ITRE20090076A1 - METHOD OF TREATING MASSES OF MEAT, IN PARTICULAR HAMS, AFTER COOKING - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

of the Italian Patent for Industrial Invention entitled:

"METHOD OF TREATMENT OF MASSES OF MEAT, IN PARTICULAR

HAMS, AFTER COOKING "

The present invention relates to the treatment of masses of meat, in particular hams, after they have been placed inside waterproof and airtight bags, preferably vacuum-packed and then subjected to a cooking phase, during which a substance separates from the meat. residual in the form of liquid or gelatin (the so-called "exudate") that remains inside the bag.

It has long been known to cook semi-finished meat products (in particular hams) in waterproof bags where the mass itself is not in contact with the air (we talk about cooking under vacuum), to improve the compactness and monolithic appearance of the product.

The technology in use involves the introduction of ham or shoulder meat (also applies to white meat) in waterproof bags that are preferably housed in molds that give them a shape that becomes stable with cooking.

Usually the molds comprise a vessel-shaped matrix for containing the meat, the concavity of which faces upwards, and a lid suitable for closing the matrix and preferably to slide inside the upper mouth of said concavity thanks to the action of elastic means in the sense of compressing the flesh contained in the matrix. The waterproof bags are advantageously made up of bags in flexible and heat-sealable plastic material, which are housed in the concavity of the mold matrix, these being completely uncovered and, here the bags are filled with the mass of meat (meat, possibly treated with injections to based on saline solutions and massaged with suitable machines). At this point, while the bag filled with meat remains within the matrix, this passes into a machine that creates a vacuum in the bag and heat-seal it, in order to hermetically isolate the meat placed inside from the external environment.

The bag filled with meat is kept inside the matrix and pressed by the lid, and then subjected to cooking (together with the mold that contains it).

In this way, a spatial conditioning of the meat mass itself is carried out within the matrix, which allows to obtain an appreciated conditioning of the shape.

In vacuum cooking inside the closed bag, a residual substance is separated from the meat in the form of liquid or gelatin (the so-called "exudate") inside the cooking package. It is a substance containing proteins, connective tissue, cartilage, even in the form of gelatin; it is therefore a substance that has an important nutritional content.

In these cases, a commonly used technology involves the use of a bag, generously abundant compared to the mass of meat, which comes out between the lid and the mold laterally, sometimes even affecting a "head" of the mold, so as to have a volume where the residual substance (exudate) ends up, also thanks to the mechanical action of the lid, which exerts on the meat mass a pressure generated by the pressure means present in the molds.

"Weight loss" is defined as products that have a percentage of exudate greater than 3% in the cooking package. In principle, the greater the weight loss, the higher the quality of the final product.

The bags described above allow to make the best use of the weight loss technique and can also accept relatively high weight losses, since they allow the excess part of the bag to be arranged alongside and parallel to the mass of meat, outside the mold.

When the formation of this residual substance exceeds about 3%, it is necessary to separate it from the meat mass, for reasons of conservation and limitation of the development of the bacterial load of the product. It is known that the presence of free water, moreover enriched with nutrients, is an excellent crop for the development of bacterial loads, even if present in low quantities as in the case of products cooked at a temperature of about 70 ° C for long periods; in the event that, for example during transport, the temperature is not low enough, the fillers can easily proliferate to the point of damaging the mass of meat.

The present invention relates to the treatment to which the products extracted from the molds are subjected after the described cooking step.

The traditional practice commonly used involves cutting the cooking bag with the residual substance coming out, removing the bag, removing the liquid / gelatin left in contact with the meat mass (grooming), a new packaging within the waterproof casing of the meat mass. and its subsequent pasteurization to remove bacterial loads, or any other contaminant that may have ended up on the mass of meat, when this has come into contact with the environment and with people in the post-cooking phase.

It is a demanding, onerous manual work, which requires time, space, substantial investments; it is in fact necessary not only to have spaces for grooming, but also machines to insert the product into a new plastic casing, which will then be heat-sealed under vacuum and then pasteurized in steam ovens (discontinuous process requiring labor ) or in expensive continuous plants; the product is then cooled and transported to the cold storage and maturation cells.

