METHOD FOR INCREASEING THE USED MEAT PROPORTION IN FISH PRODUCTS

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for processing multiple main products of any type and form derived from fish flesh, conveyed along a processing line. These are meat products which, in addition to the main products to be obtained, contain inedible or non-edible components (separable components) of at least one type, as well as edible by-products remaining attached to these separatable components, wherein the edible by-products remain attached to the separatable components when the separatable components are removed from the main products.

[0002] In the meat processing industry, the processing of animals yields, on the one hand, the desired parts to be obtained (main products), and on the other hand, the remaining parts. The latter are further divided into separable parts (separable components) that are not intended for consumption and edible by-products. The term "not intended for consumption" refers to the form in which the products exist immediately after being separated from the desired parts. Such separable parts that are not intended for consumption include, for example, bones or cartilage, blood, heads, entrails, and, depending on the animal species, possibly also scales and / or skin, fins, or belly flaps. These are not edible in their original form, even if they may be suitable for consumption after appropriate processing, for example, into gelatin in the case of bones. Edible by-products include, in particular, meat that remains attached to the bones after separation, but also, for example, fat.The term "meat" as used in the present invention includes fish meat.

[0003] The focus in meat processing is currently usually on the main products. The aim is to maximize the yield of these. Therefore, processes for separating the main components from the by-products are constantly being improved in order to maximize the proportion of main products and minimize the proportion of edible by-products.

[0004] Methods are also known to increase the weight and / or nutrient content of the main products by adding substances such as water, fats, proteins, or other materials. Such methods are described, for example, in DE 32 31 733 A1 or US 8,048,461 B2.

[0005] The by-products are predominantly high-quality meat that is diverted and becomes by-product simply because complete separation from the components that need to be separated is not possible. This means that currently, high-quality meat is often not used for human consumption but is instead processed into animal feed, for example.

[0006] To utilize by-products, US Patent 4,301,180 proposes a method for producing tuna chunks in which the tuna is filleted, the dark red meat is separated, and the skin, carcass, and bone fragments with adhering red meat are removed and finely ground together with the dark meat. The resulting paste is colored, boiled with water, bleached, ground very finely, and injected into the side of the tuna fillets. However, due to the necessary processing conditions, valuable nutrients in the by-products are lost.

[0007] Especially in light of the responsible handling of food, a change in thinking seems urgently needed. The quantity of raw material, i.e., animal meat, is limited. This limited and high-quality raw material must be used as efficiently as possible, particularly to ensure that the rapidly growing global population can be adequately supplied with protein in the future. The object of the present invention was therefore to provide a method and a device for carrying out this method, enabling better utilization of the high-quality components of an animal while simultaneously increasing the quality of the resulting products, especially with regard to appearance and taste.

[0008] This problem is solved by a method as described in the independent claim. The dependent claims relate to advantageous embodiments of the invention. Furthermore, the invention comprises a product obtainable by the method and an apparatus for carrying out the method.

[0009] Accordingly, the invention relates to a method for increasing the utilized meat content in the production of multiple main products of any type and shape made from fish flesh, conveyed along a processing line, which, in addition to the main products to be obtained, contains inedible or non-edible components (separation components) of at least one type, as well as edible by-products remaining on these separation components, wherein the edible by-products remain on the separation components when the separation components are removed from the main products, comprising the following steps: a) Loading a batch of fish meat into a separation unit; b) separating the main products of this batch from the by-products of this batch; c) separating the by-products from the by-products; d) producing a by-product brine from the by-products by grinding the by-products and mixing them with water, stabilizer, optionally sodium chloride, and optionally other ingredients; e) injecting a defined quantity of the by-product brine produced in step d) into the main products, wherein the main products and the by-products contained in the by-product brine originate from the same batch. wherein all process steps are carried out at a temperature of 0 to 6°C, preferably 1 to 6°C, and the addition of injected by-product brine per main product is 7 to 9.5 wt.% of the total weight of the main product.

