MXPA98001575A - Wheat gluten extract vi - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for preparing a structure of textured stratified fiber bundles of hydrated wheat gluten, having reduced viscoelastic adhesion, comprising intimately whole wheat grain flour with wheat gluten powder, hydrating the mixture to ambient temperature, crumbling the mass into a plurality of separate streams of elongated continuous fibers, dropping the separated bundles as a loose reservoir on a retention surface, immediately subjecting the reservoir to moist heat along the fibers in and through the reservoir To continue with the application of humid heat until the protein of the separated fibers inside the deposits is denatured and allowing the evaporation of excess moisture from the deposit.

Description

VITAL EXTRACT OF WHEAT GLUTEN The present invention relates to wheat gluten extracts and products produced from wheat, being more particularly directed to a new process for transforming or converting the mastic-like mass and the inherently high viscoelastic properties of normal adhesion. of hydrated vital wheat gluten, in new structures of stratified aerated fiber bundles with relatively low adhesion properties.

BACKGROUND For many years, the vital wheat gluten extract obtained from wheat flour or dried seeds has been recognized, mainly for its natural protein value for food products, and for its physical and chemical properties, when hydrated, from increasing the viscosity of, for example, whipped flour and substantially improving the adhesion of the shake; and, in meat and poultry products or the like, for its adhesive cohesion extension or filling and especially for providing a chewy texture. Several processes have been developed to isolate vital wheat gluten from wheat flour or dried seeds, including the "pasta" or "martin" process in which the kneaded hydrated flour is transformed into a cohesive elastic paste. and it is continuously washed to dilute the starch grains, or filter the starch liquors. Illustrative examples of some techniques are described in US Patent Nos. 3,790,553; 3,851,085; and 4, 132, 566. Until prior to the discovery underlining the present invention, it was believed that the uses of vital wheat gluten had to be confined to applications that could tolerate its highly viscoelastic putty-like paste properties, i.e. or an additive in bakery shake, and for meat, fish and poultry products where the addition of gluten provides "valuable characteristics of cohesion, adhesion, emulsification, and water absorption" (idwest Grain Products (Kansas) bulletin, " Challenging The Eighties ", pages 32-35). The highly cohesive, non-textured putty-like properties in solid hydrated gluten or bulk pasta have relegated hydrated vital wheat gluten to uses only as a cohesive producer or additive similar to the adhesive where it is physically intermixed and visually lost in the main product or ingredient. The total lack of texture, and above all the lack of appearance and texture similar to open fibers, have not until now made it a serious candidate as the main constituent for a close analog of minced meat; and the highly adhesive viscoelastic properties furthermore distance it from the taste sensation of layers of tender fibers and cutting characteristics of, for example a meat burger. In accordance with the basic discovery made in achieving the present invention, however a technique was surprisingly found that radically and permanently altered or transformed both the physical and chemical properties of vital wheat gluten, particularly when hydrated, surprisingly changed the characteristics from a putty with no hard elastic texture to a texturized structures of loosely packed bundles of fibers aereated in layers, closely and substantially indistinguishable when simulating the texture of ground beef or other meat; and chemically denaturing the protein and otherwise suppressing the activity of the original high viscoelasticity of the gluten, retaining only what is just necessary to allow the fiber bundle to remain together in a manner analogous to ground beef and the like and with substantially identical physical appearance and sensation of taste and texture in the mouth. To achieve this remarkable transformation of normal chemical and physical properties, it was thought for a long time that these characteristics were inherent to the hydrated vital wheat gluten, it is more, it was necessary to go in a direction absolutely contraindicated in this field. The state of the art taught "gluten can maintain its unique properties when subjected to heat unlike other hydrated proteins that undergo substantial changes when heated at critical temperatures" (Challenging the Eightied, "supra, page 34). The discovery of the present invention on the contrary, has now been found to condition and subject the hydrated gluten to heat in order to achieve substantial permanent changes in both its physical and chemical characteristics that give