Abstract: Vegetable proteins may be converted into isolates which are useful for preparing imitation cheese products. These unique isolates are characterized in general as: having an NSI of at least 90, having not been subjected to enzymatic or chemical hydrolysis, forming an insoluble gel when reconstituted in water at a 15% by weight protein isolate concentration and heated to 85.degree. C. for 30 minutes, and yielding a melt value of at least 15 cm.sup.2. The isolates are prepared under conditions which precondition the protein molecules so that they may be converted, upon heat treatment, into protein aggregates which simulate the hydrocolloidal attributes of caseinate. The heat treatment causes restructuring of the proteinaceous molecules into large molecular weight aggregates.

Abstract: Vegetable proteins may be converted into isolates which are useful for preparing imitation cheese products. These unique isolates are characterized in general as: having an NSI of at least 90, having not been subjected to enzymatic or chemical hydrolysis, forming an insoluble gel when reconstituted in water at a 15% by weight protein isolate concentration and heated to 85.degree. C. for 30 minutes, and yielding a melt value of at least 15 cm.sup.2. The isolates are prepared under conditions which precondition the protein molecules so that they may be converted, upon heat treatment, into protein aggregates which simulate the hydrocolloidal attributes of caseinate. The heat treatment causes restructuring of the proteinaceous molecules into large molecular weight aggregates.

Abstract: Thin-thick, hydroxypropylated, epichlorohydrin cross-linked starch derivatives for continuous process pressure cooking of neutral or acid food systems. The degree of cross-linking for these starch derivatives is carefully controlled so that they are initially low in viscosity and develop full viscosity only under high pressure and temperatures. These characteristics make these starches ideally suited for use in recently developed food canning processes in which initial rapid heat penetration without degrading the starch derivative is necessary for the heat sterilization of the canned foods. For the new continuous retort processing, the usual time allowed for the complete retorting cycle is less than twenty minutes, and this must include heat sterilization. As the retort media using the starch derivative of the invention reaches the heat sterilization temperature it then increases in viscosity to a range which retains the canned food product in a desirable suspension.

Abstract: Thin-thick, hydroxypropylated, epichlorohydrin cross-linked starch derivatives for continuous process pressure cooking of neutral or acid food systems. The degree of cross-linking for these starch derivatives is carefully controlled so that they are initially low in viscosity and develop full viscosity only under high pressure and temperatures. These characteristics make these starches ideally suited for use in recently developed food canning processes in which initial rapid heat penetration without degrading the starch derivatives is necessary for the heat sterilization of the canned foods. For the new continuous retort processing, the usual time allowed for the complete retorting cycle is less than 20 minutes, and this must include heat sterilization. As the retort media using the starch derivative of the invention reaches the heat sterilization temperature it then increases in viscosity to a range which retains the canned food product in a desirable suspension.