Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Inhibiting chemical or physical change of food by contact... – Animal flesh – citrus fruit – bean or cereal seed material
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-13
2003-04-22
Cano, Milton I. (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Inhibiting chemical or physical change of food by contact...
Animal flesh, citrus fruit, bean or cereal seed material
C426S321000, C426S324000, C426S326000, C426S524000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06551641
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to equipment and processes for processing and packaging fresh fish or poultry or meat to retard deterioration and promote extended shelf life.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Fish, poultry and meat products are commonly processed from catch or slaughter to market distribution in cold or frozen condition to retard the rate of decay of the product attributable to microorganisms present in the product. Extended shelf lives for such products commonly result from maintaining the products in frozen conditions during final processing, packaging, distribution and display. However, for such products that are not conducive to processing, packaging, distribution or display in frozen condition, icing down or otherwise refrigerating such products to cool, non-frozen condition is an alternative procedure that attains some extension of shelf life though not as extensively as in frozen condition. However, frozen product once thawed and non-frozen product commonly deteriorate rapidly out of an iced or refrigerated environment, attributable to microorganisms present on the surface of the product as well as within the product that remain present from initial processing and that are capable of rapid proliferation at elevated temperatures. In contrast to fresh produce that may be harvested in the field or orchard or vineyard and that is inherently immune from deterioration at the moment of harvest, fleshy products of fish, poultry and meat are notoriously more prone to rapid deterioration from the moment of catch or slaughter.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, fish, poultry and meat products are initially processed through a series of diverse environments that tend to cycle the respiration rates of the product and significantly diminish the internal and surface concentrations of pathogens which affect decay of the product at elevated temperatures. The resultant product exhibits extended shelf life, even after freezing and thawing, and appealing marketability for enhanced product sales with reduced losses over longer processing, distribution and retailing intervals.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1507328 (1924-09-01), Babigian et al.
patent: 1696704 (1928-12-01), Zellner
patent: 2440911 (1948-05-01), Pancoast
patent: 2522535 (1950-09-01), Pryor et al.
patent: 2860056 (1958-11-01), Bradford
patent: 3240026 (1966-03-01), Van Dolah et al.
patent: 3745026 (1973-07-01), Hansen et al.
patent: 3898854 (1975-08-01), McSheehy et al.
patent: 4015366 (1977-04-01), Hall
patent: 4367630 (1983-01-01), Bernard et al.
patent: 4421823 (1983-12-01), Theisen et al.
patent: 4626456 (1986-12-01), Farrell et al.
patent: 4849237 (1989-07-01), Hurst
patent: 4862557 (1989-09-01), Clayton et al.
patent: 5143739 (1992-09-01), Bender et al.
patent: 5595066 (1997-01-01), Zwanikken et al.
patent: 5632676 (1997-05-01), Kurschner et al.
patent: 5711980 (1998-01-01), Terry
patent: 5939115 (1999-08-01), Kounev et al.
patent: 6050391 (2000-04-01), Terry
patent: 6066348 (2000-05-01), Yuan et al.
patent: 6103286 (2000-08-01), Gutzmann et al.
patent: 6106956 (2000-08-01), Heyn et al.
patent: 6200618 (2001-03-01), Smith et al.
patent: WO8303522 (1983-10-01), None
Perry et al. Perry's Chemical Engineers' Handbook, Seventh Edition, 1997, p. 17-51.
Cano Milton I.
Fenwick & West LLP
Global Food Technologies, Inc.
Madsen Robert
LandOfFree
Fish, poultry, meat processing method does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Fish, poultry, meat processing method, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Fish, poultry, meat processing method will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3024239