereof, undetectable traces of organic solvent and undetectable denatured protein. indicates.

The amount of trypsinase inhibitor may range from 0.5 to 10 IU/mg. Determination of trypsinase inhibitor can be performed by extracting the inhibitor from the product with sodium hydroxide. Increasing the volume of the diluted sample and then contacting it with excess trypsin in the presence of N -α-benzoyl DL-arginine p-nitroanilide (BAPNA) will hydrolyze it to the p-nitroaniline form, which absorbs at 410 nm. After blocking the reaction with acetic acid, the increase in color is measured spectrophotometrically at 410 nm. The amount of trypsinase inhibitor is then calculated from the staining reduction rate. Units (IU) are arbitrarily defined as the amount of trypsin enzyme required to increase the absorbance by 0.01 at 410 nm for 10 ml of reaction mixture under the conditions of the AOCS Ba 12-75 method. According to one embodiment, the amount of trypsinase inhibitor is less than 2 IU/mg. According to a second embodiment, the amount of trypsinase inhibitor ranges from 2 to 6 IU/mg. According to a third embodiment, the amount of trypsinase inhibitor ranges from 6 to 10 IU/mg.

Undenatured proteins have a high nitrogen solubility index (N.S.I.). The generally accepted method for measuring protein solubility is the (N.S.I.) method (AACC Method 46-23) of the American Association of Cereal Chemists (AACCH). Alternatively or additionally, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) can identify factors that contribute to the folding and stability of natural biomolecules. These factors include hydrophobic interactions, hydrogen bonding, structural entropy, and physical environment. DSC can highlight protein folding modifications upon denaturation.

High-quality, accurate data obtained through DSC provides important information about protein stability for process development or formulation of potential therapeutic candidates.

In one embodiment, the absence of denatured proteins in the product may be characterized by a nitrogen solubility index reduced by no more than 20%, preferably no more than 15%, compared to the nitrogen solubility of the plant and/or food source protein (starting non-deodorized material). You can.

In one embodiment, the absence of denatured protein in the product may be characterized by at least one of the following:

- A nitrogen solubility index reduced by 20% or less, preferably 25 or less, for example 10% or less, generally 12% or less compared to the nitrogen solubility of the plant and/or food source protein, and/or

- A differential calorimetry scan that is substantially identical to a differential calorimetry scan of plant and/or food source proteins.

In one embodiment, the product exhibits a hexanal content of less than 50 pg/g and exhibits at least one of the following:

- a hexanal content of less than 3 ppb, preferably less than 2 ppb, and even more preferably less than 1.4 ppb, based on the dry matter of the product;

- A nitrogen solubility index reduced by 20% or less, preferably 15% or less, compared to the nitrogen solubility of plant and/or food source proteins.

In one embodiment, the product exhibits a hexane content of less than 50 pg/g and exhibits at least one of the following:

- A nitrogen solubility index substantially equal to the nitrogen solubility index of the legume source protein, and/or

- Differential calorimetry scans substantially identical to differential calorimetry scans of legume source protein.

In one embodiment, when the legume is pea, the protein of the pea protein source, pea flour, or pea protein-rich fraction is at least 50%, at least 55%, at least 58%, at least 60%, at least 62%, or at least It exhibits a nitrogen solubility index of 65%.

In one embodiment, the absence of denatured protein in the product may be characterized by maintenance of urease activity in the product. Urease is one of the heat-sensitive proteins that begins to denature in its isolated form when exposed to temperatures above 45°C for 60 minutes. Therefore, the maintenance of urease activity clearly shows that the highly heat-stable structural protein of the product has not been denatured. In one embodiment, the urease activity is reduced by 5% or less, generally by 2% or less, compared to the urease activity of the plant and/or food source.

In one embodiment, the proteins of the product exhibit an aqueous solubility of greater than 40%, greater than 45%, greater than 50%, or greater than 55%. In one embodiment, the protein of the product exhibits an aqueous solubility of greater than 50% or greater than 55%. In one embodiment, the protein of the product exhibits an aqueous solubility of greater than 55%. The water solubility of a protein can be determined by any means known in the art. In one embodiment, water solubility is determined by extracting the protein from the product and assessing the amount/percentage of protein dissolved in water. In one embodiment, the amount of water-soluble protein is greater than 250 grams of protein per liter of water. In one embodiment, the amount of water-soluble protein is greater than 300 grams of protein per liter of water. In one embodiment, the amount of water-soluble protein is greater than 350 grams of protein per liter of water. In one embodiment, the amount of water-soluble protein is greater than 400 grams of protein per liter of water. In one embodiment, the amount of water-soluble protein is greater than 450 grams of protein per liter of water. In one embodiment, the amount of water-soluble protein is greater than 500 grams of protein per liter of water. In one embodiment, the amount of water-soluble protein is greater than 550 grams of protein per liter of water. In one embodiment, the amount of water-soluble protein is greater than 600 grams of protein per liter of water.

