Patent GB-1058826-A (GB)
Title: Method of producing an alkaline salt composition
IPC: A23B4/02
Filed: 1963-08-29
Abstract: A particulate, free-flowing, non-caking meat-curing composition having size fractions of uniform content is produced by forming a starting mixture of generally uniform composition containing finely ground homogeneous particles of curing salt consisting of alkali metal nitrate and/or alkali metal nitrate and finely ground homogeneous particles of edible ion alkaline material, compacting the mixture to caked forms with an effective mechanical pressure, and reducing the size of the resulting caked forms while they are substantially dry and thereby forming heterogeneous particles of size distribution coarser than that of the starting mixture, the individual particles essentially each containing all the ingredients of the starting mixture in substantially the same proportions as in the starting mixture.  The starting mixture, which may have size fractions exhibiting wide variations in composition, may be formed by mixing supplies of the constituent particles and grinding the resulting mixture to a granular mass substantially uniform in composition.  The starting mixture may contain 2% of added water. The following alkaline materials are suitable: alkali metal (sodium or potassium) orthophosphates such as di- or tri-sodium phosphate, tripolyphosphates, pyrophosphates, carbonates and hydroxides.  The compositions may include additives, such as cane sugar, corn sugar, ene-diol compounds (sodium ascorbate) and seasonings, which are compatible with the alkaline content and which function in the treatment of meat.  Caking may be effected by mechanically squeezing together the finely ground particles, thereby compressing them into sheet, cake, pellet or briquette form, by extruding the particles and chopping of pellets as extruded, or by passing the mass of particles through the tip of heavy compression rollers exerting pressures of up to 14,400 lbs. per sq. inch (specified) so that sheets of 1/16 inch - 1/18 inch thickness are produced.  The caked forms are comminuted by passing them through a bank of grinding rolls, preferably to particle sizes represented by the range 16 and 100 United States Standard screens.  Typical compositions, to be employed in an amount of 35 pounds per 100 United States gallons of pickle, contain 4.6% by weight of sodium nitrite, 3.4% sodium nitrate, and (i) 92.0% of hydrated disodium phosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate or sodium pyrophosphate, or (ii) 51.5% sodium carbonate with 40.5% sodium chloride or (iii) 40.0% sodium hydroxide with 52.0% sodium chloride. It is demonstrated in the Examples that these compositions, when treated according to the method of the invention, exhibit a substantially constant proportion of sodium nitrite over the size range represented by 150-270 United States standard screens. According to the procedure of further examples pickle liquors containing 35 lbs. of the following per 100 United States gallons were used to pump hams to 10% added weight (the consequent increase in pH at pH 6.1 amounted in one case to 0.6): sodium nitrite (4.6%), sodium nitrate (3.4%), sodium hydroxide (between 10% and 35%), and sodium chloride (between 32% and 57%).  The sodium or potassium nitrite or nitrate may first be combined into homogeneous fusion products, the approximate melting points of which are disclosed.