NZ206260A - A composition for preserving foods - Google Patents

Description

New Zealand Paient Spedficaiion for Paient Number £06260 206260 Priority Date(s): Complete Specification Filed: IK+.JJ.. Class: (<tj ,a asai/jp* . a Publication Date: ... P. J. .4PF.

P.O J rral, N o: He habrb: NEW ZEALAND PATENTS ACT. 1953 No.: Date: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOOD PRESERVATIVES 1 2 NOV 1935 rp/We, STAY FRESH, INC., a Delaware corporation, of One Washington Mall. Boston, Massachusetts 02108, U.S.A. hereby declare the invention for which *lP/ we pray that a patent may be granted to 'ftS^/us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- 2 0 6 2 I BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a process and composition for treating edible products to maintain color and also to preserve the freshness thereof, for example, fish, meat, meat products and fruits and vegetables.

It is highly desirable to preserve the freshness and color of edible products. For example, myoglobin, hemoglobin and other like compounds found in meat are commonly believed to be responsible for the red and red-purple color of fresh meat. Upon exposure to air these compounds are oxidized to oxymyoglobin and oxyhemoglobin which are bright red in color.. Exposure to air over prolonged periods results in further oxidation to metmyoglobin and methemoglobin which are brown or grey in color and which detract from the appearance and saleability of the meat.

Conventional meat color preserving agents are known, such as ascorbic acid and/or nicotinic acid, which function by reacting with the myoglobin and hemoglobin either before or after they are oxidized to form a color which is relatively stable over longer oerioas of time. However, continued exposure to the air will cause a further oxidation reaction with a resultant undesirable change in the color of the meat product to brown or grey.

Z-230 206260 At the same time. It is well known that fresh meat products are susceptible to spoilage on storage. In order to keep fresh meat products from rapid spoilage, it is customary to keep them refrigerated so that the rate of bacterial growth is retarded.

It is naturally desirable to provide a composition which is effective to still further retard bacterial growth and maintain the freshness of edible products.

Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a composition which effectively treats edible products to maintain a desirable color.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a composition as aforesaid which retards bacterial growth and maintains freshness.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a composition which is inexpensive, easy to apply and which is based on materials which may be safely used in edible products.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the ensuing discussion.

SUMMARY OP THE INVENTION In accordance with the present invention, it has been found that the composition of the present invention effectively achieves the foregoing objects and advantages in a simple, convenient and expeditious manner. 1 20t>2t z-230 The composition of the nresent invention effectively treats edible products to maintain the desirable color thereof, to maintain freshness and to retard bacterial growth. The composition consists essentially of 10 to H0% by weight of each 5 of the following components: (a) a material selected from the group consisting ; of ascorbic acid, the sodium and potassium salts thereof and mixtures thereof; (b) a material selected from the group consisting 10 of citric acid, the sodium and potassium salts thereof and mixtures thereof; (c) a material selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate and mixtures thereof; and (d) a material selected from the group, consisting of sodium and potassium sulfite, bisulfite and me tabisulfite and mixtures thereof.

In accordance with the present invention a composition as aforesaid is applied to the edible product in an effective 20 amount and is preferably applied to the product in an amount of from 1/4 ounce to 2 pounds per hundred pounds of product being treated.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The composition of the present invention may be 25 effectively used in preserving the color and freshness of <•' :'i -3- V28 J AN 1986 J . \. •. . / fresh meats and meat products and finds its greate^T"uc?litjr"In this application; however, its use is not limited thereto and it may also be used to treat aged and cured meats, fish, fruits and vegetables. In accordance with the present invention, the produce to be treated, such as cuts of meat or whole carcasses, may be treated by dusting the exposed surfaces with the composition of the present invention or by spraying the surfaces with a solution thereof. For carcasses, treatment may be accomplished by Injecting a solution of the composition of the nresent Invention into the arteries and veins. For ground meat, the treating materials may be applied to the exposed surface of the ground meat or added to the meat before or during grinding to permit distribution thereof throughout the ground mass. It is preferred in accordance with the present invention that the components thereof be thoroughly mixed together before application to the product.

