US 12,239,146 B2
Meat analogues and meat analogue extrusion devices and methods
Patrick Pibarot, Territet (CH); Christophe Joseph Etienne Schmitt, Servion (CH); Marie-Helene Morel, Montpellier (FR); and Christian Sanchez, Montpellier (FR)
Assigned to Societe des Produits Nestle S.A., Vevey (CH); Institut National de Recherche Pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (INRAE), Paris (FR); and Universite de Montpellier, Montpellier (FR)
Appl. No. 17/601,827
Filed by Societe des Produits Nestle S.A., Vevey (CH); Institut National de Recherche Pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (INRAE), Paris (FR); and Universite de Montpellier, Montpellier (FR)
PCT Filed Apr. 8, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/060087
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 6, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/208104, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 15, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/831,820, filed on Apr. 10, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0192223 A1, Jun. 23, 2022
Int. Cl. A23J 3/22 (2006.01); A23J 3/14 (2006.01); A23J 3/26 (2006.01); A23P 30/25 (2016.01)
CPC A23J 3/227 (2013.01) [A23J 3/14 (2013.01); A23J 3/26 (2013.01); A23P 30/25 (2016.08)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of extruding a meat analogue comprising a vegetable protein, the method comprising:
applying a pressure to the meat analogue with an extruder;
passing the meat analogue through a short die in a direction of flow, wherein the short die is part of and/or connected to the extruder, and the short die is a die where the length of the die, defined as the length a material travels through the die when the die is in use, is less than the width of the die, defined as the longest dimension of a planar section of the die outlet through which the material passes when exiting the die;
creating a texture of sheared fibers in the meat analogue substantially perpendicular to the direction of flow of the meat analogue as the meat analogue is passed through the short die;
injecting a fat or a fat analogue into the meat analogue as the meat analogue is passed through the short die such that the fat or the fat analogue is embedded in but visually distinct from the meat analogue, wherein the fat analogue comprises at least one of a hydrocolloid or a gellified emulsion of fat and protein; and
creating a periodical increase or decrease in a flow rate within the meat analogue when the meat analogue is passed through the short die.