Cryogenic Meat Processing to Maintain Low-Fat Sausage Water Binding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional methods for producing low-fat sausages face challenges in maintaining water binding properties and organoleptic quality due to reduced fat content, leading to protein matrix shrinkage and poor distribution of fat particles.
Innovation Solution
A freezer system incorporating a grinder, mixer, and cryogenic processing with liquid nitrogen to maintain low temperatures, ensuring uniform distribution of fat and ice in the meat batter, resulting in a product with 1-20% fat content by weight, which improves protein swelling and gelling properties without denaturation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If fat content is reduced in sausage products, then health benefits improve, but water binding properties deteriorate due to protein matrix shrinkage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by controlling temperature throughout the processing sequence. The meat is kept at low temperatures (0-4°C) during grinding, mixing, and stuffing, then rapidly cooled after cooking. This temperature parameter control prevents protein matrix shrinkage and maintains water binding properties even with reduced fat content (1-20% range).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-cooling all ingredients and equipment before processing. The meat, fat, ice, and grinder blades are all cooled in advance, and the mixing process occurs at controlled low temperatures. This preliminary cooling prevents thermal denaturation and protein shrinkage that would otherwise occur during subsequent heating and cooling cycles, thereby preserving water binding capacity in low-fat formulations.
2Quantity of substance
If fat content is reduced in sausage products, then calorie content decreases, but organoleptic properties deteriorate due to poor fat particle distribution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses parameter changes by controlling temperature and processing time to achieve uniform fat particle distribution. The low-temperature processing (0-4°C) prevents fat crystallization and aggregation, while the extended mixing time at controlled temperature ensures homogeneous distribution of small fat particles (1-20% content) throughout the meat matrix, maintaining organoleptic quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing fat into very fine particles through extended grinding and mixing at low temperatures. The fat is processed in small increments and thoroughly distributed as fine particles throughout the meat batter, creating a homogeneous structure that maintains organoleptic properties even with reduced overall fat content.
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 system enables the production of low-fat sausages with improved water binding and organoleptic properties, achieving uniform fat distribution and enhanced protein functionality, as evidenced by scanning electron microscopy showing smaller, more homogeneous fat particles and increased soluble protein extraction.
Implementation Method 1
liquid nitrogen is intermittently sprayed onto the rotating blades of the cutter to counteract the heat produced by operating friction
Implementation Method 2
heat produced by operating friction
Implementation Method 3
adding liquid nitrogen to maintain the temperature of the meat being chopped below 5° C. and adding liquid nitrogen to maintain the temperature of the chopped meat product and fat being chopped between 1° C. and 10° C.
Implementation Method 4
a plurality of evaporators coupled to the payload bay with a multiplicity of coolant tubes in each evaporator
Implementation Method 5
a pump to force coolant flowing through the evaporators
Implementation Method 6
one or more cryogenic valves coupled to the coolant tubes
Data Source
AI summary
A food processor includes a grinder to obtain a ground meat; a mixer to add fat to the ground meat; a payload bay to receive the ground meat; a plurality of evaporators coupled to the payload bay with a multiplicity of coolant tubes in each evaporator, wherein each tube enters and then exits the payload bay, further comprising one or more cryogenic valves coupled to the coolant tubes; a pump to force coolant flowing through the evaporators; and a processor with code for: chopping the ground meat and during chopping, adding salt and ice to the ground meat being chopped and adding liquid nitrogen to maintain the temperature of the meat being chopped below 5° C. to obtain a chopped meat product; adding fat to the chopped meat product and then chopping the fat and adding liquid nitrogen to maintain the temperature of the chopped meat product and fat being chopped between 1° C. and 10° C. to obtain a chopped meat and fat product, wherein the ground meat, added fat, ice and salt are present in amounts so that the chopped meat and fat product has a fat content of from 1% to 20% by weight based upon the weight of the chopped meat and fat product.