[0010] Within the scope of the present invention, the inventors thus provide a method that enables more comprehensive utilization of an animal's components in the production of the high-quality main product, thereby increasing the yield of the main product. Furthermore, because the by-product used originates from the same batch as the main product, it can be ensured that in the event of quality problems, only that one batch is affected. For example, if quality defects are detected in the main product, it is unnecessary to laboriously determine where the by-products of that batch have gone.

[0011] This process is particularly suitable for fish meat, where the main product is the fish fillet and the component to be separated is the fish's main bone. Fish meat is processed largely by machine. Despite increasingly refined methods for separating the fillets from the main bone, a by-product still remains, the utilization of which as a high-quality product is desirable.

[0012] The starting material for the process can include whole animals, animal carcasses that have already undergone one or more processing steps, as well as animal parts.

[0013] Ideally, the entire by-product is returned to the main product in this way. However, it is of course also possible that only parts of the by-product are added to the main product, for example, if food regulations require this or make it seem expedient.

[0014] The loading of the separating unit (step a)) is preferably done mechanically, but manual loading is also possible. Whole animal carcasses can be processed in the separating unit. It is also possible that some processing (removal of entrails, heads) has already taken place before loading the separating unit.

[0015] Depending on the animal species processed, it may be advantageous for the separation of the main products (step b)) to be carried out manually by humans rather than mechanically. This is still common practice, for example, in the case of tuna. The inventive process also includes processes in which one or more steps are carried out manually.

[0016] Separation (step c)) yields the by-product in particle form. This product is also known as mint. Depending on the animal species, it is referred to, for example, as fish mint. The average size of the particles obtained after separation also depends on the animal species and preferably ranges from 2 mm to 8 mm.

[0017] The procedure is particularly advantageous if step d) of the procedure includes the steps d1) of mixing by-product, water, stabilizer, optionally sodium chloride and optionally other components and d2) of comminuting the by-product brine to a maximum mean particle size of 3 mm, in particular of 2 mm, particularly preferably of 1 mm.

[0018] A minimum average particle size of 1 µm, especially 0.5 mm, is also advantageous.

[0019] This particle size ensures good injectability while simultaneously guaranteeing the reliable absorption of the by-product brine into the main product. This means that the brine remains in the main product, even during subsequent processing steps, whether during production up to the finished product ready for sale or later during use by the end consumer, for example, when cooking or frying.

[0020] Depending on the animal species being processed, it may be advantageous to perform an additional pre-cleaning step of the by-product between steps b) and c). In the case of whitefish, for example, it is desirable to remove blood vessels before separation, as these can remain attached to the by-products after separation and impair their quality. The same applies to the black belly skin and / or fins, which, due to their color, can lead to unwanted impurities.

[0021] Preferably, the main products are subjected to further processing in a parallel step f) during steps c) of separation and d) of production of the by-product brine, wherein this step f) of further processing comprises in particular at least one processing operation selected from trimming, skinning, portioning, sorting and aligning.

[0022] This allows the main product to be tailored to the customer's requirements. This includes a desired size, as well as the presence or removal of the skin. Furthermore, this method enables further processing of the main product. For example, if the animal being processed is fish, the so-called standard fillets, obtained by removing the main bone, can be further processed into boneless fillets through trimming. Alignment can be particularly helpful for the injection step, ensuring the fillets are optimally positioned for the injection needles to penetrate.

[0023] Furthermore, it is advantageous if step e) of injecting the by-product solution is followed by step g) of cleaning the injected main product by removing excess by-product solution, in particular by means of at least one of the removal methods of suction, rinsing, wiping, and blowing away. Firstly, this makes it possible to recover and reuse any excess by-product solution, which reduces losses and further increases the sustainability of the process. Secondly, this improves the quality, especially the visual quality, of the product, since excess by-product solution on the main product can cause stains or a slimy layer, leading consumers to perceive the product as inferior.

