Patent ID: 12239140

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This disclosure is not limited to particular embodiments described, and as such may, of course, vary. The terminology used herein serves the purpose of describing particular embodiments only, and is not intended to be limiting, since the scope of the present disclosure will be limited only by the appended claims.

Where a range of values is provided, each intervening value, to the tenth of the unit of the lower limit unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, between the upper and lower limit of that range and any other stated or intervening value in that stated range, is encompassed within the disclosure. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may independently be included in the smaller ranges and are also encompassed within the disclosure, subject to any specifically excluded limit in the stated range. Where the stated range includes one or both of the limits, ranges excluding either or both of those included limits are also included in the disclosure.

Ratios, concentrations, amounts, and other numerical data may be expressed herein in a range format. Such a range format is used for convenience and brevity, and thus, should be interpreted in a flexible manner to include not only the numerical values explicitly recited as the limits of the range, but also to include all the individual numerical values or sub-ranges encompassed within that range as if each numerical value and sub-range is explicitly recited. For illustration purposes only, a concentration range of “about 0.1% to about 5%” should be interpreted to include not only the explicitly recited concentration of about 0.1 wt % to about 5 wt %, but also include individual concentrations (e.g., 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4%) and the sub-ranges (e.g., 0.5%, 1.1%, 2.2%, 3.3%, and 4.4%) within the indicated range. The term “about” can include ±1%, ±2%, ±3%, ±4%, ±5%, ±6%, ±7%, ±8%, ±9%, or ±10%, or more of the numerical value(s) being modified.

As will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading this disclosure, each of the individual embodiments described and illustrated herein has discrete components and features which may be readily separated from or combined with the features of any of the other several embodiments without departing from the scope or spirit of the present disclosure. Any recited method may be carried out in the order of events recited or in any other order that is logically possible.

Embodiments of the present disclosure will employ, unless otherwise indicated, techniques of food science, organic chemistry, biochemistry, molecular biology, and the like, which are within the skill of the art. Such techniques are explained fully in the literature.

Each of the applications and patents cited in this text, as well as each document or reference cited in each of the applications and patents (including during the prosecution of each issued patent; “application cited documents”), and each of the PCT and foreign applications or patents corresponding to and/or claiming priority from any of these applications and patents, and each of the documents cited or referenced in each of the application cited documents, are hereby expressly incorporated herein by reference. Further, documents or references cited in this text, in a Reference List before the claims, or in the text itself; and each of these documents or references (“herein cited references”), as well as each document or reference cited in each of the herein-cited references (including any manufacturer's specifications, instructions, etc.) are hereby expressly incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.

Prior to describing the various embodiments, the following definitions are provided and should be used unless otherwise indicated.

I. Definitions

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art of molecular biology. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the present disclosure, suitable methods and materials are described herein.

The following terms have the meanings ascribed to them unless specified otherwise. In this disclosure:

As used herein, “food additive” refers to any substance safely added to food to preserve flavor, improve taste, or prolong shelf-life. Examples include, but are not limited to, food acids, acidity regulators, antimicrobials, buffering agents, buffer solutions, flavor enhancers, and preservatives.

As used herein, “buffering agent” or “buffering food additive” refers to any food additive safely added to food to adjust the pH of the food to which it is added. For example, buffering agents are usually either the weak acid or weak base component of a buffer solution, and their function is to drive an acidic or basic solution to a certain pH state or prevent its pH state from changing. Examples include, but are not limited to, aluminum potassium sulfate, sodium citrate, sodium acetate, and potassium acetate.

As used herein, “antimicrobial”, “antimicrobial solution”, or “antimicrobial food additive” refers to a food additive safely added to food to reduce the growth of or kill microbes. Examples include, but are not limited to, organic acids, such as lactic acid, citric acid, acetic acid, and their salts including, but not limited to, sodium acetate and potassium acetate. Examples of microbes include, but are not limited to, bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites.

As used herein, “pH” refers to a measure of acidity or basicity of a solution, as defined by the Henderson-Hasselbach equation: pH=pKa+log[concentration of compound in its acidic form]/[concentration of compound in its basic form].

As used herein, “basic neutralizing agent” refers to a base in solution with an acid resulting in neutralization. Examples of basic neutralizing agents include, but are not limited to, sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, potassium bicarbonate, and the like.

