Nowadays the average human nutrition is too poor in fibres and too rich in saturated fatty acids. These proportions have negative health impacts i. a. in raising or maintaining high blood cholesterol levels. A sufficient fibre intake is a prerequisite for good intestinal activity and a fibrous diet is assumed to prevent cardiovascular diseases, cancer of the large intestine, diabetes, and also the development of for instance hormonal cancers.

Especially meat products and part of fast foods are often poor in fibres but rich in saturated fatty acids. Consequently, besides these foodstuffs, the diet should contain fibres and unsaturated fatty acids derived from other sources.

Flax (Linum sp.) is a plant cultivated for fibrous and oleic purposes. Flaxseed is generally used as whole seeds to enhance intestinal activity, among other things.

Nowadays oil pressed from flaxseed is primarily used as a wood protective agent and in paints for industrial purposes. Linseed oil is rich in polyunsaturate fatty acids the major portion consisting of a-linolenic acid (ALA) and a-linolic acid. Linseed oil has a higher ALA concentration than any other vegetable oil. Owing to its high ALA concentration, linseed oil is very oxidable. On the other hand, a high ALA concentration is a condition for achieving the desired health impacts.

Flaxseed yields crushed flaxseed as a press residue, which still contains about 4- 20% by weight of linseed oil. If desired, the residual oil can be removed for instance by extracting by means of an appropriate solvent. Hexane is most commonly used as the extractive solvent. It is known to use crushed flaxseed or ground flaxseed obtained after extraction in cooking.

The use and effects of flaxseed, linseed oil and crushed flaxseed have been generally described e. g. in the publications Carter, Cereal Food World, vol. 38, No 10,1993,753-759 and Cui, Canadian Chemical News, vol. 50, No 5,1998,19-20.

Flaxseed, linseed oil or crushed flaxseed haven been used or proposed to be used separately in various foodstuffs. The use of flaxseed and crushed or ground flaxseed

in foodstuffs is restricted by the changes in taste and colour they produce, which are felt to be unpleasant.

Flaxseed and crushed flaxseed have been primarily used in bakery products.

The abstract FROSTI No 269 523 (original: Fleischerei, 1991,42 (9), 624-8) mentions i. a. the use of flaxseed in meat and sausage products.

The abstract Derwent WPI No 95-100745 (HU 66713) describes a nutritive preparation containing wheatgerms, wheat bran, crushed soybean, husked oilseed, s, crushed flaxseed and herbs.

US patent specification 5 612 074 discloses a nutritive preparation containing i. a. carbohydrates, vegetable oil, vegetable protein and fibres. Flaxseed can be used as a constituent.

The abstract Derwent WPI No 92-428802 (JP 4 325 060) discloses a fibre product which may contain e. g. flaxseed fibres.

FI patent specification 100 089 describes a method for preparing a product containing flaxseed protein and flaxseed mucilage by pressing and possibly extracting the flaxseed with an appropriate solvent to remove the linseed oil, whereafter the obtained crushed flaxseed extract is alkali extracted and the insoluble fibres are separated. This product containing flaxseed protein and flaxseed mucilage is particularly usable in bakery.

US patent specification 4 857 326 discloses an emulsion prepared by crushing flaxseed and then dissolving the seeds in water. This emulsion allegedly lowers the serum triglyceride and/or cholesterol level.

US patent specification 5 069 903 describes the preparation of a dry, edible flaxseed composition by crushing flaxseed. This composition is usable in animal feed and possibly also in human nutrition. It is assumed to increase the omega-3-fatty acid content of tissues and to lower the cholesterol level.

US patent specification 5 656 312 discloses a food supplement containing at least 70% by weight of an oil seed constituent, at least 8% by weight of an additional plant constituent and at least 4% by weight of yeast, and possibly a small amount (about 1% by weight) of a meat constituent.

Description of the invention A food composition as defined in claim 1, the method for preparing it and its use have now been invented. The dependent claims describe a number of preferred embodiments of the invention.