[0024] After cleaning, the finished products can be deep-frozen as a further step.

[0025] The temperature control according to the invention ensures, firstly, that the brine to be injected is sufficiently fluid to guarantee good injection. Secondly, the preferred temperature range lies below the temperature at which fish proteins coagulate. This ensures that only native, i.e., undenatured, proteins are processed, which further increases the quality of the product.

[0026] Another parameter that can advantageously influence the process according to the invention is the pH value. Advantageously, the pH value of the by-product solution is between 5.0 and 9.0, particularly between 6.0 and 8.0, especially between 6.0 and 7.0, and preferably between 6.0 and 6.5. A pH value of 6.45 is most preferably obtained. The tolerance is ±0.03 in each case. With such a pH value, a by-product solution is obtained that is particularly stable and particularly easy to inject.

[0027] In a further particularly preferred embodiment, two main products are processed in parallel, with the main products originating from the same animal. To increase throughput, it is advantageous to process more than one main product at the same time. In principle, any number of main products can be processed in parallel, for example, by conveying them side by side on a conveyor belt. However, it has been found that with too large a number of products processed simultaneously, the accuracy decreases, meaning that the amount of by-product brine to be injected may not be ideal for every main product. Therefore, the parallel processing of a maximum of four, and especially two, main products is particularly suitable.When processing two main products derived from the same animal, it is advantageous that these products typically have very similar properties, including very similar weights. Therefore, the requirements for the amount of by-product brine to be injected are also very similar for such two main products, leading to good results with precise dosing.

[0028] For the by-product brine, the by-products separated from the main components are mixed with water, at least one stabilizer, optionally sodium chloride, and optionally other ingredients. The water is preferably ice water. This allows for easy temperature adjustment to the preferred temperature range of less than 10°C for the process. Furthermore, temperature increases during the process, such as those occurring during fine grinding, can be compensated for. If the addition of sodium chloride is desired, sea salt is preferably used. Sodium chloride is preferably added in an amount corresponding to the NaCl content of the main product into which the by-product brine is to be injected, so that the by-product brine does not alter the taste in this respect. It is also possible to add any other amount of sodium chloride requested by the customer.

[0029] After mixing the components of the by-product solution, it undergoes a comminution process. This process reduces the solution to a size suitable for easy injection. The maximum particle size is primarily determined by the diameter of the injection needles. Furthermore, the particle size influences the viscosity of the by-product solution. Preferably, the maximum mean particle size after comminution is 3 mm, particularly 2 mm, and most preferably 1 mm. Certain minimum particle sizes have also proven particularly suitable. A minimum mean particle size of 1 µm, particularly 0.5 mm, is especially preferred.

[0030] The viscosity of the by-product brine must allow for its proper injection into the main products. In the case of fish, in particular, it must be ensured that the injection of the by-product brine, due to its high viscosity and the pressure required to force it through the needles, does not cause a temperature increase that would exceed 7°C, as this would lead to undesirable denaturation of the fish proteins. A preferred dynamic viscosity range at 5°C is from 1.52 mPa·s to 10⁴ < mPa·s, and especially from 10⁻⁵ mPa·s to 10³ < mPa·s. Measurements are taken at a temperature of 5°C and a pH of 6.45.

[0031] The comminution process takes place in a fine comminution unit, which can also be referred to as a dispersion unit. In particular, it may be an emulsifying unit.

[0032] Preferably, the stabilizer used for the by-product brine is phosphate-free. Since phosphates have come under criticism as risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, it is advantageous that their use can be dispensed with in the present invention.

[0033] The stabilizer is preferably at least one compound selected from the group consisting of hydrocolloids, proteins, emulsifiers, specialty starches, functional salts, functional lipids and enzymes.

[0034] Hydrocolloids include, in particular: alginates, xanthan gum, cellulose, especially CMC (carboxymethylcellulose) and hydroxypropylcellulose, pectin, agar-agar, carrageenan, locust bean gum, guar gum, konjac or tara gum, gelatin and dextrans.