rise to the new results of this invention. Furthermore, for the first time, the vital wheat gluten can be used as the main ingredient itself when producing wheat analogs very close to ground meat, hamburgers, sausages, and the like.Objectives of the Invention One objective of the present invention , congruently, is to provide a new and improved method or process of gluten transformation of t Rigo vital hydrated of physical and chemical characteristics of high viscoelasticity adhesive putty and cohesion to a bundle of fibers packed loosely aerated and stratified with minimal low viscoelasticity. A further object is to provide, through the use of this new process, a gluten analogue very close to meat fiber products such as hamburgers, sliced meat, sausages and the like. Other and additional objects will be described below and are more particularly delineated in the appended claims. Brief Description In short, however, from one of its important points of view, the invention encompasses a method of permanently transforming the properties of the textureless mass similar to putty, lump appearance and relatively high viscoelasticity and physical adhesion of gluten of vital wheat hydrated in a structure of loosely adhered textured fibers and loosely stratified fiber bundles, comprising, mixing flour intimately with particles of wheat gluten powder to mix with and separately the gluten powder in the mixture; substantially hydrating the mixture to room temperature to allow absorption of water by the mixture to expand and gluten into a less viscoelastic mass; crumbling the dough into a plurality of separate streams of elongated continuous fibers; dropping the separated bundles under the action of gravity as a loose aerated deposit on a holding surface; Immediately fasten the tank to hot humidity by contacting the separated fibers through the tank; continue the application of hot moisture for a sufficient time so that the protein from the fibers separated in the tank is substantially denatured, to remove most of the viscoelastic adhesion properties of the gluten while keeping only the fibers lightly adhered; and allowing evaporation of excess moisture from the reservoir to produce a permanently stratified loosely aerated fiber texture structure of relatively low remaining viscoelasticity. Preferred and better conditions for operating the method and the new products produced thereby, particularly analogues of ground beef from wheat gluten, are described below in detail. Drawings The invention will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 of which is a schematic illustrative drawing of vital wheat hydrated gluten with properties of high viscosity similar to non-textured putty; Figure 2 is a similar scheme - of the somewhat diffused and viscoelastically reduced properties produced when a flour filling and some food leavening is mixed with the gluten powder before hydration; Figures 3 and 4 are photographs of the respective really dry mixtures and the hydrated form of Figure 2; Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the crumbling or particulate of the hydrated mixture of Figures 2 to 4 in separate flows critically sized from fiber-like bundles that are allowed to fall freely by gravity in a deposit of loose free layers of bundles of aerated fibers in a retention surface; Figure 6 is a current photograph of a similar deposit showing its particularized appearance of textured fiber; Figure 7 is a flow chart of the process of transforming the physical and chemical properties of gluten, object of the present invention; Figure 8 is a side elevation of an apparatus for applying the technique of the invention to produce a textured product as a fiber analogous to beef and the like; Figure 9 is a modification introducing a forming step to shape an analogue to hamburger pieces or the like; and Figures 10 and 11 are photographs of the upper section of such analogous products. Description of the Invention The first step in the transformation of the normal physical and chemical characteristics of the hydrated wheat gluten from its usual mass-like condition without texturizing, grouped, with high viscoelasticity - rubber appearance and adherent bonds and elastically resistant to the elasticity and fracture, as schematically shown in one in Figure 1 - resides in introducing, intimately and finely mixing and intermixing therethrough, the initial vital wheat gluten powder, a substantial amount of particulate filler such as flour grains. , and preferably a small amount of nutritional yeast (not baking), as shown in Figure 2 and labeled as the first step I of the process of the flow chart of Figure 7. With proper hydration a very substantial reduction of viscoelasticity and high elastic tensile re-sistance of the hydrated product again as is visual It is illustrated in Figure 2 by the very narrow dotted profile shown in Figure 1. Although it is not accepted by the theory, it appears strongly that the introduction of