The residual material usually ends up on the floor (with consequent risks of falls because it makes the floor slippery), and then in the building drains (resulting in a bad smell) and then in the plant or community purifiers (with obvious costs).

One purpose of the invention is to overcome the technical drawbacks noted above, in particular:

- remove the residual substance, avoiding contamination of the meat mass (meat) both during this activity and in the subsequent stay in the cold room

- collect the residual substance in order to store it in the cold, for possible reuse, but also for controlled disposal

- correctly collect the residual substance, so as not to contaminate the work environment,

- avoid the employees having to intervene to open the bag, a tiring operation and not without the danger of injury to the operator.

An important advantage derives from the enormous savings in means and work as a burdensome activity is eliminated, namely a subsequent packaging treatment, surface pasteurization and subsequent cooling of the meat mass.

Another advantage is that the residual substance, collected and not contaminated, can be used for the production of other substances, such as animal feed, cosmetic products, and in some cases also for human nutrition (for example the production of paté ).

Yet another advantage is that, in the case of disposal of the residual substance as waste, it is collected in a packaged way by specialized companies and is therefore not discharged into the sewer, with a consequent reduction in purification costs. Currently, workplaces are often slippery and foul-smelling, due to the presence of residual substance, the difficulty of washing the environments, and the stagnation of residues in the ducts and drains; these drawbacks are therefore eliminated. Said purposes / advantages are achieved by the invention in question as it is characterized in the claims.

The dependent claims outline preferred and / or particularly advantageous aspects of the invention.

The invention is explained in detail below with the help of the attached figures that illustrate a form, by way of example and not exclusive, of implementation.

FIG. 1 is a cross section of a product placed inside the respective bag, in a phase following cooking, in a phase extracted from the cooking mold. FIG. 2A is an enlarged detail of Fig. 1, during the bag sealing step.

FIG. 2B is the same detail shown in Fig. 2A, in the separation phase between the two parts of the bag.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the bag after welding. FIG. 4A is an enlarged detail of Fig. 1, in the bag welding phase according to a different form of implementation of the method.

FIG. 4B is the same detail shown in Fig. 4A, in the separation phase between the two parts of the bag.

FIG. 4C is the same detail shown in Fig. 4A, in a step subsequent to the separation between the two parts of the bag.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the bag shown in Fig. 4A, after welding.

The method according to the invention concerns the phase following the cooking of the mass of meat during which the meat is placed inside a waterproof and closed bag. The cooking is carried out in such a way that, during this phase, the separation of said residual substance from the meat takes place.

Typically the cooking phase is carried out according to the traditional methods described above: the mass of meat, contained in the waterproof casing, of abundant capacity compared to the volume of the meat mass, is inserted inside the mold, while the remaining part of the bag it comes out of the mold, between the matrix and the lid; during cooking, also thanks to the mechanical pressure action that the lid exerts on the mass of meat, a residual substance separates from the meat in the form of liquid or gelatin (the so-called "exudate") which collects in the part of the bag placed outside the mold.

The method according to the present invention relates to the treatment of the bag and its contents after the cooking phase and consequent separation of the residual substance.

Preferably after cooling which allows the temperature of the molds and their contents to be lowered, the bag (indicated by 10 in Fig. 1) and its contents, i.e. the mass of meat 15 and the residual substance 16, is then extracted from the mold. of cooking and arranged first of all so that the residual substance 16 is collected together at one point and separated at a distance from the mass of meat 15 (see Fig. 1).

Advantageously, this arrangement is carried out by placing the bag, removed from the mold, on a support surface 21, capable of supporting the mass of meat 15 and the relative part of the bag 10, having an opening 22 in a lower position, through which descends the part of the sack that does not envelop the mass of meat together with the residual substance 16, which substance collects by gravity on the lower part of the sack.

The bag 10 is then arranged with an upper part 11 around the mass of meat, a lower part 13, which hangs down and collects the residual substance 16 and an intermediate part 12, which descends through the opening 22, which joins the two parts 11 and 13.