In accordance with the present invention, the ascorbic acid component may be ascorbic acid itself and/or the sodium and/or potassium salts thereof. Similarly, the citric acid component may be the citric acid itself and/or the sodium and/or potassium salts thereof, i.e., sodium or potassium citrate.

Either sodium and/or potassium carbonate may be employed. The sulfite component may be a sulfite, bisulfite and/or metabisulfite of sodium and/or potassium.

L-£ JU 2062 The amounts of the components of the present invention are as stated hereinabove. Preferably, substantially equal quantities of each of the components are employed.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a suitable quantity of ground meat is first ground and mixed with a suitable quantity of the composition of the present Invention and the mixture reground. In accordance with an alternate embodiment for red meats, poultry, fish, fruits and vegetables, a suitable quantity of the composition of the present Invention is dissolved in water and the edible meat product sprayed with the aqueous solution. Naturally, alternate methods of application of the composition of the present invention may be readily employed.

Naturally, additional freshness or color preservatives may, if desired, be added to the product such as nitrates or nitrites, phosphates, nicotinic acid or other known color or freshness preservatives. The surprising feature of the composition of the present invention is the synergistic combination of the components thereof which effectively preserves color and freshness and retards bacterial growth for an inordinately long period of time far beyond what would normally be anticipated.

The foregoing will be more clearly apparent from the examples which form a part of the present specification.

Z-230 2062( EXAMPLE I A composition of the present invention was formulated by mixing together equal amounts of sodium bisulfite, ascorbic acid, citric acid and sodium carbonate. Fifty pounds of fresh red hamburger was first ground and then thoroughly mixed with two ounces of the foregoing mixture. The mixture was then reground and stored in a refrigerated condition at a temperature of approximately 35°F. The resultant meat retained its bright red color and freshness for approximately two weeks. Untreated meat darkened after about one week and at the end of the two week period was quite dark and no longer fresh.

EXAMPLE II Two ounces of the composition of Example I were thoroughly dissolved In two quarts of water. The composition was sprayed on various samples of poultry and red meats. The resultant sprayed samples were stored in a refrigerated condition as in Example I and maintained their color and freshness for approximately two weeks. Comparable materials lost their color after about one week and were no longer fresh after the two week period .

EXAMPLE III A piece of veal which had started to discolor was tested in a variety of ways. Firstly, a portion of this material was treated with two ounces of a composition containing equal amounts of ascorbic acid, citric acid and sodium carbonate. 2 062 6( The material was stored in the refrigerated condition at about 35°F. After about three days, the material showed clear si.r:i:; of decay. Another portion of this material was treated with two ounces of sodium bisulfite only under the same conditions 5 and showed clear signs of decay after five days. A third sample was treated with two ounces of the composition of Example I as aforesaid. The material showed no signs of decay after two weeks of storage.

* EXAMPLE IV A variety of experiments were conducted with a variety of compositions on beef which had been previously stored to the point where the meat was starting to discolor. i Composition A was 1/10 of an ounce each of ascorbic acid, citric acid and sodium bisulfite. The material thus treated 15 showed clear signs of decay after five days' storage in the refrigerated condition at approximately 35°F.

Composition B represented 1/10 of an ounce each of ascorbic acid and sodium bisulfite. The treatment conditions were the same as above and the material showed clear signs 20 of decay after three days' storage.

Composition D represented 1/10 of an ounce of sodium carbonate. The meat showed clear signs of decay after three days'' storage.

Composition E represented 1/10 of an ounce each of sodium 25 carbonate, ascorbic acid and citric acid. The material showed clear signs of decay after five days.

Z — 2 3 0 2062 6 Composition F represented the composition of the present invention with 1/10 of an ounce each of sodium bisulfite, citric acid, ascorbic acid and sodium carbonate. The material showed no signs of decay after two weeks' storage.

