GB1603861A

GB1603861A - Method and apparatus for producing a meat-like paste product in units of a required size

Info

Publication number: GB1603861A
Application number: GB22746/77A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Ranks Hovis McDougall Ltd
Current assignee: Ranks Hovis McDougall Ltd
Priority date: 1978-05-11
Filing date: 1978-05-11
Publication date: 1981-12-02

Description

(54) A METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING A MEAT-LIKE PASTE PRODUCT IN UNITS OF A REQUIRED SIZE (71) We, RANKS HOVIS MCDOUGAL LIMITED, a British Company, of RHM Centre, 152 Grosvenor Road, London SW1V 3JL, do hereby declare the invention for which we pray that a Patent may be granted to us and the method by which it is to be performed to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to the prep- aration of a meat-like paste product, and is particularly concerned with but not restricted to a product containing meat not normally regarded as being of sufficiently high quality for use in retail food products.

One example of a meat-like paste product which can be prepared by the invention is a product comprising comminuted meat blended with gluten. The gluten additive is used both to impart a fibrous texture to the product and to absorb the water content of the mix. In a preferred composition, approximately 1.0% of textured starch is used in order to enhance these textural properties and so improve the meat-like texture of the paste product.

It is sometimes desirable to be able to provide a meat-like paste product in small units of any required shape, such as cubes, ready for subsequent consumption or further processing. Examples of this further processing are the preparation of meat pies or the canning of stewing meat.

It has been previously proposed to produce a comminuted extended food product by blending or chopping together a number of suitable food ingredients, including a protein source usually of meat origin, to form a homogeneous paste, commonly referred to in the art as an emulsion.

Previously, this paste has been divided into small units by filling a casing or mould with the paste which is subsequently heated or frozen, removing the frozen and coagulated Processed paste from the mould, and then dicing or slicing the paste before consumption or further processing. It will be appreciated that this conventional technique is labour intensive and time consuming in that the paste has to be passed into and removed from a mould after processing before being cut into units of a required size.

It is an aim of the invention to provide a method of and apparatus for alleviating this disadvantage, and according to one aspect of the invention there is provided a method of producing a.meat-like paste product in units of a required size, said method comprising passing the paste product at a controlled speed through a tube, the cross sectional area of at least part of said tube determining the shape of the finished product, heating the paste as it is passed through the tube to set the paste before it leaves the tube, and at preselected time intervals cutting through the length of set paste leaving the tube.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided apparatus for producing a meat-like paste product in units of a required size, said apparatus comprising a tube through which the paste can pass, the cross-sectional area of at least part of said tube determining the shape of the finished product, means for heating the paste as it passes through the tube to set the paste before it leaves the tube, and a cutter operable at preselected time intervals to cut through the length of set paste leaving the tube.

By tube is meant an elongate open ended enclosure of any required cross-section.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a cut-away diagrammatic side elevation of part of an apparatus of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a diagrammatic plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1, and FIGURE 3 is a diagrammatic end elevation of the apparatus of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings, an apparatus of the invention includes a feeding section A and a cutting section B.

The feeding section A includes a stainless steel tube 2 having any required internal diameter or cross-section, which is mounted in an oil bath 4 heated by electrical elements 6 to maintain the tube 2 at a preselected temperature. The electrical elements 6 are controlled by a thermostat 8 to maintain the oil bath 4 at a required temperature.

Any other suitable heating means may be used instead of the electrical elements 6 to heat the tube 2, and a super heated steam bath may be used instead of the oil bath 4.

A meat-like paste to be hereinafter described is passed into the inlet 10 of the heated tube 2 and forced through the tube 2 at a controlled speed to the tube outlet 12.

The paste is passed into and forced throw the tube 2 by means of a pump or er commonly used in the art of manufacturing paste-like products.

The dwell time of the paste in the tube from the inlet 10 to the outlet 12 is dependent upon the following factors:- (a) The required degree of heat penetration in the paste, which in turn controls the depth of coagulation of the soluble proteins of the paste.

(b) The temperature of the oil bath 4 in relation to the tube 2.

c The length of the tube 2.

d The internal dimensions of the tube 2 in relation to the thickness or transverse dimension of the paste to be heated.

(e) The temperature of the paste at the inlet 10 of the tube 2.