[0035] Particularly suitable proteins include soy proteins, as well as egg and whey proteins.

[0036] Suitable emulsifiers include, in particular, lecithins and mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids.

[0037] Examples of specialty starches include dextrin, acetylated starch, acetylated distarch adipate, hydroxypropyl starch, distarch glycerol, or acetylated oxidized starch.

[0038] Functional salts include, in particular, carbonates, acetates, citrates, ascorbates, as well as the salts or sulfates of dicarboxylic acids and hydroxy acids.

[0039] Particularly suitable as functional lipids are phospholipids such as lecithin, mono- and diglycerides, glycolipids, sorbitan (mono) fatty acid esters, which are marketed under the name "Span", and especially polyoxyethylene sorbitan fatty acid esters (polysorbates), which are marketed under names such as "Tween", "Scattics" or "Alkest".

[0040] Other ingredients that can optionally be added to the by-product brine include spices, flavorings, colorings, and antioxidants. Antioxidants that can be used include ascorbic acid or isoascorbic acid and their respective salts, carnosol, carnosic acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, and their respective salts.

[0041] The preferred amount of injected by-product brine per main product depends on various factors, including the type of product, the sensory evaluation of the product, and food law regulations. For example, an improvement in sensory properties is observed with an addition of by-product brine in the range of 7 to 9.5% by weight of the total weight of the injected main product.

[0042] The by-product brine has the following particularly advantageous composition: 68 to 95 wt.%, preferably 75 to 90 wt.%, in particular 80 to 85 wt.%, water 0.1 to 2 wt.%, preferably 0.4 to 1.5 wt.%, in particular 0.5 to 1 wt.%, stabilizer 5 to 30 wt.%, preferably 10 to 25 wt.%, in particular 15 to 20 wt.%, by-product 0 to 1 wt.%, sodium chloride 0 to 2 wt.%, other ingredients

[0043] The production of the by-product brine can be carried out in batch or continuously.

[0044] The injection of the by-product brine is preferably carried out at a pressure of 0.4 to 2.0 bar, in particular at 0.8 to 1.8 bar, and especially preferably at 1.6 bar.

[0045] The process steps of the process according to the invention are coordinated or synchronized in such a way that the production of the by-product brine takes place in parallel with any further processing steps and the transport of the main products.

[0046] In this way, it is possible that the by-product brine injected with the main products contains by-products originating from the same batch as the main products. A batch can vary considerably in size. In particular, a batch can correspond to the number of animals processed during a production shift, since the system is typically cleaned after each shift, thus dictating a specific time for a changeover. A batch change is easier to implement for the main product line than for the by-products and the by-product brine, as cleaning the equipment used for the latter (separation unit, mixing unit, fine grinding unit) is significantly more complex than for the former.Therefore, an alternative approach is to have more than one line available for the by-products / by-product brine if more frequent batch changes are desired, allowing for an immediate changeover without having to wait for cleaning. This cleaning can then take place while the next batch is being processed in parallel on the second by-product line.

[0047] In a preferred embodiment, the synchronization of the main and by-product lines is based on quantity control depending on the quantity of by-product to be contained in the by-product brine.

[0048] The product path of the main products and / or the by-products can be tracked using suitable sensor and / or monitoring equipment, so that the location of a particular main product is known at any given time or even continuously.

[0049] Advantageously, the main products can be weighed before and / or after the injection step. Specifically, weighing is performed both before and after injection. This allows for precise control over the amount of by-product brine that has entered the main product. Weighing after injection is preferably also performed after any subsequent purification step, so that only the amount of brine actually present in the final product is recorded. The weighing results can then be used to provide feedback for brine preparation.

[0050] For example, the proportion of by-products can be increased or decreased if a certain weight is exceeded or fallen below.