EXAMPLE V Example I was substantially repeated using potassium bisulfite, potassium carbonate, potassium citrate and potassium ascorbate. The same excellent results were obtained as in Example I.

EXAMPLE VI In this example, eleven individual packages of beef were prepared, cut into approximately 1" cubes. The beef had previously been stored for a period of 7 days. Each cube was treated with one-tenth ounce of the composition of the present 15 invention containing equal amounts of ascorbic acid, citric acid, sodium carbonate and sodium bisulfite. Daily an unopen package was removed, ground under sterile conditions with sterile phosphate buffer, serially diluted and tested for aerobic plate count and coll form count. All samples were held 20 under refrigerated conditions at approximately 35°F during the course of the study. In accordance with this study, a bacterial population of below 1,000,000 per milliliter is the generally recommended standard for beef. The results are shown in the following table.

I TABLF. I 20621 Aerobic Conform Day Color Odor Count 35°F Contamination 1 - Initial Count Good Good 220,000 < 1 2 - 24 hr.

Count Good Good 240,000 9 3 - 48 hr.

Count Good Good 240,000 4 4 - 72 hr.

Count Turning Brown Good 260,000 4 - 96 hr.

Count TUrning Brown Good 250,000 < 1 6 - 120 hr.

Count Turning Brown Good 280,000 < 1 7 - 144 hr.

Count Brownish Red Good 12,000,000 < 1 8 - 168 hr.

Count Brownish Red Gocd 16,000,000 < 1 9 - 192 hr.

Count Brownish Red Good ,000,000 < 1 - 216 hr.

Count Brownish Red Good 150,000 < 1 11 - 240 hr.

Count Brownish Red Good 600,000 < 1 The results of the study clearly showed that the preservative maintained the bacterial population well below the 1,000,000 count per milliliter generally recommended as a standard for beef for the first six days of the study. This was supported by organalyptic testing. After five days the counts increased markedly to the tenth day. Coliform counts did not seem a factor. Spurious coliform counts on the second, third and fourth days were believed to have resulted from contanination during the packaging of the samples. On the tenth and eleventh days, the counts again dropped so that the particular packages in question may have received more of the preservatives . ■> ZQb2 & The foregoing data clearly shows that the the present Invention is capable of maintaining acceptable bacterial counts for at least six days and possibly longer even after the meat has been previously stored for an extended period of time when the meat is held at normal refrigeration temperatures.

EXAMPLE VII Several compositions were formulated having the following b as es: Composition I Composition II Sodium Bisulfite Sodium Carbonate Ascorbic Acid Sodium Bisulfite Sodium Carbonate Citric Acid Composition III. Sodium Bisulfite Sodium Carbonate Citric Acid Ascorbic Acid Composition IV. Sodium Bisulfite Sodium Carbonate Citric Acid Sodium Bisulfite Sodium Carbonate Citric Acid Ascorbic Acid Composition V.

- Equal Parts Equal Parts Equal Parts 85£ 10? 5% 85% % 2 hi 2 3f%- A variety of experiments were conducted with beef. All experiments were conducted on the same piece of beef. The samples were cut into equal quantities and two ounces of each of the compositions were used to treat each portion of meat.

I 2 0626 All portions of meat were stored under identical refrigerated conditions and the condition of each portion evaluated daily for a period of sixteen days. The results are shown in the following table.

TABLE II I TT III rv V l Good Good Good Good Good 2 Good Good Good Good Good 3 Good Brown Good Good Good H Brown Dark Brown Good Good Good Dark Brown -Decayed Good Brown Good 6 Decayed Good Dark Brown Good 7 Good Decayed Brown 8 Good Dark Brown 9 Gocd Decayed .Good 11 Good 12 Good 13 Good It Good Good 16 .

Good Sample III is the comoosition of the present invention.

It can be seen that the meat treated with the composition Z-230 206260 of the present invention retained its good color characteristics for the full sixteen days of the test.

