Culinary animal fat composition that is a pourable and sprayable liquid

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to cooking compositions that are pourable and sprayable liquids at room temperature (68-74°F) that include fractionated animal fats such as Wagyu beef tallow, cooking sprays that include the compositions, and methods of flavoring savory foods with the compositions.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 410,991, filed September 28, 2022, and U.S. Non-Provisional Patent Application No. 18 / 373,928, filed September 27, 2023, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] The present disclosure relates to cooking compositions that are pourable and sprayable liquids at room temperature (68-74°F) that include fractionated animal fats such as Wagyu beef tallow, cooking sprays that include the compositions, and methods of flavoring savory foods with the compositions. [Background technology]

[0003] Animal fats have been used as cooking aids for thousands of years. Animal fats, particularly beef tallow and pork fat, are desirable in cooking for their flavor, which gives certain foods a desirable texture, helps ingredients stick together, and provides a flavor base for highlighting other flavors prepared with the dish. However, animal fats (e.g., beef tallow and pork fat) are solid at room temperature and must be heated to a temperature sufficient to melt such animal fats into a liquid state before they can be used. This heat treatment can cause undesirable messes and alter the flavor of such animal fats, making them difficult or undesirable for use in certain cooking situations.

[0004] One alternative to animal fats as a cooking aid is vegetable-based oils derived from plants. Many vegetable fats are liquid at room temperature. However, tropical vegetable fats, such as coconut oil, palm oil, and palm kernel oil, are solid at room temperature. These tropical vegetable fats can be fractionated to produce liquid vegetable oils of various viscosities and purities. The fractionation process separates compounds into their constituent components, and this separation is based on the solubility of those components at a given temperature. Vegetable oils, including fractionated coconut oil, palm oil, and palm kernel oil, are liquid at room temperature, making them relatively easy to use in cooking and food preparation. However, these vegetable fats have distinct flavor profiles, which may be undesirable in certain cooking and food preparation contexts.

[0005] Thus, there is a long-felt and unmet need for animal fats that are pourable and sprayable (i.e., liquid) at room temperature and easy to cook with in a variety of culinary situations. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present disclosure relates to cooking compositions that are pourable and sprayable liquids at room temperature, comprising fractionated animal fats, and that may be applied from a sprayable container to a cooking surface or directly to food. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In one aspect of the disclosure, the composition is configured to be applied to food products with a pressurized spray canister, such as a "bag-on-valve" (BOV) canister, so that the composition can be sprayed directly onto a cooking surface or utensil, or onto food products to enhance flavor.

[0008] In another aspect of the disclosure, the composition is formed from fractionated Wagyu beef tallow.

[0009] The inventors believe that fractionated grass-fed beef tallow, which is more similar to Wagyu beef tallow than grain-fed beef tallow, will provide results that are substantially equivalent to the present compositions containing fractionated Wagyu beef tallow.

[0010] It is believed that fractionated pork fat, bacon fat, pork rind fat, and other similar fats may be similarly effective if they achieve properties comparable to those of the compositions described herein.

[0011] As a note, in this disclosure, and particularly in the claims and / or paragraphs, terms such as "comprises," "comprised," "comprising," and the like may have the meaning ascribed to them in U.S. patent law (e.g., they may mean "includes," "included," "including," and the like), and terms such as "consisting essentially of" and "consists essentially of" have the meaning ascribed to them in U.S. patent law (e.g., they may allow for elements not expressly recited, but exclude elements found in the prior art or that affect a basic or novel characteristic of the invention).

[0012] These and other embodiments are disclosed or are apparent from and encompassed by the following detailed description. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Nearly all animal fats are naturally solid at room temperature. This includes beef and mutton tallow (made by melting and refining the fat of cattle or sheep) and lard (made by melting and refining the fat of pigs). Animal fats are solid at room temperature because they consist of saturated fatty acids (primarily palmitic, stearic, and oleic acids). Palmitic acid has a melting point of 62.9°C (145.2°F). Stearic acid has a melting point of 69.3°C (156.7°F). Oleic acid, on the other hand, has a melting point of about 13°C (56°F). Of these, only oleic acid is liquid at room temperature (20–23°C (68–74°F)).

