WO2001087089A2

WO2001087089A2 - Food products processed from offal components

Info

Publication number: WO2001087089A2
Application number: PCT/IB2001/000858
Authority: WO
Inventors: Petrus Conrad Van Der Merwe
Original assignee: Mouton, Marie, Chrystelle
Priority date: 2000-05-18
Filing date: 2001-05-17
Publication date: 2001-11-22
Also published as: WO2001087089A3; AU2001258674A1

Abstract

A non-meat food product formed from offal, and a method of making the food product. The food product is substantially comprised of a red offal portion and a dirty offal portion, which are combined to form the food product.

Description

FOOD PRODUCTS PROCESSED FROM OFFAL COMPONENTS

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

THIS invention relates to food products processed from offal components.

Food products such as burgers, sausages and the like are well known. These products mainly comprise meat components that have been minced and formed into the desired food product. It is known for such products to be supplemented with certain offal components, typically "red offal", which replace the meat and thereby the manufacturing cost of the food product is reduced. Despite this supplementation, these products are still considered, and marketed as, meat products and the inclusion of offal components is not usually clearly reflected.

In addition, offal is often discarded or remains in an unprocessed form. However, offal products provide a significant part of the dietary requirements of certain communities, especially in the less affluent areas of the population. There are also numerous benefits to products which are comprised primarily of offal components and offal is relatively inexpensive. As many consumers enjoy offal, there is a need for food products comprising a combination of offal components only.

A slaughtered animal carcass is essentially made up of three primary components, namely bone, meat and what is generally referred to as "offal" or "the fifth quarter". For the purposes of this specification the term "meat", unless specifically stated, relates to the flesh of the animal of the type that is generally prepared in the form of certain traditional cuts by a butcher. Furthermore, for purposes of this specification the term "offal" relates to those components of the animal carcass that are not bone or meat. Offal may be further sub-categorised into "red offal" and "dirty offal". Dirty offal refers to the intestines, the stomach (also referred to as "tripe") and to the heels of the animal. Red offal refers to the remainder of the offal components that are not dirty offal.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a food product formed from offal, the food product substantially comprising a red offal portion and a dirty offal portion, wherein the red and dirty offal portions are combined to form the food product. Typically, the red and/or dirty offal portions are minced, and the food product may be cooked or partially cooked.

The food product may further including a binding agent, typically formed from a gelatin and/or a bread crumb and egg combination. The gelatin may conveniently be extracted from the hooves of the particular animal from which the offal is sourced. The binding agent may be warmed to approximately 30° prior to being combined with the offal mixture to facilitate mixing.

Preferably, the food product is a burger or pattie, a sausage (including the types known as boerewors, viennas, russians, polony, frankfurters etc.) or the like. Other minced products such as meatballs and pies are also included.

Typically, the dirty offal portion comprises no more than 50% of the total red and dirty offal portions combined, and the dirty offal portion has at least 25% large tripe. Preferably, the red offal portion comprises at least 30% of the total food product. The ratio of red to dirty offal portions is preferably in proportion to that of the animal from which the offal is sourced.

Conveniently, liver comprises no more than 40% of the total red offal portion, and both lung and lip-meat each comprise no more than 30% of the total red offal portion. Furthermore, at least 30% of the total red offal portion is comprised of one or more red offal products taken from the group including head, heart and skirt.

The food product may additionally comprise one or more other non-meat products, typically from the group including soya, vegetables, cheese and fruits. Furthermore, the red offal and dirty offal may be of differing animal species that are utilised in combination. The nutritional make-up of the food products may be adapted according to vitamin, mineral, fat, acid levels according to specific dietary needs of specific consumers and consumer groupings.

The food product may be substantially formed from a plurality of red offal constituents which are combined to form the food product.

According to another aspect of invention there is provided a method of making a food product formed from offal, the method including the steps of: trimming excess fat from a dirty offal portion, washing the dirty offal portion, combining a red offal portion with the dirty offal portion, and forming a food product from the mixture.

Typically the method also includes the step of mincing the red and/or dirty offal portion prior to combining the red and dirty offal portions, and the step of cooking the dirty offal portion, thereby removing some moisture and excess fat.

An additional step of providing a binding agent into the food product may be provided, typically being a gelatin and/or a bread crumb and egg combination. Conveniently, the binding agent is warmed to approximately 30° prior to being combined with the offal mixture.

