Oxygen-Enriched Dry Aging System to Reduce Meat Surface Browning Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
The dry-aging method results in a significant loss of meat due to the blacking and browning phenomenon on the meat surface, leading to increased costs and reduced consumer appeal, as it requires discarding 20-30% of the aged meat.
Innovation Solution
A dry aging system using a separate refrigerating compartment with a controlled environment that supplies a mixed gas of oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen to maintain optimal ratios and humidity levels, preventing the blacking and browning phenomenon by fixing the meat color and reducing loss rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If dry-aging is performed using traditional ventilation methods, then meat flavor is enhanced through amino acid condensation, but blacking and browning phenomenon occurs on the meat surface causing 20-30% meat loss
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies inert atmosphere by filling the aging chamber with a controlled gas mixture containing 0-5% oxygen, 5-30% carbon dioxide, and 70-95% nitrogen. This inert environment prevents oxidation of the meat surface, thereby eliminating the blacking and browning phenomenon while maintaining the dry-aging flavor enhancement benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the atmospheric parameters by precisely controlling oxygen concentration (0-5%), carbon dioxide concentration (5-30%), and nitrogen concentration (70-95%). These parameter changes transform the traditional high-oxygen aging environment into a controlled inert atmosphere that prevents surface discoloration while preserving the aging process.
2Reliability
If vacuum packaging is used for wet aging, then oxidation and moisture evaporation are prevented, but aerobic bacteria growth is suppressed and flavor development is limited compared to dry-aging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different atmospheric conditions in different zones of the aging chamber. The air circulation system distributes the controlled gas mixture uniformly across the meat surfaces, ensuring each local area experiences optimal oxygen limitation for oxidation prevention while maintaining conditions suitable for flavor development through controlled dry-aging.
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 effectively minimizes the blacking and browning phenomenon, reducing meat loss to less than 5% and allowing for more affordable, flavorful dry-aged meat production by maintaining a bright red meat color and optimizing aging conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum pump vacuumizing insides of the one or more dry-aging rooms
Implementation Method 2
a cooling pipe installed in the refrigerating compartment and configured to cool the mixed gas supplied from the gas mixer and supply the cooled mixed gas into the one or more dry-aging rooms
Implementation Method 3
a mixed gas using oxygen is supplied into the dry-aging room so as to solve a blacking and browning phenomenon of a meat surface... allowing the meat surface to be maintained in a bright red color through meat color fixation
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a dry aging system using oxygen in which a separate dry-aging room is provided in a refrigerating compartment, and a mixed gas using oxygen is supplied into the dry-aging room so as to solve a blacking and browning phenomenon of a meat surface, which is led to an increase in loss rate and an increase in edible meat cost, which are disadvantages of existing dry-aging, thereby allowing the meat surface to be maintained in a bright red color through meat color fixation, minimizing the occurrence of the blacking and browning phenomenon to reduce the loss rate of the edible meat, and supplying flavorful dry-aged meat at a more reasonable price. Also, the blacking and browning phenomenon occurring on the generally dry-aged meat may be significantly reduced to produce aesthetically and tastefully very superior dry-aged meat.