Process for producing a lumpy meat product

Details Process for producing a lumpy meat product Process for producing a lumpy meat product

1996-11-07

1999-09-28

Eisenschenk, Frank C.

Food or edible material: processes, compositions, and products

Packaged or wrapped product

Packaged product is animal flesh

426246, 426393, 426397, 426512, 426524, 426574, 426805, A23L 131, A23L 336, A23K 110

Patent

active

059584874

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates to a process for producing a meat product, such as animal food, more particularly intended for pets or the like, comprising substantially lumpy meat material on the one hand and a substantially liquid sauce or gravy on the other and filled into a pack, such as a shell pack, tin can, film pack, etc., in which the meat raw material is cut up into meat lumps and together with the gravy is introduced into the packing material, such as a base of a container comprising a base and a top and finally the packing material is processed to a substantially liquid and gas-tight pack and a sterilization process is performed.
Meat products of the aforementioned type, such as are in particular used for the feeding of pet dogs or cats, have hitherto e.g. been produced in such a way that the meat raw material is cooled to approximately -5.degree. C. and is then cut up at this temperature and then the meat material comprising the thus produced meat lumps and optionally accompanied by the addition of prefabricated meat and/or vegetable-based shaped pieces are filled into the base of the container, e.g. a known shelf or tray pack, which can e.g. be produced by the deep drawing of coated sheet aluminium. As soon as the solid ingredients have been filled into the base the sauce or gravy is added, before fitting the top and the connection thereof with the base in a substantially gas and liquid-tight manner, e.g. by using a covering foil or film. It is known that the gravy can be mixed with the meat material prior to introduction into the base. In any case the gravy which, in both the known process and that according to the invention can contain various condiments, passes into the base in a liquid or at least flowable state, with a varyingly high viscosity.
Even in the case of a precise volume or weight dosing of the material to be introduced into the base and comprising a lumpy and a liquid phase, particularly as a result of the high throughput of modern filling plants, it is unavoidable that splashed gravy will e.g. pass onto the sealing edge or rim of the base of a shell pack, which then during the subsequent sealing of the top and base leads to a leak at the joint in question, which is unfavourable for the keeping quality or life of the meat product.
It has in particular been found that in the known procedure as a result of the heat treatment during subsequent sterilization occurring on sealing the container there is a detrimental effect on the appearance of the container content, because at the transition between the liquid gravy phase and the solid, lumpy phase there is a pasty transition zone, which makes the container content or the meat product sometimes appear as an unattractive, uniform mass, whereas it is in fact desirable for the lumpy nature of the meat product to be clearly visible on opening the container and with a pronounced separation between the liquid and solid phases. The same disadvantageous phenomenon occurs if the pack is not constituted by a solid container, but e.g. by a film or foil pack.
The problem of the invention is to so further develop the process of the aforementioned type that the lumpy state of the meat product is improved and the pack seal increased, whilst in particular ensuring low manufacturing and material costs.
According to the invention this problem is solved in that the meat material, comprising meat lumps and the gravy are compression moulded to a shaped article and the latter is fed in an at least surface-frozen state into the packing material.
The meat raw material in frozen form can be cut up into meat lumps and both the meat material formed therefrom and the gravy, whereby the latter is in granule form, are compression moulded to a shaped article in the frozen, solid and quasi-dry state and as such is introduced in the frozen, solid, quasi-dry state into the packing material.
In an embodiment of the invention, prefabricated meat or vegetable-based shaped portions are added to the meat lumps for forming the meat material.
The invention also proposes that the me

REFERENCES:
patent: 3677167 (1972-07-01), Berg
patent: 4929456 (1990-05-01), Bejarano-Wallens et al.
patent: 5314705 (1994-05-01), Hansson

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