Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Removing natural color by chemical reaction – e.g.,... – By heavy metal compound or peroxide
Reexamination Certificate
1998-07-09
2002-02-19
Nessler, Cynthia L. (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Removing natural color by chemical reaction, e.g.,...
By heavy metal compound or peroxide
C426S253000, C426S539000, C252S186100, C252S186430
Reexamination Certificate
active
06348226
ABSTRACT:
I. TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an improved method for bleaching tripe economically. In particular, the method of the present invention employs certain peracid compositions as tripe bleaching or whitening agents. These compositions are applied using aqueous mixtures of peracid precursor and hydrogen peroxide, thereby permitting automation of tripe preparation in a continuous process.
II. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The profitability of a meat packing plant is highly dependent on the ability of the plant to process all of the animal carcass into saleable products. Indeed, the very viability of the plant depends on the overall effectiveness to process portions, such as hides, tallow, and blood, into by-products that can be sold at a profit. This includes the economical processing of edible tissue, such as tripe, into consumable products.
Commercial meat packing plants prepare tripe by first cutting out the stomach of the slaughtered animal and removing the contents. The stomach may be pre-washed with cold water. A number of such stomachs are then washed in a centrifuge with water at approximately 140-170° F. The washed stomachs are then conveyed to a “refiner” where the bleaching chemicals are added. Typically, this device holds about twice as many stomachs as the washing device. In the refiner the product is cleaned by centrifuging in the presence of tripe washing chemicals. The cleaned product is chemically bleached and then neutralized to bring the pH down. The stomachs are then rinsed again and packaged for sale.
A number of materials have been used as tripe bleaching agents. U.S. Pat. No. 3,025,166 shows the use of alkaline materials in the processing of tripe. U.S. Pat. No. 3,475,179 teaches the use of citric, tartaric or lactic acid to produce a neutral pH after initial washing with an alkaline detergent and subsequent bleaching and washing. Potassium silicate is also used currently as a tripe wash. The industry currently uses hydrogen peroxide in 35% concentrated solution. However, hydrogen peroxide does not work particularly well as a cleaner. It only bleaches and does not serve either to clean or neutralize. This is likely due to the fact that hydrogen peroxide is not a detergent; its molecules are too small, and it is highly polar. Accordingly, it does not make contact very well with the tripe.
Multi-step batch processes for washing tripe are not very efficient. Typically, it takes two men to run a washer and a refiner. These personnel add the chemical washing and bleaching agents and monitor the process, e.g., cycle times and water levels. Although attempts have been made to automate the tripe washing process in recent years, to date no fully automated method has been found to successfully accomplish this. Meat packers have attempted to install automated, continuous processes for treating tripe that are more efficient and safer. Theoretically, the manpower required for treating could be cut in half with an automated system. Unfortunately such systems have not been successful, due in part to the fact that typical tripe washing and bleaching agents are solids. Under the hot and humid conditions of a meat packing plant, the powders tend to cake, thereby clogging the dispensing equipment, and resulting in interruption of the tripe washing and bleaching processes as the dispensing equipment is tended to. Moreover, the handling of such solid washing and bleaching agents entails significant safety problems for the workers involved.
For these and other reasons, there has been considerable interest in liquid chemicals for use in tripe processing. If an effective liquid bleaching agent could be found it would enable the use of continuous tripe processing which would be both efficient and safer. The present invention comprises a liquid bleaching agent that demonstrates surprisingly good results and an improved tripe washing process.
III. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is based on the discovery that a combination of certain peracid precursors and aqueous hydrogen peroxide is an effective bleaching agent for tripe. Tartaric and malic acids are the presently preferred peracid precursors.
Preferably the peracid precursor and aqueous hydrogen peroxide are pre-mixed to form a liquid that can be applied effectively in either batch or continuous processes. Accordingly, the bleaching agents can be used in automated processes; the safety of dealing with the bleaching agents is also improved in that there is less chemical handling and potential for burns. The bleaching compositions of the present invention also facilitate washing of the tripe and result in a more pH neutral product. Other advantages are evident from the detailed description and examples described herein.
IV. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
We have discovered that an effective tripe bleaching composition can be prepared comprising:
Peracid precursor
7.5-14% by wt.
Hydrogen Peroxide
9.0-46% by wt.
Water
balance
These percentages for the ingredients are approximate bearing in mind that there are slight variances in the molecular weights of the peracid precursors employed and that bleaching efficacy can be influenced by other factors such as the prior processing of the tripe, time and temperature of the bleaching application, the quantity of bleach applied, etc. Preferably, the peracid precursor is present in an amount of approximately 9 to 12% by weight of the bleaching composition. In general, larger amounts of hydrogen peroxide are preferred. Preferably, hydrogen peroxide is present in an amount of approximately 43% by weight—corresponding to the upper limit allowed by U.S. Department of Transportation regulations.
The peracid precursors may be selected from the group consisting of tartaric, malic, maleic and acetic acids. Of these, tartaric and malic are preferred in part because of their relative solubility, efficacy and cost as well as the other reasons mentioned herein. Malic acid may be especially preferred, particularly when, as at present, it is substantially less expensive than tartaric acid. Acetic acid, while efficacious, is not as useful because of a strong acrid, sour odor associated with its use. The odors associated with acetic acid can also be an allergen for certain people. Other peracid precursors (e.g., citric and lactic acid) are very unstable, and some (e.g., fumaric and succinic acids) have a low solubility rendering them unattractive candidates for commercial use. Formic acid also has significant odor and toxicity problems and, in addition, undergoes an exothermic reaction with aqueous hydrogen peroxide, all of which make it an unsuitable candidate.
Blends of these peracid precursors, i.e., tartaric, malic, maleic and acetic acids, may also be used. A preferred blend comprises tartaric and malic acid precursors.
Preferably, the hydrogen peroxide and peracid precursor are present in a mole ratio of about 0.5-20. This ratio ensures the optimum balance of bleaching performance and economics, utilizing the current cost of raw materials. This optimum is also defined by current permissible shipping limits in the United States. The preferred mole ratio is in the portion of this range above 1% and even more preferably in the portion of the range of 15% or more.
Peroxide is employed in 50% H
2
O
2
aqueous solution, i.e., the maximum concentration of food grade hydrogen peroxide currently available commercially.
The tripe bleaching compositions of the present invention can be used at various stages in the processing of tripe into a saleable product. Preferably, they are added after the tripe has been washed, which improves the contacting of the bleach with the tripe. Washing can be accomplished with water typically at approximately 140° F. for about 4 to 6 minutes. Even more preferably, the bleaching agents of the present invention are added after the washed tripe is cleaned. Typical cleaners include Tripe Wash HV™, Brillo™ and Bruto™ available from Bruto™available from Birko Corporation in Henderson, Col.
Although the ingredients could be mixed on site, on-s
Holzhauer Frederick W.
McAninch Terry L.
Merchant & Gould P.C.
Nessler Cynthia L.
Young Thomas H.
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