[0051] For the implementation of the method of the present invention, a device for increasing the proportion of meat used in the production of main products of any type and shape made from fish meat, conveyed in majority along a processing line, is used, comprising: A separation device for separating non-edible or non-edible components (separation components) from the main products of this batch from the separation components of this batch containing edible by-products; a by-product line with a separation device for separating the by-products from the separation components; a mixing device for mixing the by-products with water, stabilizer, optionally sodium chloride and optionally other components to produce a by-product brine; a fine grinding device for further grinding the by-products in the by-product brine; a first transport system with at least one transport device for transporting the by-products from the separation device via the separation device, the mixing device and the fine grinding device to an injection device;An injection device for injecting a defined quantity of the finely ground by-product brine into the main products; a main product line with a second conveying system comprising at least one conveying means for transporting the main products from the separation device to the injection device; and synchronizing means for synchronizing the conveying speed in the by-product line and the conveying speed in the main product line such that the by-products contained in the by-product brine injected into the main products in the injection device originate from the same batch as the main products.

[0052] The synchronization devices ensure that the production of the by-product brine occurs in parallel with any further processing steps and the transport of the main products. These synchronization devices can, for example, be designed as quantity control systems.

[0053] The injection device comprises several injection needles that pierce the meat and through which the by-product brine is injected. The injection needles must have a diameter large enough to allow the brine to be injected without clogging. On the other hand, the diameter should be as small as possible to minimize or preferably completely avoid damage to the main product. The preferred diameter of the injection needles is from 0.5 to 3 mm, particularly from 1 to 2 mm.

[0054] Preferably, the main product line includes at least one additional unit for processing the main product, in particular at least one unit selected from a trimming unit, a skinning unit, a portioning unit, a sorting unit, and an alignment unit. Such additional units make it possible to produce a main product specifically tailored to customer requirements.

[0055] Furthermore, it is advantageous if the device includes a cleaning unit downstream of the injection unit, wherein the cleaning unit comprises a cleaning agent selected from absorbent, washing agent, wiping agent, and blowing agent. This allows any by-product liquid present to be removed.

[0056] Particularly preferred embodiments of the method and the apparatus according to the invention are explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawing. The drawing shows: Fig. 1 shows a flowchart for the method according to the invention.

[0057] The features and further developments described below represent preferred embodiments, either individually or in combination. It is expressly pointed out that features summarized in the claims and / or the description and / or the drawing, or described in a common embodiment, can also functionally and independently further develop the method and the device according to the invention.

[0058] The invention is described below using the example of salmon processing. The main product is salmon fillet.

[0059] On a separating unit 1, the salmon fillets are separated from the main bone. In a head separator (not shown), the heads are separated from the fish body in a preceding step. Furthermore, the entrails have already been removed before entering separating unit 1. From separating unit 1, the main bones, along with the remaining salmon flesh (by-product), are processed further on the by-product line 2. First, the main bone and by-product are fed into a separating unit 3. The temperature during the separation process is below 10°C. In the separating unit, the salmon flesh (by-product) is separated from the main bone. Upon exiting the separating unit, the resulting fish mint has a particle size between 2 and 6 mm. The fish mint can be temporarily stored in an intermediate storage unit 4. The temperature in intermediate storage unit 4 is less than 10°C; a temperature between 4 and 5°C is particularly suitable.

[0060] The fish mint is fed from intermediate storage tank 4 to mixing unit 7. In this mixing unit, it is mixed with ice water from water tank 5, as well as the stabilizer and salt from container 6 for stabilizer and dry components. Adding salt is not mandatory. It is also possible to add other dry components. The ice water solution fed to mixing unit 7 has a pH value in the range of 7 to 8. In mixing unit 7, the fish mint and ice water solution are mixed. The temperature in the mixing unit is less than 5°C. The pH value is in the range of 6 to 8. The composition of the salmon brine was as follows: 81.4% w / w water, 18% w / w salmon mint, 0.6% w / w stabilizer

[0061] HydroTOP SB 15 from Hydrosol was used as a stabilizer.