As used herein, “meat” refers to edible flesh of animals that is acceptable for human consumption including, but not limited to, chicken, pork, beef, and fish. Most species of animal may be used as meat. Although, most meat consumed by humans is sourced from domesticated animals and aquatic species.

As used herein, the terms “preserving”, “preserve(d)”, “curing”, and “cure(d)” refer to any improvement in the amount of time that meat or meat product treated with the curing agent can be safely stored (e.g., shelf-life), or remains sensory, organoleptic, or color-acceptable, when compared with meat or meat products that have not been cooked, cured, preserved, or treated with any shelf-life extending agent, such as salt or smoke.

II. Embodiments of the Present Disclosure

The present disclosure provides a method of processing meat resulting in consistently enhanced flavor and coloring and improved water retention, while preserving the meat by offering protection against antimicrobials.

In an embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method of processing meat comprising providing a body of meat at a first temperature; contacting the body of meat, in at least one treating vessel, with a brine solution at a second temperature, wherein the second temperature is greater than the first temperature, and wherein the brine solution comprises a vinegar-derived food additive and/or a reddening agent, wherein the reddening agent comprises nitrite; agitating the body of meat at a second temperature for a time sufficient to distribute the solution throughout the body of meat; cooling the body of meat in at least one cooling vessel to a third temperature, wherein the third temperature is less than the second temperature; agitating the body of meat at the third temperature; contacting the body of meat with the brine solution at the third temperature and agitating the body of meat at the third temperature until the brine solution is substantially absorbed by the body of meat; and recovering the body of meat in a dry state at the third temperature. In an embodiment, the body of meat is constantly agitated at the second and third temperatures. In a further embodiment, the second temperature is maintained substantially constant while the body of meat is agitated for a time sufficient to distribute the brine solution throughout the meat. For example, the temperature may be maintained at ±2° F.

In an embodiment, the brine solution of the present disclosure comprises a reddening agent comprising nitrite. In certain embodiments, the reddening agent of the present disclosure comprises nitrite derived from plant material comprising nitrate. The brine solution may further comprise salt, sugar, phosphate, water, and other additional ingredients such as the vinegar-derived food additive described below.

In certain embodiments, the reddening agent is allergen-free.

In certain embodiments, the reddening agent is derived from plant material including, but not limited to,Apium gravelolensRapaceum Group (celery root);Apium gravelolensVulce Group (celery stalks);Beta vulgaris(beet);Brassica rapa(broccoli/turnip); Veroniacalvoana(bitterleaf);Brassica oleraceaGemmifera Group (Brussels sprouts, cabbage);Eruca sativa(rocket/arugula);Brassica oleracea CapitataGroup (cabbage);Daucus carota(carrot);Brassica oleracea BotrytisGroup (cauliflower);Brassica oleraceaAcephala Group (kale/collard greens);Pastinaca sativa(parsnip);Allium cepa(garden onion);Allium ampeloprasum(leek);Allium sativum(garlic);Cucumis sativus(cucumber);Solanum melongena(eggplant);Solanum lycopersicum(tomato);Solanum tuberosum(potato);Lactuca sativa(lettuce);Cucurbita maxima(buttercup squash);Cucurbita mixta(cushaw squash);Cucurbita moschata(butternut squash);Cucurbita pepo(pumpkins/zucchini/acorn squash);Raphanus sativus(radish);Cynara cardunculus(artichoke);Agaricus bisporus(mushroom);Phaseolus vulgaris(common green bean);Cichorium endivia(endive);Zea mays(corn);Abelmoschus esculentus(okra);Phaseolus lunatus(lima bean);Vigna unguiculata unguiculata(black eyed pea);Spinacia oleracea(spinach); and combinations thereof.

In certain embodiments, the reddening agent is derived from plant material by contacting the plant material with an organism which converts nitrate in the plant material to nitrite. Organisms suitable for nitrate-to-nitrite reduction include, but are not limited to, any lactic acid bacteria, including in particularS. carnosus, M. varians, and combinations thereof. Specialized strains ofS. carnosusmay be utilized to derive greater amounts of nitrite from plant sources not traditionally used because of their lower nitrate content. Such a modification enables utilization of plant material not normally used as sources of natural nitrate.

