"VEGETABLE ORIGIN FOOD RICH IN PROTEINS AND NUTRITIOUS "

Description Technical Field

The present invention relates to the technical sector of the production of food and particularly pasta, biscuits or similar flour-based products that need cooking. The cooking can be either ad hoc, like for the pasta, or completed during production, like for biscuits, crackers or other bakery products. Specifically, this invention discloses a particular type of pasta whose content is able to give consumers nourishing substances. This invention also discloses a particular type of biscuit with the same technical' characteristics of the above-cited pasta. Background Art In the last decades, many factors, such as the improvement of the individual income, the extension of the programmes for public assistance and the improvement of food with minerals and vitamins, contributed to reduce the prevalence of the classic pathology caused by nourishing deficiency, but the malnutrition remains one of the main problems among the poorest classes, elderly, alcoholics and smokers. On the contrary, consuming too much food like saturated fats, simple, mono and disaccharide sugars, together with the increasing consumption of alcoholic drinks and a diet more and more sophisticated, poor of nutritional fibres, vitamins and micronutrients, unfortunately involve a situation of

widespread increase of weight, resulting in a growth of the fat mass with all the consequent risks, like arteriosclerosis, increased values of cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL, diseases such as diabetes, hyperlipemia and a possible rise of various types of cancer.

The altered nourishing habits of the current world as well as the modern nutritional technologies consider only some aspects of the food, such as the preservation, the absence of bacterial contamination, the rapidity in meal preparation, the appetizing feature, but in order to meet consumers' needs, we find on the market food with many calories but lacking nutritional substances necessary for the good work of our organism. Nourishing problems are particularly serious in sport environments. Often the diet of an athlete is very, even too much rich in calories, proteins, carbohydrates and lipids, but lacking important nutrients like minerals, vitamins and fibres, elements that sometimes athletes take casually, mostly by their own initiative, without a medical advice. Exhaustive studies about nutritional needs of the athlete prove that a correct and balanced diet is able to provide the organism anything necessary for the best performance. But it's not easy to follow a correct diet, above all when travelling. Even if it's true that a single food cannot satisfy the nutritional needs of a person, the present invention aims at providing a food holding adequate nutritious substances,

especially if eaten together with vegetables and seasoned with vegetable oil.

This food is eaten like traditional pasta, but cannot properly be called "pasta". The pasta we normally find on the market is not a complete nutritious food, as it is rich in complex carbohydrates but lacks of essential amino acids and other nutrients. The various Departments of Food, both domestic and international (LARN - RDA) , give the rules for correct and healthy nourishment, result of studies and researches, so individuals progressively realize that having a correct diet means to keep one's health good and prevent diseases. On the other hand, food and pharmaceutical industries continuously launch on the market new drinks and food fortified with vitamins, minerals, fat acids, etc. and consumers are more and more confused. Based on the assumption that a perfect diet for a good health must be as more various as possible, but that current styles of life do not leave enough time for cooking, this new food has been studied that allows everyone to eat correctly in few time. Therefore, this new food targets anyone wishes to have a balanced diet, without animal origin food, like vegetarians and vegans; overweight or obese people, ^' in order to provide a diet with few calories but balanced in all its components; all people suffering from cholestorolemia, hyperglycemia, hypertension and all those small and big problems caused by bad circulation connected with blood lipids; sport athletes, who need a balanced diet with

