CA2536707A1

CA2536707A1 - Integrated continuous meat processing system

Info

Publication number: CA2536707A1
Application number: CA002536707A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Paul G. Morin; Michele L. Reeve; Jennifer L. Tomey; Daniel B. Wilke; Domini T. Malcom; Donald E. Lucke; Curtis M. Amundson; Amy L. Nehls
Original assignee: Kraft Foods Holdings Inc
Current assignee: Kraft Foods Group Brands LLC
Priority date: 2005-02-18
Filing date: 2006-02-15
Publication date: 2006-08-18
Anticipated expiration: 2026-02-15
Also published as: AU2006200676A1; CA2536707C; BRPI0600393A

Abstract

An integrated system for continuous production of processed meat products utilizing a continuous mixing system is disclosed. Meats and other meat product constituents may be forced into a mixer having rotating elements for directing the constituents through a housing of the mixer.
A system and method for providing information to a control system may be provided for regulating the formulation of a meat product is disclosed. The control system may receive information prescribing the formulation of the meat product, analyze characteristics of incoming constituent streams, and adjust the flows based on the final product formulation. The control system may further provide feedback regarding the final product formulation relative to the incoming constituent streams.

Claims

1. A meat processing system for producing a continuous output of stable meat mixture, the system comprising:

inputs for providing constituents to the system, the constituents including meats and additives;

a mixer for continuously receiving and processing the constituents into a mixture, the mixer having a housing containing rotating mixing elements located on a pair rotating shafts for working the constituents, the working including at least one of grinding deforming, macerating, and mixing the constituents, the rotating mixing elements forcing the constituents through the mixer, the mixer having an input for receiving the constituents and an output for discharging the mixture, a thermal process stage for receiving the mixture from the output and heating the mixture to solidify the mixture into a final meat product form that is a cohesive, self supporting processed meat product.

2. The system of claim 1 further including storage hoppers for holding and delivering the constituents to the inputs and a feed hopper for receiving the constituents from the inputs and delivering the constituents to the mixer.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the storage hopper includes a grinder for providing an initial size reduction to the meats prior to the mixer.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the inputs include input lines through which the constituents are delivered, each input line including a pump for forcing the constituents through the input line and for assisting in forcing the constituents through the mixer.

5. The system of claim 4 further including a forming apparatus for receiving the mixture prior to the thermal process stage, wherein the forming apparatus provides a predetermined shape to the final cooked meat product.

6. The system of claim 5 further including a cooling apparatus for cooling the cooked meat product in final form.

7. A method for continuous production of processed meat product including the steps of:

providing inputs for meat product constituents;

providing a continuous process mixer;

inputting the constituents into an input of the mixer;

processing the constituents in the mixer, including:

combining salt solution with protein strands of the meat to extract protein, mixing the constituents in a mixer having a housing containing rotatable mixing elements;

advancing the constituents through the mixer at least in part using the rotatable mixng elements within the housing of the mixer;

forming a stable meat mixture from the constituents; and discharging the mixture from an output end of the mixer.

8. The method of claim 7 further including the steps of:

providing constituents in storage hoppers for delivering the constituents to the inputs;

pumping the constituents from the storage hoppers through input lines to the inputs.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the meat product constituents includes at least a first meat in the form of meat pieces including protein, and the method includes the step of reducing the size of the meat pieces in a feed hopper prior to the input end of the mixer housing.

10. The method of claim 9 further including treating the mixture at a thermal process stage after exiting the output end of the mixer by applying heat to the mixture for solidifying the mixture into a final cohesive, self supporting processed meat product.

11. A method for reducing protein exudate formation on meat mixtures, the steps including:

providing a mixer having a plurality of rotatable mixing elements within a housing of the mixer;
inputting a plurality of meat mixture constituents to the mixer;
applying a high shear force to the constituents using the rotatable mixing elements to extract protein from the meat mixture;
mixing the constituents; and outputting the mixture, wherein the time period for the applying shear force and the mixing is sufficient for protein extraction to occur for forming a stable meat mixture, and the time period is relatively short.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of outputting is performed prior to extensive linking of protein bonds in the mixture.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the time period is between 10 seconds and seconds, the time period being less than is required for protein extraction to produce visible exudates, and wherein the extracted protein is utilized in bonding the mixture during a thermal process.

