Enzymatic Process

Abstract

Provided is an enzymatic process that hydrolyzes spinach 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 of forming a salt-enhancing ingredient comprising the steps of
 (i) forming an aqueous slurry of spinach plant material, and   (ii) forming a hydrolysate of spinach plant material by subjecting it to an enzymatic hydrolysis using one or more proteolytic enzymes.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  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 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 Spinach 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 ; preferably a  Lactobacillus  microorganism selected from the group consisting of  L. plantarum, L. casei, L. brevis  and  L. helveticus.    
     
     
         8 . The salt-enhancing ingredient formed by the process according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         9 . The salt-enhancing ingredient according to  1   claim 9  which is concentrated at least 1.5 times by removing water. 
     
     
         10 . The salt-enhancing ingredient according to  claim 8 , wherein the salt-enhancing ingredient is spray-dried. 
     
     
         11 . A flavor composition for food products comprising the salt-enhancing ingredient according to  claim 8 , and one or more food grade excipient. 
     
     
         12 . The flavor composition according to  claim 11  wherein the concentration of the salt-enhancing ingredient of  claim 9  is 0.25 to 400 ppm based on the use of the unconcentrated salt-enhancing ingredient. 
     
     
         13 . A food product comprising the salt-enhancing ingredient according to  claim 8 , which is present at a concentration of 0.25 to 400 ppm based on the use of the unconcentrated salt-enhancing ingredient. 
     
     
         14 . The food product of  claim 13  which is a reduced or low sodium food product, preferably with a sodium chloride concentration is 0.15% (wt/wt) to 3% (wt/wt). 
     
     
         15 . The reduced or low sodium food product according to  claims 14 , additionally comprising KCl. 
     
     
         16 . A method of providing a food product enhanced in saltiness the method comprising the step of: admixing to a food product a salt-enhancing ingredient according to  claim 8 . 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the food product is a reduced or low sodium food product.