Patent Description:
Oat drinks ("oat milk") for use as cow milk substitutes (<CIT>; <CIT>; <CIT>) and as a raw material for other non-dairy milk products are known in the art. They are preferred by many customers for various reasons, such as for their content of soluble β-glucan fiber beneficial to health, their lack of potentially allergenic proteins and of lactose, which cannot be digested by the majority of the global population.

In prior art processes for preparing oat milk the starting material such as oat flour or oat bran is heated to a temperature and for a time sufficient to substantially prevent the development of endogenous enzymatic activity, in particular lipase/lipoxygenase activity, but also β-glucanase activity. Oat milk known in the art may be also be termed "oat base" since, in addition to its use as a drink, in particular milk drink, it can be used as a base for the manufacture of other food products, such as oat yogurt, oat cream or oat batter, or be used as a food additive.

Due to the low fat content of oat milk (typically <NUM> % by weight) fat in form of vegetable oil, such as rapeseed oil, is often added to the product.

Oat base or milk can be used for preparing oat drinks by addition of sugar, flavorings, fruit extracts, etc. It is desirable for those drinks to be similar in taste, texture, and viscosity to corresponding drinks prepared from cow milk. This is not problematic as far as drinks of low viscosity, that is, of a viscosity similar to dairy milk, are concerned. A problem however arises in the use of oat base for the preparation of products corresponding to cow milk products of enhanced viscosity such as yogurt or sour cream. Cow milk products of enhanced viscosity like yogurt or sour cream are prepared by fermentation using cultures of Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus bacteria as such or in combination with other lactobacilli and bifidobacteria. Decrease of pH by lactic acid formed in the process coagulates milk protein, thereby substantially increasing the viscosity of the product.

Oat base and cow milk have a protein content of about <NUM> % by weight and about <NUM> by weight, respectively.

<CIT> discloses a deamidated liquid oat base and a process for its manufacture.

Milk protein crosslinking and/or modifying enzymes such as transglutaminase, laccase, tyrosinase, peroxidase, sulfhydryl oxidase and protein glutaminase are used in the dairy industry to stabilize the structure of milk-based products. <CIT> discloses a method of manufacturing soured fresh dairy products by the combined use of transglutaminase, an enzyme activating compound with oxidative or reducing properties such as yeast extract and glutathione, and an acidifying agent in form of a microbiological starter culture, a chemical acidifying agent and mixtures thereof, enabling compensating for loss of viscosity in the production of yogurt when using milk of a lower protein content. <CIT> discloses a liquid enzyme formation comprising a polyol-water suspension of a milk protein crosslinking and/or modifying enzyme such as transglutaminase.

<NPL>; investigates effects of added gluten and transglutaminase on microstructure, instrumental texture and sensory characteristics of bread baked with <NUM>% whole meal oat flour.

It is an object of the present disclosure to provide an oat drink or base of the aforementioned kind of substantially enhanced viscosity.

It is another object of the present disclosure to provide products of enhanced viscosity obtainable from said oat base or drink by fermentation.

It is a further object of the present disclosure to provide corresponding processes.

Further objects of the present disclosure will be evident from the following summary of the invention, the description of preferred embodiments thereof, and the appended claims.

The invention is as defined by the independent claim. Further embodiments are set out in dependent claims. Thus, according to the invention, there is disclosed a process for producing a non-dairy food product of enhanced viscosity, comprising mixing of aqueous liquid deamidated oat base and vegetable protein isolate comprising or consisting of vegetable protein isolate selected from pea protein isolate, potato protein isolate, faba bean protein isolate, chickpea protein isolate, and lentil protein isolate, thereby providing a mixture of the liquid deamidated oat base and the vegetable protein isolate; crosslinking of glutamine and lysine units of the protein isolate by means of transglutaminase.

According to the present disclosure, there is provided a modified aqueous oat base or drink, in the following referred to as "modified oat base" of the aforementioned kind of substantially enhanced viscosity. The viscosity of the modified oat base is obtained by enzymatic means.

According to an important aspect of the disclosure the viscosity of the modified oat base is not obtained by adding one or more viscosity modifying agents or thickeners, that is, agents forming highly viscous aqueous solutions such as xanthan gum, sodium alginate, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, carrageenan, agar, gelatin, and the like.

The term oat base as used herein relates to aqueous liquid oat products of low viscosity and having a high content of maltose obtained or obtainable from oats by treatment with starch-degrading enzymes, such as α- and/or β-amylase. The term oat drink as used herein relates to ready-to-drink, pasteurized oat base, which may contain additives which do not substantially affect the viscosity thereof, such as sodium chloride, vegetable oil such as, for instance, rapeseed oil, sweetener, vitamin, and flavoring.

