| CPC A23L 11/05 (2016.08) [A23L 5/13 (2016.08); A23L 19/09 (2016.08)] | 19 Claims |
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1. A method for creating a protein extrudate with above forty percent water absorption, the method comprising:
feeding a protein material into an extruder;
feeding water into the extruder;
increasing the absorptivity of a protein extrudate by:
feeding pure Nitrogen gas into the extruder; and
feeding an additive into the extruder to increase a pH of the protein extrudate;
controlling a temperature of the extruder;
forming improved texture and longer fibers of the protein extrudate by extruding into an interim plate, the protein material, the water, the pure Nitrogen gas, and the additive, the interim plate being in fluid communication with the extruder and with a cooling die;
cooling the protein extrudate, the cooling comprising:
flowing the protein extrudate from the interim plate into one or more entrance cones coupled to one or more flow channel entrances of the cooling die, the one or more entrance cones directing movement of the protein extrudate into the one or more flow channel entrances and increasing rate of flow of the protein extrudate into the cooling die;
increasing rate of flow of the protein extrudate into the cooling die by flowing the protein extrudate from the one or more flow channel entrances into one or more inlets coupled to the one or more flow channel entrances, each of the one or more inlets comprising a diffuser and a boundary piece to bind the diffuser, the diffuser having an entry opening and an exit opening, the entry opening being wider than the exit opening; and
reducing the temperature of the protein extrudate to under 98 degrees Celsius; and
boiling the protein extrudate in the water until the protein extrudate comprises the above forty percent water absorption.
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