Patent Description:
<CIT> discloses a cheese analogue comprising hydrocolloids as stabilizers. <CIT> discloses a method for producing non-dairy cottage cheese using <NUM> wt. % of hydrocolloids (k-carrageenan, guar gum). <CIT> describes substitute cheese based on vegetable protein, vegetable oil and a hydrocolloid. <CIT> discloses a cheese analogue, which comprise a powder blend comprising at least one vegetable protein, at least one flour and at least one hydrocolloid. <CIT> discloses a cheese extender comprising starch, whey, emulsifiers and <NUM>-<NUM> wt. % gums (xanthan, locus bean gum, guar gum).

In addition to the prior art above, there are also vegan cheeses in the market which are not considered not natural due to the presence of additives such as modified starches and/or hydrocolloids. If a composition devoid of these additives were to be produced, the said composition does not yield cheese like properties.

In the light of the above, there is a clear need for a non-dairy, plant-based cheese analogue with desirable textural properties and short and consumer friendly label.

The invention relates to natural non-dairy cheese analogue compositions which are plant based, and devoid of additives. The composition may be for example be a natural cheese product with improved textural attributes. Such a composition would serve as an alternative to dairy products for human consumption.

The present invention relates to a non-dairy cheese analogue composition comprising dietary fiber; plant protein, lipid and calcium, wherein the composition is devoid of additives, wherein additives comprises modified starches, hydrocolloids, emulsifiers, whitening agents, plasticizers and anti-caking agents, and wherein the dietary fiber is potato fiber ranging from <NUM> to <NUM> wt.

In one embodiment the present invention relates to a non-dairy cheese analogue composition comprising <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % dietary fiber, <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % plant protein and <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % lipid; wherein additives comprises modified starches, hydrocolloids, emulsifiers, whitening agents, plasticizers and anti-caking agents.

Another aspect of the present invention relates to a method of preparing the cheese analogue composition comprising the steps of:.

In one embodiment the composition after cooling step undergoes a water evaporation step performed under vacuum.

The term "wt. %" used in the entire description below refers to total weight % of the final product. The final composition included water unless specified. The recipes in the examples show an illustration of how wt. % is to be understood by the skilled person in the art.

The term "non-dairy cheese analogue" refer to replacements of cheese and are non-dairy based food compositions. The term includes vegan cheeses intended to be used for salad bars and baked cheese food products such as pizzas and pasta.

The term "devoid of additives" refers to compositions not containing modified starches, hydrocolloids (e.g. carraregenans, xanthan gum, gellan gum, locust bean gum, alginates, guar gum, karaya gum, gum Arabic, konjac gum, agar agar, gelatin); emulsifiers (e.g. lecithin, mono and diglycerides, Polyglycerol polyricinoleate (PGPR)); whitening agents (e.g. titanium dioxide); plasticizers (e.g. glycerine); anti-caking agents (e.g. silicon-dioxide).

The term "dietary fiber" relates to a plant-based ingredient that is not completely digestible by enzymes in the human gut system. The term may comprise plant based fiber-rich fraction obtained from vegetables, seeds, fruits, nuts, pulses. The dietary fiber may comprise cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, β-glucans, gums, mucilages and lignin. In one embodiment the dietary fiber is a fiber fraction from potato with a soluble polysaccharide fraction greater than <NUM>% and comprising pectins as main polysaccharide component of the soluble fraction and may contain residual starch and protein. In one embodiment of the present invention, the dietary fiber comprises <NUM> wt. % soluble polysaccharide fraction and <NUM> wt. % insoluble polysaccharide. Furthermore, the soluble fraction comprises at least <NUM> wt. % of pectin in its natural form. In one embodiment the plant-source is a potato flesh and skin fragments. In one embodiment of the present invention, the dietary fiber comprises a soluble polysaccharide fraction greater than <NUM> wt. %, wherein soluble polysaccharide fraction comprises at least <NUM> wt.

A water based solution comprising <NUM> wt. % dietary fiber at <NUM> exhibits the following viscoelastic properties:.

Within the scope of this invention, the shear thinning is defined as any material that exhibits a decrease in viscosity with increasing shear rate or applied stress (see <FIG>).

In one embodiment of the present invention the amount of dietary fiber used in preparing non-dairy cheese analogue composition ranges from <NUM> to <NUM> wt. The dietary fiber could at least <NUM> wt. % soluble fiber content of the total fiber content.

The term "plant protein" includes "plant protein isolates" or "plant protein concentrates" or combination thereof and refers to any protein source from vegetables, seeds, nuts, algae, pulses.

The term "plant protein concentrate" as used herein is a plant material having a protein content of from about <NUM> wt. % to less than about <NUM> wt. % plant protein. Plant protein concentrate also contains plant fiber, typically from about <NUM> wt. % up to about <NUM> wt.

