WO2006021642A1

WO2006021642A1 - Method and composition for preparing a food product at least partly gelled

Info

Publication number: WO2006021642A1
Application number: PCT/FR2005/001778
Authority: WO
Inventors: Phili E Torcatis
Original assignee: Palga International
Priority date: 2004-07-23
Filing date: 2005-07-08
Publication date: 2006-03-02
Also published as: FR2873266B1; FR2873266A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a method and a powder composition for preparing an at least partly gelled heat-stable food product, characterized in that it essentially comprises the following ingredients in wt. % based on the total weight of said ingredients representing 100 %: 1) 5 to 60 % of sodium alginate; 2) 0 to 60 % of a slow-dissolving calcium salt capable of reacting with the sodium alginate to form a calcium alginate gel; 3) 0 to 25 % of an agent retarding the reaction between the sodium alginate and said calcium salt; 4) 20 to 95 % of a dispersant being optionally a water retaining agent as well, selected among sugars, polysaccharides of plant origin selected among maltodextrins, native or modified starches, native or modified cellulose, and vegetable proteins. The invention also concerns a method for preparing an at least partly gelled food product, characterized in that it comprises contacting, preferably the mixture, the inventive composition with a food-grade raw material.

Description

PROCESS AND COMPOSITION FOR THE PREPARATION OF AT LEAST PARTIALLY GELIFIED FOOD PRODUCT

The present invention relates to a powder composition for the preparation of thermostable at least partially gelled food product.

The present invention also relates to a process for preparing a thermostable at least partially gelled food product as well as said food product obtained.

More particularly, the present invention provides reconstituted food products from food raw materials, if appropriate added water, which are brought into contact until absorption and, where appropriate, homogenization, and then left for gelation as it will be explained below.

The heat-resistant gel formation technique is known using sodium alginate which is reacted with a calcium salt, the chemical reaction creating heat-resistant calcium alginate.

Generally, the procedure consists in pre-mixing the sodium alginate with a food raw material possibly containing water and a retarding agent, then adding the calcium salt in a second step, itself possibly dispersed in a little water, before allowing to gel to obtain a food product.

The food products obtained are unsatisfactory for several reasons.

Firstly, the finished product obtained often has an unpalatable gel-like mouth texture that denatures the original mouth texture of the food raw material concerned.

In addition, the food product obtained has poor water retention properties and, in particular, produces too much aqueous exudate resulting in a very unfavorable performance during storage and especially during cooking. There are also known techniques for the restructuring of food products based on animal or blood plasma-based collagen fibers or on the basis of enzymes of bacterial origin (transglutaminases), but these compositions of animal origin are prohibited. in a large number of countries including France for the preparation of raw food products.

The object of the present invention is to provide a food composition intended to prepare at least partially gelled thermostable reconstituted food products by bringing into contact and in particular mixing said composition with a basic food raw material and, if appropriate, the water that allows:

- Mix all the ingredients of said composition at once, that is to say not to defer the addition of the gelling agent of the alginate to delay the gelation, and

- providing a dispersible powder to allow the introduction of said composition by simply dusting said basic food raw material or incorporation in the form of a solution or suspension premixed with water, said composition thus being easily homogenizable into mixing with said food raw material.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a said food composition which makes it possible to prepare a finished gelled food product, solid or viscous, capable of being cut and / or formed, which has water retention properties for, respectively, facilitate the gelation of said food product, increase the yield of the food product in storage, thawing and cooking, and improve the mouth texture of the finished food product and, more particularly, increase the softness while maintaining a texture in the mouth the closer to the texture of the basic food raw material, or softer, especially in the special case of hard meat that can be grilled, ostrich meat "sausage" and turkey shoulder meat. Another object of the present invention is to provide a food product whose strength is enhanced, and in particular the holding resistance when appropriate.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a food product in the form of discrete pieces, but treated to confer on them properties of holding, water retention and other advantageous properties according to the invention, especially of texture, by reinforcing their superficial layer, even their internal texture, and keeping them separated without inducing the sticking of the pieces together.

To do this, the present invention provides a process for the preparation of a food product at least partially gelled solid or viscous capable of being cut or formed, characterized in that it comprises the steps in which:

a) the following components are mixed:

al) chunks or particles of a food raw material selected from moist food materials rehydrated food materials, fatty food materials and semi-moist food materials,

a2) all the ingredients of a food composition added simultaneously, and

a3) preferably water,

said mixture being produced until a homogeneous distribution of said composition around the pieces or particles of said food raw material and, where appropriate, the absorption of water and a part of said composition in said raw material before beginning of gelation,

said food composition essentially comprising the percentages by weight of the following ingredients relative to the total of said ingredients representing 100%:

1 - 5 to 60%, preferably 5 to 50%, more preferably 8 to 25% of sodium alginate, 2- 0 to 60%, preferably 0 to 50% of a slowly dissolving calcium salt capable of reacting with sodium alginate to form a calcium alginate gel, such as preferably calcium sulfate or dicalcium phosphate, and

3- 0 to 25% of a reaction retarding agent between sodium alginate and said calcium salt, such as, preferably, tetrasodium pyrophosphate or sodium citrate, preferably trisodium citrate,

4- 0.1 to 90% texturing agent (s) retent (s) of water selected from

• starches of vegetable origin, pre-gelatinized, and

• vegetable proteins, and

• native or modified celluloses, and

• vegetable fibers, and

Hydrocolloid polymers other than sodium alginate, such as pectins or gums of bacterial or vegetable origin, the proportion of said hydrocolloid polymer being at most 10%, and

the weight proportion of texturizing agent (s) being constituted by:

Less than 10% of said texturing agent (s) chosen from said pre-gelatinized starches, cellulose, fibers and vegetable proteins, when the proportion of said hydrocolloid polymer is greater than 1% or a proportion of said hydrocolloid polymer of bacterial origin is greater than 0.1%, or the proportion of said sodium alginate is greater than 20%, and

From 10 to 90% of said texturing agent (s) chosen from said pre-gelatinized starches, cellulose, fibers and plant proteins when the proportion of said hydrocolloid polymer is less than 1% and the proportion of said hydrocolloid polymer of bacterial origin is less than 0.1%,

5- 0 to 85%, preferably 35 to 70%, dispersing agent (s) selected from sugars, and polysaccharides of plant origin, selected from non-pre-gelatinized maltodextrins and starches, and dispersing mineral fillers admitted into the feed such as colloidal silica, and the total of said water-retaining agent (s) agent (s) and said dispersing agent (s) representing 20 to 95%, preferably at least 50%, and

b) one of the following steps b 1) or b 2) is carried out:

b _j ) is allowed to stand to allow gelation to obtain a solid or viscous food product capable of being cut or formed in which the pieces of said raw food material are glued together, or

b ₂ ) introducing a rapidly dissolving solution of calcium salt such as calcium chloride or calcium lactate, preferably a 0.5 to 10% solution, preferably by injection or kneading, or quenched or coated the product resulting from the mixing of said components in, or respectively with, said fast dissolving calcium solution, before or during gelation, so as to obtain separate pieces of food products.

In step a), said composition can be dispersed in water, if appropriate.

It is also possible to use the treatment b1) and to complete it with the treatment b2) in order to consolidate the bonding, in particular in the case of certain products which are good at slicing but bad at cooking. In this case, after gelation according to treatment b1), the products are quenched and quenched or coated with a solution of calcium salt, preferably rapidly dissolving, such as calcium chloride or calcium lactate, as will be the case. explained further.

Among the above-mentioned agents, some are exclusively agents with dispersant function such as sugars and polysaccharides of plant origin maltodextrin type native or modified non pre-gelatinized starches, others are essentially agents retaining d water but which also have a dispersing function vis-à-vis the alginate, namely the native or modified at least partially pre-gelatinized starches, native or modified celluloses and vegetable proteins. Here, the term "dispersing agent" is understood to mean an agent which confers good dispersion of the composition and in particular which makes it possible to avoid or limit the formation of inhomogeneous lump-like structures or aggregates induced by sodium alginate in reaction with the water added or contained in the product to be treated when using the composition. It makes it possible to sprinkle the composition directly and thus to avoid preparing separately a gel (composition + water) which requires a more complex organization and an additional material with mixing and shearing and / or cutting effect of the particular type blender or chopper.

In fact, each of the agents other than sodium alginate, will also have a relatively dispersing role with respect to sodium alginate.

The term "water-retaining agent" means an agent which has a physical structure and physicochemical properties so as to retain the water and, in particular, to prevent the water from flowing or evaporating in the water. storage, defrosting or cooking conditions

"Texturizer" means an agent that has the property of modifying the texture of the raw finished product, or cooked, for example by increasing its elasticity, its tranchability, its softness or its firmness

The term "pre-gelatinized starches" means native or modified starches which are at least partially pre-gelatinized. These products are known to those skilled in the art and commercially available. This is possibly cooked starch and in general in the presence of water, resulting in at least partial gelatinization or gelation, that is to say the gelation is not necessarily complete, then that have been dried and preferably ground. In known manner, these starches can be chemically modified with respect to the native molecule. According to the present invention, the use of pregelatinized starch makes it possible to obtain advantageous properties of hot water retention and texture in the food products obtained after treatment and gelation as will be explained below.