The viscosity enhanced oat base or drink is obtained by cross-linking oat protein comprised by the oat base or drink supplemented by vegetable protein isolate, in particular by denaturated vegetable protein isolate.

The protein supplemented oat base or drink is crosslinked by means of transglutaminase.

According to another important aspect the oat base is a deamidated oat base. According to a preferred aspect deamidation is carried out in the presence of calcium carbonate.

According to a further preferred aspect added vegetable protein isolate consists of or comprises denaturated vegetable protein isolate, in particular thermally denaturated vegetable protein.

The vegetable protein isolates comprise or consist of vegetable protein isolate selected from pea protein isolate, potato protein isolate, faba bean protein isolate, chickpea protein isolate, lentil protein isolate. Pea protein isolate being particularly preferred.

It is preferred for the mixture of deamidated oat base or drink to be heated to a temperature of <NUM>° or more prior to the addition of transglutaminase.

Further disclosed herein is a process for producing an oat base of enhanced viscosity, comprising: providing an aqueous oat base or drink optionally comprising a viscosity promoting agent; providing a native vegetable protein isolate and/or a denaturated vegetable protein isolate; combining the aqueous oat base or drink and the vegetable protein isolate; heating the combination of aqueous oat base or drink and protein isolate to a temperature of <NUM> or more and keeping it at this temperature for a time sufficient to form a combination of aqueous oat base or drink and heat-treated vegetable protein isolate; bringing the combination of aqueous oat base or drink and heat-treated vegetable protein isolate to a temperature of from <NUM> to <NUM>; adding a protein cross-linking amount of transglutaminase to the combination of aqueous oat base or drink and heat-treated vegetable protein isolate while keeping the mixture at said temperature of from <NUM> to <NUM> for a time required to increase viscosity by a factor of <NUM> or more, in particular of <NUM> or more, to form a viscosity enhanced oat base or drink; inactivating transglutaminase by heating the viscosity enhanced oat base or drink to a temperature of <NUM> or more, in particular of <NUM> or more; cooling the viscosity enhanced oat base or drink to one of: room temperature or below if desired to be stored for a longer time or to a temperature suitable for further processing; with the proviso that protease activity is excluded from the process.

Also disclosed is an oat base or drink of enhanced viscosity obtainable by the process of the disclosure and its use as a food, a food additive or a starting material for production of a food, all intended for human consumption, in particular for the production of yogurt, sour cream, and fresh cheese.

This disclosure is based on the insight that the vegetable protein isolate is to be used preferably in denaturated form and to be additionally denaturated by heat treatment during processing. A most preferred vegetable protein isolate is a pea protein isolate, in particular in denaturated form.

A preferred amount of added vegetable protein is from <NUM> % or <NUM> % by weight to <NUM> % by weight or more, such as to <NUM> % by weight or more, and even up to <NUM> % or <NUM> % or <NUM> % by weight or more.

A preferred aqueous oat base has a dry matter content of from <NUM> to <NUM> % by weight, preferably of about <NUM> % by weight, the oat base dry matter comprising from <NUM> % to <NUM> % by weight of maltose or of a mixture of maltose and glucose, from <NUM> % to <NUM> % by weight of maltodextrin.

Preferred heat treatment conditions comprise the combination of a denaturation temperature of from <NUM> or more, in particular of <NUM> or more, in particular of about <NUM>, in combination with a denaturation period of from <NUM> to <NUM>, in particular of from <NUM> to <NUM>.

Dairy yogurt has viscosity of from about <NUM> Pa·s (stirred yogurt) to about <NUM> Pa·s (Greek and Turkish yogurt). A process enhances viscosity by factor of <NUM> or <NUM> or more and even by a factor of <NUM> or more, such as to obtain a viscosity of <NUM> Pa·s or more and even of <NUM> or more, which corresponds the viscosity of curd. In comparison the viscosity of a corresponding fermented product obtained by omitting protein cross-linking below <NUM>, typically in the range of <NUM> Pa·s - <NUM> Pa·s.

Preferred vegetable protein isolates contain about <NUM> % by weight or more, more preferred <NUM> % or more, such as about <NUM> % and even up to <NUM> % by weight of glutamine/glutamic acid and about <NUM> % or more, more preferred about <NUM> % by weight or more, such as about <NUM> % or <NUM> % by weight of lysine in combination. Pea (Pisum sativum L. ) protein such as in form of pea protein isolate is the most preferred protein for use in the process. Pea protein enhances viscosity substantially more than other vegetable proteins investigated, such as lentil, faba bean, potato, hemp, canola, and oat protein. Preferred vegetable proteins have an isoelectric point of from about <NUM> to about <NUM>, in particular of from about <NUM> to <NUM>, most preferred of about <NUM>.

