Dark-Cutting Meat Acidification for Color Correction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dark-cutting beef carcasses, resulting from low muscle glycogen levels at slaughter, exhibit a dark burgundy/purple appearance due to high final pH, leading to consumer perception issues and lower market value, limiting their use in cooked meat products.
Innovation Solution
Treating dark-cutting meat with a pH-lowering agent, such as acidulants like glucono-delta-lactone, to lower the pH from 6.3 to 5.4, altering the color from dark burgundy/purple to a more appealing red color, similar to non-dark-cutting carcasses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If dark-cutting meat is treated with pH-lowering agents, then the color appearance is improved (changed from dark burgundy/purple to red), but the process complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the pH of the meat through controlled acidification. By adjusting the pH from its naturally high state (6.3-6.8) to a lower state (5.4-6.1), the color appearance transforms from dark burgundy/purple to a more desirable red color, directly resolving the color appearance issue while maintaining meat quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses pH-lowering agents (acids or acidulants) as intermediaries to achieve the desired color change. These agents act as mediators between the high-pH meat and the desired low-pH color state, enabling controlled transformation without directly altering the meat's fundamental composition
2Shape
If dark-cutting meat is treated with pH-lowering agents, then the color appearance is improved, but the treatment cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the pH parameter through controlled acidification, the patent achieves significant color improvement at relatively low cost. The process uses inexpensive acids or acidulants to shift the pH range, transforming the unappealing dark color to a marketable red color, thereby improving cost-effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs cheap pH-lowering agents (acids or acidulants) that can be easily applied and disposed of or absorbed by the meat. These inexpensive substances effectively accomplish the color transformation without requiring expensive equipment or complex processing, reducing overall treatment cost
3Stability of the object's composition
If dark-cutting meat is treated with pH-lowering agents, then the pH is reduced to normal levels, but the risk of over-acidification increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by monitoring the pH level during the acidification process and adjusting the addition of pH-lowering agents accordingly. This ensures the pH is reduced to the target range (5.4-6.1) without excessive acidification, maintaining process reliability and preventing quality degradation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies partial action by carefully controlling the amount of pH-lowering agent added to achieve the desired pH reduction without over-treatment. By adding acids or acidulants in controlled quantities, the process achieves sufficient color improvement while avoiding the harmful effects of excessive acidification
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 treatment effectively reduces the pH and changes the color of dark-cutting meat, enhancing its appearance and marketability by making it more comparable to non-dark-cutting meat, thereby increasing its value and usability in various meat products.
Implementation Method 1
contacting the dark-cutting meat with at least one pH-lowering agent in an amount sufficient to alter the color of at least a portion of the dark-cutting meat... alter the color from a dark burgundy/purple color to a red color
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for treating dark-cutter meat includes contacting the meat with one or more acidulants in an amount and for a time sufficient to allow the acidulant to hydrolyze and decrease the pH level of the meat. The acidulant may be added to the meat by injecting, marinating, spraying, or rubbing.