As starch of plant origin, there may be mentioned maize starches, potatoes and cassava. Vegetable proteins include soy, pea, corn and cereal proteins. Vegetable proteins can be in the form of isolates or protein concentrates.

As said hydrocolloid polymers, mention may be made of pectins and gums of vegetable origin, namely guar, arabic, konjac, carob, gélane, tara, caragghénane and agar gums, and gums of bacterial origin such as gum xanthan.

These hydrocolloid polymers are also thickeners.

Among the modified celluloses, there may be mentioned carboxymethyl cellulose, methyl cellulose and hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, and microcrystalline cellulose.

Vegetable fibers which consist among other things of celluloses and / or pectins, therefore fall within the definition of water retaining agents. Similarly bread crumbs which are mixtures of proteins and starches of wheat flour, or other cereals or vegetables, also fall within the definition of water-retaining agents according to the invention.

As dispersing agents of the sugar type, mention may be made of dextrose, glucose, sucrose and fructose in particular.

Preferably, the composition according to the invention does not contain any ingredient of animal origin and the vegetable proteins are native proteins.

Said composition is intended to be mixed with a basic food product, hereinafter referred to as "food raw material", then optionally hydrated and, in all cases, gelled to create at least partially gelled food products.

The term "at least partially gelled food products" is intended herein to mean that the food product comprises at least a part in gelled form, but the gelation is complete. The composition according to the invention makes it possible both to treat the food raw material in order to confer on the final food product obtained specific advantageous properties and a restructuring by gluing or separating the pieces of treated food material, as will be explained hereinafter. after.

The alginate has a binding function of the various ingredients of the composition and is also partly a water-retentive function. But, its water retention is insufficient, including storage, thawing and hot. Said water retaining texturing agent according to the invention "recovers" the water lost by the alginate gel and the treated product during storage and / or defrosting and / or cooking. In addition to good resistance to cooking, the water-retorting texturing agent also confers on the food product obtained according to the invention, a texture that can be modulated according to its nature and proportion, after treatment with said composition.

Alginate tends, by its binding properties, to form inhomogeneous structures of the lump type, during the implementation of the composition, and the composition comprising it, is not easily dispersible such that it by simple dusting. Said "dispersant" agent contributes to making the composition dispersible in a homogeneous manner, such that it, in particular by dusting, without the necessity of resorting compulsorily to mixing means dispersing the composition so as to break the inhomogeneous structures of the material type with a mixing effect and shearing and / or cutting such as blender, chopper, including knife, especially of the cutter type, chopper type propeller or shearing pump.

In this composition, the sodium alginate content may be relatively lower than in the usual sodium alginate compositions or in the preparations using separate incorporation of the various components. This low content of sodium alginate, compensated by the use of a significant proportion of additional texturizing agent and, where appropriate, a gelling retarding agent, makes it possible to respond to the various problems underlying the invention, namely: simultaneous mixing of the various ingredients of the composition, in particular of sodium alginate and, where appropriate, of the calcium salt and / or of the retarding agent, with better dispersibility and, where appropriate, delayed gelation and

optimization of the texture of the reconstituted food product after treatment with the said composition and gelation, as well as an improvement of the water retention properties.

Delayed gelation allows mixing and molding to be performed before gelation begins (or is sufficiently initiated to adversely affect the performance of the finished product), so that gel formed or in progress is not broken training.

The proportions of the various ingredients of the composition, particularly with regard to said texturing agents, depend on:

the nature and the possible size of the pieces of raw food material with which they are intended to be mixed to form the final food product, and

- the type and mixing equipment used, and

- Properties of said composition and the finished food product to be prepared, including the desired consistency and texture.

The absence or the low content of compound 2- (calcium salt) is applicable in the case where the basic food raw material, intended to be subsequently mixed with said composition, itself comprises calcium salts which can be released gradually to react with the sodium alginate of the composition and induce delayed gelation. This is the case, more particularly, for a food raw material consisting of cheese.

Preferably, in the process according to the invention, said composition comprises a proportion of said calcium salt 2- and said retarding agent 3, of: 5 to 60%, preferably 5 to 30%, of said calcium salt 2 in the case where said raw material contains no or less calcium than in dairy products, especially cheese, and which is desired obtain a food product according to step b1) in which the pieces of said food raw material are glued together, and

Less than 5%, preferably 0%, of said calcium salt 2, in the case where said raw material contains sufficient calcium such as dairy products, especially cheese, or when it is desired to obtain a product food according to step b2, wherein the pieces of said food raw material are separated from each other, and

Less than 1, 5% of said retarder 3-, in the case where it is desired to obtain a food product with separate pieces according to step b2) in which the pieces of said food raw material are separated from each other.

The absence or low content of compound 3- (retarding agent) is also applicable in the case where the basic food raw material, intended to be subsequently mixed with said composition, itself comprises an element likely to slow down. the gelling reaction or that a faster or instantaneous reaction is desired.

The proportions and nature of the calcium salt and the retarding agent used will also depend on the pH of the raw material and the presence or absence of preservatives and cooking salt. Potir pH relatively more acidic, as for beef compared to poultry, use a composition with a relatively higher content of retarder, to avoid a gel too fast. The sodium or potassium salts found in cooking salt and certain preservatives have a retarding effect (see destructive at high dose) on the gelation and reduce the behavior of the final product after treatment. In their presence, it is preferred to increase the calcium salt content. The same will be the case if it is desired to undergo a salting treatment, for example by churning, dusting or dipping by means of a brine, a liquid or dry marinade. Thus, calcium sulphate will be used for food products based on neutral or alkaline raw material and calcium phosphate such as dicalcium phosphate (CaHPO ₄ ) for raw materials with a pH that is rather acidic (pH <3.5, such as that some said raw materials based on fruits, vegetables and certain meats or smoked fish.

The composition according to the present invention can act as a kind of glue for reconstituting a food product from basic raw material resulting from the gelling of the composition after mixing. But, under certain conditions of complementary treatment according to step b2) above, the composition according to the invention can, on the contrary, allow the separation of the pieces of processed food material by preventing their bonding. Step b2) applied to a product having undergone step b1) will give it more resistance to cooking, this may be useful with certain fish or with products containing "disturbing" elements such as salt (NaCl) or preservatives of the sodium or potassium lactate type.

As will be explained below, the reconstituted food products obtained according to the present invention can be made from raw food materials in the form of juice, mash, powdered rehydrated material (powder or flake), pieces of various sizes, which generally involves the addition of water in the preparation process and which can be optionally seasoned, flavored or colored, and then shaped. These products produce little or no exudate. They maintain a storage and cooking yield close to that of the food raw materials used before rehydration and without the addition of salt. Finally, the cooking behavior of the finished food products obtained is satisfactory.

Even if the food raw material does not have a water retention property, once the water has been absorbed, the composition according to the invention induces cold water retention and during storage, and hot during cooking. . The term "yield" refers here to the amount of water added or present in the food product that is to be preserved.

The texturing properties of the composition according to the invention lead to an increase in the softness or "tenderness" of certain materials relatively tough raw foods, such as some meats, including turkey shoulder, or some fish like tuna. They also allow, more particularly, to preserve or improve the original texture in the mouth of soft products, such as foie gras or some hard-to-preserve cooked fruits such as cooked banana. Finally, they allow, for cheese applications, to produce more or less spinning and melting textures, while being stable to cooking and maintaining a texture in the mouth of cheese, while still being stable when cooked. that is, the products do not melt or come off during cooking.

In an embodiment variant of the invention that is most generally suitable, the composition according to the invention comprises, where appropriate, 5 to 30% of said calcium salt capable of governing with sodium alginate.

Likewise, more generally, the composition according to the invention will comprise, where appropriate, 0.5 to 15%, preferably 2 to 10%, of said reaction retarding agent between sodium alginate and said calcium salt.

In a preferred embodiment, said water retentive texturing agent is chosen from said pre-gelatinized starches and vegetable proteins.

These texturing water-retaining agents also confer dispersibility properties of the composition. In general, said pre-gelatinized starches are used to give a soft texture to the final food product obtained while the vegetable proteins will be used to give a firmer texture.

Advantageously, the composition according to the invention will comprise less than 50% of vegetable protein in the total composition and even less than 50% of vegetable protein among the total proportions of said water retaining texturing agent.

Advantageously, said dispersing agent is chosen from sugars of the dextrose type. This ingredient is advantageous because it is very dispersing and only slightly sweetening, which in any case softens the preparation in case of excess. In a preferred embodiment, said pre-gelatinized starch has a particle size of 0.020 to 1 mm and preferably 0.025 to 0.4 mm.

More preferably, said composition according to the invention comprises, as said water-retaining agent, pre-gelatinized cassava starch.

The partially pre-gelatinized cassava starch has the advantage of being able to be in the form of relatively large grains, which makes it possible to simulate a texture of fat in the mouth, especially in meat and fish, and thus to give soft to these products. That is why this type of cassava starch, by its particle size and its hot texture, provides a softness in the remarkable mouthfeel. On the other hand, after gelation, it also gives sticky and spinning gel obtained, which is very advantageous for the processing of cheese. Finally, surprisingly and not completely elucidated, it allows to restore in an optimal way the texture in the mouth authentic vegetables and fruits cooked in terms of texture.

