Color Stable Meat in Liquid Egg Products
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Solution Overview
Problem
Liquid egg products can cause detrimental color alterations in meat products, leading to undesirable colors such as green, gray, or black, which negatively impact consumer perception and sales, as they degrade the interior and exterior color of meats like ham during storage and cooking.
Innovation Solution
A color stable meat product is achieved by adding a color agent, such as caramel coloring or RED LAKE, or applying a color coating like liquid smoke, gelatin, or browning agents to the meat, ensuring the color remains stable for the shelf-life of the egg product.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If meat product is added to liquid egg product, then product variety and consumer appeal are improved, but color stability deteriorates due to oxidative environment causing green, gray, or black discoloration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-treating the meat product with color stabilizing agents (such as ascorbic acid, erythorbic acid, or other antioxidants) before incorporating it into the liquid egg product. This pre-treatment establishes a protective chemical environment that prevents oxidative discoloration during storage and cooking, allowing the meat to maintain its desirable color despite the oxidative nature of the egg white environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses color stabilizing agents as intermediary substances between the meat product and the oxidative egg environment. These agents (ascorbic acid, erythorbic acid, etc.) act as mediators that absorb oxidative stress and protect the meat's myoglobin from oxidation, thereby preventing the formation of green, gray, or black discolorations while allowing the meat to retain its characteristic cured color.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional curing methods are used to give ham its characteristic red color, then cured color is achieved, but color alteration occurs when stored in egg product environment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the chemical composition of the curing environment through the addition of color stabilizing agents. By changing the oxidation-reduction potential and chemical composition of the curing brine (adding ascorbic acid, erythorbic acid, or other antioxidants), the patent achieves both the characteristic cured red color and long-term color stability in the egg product environment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by combining traditional curing agents (nitrites) with color stabilizing agents (ascorbic acid, erythorbic acid, or other antioxidants) in the brine solution. This composite curing mixture provides both the characteristic cured color and protection against oxidative discoloration, creating a synergistic effect that addresses both color development and color stability requirements.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method effectively maintains the color stability of meat products, like ham, within liquid egg products for extended periods, enhancing consumer acceptance and reducing spoilage by preventing unwanted color changes during storage and cooking.
Implementation Method 1
A color stable meat product is formed by adding a color agent to a raw meat
Implementation Method 2
the color coating includes liquid smoke, colored gelatin coatings, colored starch coatings, colored protein coatings, browning agents, and/or shellac
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to a color stable meat product for storage in an egg product and the method of making such products by adding a color agent to a raw meat or by adding a color coating to a processed and/or cooked meat.