CA1091975A - Process and composition for producing and maintaining good color in fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fish - Google Patents
Process and composition for producing and maintaining good color in fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fishInfo
- Publication number
- CA1091975A CA1091975A CA286,524A CA286524A CA1091975A CA 1091975 A CA1091975 A CA 1091975A CA 286524 A CA286524 A CA 286524A CA 1091975 A CA1091975 A CA 1091975A
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- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- fresh
- meat
- poultry
- fish
- myoglobin
- Prior art date
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Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
- A23B—PRESERVING, e.g. BY CANNING, MEAT, FISH, EGGS, FRUIT, VEGETABLES, EDIBLE SEEDS; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES; THE PRESERVED, RIPENED, OR CANNED PRODUCTS
- A23B4/00—General methods for preserving meat, sausages, fish or fish products
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
- A23B—PRESERVING, e.g. BY CANNING, MEAT, FISH, EGGS, FRUIT, VEGETABLES, EDIBLE SEEDS; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES; THE PRESERVED, RIPENED, OR CANNED PRODUCTS
- A23B4/00—General methods for preserving meat, sausages, fish or fish products
- A23B4/06—Freezing; Subsequent thawing; Cooling
- A23B4/08—Freezing; Subsequent thawing; Cooling with addition of chemicals or treatment with chemicals before or during cooling, e.g. in the form of an ice coating or frozen block
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
- A23B—PRESERVING, e.g. BY CANNING, MEAT, FISH, EGGS, FRUIT, VEGETABLES, EDIBLE SEEDS; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES; THE PRESERVED, RIPENED, OR CANNED PRODUCTS
- A23B4/00—General methods for preserving meat, sausages, fish or fish products
- A23B4/14—Preserving with chemicals not covered by groups A23B4/02 or A23B4/12
- A23B4/16—Preserving with chemicals not covered by groups A23B4/02 or A23B4/12 in the form of gases, e.g. fumigation; Compositions or apparatus therefor
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- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
- Zoology (AREA)
- Food Science & Technology (AREA)
- Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
- Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
- General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Meat, Egg Or Seafood Products (AREA)
Abstract
PROCESS AND COMPOSITION FOR PRODUCING AND
MAINTAINING GOOD COLOR IN FRESH MEAT, FRESH POULTRY AND FRESH FISH
By Richard E. Woodruff and John H. Silliker ABSTRACT
Good color in fresh meat, fresh poultry, and fresh fish is established and maintained by subjecting such meat, poultry and fish to an atmosphere containing a low oxygen concentration to convert oxymyoglobin on the surface of the meat and poultry to reduced myoglobin, and both oxymyoglobin and oxyhemoglo-bin in fish to reduced myoglobin/hemoglobin, respectively, then subjecting the fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fish to a modified atmosphere containing a small amount of carbon monoxide to convert the reduced myoglobin to carboxymyoglobin to a depth of not more than about 0.375 inch below the surface of the meat and poultry, and to convert the reduced myoglobin/hemoglobin to reduced carboxymyoglobin/carboxyhemoglobin in the fish.
The modified atmosphere is a new composition of matter.
During or after the conversion, the fresh meat, fresh poul-try and fresh fish may be maintained at temperatures above freezing in an atmosphere that contains more than about 10% carbon dioxide by volume to inhibit bacterial growth or alternatively, the fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fish may be frozen and maintained frozen in normal air atmosphere.
MAINTAINING GOOD COLOR IN FRESH MEAT, FRESH POULTRY AND FRESH FISH
By Richard E. Woodruff and John H. Silliker ABSTRACT
Good color in fresh meat, fresh poultry, and fresh fish is established and maintained by subjecting such meat, poultry and fish to an atmosphere containing a low oxygen concentration to convert oxymyoglobin on the surface of the meat and poultry to reduced myoglobin, and both oxymyoglobin and oxyhemoglo-bin in fish to reduced myoglobin/hemoglobin, respectively, then subjecting the fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fish to a modified atmosphere containing a small amount of carbon monoxide to convert the reduced myoglobin to carboxymyoglobin to a depth of not more than about 0.375 inch below the surface of the meat and poultry, and to convert the reduced myoglobin/hemoglobin to reduced carboxymyoglobin/carboxyhemoglobin in the fish.
The modified atmosphere is a new composition of matter.
During or after the conversion, the fresh meat, fresh poul-try and fresh fish may be maintained at temperatures above freezing in an atmosphere that contains more than about 10% carbon dioxide by volume to inhibit bacterial growth or alternatively, the fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fish may be frozen and maintained frozen in normal air atmosphere.
Description
97Si This invention relates to a process and a composition for establishing and maintaining good color in fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fish.
The literature relating to the establishment and main-tenance of good color in fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fish includes U. S. Patents 3,851,808 and 3,930,0~0, and A. El Badawi, R. Cain, S. Samuels, and A. Anglemeier, Color and Pigment_Stability of Packaged ~efrigerated Bee, Food Technology, pp. 159-163 (~ay, 1964) and T. Besser and A. Kramer, Changes in Quality and Nutritional Composition of Foods Preserved by ~,as Exchange, 37 .
~ournal of Food Science, po. 820-823 (1972) and which describe the use of certain modified gaseous atmospheres for providing and maintai~ing good color in fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fish. None, however, discloses the modified atmospheres of this invention or the highly simplified process of this invention for doing these tasks.
In accordance with this invention, good color is established and maintained in fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fish; In fresh meat and poultry, the process comprises subjecting meat, poultry, or both to an atmosphere sufficiently low in oxynen concentration to change a substantial portion of the oxymyoglobin on and below the meat or poultry surface to reduced myoslohin, then subjecting the fresh meat and fresh poultry to a modified atmosphere including sufficient carbon monoxide by volume to convert a substantial portion of the reduced myoglobin to carboxymyoglobin to a depth of not more than about 0.375 inch, preferably not more than about 0.25 inch, below the surface of the fresh meat or fresh poultry.
Until the conversion of the reduced myoglobin to carboxymyoglobin is complete, the modified atmosphere preferably includes as little oxygen as possible, and as little as possible of any obher substance that would inhibit conversion to carboxymyoglobin.
Preferably, the modified atmosphere will include at least about 10% by volume carbon dioxide and the balance substantially all molecular nitrogen and/or other inert gases. Some oxygen may be present during this conversion, but preferably in amounts not greater than abou-t 10% by volume, and more preferably, in amounts not greater than about 5~ by volume.
Increasing the concentration of oxygen before the conversion is complete simply tends to inhibit the conversion to carboxymyoglobin as the oxygen competes for the reactive sites in the reduced myoglobin. A substantial portion is converted from reduced myoglobin to carboxymyoglobin when the naked eye can see a distinct overall color change from the purple color of reduced myoglobin to the bright red color - of carboxymyoglobin.
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3 .