Moreover, since it absorbs cold approximately 5 times its own volume of water, it makes it possible to considerably improve the water retention of the finished product during the various phases of storage and possibly defrosting. And the formation of a viscous starch gel during cooking improves water retention and softness.

The present invention also provides a powder composition for the preparation of at least partially gelled thermostable food product, useful in a process according to the invention, and, more particularly, when it is desired to obtain a solid or viscous food product capable of being cut up. or formed in which the pieces of said raw food material are bonded together according to step b1), characterized in that it essentially comprises the percentages by weight of the following ingredients in total ratio of said ingredients representing 100%:

1-5 to 60% sodium alginate,

2-5 to 60% of a slowly dissolving calcium salt capable of reacting with sodium alginate to form a calcium alginate gel, 3- 0.5 to 25% of a reaction retarding agent between sodium alginate and said calcium salt,

4- 0.1 to 90% texturing agent (s) retent (s) of water selected from

• starches of plant origin at least partially pregelatinized, and

• vegetable proteins, and

• native or modified celluloses, and

• vegetable fibers, and

Hydrocolloid polymers other than sodium alginate, such as pectins or gums of bacterial or vegetable origin, the proportion of said hydrocolloid polymer being at most 10%,

the weight proportion of texturizing agent (s) being constituted by:

Less than 10% of said texturing agent (s) chosen from pre-gelatinized starches, cellulose, fibers and plant proteins, when the proportion of said hydrocolloid polymer is greater than 1% or a proportion of said hydrocolloid polymer of bacterial origin is greater than 0.1%, or the proportion of said sodium alginate is greater than 20%, and

From 10 to 90% of said texturing agent (s) chosen from starches, cellulose, fibers and plant proteins when the proportion of said hydrocolloid polymer is less than 1% and the proportion of said Hydrocolloid polymer of bacterial origin is less than 0.1%,

5- 0 to 85%, preferably 40 to 70%, dispersing agent (s) selected from sugars, and polysaccharides of plant origin, more preferably selected from non-pre-gelatinized maltodextrins and starches , and the dispersing mineral fillers admitted into the feed such as colloidal silica,

the total of said water-retaining agent (s) agent (s) and said dispersing agent (s) representing 20 to 95%, preferably at least 50%. More particularly, the composition according to the present invention comprises:

8 to 25% of said sodium alginate,

15 to 50% water-retaining texturing agent chosen from a pre-gelatinized starch and a said vegetable protein, preferably pre-gelatinized cassava starch, and / or an isolate or vegetable protein concentrate,

30 to 70% of said dispersing agent, preferably of the sugar or maltodextrin type, more preferably of the dextrose type,

- 5 to 30% of said calcium salt, and

- 0.5 to 15% of said retarding agent.

This embodiment of the composition can be used in a relatively versatile manner for a wide range of feed materials as long as these preferably do not include, or very little, soluble calcium usable by the alginate.

This composition is of interest to be of relatively versatile application, also in terms of the nature and size of the pieces of raw food materials, provided that said raw food material does not include or very little calcium. It will not be, or not, appropriate for cheese, but preferred for "wet" materials such as meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, certain fruits and fats.

When said food material is a salty food material comprising 5 to 15 g of cooking salt / kg, preferably meat or poultry and some fish, the proportions of said composition are advantageously as follows:

1 - 20 to 60% of said alginate salt, preferably 20 to 30% when the content of dispersing agent is greater than or equal to 30%, and 2- 20 to 60% of said slow-dissolving calcium salt, preferably 20 to 30% when the proportion of dispersing agent is greater than or equal to 30%, and

3-3 to 20% of said retarding agent, preferably 3 to 10% when the proportion of dispersing agent is greater than or equal to 30%, and

4-5 to 20% of said texturizing agent (s), preferably 5 to 10% when the proportion of dispersing agent is greater than or equal to 30%, and

5- 15 to 50% of said dispersants.

When one wants to bring more softness or tenderness to the food raw material, one will choose a texturing agent other than a vegetable protein.

On the other hand, when it is desired to bring firmness to the food raw material, especially in the case of fish, a vegetable protein will be chosen as a water retaining texturing agent.

In this case, the proportion of said agent (s) texturing (s), other (s) that pre-gelatinized starch, and preferably said vegetable protein, is greater than 50% of the total proportions said ( s) agent (s) texturing (s) but remains less than 50% of the total composition.

Thus, when said feed raw material is selected from certain soft fish such as hake or hake, the proportion of said plant protein (s) is preferably greater than 50% of the proportion of the total of said texturizing agents. and less than 50% of the total of the composition.

On the other hand, when said feed raw material is selected from meat or certain firm fish such as cod, tuna, salmon or Nile perch (tilapia), the proportion of said plant protein (s) (s) ) is less than 50% of the total of said agent (s) texturing (s) retender (s) water.

In another embodiment, the composition according to the invention comprises: 0 to 10% of said dispersant texturing agent, preferably 0%, and

at least 20%, preferably at least 40%, of said water-retaining agent chosen from said pre-gelatinized starches and said vegetable proteins, preferably said pre-gelatinized starches.

This composition is particularly advantageous for food raw materials to be blended for which the composition may have reduced dispersion properties, it being understood that a certain dispersion is still provided in part by the chosen water-retaining agents.

The present invention also provides a composition comprising:

8 to 25% of said sodium alginate

0% of said calcium salt capable of reacting with the alginate, and

0.5 to 10% of said retarding agent, and

0 to 10% of said dispersing agent, preferably 0%, and

more than 50%, preferably 60 to 90%, of said water-retaining agent chosen from said pre-gelatinized starches, preferably a pregelatinized cassava starch, more preferably with a particle size of 0.020 to 1 mm, and preferably from 0.025 to 0.4 mm,

0 to 20% of a melt salt such as polyphosphates.

The role of these cast iron salts is to facilitate the melting of cheese without phase shift. These are products known to those skilled in the art.

This composition, which gives a longer hot-running gel, is particularly suitable for dietary raw materials containing calcium such as dairy products, which require a creamy, hot texture without melting, especially cheese.

The high levels of said agent (s) texturizing (s), including pregelatinized starch, are necessary if one wishes to obtain a very smooth texture in the hot mouth, while maintaining a good performance at the cooking. When said composition is intended to be mixed with a food raw material which is a low or moderately acidic, neutral or alkaline material, advantageously said calcium salt is calcium sulphate and said retarding agent is tetrasodium pyrophosphate (Na ₄ P ₂ O ₇ ).

On the other hand, when said raw material is an acidic raw material at pH <3.5, advantageously, said calcium salt is soluble at low pH, preferably calcium phosphate, more preferably dicalcium phosphate and said retarding agent is in able to increase the pH, such as sodium citrate, preferably trisodium citrate.

To induce a pH <3.5, advantageously still, the composition according to the present invention comprises additional ingredients for lowering the pH, preferably citric acid, more preferably in a content of less than 1, 5%.

In one embodiment, the composition according to the invention is added with a fat or oil acceptable in human or animal nutrition. This fat or oil also has an additional dispersing effect vis-à-vis the various ingredients of the composition.

The present invention also provides a process for preparing an at least partially gelled food product, characterized in that it comprises contacting, preferably mixing, a composition according to the invention with a food raw material.

The food raw material can be classified in the various categories according to a terminology known to those skilled in the art:

1 - "wet materials", that is to say containing free water, preferably with aW> at 0.95 (aW = water activity)

Among these, we distinguish:

1.1 - Raw raw materials, fresh or cooked, such as fruits, vegetables, meat, fish. The term "meats" is understood to mean both muscle or offal or products derived from muscles or offals of cattle, sheep, game, pigs, goats, poultry, ostrich and more generally from all terrestrial animals or birds as well as cetaceans and by "fish "Muscle or offal or muscle products or offal of any edible aquatic animal, including crustaceans and molluscs.

Also included are ground hides, bones and bone, especially from separators, machine used to recover MSM ("mechanically separated meat") or pulps.

1.2- processed natural products such as ready-made meals, dairy products, especially desserts and cheeses, and sausage or sausage products such as pâtés, ham, smoked pieces or sausages.

Raw raw materials, fresh or cooked, or processed natural materials may be in solid or viscous form

For solids or pastes, they can be in pieces of very different sizes, such as:

- fine materials with pieces whose largest dimension is less than 3 mm,

small pieces of larger size from 3 mm to 3 cm,

- large pieces in general of larger dimension of 3 cm to 10 cm, or more in the case of pieces of muscles or certain whole muscles.

These solid or viscous pieces may be whole products, especially in the case of small fruits or vegetables or small aquatic products such as crustaceans or molluscs.

These solid or pasty pieces may also be grated products, chopped or cut for small and large pieces, and ground for fine products, especially in the form of coulis or mash. The said wet materials may also be in liquid form. It may be, more particularly aqueous solution such as juices, including fruit or vegetables, dairy products or sauces.

2- "Semi-wet materials", that is to say containing bound water, preferably with an aW <O, 8. These are partially dried or partially rehydrated products which may contain humectants such as sugar, glycerol or monopropylene glycol.

These are generally processed products such as jams, fruit pastes, soft pellets for animal feed, especially pets ("petfood"). These products are generally in the form of puree, pasta or solid products with a viscous or gelatinous consistency for the granules.

The terms "wet materials" and "semi-wet materials" are categories of food materials known to those skilled in the art.

3- fats such as fats or oils, which may be in solid, viscous or liquid form.

4- Dehydrated materials optionally lyophilized which are generally in the form of powder or whole or crushed pieces, flakes, granules, strips, cut pieces, or flakes on support, then are rehydrated.

These dehydrated products can be of natural origin such as meat or dried fish, vegetables or dried fruits.

Most generally, a method according to the invention comprises mixing a composition according to the present invention with a said food raw material and water.

In the process according to the invention, the mixture of all the ingredients of the said composition is simultaneously mixed, the latter being dispersed in the pulverulent state, with the said raw material and the optional water to be added until reaching a homogeneous distribution of said composition around said raw material, as well as the possible absorption of water in said raw material, before the beginning of gelling, then let stand to allow gelation.

Said composition, said raw materials and the optional water may be mixed and then shaped, in particular in a mold or a formeuse, or by extrusion if its texture before gelling is quite firm.

The food product obtained after said mixing and, where appropriate, prior to gelation, can be packaged in a rigid or flexible packaging, ^'in particular in an envelope of flexible material of natural or synthetic origin, in particular pushed into a hose.

The shaping and / or packaging, if it serves as a mold, must be carried out before the start of gelation.

In a particular embodiment of the process according to the invention, a mixture comprising the percentages by weight of the following components is carried out for a total of 100%:

1 to 15% by weight of said composition and

the remainder is 85 to 99% by weight constituted by all of said food raw material optionally added water.

More particularly, a mixture comprising 2 to 10% by weight of said composition is carried out.

The proportions of the various components of the composition, on the one hand, and the relative proportions of the various components of the mixture, namely the said raw material, the water and the said composition, depend on the nature, viscosity and quantity of the said raw foodstuff. the desired gel time and especially the characteristics, in particular the physical structure and the properties of the desired final food product.

According to a first variant embodiment, said food raw material consists of "wet" food material containing free water as defined above, or rehydrated and the mixture comprises 0 to 50%, preferably 5 to 30% by weight. added water. According to a second variant embodiment, said food raw material is composed of fatty or "semi-wet" food material containing bound water as defined above and the mixture comprises from 10 to 95% by weight of water added. For semi-moist products, preferably at least 50% water is required and, more preferably, pre-dispersing the composition in water before incorporation into the mixture. For fat, it will be necessary, preferably also, at least 30% water.

As mentioned above, the dehydrated material may be in the form of powder or whole or ground pieces, such as flakes, granules, strips, pieces, and the semi-wet material is made of processed product containing bound water, in the form of puree or paste or solid product with a viscous consistency, such as fruit pastes, jams, etc.

Said composition, said food raw material and optionally said water can be mixed simultaneously.

It is possible to carry out, especially when there is a lot of water to be added, preferably more than 20%, said multi-stage mixture comprising:

a premix of said food material with all or part of the water until absorption in said food raw material,

sprinkling the composition by mixing it with the pre-mix until a homogeneous mixture is obtained, and

a mixture of said composition and any remaining water with said pre-mixture until absorption of water in said food raw material, and

it is allowed to stand until complete gelation of the finished product thus obtained.

It is intended to allow complete or sufficient gelation in a period of 1 to 12 hours. It is also possible to premix said composition and the water to be added, and then

the premix gel is added to the said raw material until it is absorbed and

- It is allowed to stand until complete gelation of the finished product thus obtained.

It is intended to allow complete gelation in a period of 1 to 12 hours.

In order to reinforce the strength of the gel and the resistance of the food product obtained, and more particularly in the case where the food raw materials comprise cooking salt and / or are used with preservatives which make the products more fragile, it is necessary to a solution of rapidly dissolving calcium salts such as calcium lactate or calcium chloride, preferably in a 0.5 to 10% solution, which is introduced into the mixture of the various components (including the first food), preferably by injection or kneading at the end of gelling or after molding, or in which one quenched, or with which the product resulting from the mixing of said components is coated, before, during or after gelling.

By coating is meant as well brush coating spray or other type of application of the solution on the surface of the product.

This embodiment involving the treatment with a rapidly dissolving calcium salt solution, after gelling and optionally after slicing or scaling, is useful when the gelation does not provide a sufficient connection to cooking or slicing, especially if the food product is too salty or contains preservatives such as potassium lactate or sodium diacetate, as well as some fish such as saithe. These fast-dissolving calcium salts may also be added to a food preparation used as a cover, coating or to be completely or partially penetrated such as marinade, juice, sauce or brine, or an aromatic or decorative mixture of spices, fresh herbs, frozen, frozen or dry or breadcrumbs which, by its composition, especially if it is too salty, may weaken the bond and holding of the product, insofar as the marinade is intended to come into contact with the product. (In the case of herbs or bread crumbs or a mixture of dry or pieces of spices, the calcium salt may be added dry).

The action of these calcium salts is also useful before gelation when the shaping of the food product requires a phase during which finite food products are obtained in the form of divided pieces that are likely to stick together, which is wants, in this case, to avoid. In this case, said calcium salts are used at the end of mixing if the pieces already have their final size or just after the shaping, which can be for example an extrusion if the food product consists of particles smaller than the size of the desired finished product. Said calcium salts harden the surface of the product which can, if necessary, finish hardening to heart depending on whether or not said composition contains a calcium salt.

The use of these calcium salts is particularly suitable for the production of semi-moist granules or "spaghetti", fruit or vegetables, meat or fish or cheese or other

By extruding a paste consisting of the product resulting from mixing the feed raw material in the form of puree, juice or larger or smaller pieces, and of said composition according to the invention, in a calcium solution, this "paste" instantly cures on the surface . If it is desired to harden it to heart, it must be left longer in the calcium solution for it to enter the food raw material by osmosis to the extent that there is not enough in the composition.

If the food product is in the form of pieces and must retain all or part of the added water during storage and cooking without the pieces being bound (that is to say without them sticking together) these hardening calcium salts are used during the mixing phase of said pieces, or by dipping them individually in the calcium solution or coating or spraying them individually with the calcium solution during their storage by soaking or cooking if these operations take place before gelation.

In a first variant embodiment of the process according to the invention, a food product is obtained in which the pieces of said food raw material are bonded together according to step b1) above. In this case, the additional treatment of reinforcement of the gel and the holding will be done by dipping or coating the product resulting from the mixing of said components in or respectively with a said fast-dissolving calcium solution, or by introducing said solution of rapidly dissolving calcium in said product resulting from the mixing of said components, and this after gelling and optionally after slicing, or optionally during gelation if the product is shaped by extrusion or forming before gelation or a said calcium solution is introduced to rapid dissolution in said product resulting from the mixing of said components and this before, after or during gelation.

In another embodiment, a food product is obtained in which the pieces of raw food material remain separated according to step b2) above. In this case, the additional treatment with a rapidly dissolving solution of calcium salt will be by introducing a so-called fast dissolving calcium solution into the product resulting from the mixing of the various components at the end of mixing or by dipping or coating the products resulting from the mixing of the various components in a said fast dissolving calcium solution during or before gelation. This makes it possible to quickly gel the surface of each particle or piece to prevent it from being able to stick again

Said gelled food product can be marinated, seasoned, cooked, frozen, deep-frozen, dried, lyophilized, and / or sterilized, pasteurized after gelation.

Said gelled food product can be sliced after gelling and, if necessary, cooking and / or sterilization, then further skewered, if necessary after cutting into pieces, the blocks of the size of a skewer mold can be put directly implemented in the skewer molds or they can be pre-sliced, moreover they can be superimposed different layers of different products in the molds before gelation, in this case they will stick together and we can put this multilayer block in a skewer mold, which will give skewers containing layers of various related products, if we want these layers are separated, just apply a thin layer of calcium solution (with calcium salt such as lactate or Ca chloride between each layer, for example after a layer of meat and before a layer of vegetables.

Said gelled food product can be sliced after gelation and, if appropriate, after cooking or sterilization.

Said gelled food product can be evacuated in a said conditioning before or after gelling, if it is before it will take the form that conditioning will impose and gel with this form.

The subject of the present invention is therefore also an at least partially gelled food product obtained by the preparation method according to the invention, having improved water retention properties during storage and cooking compared with those of said raw material. food that it contains before mixing.

As mentioned above, the food product may consist of pieces of said raw material food glued together or consist of pieces of said raw food material separated. When said product consists of pieces of said raw food material, separated, in one embodiment, said pieces are covered with a rapid dissolving calcium solution, which can be seasoned to serve as a marinade, giving them a solid appearance.

More particularly, a food product according to the invention is obtained from a said raw food material mixed with a said composition according to the invention, in particular not comprising calcium, preferably incorporated in the form of a gel with a marinade, the product resulting from said mixture being then covered with a fast dissolving calcium solution. The food product according to the invention may consist of pieces of said food raw material of different kinds glued together.

