Transglutaminase soy fish and meat products and analogs thereof

1. A process for producing a transglutaminase coupled vegetable protein composition, comprising;

providing a vegetable protein extract;

forming a reaction mixture by adding to the vegetable extract an amount of transglutaminase that is sufficient to catalyze an acyl transfer reaction of a gamma-carboxamide group of a glutamine residue and a lysine residue in a peptide chain of the vegetable protein in the extract;

maintaining the reaction mixture at a sufficient temperature for a period of time sufficient to achieve a partially cross-linked vegetable protein;

acid precipitating the partially cross-linked vegetable protein;

removing the transglutaminase;

adjusting the pH to 7;

pasteurizing the partially cross-linked vegetable protein; and

drying the partially cross-linked vegetable protein to form a powdered coupled vegetable protein composition.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the vegetable protein extract is a soy protein extract.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the amount of transglutaminase is utilized at a concentration of from 0.15 to 0.80 units transglutaminase per gram protein.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the amount of transglutaminase is utilized at a concentration of from 0.25 to 0.65 units transglutaminase per gram protein.

5. The process of claim 1 wherein the vegetable protein extract has a total solids content of less than 6%.

6. The process of claim 1 wherein the vegetable protein extract has a total solids content of from about 3% to about 5%.

7. The process of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the reaction mixture is from about 40° C. to about 60° C.

8. The process of claim 1 wherein the temperature of the reaction mixture is about 50° C.

9. The process of claim 1 wherein the period of time is from about 10 minutes to about 60 minutes.

10. The process of claim 1 wherein pasteurizing takes place at a temperature of at least 265° F.

11. The process of claim 1 wherein pasteurizing takes place at a temperature of less than 310° F.

12. The process of claim 1 wherein while pasteurizing there is a % solids content of from 8-11.5%.

13. The process of claim 1 wherein while pasteurizing there is a % solids content of from 9-10%.

14. The process of claim 1 wherein drying is performed in a spray dryer.

15. The process of claim 14 wherein the spray dryer has an inlet temperature of from 400-450° F. and an outlet temperature of from 150-250° F.

16. The process of claim 1 wherein the coupled vegetable protein composition has a controlled salt sensitivity of from −30% to +30%.

17. The process of claim 1 wherein the coupled vegetable protein composition has a controlled salt sensitivity of from 0 to +20%.

18. The process for utilizing a transglutaminase coupled vegetable protein composition prepared according to the process of claim 1 , comprising;

providing a fish, meat or meat analog product;

reducing the size of fish, meat or meat analog product;

emulsifying the reduced fish, meat or meat analog products with vegetable oil and water and ice;

mixing the emulsified fish, meat or meat analog product with sodium chloride; and

adding the transglutaminase coupled vegetable protein to the fish meat or meat analog product to form a fabricated food for human consumption.

19. The process of claim 18 wherein the fabricated food is a fish product.

20. The process of claim 18 wherein the fabricated food is a meat product.

21. The process of claim 18 wherein the meat is selected from the group consisting of horsemeat, lamb, beef, pork and chicken.

22. The process of claim 18 wherein the fabricated food is a meat analog product.