In one operational example, the tube 2 has a length of 10 feet and a cross-section of 3/8 of an inch square, and the paste is forced through the tube 2 at such a speed that the paste takes seven to ten seconds to travel from the tube inlet 10 to the outlet 12. The heated tube 2 will have coagulated the paste to a condition in which it is sufficiently rigid to be handled easily provided that the temperature inside the tube 2 is in excess of 115"F (460C), and that the internal surface of the tube 2 in contact with the paste has a stable temperature of not less than 200 F (93"C). In order to maintain these temperatures the electrical heating elements are kept at a sufficiently high temperature to maintain the temperature in the oil bath above 400"F. A typical operating range for the oil bath is from 400"-420"F (2040-215"C). The coagulated paste has a temperature gradient from 200 F (93 C) on its external surface to an internal temperature of approximately 115"F (46"C). It will be appreciated that the combinations of tube length to temperature ratios are infinitely variable, and can be altered to suit the required output and product standard of the paste.

Furthermore, it has been found that the paste does not adhere to the inner wall of the tube 2 if the paste ingredients have a minimum fat content which will in turn provide its own lubrication during the passage through the tube 2. This fat content is generally present in the meat but additional animal or vegetable fat may be added if required.

The paste product leaves the tube 2 in the form of a continuous ribbon of coagulated set paste which is able, without support, to remain in the shape of the configuration of the said tube 2.

In the illustrated apparatus the cutting section 'B' is shown in Figure 2 as an integral part with the feeding section 'A'.

This however may not always be desired, and the two sections may be used separately if preferred.

Section 'B' is a rotary knife system which cuts the set paste on leaving the tube outlet 12 into individual units of the required length.

The rotary knife system of section 'B' comprises a variable speed motor 14 driving the pulley wheel 16 which in turn drives a pulley wheel 18 by means of a connecting belt 20. Attached directly to the pulley wheel 18 is a rotary head 22 on which are bolted cutting blades 24. These blades 24 are designed so that the angle of cutting the paste can be altered shouted it be desired.

This cutting angle is important in order to obtain a clean cut. A single or plurality of blades 24 may be attached to the rotary head 22 as required.

The speed of the motor 14, the size of the pulleys l 6 and 18, and the number of blades 24 on the rotary head 22 control the number of cuts per minute which can be made to the paste on leaving the tube outlet 12.

Furthermore, it has been found that in order to obtain a clean cut of the paste emerging from the outlet 12 without excessive or fragmentation of the paste, a support plate 26 is necessary in order that both ends of the emerging paste are supported. One end is supported in the tube 2 and the other end on the support plate 26 prior to and during the period the or each blade 24 is cutting through the paste.

The support plate 26 is of a similar configuration but slightly larger than the configuration of the tube 2.

An example of a process of the invention is as follows:- 100 parts of ground beef is blended with 15 parts of dry wheat gluten. Having blended the meat and gluten, 15 parts of cold water and 2 parts of sodium chloride are added and a am well blended until the myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic proteins are solubilised. This protein extraction is neces sary, since on heating these proteins will form a thermo-gel bonding the meat paste into one homogeneous piece.

This blended paste is pumped into the tube 2 at a controlled rate of 84 feet per minute. The tube 2 has a 3/8 inch square cross-section and a length of 14 feet, and the oil bath 4 is maintained at 200"C (392"F).

This provides a 10 second total time of heat processing of any given part of said paste.

On leaving the tube 2 the paste will have an internal centre temperature in excess of 115"F (46"C), and a surface temperature in excess of 200"F (93"C).

On leaving the tube 2 the paste passes into the knife blades 24 attached to the rotary head 22 which is revolving at 1000 rpm thereby producing on a two bladed head 2000 cuts per minute.

The linked speeds of 84 feet per minute of the extruding paste and the rotation of 2000 cuts per minute will produce units approximately 0.5 inches in length.

These cubes can now be used as meat pieces in pies, casseroles, canned meat products and the like, and closely resemble products made with more expensive meat cuts.

It is also possible to use other vegetable proteins which include soya flour concentrates or isolates, field bean concentrates or isolates, or any other similar plant protein.