flour particles in sufficient quantity among the wheat gluten powder prevents the high degree of packaging and strong adhesive bond that occurs when all the particles of the gluten powder are contiguous. Even though this is or is not the totally correct theory, is sufficient to describe the steps of the process of the invention as they actually occurred in practice. Using, as an example, a pulverized rehydrated vital wheat gluten powder from Midwest Grain Products, Inc. (Kansas) in a sample of about half a pound (figure 1), and hydrating and kneading with about one cup of water At room temperature, tensile strength measurements show the high viscosity requirements of about 11 to 12 pounds of elastic force to detach a portion of the mass. With the same sample size of dry wheat gluten powder mixed with whole wheat grain flour in proportions of about one part gluten per one half flour in >; weight, figures 2 and 3, the product hydrated in the same manner (step II in figure 7) was found to have a greatly reduced tensile strength, requiring only one to one and a half pounds to detach a portion of the dough much more ductile - a considerable reduction in viscoelasticity and a looser feeling for the product. An additional and preferred additive to the dry mix is a leavening agent of the nutritional yeast type, Figures 2 and 7, such as that of Universal Foods of Wisconsin, which, unlike baker's yeast, provides as much flavor as, during hydration a slight generation of gaseous bubbles causes additional expansion and aeration of the texture, as in 1 'in Figure 2 and in the product of Figure 4. In Figure 5 and Step III of the flow chart of the Figure 7 process, the hydrated product 1 '(preferably in the ratio of about 12 ounces of dry mix to about 8 ounces of water) is fed into a particulizer or mill 2 shredder to strike and comminute the mass and press extrude or tightening and stretching in a plurality of adjacent but separate fiber bundles 1". The beams fracture when they fall under the influence of gravity (steps IV, figure 7) and deposit (preferably with a fall of about 8 inches, more or less) in loose layers at the orange blossom as shown in 1 '' '. This removal of thin bundles from the mass and extrudates as fiber flux additionally reduces the viscoelasticity by itself and lowers and creates an elongated fiber texture. If these are immediately subjected to permeated humid heat throughout the deposit, step V, figure 7, before the layer of bundles have time to coalesce, the hot moisture permeates in and uniformly through the deposit of bundles of loose multi-layered fibers. 1 '' ', allows the absorption of moisture and inflates the thickness of the deposit since the hot moisture fills the empty spaces in and between the fiber layers. With fi ber beams of critical transverse dimension of about 0.3 inches, as is later fully discussed, and a solution of heated water in which these are submerged in the order of about 212 degrees Fahrenheit, it was found that the application Continuing the hot humid by tapping and covering the fibers for about 25 minutes, step VI, FIG. 7, chemically substantially completely denatures the protein, permanently eliminating most of the glue characteristics of the gelatinous viscoelastic protein, and physically It takes the characteristic of permanent fibrous texture. The process of the invention thus transformed the characteristics of the unmanageable elastic adhesive mass of the non-textured hydrated fiber, strong and resistant to fracture, into a textured structure of open fiber bundles low viscoelasticity and totally manageable, foldable and easily chewable and separable. As stated above, this remarkable physical and chemical transformation now allows previously impossible uses of wheat gluten with its natural hydratable characteristics and allows uses that are primarily gluten itself distinguished from the mere additive and body-forming action used in other materials among such materials. New applications as discussed previously is the important simulation of meat fiber products. With the transverse dimension of the fiber bundle, the fiber texture of the ground beef, fortuitously providing a wheat gluten easily analogous to hamburger when the transformation method is applied to produce such a product. In this case, appropriate spices, flavors and vegetable colorants can be introduced in a mixture to closely simulate the appearance and flavors of ground beef or other meats in the thousands of applications for different ethnic flavors, including, for example, Mexican, Middle and Far West and Italian flavors. After cooling and some evaporation and shrinkage, step VII in the flow diagram of Figure 7, the analogous product can be roasted, fried, broiled or otherwise prepared in the same manner as ground beef or the similar, or refrigerated or frozen by the flash method for a subsequent final cooking. An apparatus suitable for the hot moisture denaturing steps of steps V and VI for the production