The object of the present invention is to prepare a foodstuff, especially a meat product or a ready prepared food, optimally combining the beneficial properties of linseed oil and flaxseed fibre while maintaining the good quality of the foodstuff. In accordance with the invention a product is obtained which combines a raised fibre content and a markedly more healthy fat composition compared with corresponding conventional foodstuffs. The invention provides a product whose taste, structure and colour substantially resemble those of corresponding conventional products, and which does not involve the colour and taste problems usually relating to flaxseed described in the prior art publications.

Another purpose of the present invention is to prepare a food composition which provides health benefits and which can be added to foodstuffs or taken as such.

It has been inferred from studies that linseed oil lowers the cholesterol level with a daily intake of at least 5 g. This would stand for approx. 12 g of whole seeds. Whole seeds cannot be added to foodstuffs in such amounts without affecting taste and colour notably. About 5% by weight of linseed oil can be easily added to the foodstuff of the invention, and thus 100 g of this product is sufficient to meet the daily requirement.

According to current nutritional recommendations, the daily fibre intake of humans should comprise about 30 g. Nevertheless, the average daily fibre intake of a person following a normal diet nowadays is only about 20 g. One object of the product of the invention is to meet the remaining fibre requirement by adding fibres to foodstuffs which do not usually contain fibres in a substantial amount. At the same time linseed oil, which provides a beneficial health impact, is added to the foodstuff. The flaxseed press residue also makes the foodstuff rich in lignans, which have also proved to provide health benefits.

The food composition of the invention contains linseed oil separated from flaxseed and flaxseed press residue. The optimal composition further contains a supplementary fibre constituent. The composition may be a ready prepared food or a blend to be added to the food, and it may contain other nutrients or additives usable in foodstuffs as well.

The composition may contain e. g. 0.5-35% by weight of linseed oil separated from flaxseed and e. g. 0.5-35% by weight of flaxseed press residue. The additional fibres may account for e. g. 0.5-33% by weight. The ratio of linseed oil to press residue in the composition is usually lower than in whole flaxseed.

The amount of linseed oil separated from flaxseed in the foodstuff may be e. g. 0.5- 20% by weight, such as 1.5-6.5% by weight, and especially about 5% by weight.

The amount of press residue in the foodstuff may be e. g. 0.5-20% by weight, such as 1-10% by weight, and especially 2-5% by weight. The amount of supplementary fibre in the foodstuff may be e. g. 0.5-19.5% by weight, such as 1-10% by weight and especially 2-5% by weight.

The linseed oil may be oil produced especially by pressing, preferably by cold- drawing.

Besides linseed oil, the composition may contain other vegetable oils, such as rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, soy oil or olive oil. An additional oil is recommended to be used especially in foodstuffs for which a weaker taste of linseed oil or a stronger taste of any other oil is desired. In that case, the amount of linseed oil is decreased accordingly, compared to the recipe. Rapeseed oil is particularly usable for this purpose owing to its neutral taste.

Flaxseed press residue obtained merely by pressing may still contain e. g. 4-20% by weight of linseed oil. The press residue may also be extracted so as to be substantially oil-free. Any oil content of the press residue is taken into account in the total oil quantity of the recipe.

The press residue is a solid substance easy to handle and dose into the composition.

Thus, for instance, it is easy to pulverise the press residue to the desired particle size. The press residue may also be otherwise processed before being used.

In accordance with the invention, the water and fat binding properties of the product are also improved. This is a benefit especially in meat products, such as sausages.

The invention also allows for easy optimation of the oil and fibre composition of each product.

The colour of the unprocessed press residue is brown. The press residue may be bleached and at the same time deflavoured, degreased and upgraded. The bleaching may be performed for instance as follows: the pulverised crushed flaxseed is

moisturised with water, whereby the ratio of water to crushed flaxseed wayary in the range 1: 1-3: 1. Enzymes, i. a. fat-degrading lipase or protease can be added to the water. The water is allowed to act on the groats for 0.5 to 12 h, and then the doughy, aqueous groats are homogenised at room temperature in alcohol, e. g. isopropanol with an isopropanol amount 2-5 times the amount of groats. The homogenised, alcohol-containing suspension is filtered in vacuum or separated from the solution by means of a centrifuge or any other suitable method. The separated groats are washed with a 2-6-fold alcohol amount, the suspension is filtered and centrifugated. The alcohol-containing groats are dried at 20-90 °C. The dried light groats are ground to the appropriate grain size.