The described embodiment enables meat cuts of varying quality to be utilised in combination with one or more vegetable proteins to be reformed into meat analogues which closely approach in texture and taste the more expensive cuts of meat.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A method of producing a meat-like paste product in units of a required size, said method comprising passing the paste product at a controlled speed through a tube, the cross-sectional area of at least part of said tube determining the shape of the finished product, heating the paste as it is passed through the tube to set the paste before it leaves the tube, and at preselected time intervals cutting through the length of set paste leaving the tube.

2. A method as claimed in Claim 1, in which the paste is electrically heated.

3. A method as claimed in Claim 2, including locating the tube in an electrically heated oil bath.

4. A method as claimed in Claim 1, including locating the tube in a super heated steam bath.

5. A method as claimed in any preced ing Claim, in which the paste is pumped through the tube.

6. A method as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which the said preselected cutting time intervals can be varied.

7. A method as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which the angle of cutting can be varied.

8. A method as claimed in any preceding Claim, including supporting both ends of the emerging length of set paste as it is cut.

9. A method as claimed in any preceding Claim, including maintaining the temperature inside the tube in excess of 46C (115"F).

10. A method as claimed in Claim 3, including maintaining the oil bath at a temperature in the range from 204 -215 C (400 420 F).

11. A method as claimed in any preceding Claim, in which the paste feed rate and the cutter time intervals are controlled to provide cut paste units approximately 0.5 inches in length.

12. A method as claimed in Claim 11, in which the paste is passed through the tube at a speed of 84 feet per minute, and the paste leaving the tube is cut at time intervals of 0.0005 minutes.

13. Apparatus for producing a meat-like paste product in units of a required size, said apparatus comprising a tube through which the paste can pass, the cross-sectional area of at least part of said tube determining the shape of the finished product, means for heating the paste as it passes through the tube to set the paste before it leaves the tube, and a cutter operable at preselected time intervals to cut through the length of set paste leaving the tube.

14. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 13, in which the heating means is an electrical heater.

15. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 14, in which the tube is located in an oil bath to be heated by said electrical heater.

16. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 15, including a thermostat to control the temp erature of the oil bath.

17. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 13, in which the heating means is a super heated steam bath.

18. Apparatus as claimed in any one of

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. sary, since on heating these proteins will form a thermo-gel bonding the meat paste into one homogeneous piece. This blended paste is pumped into the tube 2 at a controlled rate of 84 feet per minute. The tube 2 has a 3/8 inch square cross-section and a length of 14 feet, and the oil bath 4 is maintained at 200"C (392"F). This provides a 10 second total time of heat processing of any given part of said paste. On leaving the tube 2 the paste will have an internal centre temperature in excess of 115"F (46"C), and a surface temperature in excess of 200"F (93"C). On leaving the tube 2 the paste passes into the knife blades 24 attached to the rotary head 22 which is revolving at 1000 rpm thereby producing on a two bladed head 2000 cuts per minute. The linked speeds of 84 feet per minute of the extruding paste and the rotation of 2000 cuts per minute will produce units approximately 0.5 inches in length. These cubes can now be used as meat pieces in pies, casseroles, canned meat products and the like, and closely resemble products made with more expensive meat cuts. It is also possible to use other vegetable proteins which include soya flour concentrates or isolates, field bean concentrates or isolates, or any other similar plant protein. The described embodiment enables meat cuts of varying quality to be utilised in combination with one or more vegetable proteins to be reformed into meat analogues which closely approach in texture and taste the more expensive cuts of meat. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A method of producing a meat-like paste product in units of a required size, said method comprising passing the paste product at a controlled speed through a tube, the cross-sectional area of at least part of said tube determining the shape of the finished product, heating the paste as it is passed through the tube to set the paste before it leaves the tube, and at preselected time intervals cutting through the length of set paste leaving the tube.

2. A method as claimed in Claim 1, in which the paste is electrically heated.

18. Apparatus as claimed in any one of

Claims 13 to 17, in which the cutter is operable at variable speeds.

19. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 18, in which the cutter is a rotary knife system.

20. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 19, comprising a plurality of cutting blades mounted on a rotary head.

21. Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 13 to 20, in which the angle of cutting can be varied.

22. Apparatus as claimed in any one of Claims 13 to 21, including means to support a length of set paste being cut.

23. A method of producing a meat-like paste product in units of a required size substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

24. Apparatus for producing a meat-like paste product in units of a required size substantially as herein described and shown in the accompanying drawings.