The products according to the invention can be used, for example, in products selected from the group consisting of food nutritional products, animal food, pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, cosmetics and/or products used on the industrial market.

Examples of food nutritional products in which the compounds according to the invention can be used include beverages, dairy products such as cheese or yogurt, confectionery products, savory products and specialty nutritional products such as sports nutrition products and/or weight management products. Included.

When the product according to the invention is used in food nutritional products, the product according to the invention is particularly suitable for:

- To improve the softness and texture of beverages and dairy products,

- To make milk substitutes in dairy products

- To formulate the texture, crispiness and crunch of snacks,

- To improve the taste of batter and coating,

- To reduce costs while improving quality by reformulating the final product;

- For the production of allergy-free products.

When the product according to the invention is used in animal food, the product according to the invention is particularly suitable for enriching the proteins in the product and/or increasing the texture of the product.

When the products according to the invention are used in pharmaceutical and/or nutritional supplement products, the products according to the invention are particularly suitable for providing digestibility, viscosity gelling properties and/or stability to the products. Examples of pharmaceutical and/or nutritional supplement products include swallowable tablets, hard capsules, blends, granules, and pellet premixes.

When the product according to the invention is used in cosmetics, the product according to the invention is in particular a starch-containing product and is used as a sebum absorber, skin mattifier, odor control agent, gelling agent, high cushioning effect agent and imparting a non-sticky powdery feel. may be included.

Another object of the present invention is a food composition comprising the product according to the present invention.

processing system

The final object of the invention is to provide a system suitable for implementing the treatment process according to the invention.

In particular, the invention relates to a system comprising:

- a cylindrical receptor providing first and second planes and a heated circumferential surface, typically a stirring device;

- a chamber surrounding a cylindrical blending device receiver with means for air sealing;

- at least one pump for applying a high vacuum and a vacuum inlet configured to apply a high vacuum of less than 1 mbar absolute atmospheric pressure to the chamber;

- means for injecting water vapor into the first plane of the cylindrical receiver,

- means for holding the injected water vapor together with the off-flavor compound from the second plane of the cylindrical receiver, and optionally

- means for hydrating the contents of the cylindrical blending device receiver; and/or

- Means for milling plants and/or food ingredients.

Typically the system includes:

- Means for contacting and hydrating plants and/or food ingredients with an aqueous solution;

- means for flash boiling the hydrated plants and/or raw materials;

- a cylindrical receptor providing first and second planes and a heated circumferential surface, typically a stirring device;

- a chamber surrounding a cylindrical blending device receiver with means for air sealing;

- at least one pump for applying a high vacuum and a vacuum pressure in the chamber of less than or equal to about 123 mbar, less than or equal to about 100 mbar, less than or equal to about 50 mbar, preferably less than or equal to about 35 mbar, more preferably less than or equal to 15 mbar, and even more preferably less than or equal to about A vacuum inlet configured to apply a high vacuum of absolute atmospheric pressure of less than 5 mbar, for example less than 1 mbar, or less than 0.1 mbar,

- means for injecting water vapor into the first plane of the cylindrical receiver,

- means for holding the injected water vapor together with the off-flavor compound from the second plane of the cylindrical receiver, and optionally

- means for hydrating the contents of the cylindrical blending device receiver; and/or

- Means for milling plants and/or food ingredients.

In some embodiments, the means for contacting and hydrating plants and/or food ingredients with an aqueous solution is selected from at least one sprayer, typically at least one sprayer configured to spray an open woven belt conveyor, and/or at least one water bath. do. In one embodiment, the means for contacting and hydrating plants and/or food ingredients with an aqueous solution is selected from at least one belt conveyor configured to contact a water bath.

In some embodiments, the heating means for flash boiling the hydrated plant and/or food raw material is selected from a heated, typically steam jacketed, screw conveyor.

