Food products comprising milk proteins and non-animal proteins, and methods of producing the same

Abstract

Provided are food products comprising milk proteins and non-animal proteins, and methods of manufacturing the same.

1 - 143 . (canceled) 
     
     
         144 . A food product comprising (a) a recombinant α-lactalbumin or fragment thereof, and (b) one or more native and/or recombinant non-animal proteins and/or hydrolyzed non-animal proteins; wherein the recombinant α-lactalbumin or fragment thereof imparts on the food product an attribute of a dairy product. 
     
     
         145 . The food product of  claim 144 , wherein the food product comprises the recombinant α-lactalbumin or fragment thereof and the one or more native and/or recombinant non-animal proteins and/or hydrolyzed non-animal proteins at a weight ratio of total recombinant α-lactalbumin or fragment thereof to total native and/or recombinant non-animal proteins and/or hydrolyzed non-animal proteins of between 100 to 1 to 1 to 100. 
     
     
         146 . The food product of  claim 144 , wherein the food product is selected from the group consisting of milk, yoghurt, cheese, butter, cream, buttermilk, pudding, nutritional beverages, frozen confections, protein concentrate, protein isolate, whole milk powder, skim milk powder, nutritional supplements, and infant formula. 
     
     
         147 . The food product of  claim 144 , wherein the recombinant α-lactalbumin or fragment thereof is at least 80% identical to cow α-lactalbumin or fragment thereof, sheep α-lactalbumin or fragment thereof, horse α-lactalbumin or fragment thereof, goat α-lactalbumin or fragment thereof, or human α-lactalbumin or fragment thereof. 
     
     
         148 . The food product of  claim 144 , wherein the recombinant cx-lactalbumin or fragment thereof is produced by a fungal cell or a bacterial cell. 
     
     
         149 . The food product of  claim 148 , wherein the fungal cell is a filamentous fungal cell. 
     
     
         150 . The food product of  claim 149 , wherein the filamentous fungal cell is  Aspergillus  or  Trichoderma.    
     
     
         151 . The food product of  claim 144 , wherein the one or more native and/or recombinant non-animal proteins and/or hydrolyzed non-animal proteins are one or more hydrolyzed non-animal proteins. 
     
     
         152 . The food product of  claim 144 , wherein at least one of the one or more native and/or recombinant non-animal proteins or hydrolyzed non-animal proteins is a plant protein or hydrolyzed plant protein. 
     
     
         153 . The food product of  claim 144 , wherein the plant protein or hydrolyzed plant protein is selected from the group consisting of pea protein, soybean protein, potato protein, oat protein, hydrolyzed pea protein, hydrolyzed soybean protein, hydrolyzed oat protein, hydrolyzed potato protein, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         154 . A method for producing the food product of  claim 144 , wherein the method comprises:
 (a) obtaining a recombinant α-lactalbumin or fragment thereof;   (b) obtaining one or more native and/or recombinant non-animal proteins;   (c) optionally hydrolyzing the one or more native and/or recombinant non-animal proteins; and   (d) combining the recombinant α-lactalbumin or fragment thereof and the one or more native and/or recombinant non-animal proteins (or one or more hydrolyzed native and/or recombinant non-animal proteins) under conditions that provide the food product.