CA1339396C

CA1339396C - Process for producing konjak jelly

Info

Publication number: CA1339396C
Application number: CA000555628A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Hisashi Nozaki; Seiya Sakurai
Original assignee: Kyowa Shokuhin KK; Kibun KK
Current assignee: Kyowa Shokuhin KK; Kibun KK
Priority date: 1987-12-30
Filing date: 1987-12-30
Publication date: 1997-09-02
Anticipated expiration: 2014-09-02

Abstract

A process for producing a konjak (a substance made 5 from the starch of the corms of the plant Amophorphallus Rivievi) jelly which may be added to various kinds of food is disclosed. The konjak jelly is produced by adding water to konjak flour to cause the latter to swell and dissolve in the former, and mixing the resulting paste with a basic amino acid, a basic salt, or a mixture thereof; or adding to konjak flour water which has been mixed with a basic amino acid, a basic salt, or a mixture thereof in advance; or mixing konjak flour with a basic amino acid, a basic salt, or a mixture thereof in advance, and adding water to the resulting mixture to cause the latter to swell and dissolve in the former; and heating the resulting konjak paste under alkaline conditions and then cooling it. The konjak jelly thus produced may be added to various kinds of food to improve the flavor or the like or may be added to diet food.
Thus, it is possible to diversify the use of konjak.

Description

-l- 1339396 PROCESS FOR PRODUCING KONJAK JELLY

The present invention relates to a process for producing a konjak (a substance made from the starch of the corms of the plant Amophorphallus Rivievi) jelly which is suitable as a method of diversifying the utilization of konjak, for example, by adding it to various kinds of food with a view to improving their flavor or other properties, or to various kinds of diet food for calorie control purposes.
Although it has been utilized as a food from ancient times, konjak has recently attracted special interest and has been put in the spotlight because of its non-calorie properties and i~s usefulness as dietary fiber.
However, konjak is in most cases used in the form of a slab or the like, in which shape it is usually eaten, so that konjak has not yet been satisfactorily utilized as a processed food material which may be added to a food in order to give it a unique flavor or improve its properties, or which may be utilized as a binder or for calorie control purposes.
The reason for this may be attributed to the slow development of a technique by which a konjak raw material, for example, konjak flour, may be formed into good quality processed food materials or food additives.
More specifically, according to z typical conven-tional process for producing konjak, 900 to 1200 liters of water is added to about 30 kg of konjak flour, allowing the latter to swell and thus preparing konjak paste, after which lime is added to and mixed with the konjak paste in an amount of 3 to 6% with respect to the amount of konjak flour.
Then, the mixture is placed in â container, forming frame or the like and heated at about 80~C for about 60 minutes to thereby obtain a piece of konjak. This method has been practiced for many years.
Accordingly, if one is to use konjak flour as a food material for addition to another processed food or the like, it is conventional practice to add konjak flour in the form of a finely-ground powder with a view to facilitating disso-lution, or in the form of konjak paste which is formed by making konjak flour swell by addition of water or by mixing lime with konjak flour.
These conventional methods suffer, however, from the following problems. Namely, mannan originated from konjak does not completely set to gel even in the final-product stage, and the pasty state that is retained is rather undesirable. The smell of slaked lime which is used as a solidification agent for konjak paste unfavorably remains.
Since the pH of the product inclines toward the alkali side, the taste may be adversely affected.
Accordingly, although it is desired to use a larger amount of konjak in order to improve the properties of food or provide for calorie control, the amount of konjak which is usable is to a substantial extent limited.
In these circumstances, the present inventors made exhaustive studies in order to develop food additives and processed food materials that could be produced with konjak and which are free from the above-described problems, as well as eliminating any risk that the ingredients which constitute the konjak may separate from each other or that water may be irreversibly liberated from solid matter during storage over long periods of time.
As a result, the present inventors have succeeded in processing a konjak raw material to produce a konjak mate-rial in the form of jelly which may conveniently be added to food or be processed, thus attaining the above-described object.