The term plant protein isolate as used herein is a plant material having a protein content of at least about <NUM> wt. % plant protein on a moisture free basis.

Plant protein include plant protein concentrate or plant protein isolate from pea protein, corn protein (e.g., ground corn or corn gluten), wheat protein (e.g., ground wheat or wheat gluten such as vital wheat gluten), potato protein, legume protein such as soy protein (e.g., soybean meal, soy concentrate, or soy isolate), rice protein (e.g., ground rice or rice gluten), barley protein, algae protein, canola protein or combinations thereof. Preferably the plant protein is wheat gluten, more preferably the plant protein is a mix from soy protein and wheat gluten, more preferably the plant protein is soy protein.

In one embodiment the plant protein is a pea protein isolate with protein fraction of at least <NUM> wt. In one embodiment the plant protein is a pea protein isolate with protein fraction of at least <NUM> wt.

In one embodiment of the present invention the amount of pea protein isolate used in preparing non-dairy cheese analogue composition ranges from <NUM> to <NUM> wt.

The term "lipid" refers to oil, fat and combinations of oil and fat in particular triglycerides. The term "lipid" also comprises oils obtained from vegetables, seeds, nuts and algae. In a preferred embodiment the oil is selected from the group consisting of sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, canola oil, cotton seed oil, peanut oil, soy oil, olive oil, moringa oil, algal oil, safflower oil, corn oil, rice bran oil, sesame oil, hazelnut oil, avocado oil, almond oil, walnut oil or a combination thereof including the high oleic versions of the oils stated above. In one embodiment the lipid is a high oleic vegetable oil comprising monounsaturated fatty acid of at least <NUM> wt. % and polyunsaturated fatty acid below <NUM> wt. % and displays below <NUM> wt. % of solid fat content at <NUM>, wherein, the unsaturated fatty acid contains 18C-atoms or more than 18C-atoms. The term lipid may also refer to solid fats with saturated fatty acid content greater than <NUM> wt. %, for example stearin fractions and mid-fractions of palm (both fruit and Kernel), shea, cocoa, coconut, cottonseed, moringa and algae. In one embodiment the solid fat may be stearin fraction of Shea butter.

In one embodiment of the present invention the amount of lipid used in preparing non-dairy cheese analogue composition ranges from <NUM> to <NUM> wt.

The term "calcium" refers to salts of calcium such as calcium carbonate, calcium chloride, calcium gluconate, calcium lactate, calcium phosphate, calcium glycerophosphate and the like, and mixtures thereof. In one embodiment the calcium is a calcium phosphate salt. The amount of calcium ranges from <NUM> to <NUM> wt.

The term "citrus fruit juice concentrate" comprises lemon juice, grape fruit, orange, berries, lime and combinations thereof. The term also includes clarified form. In an embodiment the "citrus fruit juice concentrate" is concentrated juice from citrus fruits selected from the group consisting of lemon, grape fruit, orange, lime and combinations of these. In one embodiment the citrus fruit juice concentrate is lime juice ranging from <NUM> to <NUM> wt.

In one embodiment the present invention relates to use of non-dairy cheese composition comprising <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % dietary fiber, <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % plant protein and <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % lipid; wherein additives comprises modified starches, hydrocolloids, emulsifiers, whitening agents, plasticizers and anti-caking agents to prepare culinary recipes comprising desserts, cheese, savory filings. In another embodiment the composition as described here comprises dietary fiber having at least <NUM> wt. % of soluble polysaccharide fraction of the total dietary fiber. In another embodiment this soluble fraction is pectin.

In one embodiment the natural vegan cheese comprises a matrix of vegetable fiber, plant-based protein and lipid. For example a vegan cheese recipe may comprise a mixture of <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % potato fiber, <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % pea protein and <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % sunflower oil. The product characteristics such as hardness, chewiness and melting profile were analyzed leading to creation of specific target textures (such as soft cheese, mozzarella and parmesan like chesses). The texture of the product is improved over existing solutions, including significant stretching upon baking (e.g. as pizza topping).

In one embodiment the present invention relates to a method of preparing the cheese analogue composition comprising the steps of (i) Mixing dietary fiber and plant protein at room temperature in amount such that further incorporation of lipid in following step (iil) should be possible; (ii) Adding water under shear until homogenous mixture is reached; (iii) Adding lipids to the above mixture and emulsifying under high shear; (iv) Adjusting the pH between <NUM>-<NUM> of the emulsion obtained in step (iii) followed by heating the emulsion to a temperature ranging from <NUM> to <NUM>, until desired smooth, homogeneous texture is achieved. (v) Optionally molding the emulsion obtained in step (iv) to required shape; and (vi) Cooling down resulting in a gel form.

