Puffed proteinaceous food products and methods of producing same

Claim 1

The method of preparing a puffed, proteinaceous food product comprising subjecting an unneutralized protein mix of hydrophilic protein and about 10 to 40 parts of water per 60 parts of protein, on a dry basis, to mixing and heavy mechanical compaction pressure conditions sufficient to cause said mix to undergo plastic flow and provide a moisture-containing, compressed, substantially homogeneous, translucent to glassy product under non-puffing conditions, recovering said product, and, as a separate and distinct operation, thereafter puffing said recovered product in a moist state by subjecting it to a water-boiling temperature to provide a puffed, proteinaceous food product.

Claim 2

The method of preparing a puffed, proteinaceous food product comprising subjecting an unneutralized protein mix of hydrophilic protein and about 10 to 40 parts of water per 60 parts of protein, on a dry basis, to mixing and heavy mechanical compaction pressure conditions sufficient to cause said mix to undergo plastic flow and provide a moisture-containing, compressed, substantially homogeneous, translucent to glassy product under non-puffing conditions, recovering said product, and, as a separate and distinct operation, thereafter puffing said recovered product in a moist state by subjecting it to a water-boiling temperature to provide a puffed, proteinaceous food product.

Claim 3

The method of preparing a puffed, proteinaceous food product comprising subjecting an unneutralized protein mix of protein material from the group consisting of defatted soy protein material, casein material, and admixtures thereof, and about 10 to 40 parts of water per 60 parts of protein, on a dry basis, to mixing and heavy mechanical compaction pressure conditions sufficient to cause said mix to undergo plastic flow and provide a moisture-containing, compressed, substantially homogeneous, translucent to glassy product under non-puffing conditions, recovering said product, and, as a separate and distinct operation, thereafter puffing said recovered product in a moist state by subjecting it to a water-boiling temperature to provide a puffed, proteinaceous food product.

Claim 4

The method of preparing a puffed, proteinaceous food product comprising subjecting an unneutralized protein mix of protein material from the group consisting of defatted soy protein material, casein material, and admixtures thereof, and about 10 to 40 parts of water per 60 parts of protein, on a dry basis, to mixing and heavy mechanical compaction pressure conditions sufficient to cause said mix to undergo plastic flow and provide a moisture-containing, compressed, substantially homogeneous, translucent to glassy product under non-puffing conditions, recovering said product, and, as a separate and distinct operation, thereafter puffing said recovered product in a moist state by subjecting it to a water-boiling temperature to provide a puffed, proteinaceous food product.

Claim 5

The method of preparing a puffed, proteinaceous food product comprising subjecting a protein mix of hydrophilic protein and about 10 to 40 parts of water per 60 parts of protein, on a dry basis, and capable of undergoing plastic flow and providing a hot, plastic, translucent to glassy mass at less than about 100°C. to thorough mixing and heavy mechanical pressure and added heat which provides a temperature of less than about 100°C. to cause said mix to undergo plastic flow and extruding said hot, plastic, flowable material at less than about 100°C. and under non-puffing conditions to provide a moisture-containing, substantially homogeneous, translucent to glassy, extruded product, recovering said extruded product, and, as a separate and distinct operation, thereafter puffing said recovered, translucent to glassy product in a moist state by subjecting it to a water-boiling puffing temperature, whereby the pressure of water vapor in the product builds up and effects puffing of said product to provide a puffed, proteinaceous food product.

Claim 6

The method of preparing a puffed, proteinaceous food product comprising subjecting a protein mix of hydrophilic protein and about 10 to 40 parts of water per 60 parts of protein, on a dry basis, and capable of undergoing plastic flow and providing a hot, plastic, translucent to glassy mass at less than about 100°C. to thorough mixing and heavy mechanical pressure and added heat which provides a temperature of less than about 100°C. to cause said mix to undergo plastic flow and extruding said hot, plastic, flowable material at less than about 100°C. and under non-puffing conditions to provide a moisture-containing, substantially homogeneous, translucent to glassy, extruded product, recovering said extruded product, and, as a separate and distinct operation, thereafter puffing said recovered, translucent to glassy product in a moist state by subjecting it to a water-boiling puffing temperature, whereby the pressure of water vapor in the product builds up and effects puffing of said product to provide a puffed, proteinaceous food product.

Claim 8

The method of preparing a puffed, proteinaceous food product comprising subjecting an unneutralized protein mix of hydrophilic protein and about 10 to 40 parts of water per 60 parts of protein, on a dry basis, to mixing and heavy mechanical compaction pressure conditions sufficient to cause said mix to undergo plastic flow and provide a moisture-containing, compressed, substantially homogeneous, translucent to glassy product under non-puffing conditions, recovering that product, and, as a separate and distinct operation, drying said recovered product to reduce its moisture content but leave residual moisture, and, as a separate and distinct operation, thereafter puffing said dried product having residual moisture by subjecting it to a water-boiling temperature to provide a puffed, proteinaceous food product.

