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
  • A23B4/32—Apparatus for preserving using solids
  • A23B4/325—Apparatus for preserving using solids with inorganic salts
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A22—BUTCHERING; MEAT TREATMENT; PROCESSING POULTRY OR FISH
  • A22C—PROCESSING MEAT, POULTRY, OR FISH
  • A22C9/00—Apparatus for tenderising meat, e.g. ham
• • 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
• • 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
  • A23B4/26—Apparatus for preserving using liquids ; Methods therefor
  • A23B4/28—Apparatus for preserving using liquids ; Methods therefor by injection of liquids
  • A23B4/285—Apparatus for preserving using liquids ; Methods therefor by injection of liquids with inorganic salts
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
  • A23L3/00—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
  • A23L3/015—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by treatment with pressure variation, shock, acceleration or shear stress or cavitation
  • A23L3/0155—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by treatment with pressure variation, shock, acceleration or shear stress or cavitation using sub- or super-atmospheric pressures, or pressure variations transmitted by a liquid or gas
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
  • A23L3/00—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs
  • A23L3/26—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by irradiation without heating
  • A23L3/30—Preservation of foods or foodstuffs, in general, e.g. pasteurising, sterilising, specially adapted for foods or foodstuffs by irradiation without heating by treatment with ultrasonic waves
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02A—TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02A40/00—Adaptation technologies in agriculture, forestry, livestock or agroalimentary production
  • Y02A40/90—Adaptation technologies in agriculture, forestry, livestock or agroalimentary production in food processing or handling, e.g. food conservation

