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EP0402682A2 Expired / Lapsed EP ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method and apparatus for cooking, pasteurizing and chilling meat

Assignee: Societe des Produits Nestle SA
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Filing: 1990-05-25
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-05-25
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Abstract

Abstract A method of processing meat characterized in that the meat is introduced into a mobile cooking vessel, the vessel is sealed and adjusted to super-atmospheric pressure, a stock liquor is passed through a heat ex­changer to raise its temperature to at least 60°C and circulated through the vessel and heat exchanger for a period of time sufficient to heat up and cook the meat, substantially immediately after which the circulating stock liquor is cooled by the same heat exchanger to a temperature suitable for cooling the meat to 15°C or below within a maximum time of 45 minutes.

Inventors

  • 👤 David Robert Bewley
  • 👤 Christopher John Burton Brimelow
  • 👤 Kenneth William Wright

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction EP
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 15:11
CPC Classifications
A; A23; A23B; A23B4/00; A23B4/06; A23B4/08; A23B4/005; A23B4/0053; A23B4/066

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim 98 words
A method of processing meat characterized in that the meat is introduced into a mobile cooking vessel, the vessel is sealed and adjusted to super-atmospheric pressure, a stock liquor is passed through a heat ex­changer to raise its temperature to at least 60°C and circulated through the vessel and heat exchanger for a period of time sufficient to heat up and cook the meat, substantially immediately after which the circulating stock liquor is cooled by the same heat exchanger to a temperature suitable for cooling the meat to 15°C or below within a maximum time of 45 minutes.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 98 words
A method of processing meat characterized in that the meat is introduced into a mobile cooking vessel, the vessel is sealed and adjusted to super-atmospheric pressure, a stock liquor is passed through a heat ex­changer to raise its temperature to at least 60°C and circulated through the vessel and heat exchanger for a period of time sufficient to heat up and cook the meat, substantially immediately after which the circulating stock liquor is cooled by the same heat exchanger to a temperature suitable for cooling the meat to 15°C or below within a maximum time of 45 minutes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 13 words
A method according to Claim 1 characterized in that the meat is chicken.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 36 words
A method according to Claim 1 characterized in that the meat is prepared into pieces of a size appropriate for the final product and surface fried to seal the surfaces before being introduced into the vessel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 32 words
A method according to Claim 1 characterized in that after the meat has been introduced into the vessel, the vessel is sealed and pressurized to a pressure from 0 to 4 atmospheres.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 32 words
A method according to Claim 1 characterized in that the super-atmospheric pressure is achieved with air, steam, a mixture of steam and air, nitrogen, or other food grade gas or gas mixtures.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 17 words
A method according to Claim 1 characterized in that the heat exchanger is a plate heat exchanger.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 26 words
A method according to Claim 1 characterized that the stock liquor is circulated through the vessel by being pumped upwards from the bottom of the vessel.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 20 words
A method according to Claim 1 characterized in that heating up of the meat takes from 20 to 30 minutes.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 25 words
A method according to Claim 1 characterized in that cooking of the meat is carried out for a period of from 10 to 30 minutes.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 17 words
A method according to Claim 1 characterized in that the cooking temperature is from 60°C to 120°C.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 22 words
A method according to Claim 1 characterized in that provision is made for circulating other marinades in addition to the stock solution.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 22 words
A method according to Claim 1 characterized in that the meat is cooled to a temperature less than 10°C within 30 minutes.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 23 words
A method according to Claim 1 characterized in that during cooling of the meat, a sterile gas is used to pressurize the vessel.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 57 words
A method according to Claim 1 characterized in that after the meat has cooled to the required temperature, the stock liquor is pumped out of the vessel, and the vessel is disconnected and transported to a packing room via a surface cleaning system to sterilise the surface, after which the vessel is opened to remove the meat.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 18 words
A method according to Claim 14 in which the vessel remains under pressure after it has been disconnected.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 28 words
A mobile cooking vessel characterized in that it comprises means for sealing, means for pressurizing, and means for circulating stock liquor through the vessel and a heat exchanger.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 28 words
A mobile cooking vessel characterized in that it comprises means for sealing, means for pressurizing, and means for circulating stock liquor through the vessel and a heat exchanger.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 27 words
A vessel according to Claim 16 characterized in that the vessel is of a size which enables a food product to be introduced and removed by hand.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 29 words
A vessel according to Claim 16 characterized in that the vessel may be provided with one or more removable mesh grids on which the food product may be placed.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 22 words
A vessel according to Claim 16 characterized in that the vessel is provided with means for pressurizing with air or other gases.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 25 words
A vessel according to Claim 16 characterised in that the vessel is provided with stop valves which serve to maintain the pressure within the vessel.

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