More particularly, the food product according to the invention can be in the form of:

- meatballs, cuts for kebabs, fillet, minced, tournedos, cobblestones, cubes, large blocks, granules and slices of meat, poultry or fish, and

- slices of puree vegetable or fruit preferably precooked with or without piece, and

- pieces of cheese or cheese preparation, preferably emmental, goat or mozzarella, and

- solidified fat

Other features and advantages of the present invention will emerge in the light of the following exemplary embodiments.

In the examples that follow, the substances used have the following characteristics:

The gelatinized starch is partially pregelatinized cassava starch, with a particle size of 0.020 to 1 mm and preferably 0.025 to 0.4 mm.

Sodium alginate is a seaweed extract Laminaria Hyperborea, whose Viscosity: in 1% solution is 100 to -600mPas and whose Gel Strength: is 60-7Og (FIRA test).

1 / - Example of a composition for food use according to the invention.

In Table I below are presented some of the tested compositions called "formula". Formula 2 is a counterexample of compositions not in accordance with the present invention because it does not include water-retaining agent or dispersing agent. Formulas 3 to 21 are preferred because they include dispersing agents and water-retaining agents.

Table I

I C

The above formulas are only mentioned by way of example, the percentage of each ingredient and the nature of the texturing agent, water retentant, dispersant, retarder or source of calcium are merely illustrative of the invention and not limiting. .

In particular, all the formulas may be supplemented with buffer, flavoring, sweetening, preserving, antioxidant, dyeing agent. If necessary, they must be adapted to the constraints related to the pH, the rate of retarder or free calcium in the food raw material. The method of use of the composition may then possibly be modified.

All the above formulas can therefore be colored or seasoned or treated with preservatives or flavors or antioxidant insofar as the reaction is not too much accelerated, in particular by lowering the pH, supplying free calcium, or braked, in particular by adding salt of cooking,

2 / -Examples of proportions of formulas in the mixture.

The percentage of formulas to add depends on the type of food raw material, especially wet, semi-moist or dehydrated. It also depends on the size of the food raw material pieces. Thus, for example for moist raw materials such as meats and fish, Table II shows the proportions of the different compositions for different sizes of cuts of meat and fish, knowing that the doses can always be increased to compensate, for example a low presence of salt or a texture of the basic raw material that is too fragile, or reduced if it is desired, for example, to maintain a lower hold with possibly less good water retention or less texture modification. Table II

3 / -Examples of mixing processes.

Table III, below, shows different sequences of mixing steps with a proportion of composition implemented between 1.5% and 7% by sprinkling or premixing, if necessary, all or part of the water on many pieces. meat and offal such as pork, poultry, beef, veal, foie gras, etc., or fish with or without added water to a quantity such that the meat can absorb it by mixing with or without a vacuum.

Implementation of the composition

For dry products in powder form or small grains, it is possible either to pre-mix the composition with the food raw material. If the product is of a particle size or of a shape such that the mixture is heterogeneous, one can either use oil to coat each particle of the material first food with the composition, before adding water, hydrate the food raw material before proceeding according to one of the following protocols.

For liquid or pasty products, it is intimately mixed with a mixer or an apparatus for actively mixing the food material, the possible water and the composition. If it is desired to use a softer mixing system, it is appropriate to increase the dispersant or oil dosage, or even pre-disperse the composition in the oil before incorporating it into the food product.

For a wet product consisting of small pieces that we want to keep, we proceed as above but using a non shearing material nor cutting for the mixture.

Table III: Implementation Example for Piece Products

* for safety because it must be incorporated and the food product must be molded before the gel starts to set.

The following examples of proportions of the various components mixed according to the type of formula were tested: 3.1 / - Formula 1

Small pieces of meat or some fish 78%, water 18%, formula 1 4%

This recipe has been tested for pork, beef, mutton, lamb, guinea fowl, duck and various fish, namely salmon, tuna and trout.

Chunks of Pork 79%, Water 18%, Formula 1 3%

- Whole chicken fillets 80%, water 18%, formula 1 2%

This recipe has been tested for chicken fillets, pork tenderloins and trout fillets.

Mechanically separated turkey meat 70%, water 24%, formula 1 6%

This recipe has been tested for mechanically separated meat and minced meat of chicken, pork, and ground beef.

Small pieces of pork belly 88%, water 8%, formula 1 4%

Small pieces of pork 68%, water 28%, formulated 4%

- Whole fillets 88%, water 8%, formula 1 2%

This recipe has been tested for chicken fillets, pork tenderloins and trout fillets. Formula 1 gives products that hardly keep the added water and give a soft texture, but it can be used by dusting

3.2 / - Formula 2

- Small pieces of pork 78%, water 18%, formula 2 2%

- Tuna pulp 68%, water 28%, formula 2 3%

- boneless turkey leg 45%, boneless skinless turkey shoulder 33%, water 18%, formula 2 1%

Formula 2 is equivalent to formula 1 but without dextrose. It is used at a lower dose (between 0.6% and 3%), but its use by dusting is difficult, so it is necessary to prepare a gel according to method No. 2 to implement it.

3.3 / Formulas 3, 6 and 7

These formulas are used between 2% and 7% by sprinkling or premixing any water (see Table III above) on many meats such as pork, poultry, beef, etc. , or fish with or without added water to such an extent that the meat can absorb it by mixing with or without a vacuum. It gives finished food products that keep a large proportion of the added water by increasing the softness or firmness of the finished products.

In the case of dry use or with very little water on large pieces or muscles, they can be sprinkled directly on the pieces or they can be coated with formula.

Their capacity to give mellowness (especially formulas 3 and 6) makes it possible to use them for several fruits or vegetables such as banana, potato, broccoli, carrot alone or mixed. Formulas 6 and 7 which include vegetable proteins and less cassava starch are used to provide more firmness in the mouth, for example to fish products.

3.3.1 / - Examples of recipes with formulas 3, 6 and 7:

- Small pieces of meat or fish from 68 to 96%, water 4 to 28%, formula 3 4 to 6%

This recipe has been applied to meat from any part of the body of various species of poultry such as guinea fowl, turkey, duck, chicken, game or meat (beef, veal, pork, lamb, mutton, sheep, ostrich, emu , bison, etc.), including certain offal such as liver or heart, and fat in pieces, including pork belly, and pieces of tuna, salmon, trout and hake meat.

- Whole fillets 70 to 90%, water 8 to 28%, formula 3 2%

In the above examples, chicken fillets can be replaced with tuna, salmon, trout, meat fillets of all types of poultry, including chicken or duck, game or meat (beef, veal). , lamb, sheep, sheep, ostrich, emu, bison ...) in whole muscles if they are small or in large pieces. The percentage of the formula also depends on the surface to be glued.

- mechanically separated turkey meat 47.5 to 94%, water 0 to 45%, formula 3 5 or 6%

- Hake pulp 78 to 94%, water 0 to 17%, formula 6 5%

In the above examples, turkey meat may be replaced by tuna, salmon, trout, ground meat or mechanically separated from any species of poultry, game, or meat (beef, veal). , lamb, mutton, sheep, ostrich, emu, bison ...), including some offal such as liver or heart as well as chopped fat. - Crushed bone from separator 76%, livers and hearts crushed 19%, formula 3 5%

- Crushed bone from separator 66%, ground livers and hearts 29%, formula 3 5%

- Foie gras puree 89.99%, water 12.5%, formula 3 4.17%

- Foie gras puree 78.48, water 15.58, ground pepper 0.12%, formula 3 5.55%

(15% mechanically separated turkey meat and 85% poultry shoulder pieces) 77.5%, water 18%, formula 3 4.5%.

- 25% ground beef, 25% ground pork, 20% water, 25% minced cooked beet, 5% mixture.

The different raw materials, meat, fish or vegetables, can be mixed together during the preparation.

The different raw materials can also be just brought into contact at the time of molding after preparation.

We can prepare a marbled fish (see photo), roast mixed turkey, skewers with multilayer meat, chicken skewers with foie gras, duck fillets stuffed with foie gras and tournedos that come from .

- Liquid melted duck fat 47, water 47%, formula 3 6%

It is best to pre-mix the formula with water before mixing with the fat. This recipe provides a product that can be sliced and does not melt when cooked. For more firmness, it is possible to reduce the level of fat and / or to increase the level of formula 3 or to replace it by formulas 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 or 17. In addition, duck fat can be replaced by oil; other melted fats or water, to obtain a product replacing fat but very lean.

If you use stronger fats such as pork or beef fat, you can use a meat recipe without melting it.

3.3.2 / - Examples of fruit and vegetable recipes with formula 3

- Fruit juice (pH> 5) 90%, formula 3 10%

To obtain a texture that is closer to the initial fruit, partially pre-gelatinized cassava starch may be added, optionally in pre-mix to formula 3 to obtain a new mixture.

