Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BACXGROUND AND PRIOR ART
Simulated bacon has been described in U.S. Patent Nos.
3,320,070; 3,442,662; 3,537,859 and 3,589,914 and in
Canadian Patent No. 872186. These patents describe
various mixtures of vegetable proteins and binders along
; with colorings and flavors which are employed to simulate
the lean meat and fat portions of natural bacon. ~Yhile
these prior art compositions may in a generic sense simu-
late bacon, they all have the disadvantages of not having
the same mouth feel and cooked appearance of natural bacon.
As a result they do not have wide acceptance in the
commercial marketplace as a true substitute for bacon.
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1 SUMMARY OF T~IE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, a simu-
lated bacon product is provided having alternate layers
simulating the lean and fat portions of bacon, the layers
simulating the lean portions being produced from an
initial composition consisting essentially of 10 to 40
percent vegetable protein fiber, 5 to 20 percent egg
albumen~ 5 to 20 percent tapioca starch, 30 to 60 percent
water, 3 to 20 percent vegetable oil, 0.1 to 1.5 percent
vegetable gum, 2 to 15 percent vegetable protein isolate,
0.05 to 0.50 percent dextrose, 0.005 to 0.05 percent food
grade coloring and 5 to 20 percent flavors and seasonings,
and the layers simulating the fat portions being produced
from an initial composition consisting essentially of 0 to
5 percent vegetable proteln fiber, 5 to 20 percent egg
albumen, 3 to 20 percent tapioca starch, 30 to 60 percent
water, 10 to 40 percent vegetable oil, 0.1 to 1.5 percent
vegetable gum, 2 to 15 percent vegetable protein isolate,
4 to 15 percent sodium caseinate, 0.05 to 0.50 percent
dextrose, and 5 to 20 percent flavors and seasonings) said
percents being weight percent based on the total weight of
the layer composition. This product is produced by forming
and stacking alternate layers of the simulated lean and fat
portions to form a simulated bacon slab and then cooking
such slab. During this cooking the slab expands from 15
to 40 volume percent to produce a tender, flaky texture in
the final product.
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1 DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The vegetable protein fibers employed in the present
invention are prepared in a well-known manner by extruding
vegetable protein, such as that obtained from soy beans,
corn or peanuts, through a spinerette into an acid bath
where the extruded material is coagulated into fibers.
This is described in U.S. Patent No. 2,682,466. The re-
sulting fibers can be stretched, washed to desired pH and
then cut into desired lengths.
Vegetable protein isolate, such as soy isolate, is a
commercially available material containing at least 90
weight percent protein.
The vegetable oil suitable in this invention is prefer-
ably corn oil, but other commercially available vegetable
oils can also be used.
The vegetable gum suitable in this invention is pre-
ferably carrageenan, but other vegetable gums, such as sea-
weed extract, guar gum or locust bean gum, can also be used.
The red color useful for simulating lean mea~ is
preferably obt~ined by a mixture of F~C Red No. 3 and
FDC Yellow No. 6 food grade colors, but other suitable
commercially available food grade colors can also be used.
The composition also preferably contains from a~out 0.1
to about 0.7 weight percent caramel color. An especially
useful amount is 0.34 percent.
The suitable flavors are a mixture of autolyzed
yeast, hydrolyzed yeast and other vegetable or artificial
flavors which combine to provide a "bacon flavor". Such
selection is within the knowledge of those skilled in the
art.
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1 The other ingredients oE the compositions are
well-known commercially available materials.
The specific mixtures suitable for production of the
individual simulated lean and fat portions of the simulated
bacon product are set forth above in the "Summary of the
Invention". The preferred product has layers simulating
the lean portions being produced from an initial composi-
tion consisting essentially of about 18 percent vegetable
protein fiber, about 10 percent egg albumen, about 7.5
percent tapioca starch, about 42.5 percent water, about
6.7 percent vegetable oil, about 0.5 percent vegetable
gum, about 3.4 percent vegetable protein isolate, about
0.16 percent dextrose, about 0.01 percent food grade color-
ing, about 0.34 percent caramel color and about 10.89 per-
cent flavors and seasonings. The layers simulating the fat
portions are produced from an initial composition consist-
ing essentially of about 1.5 percent vegetable protein
fiber, about 8.2 percent egg albumen, about 5.8 percent
tapioca starch, about 42.3 percent water, about 25.7 per-
cent vegetable oil, about 0.2 percent vegetable gum, about
2.6 percent vegetable protein isolate, about 5.2 percent
sodium caseinate, abou~ 0.12 percent dextrose and about
8.38 percent flavors and seasonings. All of the above per-
cents are by weight based on the total weight of the layer
composition.