Claim 9

The method of preparing a puffed, proteinaceous food product comprising subjecting an unneutralized protein mix of hydrophilic protein and about 10 to 40 parts of water per 60 parts of protein, on a dry basis, to mixing and heavy mechanical compaction pressure conditions sufficient to cause said mix to undergo plastic flow and provide a moisture-containing, compressed, substantially homogeneous, translucent to glassy product under non-puffing conditions, recovering that product, and, as a separate and distinct operation, drying said recovered product to reduce its moisture content but leave residual moisture, and, as a separate and distinct operation, thereafter puffing said dried product having residual moisture by subjecting it to a water-boiling temperature to provide a puffed, proteinaceous food product.

Claim 10

The method of preparing a puffed, proteinaceous food product comprising subjecting an unneutralized protein mix of protein material from the group consisting of defatted soy protein material, casein material, and admixtures thereof, and about 10 to 40 parts of water per 60 parts of protein, on a dry basis, to mixing and heavy mechanical compaction pressure conditions sufficient to cause said mix to undergo plastic flow and provide a moisture-containing, compressed, substantially homogeneous, translucent to glassy product under non-puffing conditions, recovering that product, and, as a separate and distinct operation, drying said recovered product to reduce its moisture content but leave residual moisture, and, as a separate and distinct operation, thereafter puffing said dried product having residual moisture by subjecting it to a water-boiling temperature to provide a puffed, proteinaceous food product.

Claim 11

The method of preparing a puffed, proteinaceous food product comprising subjecting an unneutralized protein mix of protein material from the group consisting of defatted soy protein material, casein material, and admixtures thereof, and about 10 to 40 parts of water per 60 parts of protein, on a dry basis, to mixing and heavy mechanical compaction pressure conditions sufficient to cause said mix to undergo plastic flow and provide a moisture-containing, compressed, substantially homogeneous, translucent to glassy product under non-puffing conditions, recovering that product, and, as a separate and distinct operation, drying said recovered product to reduce its moisture content but leave residual moisture, and, as a separate and distinct operation, thereafter puffing said dried product having residual moisture by subjecting it to a water-boiling temperature to provide a puffed, proteinaceous food product.

Claim 12

The method of preparing a puffed, proteinaceous food product comprising subjecting a protein mix of hydrophilic protein and about 10 to 40 parts of water per 60 parts of protein, on a dry basis, and capable of undergoing plastic flow and providing a hot, plastic, translucent to glassy mass at less than about 100°C. to thorough mixing and heavy mechanical pressure and added heat which provides a temperature of less than about 100°C. to cause said mix to undergo plastic flow and extruding said hot, plastic, flowable material at less than about 100°C. and under non-puffing conditions to provide a moisture-containing, substantially homogeneous, translucent to glassy, extruded product, recovering said extruded product, and, as a separate and distinct operation, drying said recovered product to reduce its moisture content but leave residual moisture, and, as a separate and distinct operation, thereafter puffing said dried product having residual moisture by subjecting it to a water-boiling puffing temperature, whereby the pressure of water vapor in the product builds up and effects puffing of said product to provide a puffed, proteinaceous food product.

Claim 13

The method of preparing a puffed, proteinaceous food product comprising subjecting a protein mix of hydrophilic protein and about 10 to 40 parts of water per 60 parts of protein, on a dry basis, and capable of undergoing plastic flow and providing a hot, plastic, translucent to glassy mass at less than about 100°C. to thorough mixing and heavy mechanical pressure and added heat which provides a temperature of less than about 100°C. to cause said mix to undergo plastic flow and extruding said hot, plastic, flowable material at less than about 100°C. and under non-puffing conditions to provide a moisture-containing, substantially homogeneous, translucent to glassy, extruded product, recovering said extruded product, and, as a separate and distinct operation, drying said recovered product to reduce its moisture content but leave residual moisture, and, as a separate and distinct operation, thereafter puffing said dried product having residual moisture by subjecting it to a water-boiling puffing temperature, whereby the pressure of water vapor in the product builds up and effects puffing of said product to provide a puffed, proteinaceous food product.