[0014] In the present disclosure, fractionated animal fats are used. Fractionation is a process in which oils or fats are crystallized (this can be achieved in the absence of a solvent (dry fractionation) or in the presence of a solvent such as acetone or hexane), followed by separation with a membrane to isolate the oleic fat. Dry fractionated animal fats are preferred in the present invention because they do not require the use of additional solvents such as acetone or hexane. The use of additional solvents is not preferred because they can alter the flavor profile of the food. Furthermore, many of the solvents used in fractionation are volatile and therefore unsuitable for use in a food preparation environment. Furthermore, the use of solvents introduces unwanted chemicals into the production process. Consumers are becoming more conscious about the ingredients in their food and are seeking more natural products. Dry fractionated animal fats are preferred in the present invention because they do not require the use of any additional solvents.

[0015] One exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to a cooking composition that is a pourable and sprayable liquid at room temperature (68-74°F) comprising fractionated animal fat, the fractionated animal fat having a total saturated fat content ranging from about 33.9-34.7% (of which palmitic acid is in the range of 20.4-20.7% and stearic acid is in the range of 9.4-10.1%) and a total monosaturated fat content ranging from about 49.3-52.5% (of which o- and o-saturated fats are in the range of 10.5-11.5%). oleic acid content in the range of 42.5-45.3%, palmitoleic acid content in the range of 4.3-4.9%, total polyunsaturated fat content in the range of about 2.4-3.0%, total trans fat content in the range of about 3.7-5.5%, conjugated linoleic acid content in the range of about 0.65-0.68%, Mettler softening point in the range of about 17-18°C, iodine value in the range of about 56-64 gI / 100g, and free fatty acid value in the range of about 0.4-0.7%.

[0016] Another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to a cooking spray can, which is a room temperature (68-74°F) pourable and sprayable liquid cooking composition comprising a metal spray can, a propellant, a spray nozzle, and fractionated animal fat, the fractionated animal fat having a total saturated fat content in the range of about 33.9-34.7% (of which palmitic acid is in the range of 20.4-20.7% and stearic acid is in the range of 9.4-10.1%) and a total monosaturated fat content in the range of about 49.3-52.5% (of which oleic acid is in the range of 42.5-45.3%). a total polyunsaturated fat content in the range of about 2.4-3.0%, a total trans fat content in the range of about 3.7-5.5%, a conjugated linoleic acid content in the range of about 0.65-0.68%, a Mettler softening point in the range of about 17-18°C, an iodine value in the range of about 56-64 gI / 100g, and a free fatty acid value in the range of about 0.4-0.7%, and a food-grade bag-on-valve (BOV) that contains the composition within a metal spray can and prevents the composition from coming into direct contact with the propellant gas and the metal spray can.

[0017] Another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is directed to a method of flavoring salty foods with the present compositions, which method provides a pourable and sprayable liquid at room temperature (68-74°F) comprising fractionated animal fat, the fractionated animal fat having a total saturated fat content in the range of about 33.9-34.7% (of which palmitic acid content is in the range of 20.4-20.7% and stearic acid content is in the range of 9.4-10.1%) and a total monosaturated fat content in the range of about 49.3-52.5% (of which oleic acid content is in the range of 42.5-45.3% and palmitoleic acid content is in the range of 10.4-11.5%). The composition, having a total polyunsaturated fat content of about 2.4-3.0%, a total trans fat content of about 3.7-5.5%, a conjugated linoleic acid content of about 0.65-0.68%, a Mettler softening point of about 17-18°C, an iodine value of about 56-64 gI / 100g, and a free fatty acid value of about 0.4-0.7%, is contained in a spray can along with a compressed inert gas, and the spray can is placed about 6 inches away from food or utensils, and the nozzle of the spray can is pressed to release the composition from the spray can toward the food or utensils.

[0018] The composition has the properties of containing a lower percentage of palmitic acid and stearic acid and a higher percentage of unsaturated fat than solid animal fats traditionally used in cooking, such as solid Wagyu beef tallow, solid beef tallow, and solid lard. Generally, the lower the saturated fat content, the more likely the fat is to be solid at room temperature.