About half of the flaxseed press residue consists of fibres. From the residue, especially bleached low-fat groats, a fraction rich in fibres can be further separated by screening or grading for use in the composition of the invention. The remaining fraction rich in proteins can be used in other foodstuffs.

Separate fibres are additionally added to the composition, along with the press residue. The total fibre amount of the press residue and the supplementary fibre can be e. g. 0.5-34% by weight. The total amount in foodstuffs may be e. g. 0.5-20% by weight, such as 1-10% by weight, and especially 2-5% by weight. The fibre preferably has a maximum lignan content.

The supplementary fibres may be any food fibres suitable for this purpose of use.

The fibres may also be soluble. Food fibres suitable for foodstuffs are e. g. wheat bran, inulin, carboxy methyl cellulose, oat bran, Litesset) and pectine, such as sugar beet pectine. The supplementary fibre component may of course contain several different fibres.

The supplementary fibre may also contain flaxseed fibres, such as flaxseed husks.

The total amount of flaxseed fibres in the foodstuff may account for e. g. 0.5-20% by weight, such as 1-10% by weight and especially 2-5% by weight.

It has been found that the flaxseed husk comprises an intermediate layer with a particularly high lignan content. A fraction called"abrased fraction", having a very high lignan content and overall fibre content, can be separated from whole, unbroken flaxseed. The abrased fraction is separated from whole flaxseed, from the surface layer, in a mill equipped with milltones. The rough surfaces of the millstones abrase the seed at a given rate, preferably for about 1-3 minutes. The lignan content of flaxseed has been found to be particularly high after an abrasion of

about 1 minute. The abrased fraction can be further bleached with the method described above.

The supplementary fibres may contain an abrased fraction of flaxseed husk or a product rich in fibres and lignan obtained from this.

The components of the composition of the invention can be added to the foodstuff separately or as suitable blends.

Besides the components mentioned above, the composition of the invention may contain any nutritive substances and additives usable in foodstuffs in order to regulate preservability, taste or physical properties. Especially a suitable anti- oxidant may be added to the composition to prevent oxidation of the linseed oil.

A composition consisting basically only of the two or three components above and any additives can also be used as a nutritional preparation as such.

The foodstuff of the invention may be for instance a meat product, such as a sausage. The sausage may be for instance a cold sausage, a liver sausage, a frankfurter or a grilled sausage.

The sausage mix may contain e. g. 3-10% of linseed oil, e. g. 0.5-4% of crushed flaxseed and e. g. 1-7% of supplementary fibres. Wheat fibres and/or inulin may be used as supplementary fibres.

The use of flaxseed as such in sausage production has also been tested. The tested amounts accounted for 2-5%. The seeds were not completely crushed in the production process. For this reason, the aspect of the sausage was not acceptable, there were indefinite brown dots in its cross-section, among other things. The binding properties essential for the structure were not enhanced.

The foodstuff of the invention may be for instance a dressing or a ready prepared food. Examples of these are minced meat products such as beefburgers and meatballs, lasagne, pizzas, filled tortillas, hamburgers, pies, microdishes, salads, such as mayonnaise and dressing-based salads and desserts, such as whipped lingonberry porridge and rye lingonberry porridge.

Flaxseed fibres are added in various amounts to different foodstuffs, because the taste, structural and colour effects vary. If bleached groats, a bleached abrased fraction or a bleached lignan-enriched fraction are used, the addition may be

markedly greater than the addition of an unprocessed fraction, up to the double of the addition of an unprocessed fraction.