~,:

-2a- 1339396 1 The invention in its broadest aspect provides a process for producing a konjak jelly comprising the steps of: adding water to konjak flour to cause the latter to swell and dissolve in the former, and mixing the resulting paste with a basic amino acid, a base, or a mixture thereof;
or adding to konjak flour water which has been mixed with a basic amino acid, a base, or a mixture thereof in advance;
or mixing konjak flour with a basic amino acid, a base, or a mixture thereof in advance, and adding water to the resulting mixture to cause the latter to swell and dissolve in the former; and heating the resulting konjak paste under alkaline conditions and then cooling it.
More specifically, the present invention provides a process for producing a konjak jelly comprising the steps of: adding water to konjak flour to cause the latter to swell and dissolve in the former, and mixing the resulting paste with a basic amino acid, a basic salt, or a mixture thereof; or adding to konjak flour water which has been mixed with a basic amino acid, a basic salt, or a mixture thereof in advance; or mixing konjak flour with a basic amino acid, a basic salt, or a mixture thereof in advance, and adding water to the resulting mixture to cause the latter to swell and dissolve in the former; and heating the resulting konjak paste under alkaline conditions and then cooling it.
In a preferred aspect, the invention provides a process for producing a thermally irreversible thickened gel which is blendable with other food products, said process comprising the steps of (a) forming a konjak paste by mixing components consisting essentially of konjak flour, an amount sufficient of water to cause the konjak flour to swell and dissolve, and a basic amino acid, a basic salt, or mixture thereof; (b) heating said konjak paste under weak alkaline conditions at a temperature and time sufficient to begin the setting of said konjak paste, said temperature being about 60~C. or more, to thereby begin setting of said konjak paste; and (c) then, prior to completion of setting of said B

