Enzymatic Process

Abstract

Provided is an enzymatic process that hydrolyzes celery plant material to form a salt-enhancing ingredient, the formed salt-enhancing ingredient, food products comprising said salt-enhancing ingredient and a method of enhancing the salty taste of food products.

1 . A process for forming a salt enhancing ingredient the process comprising the steps of
 (i) forming an aqueous slurry of  Apium graveolens  plant material, and   (ii) forming a hydrolysate of  Apium graveolens  plant material by subjecting it to an enzymatic hydrolysis using one or more proteolytic enzymes.   
     
     
         2 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the formed salt enhancing ingredient is inactivated by heating. 
     
     
         3 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more proteolytic enzymes are selected from the group consisting of proteinase, peptidase, and glutaminase. 
     
     
         4 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more proteolytic enzymes comprise both endopeptidase and exopeptidase activity. 
     
     
         5 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more proteolytic enzymes comprise an enzyme preparation from  Aspergillus oryzae  (Umamizyme™) and wherein the hydrolysis is performed at 40° C. to 60° C. 
     
     
         6 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the hydrolysate is formed by subjecting the  Apium graveolens  plant material to an enzymatic hydrolysis using one or more carbohydrase enzymes in parallel or subsequent to enzymatic hydrolysis by the one or more proteolytic enzymes. 
     
     
         7 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the hydrolysate is subjected to fermentation using a  Lactobacillus.    
     
     
         8 . The process according to of  claim 7  wherein the  Lactobacillus  microorganism is selected from the group consisting of:  L. plantarum, L. casei, L. brevis  and  L. helveticus.    
     
     
         9 . The salt enhancing ingredient formed by the process of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . The salt enhancing ingredient of  claim 9  which is concentrated at least 1.5 times by removing water. 
     
     
         11 . The salt enhancing ingredient according to  claim 9 , wherein the salt enhancing ingredient is spray-dried. 
     
     
         12 . A flavor composition for food products comprising the salt enhancing ingredient according to  claim 1 , and at least one food grade excipient. 
     
     
         13 . The flavor composition according to  claim 12  wherein the concentration of the salt enhancing ingredient is 0.02% to 0.3% (wt/wt) based on the unconcentrated salt enhancing ingredient. 
     
     
         14 . A food product comprising the salt enhancing ingredient according to  claim 1   
     
     
         15 . The food product according to of  claim 14  wherein the concentration of the salt enhancing ingredient of is 0.001% to 0.015% (wt/wt) based on the unconcentrated salt enhancing ingredient. 
     
     
         16 . The food product according to  claim 14  which is a reduced or low sodium food product. 
     
     
         17 . The food product according to  claim 16  wherein the sodium chloride concentration is 0.15% (wt/wt) to 3% (wt/wt). 
     
     
         18 . The food product according to  claim 16  wherein the sodium chloride concentration is 0.15% (wt/wt) to 1.5% (wt/wt). 
     
     
         19 . The reduced or low sodium food product according to  claim 16 , which additionally comprises KCl. 
     
     
         20 . A method of providing a food product enhanced in saltiness which method comprises the steps of admixing a salt enhancing ingredient according to  claim 9  with a food product. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20  wherein the food product is a reduced or low sodium food product further containing KCl.