Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BACON ANALOG PRODUCT
The present invention relates to bacon analog
products which utilize simulated adipose tissue.
This application is a division of copending
Canadian patent application Serial No. 313,038 filed
October 10, 197~.
Adipose tissue (animal fat) is naturally present
; in a variety of meat products such as, bacon, steak,
chops and roasts. Adipose tissue is also used in a variety
Of processed meat products, such as, breakfast sausage
and meat snacks. The adipose tissue imparts a number
of beneficial and highly acceptable properties, such
as oil release on cooking and in the mouth. However,
the ever diminishing lands available for grazing and
growing feed for animals has intensified the search for
satisfactory simulated meat products having comparable
properties to the natural animal product.
The present invention relates to a bacon analog
product which utilizes a simulated adipose tissue as
the white (fat) phase thereof. The bacon analog product
of this invention consists of a heat coagulated mass
of separate red and white layers.
The simulated adipose tissue used as the white
phase is based on heat coagulable protein-
aceous emulsifiers, fibrous proteins and edible lipid
material, preferably of non-animal source. The simulated
adipose tissue itself forms the subject of parent applica-
tion Serial No. 313,038 out of which this application
is divided.
The oil release characteristics of the simulated
adipose tissue are determined by the "fry-away", i.e.,
the weight loss on frying, which results on frying of
slices of the product. The fry-away generally is in
the range of about 25 to about 70% by weight.
The non-meat proteinaceous emulsifiers and
coagulants used in this invention are constituted by
a mixture of precisely limited relative proportions of
egg white, ge:Latin and at least one emulsifying protein
isolate.
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The proportions of the components which may
be used in the simulated adipose material providing the
white phase of the bacon analog product of this invention
may vary over a wide range, the general and preferred
: 5 ranges being set forth in the following Table I:
TABLE I
: ComponentGeneral Range Specific Range
% by w _ight .
Lipid material~ut 65 to about 80 about 70 to about 75
10 Waterabout 15 to about 25 about 1~ to about 23
Proteinaceous
emulsifiers-overall about 2.5 to about 7. about 3.0 to a~ 5.C
-Pr~n isolate (dry) about 1 to about 4 about 1.5 to about 2.5
-egg white about 1 to about 2~5 about 1 to about 1.75
-gelatin about 0.1 to about 1. about G.3 to about o.r
Protein fibres about 15 to about 45 out ~ to about 20
The emulsifying protein isolate may be any
convenient protein isolate having fat emulsifying properties.
It has been found that different protein isolates produce
different oil release and texture characteristics and
mixtures of such materials may be used to provide. the
desired combination of properties. Suitable protein
isolates include soy protein isolate and a protein micellar
mass ~nown hereinafter as "PMM").
PMM is a unique protein isolate, the formation
of which is described in our Canadian Patent No. 1,028,552
and involves a controlled two-step operation, in which,
in the first step, the protein source material is treated
with an aqueous food grade salt solution at a temperature
of about 15 to about 35C, a salt concentration of at
least 0.2 ionic strength, generally about 0.2 to about
0.8, and a pH of about 5.5 to about 6.5 to cause solubili-
zation (or sa:Lting-in) of the protein, usually in about
10 to about 60 minutes, and, in the second step, the
aqueous prote:in solution is diluted to decrease its ionic
strength to a value less than about 0.1.
The dilution of the aqueous protein.solution,
which may have a protein concentration, for example,
; 3
up to about 10% w/v, causes association of the protein
molecules to form highly proteinaceous micelles which
settle in the form of an amorphous highly viscous, sticky,
gluten-like micellar mass of pxotein. The protein micellar
mass so produced is referred to herein as PMM and is
used to form the protein fibres. The wet PMM may be
dried to a powder and the drying may be effected in any
convenient manner, such as, spray drying, freeze drying
or vacuum drum drying.
Improvements in the procedure described in
Canadian Patent No. 1,028,552 may be made to increase
the yield of the uni~ue protein isolate from the aqueous
protein solution, as fully described in our Canadian
Patent No. 1,099,576.
