Meat Maturation Process Using Salt-Laden Air Circulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing meat maturation processes are not reproducible and consistent, leading to non-homogeneous meat quality, strong odors, and significant weight loss, making it difficult to achieve tender and flavorful meat while maintaining consumer acceptance and shelf life.
Innovation Solution
A two-stage process involving initial maturation in a refrigerated enclosure with circulating salt-laden air, followed by vacuum packaging and further aging in a second refrigerated chamber, utilizing rock salt and controlled temperature and humidity to enhance tenderness and flavor without significant weight loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If meat is stored in cold rooms for several days at around 4°C to improve tenderness, then the tenderness of the meat is improved, but the process is not reproducible and the meat quality is not homogeneous
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the environmental parameters by introducing salt-laden air into the refrigerated chamber, creating a controlled atmosphere with specific humidity and ion concentration. This parameter modification enables reproducible tenderness improvement while maintaining consistent meat quality across different batches.
Solution Approach 2:
Salt acts as an intermediary substance that mediates between the refrigeration system and the meat. The salt-laden air environment facilitates controlled proteolytic activity and moisture management, enabling reliable and consistent tenderness improvement without the variability of traditional cold storage.
2Strength
If meat is stored in cold rooms for several days to improve tenderness, then the tenderness of the meat is improved, but strong odor is given off which can bother customers or the butcher
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a controlled atmosphere in the refrigerated chamber by introducing salt-laden air, which modifies the gaseous environment surrounding the meat. This altered atmosphere suppresses odor production while maintaining the tenderness development process, preventing the strong odors associated with traditional cold storage.
3Strength
If traditional cold room storage is used to mature meat, then tenderness is improved, but significant weight loss occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the humidity parameter by introducing salt-laden air into the refrigerated chamber. This parameter change creates an environment that prevents excessive moisture loss from the meat surface, thereby reducing weight loss while maintaining the tenderness improvement process.
4Strength
If salt blocks are heated to increase salt release, then the tenderizing effect is enhanced, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic heating of salt blocks rather than continuous heating. The salt blocks are heated at specific intervals to release moisture and enhance salt dissolution, then allowed to cool. This periodic action achieves the desired tenderness enhancement while significantly reducing overall energy consumption compared to continuous heating.
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 process results in consistently improved tenderness, flavor, and shelf life of meat, with minimal weight loss and reduced microbial growth, making it industrializable and reproducible across different animal breeds.
Implementation Method 1
place said piece of meat in the bare state, in a first refrigerated enclosure inside which circulates salt-laden air
Implementation Method 2
take out said piece of meat from the first chamber and pack it in a vacuum package
Implementation Method 3
place said piece of meat in the bare state, in a first refrigerated enclosure
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for maturing a piece of meat. This method is remarkable in that it comprises the following steps: - placing said piece of meat in its naked state, in a first refrigerated chamber inside which air charged with salt circulates, for a first time t1, - at the end of said first time t1, removing said piece of meat from the first chamber and packing it in a vacuum-sealed package, - then placing it in a second refrigerated chamber, for a second time t2.