In some embodiments, the cylindrical receiver is a blending device, and the blending device is typically a conical blender.

In some embodiments, the heated circumferential surface of the circumferential blending device is a heated water jacketed circumferential surface.

In some embodiments, the means for air sealing the chamber is a pneumatically actuated valve, typically a globe valve.

In some embodiments, the means for injecting water vapor into the first plane of the circumferential blending device is at least one vapor nozzle.

In some embodiments, the means for recovering the water vapor injected with the off-flavor compound from the second plane of the circumferential blending device is a vapor condensation means, typically selected from at least one chiller heat exchanger.

In some embodiments, the optional means for hydrating the contents of the columnar blending device is selected from at least one water sprayer.

In some embodiments, means for holding the injected water vapor together with the off-flavor compound is configured between the second plane of the circumferential blending device and the pump inlet.

In some embodiments, the system further includes means for controlling temperature, pressure, water flow rate, and/or vapor flow rate, and/or means for filtering air within the system.

Figure 1 This is a graph showing the cumulative GC-FID chromatogram for the removal of linoleic acid from condensates 1, 3, 4, and 9 according to the results of Example 2.

Example

The invention is further illustrated by the following examples.

Example 1: Treatment of split dried yellow peas by the process according to the invention

The process according to the invention is implemented for the processing of split and dried yellow peas.

Accept

Split-dried yellow peas are sold in bulk and already shelled. Bulk shipments are discharged from a delivery truck into a receiver having a square-to-circular configuration.

Bulk material is conveyed from the receiving hopper to the manufacturing section using standard screw conveyors at a speed commensurate with the capacity of the swing tray/screening equipment.

Selection

Dried split yellow peas are sorted to remove foreign matter. The sorting device is supplied with a swing tray conveyor suitable for the sorting capacity.

Sign Language

After sorting, the washed split peas are conveyed at low speed to the next receiving hopper. The conveyor is an open woven belt, and hydration is achieved by spraying water on the dry product during transport. The purpose of spraying the product with water is to hydrate the spores, expand the substrate and inactivate unwanted enzymes.

The duration of this stage is determined by water temperature and is adjusted to allow moisture absorption of >20% m/m. At 20°C, this process takes approximately 4 hours. The upper temperature limit of water is 40℃. The optimal moisture ratio is 20%. A variation of +-5% is still valid for this process.

Blanching

Using a heated screw conveyor, the hydrated product is heated to boiling point for a predetermined period of time. The residence time at boiling point is 1 to 5 minutes.

Cooling

The jacketed and steam heated conveyor discharges directly into the jacketed conical blender, which is maintained under vacuum.

Sealing is maintained using a pneumatically operated globe-type rotary valve. The jacket temperature is controlled to a maximum of 47°C using a dimple jacket and hot water. Stirring is achieved by four internal screws, two of which rotate along the periphery and two of which rotate internally to prevent temperature differences. Hydrated cotyledons are immediately cooled to about 5°C by rapid evaporation under vacuum. The cotyledons are continuously heated at the surface at 47°C to prevent freezing.

Steam stripping and drying

Although some stripping occurs during loading (moving material from the screw conveyor to the conical blender), the main stripping operation is performed by introducing live steam into the bottom of the cone while the blender is under vacuum. The vacuum is maintained below 1 mbar. Typically, stripping is achieved within up to 4 hours depending on the degree of contamination. Older feedstock will require a full 4 hours.

There is no upper time limit for the process. Prolonging stripping beyond the minimum time wastes energy but does not negatively affect the product.

If complete vapor stripping is not achieved after the initial drying operation is completed, rehydration can be achieved by adding water through a spray nozzle mounted on the blender dome. Water is added while the blender is running, but there is no vacuum. Up to 20% water may be added over 30 minutes, after which the vacuum is restored and the stripping process resumes. After confirming that the sample is complete, the process is paused.

The water vapor in the system (along with volatile compounds) passes through the chiller heat exchanger. The chiller heat exchanger cools the water vapor and condenses it to 0.5℃. Condensate is collected in a small reservoir located below the chiller heat exchanger. A vacuum pump maintains the vacuum inside the conical blender while water vapor condensation occurs.

The chillers are located in a row near the outlet (top of the blender). That is, the location of the chiller must prevent water vapor from reaching the vacuum pump.

sorter milling

The washed, dried cotyledons are discharged from the blender onto a screw conveyor and fed into a buffer hopper containing 4 hours' worth of stock. The entire line, including the hopper, is sealed.

