Fluid aqueous protein compositions and food products prepared therefrom

Claim 2

A fluid aqueous protein composition comprising from about 15 to about 50% by weight of a substantially undenatured plant protein in the dissolved state, and a dissolved water-soluble edible salt selected from the group consisting of water-soluble edible salts of sodium, potassium, ammonium, calcium and magnesium, said dissolved water-soluble edible salt having a concentration sufficient to keep the protein dissolved and to give an ionic strength (based on the water content of said composition) of at least about 0.2, the composition containing at least about 50% by weight of water and having a pH in the range of about 4 to about 6 and being capable of being coagulated by heat.

Claim 3

A FLUID AQUEOUS PROTEIN COMPOSITION COMPRISING FROM ABOUT 15 TO ABOUT 50% BY WEIGHT OF A SUBSTANTIALLY UNDENATURED PLANT PROTEIN IN THE DISSOLVED STATE, AND A DISSOLVED WATER-SOLUBLE EDIBLE SALT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF WATER-SOLUBLE EDIBLE SALTS OF SODIUM, POTASSIUM, AMMONIUM, CALCIUM AND MAGNESIUM, SAID DISSOLVED WATER-SOLUBLE EDIBLE SALT HAVING A CONCENTRATION SUFFICIENT TO KEEP THE PROTEIN DISSOLVED AND TO GIVE AN IONIC STRENGTH (BASED ON THE WATER CONTENT OF SAID COMPOSITION) OF AT LEAST ABOUT 0.2, THE COMPOSITION CONTAINING AT LEAST ABOUT 50% BY WEIGHT OF WATER AND HAVING A PH IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 4 TO ABOUT 6 AND BEING CAPABLE OF BEING COAGULATED BY HEAT.

Claim 4

A FLUID AQUEOUS PROTEIN COMPOSITION COMPRISING FROM ABOUT 15 TO ABOUT 50% BY WEIGHT OF A SUBSTANTIALLY UNDENATURED PLANT PROTEIN IN THE DISSOLVED STATE, AND A DISSOLVED WATER-SOLUBLE EDIBLE SALT SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF WATER-SOLUBLE EDIBLE SALTS OF SODIUM, POTASSIUM, AMMONIUM, CALCIUM AND MAGNESIUM, SAID DISSOLVED WATER-SOLUBLE EDIBLE SALT HAVING A CONCENTRATION SUFFICIENT TO KEEP THE PROTEIN DISSOLVED AND TO GIVE AN IONIC STRENGTH (BASED ON THE WATER CONTENT OF SAID COMPOSITION) OF AT LEAST ABOUT 0.2, THE COMPOSITION CONTAINING AT LEAST ABOUT 50% BY WEIGHT OF WATER AND HAVING A PH IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 4 TO ABOUT 6 AND BEING CAPABLE OF BEING COAGULATED BY HEAT.

Claim 5

A fluid aqueous protein composition according to claim 1, wherein the water-soluble edible salt is sodium chloride.

Claim 6

A fluid aqueous protein composition according to claim 2, wherein there is additionally present a dissolved agent capable of preventing the formation, or capable Of breaking disulphide links in the protein.

Claim 7

A fluid aqueous protein composition according to claim 3, wherein said agent is selected from the group consisting of sulphites and bisulphites.

Claim 8

A fluid aqueous protein composition according to claim 2 wherein the plant protein is soy protein.

Claim 9

A fluid protein composition according to claim 2, wherein from about 20 to about 45% by weight of plant protein is present in the dissolved state.

Claim 10

A process for preparing edible protein fibres, comprising extruding a fluid aqueous protein composition according to claim 6, into an aqueous medium to form said fibres, and heating the fibres thus formed at above 80*C to result in setting thereof.

Claim 11

A process according to claim 7, wherein said aqueous medium is itself at above 80*C, so that said fibre formation and said heat setting occur substantially simultaneously.

Claim 12

An aqueous protein composition according to claim 2 which has been coagulated.

Claim 13

A coagulated protein composition according to claim 9 which is in the form of fibre.

Claim 14

A food product comprising a matrix of the coagulated aqueous protein composition of claim 9 having other edible material distributed therein.

Claim 15

A food product according to claim 11, wherein said other edible material is a mixture of cooked meat and comminuted raw meat, the food product being in dried form.

Claim 16

A food product comprising a matrix of the coagulated aqueous protein composition of claim 9 having distributed therein the coagulated aqueous protein composition in fibrous form.

Claim 17

A fluid aqueous protein composition comprising from about 15 to about 50% by weight of substantially undenatured soy protein in the dissolved state, an edible dissolved water-soluble salt selected from the group consisting of edible water-soluble salts of sodium, potassium, ammonium, calcium and magnesium, said salt having a concentration sufficient to keep the protein dissolved and to give an ionic strength (based on the water content of said composition) of at least about 0.2, and a dissolved agent capable of preventing the formation of, or capable of breaking, disulphide links in the protein, the composition being heat-coagulable, containing at least about 50% by weight of water, and having a pH in the range of about 4 to about 6.

Claim 18

A fluid aqueous protein composition comprising from about 15 to about 50% by weight of substantially undenatured soy protein in the dissolved state, an edible dissolved water-soluble salt selected from the group consisting of edible water-soluble salts of sodium, potassium, ammonium, calcium and magnesium, said salt having a concentration sufficient to keep the protein dissolved and to give an ionic strength (based on the water content of said composition) of at least about 0.2, and a dissolved agent capable of preventing the formation of, or capable of breaking, disulphide links in the protein, the composition being heat-coagulable, containing at least about 50% by weight of water, and having a pH in the range of about 4 to about 6.