A preferred amount of added transglutaminase is from <NUM> U/ to <NUM> U/g, in particular from <NUM> U/g to <NUM> U/g, most preferred about <NUM> U/g.

In addition to the enhancement of viscosity a process enhances elastic modulus such as from below <NUM> Pa to <NUM> Pa or <NUM> Pa or more.

Furthermore a product of a process has higher yield point, in particular one higher by a factor of <NUM> or <NUM> or more, the yield point being the strain point at which the network of the gel breaks. The process thus provides products with improved gel properties, that is, stronger gels.

A viscosity promoting agent is one that does not raise or does only raise insignificantly, such as by a factor of less than <NUM> or less than <NUM> or <NUM>, the viscosity of an aqueous media in which it is dissolved at a concentration of up to <NUM> % by weight. A preferred viscosity promoting agent is calcium carbonate. Another preferred viscosity promoting agent is a combination of magnesium carbonate and calcium carbonate.

It is preferred for the cereal oats suspension to be heated for protein crosslinking to a temperature of from about <NUM> to about <NUM> for a time sufficient to produce an oat base of desired composition while controlling its viscosity by varying the amount and/or kind of added vegetable protein and/or the amount of transglutaminase.

The control is also possible by using a combination of vegetable protein from different sources, such as, for instance, combinations of pea protein isolate, potato protein isolate, faba bean protein isolate, chickpea protein isolate, lentil protein isolate.

The oat base or drink with improved viscosity and products made from it differ from prior art oat bases and corresponding products made therefrom by their substantially enhanced viscosity. The use of transglutaminase in the process has no or only insignificant effect on the taste of the products.

According to a preferred aspect the viscosity enhanced oat base or drink can be used for the production of non-dairy cheese.

The oat base or drink with enhanced viscosity can be employed as starting material in a fermentation process for the manufacture of a fermented non-dairy product such as yogurt and cheese, the process comprising: bringing the oat base or drink of enhanced viscosity to a fermentation temperature of from about <NUM> to about <NUM>, in particular of about <NUM>; adding a fermentation starter culture, in particular a yogurt or cheese starter culture; maintaining the cereal suspension or oat base of enhanced viscosity at the fermentation temperature for a time period sufficient to form a fermented product, in particular a non-dairy yogurt-like or cheese-like product, such as for a time period of from <NUM> to <NUM>, in particular of from <NUM> to <NUM> or <NUM>.

According to a preferred aspect a minor amount of sugar, such as from <NUM> % by weight or <NUM> % by weight or <NUM>. <NUM> % by weight and up to <NUM> % by weight of dry matter, is added at the start or during the process for nourishment of the yogurt culture. According to another preferred aspect a buffering agent is added at the start or during the process to stabilize pH, in particular at a pH of less than <NUM>, in particular of less than <NUM>, most preferred at about <NUM>.

It is preferred not to agitate the cereal suspension by stirring during fermentation so as to not jeopardize the gellous nature of the product.

Further disclosed herein is a process for producing a fermented non-dairy product of enhanced viscosity, comprising: providing deamidated oat base or drink optionally comprising a viscosity promoting agent; providing native and/or denaturated vegetable protein isolate; mixing the oat base or drink and the protein isolate; heating the mixture of oat base or drink and protein isolate to a temperature of <NUM> or more, in particular of <NUM> or more, most preferred of about <NUM> for from <NUM> to <NUM>, in particular from <NUM> to <NUM>; cooling the mixture; adding transglutaminase and a fermentation culture to the mixture; keeping the mixture comprising transglutaminase and fermentation culture at a fermentation temperature, such as at a temperature of from <NUM> to <NUM>, in particular of about <NUM>, for a time period sufficient for forming a fermented product, in particular a yogurt-like or curd-like product, such as for a time period of from <NUM> to <NUM>, in particular of from <NUM> to <NUM> or <NUM>; optionally destroying enzymatic activity by heating the fermentation product; cooling the fermented product to room temperature or below.

According to a preferred aspect the pH of a process is controlled by, prior to incubation with transglutaminase, adjusting and/or holding the mixture of deamidated oat base and vegetable protein isolate at a pH substantially higher than that of the isoelectric point of the vegetable protein isolate, such as higher by <NUM> pH units, in particular higher by <NUM> pH units or <NUM> pH units or more.

Preferred fermented products obtainable by the process are non-dairy yogurt, non-dairy sour cream, and non-dairy fresh cheese.