If necessary, breathing is achieved through hepa filtration.

Sorter mills are each fed by screw conveyors with VFD control. The VFD is controlled by switching ammeters, which will optimize the flow rate. If the moisture content exceeds 5% the milling speed will begin to decrease. The mill will dry the moist incoming material up to 10% m/m.

The sorted material is conveyed by air through a reverse pulse filtration system. Air is sucked in through a filter bag and discharged into the atmosphere. The incoming air is filtered using a HEPA filter. Optional air recirculation using a dehumidifier is possible.

The filter bag is impregnated with PTFE to ensure complete removal of powder during backpulsation.

The frequency of the reverse pulse process is fixed using a dedicated controller. US supplier Donaldson is preferred.

The sorted milled powder is collected in a filter baghouse. The rotary valve mounted on the discharge port at the bottom of the collection hopper operates continuously to discharge the material to the screw conveyor, which in turn is discharged to the holding bin.

Selection

As a precaution and HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) step, milled material is screened using a screen aperture of 53 microns or less. Smaller apertures of 25 microns are generally preferred for beverage formulations.

The screen vibrates in three dimensions and is equipped with inert ceramic balls to remove any particles that may clog parts of the screen.

Material that is too large is returned to the sorter mill via a fixed hopper on a screw conveyor.

The sorted particles are conveyed by screw to the packaging section holding container.

Example 2: Removal of volatile off-flavors from high vacuum steam from process condensate

10 kg of split dried yellow peas were hydrated in a water bath for 4 hours, blanched in a 67°C water bath for 17 seconds, subjected to a high vacuum of 30 mbar, and steam in the form of 50°C water, which was immediately converted to steam under high vacuum conditions, was injected to produce the present invention. The process according to was implemented.

High vacuum vapor was condensed in a 5°C chiller to supply a concentrate containing off-flavor compounds and collected every 30 minutes to monitor high vacuum vapor volatile off-flavor removal by dosing the condensed vapor in a chiller heat exchanger. Analysis of the condensate was performed by gas chromatography coupled to a flame ionization detector (GC-FID, Agilent 8890®) using a calibration method, in which the following The amount of off-flavor removed was calculated based on the area under the curve, which was correlated to the AUC of a standard sample of high vacuum vapor volatile compounds (SVOC) (AUC, pA × s). The results are shown in Table 1.

GC-FID monitoring results for removal of vapor-volatile off-flavors in condensate condensate 1 condensate 3 condensate 4 condensate 9 Hexanal (pA × s/ppm) 18.53/0.37 2.50/0.22 1.295/0.11 1.87/0.16 Hexanoic acid (pA × s/ppm) 7.29/1.34 1.75/0.36 1.41/0.29 1.50/0.31 Linoleic acid (pA × s/ppm) 6.60/2.59 4.86/2.78 5.47/2.07 3.40/1.29

Hexanal removal between the first and fourth condensates indicates that the process is effective and that hexanal levels are decreasing over time. This is further evidenced by the fact that hexanoic acid and hexanal oxidation products and linolenic acid, an off-flavor source more associated with fermentation of plant materials, also follow the same trend throughout the deodorization process.

A visual representation of linoleic acid removal from the condensate is shown in Figure 1.

Additionally, the amounts of hexanoic acid and linoleic acid were calculated in the treated samples before and after one cycle of steam stripping. The results are shown in Table 2.

GC-FID monitoring results for vapor-volatile off-flavor removal from treated legume raw materials unprocessed peas 1 steam stripping
Peas after cycle Hexanoic acid (pA × s /ppm) 1.55/0.32 1.27/0.26 Linoleic acid (pA × s /ppm) 3.54/1.34 0.90/0.34

Therefore, the process leads to the removal of off-flavors even after just one cycle of steam stripping according to the invention.