Other organisms suitable for nitrate-to-nitrite reduction include, but are not limited to, organisms capable of nitrate-to-nitrite reduction, such as organisms possessing nitrate reductases or other enzymes which are able to convert nitrate to nitrite. Examples of these organisms also include, but are not limited to,Paracoccus pantotrophus, E. coli, Haemophylus influenzae, Bacillus subtilis, cyanobacteria,Haloarcula, Thermus thermophilus, Synechococcus, Pseudomonas, Campylobacter jejunii, Wollinella succinogenes, Wautersia eutropha, Bradyrhizobium japonicum, Shewanella oneidensis, Rhodobacter capsulatus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Haloferax, Desulfitobacterium hafniense, Streptococcus, lactic acid bacteria, and combinations thereof.

In a further embodiment, the organism capable of converting the plant nitrate to nitrite is added to the mixture of the body of meat and a brine solution including the plant material after the body of meat is cooled and recovered in a dry state. The plant based nitrate and the organism for converting the plant based nitrate to nitrite are both provided in amounts sufficient to result in the production of nitrite in an amount effective to process or cure the body of meat.

The nitrite concentration of the reddening agent which contacts the body or meat or meat product can be any suitable concentration. The nitrite concentration of the reddening agent which contacts the body of meat or meat product can be at least about 10 ppm (e.g., at least about 30 ppm, at least about 50 ppm, at least about 75 ppm, at least about 100 ppm, or at least about 125 ppm). The nitrite concentration of the reddening agent which contacts the body of meat or meat product can be about 300 ppm or less (e.g., about 250 ppm or less, about 200 ppm or less, about 175 ppm or less, about 156 ppm or less, or about 125 ppm or less). The nitrite concentration of the reddening agent which contacts the body of meat or meat product can be, for example, about 10 ppm to about 300 ppm, about 20 ppm to about 275 ppm, about ppm to about 250 ppm, about 40 ppm to about 220 ppm, or about 50 ppm to about 200 ppm. In an exemplary embodiment, the amount of nitrite produced is preferably at least about ppm nitrite.

In a series of reactions, nitrite may be converted to nitric oxide, which combines with myoglobin, the pigment responsible for the natural red color of uncured meat, to form nitric oxide myoglobin, producing a deep red color that changes to bright pink when heated, for example, by smoking. Accordingly, temperature can play a role in the reduction of nitric oxide myoglobin to form nitrosyl hemochrome for the formation of the red color associated with cured meat.

Furthermore, temperature is thought to enable the reddening of meat by allowing use of less nitrite than is needed in the absence of elevated temperature. In addition, vinegar and/or vinegar-derived food additive compositions are thought to increase the reduction of nitric oxide myoglobin to form nitrosyl hemochrome within meat. The vinegar and/or vinegar-derived food additive compositions also provide a tenderizing effect on meat and help maintain a buffered pH, which allows for the nitrite to nitric oxide reactions without denaturing meat proteins. Denaturing of proteins is generally evidenced by unwanted by-products such as lactic acid and other acids, causing further muscle decomposition due to the lowered pH.

In an embodiment, the method of processing meat provided by the present disclosure may further comprise heating the body of meat in a vessel prior to introduction into the treating vessel. In one embodiment, the body of meat is heated above ambient temperature prior to introduction into the treating vessel.

In an embodiment, the body of meat is heated by contact with a solution prior to introduction to the treating vessel.

In an embodiment, the second temperature may be about 45° F. to about 80° F., the third temperature may be about 25° F. to about 50° F., and the first temperature may be the same as the third temperature.

In certain embodiments, “contacting the body of meat with the brine solution” includes, but is not limited to contact by the following means: injection, massaging, tumbling, wetting, immersing, and the like. An exemplary treating vessel and an exemplary cooling vessel are described is U.S. Pat. No. 6,730,341. Other suitable equipment include, for example, the paddle massager described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,332, in which the pieces of meat can be subjected to a massaging action to distribute an aqueous solution, which has been injected into the meat, uniformly throughout the tissue thereof. Another patent disclosing such massaging is U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,630. An exemplary plant utilizing such a paddle massager and a maceration of the meat product before it enters the massager is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,972,398. The meat may be injected with the aforementioned brine solution, usually with needles under an elevated pressure under conditions in which the meat is normally cold at the time it is injected and the injectable solution itself is relatively cold. It is desirable to conduct the massaging action so that the product emerges from the massager in a relatively dry state, i.e. the marinade or treating solution is fully taken up within the body of meat, leaving the surface free from or practically free from a liquid film. These techniques can be used for all sorts of meats, including beef, pork, lamb and veal, and practically any cut of meat in which a body of meat is desired to be processed or treated, for example, roasts, hams, shanks, loins and the like.

