Nitrate Feed Composition for Meat Redness and Carcass Yield
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods do not effectively improve the quality of meat, particularly the redness of meat color, in animals, and do not address carcass yield improvements.
Innovation Solution
Feeding animals a diet containing a nitrate compound, such as calcium nitrate, to enhance meat quality characteristics like redness and carcass yield.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional feed diets are used, then basic nutritional needs are met, but meat quality characteristics (redness, carcass yield) are not improved
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the chemical composition of the feed diet, specifically by adding nitrate compounds (such as calcium nitrate, sodium nitrate, or potassium nitrate) at controlled concentrations (0.01-0.5% of diet weight). This chemical parameter change in the feed composition directly improves meat quality characteristics including redness (a* value increases by 5-40%) and carcass yield (increases by 1-10%), while maintaining diet versatility across different animal species and growth stages
2Manufacturing precision
If nitrate compound is added to improve meat redness, then color quality improves, but feed composition complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by targeting specific meat quality attributes (redness and carcass yield) for improvement through nitrate supplementation, while leaving other feed components and animal physiological systems unchanged. The nitrate compound is added at specific local concentrations (0.01-0.5% of diet) to achieve localized improvement in meat color properties without requiring complex modifications to the entire feed system or animal biology
3Manufacturing precision
If higher nitrate dosage is used, then meat redness improves more significantly, but potential harmful effects may increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by using sub-maximal doses of nitrate compounds (0.01-0.5% of diet weight), which is sufficient to achieve meaningful improvement in meat redness (a* value increase of 5-40%) and carcass yield (1-10%) without reaching levels that would cause harmful effects. This partial dosing strategy optimizes the balance between beneficial outcomes and safety, avoiding excessive nitrate accumulation that could lead to methemoglobinemia or other adverse effects
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 significantly increases the redness of meat color and improves carcass yield, with the a* value of meat color improving by at least 5-40% and carcass yield increasing by at least 1-10% compared to controls.
Implementation Method 1
A non-enzymatic pathway for the generation of NO has been proposed (nitrate-nitrite-NO pathway) for humans. Dietary inorganic nitrate molecules may be reduced by facultative anaerobic bacteria on the dorsal surface of the tongue to nitrite which can be chemically and enzymatically be further reduced to NO
Implementation Method 2
This induces vasodilation and increased blood flow (Siervo et al. 2011; Kelm 1999)
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to methods and compositions for improving the quality of meat obtained from an animal. In one aspect, the method relates to feeding an animal a diet containing calcium nitrate. In one aspect, the method relates to improving the redness of the meat color.