The amount of carbon monoxide sufficient to effect such conversion to a depth not greater than about 0.375 inch, ;' and preferably not greater than about ().25 inch, varies depending upon the method employed to convert oxymyoglobin to reduced myoglobin. This method may be the use of a reducing agent, application of a vacuum, flushing with an inert gas such as nitrogen, or some other method. Thus, where a reducing agent such as ascorbic acid is used to form the atmosphere low in oxygen concentration, the carbon monoxide concentration may range from about 0.10% to about 3%. By contrast, where nitrogen flushing is used for this purpose, the carbon monoxide concentration may range frGm about 0.10% to about 1.5%, more preferably about 1%.
Similarly, the process of this invention comprises subjecting fresh fish to an atmosphere sufficiently low in oxygen concentration to change a substantial portion of the oxymyoglobin~oxyhemoglobin on and below the surface of the fresh fish to reduced myoglobin/hemoglobin, then subjecting 'the fresh fish to a modified atmosphere lncluding sufficient .;
carbon monoxide by volume to convert the reduced myoglobin/
hemoglobin to carboxymyoglobin/carboxyhemoglobin on and below the surface of the fresh fish.. Until the conversion of the reduced myoglobin/hemoglobin to carboxy~yoglobin/carboxyhemoglobin is complete, the modified atmosphere preferably includes as little oxygen as possible, and as little as possible of any other substance that w.ould inhibit conversion to carboxymyoglobin/
carboxyhemoglobin. Preferably, the modified atmosphere will include at least about 10~ by volume carbon dioxide and the balance substantially all molecular nitrogen and~or other inert ~.
9~7~
gases. Some oxygan may be present during this conversion~ but preferably in amounts not greater than about 10% by volume, ancl more preferably, in amounts not greater than about 5% by volume. Increasing the concentration of oxygen before the conversion is complete simply tends tc) inhibit the conversion to carboxymyoglobin/carboxyhemoglobin as the oxygen competes for the reactive sites in the reduced myoglobin/hemoglobin. A substantial portion is converted from reduced myoglobin/hemoglobin to carboxymyoglobin/carboxyhemoglobin when the naked eye can see a distinct overall color change from the purple color of reduced myoglobin/hemoglobin to the bright red color of carboxymyoglobin/
carboxyhemoglobin. For fresh fish, sufficient carbon monoxide is generally in the range of about 0.10% to about 1.5%, more preferabIy from about 0.10% to about 1%, but these amounts may vary with the nature of the Eish treated, the conditions to which the fish was exposed before being subjected to the process of this invention, and the method used to reduce oxymyoglobin/oxyhemoglobin to reduced myoglobin/hemog:Lobin.
The new process is particularly important and effective where the fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fish is maintained under refrigerated conditions, typically a temperature in the range of about 29 F. to about ~0 F. In commercial practice, the ambient temperature may be somewhat lower (e.g., 26-27F.) without completely freezing the fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fish.
Subjecting fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh Eish to an atmosphere low in oxygen concentration converts the oxymyoglobin, which is red in color, on the fresh meat and fresh poultry, and the oxymyoglobin/oxyhemoglobin on the surface of fresh fish, which are also red in color, to the purple-colored reduced myoglobin and reduced myoglobin/hemoglobin, respectively. Subjecting the fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fish thereafter to the carbon monoxide-~9~ 75 containing modified atmosphere converts the reduced myoglobin and reduced myoglobin/hemoglobin to carboxymyoglobin and carboxymyoglobin/carboxyhemoglobin, respectively, both of which are attractively red in color, and are stable under refrigerated conditions for long periods of time, such as two to four weeks.
During or following treatment in accordance with the new process, the fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fish may be maintained in a modified atmosphere including, by volume, about 10% to about 85% carbon dioxide, which inhibits growth of slime- and odor-producing organlsms, and the balance substantially all nitrogen (molecular N2) and oxygen ~molecular 2) The oxygen is preferably present in an amount as low as possible and preferably in the range of 0% to about 30%. This modified atmosphere may be applied, in whole or in part, during the conversion of reduced myoglobin, in meat and poultry, and reduced myoglobin/hemoglobin, in flsh, to carboxymyoglobin and carboxymyoglobin/hemoglobin, respectively. Thus, in addition to carbon monoxide, that modified atmosphere may include at least about 10% carbon dioxide. However, the oxygen concentration should be as low as possible until conversion to the reduced myoglobin or reduced myoglobin/hemoglobin is complete.
Again, the fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fish should be refrigerated, typically meaning maintenance in a temperature range of about 29~. to about 40F., preferably about 29F. to about 33F. Meat, poultry and ish maintained under these conditions will retain the good color produced by the new process for three to four weeks or even S longer.
Alternatively, following treatment in accordance with the new p,rocess, the fresh meat, fresh poultry or fresh fish may be frozen and maintained in that state until ready for sale, consumption or other use. If frozen, the meat, poultry and fish will retain the red color of carboxymyoglobin and carboxyhemoglobin, and the carbon dioxide containing modi,fied atmosphere need not be applied until the meat, poultry or fish is thawed. ~1eat, fish and poultry freeze at temperatures below about 29F. at a pressure approximating atmospheric.
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_ 7 _ The process of this invention works on all kinds o~ fresh meat and fresh poultry, including beef ! pork, veal, lamb, mutton, chicken, turkey and game such as venison, pheasant, quail, and duck. The meat may be proc~ssed or may S be in the form of carcasses, primals te.g., quarters), subprimals (e.g., top round), or retail cuts, and may be partially or wholly co~minuted or mixed. The process is also effective on whole fish,fillets, and other forms that fish take, and on wide varieties of fish including salmon, sole, bass, trout, cod , and whitefish.
Producing an atmosphere of low oxygen concentration may be effected in any one of several ways, including placing the Eresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fish uncler an inert ~aseous atmosphere containing a low concentration of oxygen.
For example, al~ atmosphere high in nitrogen concentration, such as an atmosphere containing about 90% to about 100 nitrogen, by volume, for a period of time from about 15 minutes to about 2-3 hours, has proved effective for this purpose. Alternatively, the meat, poultry or fish may be subjected to vacuum treatment or may be treated with reducing agents such as ascorbic acid under conditions and for a time sufficient to convert oxymyoglobln and oxyhemoglobin to reduced myoglobin and reduced hemoglobin, respectively. In general, a low oxygen concentration means a concentration of less than about 1~ by volume, more preferably, less than about 5 by volume, and as close to zero percent as practicable.
The modified atmosphere used in effecting conversion to carboxymyoglobin in meat and poultry and to carboxymyoglobin/
carboxyhemoglobin in fish includes, by volume, suficient carbon monoxide, broadly about 0.10% to about 3% for fresh meat and poultry, ' ' more preferably about 1% where the ~resh meat i5 bee~, to assure that the conversion o~ reduced myoglobin to carboxymyoglobin does not penetrate below the surface of the fresh ~eat to a depth of ~oxe than about 0.3i5 inch, preferably not more than about 0.25 inch. Preferably, about 0.10% to about 1.5% carbon monoxide is used for fresh fish to assure that the conversion of a substantial portion of the reduced myoylobin/hemoglobin to carboxymyoglobin/carboxyhemoglobin at the surface of the fresh fish is effected. Optim~ amounts of carbon monoxide for different varieties of meat, poultry and fish vary depending upon the nature of the meat, poultry or fish, the method used to deoxyyenate oxymyoglobin and oxyhemoglobin, and the conditions under which the meat or fish was maintained before being subjected to this new process.