The protein materials from which the wet PMM
is formed may vary widely and include plant proteins,
for example, starchy materials, such as, wheat, corn,
oats, rye, barley and triticale; starchy legumes, such
as, field peas, chickpeas, fababeans, navy beans and
pinto beans; and oil seeds, such as, sunflower seeds,
peanuts, rapeseed and soybeans, animal proteins, such
as, serum proteins; and microbial protein, i.e., single
- cell proteins. Preferably, the protein source is a plant
material owing to the readily-available nature of these
materials.
The mild processing operations effected on
the source protein to form the PMM ensure that the protein
isolate is in a substantially undenatured form, as deter-
mined by differential scanning calorimetry.
Apart from the protein isolate, the remainder
of the emulsifier mix is provided by egg white and gelatin.
It has been found that all three components are necessary
to provide a product having good dimensional stability,
good sliceability and good oil release during cooking.
Thus, if gelatin is omitted entirely, the
product is soft and non-sliceable whereas if the overall
gelatin concentration is too high, then a hard, low oil
release product is obtained. Gelatin alone does not
produce emulsification.
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Similarly, combinations of protein isolate
and gelatin alone form products which are soft and lacking
in sliceability while egg white and gelatin alone produce
a rubbery mass with no fat-like quality and no oil release.
All three components, therefore, are required.
The weight ratio of 1:hese various proteins
at the same overall protein level may be varied consider-
ably to control the final texture from soft to hard.
The greater the proportion of egg white present, the drier
is the product with less oil re'Lease while the greater
the proportion of protein isolate present, the more fat-
like the product becomes with greater oil release.
The fibrous protein used in the product of
this invention may be any conventional texturizing fibrous
protein, but preferably is the protein fibres formed
from PMM by injection of a PMM into hot water following
the procedure outlined in our copending Canadian application
Serial No. 296,430 filed February 3, 1978. The fibrous
protein provides a structure closely resembling adipose
tissue, and adds texture, mouth feel and strength to
the product.
In addition, the protein fibres increase the
overall protein content of the product while the fibres
do not significantly decrease oil release on cooking
although some decrease in oil release is experienced
with increasing concentrations of fibres. The fibres,
therefore, represent a substantially inert protein filler
with respect to fat binding. The presence of the protein
fibres thus enables the overall protein level of the
product after oil release on cooking to increase to a
high level, for example, about 15 to about 30 wt.%, without
resulting in a cake-like texture and without having to
use high cost protein materials.
Protein fibres of various dimensions may be
employed in the product of the invention, generally of
length of about 0.5 to about 15 cm, preferably about
1 to about 4 cm, and of diameter of about 0.1 to about
1 mm. Mixtures of fibres of differing dimensions may
be used to provide variable texture.
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The edible lipid material may be any convenient
edible lipid material capable of emulsification in water
with the mixture of emulsifiers and is usually at least
one edible oil, preferably ~rom a non-animal source,
such as, a vegetable oil, which may be unsaturated.
The simulated adipose tissue is formed by
dissolving and/or dispersing the proteinaceous emulsifiers
in water, emulsifying the edible lipid material with
the proteinaceous dispersion incorporating the fibrous
protein in the emulsion in dispersed form, and then heat
setting the emulsion to a fat-like solid material consisting
of a heat-coagulated matrix of protein with entrapped
lipid material having protein fibres dispersed therethrough.
The fibrous protein may be incorporated into
the emulsion in any convenient manner, such as, by direct
addition thereto or by dispersing the same in the aqueous
emulsifier dispersion. It is usually preferred to add
the ~ibres to the emulsion to avoid degradation under
the usually high shear conditions of emulsion formation.
The degree of emulsification achieved and
hence the final texture of the product can be controlled
to a certain degree by variation of certain parameters
during the emulsification step.
~or example, the pH of the emulsifi-er dispersion
can affect the emulsification capacity of the proteins.
The aqueous dispersion, therefore, is usually adjusted,
if necessary, to a pH of about 6.5 to about 8.0, preferably
about 7.0 to about 7.Ç, prior to commencing emulsification.
