Meat Stretching Apparatus for Sarcomere Elongation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for improving meat tenderness and juiciness do not adequately enhance these qualities beyond a certain point, and there is a need for a more effective system to stretch muscle fibers and condition meat to achieve greater sarcomere length and improved palatability.
Innovation Solution
A process involving hanging the hind leg of a carcass at an angle of 90 to 170 degrees to the vertical and applying an additional pulling force of 100 to 400kgf using a contraction device with adjustable length, combined with a multi-stage chilling process to maintain specific temperature and air circulation speeds, which stretches muscle fibers to achieve a sarcomere length of greater than 2.6 microns.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional hanging methods are used to improve meat tenderness, then some palatability improvement is achieved, but tenderness and juiciness are not sufficiently enhanced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by stretching the muscle fibers before the meat is processed into final cuts. The carcass is hung at an angle and additional pulling force is applied to elongate muscle fibers and increase sarcomere length before cutting, ensuring the tenderness improvement is established in advance rather than attempted during final processing
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes physical parameters by applying controlled pulling forces (100-400kgf) at specific angles (90-170 degrees to vertical) and for specific durations (18-168 hours). This systematic parameter adjustment optimizes muscle fiber stretching to achieve greater sarcomere length (>2.6 microns), directly improving tenderness and juiciness beyond conventional methods
2Strength
If additional pulling force is applied to stretch muscle fibers, then sarcomere length increases and tenderness improves, but process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by utilizing the carcass's own weight and the natural hanging position to contribute to the stretching effect. The carcass is hung at an angle of 90-170 degrees to the vertical, allowing gravity to assist in maintaining the stretched position during the prolonged pulling operation, reducing the need for additional complex support mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies dynamics by using an adjustable contraction device that can be configured for different carcass sizes and muscle types. The device allows dynamic adjustment of pulling force (100-400kgf) and duration (18-168 hours) to optimize the stretching effect for different meat types while maintaining a relatively simple mechanical structure
3Strength
If prolonged pulling force is applied to maximize muscle stretch, then sarcomere length increases, but processing time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the time parameter by establishing a specific duration range (18-168 hours) for applying the pulling force. This prolonged duration allows sufficient muscle fiber stretching and sarcomere elongation to occur, achieving tenderness improvement while balancing the time investment with the desired quality outcome
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 significantly enhances meat tenderness and juiciness by increasing sarcomere length, reducing energy required for shearing, and minimizing exudate loss, while ensuring consistent palatability across different animal stiffness levels, with the added benefit of reduced storage weight loss and accelerated maturation.
Implementation Method 1
applying an additional pulling force of from 100 to 400kgf to the leg and back muscles of the carcass side in order to stretch the muscle filaments
Implementation Method 2
chilling a carcass in a first conditioning stage in which the carcass is maintained in air circulated at a temperature of from 10 to 12°C
Implementation Method 3
the carcass is maintained in air circulated at a temperature of from 4 to 6°C
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A meat quality and yield improvement process comprises hanging the hind leg(s) of a carcass and applying an additional pulling force of from 50 to 500kgf to the leg and back muscles of the carcass. The additional force stretches the muscle filaments of the leg and back muscles and is maintained until rigor is complete. The hind leg(s) of the carcass may be hung at an angle of 90 to 170 degrees to the vertical.