The following examples illus-trate that the new process establishes and maintains good color in many varieties of fresh meat, poultry and fish and maintains that good color over extended storage conditions if the fresh meat, poultry and fish are maintained under the modified atmosphere of this invention, or if the fresh meat, poultry and fish are frozen. In the examples, all gas percentages are by volu~e unless otherwise stated~
'~
EXAMPLE
.
One round beefsteak weighing about 0.5 pound was ~laced in a 10-liter desiccator and nitrogen was fed to the desiccator until the nitrogen concentration reached about _ 9 _ ~)9~75 98~, and the oxygen level in the desiccator dropped to about
The literature relating to the establishment and main-tenance of good color in fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fish includes U. S. Patents 3,851,808 and 3,930,0~0, and A. El Badawi, R. Cain, S. Samuels, and A. Anglemeier, Color and Pigment_Stability of Packaged ~efrigerated Bee, Food Technology, pp. 159-163 (~ay, 1964) and T. Besser and A. Kramer, Changes in Quality and Nutritional Composition of Foods Preserved by ~,as Exchange, 37 .
~ournal of Food Science, po. 820-823 (1972) and which describe the use of certain modified gaseous atmospheres for providing and maintai~ing good color in fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fish. None, however, discloses the modified atmospheres of this invention or the highly simplified process of this invention for doing these tasks.
In accordance with this invention, good color is established and maintained in fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fish; In fresh meat and poultry, the process comprises subjecting meat, poultry, or both to an atmosphere sufficiently low in oxynen concentration to change a substantial portion of the oxymyoglobin on and below the meat or poultry surface to reduced myoslohin, then subjecting the fresh meat and fresh poultry to a modified atmosphere including sufficient carbon monoxide by volume to convert a substantial portion of the reduced myoglobin to carboxymyoglobin to a depth of not more than about 0.375 inch, preferably not more than about 0.25 inch, below the surface of the fresh meat or fresh poultry.
Until the conversion of the reduced myoglobin to carboxymyoglobin is complete, the modified atmosphere preferably includes as little oxygen as possible, and as little as possible of any obher substance that would inhibit conversion to carboxymyoglobin.
Preferably, the modified atmosphere will include at least about 10% by volume carbon dioxide and the balance substantially all molecular nitrogen and/or other inert gases. Some oxygen may be present during this conversion, but preferably in amounts not greater than abou-t 10% by volume, and more preferably, in amounts not greater than about 5~ by volume.
Increasing the concentration of oxygen before the conversion is complete simply tends to inhibit the conversion to carboxymyoglobin as the oxygen competes for the reactive sites in the reduced myoglobin. A substantial portion is converted from reduced myoglobin to carboxymyoglobin when the naked eye can see a distinct overall color change from the purple color of reduced myoglobin to the bright red color - of carboxymyoglobin.
.
3 .
The amount of carbon monoxide sufficient to effect such conversion to a depth not greater than about 0.375 inch, ;' and preferably not greater than about ().25 inch, varies depending upon the method employed to convert oxymyoglobin to reduced myoglobin. This method may be the use of a reducing agent, application of a vacuum, flushing with an inert gas such as nitrogen, or some other method. Thus, where a reducing agent such as ascorbic acid is used to form the atmosphere low in oxygen concentration, the carbon monoxide concentration may range from about 0.10% to about 3%. By contrast, where nitrogen flushing is used for this purpose, the carbon monoxide concentration may range frGm about 0.10% to about 1.5%, more preferably about 1%.
Similarly, the process of this invention comprises subjecting fresh fish to an atmosphere sufficiently low in oxygen concentration to change a substantial portion of the oxymyoglobin~oxyhemoglobin on and below the surface of the fresh fish to reduced myoglobin/hemoglobin, then subjecting 'the fresh fish to a modified atmosphere lncluding sufficient .;
carbon monoxide by volume to convert the reduced myoglobin/
hemoglobin to carboxymyoglobin/carboxyhemoglobin on and below the surface of the fresh fish.. Until the conversion of the reduced myoglobin/hemoglobin to carboxy~yoglobin/carboxyhemoglobin is complete, the modified atmosphere preferably includes as little oxygen as possible, and as little as possible of any other substance that w.ould inhibit conversion to carboxymyoglobin/
carboxyhemoglobin. Preferably, the modified atmosphere will include at least about 10~ by volume carbon dioxide and the balance substantially all molecular nitrogen and~or other inert ~.
9~7~
gases. Some oxygan may be present during this conversion~ but preferably in amounts not greater than about 10% by volume, ancl more preferably, in amounts not greater than about 5% by volume. Increasing the concentration of oxygen before the conversion is complete simply tends tc) inhibit the conversion to carboxymyoglobin/carboxyhemoglobin as the oxygen competes for the reactive sites in the reduced myoglobin/hemoglobin. A substantial portion is converted from reduced myoglobin/hemoglobin to carboxymyoglobin/carboxyhemoglobin when the naked eye can see a distinct overall color change from the purple color of reduced myoglobin/hemoglobin to the bright red color of carboxymyoglobin/
carboxyhemoglobin. For fresh fish, sufficient carbon monoxide is generally in the range of about 0.10% to about 1.5%, more preferabIy from about 0.10% to about 1%, but these amounts may vary with the nature of the Eish treated, the conditions to which the fish was exposed before being subjected to the process of this invention, and the method used to reduce oxymyoglobin/oxyhemoglobin to reduced myoglobin/hemog:Lobin.
The new process is particularly important and effective where the fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fish is maintained under refrigerated conditions, typically a temperature in the range of about 29 F. to about ~0 F. In commercial practice, the ambient temperature may be somewhat lower (e.g., 26-27F.) without completely freezing the fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fish.
Subjecting fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh Eish to an atmosphere low in oxygen concentration converts the oxymyoglobin, which is red in color, on the fresh meat and fresh poultry, and the oxymyoglobin/oxyhemoglobin on the surface of fresh fish, which are also red in color, to the purple-colored reduced myoglobin and reduced myoglobin/hemoglobin, respectively. Subjecting the fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fish thereafter to the carbon monoxide-~9~ 75 containing modified atmosphere converts the reduced myoglobin and reduced myoglobin/hemoglobin to carboxymyoglobin and carboxymyoglobin/carboxyhemoglobin, respectively, both of which are attractively red in color, and are stable under refrigerated conditions for long periods of time, such as two to four weeks.
