Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Dormant ferment containing product – or live microorganism...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-03
2001-10-30
Nessler, Cynthia L. (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Dormant ferment containing product, or live microorganism...
C426S063000, C426S055000, C426S058000, C426S250000, C426S540000, C426S652000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06309681
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a marinade for fish and meat products and to a process for flavoring the fish or meat products with the marinade.
BACKGROUND ART
Food products such as chicken, meats, and fish are often marinated before they are cooked. Marinades are known that add flavor to food products, that prevent the food products from losing moisture during cooking, or that effect the appearance of the cooked product.
Food products such as chicken, meat, and fish may be treated with a marinade before being cooked to minimize moisture loss during cooking, thus providing a juicier cooked product. European Patent 576,276 discloses a food coating to retain fluids in meat during cooking or storage. The coating consists of albumen, milk protein, starch and water. The food coating may also contain edible oil, salt, and unmodified starch. The coated food is heated to partially coagulate the albumen, denature the milk protein, and gelatinise the starch. The heat treated cooked food is then combined with sauces, retorted or vacuum packed, and heated to microbiological stability. The coating enhances fluid retention in the food during its preparation for immediate or subsequent consumption and during storage.
European Patent 643,923 discloses a coating for fish or meat that is a dry particulate mixture of 5-50 weight percent heat set protein and 95-50 weight percent unmodified starch. The ratio of protein to starch is 2-6:10. The protein is egg white protein or albumen and the starch is potato starch. After coating, the meat or fish is cooked, heated to an appropriate internal core temperature, and chilled or deep frozen. The coating enhances moisture retention during food preparation and storage.
It is also known to coat foods in order to impart a certain appearance to the cooked food product, such as a browned appearance. U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,837 discloses a coating composition for imparting a crisp golden brown surface to foodstuffs cooked in a microwave. The coating includes a blend of bread crumbs and oil, dextrin, pre-gelatanized starch, and soy protein concentrate.
Similarly, Australian Patent 96-70,458 discloses a coating mix composition which when coated onto moistened vegetables imparts a crisp golden brown texture with the taste, texture, and appearance of a fried food coating when the vegetables are baked. The product is neither oily or soggy. The composition includes bread crumbs, partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, modified starch, powdered shortening, carbohydrate adhesive, protein, vegetable lecithin, and seasonings.
Marinades that add flavor to food products are also known. A variety of marinades are commercially available to consumers which impart a variety of flavors to chicken, meats, and fish. These marinades typically require that an acidulant like vinegar, wine, or yogurt and oil be added before marinating. Moreover, it is necessary to marinate the food product for several hours or longer before cooking the food.
Currently there is no single marinade that can simultaneously add flavor, retain moisture, and brown the food in a single product. Thus, there remains a need for a marinade of this type so that flavor can be enhanced while the texture and color of the food product after cooking can be maintained. Furthermore, it would be desirable to have a marinade that does not require additional ingredients such as oil, vinegar, wine, or yogurt and does not require that the food product be marinated for a long period of time before cooking. Ideally, the marinade would be a solid powder that could be coated on the food or a liquid that could be sprayed or brushed on the food and would not require the food to be held for a long time prior to cooking. The present invention resolves this need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a multi-functional marinade for fish or meat products. The multi-functional marinade includes three components. The first component is at least one flavoring agent in an amount sufficient to impart a flavor to the cooked product. The second component is a browning agent in an amount sufficient to impart a brown color to the cooked product. The browning agent includes a chromogen, a filler, and an enzyme modified ingredient. The enzyme modified ingredient is preferably a mixture of a carbonate and a dairy source that has been treated with a lactase, a protease, and then spray dried. The third component is partially hydrogenated fat in an amount sufficient to improve the mouthfeel of the cooked product.
The multi-functional marinade may also include a fourth component. The fourth component is a texture improvement agent in an amount sufficient to reduce moisture loss during cooking of the fish or meat product. The texture improvement agent typically includes a starch such as an oxidized starch or unmodified starch, and a protein, such as egg white powder, soy protein or whey protein.
Generally, the multi-functional marinade may be in the form of a dry powder, or in a liquid form. The liquid form may be a water-in-oil or oil-in-water emulsion prepared by mixing the dry powder with oil and water.
The invention also relates to a process for flavoring a fish or meat product by contacting the fish or meat product with the multi-functional marinade and then cooking the product to obtain an enhancement in flavor, texture, or color. The chicken or meat is cooked to a core temperature of between about 145° to 180° F. The method of cooking is at least one selected from the group consisting of grilling, steam cooking, oven cooking in conduction ovens, oven cooking in convection ovens, deep-frying, pan frying, and microwave cooking.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention relates to a multi-component marinade for a fish or meat product that can be conveniently applied. The term “fish or meat product” means any edible product that contains any fish or meat as the primary components. “Meat” includes chicken, beef, pork, lamb, turkey, or others whether used alone or in combination in a food product that is to be cooked before eating. The marinade enhances at least one of flavor, texture, or color of the final product.
The marinade may be used as a dry blend, or may be suspended in an emulsion to give a liquid multi-component marinade. The liquid marinade is a water-in-oil or an oil-in-water emulsion. The marinade flavors the fish or meat, retains moisture in the fish or meat, and browns the fish or meat when it is cooked. The marinade can be used with any method of cooking including, but not limited to, grilling, steam cooking, oven cooking, deep-frying, pan frying, microwave cooking, and cooking in a COMBI-OVEN™ (commercially available from Altosham Inc. of Menomonee Falls, Wis.). The marinade includes three components: a flavor component, a browning agent, and partially hydrogenated fat. The marinade may optionally include a fourth component which is a texture improvement agent.
The flavoring agent is present in an amount of about 10-60 percent by weight of the marinade. Preferably, the flavoring agent is present in an amount of about 20-50 percent by weight of the marinade and more preferably in an amount of 35-45 percent by weight of the marinade.
The browning agent is present in an amount of about 1-15 percent by weight of the marinade, preferably about 2-8 percent by weight of the marinade, and more preferably 3-5 percent by weight of the marinade.
The partially hydrogenated fat is present in an amount of about 10-60 percent by weight of the marinade, preferably about 15-35 percent by weight of the marinade, and more preferably 18-22 percent by weight of the marinade.
The texture improvement agent, if present, is present in an amount of about 30-60 percent by weight of the marinade, preferably about 32-38 percent by weight of the marinade.
The flavoring agent can be any blend of ingredients which are generally used in the food industry to flavor fish and/or meats. The flavoring agent is in a powdered form so that it can easily be mixed into the dry form of the marinade or into the emulsion
Dionis Catherine
Kim Hyung
Loizeau Gerard
Prasad Nikhil
Vadehra Dharam
Nessler Cynthia L.
Nestec S.A.
Winston & Strawn
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