- 44.25% fresh banana puree, 38.94% fresh banana pieces, 3.54% formula 3, 5.31% caster sugar, partially gelatinized cassava starch 7.96%

- Pears in syrup with syrup 45.45%, fresh pears peeled in cubes 45.45%, formula 3.64%, partially gelatinized cassava starch

5.45%

This added starch gives a cooked texture very melting. It could also be added directly to Formula 3.

- Frozen carrot puree or carrots thawed mashed or crushed cooked carrot or flakes or dehydrated or freeze dried powder or pieces rehydrated: 76%, water 20%, formula 3-5 to 6%.

This recipe was tested with frozen zucchini slices, thawed and mashed, as well as grated carrots and blanched peppers. - frozen mashed broccoli or broccoli thawed or crushed broccoli or flakes or dehydrated or freeze dried powder or pieces rehydrated: 76%, water 20%, formula 3 5 to 6%

- Mashed potato, 95%, formula 3 5 to 6%

- Mashed potato, 50%, chopped spinach 45%, Formula 3 5 to

6%

- Potato puree 50%, frozen zucchini or fresh minced raw or precooked 45%, formula 3 5 to 6%

- Potato puree, 50%, frozen peppers or fresh minced raw or cooked 45%, formula 3 5 to 6%

- Potato puree, 50%, frozen carrot or fresh minced or grated or pureed raw or cooked 45%, formula 3 5 to 6%

- Mashed potatoes, 50%, frozen broccoli or fresh minced raw or cooked 45%, formula 3 5 to 6%

In the above examples, the mashed potato may be freshly cooked, or flaked or rehydrated powder.

- Ground cooked beetroot 75%, water 20%, formula 3 5%

- Raw or cooked chopped onion 47.62%, water 47.62%, formula 6 4.76%

- Raw or cooked chopped onion 23.81%, chopped ginger 12.7%, water 46.83%, chopped fresh cardamom 2.38%, massed 4.76%, formula 6 4.76%

- Raw onion or cooked onion 30.66%, water 42.28%, coriander minced leaf 10.57%, chopped parsley 11.63%, formula 6 4.86%.

3.3.3 / - Formula 3 can also be used with cheese to make a formable or slicing preparation that will melt a bit when cooked, keeping a creamy texture. This cheese preparation can be used to make blue cords or stuff roasts, or incorporated for example in sausage meat. If one wishes to reinforce its behavior in the case where it is in prolonged contact with salted products, it is possible to replace the formula 3 by the 12 or the 15.

- Emmenthal Chopped very fine 25%, water 26%, formula 3 4%, grated emmenthal 45%

- Emmenthal Chopped very fine 25%, water 26%, formula 3 4%, cassava starch partially pre-gelatinized 3%, shredded emmenthal 42%

Rough chopping or crushing or simply rasping in greater proportion is possible.

This second recipe gives more creaminess. It is the added starch which gives a very unctuous cooked texture. It could be added directly to Formula 3 to create a new formula.

To facilitate slicing, it will be useful to cook on the molded product or to work with very hot or boiling water.

The forming can take place before or after gelling, because in this case the apparent gelation is not due to the alginate, but to the absorption of water by the starch and the "stiffening of the cheese". The reaction with the alginate takes place during the mixing because the cheese, very rich in calcium, accelerates the reaction, which is what differentiates this application from the following one.

3.4 / - Formula 4

This formula, added in a proportion of 5 to 15% to cheese such as emmenthal, a portion of which is grated, and possibly to water, makes it possible to obtain a cheese preparation which is resistant to cooking while remaining in position. shape and having an identifiable mouthfeel as being cheese. - Very fine chopped Emmenthal 28%, water 14%, formula 4 10%, partially pre-gelatinized cassava starch 3% (it is this added starch which gives a very unctuous cooked texture, it could be directly added to formula 3 to create a new formula), grated emmenthal 45%.

The dose of cassava starch may vary depending on the desired texture.

If it is desired a less hard texture cold and close to hot, we can replace all or part of the pre-gelatinized starch with a native starch.

For pressed cheese, the following procedure is appropriate:

1. Refine (to make a purée or dough) the first part of cheese

2. Add the water and the powdery ingredients, mixing

3. Add the remaining grated cheese or in very small pieces (this also helps to maintain a real texture phase)

4. Mold or train

5. Store cold until gelation, the product can then be sliced

NB To facilitate slicing, it will be useful to bake the molded product or to work with very hot or boiling water.

3.5 / - Formula 5

This formula includes an ingredient (citric acid) to lower the pH to promote the reaction of calcium salts with sodium alginate. It can be used for raw materials relatively acidic, for which calcium salts and retarding agents of the formula 3 would not be suitable.

The percentage of the different ingredients varies according to the physico-chemical characteristics of the food material.

This formula, added to 10% on acidified canned banana puree, possibly added with pieces of banana, makes cooking-resistant pieces with a texture similar to that of the cooked fruit.

- Canned sweet banana puree: 85%, Sugar powder: 5%, Formula 4: 10%.

The following process can be implemented:

1. Mix all the ingredients

2. Mold

3. Store cold until gelation

4. Unmould

3.6 / - Formulas 6 and 7

These formulas 6 and 7 include vegetable proteins. They will be used when one tries to give more firmness to the finished product, as an alternative to formula 3.

3.7 / - Forms 8 and 9

These formulas 8 and 9 comprise a high level of calcium sulphate and a low level of tetrasodium pyrophosphate. They will be used when one seeks to obtain a faster gelation by preparing a gel according to method No. 2 of Table III, because they are difficult to dust. However, they will not be compatible with all raw materials like some cuts of beef relatively acidic. Indeed, they may take too quickly without allowing time to achieve the mixture.

3.8 / - Forms 10 and 11.

These formulas are similar to formulas 8 and 9, but they also include dextrose and are dustable. However, like formulas 8 and 9, they will not be compatible with all raw materials.

3.9 / - Forms 12, 13 and 14.

These formulas are close to formulas 3, 6 and 7, but they include more calcium sulphate. They are used at the same dose in the case where it is desired to increase the resistance of the product for safety in relation to the salt present in the product or if it is marinated after gelation or brought into contact with a salty product such as a stuffing (paupiettes, roasts ..) or ham.

This is all the more useful as the dose of formula will be small compared to the size of the pieces and therefore the surface to be glued.

They can also be used when using preservatives such as potassium lactate sodium lactate or sodium diacetate, alone or in mixture.

- Scalloped "Zygochlamys Patagonica" crushed crumbled 76.20%, water 19.04%, formula 12 4.76

- Poultry Shoulder Meat 75%, Water 19%, Formula 12 4%

After gelling, this sliced thin product will, for example, escalopes for roulades. This recipe has been tested for pork, beef, mutton, lamb, guinea fowl, duck and various fish, namely salmon, tuna and trout.

- Chicken breast pieces 75%, water 19%, sodium lactate 1.5%, formula 12 4%

- Tuna pulp 14.38%, tuna loins 57.32%, water 17.97%, chopped onion 5.39%, Spices 1.8%, formula 13 4.04%

3.10 / - Forms 15, 16 and 17.

These formulas are more concentrated in calcium salt than the previous ones. They are more compatible with salted products, but sometimes the finished products have an unpleasant taste.

They are very useful in some particular cases:

Scalloped "Zygochlamys Patagonica" crushed crumbled 76.20%, water 19.04%, formula 16, 4.76%

- Nile perch or saithe fillet 73%, water 22%, formula 16

5%

- Washed shelled shrimp tails, 94.7, Formula 15 5.3% This recipe does not work with all shrimp batches

- Salted cod pulp 6% 66%, water 27%, formula 15, 16 or 17, 7%

- desalted cod pulp in the same volume of water 70% + water 30%) 93 to 95%, formula 15, 16 or 17 5 to 7%

- Concentrated rum liquor: 39%, 9% gel of formula 16: 61% - Tuna pulp 65.18%, water 17.27%, chopped onion 10.36%, ground noodle pepper 0.45%, salt 1.09%, nutmeg powder 0.1% formula 16 5.53%

- Foie gras puree 87.41%, water 8.74%, formula 15 3.85%

This recipe will be used to incorporate sausage products such as sausages.

- Foie gras puree 78.74%, water 15.75%, salt 0.63, pepper powder .016 formula 15 4.72%

This recipe can be gutted. It can also be molded to make timbales of foie gras to bake.

- Liquid melted duck fat 47, water 47%, formula 16 6%

This recipe provides a product that can be sliced and does not melt when cooked. For more firmness, you can reduce the fat content, increase the water and / or increase the rate of formula 16 or replace it with formula 17. This product can be introduced in salted salami products.

3.1 1 / - Form 18

This formula is close to Formula 4, but it includes more gelatinized starch and retarders. It is more suited to the processing of fresh goat cheeses or mozzarella, it also works with emmenthal, fresh curd cheeses, other soft cheeses, such as raclette and some processed cheeses.

- 75% fresh goat cheese, water 15%, formula 18 10%

- Mozzarella chopped 75%, water 15%, formula 18 10%

As for formula 4, the texture can be modified with partially pre-gelatinized cassava starch or not, or any other texture that can be added to the formula to eventually make another formula.

3.12 / - Form 19

This formula comprises only alginate and at least partially gelatinized starch (there is no calcium because it is added later for external gelling with a calcium solution).