During or following treatment in accordance with the new process, the fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fish may be maintained in a modified atmosphere including, by volume, about 10% to about 85% carbon dioxide, which inhibits growth of slime- and odor-producing organlsms, and the balance substantially all nitrogen (molecular N2) and oxygen ~molecular 2) The oxygen is preferably present in an amount as low as possible and preferably in the range of 0% to about 30%. This modified atmosphere may be applied, in whole or in part, during the conversion of reduced myoglobin, in meat and poultry, and reduced myoglobin/hemoglobin, in flsh, to carboxymyoglobin and carboxymyoglobin/hemoglobin, respectively. Thus, in addition to carbon monoxide, that modified atmosphere may include at least about 10% carbon dioxide. However, the oxygen concentration should be as low as possible until conversion to the reduced myoglobin or reduced myoglobin/hemoglobin is complete.
Again, the fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fish should be refrigerated, typically meaning maintenance in a temperature range of about 29~. to about 40F., preferably about 29F. to about 33F. Meat, poultry and ish maintained under these conditions will retain the good color produced by the new process for three to four weeks or even S longer.
Alternatively, following treatment in accordance with the new p,rocess, the fresh meat, fresh poultry or fresh fish may be frozen and maintained in that state until ready for sale, consumption or other use. If frozen, the meat, poultry and fish will retain the red color of carboxymyoglobin and carboxyhemoglobin, and the carbon dioxide containing modi,fied atmosphere need not be applied until the meat, poultry or fish is thawed. ~1eat, fish and poultry freeze at temperatures below about 29F. at a pressure approximating atmospheric.
`
. ..
' t~
_ 7 _ The process of this invention works on all kinds o~ fresh meat and fresh poultry, including beef ! pork, veal, lamb, mutton, chicken, turkey and game such as venison, pheasant, quail, and duck. The meat may be proc~ssed or may S be in the form of carcasses, primals te.g., quarters), subprimals (e.g., top round), or retail cuts, and may be partially or wholly co~minuted or mixed. The process is also effective on whole fish,fillets, and other forms that fish take, and on wide varieties of fish including salmon, sole, bass, trout, cod , and whitefish.
Producing an atmosphere of low oxygen concentration may be effected in any one of several ways, including placing the Eresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fish uncler an inert ~aseous atmosphere containing a low concentration of oxygen.
For example, al~ atmosphere high in nitrogen concentration, such as an atmosphere containing about 90% to about 100 nitrogen, by volume, for a period of time from about 15 minutes to about 2-3 hours, has proved effective for this purpose. Alternatively, the meat, poultry or fish may be subjected to vacuum treatment or may be treated with reducing agents such as ascorbic acid under conditions and for a time sufficient to convert oxymyoglobln and oxyhemoglobin to reduced myoglobin and reduced hemoglobin, respectively. In general, a low oxygen concentration means a concentration of less than about 1~ by volume, more preferably, less than about 5 by volume, and as close to zero percent as practicable.
The modified atmosphere used in effecting conversion to carboxymyoglobin in meat and poultry and to carboxymyoglobin/
carboxyhemoglobin in fish includes, by volume, suficient carbon monoxide, broadly about 0.10% to about 3% for fresh meat and poultry, ' ' more preferably about 1% where the ~resh meat i5 bee~, to assure that the conversion o~ reduced myoglobin to carboxymyoglobin does not penetrate below the surface of the fresh ~eat to a depth of ~oxe than about 0.3i5 inch, preferably not more than about 0.25 inch. Preferably, about 0.10% to about 1.5% carbon monoxide is used for fresh fish to assure that the conversion of a substantial portion of the reduced myoylobin/hemoglobin to carboxymyoglobin/carboxyhemoglobin at the surface of the fresh fish is effected. Optim~ amounts of carbon monoxide for different varieties of meat, poultry and fish vary depending upon the nature of the meat, poultry or fish, the method used to deoxyyenate oxymyoglobin and oxyhemoglobin, and the conditions under which the meat or fish was maintained before being subjected to this new process.
The following examples illus-trate that the new process establishes and maintains good color in many varieties of fresh meat, poultry and fish and maintains that good color over extended storage conditions if the fresh meat, poultry and fish are maintained under the modified atmosphere of this invention, or if the fresh meat, poultry and fish are frozen. In the examples, all gas percentages are by volu~e unless otherwise stated~
'~
EXAMPLE
.
One round beefsteak weighing about 0.5 pound was ~laced in a 10-liter desiccator and nitrogen was fed to the desiccator until the nitrogen concentration reached about _ 9 _ ~)9~75 98~, and the oxygen level in the desiccator dropped to about
2%. The desiccator was left in this condition for about ~ne hour until the color on the surface of the beef changed from the red of oxymyoglobin to the purple oi reduced myoglobin.
Carbon monoxide was fed to the desiccator until the concen- _ tration reached about O.S~ by volume, a~d was let on the meat for two days. After two days, the beef had absorbed nearly al1 of the carbon monoxide, the beefsteak surface had assumed the red color of carboxymyoylobin, and that color penetrated to a depth of about 0.125 to about 0.25 inch below the surface of the meat.
The desiccator was then filled with a modified atmosphere including about 55~ carbon dioxide, about 16% oxygen, and the balance substantially all nitrogen.
Six days later, the beefsteak retained its good red color, and the carboxymyoglobin color had penetrated no more deeply than it had at the end of two days.
A second round beefsteak weighing about 0.5 pound was dipped in a 1% ascorbic acid solution, and maintained in ~0 the acid for about ten minutes after which the meat color had changed from red (oxymyoglobin) to purple (reduced myoglobin).
This steak was then placed in a 10-liter desiccator, and the - desiccator was filled with an atmosphere comprising 1.0% t oxygen, about 2.5% carbon monoxide and the balance substantially ~:
all nitrogen. After two days of storage, the steak had changed from purple to red (carboxymyoglobin), and the carboxy-myoglobin had penetrated to a depth of about 0.25 inch below the surface of the meat.
Therea~ter, an atmosphere consisting essentially of about 55~ carbon dioxide, about 15% oxyge~, and the balance ~
. substant~ally all nitrogen was fed to the desiccator, and ~.
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~ - lQ ~
~L~9197~
the desiccator was so maintained for six days. After this period, the meat retained its good color, and the carboxy-myoglobin had penetrated no more deeply into the meat than it had at the end of the two-day period.
EXA~lPLE II_ Each of five pieces of beef roundsteak weighing about 0.5 pound was placed in a separate lO-liter desiccator, and the desiccator was flushed with nitrogen to raise the nitrogen concentration to nearly 100%, and to reduce the oxygen level in the desiccator to near 0%. Each piece of beefsteak was maintained for one hour under this reduced oxygen atmosphere, ater which each steak surface had changed from red to purple in color, indicating that the oxymyoglobin on the beef surface had changed to reduced myo~lobin.