Claim 15

The method of preparing a puffed, proteinaceous food product comprising subjecting a protein mix of water-moistened, hydrophilic protein material having a protein content of at least about 30% on a dry weight basis, a calcium compound that provides calcium ions which impart sturdier structure to the puffed product, and an effective amount of water within the range of about 10 to 50% to mixing and mechanically applied compaction pressure and heated temperature conditions sufficient to cause said mix to convert to a plastic, flowable mass under non-puffing conditions to provide a solid, moisture-containing, compressed, unpuffed, translucent to glassy product, recovering said moist, unpuffed product, and, as a separate and distinct operation, thereafter puffing said recovered, unpuffed, translucent to glassy product in a moist state by subjecting it to water-boiling puffing conditions, whereby such water-boiling puffing conditions build up pressure in said product from moisture present which, when suddenly released from said product under said water-boiling puffing conditions, causes said product to puff.

Claim 16

The method of preparing a puffed, proteinaceous food product comprising subjecting a protein mix of water-moistened, hydrophilic protein material having a protein content of at least about 30% on a dry weight basis, a calcium compound that provides calcium ions which impart sturdier structure to the puffed product, and an effective amount of water within the range of about 10 to 50% to mixing and mechanically applied compaction pressure and heated temperature conditions sufficient to cause said mix to convert to a plastic, flowable mass under non-puffing conditions to provide a solid, moisture-containing, compressed, unpuffed, translucent to glassy product, recovering said moist, unpuffed product, and, as a separate and distinct operation, thereafter puffing said recovered, unpuffed, translucent to glassy product in a moist state by subjecting it to water-boiling puffing conditions, whereby such water-boiling puffing conditions build up pressure in said product from moisture present which, when suddenly released from said product under said water-boiling puffing conditions, causes said product to puff.

Claim 17

The method of preparing a puffed, proteinaceous food product comprising subjecting a protein mix of protein material having a protein content of at least about 30% on a dry weight basis from the group consisting of defatted soy protein material, casein material, and admixtures thereof, a calcium compound that provides calcium ions which impart sturdier structure to the puffed product, and an effective amount of water within the range of about 10 to 50% to mixing and mechanically applied compaction pressure and heated temperature conditions sufficient to cause said mix to convert to a plastic, flowable mass under non-puffing conditions to provide a solid, moisture-containing, compressed, unpuffed, translucent to glassy product, recovering said moist, unpuffed product, and, as a separate and distinct operation, thereafter puffing said recovered, unpuffed, translucent to glassy product in a moist state by subjecting it to water-boiling puffing conditions, whereby such water-boiling puffing conditions build up pressure in said product from moisture present which, when suddenly released from said product under said water-boiling puffing conditions, causes said product to puff.

Claim 18

The method of preparing a puffed, proteinaceous food product comprising subjecting a protein mix of protein material having a protein content of at least about 30% on a dry weight basis from the group consisting of defatted soy protein material, casein material, and admixtures thereof, a calcium compound that provides calcium ions which impart sturdier structure to the puffed product, and an effective amount of water within the range of about 10 to 50% to mixing and mechanically applied compaction pressure and heated temperature conditions sufficient to cause said mix to convert to a plastic, flowable mass under non-puffing conditions to provide a solid, moisture-containing, compressed, unpuffed, translucent to glassy product, recovering said moist, unpuffed product, and, as a separate and distinct operation, thereafter puffing said recovered, unpuffed, translucent to glassy product in a moist state by subjecting it to water-boiling puffing conditions, whereby such water-boiling puffing conditions build up pressure in said product from moisture present which, when suddenly released from said product under said water-boiling puffing conditions, causes said product to puff.

Claim 19

The method of preparing a puffed, proteinaceous food product comprising subjecting a protein mix of water-moistened, hydrophilic protein material having a protein content of at least about 30% on a dry weight basis, a calcium compound that provides calcium ions which impart sturdier structure to the puffed product, and an effective amount of water within the range of about 10 to 50% to mixing and mechanically applied compaction pressure and heated temperature conditions sufficient to cause said mix to convert to a plastic, flowable mass under non-puffing conditions to provide a solid, moisture-containing, compressed, unpuffed, translucent to glassy product, recovering said moist, unpuffed product, and, as a separate and distinct operation, drying said recovered, moist, unpuffed, translucent to glassy product under non-puffing conditions to reduce its moisture content but leave residual moisture, and, as a separate and distinct operation, thereafter puffing said dried, unpuffed, translucent to glassy product having a residual moisture by subjecting it to water-boiling puffing conditions, whereby such water-boiling puffing conditions build up pressure in said product from residual moisture present which, when suddenly released from said product under said water-boiling puffing conditions, causes said product to puff.