The components of the invention can also be admixed before being added to the product. This yields a nutritive composition in accordance with the invention, which can be added to foodstuffs in a suitable amount. It has been found that in some foodstuffs, this reduces harmful flavours, allowing up to 40-200% larger amounts to be added than with the components added separately. A supplementary component suitable for the purpose of use, e. g. a meat extract, can be added to the composition, this composition being then usable in the production of different foodstuffs. The food composition of the invention is suitable for intake as such as well.

The method described above can be used to prepare various foodstuffs providing health benefits, i. a. lowered cholesterol levels and enhanced intestinal activity. The foodstuff of the invention is especially based on a foodstuff which is typically rich in saturated fatty acids and poor in fibres.

Examples of a number of embodiments of the invention are described below.

Ham sausage Mix: 30% pork meat, low fat (about 12% of fat) 15% beef meat, low fat (about 12% of fat) 6.0% pork fat 5.0% linseed oil 2.0% wheat fibres 0.5% flaxseed groats 3.0% inulin 1.2% salt 0.6% spice blend 1.5% corn starch 2.0% meat protein 0.3% phosphate mixture 0.012% preservative 0.08% antioxidant 33.78% water 25% presalted pork meat, low fat (about 15% of fat)

Preparation of the mix: Mix the wheat fibres, crushed flaxseed and linseed oil by hand in a recipient. When ready, the mixture resembles a shortcrust pastry. The overall cut duration is 2 minutes. Start the cutter at a low rotational speed. Put the low-fat pork and beef meat as well as the preservative in the cutter. Add the blend of linseed oil and fibres and a portion of the dry substances (spice blend, salt, phosphate mixture and meat protein). Perform cutting at a high rotational speed. Halfway through the cutting period, slow down the speed and add water, corn starch an inulin. Go on cutting at a high rotational speed and add the antioxidant. Go on cutting until the time is out.

Add the presalted pork meat in the cutter and admix it with the mix by hand. The size of the meat cuts must not decrease, but they should be clearly visible in the mix.

Injection: Inject the finished sausage mix in a fibre intestine with a 90 mm caliber. The intestine is breathable and thus it allows smoking.

Cooking: Cooking in a cooking/smoking/cooling box.

Preheating for about 20 minutes at + 65 °C Drying for about 15 minutes at +72 °C Smoking for about 30 minutes at + 65 °C Cooking for about 80 minutes at +77 °C (inner temperature of the product +72 °C) Cooling for about 120 minutes at +0 °C (inner temperature of the product +15 °C) Liver sausage Mix: 32% pork meat mixture, about 37% of fat 7% crust emulsion 19% pork liver 6.8% linseed oil 2.1% wheat fibre 2.1% crushed flaxseed 1.2% salt 1.25% spice blend

0.012% preservative 0.08% antioxidant 28% water Preparation of the mix: Add all the ingredients simultaneously into a cooking cutter. The process duration is 10 minutes, the ingredients being disintegrated and heated in a closed space. When ready, the mix has a homogeneous and finely divided structure. The temperature of the mix is +60 °C.

Injection: Inject the finished sausage mix by vertical insertion into an impermeable intestine with a 35 mm caliber.

Cooking: Cooking in a cooking basin in which the water temperature is +80 °C. The cooking time is 90 minutes, followed by cooling in a cold-water basin. The temperature of the cooling water is +0 °C, the cooling time is 60 minutes. The inner target temperature of the product during cooking is +72 °C.

Frankfurter Mix: 30% pork meat, low fat (about 12% of fat) 15% beef meat, low fat (about 12% of fat) 6.0% pork fat 5.0% linseed oil 2.0% wheat fibres 0.5% flaxseed groats 3.0% inulin 1.2% salt 0.6% spice blend 1.5% corn starch 2.0% meat protein 0.3% phosphate mixture 0.012% preservative

0.08% antioxidant 33.78 water Preparation of the mix: Mix the wheat fibres, crushed flaxseed and linseed oil by hand in a recipient. When ready, the mixture resembles a shortcrust pastry. The overall cut duration is 2 minutes. Start the cutter at a low rotation speed. Put the low-fat pork and beef meat as well as the preservative in the cutter. Add the blend of linseed oil and fibres and a portion of the dry substances (spice blend, salt phosphate mixture and meat protein).

