Process for texturizing microbial cells by induced cell leakage

Claim 2

The process of claim 2 wherein said surface active agent is selected from the group consisting of sodium lauryl sulfate, hexachlorophene, and a detergent.

Claim 3

The process of claim 3 wherein about 0.01 to 10 percent by weight surface active agent, based upon the total combined weight of surface active agent, cells, and surroudning medium containing said cells, is mixed with said plurality of individual microbial cells.

Claim 4

The process of claim 1 wherein the leakage of inner cell components through said cell walls is promoted by simultaneously adding to said plurality of individual microbial cells: a. 0.01 to 10 percent by weight of a surface active agent, based upon combined weight of surface active agent, cells and surrounding medium containing said cells; and b. an alkaline composition selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides, ammonium hydroxide, ammonia, sodium carbonate and sodoum bicarbonate, said alkaline composition being added in an amount sufficient to adjust the pH of the resultant mixtue to about 7.5 to b. 9.

Claim 5

The process of claim 1 wherein said gelatinizing agent is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides, ammonium hydroxide, ammonia, sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate.

Claim 6

The process of claim 1 wherein said protein-containing microbial cells are slected from the group consisting of Candida utilis, saccharomyces carlsbergensis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Saccharomyces fragilis.

Claim 7

The process of claim 1 wherein said gelatinized cell debris is subjected to shaping prior to formation of a texturized product from said gelatinized cell debirs.

Claim 8

A process for imparting texture to a plurality of individual protein-containing cells comprising: preparing an aqueous slurry of individual cells having a cell cencentration of about 5 to 30 percent by weight cells based upon total combined weight of cells and water; mixing said aqueous slurry of cells with a surface active agent for a time sufficient to promote the parital leakage of inner cell components contained in said cells through the cell walls and into the surrounding water medium; separating said leaked inner cell components from residual protein-containing cell debirs; treating said residual cell debirs with a gelatinizing agent for a time sufficient to gelatinize said cell debris; and treating said gelatinized cell debirs with a precipitating agent for a time sufficient to induce texture formation in said geLatinized cell debirs, said precipitating agent being selected from the group consisting of hydrochloric acid, phosphoric acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, C1 to C10 alcohols, and aqueous mixtures thereof.

Claim 9

The process of claim 9 wherein said gelatinized cell debris is shaped prior to treatment with said precipitating agent.

Claim 10

The process of claim 10 wherein said gelatinized cell debris is shaped into fiber-like threads by means of extrusion.

Claim 11

The process of claim 9 wherein said surface active agent and said gelatinizing agent are simultaneously mixed withsaid aqueous slurry of individual cells.

Claim 12

The process of claim 9 wherein said surface agent is selected from the group consisting of sodium lauryl sulfate, hexachlorophene, and a detergent, and wherein said gelatinizing agent is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides, ammonium hydroxide, a mmonoa, sodium charbonat and sodium bicarbonate.

Claim 13

The process of claim 13 wherein the quantity of surface active agent added to said aqueous slurry of microbial cells in in the range of about 0.01 to 10 percent by weight surface active agent, based upon combined weight of surface active agent, cells and water, and wherein the quantity of ge/atinizing agent added to said risidual cell debris is sufficient to adjust the pH of the residual mixture to about 7.5 to 9.

Claim 14

The texturized product prepard by the process of claim 1.