~3~ 1339396 .
1 heated konjak paste, rapidly cooling the heated paste and thus stopping said setting prior to essential completion of said setting of said konjak paste into a firm gel.
The konjak jelly according to the present invention is different from the so-called konjak paste which is formed by allowing konjak flour to swell in water, and is also different from the konjak gel which is obtained by adding an alkali to konjak paste and heating the mixture. The konjak jelly of the present invention is midway between konjak paste and gel from the viewpoint of properties.
Accordingly, the konjak jelly of the present inven-tion possesses viscosity and hardness at appropriate levels and may therefore be mixed with any kind of food in desired proportions.
Unlike mere konjak paste, the konjak jelly according to the present invention causes gelation when heated during the processing of a food containing it and sets completely.
It should be noted that there is a ~reversible-state konjak~ disclosed in Japanese Patent Public Disclosure No. 58-116651 (1983) which is likely to be confused with the konjak jelly of the present invention. However, the prior art is a form of konjak which reversibly changes from a liquid state to a coagulated state and vice verse in accord-ance with the degree of cooling and heating applied, and therefore it is clearly different in terms of properties from the konjak jelly of the present invention which is in the jelly state irrespective of whether it is cooled or heated.
The following is a description of the process for producing the konjak jelly according to the present invention.
Water is first added to konjak flour in an amount equivalent to 20 to 40 times the amount of the latter, thereby causing the konjak flour to swell and dissolve in the water and thus obtaining konjak paste. Then, a basic amino acid, a basic salt, or a mixture thereof is added to and intimately mixed with the konjak paste. Alternatively, a basic amino acid, a basic salt, or a mixture thereof is first mixed with an amount of water equivalent to 20 to 40 times the amount of konjak flour used, and then the konjak flour is allowed to swell and dissolve in the solution.
5 According to still another procedure, konjak flour is first mixed with a basic amino acid, a basic salt, or a mixture thereof, and then an amount of water which is 20 to 40 times the amount of konjak flour is added to and mixed with the resulting mixture, thereby allowing the konjak flour to 10 swell and dissolve in the mixture. In all three procedures, the konjak paste thus prepared is heated under alkaline conditions and then cooled to thereby obtain the desired konjak jelly.
It should be noted that the temperature and duration 15 Gf the heat treatment are adjusted i~ accordance with the concentration and pH of the salt used and the desired prop-erties of the konjak jelly to be obtained. When the pH of the konjak paste is relatively high, the heating time is set so as to be relatively short, whereas, when the pH of the 20 paste is relatively low, the heating time is set so as to be relatively long.
The konjak jelly according to the present invention must be heated under alkaline conditions. It is preferable to carry out the heat treatment with the pH of the konjak 25 paste adjusted so that the pH of the jelly obtained after cooling is in the range of from 8.0 to 10.5, preferably from 8.2 to 10Ø
In this case, it is preferable to select a combina-tion of heating conditions such that the temperature is from 60 to 95~C and the heating time is from 5 to 210 minutes.
It should be noted that a desirable combination of pH, temperature and heating time is preferably selected so that the pH of the jelly obtained after cooling is in the range of from 8.0 to 10.5, preferably from 8.2 to 10.0, and it is preferable to determine optimal combination conditions for these factors in advance by carrying out preliminary experiments.
The heat treatment used in the present invention is 1339~96 completed before the konjak paste sets. If the heating conditions exceed the upper limit of the optimal range, the konjak paste sets to a gel and loses its mixability with other ingredients, which is one of the advantageous features of the konjak jelly according to the present invention.
On the other hand, if the heating conditions are lower than the lower limit of the optimal range, the paste cannot set to a gel when the konjak paste is reheated, but remains in the pasty state. This results in a food material that is nothing more than a konjak paste swelling in water.
Once the konjak paste which has been appropriately heated, it must be cooled quickly to stop the reaction.
If this oper2tion is omitted, the paste undesirably becomes a gel.
The pH of the konjak jelly thus obtained is in the range of from 8.0 to 10.5, preferably in the range of from 8.2 to 10Ø A pH value in excess of 10.5 results in an ordinary type of konjak which is difficult to mix with other foods. A p~ value of less than 8.0 is unfavorable because, when such a konjak jelly is mixed with other foods, the jelly remains in the pasty state and will not solidify, which degrades the commercial value of the resulting food product.
As described above, the konjak jelly of the present invention has different properties from those of the afore-mentioned reversible-state konjak (see Japanese Patent Public Disclosure No. 58-116651) although both products are formed by carrying out similar procedures. This is partly attributable to the difference in the heating conditions.
More specifically, it is clear that the reversible-state konjak is gelled or coagulated at 80~C, and the difference in the properties arises from the absence of a cooling process in the procedure.
As described above, the pH of the konjak jelly of the present invention during the production process is adjusted so that the pH of the resulting jelly is in the range of from 8 to 10.5. In other words, the konjak material is processed within a lower pH region than in the case of the process for producing ordinary konjak. Thus, the process according to the present invention is also different from the conventional konjak production process. Although ordinary konjak can also be produced in the pH region of from 9.5 to 10.0 by appropriately setting the heating and cooling conditions, in the present invention the heating conditions are set at lower levels than in the case of the ordinary konjak production process. The heating is stopped before the konjak paste sets to gel, and the heated konjak paste is immediately cooled to obtain a konjak jelly.
