Patent GB-1045958-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to meat
Inventor: WATTENBARGER CLAUDE JACKSON
IPC: A23B4/28
Filed: 1965-07-27
Abstract: 1,045,958. Meat. SWIFT & CO. July 27, 1965, No. 31979/65. Headings A2B, A2D, A2E and A2U. A pressurized gas is incorporated under the surface of meat to expand the meat tissue structure and the tissue structure is maintained expanded. (The term "meat" covers fowl and fish.) the pressurized gas may be used as a carrier for a small amount of a liquid or solid additive to be distributed throughout the meat. Such distribution may be effected in two stages viz. injecting a first portion of a non-toxic pressurized gas into a meat mass to form an expanded tissue structure internally of the substantially continuous perimeter of the meat mass and then incorporating a dispersion of the non-meat additive and a non-toxic pressurized gas in the expanded tissue structure. Gases: air, oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitric oxides, nitrogen, helium and gaseous refrigerant fluids (specified) or mixtures of gases; nitric oxide will cure the meat, oxygen brings the development of a bright red colour. Injection pressures of 20-1001bs. per square inch applied for 0.1-5 seconds are preferable, although pressures as low as 5 1bs. per square inch and as high as 3,000 1bs. per square inch (applied instantaneously) can be employed. A suitable degree of porosity in the internal meat structure is attained after addition of 10%-20% by volume of the presseurized gas. Additives: curing materials, flavouring materials, tenderizing agents, preservatives, colour developers and stabilizers, as exemplified by sodium or potassium chloride; sugars; spices; mono-sodium glutamate; other flavourings (liquid or solid); smoke (or liquid smoking materials); enzyme preparations e.g. solutions of papain, ficin and bromelin; antioxidants such as propylgallate, butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydroxytoluene; nitrate and nitrite salts, ascorbic acid, niacin; antibiotics and mouldicides. The additive is injected with an over-pressure of 2-10 lbs. per square inch into the gas stream as it passes towards the discharge end of the injection needle. The needle should have a tapered blunt point so that it penerates between muscle fibres of the meat rather than cutting through them. The treated meat can be frozen in its expanded state, and dried, as by freeze-drying, rehydrated and cooked in shorter times than for the untreated meat. One example is directed to injecting into meat 9 g per 1b. of a tenderizing solution containing salt, sugar, hydrolyzed vegetable protein and papain, dispersed in nitrogen at a pressure of 40 lbs. per square inch. The needle was first inserted down through the meat mass, then as solution was introduced into the gas stream passing through the needle, it was slowly withdrawn to deposit the atomized droplets of tenderizing solution into the pores formed by the gas injection on the downward stroke; the procedure was repeated at the rate of one insertion per square inch of meat surface. According to a further example, 40 g of a 5% aqueous solution of sodium nicotinate was dispersed in air and injected at 100 lbs. per square inch pressure into 2082 g of fresh beef round. Steaks cut from the round were vacuum packed and during storage developed a cherry red colour due to the reaction of niacin on the meat pigment. According to another example carbon-dioxide was injected into meat at a pressure of 45 1bs. per square inch until the meat had expanded to about half again of its original size. Steaks cut from the meat were wrapped in polyethylene and frozen, and were freeze-dried and rehydrated. Other examples are directed to the introduction of: (i) 10% by volume of the meat of a gaseous mixture of 95% nitrogen and 5% nitric oxide, (ii) 0.22 g per 1b. of liquid smoke, and (iii) 1-3% by weight of a liquid enzyme preparation diluted with an equal quantity of water.