Usually the upper part 11 of the bag, when removed from the mold after cooking, is stretched and adheres to the surface of the mass of meat 15, thanks to the fact that the internal surface of the mold adheres with pressure to the mass of meat 15.

Alternatively, the described arrangement is implemented by leaving the mass of meat 15 inside the mold, while the intermediate part 12 and the lower part 13 protrude out of the matrix.

Subsequently to the described arrangement of the bag 10, the reciprocal welding of the two opposite walls 10 'of the same bag is carried out along the intermediate part 12 placed between the mass of meat 15 and the residual substance 16, so as to define at least one sealing line 25 which divides the inner chamber of the sack into two half-chambers hermetically separated from each other, of which a first half-chamber 17 containing the meat mass and a second half-chamber 18 containing the residual substance 16.

In particular, according to the embodiment illustrated in Figures 2A and 2B, for making said welding line, a welding means 30 is provided which carries, on one side, a heated sealing bar 31, per se of a known type, which it develops parallel to the longitudinal axis of the mass of meat 15 near its lower surface, which acts on the two opposite walls 10 'of the bag in combination with a counter-bar 31' (possibly also heated) which acts as an element for abutment (and possibly also for heating), placed beyond the two walls 10 '. In particular, said bar 31 is of the type heated by electricity.

The welding means 30 is able to tighten together, along the entire length, the two walls 10 'of the bag and to weld them together thanks to the heat supplied by the sealing bar 31 (and possibly the bar 31'), the material being of the bag a heat-sealable plastic; this welding action produces a welding line 25, for example straight (but can have different shapes) which runs from one end to the other of the intermediate part 12 of the bag, defining inside this a first half-chamber 17 which it contains the mass of meat 15 and a second half-chamber 18, hermetically separated from the first half-chamber 17, which contains the residual substance 16 inside (see Fig. 2A).

The second half-chamber 18 of the bag is then separated from the first half-chamber 17 by means of a separation line 35, obtained by means of a cutting means 36, carried out below the welding line 25, such as to leave the first half-chamber 17 of the sack, the one that contains the mass 15.

The second half chamber 18 is instead cut and in any case collected, for example on a lower evacuation line 40.

According to a preferred (but not exclusive) embodiment, the welding is carried out, as well as along a first welding line 25, also along a second welding line 26 located below the first line 25, which welding lines 25, 26 divide the inner chamber of the sack into two half-chambers that are hermetically separated from each other, of which a first half-chamber containing the meat mass and a second half-chamber containing the residual substance, and the separation line 35 is made in an intermediate position between the first 25 and the second welding line 26, leaving the two half-chambers 17 and 18 hermetically closed.

In particular, according to the embodiment illustrated in Figures 4A - 4C, to realize said welding line, a welding means 30 is provided which carries, on one side, two sealing bars 31, and 32 per se of a known type , which develop parallel to the longitudinal axis of the mass of meat 15 in proximity to the lower surface thereof, which act on the two opposite walls 10 'of the bag; each of these bars 31, 32 operates in combination with a respective counter-bar 31 ', 32' (possibly also heated), which acts as a striking element (and possibly also a heating element), placed beyond the two walls 10 '.

The two sealing bars 31, 32 are at a slight distance from each other so as to leave a space that allows the cutting means 36 (knife), moved by a suitable actuator, to cut the bag, after welding. The upper sealing bar 31 creates a sealing line 25 which delimits the half chamber 17 which contains the mass of meat 15, while the lower sealing bar 32 creates a sealing line 26 which delimits the half chamber 18 which contains the residual substance 16. The line separation 35 is made in the strip between the two sealing lines 25 and 26, with the result that the bag 10 remains separated into two parts, each containing a half-chamber 17, 18 containing its own content (mass of meat or residual substance) in a sealed and hermetically sealed way.

Below the sealing bars 31, 32 there is a pressure means 34 which temporarily holds the lower part 13 of the bag, during welding and cutting, so that its weight does not act directly on the welding resistances.

