High Protein Food
AssigneeErie Foods International, Inc.
InventorsJames M. Klein, Craig Air
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A high protein food may be produced via an extrusion process whereby acid casein is mixed with whey protein, alkali and water. Upon exiting the extruder, the mixture may be cut, dried, and/or tempered, milled and screened before being further processed or packaged. The final product may be configured as a crisp high protein food or a powdered high protein food. The protein content of the end product may be approximately 90-95% on a dry weight basis.
Claims16
A method for producing a high protein food, said method comprising the steps of:
- a. creating a mixture of a specific amount of acid casein, a specific amount of whey protein, and a specific amount of an alkali;
- b. introducing said mixture into an extruder;
- c. adding a specific amount of water to said extruder to create a second mixture;
- d. forcing said second mixture through a specific die engaged with said extruder to create a plurality of cut pieces;
- e. allowing said second mixture to expand in an environment with approximately ambient pressure and temperature;
- and,
- f. removing moisture from said plurality of cut pieces such that the moisture content of said plurality of cut pieces is from 0.5% (one-half percent) to 12% (twelve percent) by weight, and wherein a protein content of said plurality of cut pieces is 90% (ninety percent) or greater by weight.
A high protein food produced by a process of extruding a mixture of acid casein, whey protein, an alkali, and water through an extruder at about 150 to 300 RPM and at a temperature of about 5 degrees Celsius to about 120 degrees Celsius to produce said high protein food, wherein a residence time of said high protein food in said extruder is between 4 and 90 seconds, wherein said high protein food contains at least 90% protein by weight, and wherein a protein content of said high protein food is from 15% (fifteen percent) to 35% (thirty-five percent) by weight whey protein and from 65% (sixty-five percent) to 85% (eighty-five percent) by weight casein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.