Process for the production of a casein substitute

Claim 2

A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING A PROTEINACEOUS MIXTURE OF MODIFIED VEGETABLE PROTEIN AND UNMODIFIED PROTEIN, SAID MIXTURE HAVING PROPERTIES SILIMAR TO CASEIN AND CASEINATE SALTS, SAID PROCESS COMPRISING: A. MAKING AN AQUEOUS SLURRY OF A CARBOHYDRATE CONTAINING VEGETABLE PROTEIN MATERIAL, SAID VEGETABLE PROTEIN MATERIAL CONTAINING AT LEAST ABOUT 30 PERCENT BY WEIGHT PROTEIN, B. FERMENTING THE SLURRY WITH YEAST TO GENERATE CARBON DIOXIDE, SAID FERMENTATION BEING CONDUCTED AT A TEMPERATURE OF FROM 33*F. TO 90*F FOR 4 HOURS TO 96 HOURS, AND SAID YEAST COMPRISING A MEMBER SELECTED FROM THE GROUP OF YEAST SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE AND SACCHAROMYCES CARLSBERGENSIS, C. ADDING AN ALKALI METAL HYDROXIDE OR AMMONIUM HYDROXIDE TO THE SLURRY IN AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO FORM A CARBONATE AND TO ADJUST THE PH OF THE CARBONATE CONTAINING SLURRY TO FROM ABOUT 7.0 TO ABOUT 10.5, D. HEATING THE AQUEOUS SLURRY TO REACT THE CARBONATE WITH THE PROTEIN, E. NEUTRALIZING THE SLURRY TO A PH OF FROM 6.0 TO 8.0 BY ADDITION THERETO OF AN EDIBLE ACID OR EDIBLE ALKALI, F. DRYING THE NEUTRALIZED SLURRY TO REMOVE A SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF THE WATER THEREIN, AND G. ADMIXING FROM 1-15 PARTS BY WEIGHT OF THE DRIED NEUTRALIZED SLURRY WITH FROM 1-30 PARTS BY WEIGHT UNMODIFIED PROTEINACEOUS MATERIAL.

Claim 3

A process as in claim 1 wherein the vegetable protein material is a solvent extracted oil seed vegetable protein.

Claim 4

A process as in claim 1 wherein the aqueous slurry has a solids content of from about 3 percent to 20 percent by weight.

Claim 5

A process as in claim 1 wherein the aqueous slurry has a protein content of up to 12 percent by weight.

Claim 6

A process as in claim 1 wherein the hydroxide is a member selected from the group sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, and ammonium hydroxide.

Claim 7

A process as in claim 1 wherein the heating step comprises heating the mixture to a temperature of from 260*F. to 370*F. in a closed vessel for from 2 to 5 minutes.

Claim 8

A process as in claim 1 wherein the vegetable protein material is defatted soy flour.

Claim 9

A process as in claim 1 wherein the vegetable protein material is oat protein.

Claim 10

A process for producing a proteinaceous mixture of modified vegetable protein and unmodified protein, said mixture having thermoplastic and forming properties similar to casein and caseinate salts, said process comprising: A. making an aqueous slurry of a carbohydrate containing vegetable protein material, said vegetable protein material containing at least about 30 percent by weight protein; B. fermenting the slurry with yeast to generate carbon dioxide, said fermentation being conducted at a temperature of from 33*F. to 90*F. for from 4 hours to 96 hours, and said yeast comprising a member selected from the group of yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces carlsbergensis; C. adding an alkali metal hydroxide or ammonium hydroxide to the slurry in an amount sufficient to form a carbonate and to adjust the pH of the carbonate containing slurry to from about 7.0 to about 10.5. D. heating the aqueous slurry to react the carbonate with the protein. E. cooling the reacted protein slurry to a temperature below about 130*F.; F. adjusting the pH of the slurry to a pH of from about 6.0 to 8.0; G. drying the pH adjusted slurry to remove a substantial portion of the water therein; and H. admixing from 1-15 parts by weight of the dried pH adjusted slurry with from 1-30 parts by weight unmodified proteinaceous material.