Preferably, the sealing bars 31, 32 are placed as close as possible to the mass of meat 15, compatibly with the support surface 21 which will also be made for this purpose, to limit the residual substance that could be below 3%. in any case remain in the bag in contact with the meat 15.

Alternatively, the welding line 25 is made of a sufficiently large width and the separation line 35 is made along an intermediate position contained within the welding line 25, so as to leave the half-chambers of both parts hermetically closed.

By means of the invention, the mass of meat 15, which has undergone cooking, remains inside a package, the semi-chamber 17, which hermetically encloses it and does not come into contact with the external environment, until the moment of its consumption.

It is therefore possible to do without the further operation of re-packaging the meat mass and its surface pasteurization, as currently necessary due to the fact that when the bag is cut to remove the residual substance, the meat comes into contact with the external environment.

In addition, the residual substance (exudate) is separated from the mass of meat in a hermetically sealed manner inside the respective lower half chamber 18: it therefore does not undergo contamination and can be used for the production of food or other products.

If it is not used, it can be conveniently disposed of inside the semi-chambers where it is sealed, in a simple and rational way, without dirtying floors and polluting the sewers.

Several variants are possible.

According to a first variant, a piecewise cutting blade is used, which leaves the half-chamber with the residual substance connected in some points to the half-chamber containing the meat mass. In this case, an employee would provide for the detachment of the two semi-chambers. This solution is suitable for allowing a second employee to check the welds.

The welding means 30 can be equipped with a single resistance, of sufficient width, which would subsequently be cut longitudinally along a median line, so as to have in any case two separate half-chambers, each closed by a respective welding line.

The equipment can be equipped with mobile resistances (rotating, as in flow pack machines, or ultrasound) which could move according to the longitudinal axis of the mass of meat by making two parallel welds. A movable blade could then separate the half-chamber with the residual substance from the half-chamber that encloses the mass of meat.

A further possibility is to carry out the welding with a mobile resistance, sufficiently large, followed at a short distance by a cutting blade; in this way the cut would be made when the weld is still sufficiently parallel to the axis along which the resistances and cutting blade move.

Obviously, modifications of a practical-applicative nature may be made to the invention in question, without thereby departing from the scope of the inventive idea as claimed below.

Claims (4)

CLAIMS 1. Method of treating masses of meat, in particular hams, after cooking the mass itself placed inside an impermeable and closed bag (10), so as to achieve the separation of a residual substance (16) from the meat (15), characterized in that, after said cooking and separation of residual substance (16), it involves the following phases: arrangement of the bag (10) and its contents (15, 16) so that the residual substance (16) is collected together at one point and separated at a distance from the mass of meat (15); mutual welding of two opposite walls (10 ') of the sack itself along an intermediate zone (12) between the mass of meat (15) and the residual substance (16), so as to define at least one sealing line (25) that divides the inner chamber of the sack (10) in two half-chambers (17, 18) hermetically separated from each other, of which a first half-chamber (17) containing the mass of meat (15) and a second half-chamber ( 18) containing the residual substance (16); separation of the second half-chamber (18) of the bag from the first half-chamber (17) by means of a separation line (35) below the welding line (25) such as to leave the first half-chamber (17) of the bag hermetically closed. 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the welding is carried out, as well as along a first welding line (25), also along a second welding line (26) located below the first line (25), which divides the inner chamber of the sack in two half-chambers (17, 18) hermetically separated from each other, of which a first half-chamber (17) containing the meat mass (15) and a second half-chamber (18) containing the residual substance (16), and the separation line (35) is made in an intermediate position between the first welding line (25) and the second welding line (26), leaving the two half chambers (17, 18) hermetically closed . 3. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the welding is carried out along a line of a sufficiently large width and the separation line is made along an intermediate position within the welding line so as to leave the half chambers (17, 18) hermetic ) of both parties. 4. Equipment for carrying out the method according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a support surface (21), capable of supporting the mass of meat (15) and the relative part of the bag (10), having a opening (22) in the lower position, through which the part of the sack that does not envelop the mass of meat (15) descends together with the residual substance (16).