Other steps may be included in the method, including the step of chilling the dirty offal portion to 0° C after the washing and/or cooking and/or mincing, and the step of chilling the red offal portion to 0° C before and/or after mincing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The preferred form of the invention relates to burgers, patties, or the like, made primarily from the offal components of a slaughtered animal, and to the process for producing these food products. Generally, ox and sheep offal is used in the food product, although this may be supplemented or replaced with offal from other domestic or wild animals.

In this description reference will generally be made only to ox offal, although reference to the word "ox" is not to be understood as limiting the invention to male cattle, and female cattle are equally suitable. The respective weights of the offal components of an ox used in the preferred form of the food product, relative to the carcass, is set out in Table 1 below. Table 1

Table 1 is based on the total weight average of a slaughtered ox carcass, namely 210 kg. The total weight of red and dirty offal portions used in the food product, washed and prior to processing, is accordingly an average of 36,8 kg.

Certain binding agents may also be used in combination with the offal portions, including gelatine which is also an offal product and is extracted as a jelly like substance from the cooking of cleaned cow heels. A combination of egg and bread crumbs also serves as suitable binding agent in food products such as burgers and the like, although alternative binding agents may be more suitable in other food products, such as viennas and polony. Binding consistency may further be improved by the inclusion of soya, carrageenan, vegetable proteins, phosphates and emulsifiers. In the preferred embodiment of the food product, the ratio of red to dirty offal portions is in similar proportion to that of a standard carcass. The final mixture of the ingredients of a burger, from a standard 210 kg ox carcass, is set out in Table 2 below.

Table 2

Other red offal ingredients may include the tongue, the tail, the spleen and the kidneys. The structural integrity of a food product is of particular importance in formed products such as burgers, patties, sausages and the like, and this must be considered in the method of preparation. In the preferred embodiment, the dirty offal is prepared and processed first, as this is the most time consuming and extensive part of the process. In the first cycle of the preparation, the dirty offal is washed at approximately room temperature (20° C) and all excess fat is trimmed and removed. Trimmed dirty offal is then washed thoroughly with cold water and chilled to 0° C. The chilling of the dirty offal is essential to prevent decomposition and to contain bacteria, as is the case with meat.

In the second cycle, the dirty offal is cut into smaller pieces and further trimming of excess fat is undertaken. The pieces are again washed thoroughly with cold water. The dirty offal pieces are then cooked, in the third cycle, for approximately 30 minutes and in sufficient water to cover the pieces. The cooking results in a loss in weight of dirty offal, of approximately one third, and this is attributable to the loss of moisture and fat in the offal pieces. The cooking provides for an improved final food product as weight and size loss during cooking of the complete food product is minimised. In this manner the structural integrity of the food product is improved.

The dirty offal pieces are then drained, cooled and again chilled to 0° C. The cooking of the offal pieces in the third cycle also serves to tenderise the dirty offal, as the subsequent cooking of the final burger food product alone would not provide sufficient time to achieve this effect. The cooking of the dirty offal pieces also ensures that the dirty offal is cleaned more thoroughly, and this also contributes to an enhanced life span and shelf life of the food product.

The fourth cycle in the process involves the mincing of the pieces through a 13 mm mincing plate, followed by further mincing through an 8 mm mincing plate. The minced dirty offal is then stored at 0° C until the final mixing process commences. It has been found that tripe may be scalded and only partially cooked prior to being minced successfully. It should be appreciated that although it is preferable for dirty offal to be precooked, this is not strictly necessary provide the offal is well washed. Furthermore, it may be desirable, in some food products, to have a consistency and texture that is more coarse, such as in pies, in mince and in sausage products.

Turning to the red offal, the heart, skirts, head-meat, lip-meat and tongue root are trimmed of all excess fat and cooled to 0° C. These red offal products are then minced separately through a 13 mm mincing plate. In respect of liver, however, all excess fat is first removed and the liver is cut into slices of approximately 0,2 kg and chilled to -5° C. If the liver slices are not cooled in this manner, mincing of the liver tends to result in a texture that is similar to a paste, which is undesirable. The chilled liver slices are minced through a 13 mm mincing plate and stored at -5° C until added to the final mixture.

In respect of the lung, excess fat is removed and the lung is cut into cubes and cooked for approximately 3 minutes. Lung is difficult to mince in a raw state and tends to swell by approximately one third on cooking. If this step is not undertaken prior to the cooking of the burger, binding of the minced food product may be compromised. The cooking of the lung in this manner also reduces the fat component of the final food product. The lung is then cooled to 0° C and minced through a 13 mm mincing plate. The minced lung is then stored at 0° C until added to the final mixture.