Claims (15)

A process for deodorizing legume raw materials containing starch, protein and off-flavor compounds without denaturing the protein, comprising the following steps:
i. contacting the legume raw material with an aqueous solution at a temperature ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C. to produce a hydrated legume material;
ii. Blanching the hydrated legume material by heating the hydrated legume material at a temperature comprised between 60° C. and 121° C. for a period ranging from about 1 to about 30 seconds to produce the hydrated plant and/or food. Blanching raw materials;
iii. Protecting the blanched legume material from protein denaturation by rapidly cooling the blanched legume material by applying a high vacuum while stirring, wherein the high vacuum is 123 mbar or less, 100 mbar or less, 50 mbar or less, preferably 35 mbar or less, more preferably exhibiting an absolute atmospheric pressure of 15 mbar or less, even more preferably 5 mbar or less;
iv. A step of removing off-flavor compounds by steam-stripping under high vacuum by blending the cooled legume material by injecting water steam, wherein the water vapor has a temperature in the range of 30°C to 50°C. Steps representing;
v. Setting aside the injected water vapor containing off-flavor compounds to dry the legume material, thereby producing dried and deodorized legume material. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising at least one step vi), wherein the dried and deodorized legume material of step v) is hydrated and subjected to a new steam stripping and drying cycle according to steps iv) and v). process. 3. Process according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the legume raw material is selected from peas, typically yellow split peas. The process according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein step i) is carried out by spraying the legume raw material with an aqueous solution. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the drying step v) is carried out by condensation, typically using a chiller heat exchanger. The process according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising the step of milling the deodorized and dried legume raw material into a deodorized legume raw material powder containing starch and protein. 7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of fractionating the deodorized legume raw powder into a deodorized protein-rich fraction and a deodorized starch-rich fraction, typically by air-classification milling. Process including: 8. The process of claim 7, wherein the deodorized protein-rich fraction exhibits an average particle size of about 2 μm. A product selected from deodorized legume raw material, deodorized legume flour or a fraction rich in deodorized legume protein, preferably less than 3 ppb based on dry matter of the product. A nitrogen solubility index that exhibits a hexanal content of less than 2 ppb, more preferably less than 1.4 ppb, and is reduced to 20% or less, preferably 15% or less, compared to the nitrogen solubility of plant and/or food source proteins. (nitrogen solubility index). 10. The product of claim 9, wherein the legume is pea and the pea protein source, pea flour or pea protein-enriched fraction exhibits a nitrogen solubility index of at least 60%. A food composition comprising the product according to claim 9 or 10. A system for carrying out the process according to any one of claims 1 to 8, comprising:
- means for hydrating legume raw materials by contacting them with an aqueous solution,
- means for flash-boiling hydrated legume raw materials,
- a columnar recipient providing a first plane and a second plane and a heated circumferential surface, typically a stirring device,
- a chamber surrounding the cylindrical receiver with air-sealing means
- at least one pump for applying high vacuum and a vacuum pressure in the chamber of 123 mbar or less, 100 mbar or less, 50 mbar or less, preferably 35 mbar or less, more preferably 15 mbar or less, even more preferably 5 mbar or less. a vacuum inlet configured to apply a high vacuum of absolute atmospheric pressure;
- means for injecting water vapor into the first plane of said cylindrical receiver,
- means for holding the water vapor injected together with the off-flavor compound from the second plane of the cylindrical blending device, and
Optionally,
- means for hydrating the contents of said cylindrical receptacle; and/or
- Means for milling legume raw materials. According to clause 12,
- the means for contacting and hydrating the legume raw material with the aqueous solution comprises at least one sprayer, typically at least one sprayer configured to spray an open weave belt conveyor and/or at least one water tank. (water bath);
- the heating means for flash boiling the hydrated legume raw material is selected from a heated, typically steam jacketed, screw conveyor;
- the cylindrical receptor is a blending device, typically the blending device is a conical blender;
- the heated circumferential surface means of the circumferential blending device is a heated water-jacketed circumferential surface;
- the means for air sealing the chamber is a pneumatically operated valve, typically a globe-type valve;
- the means for injecting water vapor into the first plane of the cylindrical blending device is at least one steam nozzle,
- the means for recovering the water vapor injected with the off-flavor compound from the second plane of the cylindrical blending device are vapor condensation means, typically selected from at least one chiller heat exchanger,
- A system wherein the optional means for hydrating the contents of the cylindrical blending device is selected from at least one water sprayer. 14. System according to claim 12 or 13, wherein means for holding the water vapor injected together with the off-flavor compound are arranged between the second plane of the columnar blending device and the pump inlet. 15. The system of any one of claims 12 to 14, further comprising at least one of the following:
- means for controlling the temperature, pressure, water flow and steam flow rate of the system, and/or
- Means for filtering the air in the system.