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Each desiccator was then ~illed with carbon dioxide to a volume of about 70%, and carbon monoxide was added in amounts of lO0, 200, 300, 400 and 500 cc to the five desiccators, respectively, to give a residual range of about 0.5% to about 3~ carbon monoxide in the five different desiccators. (Although the amounts of carbon monoxide added appear to constitute about l, 2, 3, 4 and 5% carbon monoxide, some carbon monoxide is apparently rapidly absorbed by the !,, meat, reducing the measurable carbon monoxide content to the leveis indicated.) ' After storage under these conditions for seventeen days at 34F.~ all beef attained and maintained the attractive red color of carboxymyoglobin, and none o the treated beef .. .
~"'.
i';' ~ t ~.V9~ 75 had spoiled. By contrast, steak held in ~ir at 34~. for the same period plainly had spoiled and had assumed the unattractive brown color o metmyoglobln. However, the formation of carboxymyoglobin had penetrated to depths greater than about 0.25 inch in all desiccators other than that to which 100 cc of carbon monoxide was added. These results indicate that the preferred c~ncentration of carbon monoxide for attaining and maintaining good red beef color is preferably not more than about 1% and that carbon dioxide inhibits slime-and odor-producing organisms.
EXAM~L~ III
Each of eight 100-gram chunks of beef was placed into a separate 10-liter desiccator and partial vacuum was pulled on each desiccator wlth an aspirator. Fifty and 100 cc of carbon monoxide were added to each of two desiccators immediately after vacuum was pulled. The same quantitles were added to two other desiccators 15 minutes after vacuum was pulled, to two others 30 minu-tes after vacuum was pulled, and to the final two desiccators 60 minutes after vacuum was pulled.
Twenty-four hours later, high carbon dioxide concentrations, ranging from 70% to 85% by volume, were added to all the desiccators. The oxygen content of each desiccator rose to about 6-7% as the vacuum in each desicc~tor dissipated. The beef was held fifteen days at a temperature of 33-34F.
under these conditions. Application of the vacuum to each desiccator - turned the meat color from the bright red of oxymyoglobin to . .
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.. ; . .
the reddish purple of reduced myoglobin, indicating that the oxygen haa been removed from the oxymyoglobin at the beef's surface by the vacuum treatment.
~11 of the meat samples receiving a 50 cc treatment of ---carbon monoxide (0.5~ carbon monoxide by volume) attained only fair color after ]5 days of storage. The meat receiving 100 cc of carbon monoxide (1% carbon monoxide by volume) attained and retained good red carboxymyoglobin color at the end of the 15-day storage period. The time of application oE carbon monoxide after vacuum treatment had no observable effect. This demonstrates that where vacuum is used to convert oxymyoglobin to reduced myo~lobin before treatment with carbon monoxide, low concentrations of carbon monoxide may be used to produce carboxymyoglobin on and below the meat surface.
E ~ ~LE IV
Each of 12 chunks of beef wei~hing about 100 grams was placed in a separate 10-liter desiccator. Each desiccator was flushed with nitrogen for five minutes to raise the nitrogen level to near 100% and to reduce the oxygen level to near zero. Thereafter, carbon dioxide was fed to each desiccator until the content reached about 65% by volume. Then, 10 cc, 25 cc, 50 cc and 100 cc, respectively, of carbon monoxide were added to four different desiccators, to produce carbon monoxide concentrations of 0.1%, 0.25Q, 0.5~ and 1%, respectively. Fifteen minutes later, four other desiccators were similarly treated and 60 minutes later, the last four desiccators received the same treatment.
;.
`-i3- :
)9~75 All samples were thereafter held two weeks at 33-34F.
After two weeks, all beef treated with 1% carbon monoxide had excellent color, regardless of the time period elapsed after flushing with nitrogen. Beef treated with 0.5% carbon monoxide one hour after flushing had comparable color after two weeks, but bee~ treated 15 minutes after flushing had only fair color, and beef treated immediately after flushing had poor color.
Of the beef receiving 0.25% carbon monoxide treatments, beef treated one hour after flushing had ~air color; beef treated 15 minutes and beef treated immedaitely after flushing had poor color. ~11 beef samples receiving 0.1~ treatment had poor color, regardless of the time elapsed after nitrogen flushing. In no case did the penetration of carboxymyoglobin into the meat exceed about 0.25 inch.
None of the beef was biologically spoiled, but air contxol samples maintained at the same temperature over the same storage period were all badly spoiied.
This example demonstrates that a 1% carbon monoxide concentration is ef~ective to establish and maintain good red beef color for extended storage periods regardless of the time lapse between conversion of oxymyoglobin to reduced myoglobin through inert gas flushing and the subsequent conversion of reduced myoglobin to carboxymyoglobin. Carbon monoxide concentrations lower than 1% may be effective wh~re sufficient time is allowed after inert gas 1ushing to effect conversion ` o oxymyoglob~n to reduced myoglobin on the bee surace.
~, , 1~ -EXAMP~E V
Each of six beef ribsteaks was placed in a separate 10-liter desiccator, and each desiccator was then flushed with nitrogen to reduce the oxygen content to about zero percent. The steaks were left in this atmosphere for about one hour, after which the meat had turned from red to purple in color, indicating that oxymyoglobin on the beef surface had changed to reduced myoglobin. Carbon dioxide was then fed to each desiccator until the concentration in each had reached about ~0% by volume.
Then carbon monoxide was added at concentrations of 100 (1%), 7S (0.75%), 50 (0.5~ 5 (0.25%~,15 (0.15%) and 10 (0.1%) cc to the si~ different desiccators, and each was held in this condition at 3~F. for a period of nine days.
At the end of this period, all beefsteaks maintained under the atmosphere containing 1%, 0.75%, 0.5% and 0.25% carbon monoxide maintained the good red color of carboxymyoglobin.
Beef held under the other atmospheres had good color, but was significantly less attractive. None of the treatments produced a penetration below the surface of the beef of greater than about 0.25 inch, and none of the meat was spoiled at the end of the storage perio~. These results indicate that the concen-tration of carbon monoxide may be as low as about 0.25% by volume where the conversion of oxymyoylobin to reduced myoglobin is complete before conversion to carboxymyoglobin is effected.
. ~
. .
' ' ' , ~ ~5 ~- , ~9~75 `-EX~M~LE VI
Separate, 100 gram chunks of beef, pork and lamb were placed into 12 different 10~1iter desiccators. Nitrogen was fed to each desiccator until the nitrogen concentration in each rose to nearly 100%. Carbon dioxide was then fed to each desiccator until the concentration o~ carbon dioxide in each desiccator reached about ~0~. Immediately thereafter, carbon monoxide was fed to three of the desiccators until the concentration therein reached about ]%, about 0.5~
and about 0.25% respectively. Fifteen minutes later, the same concentrations of carbon monoxide were fed to three other desiccators. Thirty minutes later, the same three concentrations were fed to three more desiccators. Finally, one hour after the carbon dioxide content of each desiccator was raised to 80%, the carbon monoxide was fed to the last three desiccators, raising their carbon monoxide content to abou-t 1%, about 0.5%, and about 0.25%, respectively. All desiccators were held under these conditions for 15 days at a temperature of about 33-34F.