Definitions

• a method and equipment for curing meat A method and equipment for curing meat.
• the present invention relates to a method as well as an equipment for curing meat.
• the myoglobin being the red pigment in meat is inherent in the sarcoplasma proteins that are water-soluble. During curing the myoglobin must react on the nitrite of the brine during formation of the red nitromyoglobin that results in a thermally stable red colour which is essential for the meat to retain its colour after the subsequent heat treatment. It is important, too, that proteins be released which seep to the surface of the meat such that several lumps of meat can be formpressed into one piece of meat pos ⁇ sessing a good sliceability of the final product. Furthermore the meat must be tenderized for the end product to achieve a good mastication texture. These are only some of the complexities to be considered when curing meat.
• the sole object of the invention was to reduce the lengthy process time of curing meat and preferably such that the quality of the final product be improved, but under no circumstances be lowered. According to the invention this is achieved by subjecting the meat upon injection of brine at a subesequent tumbling to ultra ⁇ sound as well as an alternating pressure between vacuum and overpressure, as during the pressure phases inactive gases such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen are added. The combined effect of the ultrasound and the alternating pressure turns out to affect the meat very dramatically. It appears that by a short process time also an even dispersion of the brine in the meat, release of the proteins as well as a tenderizing are achieved.
• An equipment for applying said method where the meat is tumbled in a sealed tank is characteristic in having ultrasound transducers placed at or inside the portion of the tank where the meat is contained, these ultrasound transducers are arranged such that the meat is subjected to ultrasound as well as comprising a vacuum source and a compressed-air source arranged such that the tank can be pressurized by an alternating pres ⁇ sure between vacuum and overpressure, as during the pressure phases a water-soluble gas being free from oxygen and being meat acidulating such as carbon dioxide and an inert gas such as nitrogen can be let in, respec ⁇ tively. It is insignificant whether the tank is a stationary tank or an unattached movable tank, and it is without importance, too, whether the tank is vertical or horizontal.
• the tank be rotated to perform a tumbling of the meat or whether inside the tank stirring arms or stirrers are provided for proces ⁇ sing the meat.
• it influences the actual embodiment of the equipment such as positions of the ultrasound transducers and connection for vacuum/over pressure in the tank.
• the ultrasound transducers it is preferred to place these inside a concentrically situated sealed tube or cylinder inside the tank and passing through the end bottom and fixed to the frame construction.
• the tank can appro ⁇ priately be provided with a cooling jacket.
• the tempera- ture should be kept at a minimum, preperably at approxi ⁇ mately 2°C. Further details pertaining to the equipment are disclosed in the following specification in con ⁇ nection with the attached drawing as well as in the claims.
• Fig. 1 is a lateral view of an equipment according to the invention illustrating the tank in its tumbling position.
• Fig. 2 is an end view and partly a sectional view of the equipment as seen from the front.
• Fig. 3 is a lateral view having the tank tilted to its filling position.
• Fig. 4 is also a lateral view having the tank tilt ⁇ ing in its discharging position.
• Fig. 5 is a section of the tube with the ultrasound transducers on line B-B in Fig. 2.
• Fig. 6 illustrates an enlarged cross section of a transducer fastened inside the tube.
• Fig. 7 illustrates another design of the equipment according to the invention based on a stationary tank provided with ultrasound transducers at the bottom, and
• Fig. 8 is a direct horizontal view of the equipment according to Fig. 7 offering a view of the interior of the tank through a plexiglass cover.
• the equipment comprises a frame 2, at which a sealed pressure/vacuum tank 4 is arranged having access through a specially constructed cover 6.
• the drum is supported by a tilting frame 8 having two support rol ⁇ lers 10 at the front and on which the drum rests.
• the tank is resting at a bearing 12 and can be pulled by a motor 14 via a gear such that the tank can be brought to rotate about its axis of rotation.
• the frame is held by upwardly open bearing bushes 16.
• the hydraulic cylinders 18 can bring the tank to a filling position (Fig. 3) and a discharging position (Fig. 4) .
• a sealed tube 22 is placed co- axially, the tube having a square cross-section and a number of ultrasound transducers 24 being placed inside it.
• the tube protrudes through the end cover 26 of the tank and is fastened, i.e. they are suspended inside the tank and do not rotate. Wires and other electrical equipment are run out through the pipe and gathered in a cabinet 28.
• the square tube is placed edgeways, cf. Fig.
• FIG. 6 shows an enlarged cross-section of the position of an ultrasound trans ⁇ ducer.
• the actual ultrasound transducer has been placed in a bushing, the transducer being vulcanized to the bushing by white nitrite 38.
• the bushing is fastened to the lateral wall such that the ultrasound transducers are placed directly facing the interior of the tank only being separated by the vulcanizing layer, which proves to absorb only a negligible amount of the energy gener ⁇ ated by the transducer.
• the other end of the bushing is sealed by an end cover 40 fastened by a nut 42.
• the end cover comprises an inlet 44 for the transducer.
• the tube can have other geometric cross-sections than exactly square, e.g. triangular, rectangular or multiangular, cylindrical.
• the free end of the tube can also be supported in a slide bearing, e.g. fastened in a radially running arm in the tank.
• the actual ultrasound generator the effect of which is matched to the meat to be cured, is not illustrated nor is the other control equipment.
• a frequency in the region of 22-29 KHz can be mentioned, preferably 25 KHz and an adjustable effect ranging from 0-400 watt/transducer.
• the evacuation of the tank and feed of compressed air in the form of carbon dioxide and nitrogen is per ⁇ formed through an especially designed inlet in the cover 26 of the tank. This takes place through special coup ⁇ lings situated at the rotation axis of the tank allowing the tank to rotate during evacuation and pressure feed ⁇ ing of the inert gases.
• the tank is kept at a rotational speed of 2-20 revolutions per minute during this opera ⁇ tion. Pressure pump, vacuum pump and the gas tanks are not illustrated.
• the location of the ultrasound transducers offers rather the uptimum transmission of the ultrasonic waves to the content of the tank.
• the tank can be provided with a cooling jacket not shown in the drawing.
• the requirement to maintain a low temperature is partly due to veteri ⁇ nary reasons, but also due to the curing of the meat being more efficient at low temperatures.
• Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate an upright, stationary model, where the tank 4 comprises three supports 46. Underneath the bottom an arrangement comprising seven ultrasound transducers 24 is placed. The tank is pro ⁇ vided with a removable, heavy plexiglass cover 48 facil ⁇ itating a visual survey of the process. The ultrasound transducers, incidentally, are fastened as before. The cover has a connection 50 for pressure/vacuum.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Food Science & Technology (AREA)
• Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
• Wood Science & Technology (AREA)
• Zoology (AREA)
• Nutrition Science (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
• Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
• General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Meat, Egg Or Seafood Products (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=8095716

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Families Citing this family (23)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 1991
  • 1991-04-09 DK DK062691A patent/DK62691A/da unknown
• 1992
  • 1992-04-09 EP EP92908627A patent/EP0579696A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1992-04-09 AU AU15765/92A patent/AU1576592A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1992-04-09 WO PCT/DK1992/000113 patent/WO1992018011A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
• 1993
  • 1993-10-11 NO NO933657A patent/NO933657L/no unknown

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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