As for the konjak raw material to be employed in the present invention, it is possible to use any of the follow-ing materials, that is, konjak, flour obtained by drying and grinding konjak, and refined konjak flour.
Examples of basic amino acids which may usually be employed in the present invention include arginine, histidine, lysine, citrulline and ornithine. These basic amino acids may be employed alone or in combination in the form of a mixture. Particularly preferable basic amino acids are arginine and lysine.
The amount of a basic amino acid used is preferably from 1.25 to 15% by weight with respect to the weight of konjak flour used.
Employment of a basic amino acid enables utilization of the advantage offered by basic amino acids in that they have high pH-buffering power whereby it is possible to stabilize the pH of the konjak paste and obtain a konjak jelly having stable quality. In addition, it is advanta-geously possible to obtain a tasty konjak jelly which is free from alkaline flavor even though it is in fact alkaline.
Examples of basic substances which may be employed in the present invention usually include organic acid salts such as sodium citrate, sodium tartrate, sodium malate, sodium acetate, sodium lactate and sodium succinate, phos-phates such as sodium polyphosphate, sodium pyrophosphate,sodium metaphosphate, di- or tri-sodium phosphate, potassium polyphosphate, potassium pyrophosphate, potassium metaphos-phate, and di- or tri-potassium phosphate, carbonates such 1~33~396 as sodium carbonate, sodium hydrogencarbonate, potassium carbonate, calcium carbonate, and magnesium carbonate, sulfates such as potassium sulfate, sodium sulfate, calcium sulfate, and magnesium sulfate, sodium hydroxide, and potas-sium hydroxide. As will be clear from these examples, anybasic edible salt may be employed as a basic salt in the present invention.
It should be noted that in order to provide a buffer effect it is possible to employ an acid or an acid salt in combination with a basic substance such that the pH of the combination is eventually on the alkali side. Examples of acids or acid salts which may be employed in combination with a basic substance are citric acid, tartaric ac-d, mzlic acid, acetic acid, lactic acid, phosphoric acid, monosodi~m phosphate, and monopotassium phosphate. The amount or acid or acid salt used is preferably from 0.01 to 5% by weignt with respect to the weight of konjak flour used.
In the present invention, employment of a basic amino acid and basic salt in combination enables effective combi-nation of the characteristics of basic amino acids, whichhave high pH-buffering power and therefore enable stabili-zation of the pH value but cause difficulties in setting a desired pH value, and the characteristics of basic salts, which are such that it is possible to adjust the pH value as desired by selection of an appropriate substance even though the pH-buffering power of basic salts is relatively low.
Thus, it is possible to facilitate the p~ setting operation, suppress fluctuations in pH due to the raw material and water used, and produce a uniform konjak jelly.
The konjak jelly according to the present invention has the following advantages. It is possible to add this konjak jelly to various kinds of food for calorie control purposes. The konjak jelly may be added to processed marine foods and processed meat foods to improve the taste, flavor, water holding capacity, etc., and may also be added to noodles such as Chinese noodles and wheat vermicelli to improve their flavor and other properties or to be utilized as a binder therefor. Further, the konjak jelly may be added to dough for bread or cookies to improve their flavor, expanding characteristics and other properties.
Further, the konjak jelly may be used for jelly foods, for example, jam and pastry, by adding sweetening, spices or the like thereto.
Examples The following Examples are provided for the purpose of further illustrating the present invention but are not to be construed as limiting.
Example 1 One hundred liters of water having 0.35 kg of L-arginine dissolved therein was added to 4 kg of refined konjak lour under stirring so that the konjak flour swelled in water. The resulting konjak paste was then allowed to s-~d for 5 hours at room temperature, thereby satisfac-torily effecting swelling and dissolution of the konjak flour. The pH of the resulting konjak paste was 8.9.
The konjak paste thus obtained was packed and sealed in a bag made of a synthetic resin material and then heated 20 at 75~C for 90 minutes. After the heat treatment, the packed konjak paste was cooled rapidly to 10~C in ice water, thereby obtaining the desired konjak jelly. The p~ of the jelly thus obtained was 8.6.
Example 2 One hundred liters of water was added to 3.5 kg of refine2 konjak flour under stirring so that the konjak flour swelied in water. The resulting konjak paste was then allowed to stand for 3 hours at room temperature, thereby satisfactorily effecting swelling and dissolution of the 30 konjak flour.
A solution of 0.7 kg of L-lysine in 7 liters of water was added to and intimately mixed with the resulting konjak paste. The p~ of this mixture was 9.6.
The paste thus obtained was packed and sealed in a 35 bag made of a synthetic resin material and then heated at 90~C for 30 minutes. After the heat treatment, the packed konjak paste was cooled in running water and further cooled to 10~C in ice water, thereby obtaining the desired konjak 133939~
g jelly. The pH of the konjak jelly thus obtained was 9.2.
Example 3 One hundred liters of water having 0.5 kg of tri-sodium phosphate dissolved therein was added to 4 kg of refined konjak flour, and the mixture was stirred for 5 to 10 minutes so that the flour swelled in water. The result-ing konjak paste was then allowed to stand for 3 hours, thereby satisfactorily effecting swelling and dissolution of the konjak flour.
The konjak paste thus obtained was packed in a bag made of a synthetic resin material. The pH of the paste was 9.4. The packed paste was then heated at 75~C for 30 minutes. Immediately after completion of the heat treat-ment, the packed konjak paste was cooled in running water 15 and further cooled to 10~C in ice water, thereby obtaining the desired konjak jelly. The pH of the konjak jelly thus obtained was 8.9.