Claim 11

A process for producing a proteinaceous mixture of modified vegetable protein and unmodified protein, said mixture having thermoplastic and forming properties similar to casein and caseinate salts, said process comprising: A. making an aqueous slurry of a carbohydrate containing vegetable protein material, said vegetable protein material containing at least about 30 percent by weight protein; B. fermenting the slurry with yeast to generate carbon dioxide, said fermentation being conducted at a temperature of from 33*F. to 90*F. for from 4 hours to 96 hours, and said yeast comprising a member selected from the group of yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces carlsbergensis; C. adding an alkali metal hydroxide or ammonium hydroxide to the slurry in an amount sufficient to form a carbonate and to adjust the pH of the carbonate containing slurry to from about 7.0 to about 10.5. D. heating the aqueous slurry to react the carbonate with the protein. E. cooling the reacted protein slurry to a temperature below about 130*F.; F. adjusting the pH of the slurry to a pH of from about 6.0 to 8.0; G. drying the pH adjusted slurry to remove a substantial portion of the water therein; and H. admixing from 1-15 parts by weight of the dried pH adjusted slurry with from 1-30 parts by weight unmodified proteinaceous material.

Claim 12

A process for producing a modified vegetable protein having thermoplastic and forming properties similar to casein and caseinate salts, said process comprising: A. making an aqueous slurry of a carbohydrate containing vegetable protein material; said vegetable protein material containing at least about 30 percent by weight protein; and said slurry containing from about 8-20 percent by weight solids; B. pasteurizing the slurry by raising the temperature to above 290*F. for at least about 6 seconds and then cooling to a temperature below 65*F.; C. adding to the cooled, pasteurized slurry from 0.1 to 5.0 percent by weight yeast, said yeast comprising a member selected from the group of yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces carlsbergensis; D. allowing the innoculated slurry to ferment until a substantial portion of the saccharides have been converted thereby forming carbon dioxide; said fermenting being conducted at a temperature of from 33*F. to 90*F. for a time period of from 4 hours to 96 hours; E. adding an alkali metal hydroxide or ammonium hydroxide to the slurry in an amount sufficient to form a carbonate and to adjust the pH of the carbonate containing slurry to from about 7.0 to about 10.5; F. heating the slurry to a temperature of from 300*F. to 360*F. for a time period of from 1-10 minutes; G. cooling the slurry to a temperature of from 50*F. to 90*F.; H. neutralizing the slurry to a pH of from 6.0 to 8.0 by addition thereto of an edible acid or edible alkali; I. drying the neutralized slurry to remove a substantial portion of water therein; and J. admixing from 1-15 parts by weight of the dried neutralized slurry with from 1-30 parts by weight unmodified proteinaceous material.

Claim 13

A process for producing a modified vegetable protein having thermoplastic and forming properties similar to casein and caseinate salts, said process comprising: A. making an aqueous slurry of a carbohydrate containing vegetable protein material; said vegetable protein material containing at least about 30 percent by weight protein; and said slurry containing from about 8-20 percent by weight solids; B. pasteurizing the slurry by raising the temperature to above 290*F. for at least about 6 seconds and then cooling to a temperature below 65*F.; C. adding to the cooled, pasteurized slurry from 0.1 to 5.0 percent by weight yeast, said yeast comprising a member selected from the group of yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Saccharomyces carlsbergensis; D. allowing the innoculated slurry to ferment until a substantial portion of the saccharides have been converted thereby forming carbon dioxide; said fermenting being conducted at a temperature of from 33*F. to 90*F. for a time period of from 4 hours to 96 hours; E. adding an alkali metal hydroxide or ammonium hydroxide to the slurry in an amount sufficient to form a carbonate and to adjust the pH of the carbonate containing slurry to from about 7.0 to about 10.5; F. heating the slurry to a temperature of from 300*F. to 360*F. for a time period of from 1-10 minutes; G. cooling the slurry to a temperature of from 50*F. to 90*F.; H. neutralizing the slurry to a pH of from 6.0 to 8.0 by addition thereto of an edible acid or edible alkali; I. drying the neutralized slurry to remove a substantial portion of water therein; and J. admixing from 1-15 parts by weight of the dried neutralized slurry with from 1-30 parts by weight unmodified proteinaceous material.