Patent ID: 6635301
Filing Date: 2003-10-21
Classification: A23J

Abstract:
A method of manufacturing a texturised proteinaceous meat analogue product, comprising the steps of:subjecting, in a food extruder, a mixture containing: about 40 to 95% by weight edible proteinaceous materials selected from the group consisting of predetermined mixtures of defatted soy flour, soy meal, soy concentrate, cereal gluten in vital or starch-containing form and egg white, and up to about 7% by weight of edible mineral binding and cross-linking compounds; to mechanical pressure and added heat sufficient to convert the mixture into a hot, viscous protein lava; extruding the protein lava through and from a temperature controlled cooling die which cools and reduces the viscosity of the protein lava to obtain a cohesive, texturised, extrudate slab or ribbon in which vapour-flashing is substantially inhibited; and subjecting the solidified extrudate slab or ribbon to mechanical shredding in a hammer mill having a cage plate with a plurality of elongate discharge openings and a plurality of hammer bars hinged to discs attached to a rotating shaft, so as to obtain a plurality of extrudate shreds that resemble in consistency and texture flaked or shredded meat.