[0019] To evaluate the quality of the animal fat product samples, the inventors analyzed each sample for specific fat content, including saturated fat content, monounsaturated fat content, polyunsaturated fat content, trans fat content, conjugated linoleic acid content, free fatty acid content, iodine value, and Mettler softening point value. The samples in Tables 1 and 3 below were sent to an independent, third-party testing laboratory to obtain data on saturated fat, monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, and trans fat content, as well as conjugated linoleic acid content. The samples in Tables 2 and 3 were tested internally by the inventors to determine the free fatty acid content, iodine value, and Mettler softening point value for each sample.

[0020] Table 1 below contains analytical data by the inventors related to the present disclosure, including values ​​for three lots of the composition containing Wagyu beef tallow and the average values ​​for lots 1 to 3 of the composition containing Wagyu beef tallow.

[0021] Wagyu tallow is rendered and rendered beef tallow from breeds of Wagyu cattle raised exclusively in the U.S. The American Wagyu Association's "Specification for Characteristics of Cattle Eligible for Approved Programs Claiming Wagyu Influence" specifies the following requirements for live cattle from which carcasses can be extracted for certification in certified brand beef programs claiming Wagyu influence: "(2.1) Cattle eligible for the Wagyu Full Blood (100% Wagyu) Certified Beef Program must be registered with the American Wagyu Beef Association and DNA parentage testing must be done with both parents through the American Wagyu Beef Association. Both parents will be registered by the American Wagyu Beef Association. (2.2) Cattle eligible for the Wagyu Purebred (93.75% Wagyu Minimum) Certified Beef (2.3) Program must be registered with the American Wagyu Beef Association and DNA parentage testing must be done with both parents through the American Wagyu Beef Association. Both parents will be registered by the American Wagyu Beef Association. (2.3) Cattle eligible for the Wagyu Influence Certified Beef Program must have positive identification (e.g., ear tags, tattoos, branding) and verifiable Wagyu parentage (e.g., by registration paperwork). Must be able to be traced back to offspring. To qualify, a cattle must be able to be traced back to at least one registered parent (full blood or purebred). See www.wagyu.org for registration categories. For an animal to qualify as Wagyu and subsequently have its meat eligible for Wagyu influence claims, it must be the offspring of either (2.3.1) a registered sire of at least 15 / 16 or 93.75% Wagyu blood (i.e. full blood or purebred), or (2.3.2) a registered dam of at least 15 / 16 or 93.75% Wagyu blood (i.e. full blood or purebred). [Table 1]

[0022] Table 2 below contains additional analytical data by the inventors relevant to the present disclosure (such as Mettler softening point, iodine value, and free fatty acids), including values ​​for three other lots of the composition containing Wagyu beef tallow and the average values ​​for lots 4-6 of the composition containing Wagyu beef tallow. [Table 2]

[0023] Table 3 below contains analytical data by the inventors relating to solid raw filtered Wagyu beef tallow, solid raw melted and refined grass-fed beef tallow, and solid raw melted and refined grain-fed beef tallow. [Table 3]

[0024] The properties of the compositions containing fractionated Wagyu beef tallow in Tables 1 and 2, which are solid at room temperature, differ from those of the raw filtered Wagyu beef tallow, as can be seen by comparing the properties of the raw filtered Wagyu beef tallow in Table 3, which is a pourable and sprayable liquid at room temperature. The raw filtered Wagyu beef tallow in Table 3 had an average total saturated fat content of 36.73% (of which palmitic acid was 21.72% and stearic acid was 10.48%), a total monosaturated fat content of 47.23% (of which oleic acid was 40.56% and palmitoleic acid was 4.20%), a total polyunsaturated fat content of 2.68%, a total trans fat content of 4.53%, and a conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) content of 0.60%. The raw filtered Wagyu beef tallow had a Mettler softening point of 37.1°C, an iodine value of 48.4gI / 100g, and a free fatty acid content of 0.36%.

