US3870808A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method of producing a meat simulating textured food product
Assignee: Nestle Purina PetCare Co
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Filing: 1971-03-16
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Granted: 1975-03-11
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Expires: 1991-03-16
Abstract
Abstract A process of producing an edible textured proteinaceous product is disclosed. The product is produced by freezing a slurry of a protein source material, such as a protein isolate, to form a meaty texture in the protein material and then setting the texture of the frozen protein by heat. The resulting product has certain textural and nutritional properties of natural meat and can be cooked and substituted for flesh in the human diet. By controlling the conditions of freezing, the textural properties of the material can be varied to simulate meat products of a number of types. Process conditions which may be varied include the rate of freezing, pH, the solids content of the material, surface effects, heat exchange effects, degree of confinement, and pressure effects. The heat required to set the protein texture can be applied to a number of methods. Direct steam, retorting, baking and frying are acceptable in setting the protein structure.
Inventors
- 👤 Robert A Boyer
- 👤 John E Middendorf
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 10:43
CPC Classifications
A; A23; A23J; A23J3/00; A23J3/22; A23J3/24; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S426/00; Y10S426/802
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
139 words
A METHOD OF PRODUCING A MEAT SIMULATING TEXTURED FOOD PRODUCT FROM PROTEIN SOURCES COMPRISING THE STEP OF: FORMING AN AQUEOUS SLURRY OF THE PROTEINACEOUS MATERIAL HAVING A SOLIDS CONTENT OF ABOUT 10 - 40 PERCENT BY WEIGHT, CONTROLLING THE PH OF THE PROTEINACEOUS SLURRY TO BETWEEN ABOUT 4 AND 6, CONFINING THE PROTEINACEOUS SLURRY, FREEZING THE PROTEINACEOUS SLURRY TO FORM ICE CRYSTAL LAYERS IN SAID SLURRY THEREBY COMPRESSING AND MOLDING THE PROTEIN MATERIAL OF THE SLURRY INTO LAYERS SPACED APART BY THE ICE CRYSTALS AND HEAT SETTING THE PROTEIN LAYERS INTO AN IRREVERSIBLE SUBSTANTIALLY INSOLUBLE FORM BY HEATING THE FROZEN SLURRY TO A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENTLY HIGH TO ALLOW THE PROTEIN LAYERS TO IRREVERSIBLY SET AND LOWER THAN A TEMPERATURE AT WHICH THE PROTEIN WILL DEGRADE THEREBY MELTING THE ICE CRYSTAL LAYERS TO PRODUCE THE MEAT SIMULATING TEXTURED FOOD PRODUCTS.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
139 words
A METHOD OF PRODUCING A MEAT SIMULATING TEXTURED FOOD PRODUCT FROM PROTEIN SOURCES COMPRISING THE STEP OF: FORMING AN AQUEOUS SLURRY OF THE PROTEINACEOUS MATERIAL HAVING A SOLIDS CONTENT OF ABOUT 10 - 40 PERCENT BY WEIGHT, CONTROLLING THE PH OF THE PROTEINACEOUS SLURRY TO BETWEEN ABOUT 4 AND 6, CONFINING THE PROTEINACEOUS SLURRY, FREEZING THE PROTEINACEOUS SLURRY TO FORM ICE CRYSTAL LAYERS IN SAID SLURRY THEREBY COMPRESSING AND MOLDING THE PROTEIN MATERIAL OF THE SLURRY INTO LAYERS SPACED APART BY THE ICE CRYSTALS AND HEAT SETTING THE PROTEIN LAYERS INTO AN IRREVERSIBLE SUBSTANTIALLY INSOLUBLE FORM BY HEATING THE FROZEN SLURRY TO A TEMPERATURE SUFFICIENTLY HIGH TO ALLOW THE PROTEIN LAYERS TO IRREVERSIBLY SET AND LOWER THAN A TEMPERATURE AT WHICH THE PROTEIN WILL DEGRADE THEREBY MELTING THE ICE CRYSTAL LAYERS TO PRODUCE THE MEAT SIMULATING TEXTURED FOOD PRODUCTS.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
139 words
A method of producing a meat simulating textured food product from protein sources comprising the steps of: forming an aqueous slurry of the proteinaceous material having a solids content of about 10 - 40 percent by weight, controlling the pH of the proteinaceous slurry to between about 4 and 6, confining the proteinaceous slurry, freezing the proteinaceous slurry to form ice crystal layers in said slurry thereby compressing and molding the protein material of the slurry into layers spaced apart by the ice crystals and heat setting the protein layers into an irreversible substantially insoluble form by heating the frozen slurry to a temperature sufficiently high to allow the protein layers to irreversibly set and lower than a temperature at which the protein will degrade thereby melting the ice crystal layers to produce the meat simulating textured food products.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
139 words
