Pliable vegetable protein products

In a meat analog which comprises discrete textured vegetable protein fibers uniformly dispersed within an edible binder matrix, the improvement which comprises the inclusion of a pliable, fibrous vegetable protein product prepared by a method comprising:

• (a) preparing a homogeneous aqueous dispersion having an acidic pH between about 1.5 to about 3.5 or a basic pH from about 7.5 to about 9.5 comprised of water as a major constituent, and as minor constituents edible plasticizer and heat denaturable vegetable proteinaceous material wherein the protein content constitutes at least 25% of the non-aqueous substance weight with at least a major portion of the protein being in the water-soluble form;
• (b) subjecting the homogeneous aqueous dispersion to an elevated temperature for a period of time sufficient to heat-denature the vegetable protein and to dry the aqueous dispersion to a water content of less than 20% thereby providing a dry, heat-denatured, friable proteinaceous mass;
• and
• (c) hydrating the dry, friable, proteinaceous mass in the presence of an edible organic acid having a Pk.sub.a ranging from about 3.0 to about 5.0 or alternatively by adding said edible organic acid to the hydrated mass, said acid used in amount to provide a hydrated, pliable, fibrous vegetable protein product.

In a method for preparing a meat analog wherein discrete textured vegetable protein fibers are uniformly dispersed and admixed with an edible heat-coagulable, hydrophilic film-forming binder to provide an admixture comprised of a continuous external phase of film-forming composition with the discrete fibers being uniformly dispersed therein and the admixture is heated at a temperature for a period of time sufficient to heat-coagulate the film-forming binder, the improvement which comprises uniformly dispersing and admixing with the binder, a pliable, fibrous vegetable protein product prepared by a method comprising:

• (a) preparing a homogeneous aqueous dispersion having an acidic pH between about 1.5 to about 3.5 or a basic pH from about 7.5 to about 9.5 comprised of water as a major constituent, and as minor constituents edible plasticizer and heat denaturable vegetable proteinaceous material wherein the protein content constitutes at least 25% of the non-aqueous substance weight with at least a major portion of the protein being in the water-soluble form;
• (b) subjecting the homogeneous aqueous dispersion to an elevated temperature for a period of time sufficient to heat-denature the vegetable protein and to dry the aqueous dispersion to a water content of less than 20% thereby providing a dry, heat-denatured, friable proteinaceous mass;
• and
• (c) hydrating the dry, friable, proteinaceous mass in the presence of an edible organic acid having a Pk.sub.a ranging from about 3.0 to about 5.0 or alternatively by adding said edible organic acid to the hydrated mass, said acid used in amounts to provide a hydrated, pliable, fibrous vegetable protein product.

In a natural food product wherein a vegetable protein product is employed as a partial replacement or extender for the natural food product, the improvement which comprises the use of vegetable protein product prepared by a method comprising:

• (a) preparing a homogeneous aqueous dispersion having an acidic pH between about 1.5 to about 3.5 or a basic pH from about 7.5 to about 9.5 comprised of water as a major constituent, and as minor constituents edible plasticizer and heat denaturable vegetable proteinaceous material wherein the protein content constitutes at least 25% of the non-aqueous substance weight with at least a major portion of the protein being in the water-soluble form;
• (b) subjecting the homogeneous aqueous dispersion to an elevated temperature for a period of time sufficient to heat-denature the vegetable protein and to dry the aqueous dispersion to a water content of less than 20% thereby providing a dry, heat-denatured, friable proteinaceous mass;
• and
• (c) hydrating the dry, friable, proteinaceous mass in the presence of an edible organic acid having a Pk.sub.a ranging from about 3.0 to about 5.0 or alternatively by adding said edible organic acid to the hydrated mass, said acid used in amounts to provide a hydrated, pliable, fibrous vegetable protein product.