Observation of the meat immediately after nitrogen flushing revealed that the red oxymyoglobin on the surface of the meat had been changed to the purple color of reduced myoglobin.
In all cases where the carbon monoxide content was raised to about 1~, all of the meat changed from the purple myoglobin color to the red color of carboxymyoglobin within two days. However, in this test, where the concentration of carbon monoxide was 0.5 or 0.25~, good red carboxymyoglobin did not form on the surface of the beef, but did form on the surface of the lamb or pork.
, .
919q5 In all cases, none of the meat spoiled during the 15-day storage period, and none exhibited a carboxymyogl~bin penetration below the surface of the meat greater than about 0.25 inch.
These results show that lower concentrations of carbon monoxide may be used to convert reduced myoglobin on the surface of pork and lamb than to effec~ the same conversion on the sur-face o~ an equal amount of beef.
EX~LE VII
:
Into each of three 10-liter desiccators were placed one pound samples of fresh, ~round chuck beef hamburger. Each test sample of hamburger was bricJht red in color. Using a nitrogen flush, the oxygen content of each desiccator was reduced to about 2-3~. A similar procedure was applied to two one-pound samples of fillet of sole in two o-ther desiccators.
One hour after the oxygen content of the five desiccators was reduced to about 2-3~, the color of the hamburger had changed from bright red to reddish-purple. The color of the fish had not noticeably changed.
After observing the color change in the hamburger, 100 cubic centimeters (1% by volume) of carbon monoxide was added to each of the five desiccators (3 containing hamburger samples, 2 containing fillet of sole samples). ~11 the desiccators, and five control samples (3 hamburger samples, 1 pound each, and 2 fillet o~ sole samples, 1 pound each, neither subjected to nitrogen flush or carbon monoxide) were placed in a room at 35F. and held for 16 to 18 hours. Thereafter, the samples ,.~
' - 17 ~
were removed from the desiccators, and, together with control samples, were placed in a freezer at a temperature of about 0 to about SF. for ten days.
After the ten day storage period in the freezer, all samples were removed and allowed to thaw at ambient temperature or 6 hours. The carbon monoxide-treated hamburger had an attractive red color com~arable to fresh hamburger.
The treated fillet of sole had a pink color closely approximating the color of fresh fish. The two untreated control fillet of sole samples had a tannish-white appearance, and were considerably less attractive than the treated fish. The three untreated hambur~er control samples were mostly brown in color and quite unattractive.
, ~
- 18 ~ ~
Carbon monoxide was fed to the desiccator until the concen- _ tration reached about O.S~ by volume, a~d was let on the meat for two days. After two days, the beef had absorbed nearly al1 of the carbon monoxide, the beefsteak surface had assumed the red color of carboxymyoylobin, and that color penetrated to a depth of about 0.125 to about 0.25 inch below the surface of the meat.
The desiccator was then filled with a modified atmosphere including about 55~ carbon dioxide, about 16% oxygen, and the balance substantially all nitrogen.
Six days later, the beefsteak retained its good red color, and the carboxymyoglobin color had penetrated no more deeply than it had at the end of two days.
A second round beefsteak weighing about 0.5 pound was dipped in a 1% ascorbic acid solution, and maintained in ~0 the acid for about ten minutes after which the meat color had changed from red (oxymyoglobin) to purple (reduced myoglobin).
This steak was then placed in a 10-liter desiccator, and the - desiccator was filled with an atmosphere comprising 1.0% t oxygen, about 2.5% carbon monoxide and the balance substantially ~:
all nitrogen. After two days of storage, the steak had changed from purple to red (carboxymyoglobin), and the carboxy-myoglobin had penetrated to a depth of about 0.25 inch below the surface of the meat.
Therea~ter, an atmosphere consisting essentially of about 55~ carbon dioxide, about 15% oxyge~, and the balance ~
. substant~ally all nitrogen was fed to the desiccator, and ~.
~.
~ - lQ ~
~L~9197~
the desiccator was so maintained for six days. After this period, the meat retained its good color, and the carboxy-myoglobin had penetrated no more deeply into the meat than it had at the end of the two-day period.
EXA~lPLE II_ Each of five pieces of beef roundsteak weighing about 0.5 pound was placed in a separate lO-liter desiccator, and the desiccator was flushed with nitrogen to raise the nitrogen concentration to nearly 100%, and to reduce the oxygen level in the desiccator to near 0%. Each piece of beefsteak was maintained for one hour under this reduced oxygen atmosphere, ater which each steak surface had changed from red to purple in color, indicating that the oxymyoglobin on the beef surface had changed to reduced myo~lobin.
.
Each desiccator was then ~illed with carbon dioxide to a volume of about 70%, and carbon monoxide was added in amounts of lO0, 200, 300, 400 and 500 cc to the five desiccators, respectively, to give a residual range of about 0.5% to about 3~ carbon monoxide in the five different desiccators. (Although the amounts of carbon monoxide added appear to constitute about l, 2, 3, 4 and 5% carbon monoxide, some carbon monoxide is apparently rapidly absorbed by the !,, meat, reducing the measurable carbon monoxide content to the leveis indicated.) ' After storage under these conditions for seventeen days at 34F.~ all beef attained and maintained the attractive red color of carboxymyoglobin, and none o the treated beef .. .
~"'.
i';' ~ t ~.V9~ 75 had spoiled. By contrast, steak held in ~ir at 34~. for the same period plainly had spoiled and had assumed the unattractive brown color o metmyoglobln. However, the formation of carboxymyoglobin had penetrated to depths greater than about 0.25 inch in all desiccators other than that to which 100 cc of carbon monoxide was added. These results indicate that the preferred c~ncentration of carbon monoxide for attaining and maintaining good red beef color is preferably not more than about 1% and that carbon dioxide inhibits slime-and odor-producing organisms.
EXAM~L~ III
Each of eight 100-gram chunks of beef was placed into a separate 10-liter desiccator and partial vacuum was pulled on each desiccator wlth an aspirator. Fifty and 100 cc of carbon monoxide were added to each of two desiccators immediately after vacuum was pulled. The same quantitles were added to two other desiccators 15 minutes after vacuum was pulled, to two others 30 minu-tes after vacuum was pulled, and to the final two desiccators 60 minutes after vacuum was pulled.
Twenty-four hours later, high carbon dioxide concentrations, ranging from 70% to 85% by volume, were added to all the desiccators. The oxygen content of each desiccator rose to about 6-7% as the vacuum in each desicc~tor dissipated. The beef was held fifteen days at a temperature of 33-34F.
under these conditions. Application of the vacuum to each desiccator - turned the meat color from the bright red of oxymyoglobin to . .
.