The meat treated with Sample I, sodium bisulfite, sodium carbonate and ascorbic acid only, retained its good color for only three days. On the fourth day it was brown, the fifth day it was dark brown and on the sixth day it had decayed.

The meat treated with Formula II, the formula without ascorbic acid, retained its good color for only two days. The meat turned brown on the third day, on the fourth day it turned dark brown and on the fifth day it was decayed.

The meat treated with Formula IV retained its good color for four days. The meat turned brown on the fifth day, dark brown on the sixth day and had decayed on the seventh day.

The meat treated with Formula V retained its good color for six days. On the seventh day it turned brown, on the eighth day it turned dark brown and on the ninth day it had decayed.

EXAMPLE VIII A three pound piece of fresh codfish and a three pound piece of fresh bluefish were cut into equal portions. A two pound portion of fresh scallops was divided into equal portions.

Thirty grams of the composition of Example I was thoroughly dissolved in one quart of water. One of the portions of codfish, one of the portions of bluefish and one of the portions of scallops were left untreated and one treated

Claims (13)

Z-230 2 062 o with a fine spray of the aqueous composition so that the treated materials v/ere thoroughly wetted. The treated and untreated materials were stored under ambient conditions. All untreated samples were spoiled in 5 two days. All treated samples maintained their freshness for 25 days under the ambient conditions of storage. 15 20 25 30 -13- 20t>260 Z-230 vO"C- ^ •WM 15 LLATMED l^r

1. A composition for treating edible products to maintain the desirable color thereof and to maintain freshness consisting essentially of from 10 to 40$ by weight of each of the following components: 5 (a) a material selected from the group consisting of ascorbic acid, the sodium and potassium salts thereof and, mixtures thereof; (b) a material selected from the group consisting of citric acid, the sodium and potassium salts thereof 10 and mixtures thereof; (c) a material selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate and mixtures thereof; and (d) a material selected from the group consisting of 15 sodium and potassium sulfite, bisulfite and metabisulfite and mixtures thereof.

2. A composition according to claim 1 wherein said components are present in substantially equal quantities.

3. A composition according to claim 1 wherein said components are ascorbic acid, citric acid, sodium carbonate and sodium bisulfite. & 2C Hit- z-230 5 10

4. A composition according to claim 1 wherein said composition is dissolved in water.

5- A method for treating edible products to maintain the desirable color thereof and to maintain freshness which comprises applying to said edible product from 1/4 ounce to 2 pounds per hundred pounds of product a composition consisting essentially of from 10 to 40% by weight of each of the following components: (a) a material selected from the group consisting of ascorbic acid, the sodium and potassium salts thereof and mixtures thereof; (b) a material selected from the group consisting of citric acid, the sodium and potassium salts thereof and mixtures thereof; (c) a material selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate, potassium carbonate and mixtures thereof; and (d) a material selected from the group consisting of sodium and potassium sulfite, bisulfite and metabisulfite and mixtures thereof.

6. A method according to claim 5 wherein said components are present in substantially equal quantities.

7. A method according to claim 5 wherein said components are ascorbic acid, citric acid, sodium carbonate and sodium bisulfite. -15- 20e>; j*

8. A method according to claim 5 wherein said composition is dissolved in water.

9- A method according to claim 5 wherein said edible product is meat and meat products.

10. A method according to claim 5 wherein said edible' product is fish and fish products.

11. A method according to claim 5 wherein said edible products are fruits and vegetables.

12. A composition according to claim 1 for treating edible products to maintain the desirable color thereof and to maintain freshness substantially as herein described with reference to the Examples.

13. A method according to claim 5 for treating edible products to maintain the desirable color thereof and to maintain freshness substantially as herein described with reference to the Examples. By His/Thoir authorised A. J. PARK & SON Per: './> ' • - < ■ !• ' j<v>i « ...kunfionw A Agent c/ v-\. -16-