Claim 20

The method of preparing a puffed, proteinaceous food product comprising subjecting a protein mix of water-moistened, hydrophilic protein material having a protein content of at least about 30% on a dry weight basis, a calcium compound that provides calcium ions which impart sturdier structure to the puffed product, and an effective amount of water within the range of about 10 to 50% to mixing and mechanically applied compaction pressure and heated temperature conditions sufficient to cause said mix to convert to a plastic, flowable mass under non-puffing conditions to provide a solid, moisture-containing, compressed, unpuffed, translucent to glassy product, recovering said moist, unpuffed product, and, as a separate and distinct operation, drying said recovered, moist, unpuffed, translucent to glassy product under non-puffing conditions to reduce its moisture content but leave residual moisture, and, as a separate and distinct operation, thereafter puffing said dried, unpuffed, translucent to glassy product having a residual moisture by subjecting it to water-boiling puffing conditions, whereby such water-boiling puffing conditions build up pressure in said product from residual moisture present which, when suddenly released from said product under said water-boiling puffing conditions, causes said product to puff.

Claim 21

The method of preparing a puffed, proteinaceous food product comprising subjecting a protein mix of protein material having a protein content of at least about 30% on a dry weight basis from the group consisting of defatted soy protein material, casein material, and admixtures thereof, a calcium compound that provides calcium ions which impart sturdier structure to the puffed product, and an effective amount of water within the range of about 10 to 50% to mixing and mechanically applied compaction pressure and heated temperature conditions sufficient to cause said mix to convert to a plastic, flowable mass under non-puffing conditions to provide a solid, moisture-containing, compressed, unpuffed, translucent to glassy product, recovering said moist, unpuffed product, and, as a separate and distinct operation, drying said recovered, moist, unpuffed, translucent to glassy product under non-puffing conditions to reduce its moisture content but leave residual moisture, and, as a separate and distinct operation, thereafter puffing said dried, unpuffed, translucent to glassy product having residual moisture by subjecting it to water-boiling puffing conditions, whereby such water-boiling puffing conditions build up pressure in said product from residual moisture present which, when suddenly released from said product under said water-boiling puffing conditions, causes said product to puff.

Claim 22

The method of preparing a puffed, proteinaceous food product comprising subjecting a protein mix of protein material having a protein content of at least about 30% on a dry weight basis from the group consisting of defatted soy protein material, casein material, and admixtures thereof, a calcium compound that provides calcium ions which impart sturdier structure to the puffed product, and an effective amount of water within the range of about 10 to 50% to mixing and mechanically applied compaction pressure and heated temperature conditions sufficient to cause said mix to convert to a plastic, flowable mass under non-puffing conditions to provide a solid, moisture-containing, compressed, unpuffed, translucent to glassy product, recovering said moist, unpuffed product, and, as a separate and distinct operation, drying said recovered, moist, unpuffed, translucent to glassy product under non-puffing conditions to reduce its moisture content but leave residual moisture, and, as a separate and distinct operation, thereafter puffing said dried, unpuffed, translucent to glassy product having residual moisture by subjecting it to water-boiling puffing conditions, whereby such water-boiling puffing conditions build up pressure in said product from residual moisture present which, when suddenly released from said product under said water-boiling puffing conditions, causes said product to puff.

Claim 23

The method of preparing a textured, puffed, proteinaceous food product comprising subjecting a protein mix, capable of undergoing plastic flow and providing a heated, plastic, translucent to glassy mass at less than about 100°C., of hydrophilic protein material having a protein content of at least about 30% on dry weight basis and an effective amount of water within the range of about 10 to 50% to substantial pressure and heated temperature conditions of less than about 100°C. to cause said mix to convert to a heated, moist, plastic extrudable mass and extruding said heated plastic mass at less than about 100°C. under non-puffing conditions to provide a moisture-containing, unpuffed, translucent to glassy product, recovering said moist, unpuffed, translucent to glassy product, and, as a separate and distinct operation, thereafter puffing said recovered, unpuffed, translucent to glassy product in a moist state by subjecting it to water-boiling puffing conditions, whereby such water-boiling puffing conditions build up pressure in said product from moisture present which, when suddenly released from said product under said water-boiling puffing conditions, causes said product to puff.

Claim 24

The method of preparing a textured, puffed, proteinaceous food product comprising subjecting a protein mix, capable of undergoing plastic flow and providing a heated, plastic, translucent to glassy mass at less than about 100°C., of hydrophilic protein material having a protein content of at least about 30% on dry weight basis and an effective amount of water within the range of about 10 to 50% to substantial pressure and heated temperature conditions of less than about 100°C. to cause said mix to convert to a heated, moist, plastic extrudable mass and extruding said heated plastic mass at less than about 100°C. under non-puffing conditions to provide a moisture-containing, unpuffed, translucent to glassy product, recovering said moist, unpuffed, translucent to glassy product, and, as a separate and distinct operation, thereafter puffing said recovered, unpuffed, translucent to glassy product in a moist state by subjecting it to water-boiling puffing conditions, whereby such water-boiling puffing conditions build up pressure in said product from moisture present which, when suddenly released from said product under said water-boiling puffing conditions, causes said product to puff.