of meat protein analogues is shown in Figure 8, where the beam 1 '' is deposited in a belt screen S and ported through a bathroom. of hot water or tank W, submerging reservoir 1 '"in the hot water when they are ported through the tank As stated above, about one hour of such immersion at about 212 ° F has been found to be sufficient for the denaturing effect of the gluten protein and the desired permanent alteration or transformation of the physical and chemical properties as already described.The heated bath may also contain appropriate flavorings or dyes, if this is desired.The product may be totally "vegetarian" ", or, if desired, in the hydrated mixing step or in the hot humid immersion step or in some other step, the meat flavor (beef, pork, poultry, etc.) or other flavorings may be used. to produce a taste of genuine meat to the analog product of gluten meat.It was additionally found more desirable to avoid separation or friable effects during the treatment of hot humidity, restrict the movement in the tank, such as the vibration that can break the tank, or elongate it. The use of a screen surface S serves admirably in this function, when the beams are deposited in 1 '", they tend to be embedded in the openings of the screen After completing the denaturing process at the far end of the tank W, the screen S can reverse the direction, as shown, and transfer the product to an additional belt S '. Clearly another well-known apparatus can also be adapted for this purpose, too.When hamburger shapes, slices or other forms are desired, instead of desirable pieces, for example, for pizzas or pasta dishes or the like, a former can be introduced before the hot moisture treatment as in F in Figure 9. Figures 10 and 11 show the appearance substantially undistinguishable and the hamburger texture of shredded meat; and the sensation of texture, mouthfeel and taste are also indistinguishable - a real analogue totally of grain protein, and with the additional advantage of not containing fat. With this fibrillation by conminuting or kneading in the mass mixture and by forcing or tightening and loosening the elastic bundles of appropriate transverse dimension that are then denatured, adhesion per unit volume or viscoelasticity is very significantly reduced to a value very low, totally comparable to ground beef, and only enough to handle the analog together. As previously stated, a critical transverse dimension of the beam has been noted with small transverse dimensions of the order of about 0.1 inch or less minimum fiber texture results or none are obtained after denaturation of the protein, the product appears solid, soft and .friable. With beams as wide as about 0.6 inches or larger, the beam tends to be compact and an undesired texture results. The aforementioned cross-sectional dimension range of the order of about 0.3 inches has been experimentally found consistently to produce layers of uniform texturized fibers throughout the product. The relative proportion of flour grains or other fillings in the dry mix can be varied for different applications, generally ranges from around 1..0.5 to around 1: 0.15, by weight. The preferred grind of the whole wheat grain flour has been found to be three - 265 grit, in order to have a grain size appropriate for its required function as described above. The proportion of nutritional yeast is preferably of the order of about 8% by weight. The addition of water of hydration is preferably in a ratio of about 12 ounces of dry mixture to about 8 ounces of water as mentioned above. Further modifications, however, will occur to those skilled in this field and will therefore be considered to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (21)

1. CLAIMS 1. A method of permanent transformation of mass without texture, grouted, putty and of chemical and physical properties of relatively high viscoelastic adhesion, of vital wheat gluten hydrated in a structure of textured, minimally adhered and loose stratified fibers , which comprise intimately mixing flour with wheat gluten powder vital to remain with and separately the gluten powder particles in a mixture at a substantial room temperature, hydrate the mixture to allow the absorption of water by the mixture to expand the gluten in a low viscoelastic mass, fractionate the mass into a plurality of separate streams of elongated continuous fiber bundles; dropping the beams separated by the action of gravity in the form of a loose deposit on a retention surface; immediately clamp the reservoir to hot moisture along the separated fibers in and through the reservoir; continue the application of hot moisture for a sufficient time so that the proteins of the fibers separated in the tank are substantially denatured, to remove most of the properties of viscoelastic adhesion of the gluten and allow the evaporation of excess moisture from the deposit to allow a structure of permanently stratified fibers of relatively low remaining viscoelasticity.
