US 12,471,607 B2
Process for producing cookable, fibrous meat analogs via directional freezing
Christopher Bryson, Toronto (CA); Derick Rousseau, Brampton (CA); Auke De Vries, Toronto (CA); Christopher Mark Gregson, Princeton, NJ (US); and Raphael De Henau, Toronto (CA)
Assigned to NSTX INDUSTRIES INC., Toronto (CA)
Filed by NEW SCHOOL FOODS INC., Toronto (CA)
Filed on Feb. 8, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/666,930.
Application 17/666,930 is a continuation in part of application No. 17/326,567, filed on May 21, 2021, granted, now 11,241,024.
Prior Publication US 2022/0369666 A1, Nov. 24, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A23J 3/22 (2006.01); A23J 3/14 (2006.01); A23J 3/24 (2006.01); A23L 29/256 (2016.01)
CPC A23J 3/227 (2013.01) [A23J 3/14 (2013.01); A23L 29/256 (2016.08); A23J 3/24 (2013.01)] 69 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A process for producing fibrous meat analogs, comprising:
a) preparing an ingestible biopolymer gel, solution, or dispersion comprised of one or more ingestible proteins and/or hydrocolloids, and water;
b) subjecting the biopolymer gel, solution, or dispersion to directional freezing inducing formation of aligned elongated ice crystals to form a directionally frozen biopolymer gel, solution, or dispersion with aligned elongated channels in which the aligned elongated ice crystals are located;
c) replacing the aligned elongated ice crystals with ingestible proteins and/or hydrocolloids to produce an infused gel; and
d) subjecting the infused gel to a suitable condition to gel at least some of the ingestible proteins and/or hydrocolloids to create gelled proteins and/or hydrocolloids within the aligned channels to form a fibrous food product;
wherein steps a) and/or c) comprise ingestible proteins.