[0025] As shown in Table 1, lots 1-3 of the composition containing Wagyu beef tallow had an average total saturated fat content of 34.42% (of which palmitic acid was 20.514% and stearic acid was 9.83%), a total monounsaturated fat content of 51.07% (of which oleic acid was 43.954% and palmitoleic acid was 4.625%), a total polyunsaturated fat content of 2.63%, a total trans fat content of 4.77%, and a conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) content of 0.67%. As shown in Table 2, lots 4-6 of the composition containing Wagyu beef tallow also had an average Mettler softening point of 17.3°C, an iodine value of 58.74 gI / 100g, and a free fatty acid content of 0.54%.

[0026] The inventors anticipate that the properties of grass-fed fractionated tallow will produce compositions that are significantly comparable to the present compositions containing fractionated Wagyu tallow. For example, the properties of the grass-fed solid raw filtered tallow in Table 3 are closer in value to the Wagyu solid raw filtered tallow than to the grain-fed solid raw filtered tallow.

[0027] The composition may be stored in a variety of containers, preferably in a "bag-on-valve" (BOV) container. Bag-on-valve containers are advantageous over other container options for several reasons. Unlike traditional aerosol canisters, which require antioxidants and often use flammable propellants (e.g., butane or other hydrocarbon propellants), bag-on-valve systems allow the composition to be poured into an inert pouch fitted within the spray can canister and surrounded by compressed inert gas (e.g., compressed ambient air). Another option is to use pressurized gas (e.g., nitrogen or carbon dioxide) instead of compressed ambient air. Furthermore, unlike other cooking sprays, such as PAM®, in which the hydrocarbon propellant is dissolved in a material with 10-18% propane, butane, or another hydrocarbon propellant, the composition in the bag-on-valve does not come into direct contact with the compressed inert gas of the spray canister. The use of a BOV results in a purer composition that is protected from pressurized gases, does not require hydrocarbon propellants, and therefore is safer to use because it contains fewer additives. Additionally, the use of a BOV extends the shelf life of the composition. Other containers are contemplated for the composition, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

[0028] Applications for the pourable and sprayable liquid compositions of the present disclosure include, but are not limited to, use as a flavor enhancer applied directly to salty foods, as a cooking aid when frying, sautéing, or baking various foods, as a fat source, as a binder for seasonings in cooking, and as a flavor or sensory additive in sport fishing, where the compositions may be used directly on the water surface (chuck) or by spraying onto lures to attract fish, or may be combined with additional dry additives to act as a binder to form dry chuck or fish meal.

[0029] Generally, the present disclosure is directed to pourable and sprayable cooking compositions that include animal fats that are liquid at room temperature.

[0030] The crystallized, separated, and sequestered composition may be used as a pourable and sprayable liquid cooking fat when other non-animal fats (e.g., olive oil) are used. The composition may be applied directly to food or cooking utensils using a spray canister filled with compressed inert gas (e.g., compressed ambient air, or pressurized carbon dioxide or nitrogen gas). When applied using a spray canister, the composition is inserted into a bag-on-valve located within a spray can. The spray can may then be pressurized to 40-60 PSI with a preferably inert, non-flammable gas (e.g., compressed air, carbon dioxide, or nitrogen gas). The composition is applied to food or cooking utensils by depressing the nozzle of the spray can, causing the compressed gas to force the composition out of the bag-on-valve within the spray can, through the spray nozzle, and onto the food or cooking utensil.

[0031] While the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations could be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure, as defined in the appended claims.

[0032] While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, it will be appreciated that the invention as defined by the preceding paragraphs is not limited to the particular details set forth in the above description, as many obvious variations are possible thereon without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A cooking composition that is a pourable and sprayable liquid at room temperature (68-74°F) comprising fractionated animal fat, said fractionated animal fat having a total saturated fat content in the range of about 33.9-34.7% (of which palmitic acid is in the range of 20.4-20.7% and stearic acid is in the range of 9.4-10.1%) and a total monosaturated fat content in the range of about 49.3-52.5% (of which oleic acid is in the range of 42.