2. 2. A method as claimed in claim 1 and wherein the temperature of the hot humidity is in the order of 212 ° F.
3. 3. A method as claimed in claim 2 and wherein said sufficient time for denaturation is of the order of about 25 minutes.
4. 4. A method as claimed in claim 2 and wherein said weight ratio of gluten powder to flour is in the range of about 1: 0.5 to about 1: 0.15.
5. 5. A method as claimed in claim 1 and in which a leavening agent is added to said mixture before hydration.
6. 6. A method as claimed in claim 1 and in which the leavening agent comprises nutritional yeast.
7. 7. A method as claimed in claim 1 and in which, the deposit that is dropped on the retention surface, the surface is passed through a hot water tank to effect the absorption of moisture and the ultimate denaturation of gluten fiber.
8. 8. A method as claimed in claim 7 and in which, prior to passage into the reservoir on the retention surface through the tank, the reservoir is formed in a predetermined manner.
9. 9. A method as claimed in claim 7 and in which the deposits are isolated from vibrations and elongations during the hot water treatment.
10. 10. A method as claimed in claim 1 and in which the fibers produced by the shredding are of dimensions similar to those of minced meat.
11. 11. A method as claimed in claim 10 and in which the cross-sectional dimension of the fibers is of the order of about 0.3 inches.
12. 12. A wheat gluten analogue for ground beef formed by the method of claim 10.
13. 13. A wheat gluten analogue as claimed in claim 12 and in which the composition of the analog is 1 part gluten. of wheat and from around 0.5 to 0.15 parts of flour, by weight.
14. 14. A wheat gluten analogue in small and sliced pieces of minced beef in the form of a hamburger, comprising loose layers of heat-denatured vital wheat gluten fiber bundles.
15. 15. A wheat gluten analogue as claimed in claim 13 formed from a dry mixture of vital wheat gluten protein powder and flour grains, and with addition of nutritional leavening agents and spices.
16. 16. A method of producing a wheat gluten analog of ground beef, such as hamburger, transforming the non-putty-like mass, grouped and of chemical and physical properties of the relatively high viscoelastic adhesion, of the vital wheat hydrated gluten into a structure of minimally adhered and loosely textured textured fiber bundles analogous to the ground meat, the method comprising intimately mixing flour with wheat gluten powder vital to remain with and separately the gluten powder particles in a mixture, the weight ratio of the particles of gluten powder to flour particles being of the order of from about 1: 0.5 to about 1: 0.15; At a substantial room temperature, hydrate the mixture in an aeration of about 12 ounces of mixture per 12 ounces of water to allow water absorption by the mixture to expand the gluten into a low fraction viscoelastic mass and extrude the dough into a plurality of separate streams of elongated continuous fiber bundles with a cross-sectional dimension of the order of about 0.3 inches; dropping the beams separated by the action of gravity in the form of a loose deposit on a retention surface; immediately immerse the tank in hot water with a temperature of about 212 ° F by soaking the separated fibers along the separated fibers in and through the tank; continue the application of hot humidity for a sufficient time of about 25 minutes so that the proteins of the fibers separated in the tank are substantially denatured, to remove most of the properties of viscoelastic adhesion of the gluten, simulating ground beef fibers; and allowing evaporation of the excess moisture from the reservoir from the shrinkage of the cold reservoir to produce a stratified permanent fiber structure analogous to ground beef.
17. 17. A method as claimed in claim 16 and in which, after the deposit is dropped, these are given a predetermined form of hamburger tortillas or slices, before submerging them in the hot water.
18. 18. A method as claimed in claim 17 and in which flavorings and colorants are added to the mixture to further simulate ground beef products.
19. 19. A method as claimed in claim 17 and wherein the analog is cooked in the same manner generally employed with ground beef products.
20. 20. A method as claimed in claim 17 and in which the analog is rapidly for subsequent cooking.
21. 21. A food product made by the method as claimed in any of the preceding claims.