This formula is reserved exclusively for applications to make separate pieces never sticking together such as pellets, or "spaghetti", minced meat or fish or marine products whose superficial marinade is solidified.

The rate and nature of the texturizer can be changed and eventually reduced to 0, leaving only sodium alginate.

The principle of use is to prepare a gel which is added to the raw material (mixed optionally until absorbed or sprinkled dry after absorption of water), then the products are poured or extruded in a calcium solution or this solution is added as a mixture or by coating or dipping individually in the case of pieces.

This formula and the product must be accompanied by soaking in a calcium solution based on calcium chloride, calcium lactate or any other calcium salt likely to release calcium in the water.

- Sliced chicken fillet 80, 2% gel of formula 19 20%, absorption and addition of 10% of a 1% solution of calcium chloride and 2% calcium lactate and 2% calcium sulfate. The pieces are separated.

- Sliced chicken fillet 80, (50% of 4% gel of formula 19 + 50% liquid commercial marinade) 20%, absorption then addition of 4% a 10% solution of calcium chloride. The pieces are separated and the marinade is solidified. It will also be possible to use another recipe than 19, in which case the composition will be chosen according to the characteristics of the marinade, in particular its pH.

- Vinasse concentrated rum, 30%, 5% gel of formula 19 70%, intimate mixture and extrusion in a 10% solution of calcium chloride, we obtain "spaghetti" solidified or granules if we cut as and as you go.

Carrot puree 98%, formula 19 2%, intimately mixed and then extruded in a 10% solution of calcium chloride, solidified spaghetti or granules are obtained if it is cut as it goes.

All solutions containing calcium lactate should be prepared with water hot enough to dissolve it or heated sufficiently to dissolve it. This is also valid for the following particular applications.

The food materials can be salted.

3.13 / - Form 20

This formula includes, as a water retaining agent, guar gum exclusively.

It is similar to Formulas 3, 6 and 7, but it uses a different additive, thickener or gelling agent that provides the ability to adapt and modify the texture and water retention of finished products.

3.14 / - Form 21

This formula is similar to formulas 15, 16 and 17, but with an even higher calcium salt concentration and no dextrose type dispersing agent and a relatively low level of at least partially gelatinized starch. This type of formula will be used when the need for dispersibility of the composition is not critical as for food raw materials used by mixing, such as purees and pulps, or when one can or wants to make a gel.

4 / - Complementary treatment with a calcium solution

In some cases, the use of formulas 1 to 18 and 20 to 21 may require or be reinforced by a longer or shorter soaking in a calcium solution as for formula 19.

4.1 / - Strengthening the outfit

If the after-products are sufficiently strong to be sliced or demolded, but not to be cooked, for example if they are too salty or if they contain a sodium or potassium lactate preservative or sodium diacetate and certain products such as black locust, it is preferable and possible to penetrate by dipping, injection, mixing, a calcium solution in the pieces, or to coat or coat or soak the slices (cut pieces) in a calcium solution.

The soaking time will depend on the nature of the calcium solution, the nature and concentration of the calcium salt, the amount of calcium to be added to the product and the thickness of the portion, and the desired end result. For a slight improvement of the hold, a coating on the slices is enough.

This application will be useful only when the use of the formulas 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 or 17 has not been satisfactory in terms of texture or organoleptic.

- Poultry thigh pieces 74% water 20% sodium lactate 2%, mix 3 5%, after resting and branching the slices are soaked Omn in a solution of 5% calcium lactate, 1% chlorine chloride calcium. 4.2 / - Final separation of pieces

If you want to permanently separate pieces of meat, poultry or fish while bringing them with or without salt a good yield (that is to say, a preservation of water added) storage and cooking, while allowing Freezing and freezing without significant exudate and a raw appearance less moist on the surface, we will use the formulas intended to restructure meat and fish at prescribed or lower dosages (the lower the dosage, the lower the effects of water retention, and to some extent the separation effect too.

- Sliced chicken breast 80%, water 16%, formula 3 4%, formula until absorption (see table) then addition of 5% of a 3% solution of calcium lactate, 2% of calcium sulphate and 1% calcium chloride, then draining.

This recipe has been tested with slices of various muscles of pork, lamb, turkey, ostrich, duck (with and without skin) beef, tuna, farmed trout, salmon.

Well separated pieces are obtained which remain very soft after cooking. This result is further improved if a resting cure is carried out for total gelation. It is also possible to spray the calcium solution on the separated or non-separated products or to immerse them individually or not in the solution if, for example, two or three pieces come touching it in the calcium solution. If they touch each other when the solution is sprayed, They will remain glued, which allows to bring them together and to achieve a forming and soaking or coating in the calcium solution. The pieces will be externally bonded and the internal gelation will continue during the rest period.

This technique also makes it possible to make products comprising several separate layers, for example for skewers, by pouring or spraying the calcium solution onto a layer of product to be restructured. This technique can be combined with the use of the formula 19 on marine products (depending on the chemical characteristics of the marinade one or the other of the formulas will be used), marinating the product with the marinade described in the recipe before it was applied to the calcium solution.

In the context of using formula 5 (with dicalcium phosphate), the calcium solution can be replaced by an acidic solution.

4.3 / - Formatting rather large pieces made up of smaller parts

Extrusion shaping of smaller pieces has been described in the applications of formula 19.

In this case we will prepare the product as for restructuring, but we will extrude or pour a pellet or any other form into a calcium solution (see above).

- Salt cod pulp 6% 74%, water 20%, formula 16 6% mixture and extrusion in a 5% solution of calcium lactate and 5% of calcium chloride for 15 minutes, then the granules are taken out of the bath and left to rest to allow internal gelation.

5 / - Formulas for salted products

Formulas have been developed for the reattachment of pieces of salted meat, especially kebab meat (5 to 30 kg block) to be baked on a vertical oven (salted up to 8 g / kg).

Form 22

sodium alginate: 21 to 22% water retaining agent (pre-gelatinized starch, among others): 5.5 to 6%

- retarding agent (tetrasodium pyrophosphate inter alia): 3 to

7.5%

- slow calcium salt (CaSO ₄ among others): 24 to 26%

- dispersing agent (dextrose and sugar such as sucrose among others): 40 to 45%

These formulas can be adapted to contain more alginate and calcium salt for more salty products.

To implement these formulas, it is imperative that the meat or fish is pre-salted in advance, so that the salt is well distributed throughout the mass.

Claims

A process for preparing an at least partially gelled, solid or viscous food product capable of being cut or formed, characterized in that it comprises the steps in which:

a) the following components are mixed:

a2) all the ingredients of a food composition added simultaneously, and

a3) preferably water,

said mixture being produced until a homogeneous distribution of said composition around the pieces or particles of said food raw material and, if appropriate, the absorption of the water and a part of said composition in said raw material before the beginning of gelation,

1 - 5 to 60%, preferably 5 to 50%, more preferably 8 to 25% of sodium alginate,

2- 0 to 60%, preferably 0 to 50% of a slowly dissolving calcium salt capable of reacting with sodium alginate to form a calcium alginate gel, such as preferably calcium sulfate or dicalcium phosphate, and 3- 0 to 25% of a reaction retarding agent between sodium alginate and said calcium salt, such as, preferably, tetrasodium pyrophosphate or sodium citrate, preferably trisodium citrate,

4- 0.1 to 90% texturing agent (s) retent (s) of water selected from

• starches of plant origin pre-gelatinized, and

• vegetable proteins, and

• native or modified celluloses, and

• vegetable fibers; and

the weight proportion of texturizing agent (s) being constituted by:

b) one of the following steps b1) or b2) is carried out:

b _t ) is allowed to stand to allow gelation to obtain a solid or viscous food product capable of being cut or formed in which the pieces of said raw material food are glued together, or

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that

said composition comprises a proportion of said calcium salt 2- and said retarding agent 3, of:

5 to 60%, preferably 5 to 30%, of said calcium salt 2 in the case where said raw material contains no or less calcium than in dairy products, especially cheese, and which is desired obtain a food product according to step b1) in which the pieces of said food raw material are glued together, and

Less than 5%, preferably 0%, of said calcium salt 2, in the case where said raw material contains sufficient calcium such as dairy products, especially cheese, or when it is desired to obtain a product food according to step b2) in which the pieces of said food raw material are separated from each other, and Less than 1.5% of said retarder 3-, in the case where it is desired to obtain a food product with separate pieces according to step b2) in which the pieces of said food raw material are separated from each other.

3. Process according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that in step b) step b l) is carried out.

4. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, in step b), is carried out in step b2).

5. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that one carries out a mixture comprising the percentages by weight of the following components for a total of 100%:

1 to 15%, preferably 2 to 10% by weight of said composition and

6. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said food raw material is made of moist food material, or rehydrated and said mixture comprises 0 to 50% preferably 0 to 30% by weight of water added.

7. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said food raw material is made of fatty food material or semi-wet material containing bound water, and the mixture comprises from 10 to 95% by weight of water. added water.

8. Method according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that said composition comprises 0.5 to 15%, preferably 2 to 10% of said reaction retarding agent between sodium alginate and said calcium salt.