proteins, lipids and carbohydrates as well as essential amino acids in suitable relation; collective restaurants, such as canteens, barracks, hospitals, schools, etc., where it's sufficient, according to the needs, have an appropriate dose of food for a quick, pleasant and nutritious meal; in all those conditions where it's necessary, for modern life rhythms, to make a quick meal. In fast foods or cafes, in place of the usual snacks rich in animal saturated fats, we could find an optimal "pasta" and be sure to have a good, light and healthy meal. This product is also suitable for people who wish to eat correctly and prevent any pathology caused by nourishing excess or shortage. In the "industrialized" countries, consumers generally have a diet high in calories, therefore fattening, but poor in micronutrients, antioxidants, fibres, etc., necessary for a good health. Which involves, in time, diseases caused by excess of calories, sugars and fats, such as arteriosclerosis, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, cancer. Nowadays, people live longer, thanks to medicines, but worse. On the contrary, this food has the advantage to respect the natural human needs and can, or better must be used in all moments of one's life: during growth, youth, pregnancy, breast-feeding, old age. This food is essential for underdeveloped people, since it is balanced in proteins for the quality of amino acids, in lipids for the quantity and quality of fats and in carbohydrates. It's important to note

this product has a very low price, as it's solely of vegetable origin. It's worthy to remember that for producing one kilogram of meat we need about seven kilograms of cereals. At the current state of the art, no food is known with the above-mentioned characteristics and satisfying the above-cited needs.

Disclosure of invention

Reduced to its essential structure, a natural vegetable origin food, according to the present invention, comprises the following elements: hard wheat semolina, ranging from 45-50%; rice flour, ranging from 15-18%; soybean flour, ranging from 10-15%; chick peas flour, ranging from 5-9%; - almond flour, ranging from 5-8%; nut flour, ranging from 5-8%; wheat germs, ranging from 3-9%.

The above composition, in the variable percentages according to the possible additions of other components, constitutes the base of this food that, in a practical solution exactly comprises the following elements:

48% hard wheat semolina;

15% rice flour;

13% soybean flour; - 5% chick peas flour ;

6% almond flour;

6% nut flour;

6% wheat germs;

1% oat flour.

To the basic composition, it's possible to add amaranth flour in a percentage ranging from 0.1-5%.

To the basic composition, it's possible to add oat flour in a percentage ranging from 0.1-5%.

To the basic composition, it's possible to add quinoa flour in a percentage ranging from 0.1-5%. To the basic composition, it's possible to add teff flour in a percentage ranging from 0.1-5%.

Following the addition of the above flours, the values of the other components change, so in a practical solution the food comprises the following elements: - 48% hard wheat semolina;

13% rice flour;

13% soybean flour;

5% chick peas flour ;

6% almond flour; - 6% nut flour;

6% wheat germs;

3% amaranth, oat, guinoa and/or teff flour.

To the basic composition, it's possible to add gluten in a percentage ranging from 0.1-2%.

Following the addition of gluten, the values of the other components change, so in a practical solution the food comprises the following elements:

48% hard wheat semolina; - 16% rice flour;

12% soybean flour;

5% chick peas flour ;

6% almond flour;

6% nut flour; - 6% wheat germs;

1% gluten.

The method of production is similar to the method used for producing pasta. We mix the various flours, first dry and later with water at a suitable temperature; so we get the paste that must be worked and shaped by means of the moulding machines used in pasta factories; the pasta so obtained will then be dried, also in this case at a suitable temperature. Once the food is dried, before its consumption it must be boiled for about 3/5 min. into water. The obtained result is a natural food, exclusively of vegetable origin, which holds proteins, therefore amino acids, vitamins, essential fat acids (linoleic and linolenic) , micro and macro elements well balanced. This food that is composed by ingredients easy to find and not expensive, it's pleasant to the taste. It can be consumed as single meal, associated to vegetable and fruit, since it's able to provide the most

nutrients recommended by LARN (Level of assumption recommended by the National Institute of Food) or RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowances) without the addition of other food of animal origin. For its characteristics, this food is suitable for everyone: children older than three, elderly, women in menopause, sport athletes, obese people, people suffering from hypertension or cardiopathy; as a matter of fact, it is suitable for any physiological situation, providing the appropriate dose. It is therefore a valid alternative to the excessive use of food of animal origin, complying with the dictates of the modern food science for a longer and especially healthier life. The proteins held in this food give a sufficient quantity of essential amino acids, almost like in eggs or beef. Even the quantity of ramate amino acids is good, which is particularly important for sport athletes.

