Method of and apparatus for the processing of meat

Abstract

The water holding capacity of meat is improved by agitating the meat at an alleged temperature with the processing solution and by maintaining the alleged temperature with precision. A preferred temperature is in the range of 45° to 60° F. and the agitation is preferably a massaging action after injection of the liquid into the meat.

Description

[0001] This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application 60 / 189,667 filed Mar. 15, 2000.[0002] My present invention relates to a method of and to an apparatus for processing meat wherein the bodies or pieces of meat are contacted with a treating liquid and the bodies of meat are agitated to distribute the treating liquid in the meat. More particularly, the invention relates to the treatment of meat utilizing a massaging of the meat following an injection of a liquid, usually in the form of an aqueous solution, into the meat.[0003] In U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,332, there is described a paddle massager in which 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. A prior patent dealing with such massaging action is U.S. Pat. No. 5,405,630. A plant utilizing such a paddle massager and a maceration of the meat product before it enters the massager is described in U....

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010] It is, therefore, the principal object of the present invention to provide an improved method of treating or processing meat involving contact of a treating liquid with the meat, whereby drawbacks of earlier systems are obviated.

[0021] An important aspect of the invention is the control of the temperature at which the agitation takes place. I have found that, in the past, because of different temperatures of the bodies of meat from earlier stages, different temperatures of the liquids used and, in general, the high variability at which processing occurred, the results were highly unpredictable, not reproducible and often unsatisfactory. When the elevated temperature of the present invention is used and that temperature is controlled to, say, .+-.2.degree. F., problems are eliminated and excellent meat qualities with high and reproducible water holding capacity are obtained.

[0027] It has been found to be more advantageous, however, to provide a probe having a plurality of spaced apart sensors and to insert that probe into a body of meat within the massager after *the latter has been brought to standstill and to use the higher temperature of those measured in the case or the body is to be cooled or the lower temperature of those measured in the case where the body is to be heated as an indication of the internal temperature of the piece of meat where an average may not be a desirable basis for control.

[0041] One of the major advantages of the present invention is that holding the meat at a higher temperature than is typically used results in a more rapid, thorough and equal (uniform) distribution of the liquid within the meat and substantially reduced formation of a protein / water film on the surface of the meat. Furthermore, the increased temperature of massaging at the initial stage tends to promote the breakdown of ingredients or additives such as polyphosphates and nitrate by enzymes in the meat and hence a greater effectiveness of these components of the treating solution with a more uniform product especially a deeper and more uniform coloration. Because the body of meat is free from the friction reducing film, massaging can be completed more rapidly. Massaging is completed more efficiently, even when the temperature is reduced in the subsequent stage massaging; problems with enzyme coating of the meat do not arise. The product is obtained in a practically dry stage.

Problems solved by technology

However, earlier systems have been found to involve a number of problems.

For example, it has been found that, with conventional systems, a phenomenon may develop which can impede effective massaging.

In either case, this compound impairs penetration, absorption and / or dispersion of the treatment solution throughout the cross section of the body and the result is an unaesthetic surface.

It has been noted, further, that meat products which are treated cold following the injection may not develop the uniform internal coloration which is desired for many cuts of meat.

Furthermore, the protein / water coating on the body of meat tends to reduce friction and thus the massaging effectiveness so that longer massaging operations may be required.

Still another drawback of earlier systems appears to be the limited breakdown of treating solutions like polyphosphates and nitrites by enzymes present in the meat so that such additives to the inject are not utilized completely or efficiently.

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