Thermally treated composition comprising plant proteins and methods of production and use thereof

1. A method of producing a thermally treated composition, the method comprising:

(a) forming a slurry comprising at least one plant protein source, the at least one plant protein source is selected from the group consisting of chickpeas, lentils, dry beans, faba beans, bambara beans, lupins, vetches, sunflower seeds, canola seeds, rapeseed, sesame seeds, golden linseed, almond, hemp seed, pumpkin seed, grapeseed, and combinations thereof, the slurry further comprising at least one bulking agent, at least one reducing sugar source, at least one fat source, at least one buffering agent, and water, and the only reducing sugar in the slurry is selected from the group consisting of fructose, glucose, xylose, tagatose, rhamnose, maltose, lactose, fucose, arabinose, galactose, and mixtures thereof; and

(b) subjecting the slurry to a heat treatment at a temperature in a range of from about 100° C. to about 150° C. under a pressure in a range of from about 2 bars to about 7 bars for a period of time in a range of from about 5 minutes to about 20 minutes to produce the thermally treated composition; and

wherein at least one of:

(i) the thermally treated composition has at least one reduced undesirable flavor of the at least one plant protein source when compared to a composition produced in the absence of step (b), wherein the undesirable flavor is selected from the group consisting of beany, green, earthy, hay-like, fishy, metallic, fatty, rancid, bitter, and astringent; and

(ii) the thermally treated composition has at least one increased desirable flavor exhibiting a distinct flavor note when compared to a composition produced in the absence of step (b), wherein the distinct flavor note is selected from the group consisting of caramel, toffee, cookie, toasty, and sweet.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thermally treated composition has an aroma fingerprint comprising:

2,3-butanedione at a concentration of at least about 500 parts per billion (ppb);

4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone (HDMF) at a concentration of at least about 8,000 ppb; and

hexanal at a concentration of no more than about 500 ppb.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the aroma fingerprint further comprises maltol at a concentration of at least about 1500 ppb.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein step (a) is performed at a temperature in a range of from about 60° C. to about 80° C.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein in step (b), the slurry is subjected to the temperature in a range of from about 110° C. to about 140° C. under the pressure in a range of from about 3 bars to about 6 bars.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

(c) cooling the slurry to a temperature less than or equal to about 80° C.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the slurry formed in step (a) has a total solid content in a range of from about 65% to about 90%.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least one ingredient is present in the slurry formed in step (a) at the following concentrations:

the at least one plant protein source in a range of from about 5% to about 25% dry w/w of the slurry;

the at least one bulking agent in a range of from about 30% to about 70% dry w/w of the slurry;

the at least one reducing sugar source in a range of from about 0.5% to about 60% dry w/w of the slurry;

the at least one fat source in a range of from about 10% to about 30% dry w/w of the slurry;

the at least one buffering agent present in an amount to bring the pH of the slurry prepared in step (a) to between 6 and 8; and

the water in a range of from about 10% to about 25% dry w/w of the slurry.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising hydrolyzing the slurry prior to step (b), and wherein the slurry is hydrolyzed with at least one enzyme, wherein the at least one enzyme has amylolytic, proteolytic, cellulolytic, hemicellulolytic, pectinolytic, glucanase or feruloyl esterase activity.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the thermally treated composition comprises at least one cereal-based ingredient.

11. A thermally treated composition produced by the method selected from the group consisting of those of any one of claims 1 - 9 and 10 .

12. A process of preparing a heat treated food or beverage product using the thermally treated composition produced by the method of claim 1 , wherein the process comprising:

combining the thermally treated composition with one or more additional ingredients to form a mixture; and

subjecting the mixture to one or more additional processing steps to form the heat treated food or beverage product, wherein the one or more additional processing steps are selected from the group consisting of drying, roller drying, extrusion cooking, oven drying, spray drying, baking, retorting, toasting, cereal/fruit bar making, and combinations thereof.

13. The process of claim 12 , wherein the thermally treated composition is present in an amount in a range of from about 3% to about 30% dry w/w of the heat treated food or beverage product.

14. The process of claim 12 , wherein the one or more additional ingredients comprise at least one cereal-based ingredient and wherein the one or more additional processing steps comprise roller drying.

15. The process of claim 12 , wherein the heat treated food or beverage product has an increased concentration of at least one odorant when compared to a food or beverage product produced in the absence of step (b), wherein the at least one odorant is selected from the group consisting of 2,3-butanedione, 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-3(2H)-furanone (HDMF), maltol, 4-vinylguaiacol, 2-acetylthiazole, 2-acetyl-2-thiazoline, and combinations thereof.

16. A heat treated food or beverage product produced by the process of claim 12 .

17. A method of producing a heat treated food or beverage product, the method comprising:

(a) forming a slurry comprising at least one plant protein source, the at least one plant protein source is selected from the group consisting of chickpeas, lentils, dry beans, faba beans, bambara beans, lupins, vetches, sunflower seeds, canola seeds, rapeseed, sesame seeds, golden linseed, almond, hemp seed, pumpkin seed, grapeseed, and combinations thereof, the slurry further comprising at least one bulking agent, at least one reducing sugar source, at least one fat source, at least one buffering agent, and water, and the only reducing sugar in the slurry is selected from the group consisting of fructose, glucose, xylose, tagatose, rhamnose, maltose, lactose, fucose, arabinose, galactose, and mixtures thereof;

(b) subjecting the slurry to a heat treatment at a temperature in a range of from about 100° C. to about 150° C. under a pressure in a range of from about 2 bars to about 7 bars for a period of time in a range of from about 5 minutes to about 20 minutes to produce a thermally treated composition, and wherein at least one of:

(i) the thermally treated composition has a reduced undesirable flavor of the at least one plant protein source when compared to a composition produced in the absence of step (b), wherein the undesirable flavor is selected from the group consisting of beany, green, earthy, hay-like, fishy, metallic, fatty, rancid, bitter, and astringent; and

(ii) the thermally treated composition has an increased desirable flavor exhibiting a distinct flavor note when compared to a composition produced in the absence of step (b), wherein the distinct flavor note is selected from the group consisting of caramel, toffee, cookie, toasty, and sweet;

(c) combining the thermally treated composition with one or more additional ingredients to form a mixture; and

(d) subjecting the mixture to at least one additional processing step to form the heat treated food or beverage product, wherein the at least one additional processing step is selected from the group consisting of roller drying, extrusion cooking, drying, spray drying, baking, retorting, toasting, and combinations thereof.

18. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one plant protein source is selected from the group consisting of carob seed, chickpea, red lentil, and combinations thereof.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the at least one plant protein source is selected from the group consisting of carob seed, chickpea, red lentil, and combinations thereof.