.. ; . .
the reddish purple of reduced myoglobin, indicating that the oxygen haa been removed from the oxymyoglobin at the beef's surface by the vacuum treatment.
~11 of the meat samples receiving a 50 cc treatment of ---carbon monoxide (0.5~ carbon monoxide by volume) attained only fair color after ]5 days of storage. The meat receiving 100 cc of carbon monoxide (1% carbon monoxide by volume) attained and retained good red carboxymyoglobin color at the end of the 15-day storage period. The time of application oE carbon monoxide after vacuum treatment had no observable effect. This demonstrates that where vacuum is used to convert oxymyoglobin to reduced myo~lobin before treatment with carbon monoxide, low concentrations of carbon monoxide may be used to produce carboxymyoglobin on and below the meat surface.
E ~ ~LE IV
Each of 12 chunks of beef wei~hing about 100 grams was placed in a separate 10-liter desiccator. Each desiccator was flushed with nitrogen for five minutes to raise the nitrogen level to near 100% and to reduce the oxygen level to near zero. Thereafter, carbon dioxide was fed to each desiccator until the content reached about 65% by volume. Then, 10 cc, 25 cc, 50 cc and 100 cc, respectively, of carbon monoxide were added to four different desiccators, to produce carbon monoxide concentrations of 0.1%, 0.25Q, 0.5~ and 1%, respectively. Fifteen minutes later, four other desiccators were similarly treated and 60 minutes later, the last four desiccators received the same treatment.
;.
`-i3- :
)9~75 All samples were thereafter held two weeks at 33-34F.
After two weeks, all beef treated with 1% carbon monoxide had excellent color, regardless of the time period elapsed after flushing with nitrogen. Beef treated with 0.5% carbon monoxide one hour after flushing had comparable color after two weeks, but bee~ treated 15 minutes after flushing had only fair color, and beef treated immediately after flushing had poor color.
Of the beef receiving 0.25% carbon monoxide treatments, beef treated one hour after flushing had ~air color; beef treated 15 minutes and beef treated immedaitely after flushing had poor color. ~11 beef samples receiving 0.1~ treatment had poor color, regardless of the time elapsed after nitrogen flushing. In no case did the penetration of carboxymyoglobin into the meat exceed about 0.25 inch.
None of the beef was biologically spoiled, but air contxol samples maintained at the same temperature over the same storage period were all badly spoiied.
This example demonstrates that a 1% carbon monoxide concentration is ef~ective to establish and maintain good red beef color for extended storage periods regardless of the time lapse between conversion of oxymyoglobin to reduced myoglobin through inert gas flushing and the subsequent conversion of reduced myoglobin to carboxymyoglobin. Carbon monoxide concentrations lower than 1% may be effective wh~re sufficient time is allowed after inert gas 1ushing to effect conversion ` o oxymyoglob~n to reduced myoglobin on the bee surace.
~, , 1~ -EXAMP~E V
Each of six beef ribsteaks was placed in a separate 10-liter desiccator, and each desiccator was then flushed with nitrogen to reduce the oxygen content to about zero percent. The steaks were left in this atmosphere for about one hour, after which the meat had turned from red to purple in color, indicating that oxymyoglobin on the beef surface had changed to reduced myoglobin. Carbon dioxide was then fed to each desiccator until the concentration in each had reached about ~0% by volume.
Then carbon monoxide was added at concentrations of 100 (1%), 7S (0.75%), 50 (0.5~ 5 (0.25%~,15 (0.15%) and 10 (0.1%) cc to the si~ different desiccators, and each was held in this condition at 3~F. for a period of nine days.
At the end of this period, all beefsteaks maintained under the atmosphere containing 1%, 0.75%, 0.5% and 0.25% carbon monoxide maintained the good red color of carboxymyoglobin.
Beef held under the other atmospheres had good color, but was significantly less attractive. None of the treatments produced a penetration below the surface of the beef of greater than about 0.25 inch, and none of the meat was spoiled at the end of the storage perio~. These results indicate that the concen-tration of carbon monoxide may be as low as about 0.25% by volume where the conversion of oxymyoylobin to reduced myoglobin is complete before conversion to carboxymyoglobin is effected.
. ~
. .
' ' ' , ~ ~5 ~- , ~9~75 `-EX~M~LE VI
Separate, 100 gram chunks of beef, pork and lamb were placed into 12 different 10~1iter desiccators. Nitrogen was fed to each desiccator until the nitrogen concentration in each rose to nearly 100%. Carbon dioxide was then fed to each desiccator until the concentration o~ carbon dioxide in each desiccator reached about ~0~. Immediately thereafter, carbon monoxide was fed to three of the desiccators until the concentration therein reached about ]%, about 0.5~
and about 0.25% respectively. Fifteen minutes later, the same concentrations of carbon monoxide were fed to three other desiccators. Thirty minutes later, the same three concentrations were fed to three more desiccators. Finally, one hour after the carbon dioxide content of each desiccator was raised to 80%, the carbon monoxide was fed to the last three desiccators, raising their carbon monoxide content to abou-t 1%, about 0.5%, and about 0.25%, respectively. All desiccators were held under these conditions for 15 days at a temperature of about 33-34F.
Observation of the meat immediately after nitrogen flushing revealed that the red oxymyoglobin on the surface of the meat had been changed to the purple color of reduced myoglobin.
In all cases where the carbon monoxide content was raised to about 1~, all of the meat changed from the purple myoglobin color to the red color of carboxymyoglobin within two days. However, in this test, where the concentration of carbon monoxide was 0.5 or 0.25~, good red carboxymyoglobin did not form on the surface of the beef, but did form on the surface of the lamb or pork.
, .
919q5 In all cases, none of the meat spoiled during the 15-day storage period, and none exhibited a carboxymyogl~bin penetration below the surface of the meat greater than about 0.25 inch.
These results show that lower concentrations of carbon monoxide may be used to convert reduced myoglobin on the surface of pork and lamb than to effec~ the same conversion on the sur-face o~ an equal amount of beef.
EX~LE VII
:
Into each of three 10-liter desiccators were placed one pound samples of fresh, ~round chuck beef hamburger. Each test sample of hamburger was bricJht red in color. Using a nitrogen flush, the oxygen content of each desiccator was reduced to about 2-3~. A similar procedure was applied to two one-pound samples of fillet of sole in two o-ther desiccators.
One hour after the oxygen content of the five desiccators was reduced to about 2-3~, the color of the hamburger had changed from bright red to reddish-purple. The color of the fish had not noticeably changed.
After observing the color change in the hamburger, 100 cubic centimeters (1% by volume) of carbon monoxide was added to each of the five desiccators (3 containing hamburger samples, 2 containing fillet of sole samples). ~11 the desiccators, and five control samples (3 hamburger samples, 1 pound each, and 2 fillet o~ sole samples, 1 pound each, neither subjected to nitrogen flush or carbon monoxide) were placed in a room at 35F. and held for 16 to 18 hours. Thereafter, the samples ,.~
' - 17 ~
were removed from the desiccators, and, together with control samples, were placed in a freezer at a temperature of about 0 to about SF. for ten days.