In the preferred embodiment of the burger food product, a binding agent is utilised, which is preferably extracted from cleaned cow-heels that have been cooked for at least two hours, until the meat is tender and all of the gelatine may be removed. The solid agents, comprising meat and bone, are separated from the liquid gelatine. The gelatine is then cooled to room temperature where it remains in liquid form. Bread crumbs and beaten egg are mixed together and added to the gelatine. The binding agent may be stored at room temperature until added to the final mixture.

When all of the dirty and red offal components have been processed, these are mixed well at 0° C. The binding agent is warmed to approximately 30° to achieve a slightly more fluid state and is mixed in to the offal mixture. The complete mixture is then minced through a 3 mm mincing plate and cooled to 0° C. The mixture is then formed into the desired product prior to cooking, which may then be undertaken in the conventional manner.

The burger may be pre-cooked at a temperature of no more than 90°C in a plastic polony casing to form a patty. This process improves the binding of the food product and enables vegetables, cheese, fruits and the like to be successfully incorporated into the recipe, and potatoes are used in particular to neutralise the iron taste of liver.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention no colourants or preservatives are used, although it will be appreciated that use of such ingredients falls within the scope of the invention. Also other non-meat products, as defined, such as soya may be combined with the food product, and various alternative binding agents may be utilised. Preferably, the food products are manufactured according to a ratio of red to dirty offal which is approximately proportional to the ratio of these components in the animal carcass. However, it will be appreciated that variations in the ratios of offal components are within the contemplation of the invention.

The dirty offal portion of the food product is not strictly necessary and only red offal components could be used in the food product. However, it is preferred that a portion of dirty offal be utilised as this reduces the cost of the food product. Generally, no more than approximately 50% of dirty offal should be used in the mixture, as taste and colour of the food product will be compromised. Moreover, large tripe should comprise a minimum of 25% of the dirty offal portion. A minimum of 30% of the total food product should comprise red offal components. In addition, at least 30% of the red offal portion should be made up of one or more of the group consisting of head, heart and skirt. It is preferred that no more than 40% of the total red offal portion be liver as this will tend to dominate the taste of the product. Furthermore, no more than 30% should be made up of lung because, as discussed above, lung tends to swell by approximately one third in volume and this causes problems with the structural integrity of the product. Lip-meat tends to become jelly-like on cooking and should preferably not comprise more than 30% of the total red offal portion.

It has been found that a combination of ox head meat, skirt, heart, lung, tripe, intestine and tongue provides a successful burger product.

Furthermore, it is contemplated that offal components of different animals may be utilised in the creation of the food products. The red offal of sheep, pork and wild game species may supplement or replace the red ox offal, and the dirty offal of sheep, wild animals and herbivore intestines, small tripe and large tripe may be used. Chicken intestines, gizzards and liver have also been found to improve the taste and appearance of the food products.

It will be appreciated that the object of the present invention is to provide an offal based food product, and not to economise on the meat components usually associated with such food products. Accordingly, the inclusion of a minimal amount of meat to the food product will fall within the definition of red offal and be within the scope of the invention.

As offal products are relatively inexpensive, many consumers who possibly can not afford meat as such, are provided with an affordable alternative means of obtaining protein food. There are also certain health benefits to eating offal, as opposed to red meat, as the food products are typically low in fat, while having a high nutrient value. Red offal components generally have a high protein content and liver is also a significant source of iron. Dirty offal components tend to be high in fibre and, in combination, offal food products may be more beneficial than meat for people with cholesterol related ailments. It will be appreciated that the nutritional make-up of the food products may be adapted according to vitamin, mineral, fat, acid levels and the like, according to specific dietary needs, by varying the offal component mix.

Furthermore, offal tends to have a tender texture and a distinctive taste which is not as bland as meat. In addition, no colour enhancement of the product is required and the offal is aromatic and flavourful. As the dirty offal is cooked prior to the manufacture of the final food product, there is minimal loss of moisture and the fat content of the offal is reduced before and during processing of the components. Accordingly, unlike meat products, there is no need to unnaturally enhance the offal product for better marketability, or to supplement the product with cheap alternative components to reduce the cost.

Claims

1. A food product formed from offal, the food product substantially comprising a red offal portion and a dirty offal portion, wherein the red and dirty offal portions are combined to form the food product.