In certain embodiments, the vinegar-derived food additive composition comprises vinegar-derived sodium acetate. In an embodiment, the composition is in a powder form or in solution with vinegar.

In an embodiment, the vinegar-derived food additive composition comprises vinegar-derived potassium acetate. In an embodiment, the composition is in a powder form or in solution with vinegar.

In an embodiment, the vinegar-derived food additive composition is an antimicrobial food additive or buffering food additive having a pH of about 4.5 to a pH of about 10.0.

In an embodiment, the present disclosure provides a vinegar-derived food additive composition which is an antimicrobial food additive comprising a vinegar-derived acetate, such as sodium acetate or potassium acetate, and vinegar and has a pH of about 4.5 to 7.0. The antimicrobial food additive is produced by treating vinegar with a basic neutralizing agent, such as sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, or potassium bicarbonate, to produce a partially-neutralized vinegar with a pH of below about 7.0. The partially neutralized vinegar is dried, such as by evaporation and heat, to produce an acetate, such as sodium acetate or potassium acetate. In an embodiment, vinegar can be added back to the acetate to produce an antimicrobial food additive solution having a pH of about 4.5 to about 7.0.

In an embodiment, the present disclosure provides a vinegar-derived food additive composition which is a buffering food additive comprising vinegar-derived acetate, such as sodium acetate or potassium acetate, and vinegar and has a pH of about 7.0 to about 10.0. The buffering food additive is produced by treating vinegar with a basic neutralizing agent, such as sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, or potassium bicarbonate, to produce a partially-neutralized vinegar with a pH of below about 7.0. The partially neutralized vinegar is dried, such as by evaporation and heat, to produce an acetate, such as sodium acetate or potassium acetate. Vinegar is added back to the acetate to produce a buffering food additive having a pH of about 7.0 to about 10.0.

In an embodiment, the present disclosure also provides a method of preparing a food additive from vinegar comprising:(a) treating vinegar with a basic neutralizing agent (e.g. sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, or potassium bicarbonate) to partially neutralize the vinegar to a pH of below about 7.0; and(b) evaporating water from and drying the product of step (a) to produce a an acetate (e.g. sodium acetate or potassium acetate).

In an embodiment, the method of preparing a food additive from vinegar further comprises:(c) adding vinegar to the acetate of step (b) to produce a vinegar-acetate dry powder or solution having a pH of about 4.5 to a pH of about 10.0.

In an embodiment, the amount of basic neutralizing agent necessary to partially neutralize the vinegar is in the range of about 3.5 pounds to about 5 pounds per about 10 pounds of vinegar.

In an embodiment, the food additive prepared from vinegar can be an antimicrobial food additive or buffer solution. The basic neutralizing agent of step (a) can be sodium bicarbonate, sodium carbonate, or potassium bicarbonate. A sufficient amount of vinegar added in step (c) can result in an antimicrobial food additive having a pH of about 4.5 to a pH of about 7.0 or result in a buffer solution having a pH of about 7.0 to about 10.0.

The vinegar-derived food additive and/or reddening agent of the present disclosure can be used to process any of a wide variety of meat or meat product that it is desired to process. For example, uncured meat or meat product that can be processed with the additive and/or agent of the present disclosure include, but are not limited to, whole muscle meats, emulsified meats, and the like. Cured meat or meat products include, for example, ham, turkey, chicken, hot dogs, lunch meat, bacon and the like.

Although preferred embodiments of the present disclosure have been described using specific terms, devices, and methods, such description is for illustrative purposes only. The words used are words of description rather than words of limitation. Changes and variations may be made by those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit or the scope of the present disclosure, which is set forth in the appended claims. In addition, aspects of the various embodiments may be interchanged, in whole or in part. The present disclosure is further illustrated by the following examples, which are provided by way of illustration and are not meant to be construed as limiting. The contents of all references, published patents, and patents cited throughout the present application are also hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.