Perform cutting at a high rotational speed. Halfway through the cutting period, slow down the speed and add water, corn starch an inulin. Go on cutting at a high rotational speed and add the antioxidant. Go on cutting until the time is out. The mix should be emulsified.

Injection: Inject the finished sausage mix in a natural sheep's intestine with a 20-24 mm caliber. The unit weight of the sausage is about 50 g. Pork's natural intestine can be used as an alternative, the caliber being 30-36 mm. The unit weight is about 130 g.

Cooking: Cooking in a cooking/smoking/cooling box.

Preheating for about 15 minutes at + 65 °C Drying for about 15 minutes at +72 °C Smoking for about 30 minutes at + 65 °C Cooking for about 60 minutes at +77 °C (inner temperature of the product +72 °C) Cooling for about 100 minutes at +0 °C (inner temperature of the product +15 °C) Beefburger 28.9% minced pork meat 13.2% minced beef meat 1.1% crushed flaxseed 2.4% inulin 1.4% wheat fibres 1.1% salt 16.9% water 14.5% ice

3.7% linseed oil 8.6% soya protein product 2.4% potato flour 1.4% glucose 1.8% spice blend (i. a. onion, paprika, coriander, garlic, mustard seed) 0.4% arom intensifier (e621) 2.2% breadcrumb Preparation: Admix the minced meat with ice, flaxseed oil, salt and a portion of the water. Stir.

Add the fibres, spices and flour and the remainder of water. Stir to obtain a homogeneous mix. Leave the mix in a cool place for 1-2 hours (not more). The temperature of the mix is 0 °c. Shape the beefburgers and fry until well done. The inner temperature of the beefburgers should be 70-80 °C. after the frying, the beefburgers are cooled and packaged.

Sauce bolognese Ingredients: 15.0% minced beef meat 35. 5% water 5.0% onion cubes 7.5% grated carrots 1.3% shred parsnip 1.3% shred celery 1.3% leek cuts 19.4% crushed tomatoes 1.0% garlic 5.0% tomato ketchup 1.3% stock product 0.8% corn starch 0.2% salt 0.05% oleoresin of paprika 0.05% tomato flavouring 1.1% herb mixture 0.1% crushed black pepper 1.5% crushed flaxseed

0.7% wheat fibres 1.9% linseed oil 1.0% inulin Preparation: Put the linseed oil and the crushed flaxseed in a pot. Allow to absorb for a while.

Add the crushed tomatoes, ketchup and a portion of the water. Heat until boiling.

Add the minced meat, the stock product, salt and onion. Heat until boiling and cook for 5 minutes. Admix the corn starch with water. Add the vegetables. Heat. Add the wheat fibres and inulin. Stir well. Add the mixture of corn starch and water while stirring. Add the herbs, flavouring and colouring agent. Heat until boiling.

Lasagne Ingredients: Minced meat sauce 12.2% minced beef meat 0.4% onion 0.5% stock powder 0.9% crushed flaxseed 0.4% crushed wheat 0.6% inulin 1.1% linseed oil 23.2% water 0.06% salt 0.3% herb mixture 1.9% tomato ketchup 3.5% crushed tomatoes 0.3% corn starch 0.02% oleoresin of paprika 0.02% tomato flavouring 0.04% crushed black pepper

Cheese sauce 2.7% margarine 3.0% wheat flour 4.8% double cream 5.2% milk powder 28.6% water 2.7% salt 0.05% white pepper 2.7% grated cheese 7.2% lasagne sheet Working instruction: Minced meat sauce. Put the linseed oil and the crushed flaxseed in a pot and allow to absorb for a while. Add the crushed tomatoes, ketchup and 3/4 of the water. Heat until boiling. Add the onion and the minced meat while stirring. Add the crushed wheat and inulin. Cook for 5 minutes. Admix the starch with rhe remaining water and put in the pot while stirring. Add the spices and colouring agent.

Cheese sauce. Mix the milk powder and water. Put the margarine in the pot. Allow to melt, add the wheat flour and stir. Add the mixture of milk powder and water when the margarine and wheat flour have been mixed. Cook for 10 minutes. Add the spices, the grated cheese and the cream.

Build up the lasagne in a mould as follows: 1st layer minced meat sauce 2nd layer lasagne sheets 3d layer minced meat sauce 4th layer lasagne sheets 5th layer cheese sauce

Pizza bolognese/francescana Bottom: 65.2% wheat flour 22.5% water 4.9% crushed flaxseed 4.5% rapeseed oil 1.9% yeast 1.0% salt Sauce: 51.9% water 6.2% linseed oil 8.8% spice blend 0.9% crushed flaxseed 0.2% wheat fibres 1.6% inulin 30.4% tomato ketchup Preparation of the sauce: Start by mixing the linseed oil and the crushed flaxseed. Add the tomato ketchup while stirring slowly. Add the spice blend and the water. Stir to obtain a homogeneous sauce.

Bolognese filling: 100% minced pizza meat Francescana filling: 49.6% ham 23.4% pineapple chunks 11.9% paprika cubes 15.1% tomato cubes

Mix all the ingredients.

Dosage: 34.1% bottom 36.4% sauce 18.2% fillings (either bolognese filling or francescana filling) 11.4% cheese Baking: The pizzas are baked at 230 °C for 3 minutes.

Broiler balls 14% chicken meat mass 12% broiler cervical spine mass 7% turkey meat mass 6% turkey leg mass 10% broiler heart 8% broiler gizzard 4% broiler skin 6% onion cubes 10% water 4.3% linseed oil 0.5% crushed flaxseed 18% spice blend Preparation: Start by mixing the linseed oil and the crushed flaxseed. Add the skin and the meat to the mixture while stirring continuously. Add the onion, the dry substances and the water. Stir to obtain a homogeneous mass.

Frying: The shaped balls are fried in oil at 155 °c to get a nice brown colour.

Hamburger Meat disc: 23% high-fat pork meat (48% of fat) 5% bone meat 14% minced beef meat 0.7% crushed flaxseed 4.5% linseed oil 3% inulin 1.9% wheat fibres 2% crustbread 13.2% spice blend 0.6% salt 20% water 12% ice Preparation: Start by mixing the linseed oil and the crushed flaxseed. Add the ice and the minced meat, stir. Add the crustbread, inulin, wheat fibres, spice blend and water gradually.

Take care that the spice blend does not get lumpy. Stir to obtain a homogeneous mass.

Frying: The shaped meat discs are fried in oil at 175-177 °C to get a nice brown colour.

Bread roll: 53% wheat flour 20% water 5.1% wheat bran 4.7% yeast 3.5% sesame seed 3.4% sugar 3.2% lactose-free margarine 2.7% wheat groats 1.5% flaxseed 1.1% salt

0.7% rye malt 0.008% preservative (E200) Preparation and packaging of the hamburger: The meat disc is put into the bread roll. The hamburgers are packaged in Flow pack.

Meat-vegetable burritos Sauce: 1.4% corn starch 1.4% crushed flaxseed 20.0% water 1.4% linseed oil 11.1% tomato ketchup 3.6% onion cubes 0.9% spice blend 1.2% crushed garlic 0.4% stock powder 0.5% salt 1.0% sugar 10.1% minced beef meat 14.3% courgette slices 2.1% tomato cubes 2.2% corn 3.0% kidney beans 25.3% tortillas Preparation of the sauce: Mix the crushed flaxseed and the corn starch in part of the cold water so that they mix well. Put the remainder of water in a pot. Add the tomato ketchup, linseed oil, onion, spice blend, salt, sugar, crushed garlic and stock powder. Heat until boiling while stirring continuously. Add the minced beef meat gradually while stirring. Heat and simmer for 10 minutes while stirring from time to time. Add the mixture of starch and flaxseed while stirring. Add the corn, the courgette and tomato cubes and heat to 90 °C. Add the beans. Stir.

Rolling up: Dose 110 g of sauce on a tortilla and roll up.

Baking: Bake the burritos for 13 minutes at 175 °C.