1. A composition having a polyunsaturated fat content in the range of about 2.4-3.0%, a total trans fat content in the range of about 3.7-5.5%, a conjugated linoleic acid content in the range of about 0.65-0.68%, a Mettler softening point in the range of about 17-18°C, an iodine value in the range of about 56-64 gI / 100g, and a free fatty acid value in the range of about 0.4-0.7%.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the animal fat is Wagyu beef tallow, and its stearic acid value is in the range of 9.4 to 10.1%.

3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the animal fat is Wagyu beef tallow, and its palmitic acid value is in the range of 20.4 to 20.7%.

4. The composition of claim 1, wherein the animal fat is Wagyu beef tallow, and its oleic acid value is in the range of 42.5 to 45.3%.

5. The composition of claim 1, wherein the animal fat is Wagyu beef tallow, and its palmitic acid value is in the range of 4.3 to 4.9%.

6. 10. The composition of claim 1, wherein the animal fat is grass-fed beef tallow.

7. 2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the animal fat is a mixture of one or more of Wagyu beef tallow, beef tallow, pork fat, bacon fat, or pork skin fat.

8. A cooking spray can, Metal spray cans, a compressed inert gas; A spray nozzle; A cooking composition that is a pourable and sprayable liquid at room temperature (68-74°F) comprising fractionated animal fat, said fractionated animal fat having a total saturated fat content in the range of about 33.9-34.7% (of which palmitic acid is in the range of 20.4-20.7% and stearic acid is in the range of 9.4-10.1%) and a total monosaturated fat content in the range of about 49.3-52.5% (of which oleic acid is in the range of 42.5%). a total polyunsaturated fat content in the range of about 2.4-3.0%, a total trans fat content in the range of about 3.7-5.5%, a conjugated linoleic acid content in the range of about 0.65-0.68%, a Mettler softening point in the range of about 17-18°C, an iodine value in the range of about 56-64 gI / 100g, and a free fatty acid value in the range of about 0.4-0.7%; a food-grade bag-on-valve (BOV) that contains the composition within the metal spray can and prevents the composition from coming into direct contact with the propellant and the metal spray can; Cooking spray cans including.

9. 9. The cooking spray can of claim 8, wherein the propellant is compressed air.

10. 9. The cooking spray can of claim 8, wherein the propellant is nitrogen or carbon dioxide.

11. The cooking spray can according to claim 8, wherein the animal fat is Wagyu beef tallow.

12. 9. The cooking spray can of claim 8, wherein the animal fat is grass-fed beef tallow.

13. 9. The cooking spray can according to claim 8, wherein the animal fat is a mixture of one or more of Wagyu beef tallow, beef tallow, pork fat, bacon fat, or pork skin fat.

14. 1. A method for flavoring a salty food product, comprising: A cooking composition that is a pourable and sprayable liquid at room temperature (68-74°F) comprising fractionated animal fat, said fractionated animal fat having a total saturated fat content in the range of about 33.9-34.7% (of which palmitic acid is in the range of 20.4-20.7% and stearic acid is in the range of 9.4-10.1%) and a total monosaturated fat content in the range of about 49.3-52.5% (of which oleic acid is in the range of 42.5-45.3%). %, palmitoleic acid content in the range of 4.3-4.9%, total polyunsaturated fat content in the range of about 2.4-3.0%, total trans fat content in the range of about 3.7-5.5%, conjugated linoleic acid content in the range of about 0.65-0.68%, Mettler softening point in the range of about 17-18°C, iodine value in the range of about 56-64 gI / 100g, and free fatty acid value in the range of about 0.4-0.7%; placing the composition in a spray can with a propellant and a bag-on-valve; placing the spray can approximately 6 inches away from food or utensils; pressing the nozzle of the spray can to expel the composition from the spray can toward the food or the utensil; A method comprising:

15. 15. The method of flavoring salty foods of claim 14, wherein the animal fat is Wagyu beef tallow.

16. 15. The method of flavoring salty foods of claim 14, wherein the animal fat is grass-fed beef tallow.

17. 15. The method of flavoring savory foods of claim 14, wherein the animal fat is a mixture of one or more of the following fats: Wagyu beef tallow, beef tallow, pork fat, bacon fat, or pork skin fat.

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