9. Method according to one of claims 1 to 8 characterized in that said water-retaining agent is selected from said pre-gelatinized starches and said vegetable proteins.

10. Method according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that said dispersing agent is chosen from sugars of the type of dextrose, glucose, sucrose and fructose, preferably dextrose.

11. Method according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that said pre-gelatinized starch has a particle size of 0.020 to 1 mm, preferably 0.025 to 0.4 mm.

12. Method according to one of claims 1 to 1 1, characterized in that it comprises as said water-retaining agent of pregelatinized cassava starch.

13. Method according to one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that said food raw material comprises no or less calcium than in cheese, and said composition comprises:

1 - 8 to 25% of said sodium alginate,

2-5 to 30% of said calcium salts,

3- 1, 5 to 10% of said retarders,

4-5 to 50% water retentant texturing agent selected from a pre-gelatinized starch and a said vegetable protein, preferably pregelatinized manioc starch, and

5-30 to 70% of said dispersing agent, preferably of the sugar or maltodextrin type, more preferably of the dextrose type.

14. The method of claim 13, characterized in that said raw material is a wet raw material selected from meat, fish, fruit and vegetables and fats.

15. Method according to one of claims 1 to 12 and 14, characterized in that

said food material is a salty food material comprising from 5 to 15 g of cooking salt / kg, preferably salted meat, and

the proportions of said composition are as follows:

1 - 20 to 60% of said alginate salt, preferably 20 to 30% when the content of dispersing agent is greater than or equal to 30%, and

2- 20 to 60% of said slow-dissolving calcium salt, preferably 20 to 30% when the proportion of dispersing agent is greater than or equal to 30%, and

4-5 to 20% of said texturizing agent (s), preferably 5 to 10% when the proportion of dispersing agent is greater than or equal to

30%, and

5- 15 to 50% of said dispersants.

16. Method according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that

said food raw material is selected from meat or certain firm fish such as cod, tuna, salmon or perch, and

the proportion of said plant protein (s) among said texturizing agent (s) is less than 50% of the total proportion of said texturizing agent (s) ( s).

17. Method according to one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that

said feed raw material is selected from certain soft fish such as hake or hake, and

the proportion of said plant protein (s) is greater than 50% of the total of the proportions by said texturizing agent (s) and less than 50% of the total of the composition.

18. Method according to one of claims 1 to 1 1, characterized in that it comprises:

0 to 10% of said dispersing agent, preferably 0%, and

19. The method of claim 18, characterized in that

said raw material contains calcium such as dairy products, in particular cheese,

said composition comprises for a total of 100% of the following ingredients:

1 - 8 to 25% of said sodium alginate

2- 0% of said calcium salt capable of reacting with the alginate, and

3- 0.5 to 10% of said retarding agent, and

4- 0 to 10% of said dispersing agent, preferably 0%, and

5- more than 50%, preferably 60 to 90% of said water-retaining agent selected from said pre-gelatinized starches, preferably a pregelatinized cassava starch, and 6- 0 to 20% of a melt salt such as polyphosphates.

20. Method according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that said food raw material is a low acid material (pH> 3.5), neutral or alkaline and the calcium salt is calcium sulfate and the retarder is sodium pyrophosphate.

21. Method according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterized in that said raw material is an acidic raw material at pH <3.5 and the calcium salt is calcium phosphate, preferably dicalcium phosphate and the The retarding agent is sodium citrate, preferably trisodium citrate.

22. Method according to one of claims 1 to 21, characterized in that said composition is supplemented with an oil or fat acceptable in food or feed.

23. Method according to one of claims 1 to 22, characterized in that it implements a rapidly dissolving calcium salt solution such as calcium chloride or calcium lactate, preferably a 0.5 solution. at 10%, and the resulting product is quenched or coated with the mixture of said components in or respectively with a said fast-dissolving calcium solution, after or during gelation.

24. Powdery composition for the preparation of at least partially gelled thermostable food product, useful in a process according to one of claims 1 to 23, characterized in that it comprises essentially the percentages by weight of the following ingredients relative total of said ingredients representing 100%:

1-5 to 60% sodium alginate,

2-5 to 60% of a slowly dissolving calcium salt capable of reacting with sodium alginate to form a calcium alginate gel, 3- 0.5 to 25% of a slow-acting agent of reaction between sodium alginate and said calcium salt,

4- 0.1 to 90% texturing agent (s) retent (s) of water selected from

• starches of plant origin at least partially pregelatinized, and

• vegetable proteins, and

• native or modified celluloses, and

• vegetable fibers, and

the weight proportion of texturizing agent (s) being constituted by:

From 10 to 90% of said texturing agent (s) chosen from pre-gelatinized starches, cellulose, fibers and plant proteins when the proportion of said hydrocolloid polymer is less than 1% and the proportion of said hydrocolloid polymer of bacterial origin is less than 0.1%,

5- 0 to 85%, preferably 40 to 70%, dispersing agent (s) selected from sugars, and polysaccharides of plant origin, more preferably selected from non-pre-gelatinized maltodextrins and starches , and the dispersing mineral fillers admitted into the feed, such as colloidal silica,

the total of said agent (s) containing water retentive agent (s) and said dispersing agent (s) representing 20 to 95%, preferably at least 50%.

25. Composition according to claim 24, characterized in that said composition comprises 0.5 to 15%, preferably 2 to 10%, of said reaction retarding agent between sodium alginate and said calcium salt.

26. Composition according to one of claims 24 and 25, characterized in that said water-retaining agent is chosen from said pre-gelatinized starches and said vegetable proteins.

27. Composition according to one of claims 24 to 26, characterized in that said dispersing agent is chosen from sugars of the type of dextrose, glucose, sucrose and fructose, preferably dextrose.

28. Composition according to one of claims 24 to 27, characterized in that said pre-gelatinized starch has a particle size of 0.020 to 1 mm, preferably 0.025 to 0.4 mm.

29. Composition according to one of claims 24 to 28, characterized in that it comprises:

8 to 25% of said sodium alginate,

5 to 30% of a slow-dissolving calcium salt which is capable of reacting with sodium alginate to form a calcium alginate gel,

- 1, 5 to 15%, preferably 2 to 10%, of said reaction retarding agent between the sodium alginate and said calcium salt,

15 to 50% of water-retaining texturing agent chosen from a pre-gelatinized starch and a said vegetable protein, preferably pregelatinized cassava starch, and 30 to 70% of said dispersing agent, preferably of the sugar or maltodextrin type, more preferably of the dextrose type.

30. Composition according to one of claims 14 to 28, characterized in that the proportions of said composition for a total of 100% are as follows:

5- 15 to 50% of said dispersants.

31. Composition according to one of claims 24 to 30, characterized in that the proportion of said plant protein is less than 50% of the total composition.

32. Composition according to one of claims 24 to 31, characterized in that the proportion of said agent (s) texturing (s), other (s) that pre-gelatinized starch, and preferably said vegetable protein is greater than 50% of the total proportions by said agent (s) texturant (s).

33. Composition according to one of claims 24 to 32, characterized in that said composition comprises additional ingredients for lowering the pH, preferably citric acid, more preferably in a content of less than 1, 5%.

34. Composition according to one of claims 24 to 32, characterized in that it is supplemented with an oil or fat acceptable in food or feed.

35. A powder composition for the preparation of at least partially gelled thermostable food product, useful in a process according to claim 19, wherein said raw material contains calcium such as cheese, characterized in that said composition comprises:

8 to 25% of said sodium alginate

0% of said calcium salt capable of reacting with the alginate, and

0.5 to 10% of said slow-moving agent, and

0 to 10% of said dispersing agent, preferably 0%, and

more than 50%, preferably 60 to 90%, of said water-retaining agent chosen from said pre-gelatinized starches, preferably a pre-gelatinized cassava starch, and

0 to 20% of a melt salt such as polyphosphates.

36. Thermally stable, solid or viscous at least partially gelled food product capable of being cut, consisting of pieces of said food raw material bonded together obtained by the method according to one of claims 1, 2, 3 and 5 to 23.

37 At least partially thermostable, solid or viscous cutable gelling foodstuff consisting of pieces of said food raw material separated from each other obtained by the method according to one of claims 4 to 23.

38. Food product according to claim 36 or 37, characterized in that it has water retention properties in storage, the case defrosting and cooking, improved compared to those of said food raw material it contains before said mixture.

39. Food product according to one of claims 36 to 38, characterized in that it is pellets, pieces for skewer or fillet, minced, tournedos, cobblestones, cubes, large blocks, granules, thin slices of meat, poultry or fish.

40 Food product according to one of claims 36 to 38, characterized in that it consists of pancakes in the form of puree vegetable or fruit preferably precooked.

41. Food product according to one of claims 36 to 38, characterized in that it is pieces of cheese or cheese preparation, preferably based on emmenthal, goat cheese, fresh curd cheese, raclette, cheese soft cheese or mozzarella.

42. Product according to one of claims 36 to 39, characterized in that it consists of thermostable solidified fat.

43. Food product according to claim 36 to 42, characterized in that it was covered with a said calcium solution as defined in claim 22, preferably in the form of a marinade, which gives it a solid appearance.