[0062] The salmon brine produced in this way is pumped by pump 8 into the fine grinding unit 9. Here, the brine is reduced to a particle size of 1 to 2 mm. The grinding process increases the temperature of the brine by up to 3 K. From the fine grinding unit 9, the fish brine is pumped to the injection tank 10. Here, the fish brine is cooled so that it has a temperature below 7°C, specifically 5 to 6°C.

[0063] Parallel to the production of the brine, the salmon fillets are conveyed on the main production line 11. They can be transported directly to the injection unit 12. Alternatively, they can undergo further processing steps and the corresponding equipment (not shown) before injection. For example, the fillets can be further refined by trimming, i.e., by removing additional bones and / or pelvic fins and / or back fat. Skinning is another option.

[0064] Before entering the injection unit 12, the salmon fillets are weighed on a weighing device (not shown). In the injection unit 12, the brine is then injected into the fillets via injection needles. This is done at a pressure in the range of 0.4 to 2.0 bar. Any excess brine is returned to the injection tank 10 via a recirculation circuit 14. After injection, the fillets typically contain excess brine. This is detrimental to the visual appearance and also means that the brine is consumed without being permanently present in the product, as it is removed from the surface during washing and especially during cooking or frying. Therefore, the fillets are fed into the cleaning device 13, where they are cleaned. This can be done using an "air knife," which first applies water and then extracts it along with the excess brine.The excess brine is also returned to the injection tank via recirculation circuit 14.

[0065] After cleaning, the fish fillet is weighed again on a (not shown) weighing device before being deep-frozen in a freezing device 15.

Claims

1. Method for increasing the proportion of meat used in the production of principal products of any kind and form conveyed in plurality along a processing line and consisting of fish meat which contains, in addition to the principal products to be obtained, inedible components or components to be excluded from consumption which are to be removed (removal components) of at least one kind and also contains edible by-products remaining on said removal components, wherein the edible by-products remain on the removal components when the removal components are removed from the principal products, said method comprising the following steps: a) loading a separating device (1) with a batch of fish meat; b) separating the principal products of this batch from the removal components, comprising by-products, of said batch; c) separation of the by-products from the removal components; d) producing a by-product brine from the by-products by comminuting the by-products and mixing same with water, stabiliser, optionally sodium chloride and optionally other components; e) injecting a defined quantity of the by-product brine produced in step d) into the principal products, wherein principal products and by-products contained in the by-product brine come from the same batch, characterised in that all method steps are carried out at a temperature from 0 to 6 °C, preferably from 1 to 6 °C and that the addition of injected by-product brine per principal product amounts to 7 to 9.5% by weight of the total weight of the principal product.

2. Method according to Claim 1, characterised in that step d) of producing the by-product brine comprises the steps d1) of mixing by-product, water, stabiliser, optionally sodium chloride and optionally other components and d2) of comminuting the by-product brine to a maximum mean particle size of 3 mm, in particular of 2 mm, especially preferably of 1 mm.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the principal products, during the steps c) of separation and d) of producing the by-product brine, are subjected in a parallel step f) to further processing, wherein this step f) of further processing comprises in particular at least one process selected from trimming, skinning, portioning, sorting and aligning.

4. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that step e) of injecting the by-product brine is followed by a step g) of cleaning the injected principal product by removing excess by-product brine, in particular by means of at least one of the removal methods of suction, rinsing, wiping and blowing away.

5. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the principal product is fish fillet and the component to be removed is the backbone of the fish.

6. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the pH value of the by-product brine is from 6.0 to 8.0, in particular from 6.0 to 7.0, preferably from 6.0 to 6.5, and especially preferably is 6.45.

7. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that two principal products are processed in parallel, wherein the principal products originate from the same animal.

8. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the stabiliser is phosphate-free.

9. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the stabiliser is at least a compound selected from the group comprising of hydrocolloids, proteins, emulsifiers, special starches, functional salts, fibres, dietary fibres, functional lipids and enzymes.