Variations in the temperature at which emulsi-
fication occurs also varies the degree of emulsification,with greater emulsification occurring at 40C than
at ambient temperature (20 to 25C). This
difference in emulsification leads to a higher oil
release from a product produced at a higher emulsi-
fication temperature.
The presence or absence of sodium chloridealso has an effect on emulsification. Since sodium chloride
tends to increase dispersion of the proteins and the
more dispersed the proteins, the more available they
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are for emulsification, it is preferred to provide small
amounts, generally up to about 3.5~ by weight, preferably
about 1 to about 2.5~ by weight.
The emulsification is usually effected under
conditions of high shear for at least part of the procedure,
although high shear can lead to over emulsification and
destabilization if prolonged. ~sually, a high shear mixing
of about 5 to 15 minutes is adopted with a final low
shear mixing being effected for about 5 to 15 minutes.
Depending on the desired end use of the simulated
adipose tissue, flavourings of any type may be incorpora-
ted into the product by inclusion of the same in the
emulsion prior to heat setting.
The emulsion is heat set by heating to an
elevated coagulating temperature, generally in the range
of about 90 to about 120C with a superatmospheric pressure
being applied, if necessary, at the upper end of this
range. It has been found that the texture of the product
varies with the coagulating temperature, with a firmer
product being obtained at the higher temperatures.
The simulated adipose material has the appear-
ance and feel of adipose tissue and exhibits fat release
on cooking so that no additional oil is required. The
product also exhibits fat release in the mouth which
together with the fibrous texture give a good mouthfeel
to the bacon product of this invention.
In U.S. Patent No. 3,840,677 assigned to General
Foods Corporation, there is described a bacon analog
product comprising a fatty or white phase and a lean
or red phase. The new bacon analog product provided
in accordance with this invention is a combination of the
simulated adipose tissue of this invention as the white
phase and a red phase having the composition set forth
in the U.S. patent, as outlined in the following Table
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TAsLE II
Component General range Preferred range
~ by weight ~ by wei~ht
Water about 40 to ~x~t 65 about 45 to about 60
5 Fat about 10 to c~bout 25 about 15 to about 25
Protein isolate about 6 to about 24 - about 9 to about 18
Albumen up to ab~ut 15 about 1 to about 8
Proteinaceous 0 to about 15 ~XNt 1 to abcut 10
filler
10 Colour and flavour- to taste (usually about 5 to about 10
ing agents 5 to 15)
Thickening agent 0 to about 2 0 to abGut 1
As described in the prior patent, a bacon
analog product is obtained by layering emulsions correspon-
ding to the red phase and white phase in the desiredthickness and then heat coagulating the layered emulsions.
The resulting coagulated material has good sliceability
and is sliced to the desired thickness.
The use of the simulated adipose material
as the white phase in this invention results in a simulated
bacon analog which crinkles and has good texture on cooking,
and has good oil release for frying without added cooking
oil or fat.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a
sliceable simulated bacon product consisting of a heat
coagulated mass of separate red and white layers, the
red layer consisting essentially of the following components
in recited percentages by weight:
Water about 40 to about 65
Fat about 10 to about 25
Protein about 6 to about 24
isolate
Albumen up to about 15
Proteinaceous 0 to about 15
filler
Colour and to taste
flavouring
agents
Thickening 0 to about 2
agent
and the white layer consisting essentially of the following
components in recited percentages by weight:
Lipid material about 65 to about 80
Water about 15 to about 25
Proteinaceous about 2.5 to about 7.0
emulsifiers
- protein isolate about 1 to about 4
- egg white about 1 to about 2.5
- gelatin about 0.1 to about 1.0
Protein fibres about 15 to about 45
The invention is illustrated by the ~ollowing
Examples:
Example I
This Example illustrates the formation of
a simulated adipose tissue and the use thereof in a bacon
analog in accordance with this invention.
A formulation for a simulated adipose tissue
was chosen, as follows: ;
ComPonent Wt.%
Fababean PMM 2.50
Egg white solids l.00
Gelatin 0.33
Sodium chloride 2.00
Water 21.50
Vegetable oil 72.67
100 . 00
Protein fibres 30 wt.% of above
Spices and flavours as required for taste
The fababean PMM (i.e., a PMM prepared from
fababeans in accordance with the process of Canadian
Patent No. lt028,552) was dispersed with sodium chloride
in 80% of the water, the pH was adjusted to about 7.6
and the mixture was solubili~ed for 30 minutes. The
gelatin was dispersed in the remaining 20% of the water,
heated to about 40C to solubilize the same and cooled
to about 30C prior to addition to the fababean PMM disper
sion. The egg white solids were then added to the protein
mixture, the pH again adjusted to about 7.6 and the mixture
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was solubilized for about 15 minutes.
~ ehydrated (in water) thawed fresh fababean
PMM fibres of diameter about 0.4 mm and length of about
0.5 to about 2 cm and prepared as outlined in our copending
application Serial No. 296,430 were added to the solubilized
mixture along with water soluble spices and flavours.
Two-thirds of the oil was then blended lor homogenized)
with the protein and fibre mixture at high shear for
10 minutes after first dissolving oil soluble flavours
in the oil.
The mixture was transferred to a KITCHEN AID
HOBART (Trademarks) mixer and the remaining oil was blended
in at speed 8 for 10 minutes. The resulting emulsion
was layered into pans with lean phase bacon analog as
described in U.S. Patent No. 3,840,677 and heat set for
1 hour in flowing steam. The heat-set slab then was
tempered for 12 to 24 hours at about 4C.
The tempered slab was sliced to desired thick-
ness and fried at 350F for times varying from 4 to 8
minutes providing different final doneness and texture.
No oil was added and satisfactory oil release was observed.
The cooked bacon analog exhibited good taste characteris-
tics, as compared with natural bacon.
Example 2
In this Example, PMM materials from other
protein sources, namely, pea PMM, peanut PMM and soybean
PMM were substituted for the fababean PMM in the formulation
and the procedure was repeated. Results equivalent to
those obtained in Example I were obtained in each case.
Example 3
In this Example, the PMM fibres were rehydrated
in protein solution made up from PMM. The overall firmness
of the white phase appeared to be increased.
Example 4
This Example illustrates the variation in
texture of the bacon analog product with varying ~uantities
and sizes of PMM fibres.
The procedure of Example I was repeated, except
that the ~uantity of the fibres was varied over the range
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of 15 to 45% by weight of the remainder of the composition
and fibres of diameter 0.4 mm and 0.1 mm were used in
varying proportions of 40 to 70 wt.% of large diameter
fibres to 60 to 30 wt.% of small diame-ter fibres.
The texture of the pxoduct varied from crunchy
to chewy.
Example 5
This Example illustrates the variations in
properties of the bacon white phase in the bacon analog
product formed following the procedure of E~ample 1.
The procedure of Example 1 was repeated except
that the relative weight proportions of PMM and egg white
were varied while the overall protein weight remained
the same and the properties of the bacon white phase
were observed. The following Table III summarizes the
results obtained:
TABLE III
Egg PMM Colour Texture Oil Release on
wt.% Cooking
3.5 Bn~ash Soft, lacks stabili~,
not slioeable
0.875 2.625 Off-white Soft, sliceable but High oil release
lacks coh~siveness
1.75 1.75 Slight Fat-like, texture Good oil rel~ease
yellow slightly r~ery
2.625 0.875 Yellcwish Dry, cr ~ ly, n~ y Little oil release
texture
3.5 0 Yellcw Very rubbery, cru~bles No oil release
when frie
At overall weight proportions of 2.5 wt.%
protein isolate, 1 wt.% egg white and 0.33 wt.% gelatin,
varying proportions of a PMM and a soy protein i~olate
(Promine D) were used in the bacon white phase and the
oil release properties determined. When 100% PMM was
used, the fry-away value was 26 wt.% and increased with
increasing proportions of soy protein to a value of 44
wt.% at 100% soy isolate. It was'also observed that
the cooked material became more crumbly as the proportion
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of soy isolate increased.
In summary of this disclosure, the present
invention provides a novel bacon analog product having
many desirable properties. Modifications are possible
within the scope of this invention.
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