14. The method of claim 13 further including the step of processing the mixture after outputting from the mixer, the step of further processing including at least one of stuffing the mixture into a casing and delivering the mixture to a form.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the protein extraction substantially ceases when the mixture is outputted from the mixer.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the housing of the mixer is closed and further including the steps of:
providing a plurality of input lines for inputting the constituents into the mixer; and pumping the constituents through the input lines under pressure and into the closed housing of the mixer.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the step of mixing is performed substantially in the absence of air and at a pressure at least equal to atmospheric pressure, and wherein the step of mixing comprises first mixing in a first zone at a first shear rate, then mixing in a second zone at a second shear rate higher than the first shear rate, then mixing in a third zone at a third shear rate lower than the second shear rate, then mixing in a fourth zone at a shear rate higher than the third shear rate.

18. The method of claim 11 wherein the stable meat mixture is a low fat meat mixture having the texture of a full fat meat mixture.

19. An apparatus capable of reducing protein exudate formation on meat mixtures, the system including:
a mixer for applying a high shear force;
a plurality of inputs for delivering meat mixture constituents, including meat having protein strands, to the mixer, the mixer extracting an amount of the protein strands from the meat sufficient to form a stable meat mixture and the mixer having a housing with an input end and an output end, the mixer having a pair of rotating shafts located within the housing, each of the shafts having a plurality of high sheer mixing elements for extracting at least some of the protein strands from the meat; and a discharge from the mixer, wherein the constituents form the stable meat mixture in a relatively short period of time within the mixer.

20. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein the high shear mixing elements rotate to within 1/8 inch of the housing interior surface and of the other mixing elements.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the relatively short period of time is less than a minute.

22. The apparatus of claim 19 wherein housing of the mixer is substantially anaerobic, the time period is insufficient to allow air to be mixed into the constituents and the input lines are under pressure using a pump for forcing the constituents therethrough.

23. An apparatus capable of processing meat based on a predetermined formulation for a final meat product, the apparatus including:

a control system for receiving the formulation;
a plurality of input lines for delivering streams of constituents of the meat product, the streams including a salt solution stream and meat streams containing meat pieces having protein strands, the input lines each including a pump and an analyzer for providing a content value to the control system, the content value being based on one or more of fat, water, and protein, and the control system communicating with the analyzers and calculating content ratios for a combination of the constituent streams; and a mixer receiving the constituents and processing the meat into a stable meat mixture.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the control system adjusts the pumps for adjusting a rate of the constituent streams through the input lines, and such adjustment is done with respect to the content ratios for the combination to maintain a content value for the combined constituent stream within a predetermined range based on the formulation.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein an initial formulation for un-processed constituents and having the final product target formulation is retrieved by the control system from a central database and the control system further sends information to the central database with respect to meat product production.

26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the meat pieces have an initial content rating, and the information sent by the control system to the central database including one or more of the quantity of constituent used, the quantity of final meat product and an adjusted formulation based on actual quantities of constituents processed.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 wherein the control system provides values to the central database for a modified initial formulation to produce the final product target formulation.

28. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein an operating pressure in the mixer is equal to or greater than atmospheric pressure and the mixer is substantially anaerobic, the mixer including mixing elements for processing the meat and providing at least one mixing zone and at least one high shear zone, wherein the high shear forces the salt solution into the protein strands, and a thermal process stage for receiving the mixture from the output of the mixer.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the mixing elements contort the meat pieces and the salt solution diffuses rapidly into the contorted meat pieces and the high shear zone extracting protein to form a stable emulsion.

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the constituents are in the mixer for a time period that is insufficient for the formation of a surface visible protein exudate.

31. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein fluted spirals elements disposed in the mixer direct the constituents at least partially through the mixer and provide an initial size reduction to the meat pieces, and wherein the mixer includes zones of alternating high and low shear.

32. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the high shear zone grinds the constituents.

33. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein the mixer is a single piece of equipment.