A PROCESS FOR PREPARING A VEGAN EDIBLE PRODUCT FROM EDIBLE NON-ANIMAL PROTEINS

The present invention relates to a process for preparing an edible product, in particular a vegan edible product from edible non-animal proteins which comprises the following steps i. to iv.: i. providing a malleable mass containing: a) the edible protein component a), which is selected from the group consisting of edible vegetable protein materials, edible microbial protein materials and mixtures thereof; b) an edible fat or oil, hereinafter referred to as component b); c) a water-soluble organic polymeric gelling agent which is capable of being gelled by calcium ions, which is a water-soluble polysaccharide bearing carboxyl groups or a water soluble salt thereof, such as alginate or a pectin, in particular an alginate salt, especially sodium alginate, which is hereinafter referred to as component c); d) a calcium salt being present in retarded form which releases its calcium ions to the mass in a delayed manner, hereinafter referred to as component d) and; e) water, hereinafter referred to as component e); ii. comminuting the malleable mass into particles and bringing the particles into contact with an aqueous solution of a calcium salt to achieve a hardening of the particle surface, where during step ii. conditions are applied which effect the release of the calcium ions from the retarded form of the calcium salt; iii. separating the aqueous solution from the particles, and; iv. subsequently allowing the particles to harden to achieve their final hardness. The thus obtained edible products are suitable for preparing artificial meat products, in particular for vegan artificial meat products.