IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,628,842
Granted Patent B2
US 12,628,842 · App. 18/044,663 · Granted May 19, 2026

Method of improving the texture and functionality of a dry fractionated plant protein concentrate beverage

Inventors: Timothy James Wooster (Orbe, CH); Marina Bortolin (Gollion, CH); Ludovic Penseyres (Penthalaz, CH); Pierre-Alain Richon (Villeneuve, CH); Christina Vafeiadi (Lausanne, CH)
Assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle S.A.
A23C11/103A23J3/14A23J3/346A23L11/60A23L29/015A23L29/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,628,842
App. No.
18/044,663
Granted
May 19, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates in general to a method of making a plant based liquid, said method comprising dispersing triglyceride in a plant protein mixture; forming an emulsion; applying a thermal treatment to the emulsion; and applying a shear treatment to the thermal treated emulsion to form a plant based liquid.

Claims (25)

1 . A method of making a plant based liquid, the method comprising:

a) dissolving 0.5 to 20 weight percentage (wt %) dry fractionated plant protein in water to form a plant protein mixture with a pH between 6.7 and 9, wherein the wt % of the dry fractionated plant protein is based on the total weight of the plant protein mixture, wherein a phosphate source and a sugar are dissolved in the plant protein mixture, and wherein the phosphate source comprises tricalcium phosphate and dipotassium phosphate;

b) dispersing triglyceride in the plant protein mixture;

c) homogenizing the plant protein mixture to form an emulsion;

d) applying a thermal treatment to the emulsion; and

e) applying a shear treatment to the thermal treated emulsion to form the plant based liquid, wherein the viscosity of the plant based liquid after the shear treatment is between 0.5 and 30 mPa·s at a shear rate of 10 s −1 at 25° C.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein sodium ascorbate is dissolved in the plant protein mixture or the emulsion.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the dry fractionated plant protein is derived from a legume source.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the dry fractionated plant protein is an air classified plant protein source.

5 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the plant protein mixture is adjusted to a pH of between 7 to 8 followed by incubating with enzymes.

6 . The method according to claim 5 , wherein the enzymes are amylase and amyloglucosidase.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the emulsion is formed using a two-stage high pressure homogenizer.

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the emulsion average particle size is between 0.1 and 1 μm for d[3,2] and 0.3 and 2 μm for d[4,3].

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the shear treatment is applied using a high shear homogenizer.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the plant based liquid comprises less than 2 wt % starch.

11 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the plant based liquid is a milk analogue.

12 . A plant based milk analogue made by a method according to claim 1 .

13 . A method comprising thermal treatment followed by shear treatment to make a plant based liquid from an emulsion comprising plant protein and triglyceride, wherein the plant protein is a dry fractionated plant protein, wherein the viscosity of the plant based liquid resulting from the shear treatment is between 0.5 and 30 mPa·s at a shear rate of 10 s −1 at 25° C.

14 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the plant protein mixture has a pH between 6.7 and 8.

15 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fat emulsion average particle size is between 0.1 and 0.7 for d[3,2] and 0.3 and 1 μm for d[4,3].

16 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising incubating the plant protein mixture with enzymes prior to step (b).

17 . The method according to claim 1 , further comprising adding a hydrocolloid to the plant protein mixture prior to step (b).

18 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the dry fractionated plant protein has a starch fraction of between 5 to 14 wt % on a dry basis.

19 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the dry fractionated plant protein has a protein content of between 50 to 70 wt % on a dry basis.

20 . The method according to claim 9 , wherein the plant based liquid having the viscosity between 0.5 and 30 mPa·s at a shear rate of 10 s −1 at 25° C. is the product resulting from the shear treatment.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 17, 2026
From: WOOSTER, TIMOTHY JAMES; BORTOLIN, MARINA; PENSEYRES, LUDOVIC; RICHON, PIERRE-ALAIN; VAFEIADI, CHRISTINA
To: SOCIETE DES PRODUITS NESTLE S.A.
Reel/Frame 074399/0043 →
Priority Claims (1)
EP 20195595 · Sep 10, 2020 · regional
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20230329260A1 · Oct 19, 2023
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