A method of producing a meat simulating textured food product from protein sources comprising the steps of: forming an aqueous slurry of the proteinaceous material having a solids content of about 10 - 40 percent by weight, controlling the pH of the proteinaceous slurry to between about 4 and 6, confining the proteinaceous slurry, freezing the proteinaceous slurry to form ice crystal layers in said slurry thereby compressing and molding the protein material of the slurry into layers spaced apart by the ice crystals and heat setting the protein layers into an irreversible substantially insoluble form by heating the frozen slurry to a temperature sufficiently high to allow the protein layers to irreversibly set and lower than a temperature at which the protein will degrade thereby melting the ice crystal layers to produce the meat simulating textured food products.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the temperature to which the slurry is heated for heat setting the protein layers is above about 150* F.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the heating for heat setting the protein layers is for between about 5 minutes and 1 hour.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the protein source is isolated soy protein.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
12 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the protein source is emulsified meat.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the protein source is a mixture of isolated soy protein with emulsified meat or emulsified raw tuna.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of cLaim 1 wherein the texture of the protein structure formed is modified by the addition of a food grade reagent to the proteinaceous material.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 1 wherein a modifying material selected from the group consisting of coloring agents, flavors and fat is added to the protein slurry.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of preparing a textured protein food product having an arrangement of striated protein layers comprising the steps of: a. forming an aqueous slurry of proteinaceous material having a solids content of about 10 - 40 percent by weight, the slurry having a pH between about 4 and 6, b. freezing an aqueous slurry of a protein material by reducing the temperature of said aqueous slurry to form ice crystal layers in said slurry thereby compressing and molding the protein material of the slurry into layers, and c. heating the frozen slurry to a temperature above about 150* F. and less than a temperature at which the protein will degrade to irreversibly heat set the protein layers and melt said ice crystal layers thereby forming a structured food product having an arrangement of striated protein layers.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
137 words
A method of preparing a textured protein food product having an arrangement of striated protein layers comprising the steps of: a. forming an aqueous slurry of proteinaceous material having a solids content of about 10 - 40 percent by weight, the slurry having a pH between about 4 and 6, b. freezing an aqueous slurry of a protein material by reducing the temperature of said aqueous slurry to form ice crystal layers in said slurry thereby compressing and molding the protein material of the slurry into layers, and c. heating the frozen slurry to a temperature above about 150* F. and less than a temperature at which the protein will degrade to irreversibly heat set the protein layers and melt said ice crystal layers thereby forming a structured food product having an arrangement of striated protein layers.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the heating for heat setting the protein layers is for a period of time between about 5 minutes and 1 hour.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the porteinaceous material is selected from the group of isolated soy protein, emulsified meat materials and mixtures of isolated soy protein with emulsified meat or emulsified raw tuna.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the proteinaceous slurry is frozen for between 1 and 24 hours to produce the ice crystals.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-03-10 | 1978-09-09 | 1979-03-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-10 | 1982-09-09 | 1983-03-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-10 | 1986-09-09 | 1987-03-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |