Patent ID: 9491956
Filing Date: 2016-11-15
CPC Classification: A23J,A23L,A23V

Claim Text:
1. A process for retaining moisture in animal muscle tissue which comprises: (A) adding an injectable salted aqueous suspension of functional animal muscle protein composition to said animal muscle tissue at a weight ratio between about 0.03% and about 18% by weight of the injectable salted aqueous suspension of functional animal muscle tissue composition to said animal muscle tissue, whereby said injectable salted aqueous suspension of functional animal muscle tissue protein composition is injected into said animal muscle tissue, and (B) cooking or thawing said animal muscle tissue with said injectable salted aqueous suspension of functional animal muscle protein composition from step (A), wherein, after cooking, the animal muscle tissue weighs between about 1% and about 20% greater than an animal muscle tissue not subjected to step (A), and wherein, after thawing, the animal muscle tissue weighs between about 4% and about 15% greater than an animal muscle tissue not subjected to step (A); wherein the injectable salted aqueous suspension of functional animal muscle tissue protein composition is for use during a food processing injection procedure with at least one injection pathway, and wherein said salted aqueous suspension of functional animal muscle tissue comprises sarcoplasmic proteins and myofibrillar proteins derived from animal muscle tissue and is obtained by the process comprising the steps of: 1) comminuting animal muscle tissue to form comminuted animal muscle tissue, 2) mixing said comminuted animal muscle tissue with a food grade acid composition to solubilize animal muscle protein thereby forming an aqueous acidic solution of animal muscle protein having a pH between about 2.0 and about 3.7, wherein step 1) and step 2) are performed simultaneously or in order, 3) then mixing said aqueous acidic solution with a food grade alkaline composition to precipitate the animal muscle protein in solution to form an aqueous suspension of animal muscle protein particulates having a pH between about 4.7 and about 9.5, wherein steps 2) and 3) are performed without addition of salt apart from the food grade acid composition added in step 2) and the food grade alkaline composition added in step 3), 4) then adding salt apart from the food grade acid composition of step 2) and the food grade alkaline composition of step 3) to said aqueous suspension of step 3) to form a salted aqueous suspension of animal muscle protein, and 5) then comminuting said salted aqueous suspension of step 4) of animal muscle protein to form the injectable salted aqueous suspension of functional animal muscle tissue protein composition including sarcoplasmic proteins and myofibrillar proteins; whereby said injectable salted aqueous suspension is flowable through the at least one injection pathway during an injection procedure without blocking the at least one injection pathway.