In one embodiment the present invention relates to a method of preparing the non-dairy based cheese analogue composition comprising the initial step of mixing potato fiber and pea protein in presence of water such that the total wt. % of potato fiber and pea proteins ranges from <NUM> to <NUM> wt. % Lack of water makes the product very pasty and incorporation of oil is impossible. Similarly excess of water renders the composition not suitable for cheese formation. A further emulsifying step involves incorporation of a mixture of HOSO and Shea Stearin. The oils to solids ratio is critical in order to obtain a homogenous mixture, for instance a high ratio prevents oils to be incorporated in the matrix. In one embodiment the mixture of HOSO and Shea Stearin are in range of <NUM> and <NUM> wt. % for obtaining a low total solid (TS) recipe of <NUM> wt. % (TS - refers to total potato fiber and pea protein content only). In another embodiment the mixture of HOSO and Shea Stearin are in range of <NUM> and <NUM> wt. % for obtaining a low total solid (TS) recipe of <NUM> wt.

Non-dairy cheese recipes A to F (expressed in wt. %) were prepared with varied composition at lab scale as outlined in Table <NUM>. Total solid values shown in the table includes fiber, protein, lipids (High oleic sunflower oil -HOSO and Shea stearin fraction), calcium and table salt.

A lab scale double-jacketed Stephan mixer equipped with a cutting blade was used to produce different non-dairy cheeses as outlined in Table <NUM>. <FIG> displays the different steps of the production process, which includes weighting and dry mixing of the powder ingredients. Addition of water and mixing under high shear (sample T=<NUM>/t=<NUM>-<NUM>) in Stephan mixer (<FIG>).

Next, lipids were added (i.e. HOSO or shea stearin fraction and combination of thereof) under low shear, followed by lime juice addition under high shear mixing (sample T=<NUM>/t=<NUM>-<NUM>) to obtain a dietary fiber-protein gel network with stabilized lipid droplets obtain <FIG>. The samples were then heated (sample T=<NUM>) while mixing under high shear until reaching target stretch ability, smooth texture (<FIG>). Finally, the samples were molded (sample T > <NUM>) and cooled until set (T=<NUM>-<NUM>, preferably overnight). <FIG> displays molded and final set structure of non-dairy cheese (Recipe E).

The same process as described above (example <NUM>) was applied to produce a non-dairy cheese using dietary fiber from pea source with an increased insoluble fraction (<NUM> wt. %) at the same concentration that the examples mentioned in this inventions as follows: <NUM> wt. % pea hull fiber, <NUM> wt. % pea protein, <NUM> wt. % lipid, <NUM> wt. % calcium phosphate and <NUM> wt. % lime juice. No cheese analogue could be obtained.

A TA-HDi texture analyzer was used to measure the hardness characteristics of the non-dairy cheese analogue compositions outline in Table <NUM>. Cheese samples were cut in a cylindrical shape of <NUM> diameter and hardness of the samples were measured via penetrometry at room temperature using a cylindrical probe of <NUM> diameter, speed of <NUM>/sec and <NUM> penetration with a force threshold of <NUM>. <NUM> replicate measurements were performed and the force of penetration at <NUM> was recorded.

<FIG> displays the maximum force required for penetration for different non-dairy cheese recipes. By varying the proportions of ingredients in the recipes A-F, different levels of texture was achieved which allows to formulate several variety of non-dairy cheese products for food applications.

Potato fibers from commercially available sources were selected based on their rheological response when dispersed in water.

shows shear viscosity of potato fiber dispersions at a range of concentrations. A Newtonian fluid behavior is observed at concentrations low concentrations (below <NUM>% wt. ) whereas a shear thinning response becomes apparent at concentrations equal or above <NUM>% wt. The onset concentration for shear thinning response for this potato fiber is rather low compared to fibers comprising large amounts of insoluble polysaccharides (e.g. cellulose, hemicellulose). This is mainly due to the increased amount of soluble, high molecular polysaccharide chains from the potato fiber (primarily galacturtonic and glucuronic type, but also glucans, mannoses, xyloses, rhamonoses and arabinoses) which are solubilized in the water continuous phase and hence occupy large hydrodynamic volumes.

The viscoelastic properties of <NUM>% wt. potato fiber water dispersions are shown in <FIG>. , with G' being significantly greater than G" and constant over wide range of applied strain (corresponding to the linear viscoelastic region) until the microstructure breaks down and the material yields. The fact that potato fiber dispersions show G' > G" indicates the dominant solid-like response over the applied strain ranges, which is attributed to the chain entanglement between the previously mentioned polysaccharides that are solubilized in the water-continuous phase. The insoluble fiber fraction of the potato fiber is acting as a filler, with less contribution to the viscoelastic response of the dietary fiber suspension.

Claim 1:
A non-dairy cheese analogue composition comprising dietary fiber; plant protein, lipid and calcium, wherein the composition is devoid of additives, wherein additives comprises modified starches, hydrocolloids, emulsifiers, whitening agents, plasticizers and anti-caking agents, and wherein the dietary fiber is potato fiber ranging from <NUM> to <NUM> wt. %.