Food or edible material: processes – compositions – and products – Preserving or modifying color by use of diverse additive – Red heme – i.e. – meat pigment
Reexamination Certificate
2001-06-05
2004-08-17
Weinstein, Steve (Department: 1761)
Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products
Preserving or modifying color by use of diverse additive
Red heme, i.e., meat pigment
C426S265000, C426S262000, C426S263000, C426S315000, C426S320000, C426S326000, C426S332000, C426S393000, C426S643000, C426S316000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06777012
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention is generally related to the preservation of seafood and other food products for consumer consumption, and more particularly is related to a process for preserving fish by treating fish with smoke and ozone to retard degradation of the fish and maintain the fresh-like appearance of the fish. Optionally, the fish can then be frozen to further prolong its shelf life
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The preservation of fish has been a major concern for fishermen and fish processors for centuries. Originally man salted and dried fish to preserve it. Since the advent of mechanical refrigeration, the fish have been preserved by freezing and refrigeration, thus permitting fishermen to make longer fishing trips, as well as transport the fish long distances over land or water.
The length of time over which fish maintains its freshness is commonly referred to as its shelf life. The shelf life of fish is determined by a number of factors, including the total number of each type of bacteria initially present, the specific types of bacteria present, the temperature of the flesh of the fish and of the surrounding atmosphere, and the pH of the fish. It is known that to extend the shelf life of fish, one may, for example, reduce the number of bacteria present using chemical means, freezing or other methods, create an acidic pH and/or maintain the product below 5° C. in its fresh state. The most common process employed to extend the shelf life of fish is freezing.
An inherent problem with freezing fish is its loss of the “fresh” attributes such as a “pink” or “red” meat color to both the fish flesh and the “blood line” in the fish. The loss of these attributes causes the value of the frozen fish to be much less than the value of fish that has not been previously frozen. This loss of value is an interpretation of the quality of the fish by the consumer. The color of the flesh and blood line of the fish is a major factor in the selling of seafood at the consumer level. Most consumers purchase fish with their “eyes” rather than with any other factor, such as smell, taste or texture. Therefore, it is desirable to maintain the “fresh” pink/red color of the seafood products as long as possible in order to sell the product at a premium to consumers.
Although many factors may effect changes to the color of fish products, the main reduction of color results from damage to the hemoglobin pigments in the fish. Several of the primary causes for the reduction of hemoglobin pigments, resulting in a corresponding reduction in the “fresh” color of the fish, include oxidation of the “red” hemoglobin pigments in the flesh to a “brown” color; bacterial decomposition of the cells containing the hemoglobin pigments; and destruction and oxidation of the hemoglobin pigment during freezing.
Most unfrozen fish is considered “fresh” for as many as 30 days from catching. However, unfrozen fish this old usually contains high levels of dangerous bacterial decomposition. Bacterial decomposition of fish is the cellular breakdown of the flesh of the fish due to the digestive enzymes of bacteria present on or within the flesh of the fish. Conversely, frozen fish is usually frozen upon catching which reduces the likelihood that the fish will contain significant or harmful levels of bacterial decomposition.
In order to preserve the freshness of the fish and maintain the color of the flesh and blood line to a satisfactory consumer level, processes using smoking and freezing techniques have been applied.
Smoking of fish has been one of the major forms of fish preservation for centuries. Smoking involves the burning of organic substances, such as wood, to produce a complex mix of over 400 separate chemical compounds. These compounds, when continually exposed to fish flesh, are absorbed into the meat over time and impart a smoke flavor to the flesh. The smoke compounds act as a natural “bacteriostat” and greatly increase the refrigerated shelf life of the flesh (up to three times the un-smoked shelf life). Smoking of fish increases the shelf life by killing a majority of the bacteria initially present, and then creating an acidic environment that slows the growth of bacteria over time in refrigerated conditions. The compounds in the smoke that are primarily responsible for the extension of the shelf life of fish are the aldehydes and phenols, as well as CO, CO
2
, NO, NO
2
, which are the main gaseous components of smoke. These compounds maintain the “fresh” color of the fish, as well as prevent the growth of bacteria both on the surface of the fish and within the flesh.
However, one of the problems inherent in smoking fish products to impart preservation properties is that the smoke odor and/or smoke taste remains present in the fish flesh. Additionally, smoke that is produced from organic fuel materials typically contains particulates, such as creosote, tar, soot, etc., which are undesirable elements to have in contact with the fish product. Thus, it is beneficial to provide a smoke that has had some of the particulate removed and further remove the smoke odor/taste while still maintaining the extended shelf life.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,972,401 to Kowalski discloses a process for manufacturing a tasteless, super-purified smoke for the treatment of seafood and meat. The super-purified smoke is then applied to seafood or meat to preserve the freshness, color, texture, and natural flavor, particularly after the seafood or meat is frozen and thawed. Kowalski teaches that the smoke must be super-purified by filtering out a substantial amount of odor and taste imparting particulate matter and gaseous vapors, thereby recovering the smoke in a tasteless form. Thus, Kowalski is limited in that it requires that the smoke be super-purified into a tasteless form in order to prevent the impartation of the smoke odor or taste to the seafood or meat products.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,484,619 to Yamaoka discloses a process for smoking fish and meat at low temperatures, thereby conferring a smoked flavor and taste, and further preventing decomposition and discoloration of the fish or meat. As in Kowalski, the smoke is filtered to remove the larger particulates and provide a smoke that will preserve, sterilize and aid in maintaining the color of the flesh of the fish or meat. However, Yamaoka teaches that the smoke odor or taste will remain in the fish or meat and that the temperature of application of the smoke is important. Specifically, the Yamaoka smoke preservation process must be carried out at extremely low temperatures (between 0 and 5° C.) in order to maintain the freshness and quality of the fish or meat products Therefore, Yamaoka is limited to a smoke process for preserving fish or meat products wherein the product will retain a smoke odor or taste, and the process is further limited to a narrow range of temperature conditions.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,120,237 to Brenner et al. discloses a method for partially drying and then smoking fish fillets to preserve them. The fish fillets were first dried to remove a substantial portion of the moisture present and then treated within a smoke atmosphere. This method imparted a smoke flavor to the dried fillets and aided in the prevention of the fish deterioration.
It is also known to preserve the freshness or color of fish or other meat products by several other methods of treatment. U.S. Pat. No. 3,859,450 to Alsina teaches that melanosis (blackening) in shellfish is prevented by application of an innocuous acid solution followed by carbon dioxide gas. The resultant chemical reaction between the acid solution and the carbon dioxide produces carbonic anhydride that penetrates the shellfish and prevents melanosis during preservation by freezing. The process also discloses that the use of a food preservative, such as metabisulphite, will prolong the preservation of the original taste and texture of the shellfish after thawing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,835 to Woodruff et al. discloses a process for maintaining good color in meat, poultry and fish products. Specifically, Woodruff teaches that su
Brinsmade Douglas B.
Olson Blane E.
Thomas Kayden Horstemeyer & Risley
Weinstein Steve
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