2. A food product according to claim 1 , wherein the red and/or dirty offal portions are minced.

3. A food product according to any one of the preceding claims, further including a binding agent.

4. A food product according to claim 3, wherein the binding agent is gelatin and/or a bread crumb and egg combination.

5. A food product according to claim 4, wherein the gelatin is extracted from the hooves of the particular animal from which the offal is sourced.

6. A food product according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the binding agent is warmed to approximately 30° prior to being combined with the offal mixture.

7. A food product according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the food product comprises minced or cubed constituents.

8. A food product according to claim 7, wherein the food product is a burger or patty, or a sausage or the like.

9. A food product according to claim 7, wherein the food product is at least one meatball or a pie.

10. A food product according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the dirty offal portion comprises no more than 50% of the total red and dirty offal portions combined.

11. A food product according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the dirty offal portion is comprised of at least 25% large tripe.

12. A food product according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the red offal portion comprises at least 30% of the total food product.

13. A food product according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ratio of red to dirty offal portions is substantially in proportion to that of the animal from which the offal is sourced.

14. A food product according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the liver comprises no more than 40% of the total red offal portion.

15. A food product according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the total red offal portion is comprised of no more than 30% lung.

16. A food product according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the total red offal portion is comprised of no more than 30% lip-meat.

17. A food product according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least 30% of the total red offal portion is comprised of one or more red offal products taken from the group including head, heart and skirt.

18. A food product according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the red offal portion includes liver that is chilled prior to mincing, thereby preventing the liver from forming a paste.

19. A food product according to claim 18, wherein the liver is chilled to approximately -5° C.

20. A food product according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the red offal portion includes lung that is cooked.

21. A food product according to claim 20, wherein the lung is cooked for approximately three minutes.

22. A food product according to either claim 20 or 21, wherein the lung is cooled to 0° C prior to being minced.

23. A food product according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the food product is .additionally comprised of one or more other non-meat products, selected from the group including soya, vegetables, cheese and fruits.

24. A food product according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the red offal and/or dirty offal of a plurality of differing animal species are utilised in combination.

25. A food product according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the nutritional make-up of the food products is adapted according to vitamin, mineral, fat, acid levels according to specific dietary needs of specific consumers, or consumer groupings.

26. A food product according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the food product is cooked or partially cooked.

27. A food product according claim 26, wherein the food product is at least partially pre-cooked at a temperature substantially equal to, or less than, 90°C in a casing.

28. A food product formed substantially from a plurality of red offal constituents which are combined to form the food product.

29. A method of making a food product formed from offal, the method including the steps of: trimming excess fat from a dirty offal portion, washing the dirty offal portion, combining a red offal portion with the dirty offal portion, and forming a food product from the mixture.

30. A method according to claim 29, further including the step of mincing the red and/or dirty offal portion prior to combining the red and dirty offal portions.

31. A method according to either claim 29 or 30, further including the step of cooking the dirty offal portion thereby removing some moisture and excess fat therefrom.

32. A method according to claim 31 , wherein the dirty offal is cooked for approximately thirty minutes.

33. A method according to any one of claims 29 to 32, further including the step of providing a binding agent into the food product.

34. A method according to claim 33, wherein the binding agent comprises gelatin and/or a bread crumb and egg combination.

35. A method according to claim 34, wherein the gelatin is obtained by extracting the gelatin from the hooves of the particular animal from which the offal is sourced.

36. A method according to any one of claims 29 to 35, further including the step of chilling the dirty offal portion to 0° C after the washing and/or cooking and/or mincing thereof.

37. A method according to any one of claims 29 to 36, further including the step of chilling the red offal portion to 0° C before and/or after mincing thereof.

38. A food product according to any one of claims 29 to 37, wherein the red offal portion includes liver that is chilled prior to mincing, thereby preventing the liver from forming a paste.

39. A food product according to claim 38, wherein the liver is chilled to approximately -5° C.

40. A food product according to any one of claims 29 to 39, wherein the red offal portion includes lung that is cooked.

41. A food product according to claim 40, wherein the lung is cooked for approximately three minutes.

42. A food product according to either claim 40 or 41 , wherein the lung is cooled to 0° C prior to being minced.

43. A food product according to any one of claims 33 to 35, wherein the binding agent is warmed to approximately 30° prior to being combined with the offal mixture.

4. A method according to any one of claims 29 to 43, further including the step of cooking the food product.