Example 4 One hundred liters of water having 0.3 kg of sodium 20 carbonate and 0.3 kg of monosodium phosphate dissolved therein was added to 3 kg of refined konjak flour, and the mixture was stirred ror 5 to 10 minutes so that particles of the flour would not precipitate, thereby allowing the flour to swell in the solution. The resulting konjak paste was 25 then allowed to stand for 3 hours at room temperature, thereby satisfactorily effecting swelling and dissolution of the konjak flour. The pH of the resulting konjak paste was 8.9.
The paste thus obtained was packed and sealed in a 30 bag made of a syr,thetic resin material and then heated at 80~C for 60 minutes. After the completion of the heat treatment, the packed paste was cooled in running water and further cooled to 10~C in ice water, thereby obtaining the desired konjak jelly. The pH of the konjak jelly thus 35 obtained was 8.4.
Example 5 - One hundred liters of water was added to and mixed with 3.3 kg of refined konjak flour under stirring, thereby allowing the flour to swell in water. A solution of 1.0 kg of sodium carbonate in a small amount of water was added to and mixed with the resulting konjak paste. The pH of this mixture was 10.5.
The konjak paste thus obtained was packed and sealed in a bag made of a synthetic resin material and then heated at 70~C for 15 minutes. After the heat treatment, the packed konjak paste was cooled rapidly to 10~C in ice water, thereby obtaining the desired konjak jelly. The pH of the jelly thus obtained was 10.3.
Example 6 To four kilograms of refined konjak flour were added 0.5 kg of sodium citrate and 0.5 kg of sodium carbonate and mixed together. One hundred liters of water was added to the mixture and stirred for 5 to 10 minutes, thereby allow-ing the konjak flour to swell. The resulting konjak paste was allowed to stand for 3 more hours at room temperature, thereby satisfactorily effecting swelling and dissolution of the konjak flour. The pH of this konjak paste was 9.5.
The paste thus obtained was packed and sealed in a bag made of a synthetic resin material and then heated at 60~C for 180 minutes. After the heat treatment, the packed paste was cooled in running water and further cooled to 10~C
in ice water, thereby obtaining the desired konjak jelly.
The pH of the jelly thus obtained was 8.9.Example 7 One hundred liters of water having 0.3 kg of ~-lysine and 0.2 kg of sodium carbonate dissolved therein was added to and mixed with ~ kg of refined konjzk rlour under stirring, thereby allowing the konjak flour to swell.
The resulting konjak paste was allowed to stand for 3 more hours, thereby satisfactorily effecting swelling and dis-solution of the konjak flour. The pH of this konjak paste was 9.4.
The paste thus obtained was packed and sealed in a bag made of a synthetic resin material and then heated at 80~C for 15 minutes. After the heat treatment, the packed paste was cooled rapidly to 10~C in ice water, thereby -11- 1~39396 obtaining the desired konjak jelly. The pH of the jelly thus obtained was 9.2.
Example 8 One hundred liters of water having 0.2 kg of L-lysine 5 and 0.2 kg of disodium phosphate dissolved therein was added to and mixed with 3.3 kg of refined konjak flour under stirring, thereby allowing the konjak flour to swell. The resulting konjak paste was allowed to stand for 3 more hours at room temperature, thereby satisfactorily effecting swell-10 ing and dissolution of the konjak flour. The pH of thiskonjak paste was 8.8. The paste thus obtained was packed and sealed in a bag made of a synthetic resin material and ' ~ ~ez.ed at 80~C for 60 minutes. After the heat ~rs~ment, -~he packed 15 paste was cooled rapidly in ice water, _her~by obtai~i~g the desired konjak jelly. The pH of the jelly thus ob.ained was 8.3.
Example 9 One hundred liters of water was added to a mixture of 20 3 kg of refined konjak flour and 0.35 kg of L-arginine under stirring, thereby allowing the konjak flour to swell. The resulting konjak paste was then allowed to stand for 2 hours at room temperature, thereby satisfactorily effecting swelling of the konjak flour. The pE of this paste was 9.1.
25 The paste thus cbtained was packed and sealeZ in a bag made of a synthetic resin material and then heated at 80~C for 60 minutes. After the heat treatment, the packed paste was cooled to 10~C in cold water, .hereby obtaining the desired konjak jelly. The pE of the jelly thus obtained was 8.6.
xample 10 One hundred liters of water was added to a mixture of 2.8 kg of refined konjak flour, 0.2 kg of L-lysine and 0.2 kg of disodium phosphate, thereby allowing the konjak flour to swell. The resulting konjak paste was then allowed 35 to stand for 3 hours, thereby satisfactorily effecting swelling of the konjak flour. The p~ of this paste was 9Ø
The paste thus obtained was packed and sealed in a bag made of a synthetic resin material and then heated at 80~C for -12- 133939~
45 minutes. After the heat treatment, the packed paste was cooled in cold water, thereby obtaining the desired konjak jelly. The pH of the jelly thus obtained was 8.5.
Example 11 One hundred liters of water was added to a mixture of 4 kg of refined konjak flour, 0.5 kg of sodium citrate and 0.5 kg of sodium carbonate, thereby allowing the konjak flour to swell. The resulting konjak paste was then allowed to stand for 3 hours at room temperature, thereby satisfac-10 torily effecting swelling of the konjak flour. The paste thus obtained was packed and sealed in a bag made of a synthetic resin material and then heated at 80~C for 15 min~es. After ~he heat treatment, the packed paste W2S
cooled tn cold water, thereby obtaining the desired konj2k 15 jelly. T~e p~ o. the ielly thus obtained was 8.8.
The konjak jelly according to the present invention is storable over 2 long period of time and has excellent properties as a processed food material. Accordingly, the konjak jelly may be added to various kinds of food for the 20 purpose of calorie control, used as a binder, employed to impart to food the fiavor and taste which are unique to konJak or to improv~ the properties of food, or it m2y be utilized as a food material. Thus, the konjak jelly of the present invention enables enlargement of the range of uses 25 of konjak which has been attracting special interest recently.

Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A process for producing a thermally irreversible thickened gel which is blendable with other food products, said process comprising the steps of:
(a) forming a konjak paste by mixing components consisting essentially of konjak flour, an amount sufficient of water to cause the konjak flour to swell and dissolve, and a basic amino acid, a basic salt, or mixture thereof;
(b) heating said konjak paste under weak alkaline conditions at a temperature and time sufficient to begin the setting of said konjak paste, said temperature being about 60'C. or more, to thereby begin setting of said konjak paste; and (c) then, prior to completion of setting of said heated konjak paste, rapidly cooling the heated paste and thus stopping said setting prior to essential completion of said setting of said konjak paste into a firm gel.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein one or more basic amino acids are employed with respect to the konjak flour.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein one or more basic salts are employed with respect to the konjak flour.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein a mixture of one or more basic amino acids and one or more basic salts is employed with respect to the konjak flour.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein said basic amino acid is one amino acid or a mixture of two or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of arginine, histidine, lysine, citrulline and ornithine.

6. The process according to claim 1, wherein said basic amino acid is arginine, lysine, or a mixture of arginine and lysine.

7. The process according to claim 1, wherein the basic amino acid is used in an amount of 1.25 to 15% by weight with respect to the weight of the konjak flour.

8. The process according to claim 1, wherein the basic salt is one salt or a mixture of two or more salts selected from the group consisting of sodium citrate, sodium tartrate, sodium malate, sodium acetate, sodium lactate, sodium succinate, sodium polyphosphate, sodium pyrophosphate, sodium metaphosphate, di- or tri-sodium phosphate, potassium polyphosphate, potassium pyrophosphate, potassium metaphosphate, or tri-potassium phosphate, sodium carbonate, sodium hydrogencarbonate, potassium carbonate, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, potassium sulfate, sodium sulfate, calcium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, sodium hydroxide, and potassium hydroxide.

9. The process according to claim 1, wherein an acid or an acid salt is used in combination with said materials in order to provide a buffer effect.

10. The process according to claim 1, wherein the amount of water which is added to the konjak flour is 20 to 40 times the amount of the latter.

11. The process according to claim 1, wherein said konjak paste is heated with the pH thereof adjusted so that the pH of the konjak jelly obtained after cooling is in the range of from 8.0 to 10.5.

12. The process according to claim 1, wherein said konjak paste is heated with the pH thereof adjusted so that the pH of the konjak jelly obtained after cooling is in the range of from 8.2 to 10Ø

13. The process according to claim 1, wherein said konjak paste is heated at from 60 to 95'C. for from 5 to 210 minutes.

14. The process according to claim 4, wherein said basic amino acid is one amino acid or a mixture of two or more amino acids selected from the group consisting of arginine, histidine, lysine, citrulline and ornithine.

15. The process according to claim 4, wherein said basic amino acid is arginine, lysine, or a mixture of arginine and lysine.

16. The process according to claim 4, wherein an acid or an acid salt is used in combination with said materials in order to provide a buffer effect.

17. A thermally irreversible thickened gel made by the process of claim 1.

18. A thermally irreversible thickened gel made by the process of claim 4.

19. A thermally irreversible thickened gel made by the process of claim 6.

20. A thermally irreversible thickened gel made by the process of claim 9.