In the following the disclosure will be described in more detail by reference to a number of preferred embodiments thereof.

Oat kernels: Dehulled, steam treated, wet ground or dry ground.

Oat bran (Frebaco Kvarn AB, Lidköping, Sweden): Prepared from steam treated Swedish oat grain by grinding in a rolling mill. Composition (% by weight): Protein <NUM>, fat <NUM>, carbohydrate <NUM>, fiber <NUM> %, water <NUM>.

Enzymes: Transglutaminase, alpha-amylase, beta-amylase as well as yogurt and fresh cheese products, such as sour cream, quark and cream cheese, are available from various commercial sources such as Danisco DuPont (Yomix™, Denmark) and Christian Hansen (YoFlex™, eXact™; Denmark). Prior to use transglutaminase and yogurt culture were dissolved in tap water (<NUM> U/g and <NUM>-<NUM>/g, respectively).

Alpha-amylase activity: One Ceralpha unit is defined as the amount of enzyme required to release one micromole of p-nitrophenol from BPNPG7 (non-reducing end blocked p-nitrophenyl maltoheptaoside) in one minute under defined assay conditions: http://secure. com/files/BOOKLET/K-BETA3_1010_DATA.

Beta-amylase activity: One BNPβ-G3 (p-nitrophenyl-ß-D-maltotrioside) unit is defined as the amount of enzyme required to release one micromole of p-nitrophenol from PNPβ-G3 in one minute under defined assay conditions: http://secure. com/files/BOOKLET/K-BETA3_1010_DATA.

Transglutaminase activity: Determined by the hydroxamate method. One unit corresponds to the amount of enzyme generating <NUM>µmol of hydroxamic acid per min at pH <NUM>.

Viscosity: Measured with Kinexus Pro+, Malvern Instruments, UK; http://www. com/en/producs/product-range/kinexus-range/kinexus-por-plus/.

A number of vegetable protein isolates were included to demonstrate their crosslinking properties at a total protein content of <NUM> % by weight in deamidated oat base. The results were confirmed by rheology measurements, illustrated in Table <NUM> (consecutive crosslinking and fermentation) and Table <NUM> (simultaneous crosslinking and fermentation). Oat base without added protein isolate resulted in zero shear viscosity of about <NUM> Pa·s, elastic modulus (G') of about <NUM> Pa and a yield point of about <NUM>.

An important factor for crosslinking properties is the nature of the protein isolate, as demonstrated in Example <NUM>. Another important factor is whether a protein isolate had undergone a heat treatment prior to crosslinking, as illustrated in Table <NUM>. The effect of heat treatment seems however not to be of a general nature but limited to certain protein isolates, for example pea protein isolate. According to the invention properties of the resulting gel or curd can be adjusted by varying time and/or temperature of heat treatment. Higher temperatures and/or longer periods of treatment result in increased viscosity and gel strength.

The inclusion of deamidated oat base or oat drink and addition of a viscosity promoting agent are additional factors affecting crosslinking properties and viscosity. The combination of oat base and pea protein that had not been heat-treated prior to transglutaminase incubation did not thicken, while heat treatment resulted in slightly increased viscosity.

Application of the same treatment to the combination of deamidated oat drink and pea protein in absence of heat-treatment resulted in a somewhat thick gel while heat-treatment provided a strong gel or curd. The effects of deamidated oat drink were confirmed by rheology measurements, illustrated in Table <NUM>. The inclusion of calcium carbonate (corresponding to a calcium content of about <NUM>/<NUM>) as viscosity promoting agent to the oat base increased viscosity and provided an even stronger gel or curd.

Adjusting/holding the pH to/at a pH substantially different from that of the isoelectric point during incubation with transglutaminase increased viscosity and provided a stronger gel or curd.

The isoelectric point of vegetable protein isolates is at about pH <NUM>; for pea protein isolates is at about pH <NUM>. Table <NUM> illustrates the increase in viscosity upon adjusting the pH of oat drink comprising pea protein isolate to pH <NUM> and <NUM> prior to incubation with transglutaminase and fermentation. Aqueous sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid were used for pH adjustment.

Claim 1:
Process for producing a non-dairy food product of enhanced viscosity, comprising mixing of aqueous liquid deamidated oat base and vegetable protein isolate comprising or consisting of vegetable protein isolate selected from pea protein isolate, potato protein isolate, faba bean protein isolate, chickpea protein isolate, and lentil protein isolate, thereby providing a mixture of the liquid deamidated oat base and the vegetable protein isolate; crosslinking of glutamine and lysine units of the protein isolate by means of transglutaminase.