The simulated bacon product is produced by forming
and stacking alternate layèrs of the simulated lean and
fat portions to form a simulated bacon slab and then
cooking such slab. This cooking step "sets" the fiber
and binder materials together into a coherent mass. This
cooking is carried out until the internal temperature of
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1 the simulated bacon slab is at least 75C. Such cooking
is conveniently carried out at a temperature of about 75
to 95C. Any convenient heating means can be employed.
Prior to the formation of the individual layers, the
ingredients are mixed with an aerating type mixer so as to
entrap air or other non-toxic gas within the mixture. An
alternative procedure is to force air or other non-toxic
gas into the mixture through a suitably designed orifice
to proride extensive dispersion of fine bubbles throughout
the mixture. Still a further alternative is to include in
the mixture a leavening agent, such a~ sodium bicarbonate
or commercial baking powder, which will generate gas during
subsequent heating. The amount of entrapped or internally
generated gas is such that during the cooking of the re-
sulting slab, the slab expands from about 15 to abou~ 40,
preferably from about 20 to about 25, volume percent. Dur-
ing the cooking the entrapped or internally generated gas
expands slightly and forms numerous small bubbles which
become a permanent feature of the finished product after
the mixture is coagulated during heating. This enables the
cooked product to develop a tender, flaky texture which
simulates the texture of natural bacon.
The invention is described in ~urther detail in the ~ ;
~ollowing example.
EXAMPLE
A mixture of water, food grade coloring, caramel color,
corn oil and liquid flavors was blended together. Chopped
spun soy protein fiber having pH 5.0 and strands each about
l/16 in. (1.6 mm.) long was added and allowed to mix in the
liquids to allow absorption of water and oil by the protein
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1 fibers. Egg albumen, tapioca starch, carrageenan, soy
isolate, dextrose, and powdered flavors and seasonings were
added and mixing was continued in an aerating type mixer,
such as a Littleford Lodige Mixer, until the mixture was
homogeneous The resulting first mixture which is intended
to be used as a simulated lean meat portion contained 18
percent spun fiber, 10 percent egg albumen, 7.5 percent
tapioca starch, 42.5 percent water, 6.7 percent corn oil,
0.5 percent carrageenan, 3.4 percent soy isolate, 0.34 per-
cent caramel color, 0.16 percent dextrose, 0.01 percent
color (mixture of 75 percent FDC Red No. 3 and 25 percent
~DC Yellow No. 6) and 10.89 percent fla~ors and seasonings,
said percents being by weight based on the total weight of
the mixture.
A second mixture was produced by blending together
water, corn oil, liquid flavors and chopped spun soy pro-
tein fiber. Egg albumen, tapioca starch, carrageenan, soy
isolate, sodium caseinate, and powdered flavors and season-
ings were added and mixing was continued in an aerating
type mixer, such as a Littleford Lodige Mixer, until the
mixture was homogeneous. The resulting second mixture
which is intended to be used as a simulated fat portion
contained 1~5 percent spun fiber, 8.2 percent egg albumen,
5.8 percent tapioca starch, 42.3 percent water, 25.7 per-
cent corn oil, 0.2 percent carrageenan, 2.6 percent soy
isolate, 5.2 percent sodium caseinate,0.12 percent dextrose
and 8.38 percent flavors and seasoning, said percents being
by weight based on the total weight of the mixture.
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*Trade Mark
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l The above-described first and second mixtures contain-
ing entrapped air were then applied as alternate layers, one
upon the other, each layer being from 0.5 to 0.75 cm. thick,
until a slab of about 2.5 cm. thickness was obtained. This -
slab was about 18 cm. wide and about 29 cm. long. The slab
was then cooked by externally heating it with steam to an
internal temperature of 75 to 95C. During this heating
the slab expanded about 20 to 25 volume percent. The prod-
uct in the form of a solid slab was then allowed to cool to
4C. and was then sliced transversely to the layers in
slices about 0.18 cm. thick, packaged and frozen for sub-
sequent sale as a simulated bacon product. ~
Slices prepared as described above, when subsequently ~-
heated, as in a frying pan, have a resulting taste and
mouth feel which is substantially the same as cooked
natural bacon. ~ ;
The red portion provides a crispy, moderately juicy,
lean appearing dark portion which very closely resembles
bacon lean meat whereas the white portion has a crisperJ !.
fla~ier texture much like that of fried bacon fat. This
product is also superior to bacor. in several aspects. It
contains no cholesterol, it has a higher Protein Efficiency -
Ratio (PER) than bacon (about 3 as compared to 2.7 for lean
meat) and it has a desirably high ratio of poly-unsaturated
fats to saturated fatty acids. This product has a ratio
of polyunsaturated to saturated fats in excess of 1:1. In
contrast natural bacon has a similar ratio in an amount of
only 0 25:1.
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