This food has a bit more calories than the normal pasta on the market, but it has nutritional properties very useful for athletes. All the ingredients are of vegetable origin and are well balanced both as regards quantity and quality of the main nutrients, like proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, minerals, vitamins and fibres. The proteins, even if of vegetable origin, give a good quantity of essential amino acids, above all Tryptophan, Valine, Leucine, Isoleucine. The fats are mostly mono and polyunsaturated with a perfect balance between Linoleic and Linolenic. The carbohydrates are mainly complex,

rich in food fibre. The minerals, such as Magnesium, Zinc, Copper, Potassium, are present in good quantities and well balanced with Chromium, Selenium, Iron, etc. The food "Pasta with legumes" holds a good quantity of vitamin E, Folic Acid, and a lower amount of hydrosoluble vitamins. Both the minerals and the vitamins held in this food are well balanced each other and the organic shape permits their best use by the human organism. As it does not contain animal origin elements, it lacks of vitamin B12. This food does not hold preservatives, colorants or any substance other than the cited components .

The fat acids held in this food, exclusively of vegetable origin, are mostly mono and polyunsaturated, in such a quantity as to meet the recommended needs and particularly indicated for reducing the effects of the cardiovascular diseases. The amount of mineral elements, both macro and micro, is balanced in quality and quantity. It's important the amount of iron, selenium, calcium, potassium, zinc, copper, all natural and not synthesized. This food does not contain cholesterol, is rich in nutritional fibre and complex carbohydrates, has just a bit more calories than the traditional pasta. It can be used as single meal, but as complete for diets reducing cholesterol and giving a low quantity of sodium but a good quantity of potassium, therefore it's perfect for people suffering from hypertension. Furthermore, for the synergy of its components, it's a good

prevention for various types of cancers, vascular diseases, osteoporosis, menopause symptoms. Whaf's more, it can be a vital food for undernourished people.

This food, composed by the above-mentioned elements, permits the realization of a series of food products with similar nutritional properties, such as bakery products (biscuits, barrettes, cakes, pies, crackers, bread, breadsticks ... ) , bases for pizza, sweet or salt creams.

For biscuits and other bakery products, we use the same paste object of this invention, the only differences are: the semolina flour for the pasta and the zero or double zero flour for the bakery products, with the addition of other ingredients such as: butter, egg, refined sugar and wholemeal cane sugar, honey, milk, yoghurt, inulin, carob flour, juices, rising agents, etc. in variable proportions.

48% zero or double zero flour;

16% rice flour;

13% soybean flour;

5% chick peas flour ; - 6% almond flour;

6% nut flour;

6% wheat germs. Otherwise :

48% zero or double zero flour; - 16% rice flour;

13% oat flour;

5% chick peas flour ;

6% almond flour;

6% nut flour;

6% wheat germs.

To the basic composition, it's possible to add amaranth flour in a percentage ranging from 0.1-5%.

To the basic composition, it's possible to add quinoa flour in a percentage ranging from 0.1-5%.

To the basic composition, it's possible to add teff flour in a percentage ranging from 0.1-5%.

The nutritional values of the present food are better highlighted by the following table. It consists of theoretical data derived from the tables of composition of food by the National Institute of Research for food, hereby enclosed.

Vegetable origin food rich in proteins and nutritious. Food table for lOOg of product

Theoretical data derived from the tables of composition of food INRAN 2000 - Food Tables Dietosystem, DS MediGroup. The essential amino acids held in the egg are the most nutritious both for quantity and quality and they are compared in order to evaluate the quality of proteins of the food. For this reason, by means of these tables, we have compared the amount of amino acids of the food object of this invention with the amount of amino acids in the egg and in the pasta of

hard wheat semolina on the market. It's evident that the product at issue has an optimal quality of proteins. The following table highlights the high amount of the essential fat acids of the series omega three and omega six, the balance between them, the low amount of the saturated fat acids .

Amino Acids mg/100 g

Content of fat acids