Abstract To test raw meat in order to determine how tender it will be upon cooking, a pointed probe is pressed into the meat and the resistance of the meat to the movement of the probe is measured and the result compared with a standard established by similar tests on meat of the same class under similar conditions. The meat may be supported or suspended when the probe is introduced into the meat, and preferably the probe is pressed to a predetermined depth in the meat and at an angle to the grain of the meat. The apparatus employed may include retainer means for holding or suspending the meat to be tested, pointed probe means for penetrating the meat, stop means for limiting the extent of penetration to a predetermined depth, and means for measuring the force of the penetration.
Inventors
👤 Leo J Hansen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number—
JurisdictionUS
Data Sourcegoogle_patents
Last Synchronized2026-10-22 21:05
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N33/00; G01N33/02; G01N33/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
67 words
The process of claim 1 in which a plurality of said probes are uniformly spaced over the cross-sectional area of the exposed face of said muscle, the probes each having a shank of uniform cross section terminating in a pointed end of reduced cross section and the probes being pressed into the muscle face to bring the shanks of the probes into frictional engagement with the meat.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
71 words
In a process for testing a raw meat body to determine how tender it will be after cooking, the steps of pressing to a predetermined depth a pointed probe into a raw meat body which is mounted in suspension and held firmly in its original form against substantial distortion during penetration, and recording as the indication of tenderness the resistance encountered by the probe during its travel into said meat body.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 3 in which a probe is pressed into a plurality of meat bodies to the same depth.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process of claim 3 in which the maximum resistance to the travel of the probe is measured.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
22 words
The process of claim 3 in which said meat body mounted in suspension is an exposed severed muscle in an animal carcass.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
13 words
The process of claim 6 in which said muscle is the longissimus dorsi.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The process of claim 6 in which a cross-sectional area of the exposed severed muscle is tested to given an average resistance reading.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
The process of claim 3 in which said meat body is suspended upon bone in an animal carcass portion.