After the ten day storage period in the freezer, all samples were removed and allowed to thaw at ambient temperature or 6 hours. The carbon monoxide-treated hamburger had an attractive red color com~arable to fresh hamburger.
The treated fillet of sole had a pink color closely approximating the color of fresh fish. The two untreated control fillet of sole samples had a tannish-white appearance, and were considerably less attractive than the treated fish. The three untreated hambur~er control samples were mostly brown in color and quite unattractive.
, ~
- 18 ~ ~
Claims (17)
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A process comprising subjecting fresh meat, fresh poultry or both to reduction for a time sufficient to change the red oxymyoglobin on or near the surface of said fresh meat, fresh poultry or both to visually-perceptible purple myoglobin to a depth of not more than about 0.375 inch below the surface of said fresh meat, fresh poultry or both, then subjecting said fresh meat, fresh poultry or both to a modified atmosphere including sufficient carbon monoxide by volume to convert said visually-perceptible purple myoglobin to visually-perceptible red carboxymyoglobin to a depth of not more than about 0.375 inch below the surface of said fresh meat, fresh poultry or both.
2. The process of claim 1, wherein reduction is effected by subject-ing said fresh meat, fresh poultry or both to a vacuum.
3. The process of claim 1, wherein reduction is effected by applying a reducing agent to said fresh meat, fresh poultry or both.
4. The process of claim 1, wherein the modified atmosphere includes at least about 10% carbon dioxide by volume, not more than about 10% oxygen by volume, and the balance is substantially all nitrogen.
5. The process of claim 4, wherein the modified atmosphere includes not more than about 5% oxygen by volume.
6. The process of claim 1, wherein said fresh meat, fresh poultry or both are frozen after said myoglobin is converted to said carboxymyoglobin.
7. The process of claim 1, wherein the concentration of carbon monoxide is in the range of about 0.10% to about 3%.
8. The process of claim 7, further comprising, during or after subject-ing said fresh meat, fresh poultry or both to said modified atmosphere, maintain-ing said fresh meat, fresh poultry or both in a storage atmosphere including about 10% to about 85% carbon dioxide, and the balance substantially all nitrogen and oxygen.
9. The process of claim 8, wherein said storage atmosphere contains zero percent to about 30% oxygen.
10. The process of claim 1, wherein the temperature of the modified atmosphere is maintained at about 27°F to about 40°F.
11. A process comprising subjecting fresh fish to reduction for a time sufficient to change the visually-perceptible red oxymyoglobin and visually perceptible red oxyhemoglobin on and below the surface of said fresh fish to visually-perceptible purple myoglobin and visually-perceptible purple hemoglobin to a depth of not more than about 0.375 inch below the surface of said fresh fish, and then subjecting said fresh fish to a modified atmosphere including sufficient carbon monoxide by volume to convert said visually-perceptible purple myoglobin and visually-perceptible purple hemoglobin to visually-perceptible red carboxymyoglobin and visually-perceptible red carboxyhemoglobin to a depth of not more than about 0.375 inch below the surface of said fresh fish.
12. The process of claim 11, wherein said fresh fish is frozen after the conversion of said myoglobin and said hemoglobin to said carboxymyoglobin and said carboxyhemoglobin is complete.
13. The process of claim 11, wherein the modified atmosphere includes at least about 10% carbon dioxide by volume, not more than about 10% oxygen by volume and the balance is substantially all nitrogen.
14. The process of claim 13, wherein the modified atmosphere includes not more than about 5% oxygen by volume.
15. The process of claim 11, wherein the concentration of carbon monoxide is in the range of about 0.25% to about 1.5%.
16. The process of claim 15, further comprising, during or after subjecting said fresh fish to said modified atmosphere, maintaining said fresh fish in a storage atmosphere including about 10% to about 85% carbon dioxide and the balance substantially all nitrogen and oxygen.
17. The process of claim 11, wherein said fresh fish is maintained at a temperature in the range of about 27°F to about 40°F during subjection of said fresh fish to the modified atmosphere.
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US72287076A | 1976-09-13 | 1976-09-13 | |
| US722,870 | 1976-09-13 | ||
| US81718477A | 1977-07-20 | 1977-07-20 | |
| US817,184 | 1977-07-20 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1091975A true CA1091975A (en) | 1980-12-23 |
Family
ID=27110682
Family Applications (2)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA286,524A Expired CA1091975A (en) | 1976-09-13 | 1977-09-12 | Process and composition for producing and maintaining good color in fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fish |
| CA000382433A Expired CA1121648B (en) | 1976-09-13 | 1981-07-23 | Process and composition for producing and maintaining good color in fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fish |
Family Applications After (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000382433A Expired CA1121648B (en) | 1976-09-13 | 1981-07-23 | Process and composition for producing and maintaining good color in fresh meat, fresh poultry and fresh fish |
Country Status (6)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| AR (1) | AR220898A1 (en) |
| AU (1) | AU514620B2 (en) |
| BR (1) | BR7705996A (en) |
| CA (2) | CA1091975A (en) |
| GB (1) | GB1589501A (en) |
| NZ (1) | NZ184877A (en) |
Families Citing this family (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE19511223A1 (en) * | 1995-03-27 | 1996-10-02 | Linde Ag | Process for ripening food |
| US20030054073A1 (en) * | 2001-07-25 | 2003-03-20 | Delduca Gary R. | Modified atmosphere packages and methods for making the same |
| AU2005254037B2 (en) | 2004-06-10 | 2011-10-06 | Cargill, Incorporated | Packaging of meat products with modified atmospheres and/or enhancers |
| US8158176B2 (en) | 2005-07-01 | 2012-04-17 | Cargill, Incorporated | Meat processing |
| CN103371217A (en) * | 2012-04-24 | 2013-10-30 | 蔡福涛 | Processing technique of chilled fresh chicken |
-
1977
- 1977-08-09 NZ NZ18487777A patent/NZ184877A/en unknown
- 1977-08-29 AU AU28338/77A patent/AU514620B2/en not_active Expired
- 1977-09-09 BR BR7705996A patent/BR7705996A/en unknown
- 1977-09-12 AR AR26917077A patent/AR220898A1/en active
- 1977-09-12 CA CA286,524A patent/CA1091975A/en not_active Expired
- 1977-09-13 GB GB3818777A patent/GB1589501A/en not_active Expired
-
1981
- 1981-07-23 CA CA000382433A patent/CA1121648B/en not_active Expired
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| NZ184877A (en) | 1981-07-13 |
| AR220898A1 (en) | 1980-12-15 |
| AU514620B2 (en) | 1981-02-19 |
| AU2833877A (en) | 1979-03-08 |
| GB1589501A (en) | 1981-05-13 |
| CA1121648B (en) | 1982-04-13 |
| BR7705996A (en) | 1978-06-27 |
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