US3920853A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Protein food product
Assignee: Nestle Purina PetCare Co
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Filing: 1973-11-14
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Granted: 1975-11-18
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Expires: 1993-11-14
Abstract
Abstract A structured food product is made by specially processing an aqueous slurry of animal and/or vegetable protein material. The slurry is prepared by finely comminuting vegetable protein material, e.g. from soybeans or animal protein materials, e.g. from meat by-products or the like, and then dispersing them in water to form an aqueous, protein solution-suspension. The slurry is first controllably frozen into thin ice crystal layers spaced by intermediate thin crystalline-molded protein layers. All of these layers extend in a direction generally normal to the refrigerating surface or to the surface portion of the slurry in engagement with the refrigerating medium, making them generally unidirectional in their zone of the product. After the slurrysuspension freezes, water is segregated into ice crystal layers and forces the proteinaceous material ahead of the freezing zone and compresses the protein particles into adjacent generally parallel coherent layers in each zone. Steps are then taken to remove the ice crystal layers and also cause fragile compressed protein layers to be quickly and irreversibly set or fixed. This is preferably done by heating the complex of zonal, unidirectional protein layers to an elevated temperature above about 150* F., and doing so rapidly enough to first melt the ice crystal matrix and then irreversibly fixing or setting these protein layers into a striated protein product. A structured protein food product is also disclosed having striated protein layers resembling cooked muscle tissue with lines of cleavage generally arranged in the same direction, at least in local zones. The layers are crystalline-molded, irreversibly set, and derived from integrally cooperative, minute protein particles.
Inventors
- 👤 John Edward Middendorf
- 👤 Doyle Hans Waggle
- 👤 Alan Cornell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 02:38
CPC Classifications
A; A23; A23J; A23J3/00; A23J3/22; A23J3/24; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S426/00; Y10S426/802
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 32
Claim 1
Independent Claim
116 words
A METHOD OF PREPARING A STRUCTURED PROTEIN FOOD PRODUCT HAVING AN ARRANGEMENT OF STRIATED PROTEIN LAYERS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: A. FREEZING AN AQUEOUS SLURRY OF A PROTEIN MATERIAL HAVING A SOLIDS CONTENT OF AT LEAST ABOUT 5 PERCENT BY WEIGHT TO FROM ICE CRYSTAL LAYERS IN SAID SLURRY THEREBY COMPRESSING AND MOLDING THE PROTEIN MATERIAL OF THE SLURRY INTO LAYERS. AND B. 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 FORM THE STRUCTURED PROTEIN FOOD PRODUCT.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
116 words
A METHOD OF PREPARING A STRUCTURED PROTEIN FOOD PRODUCT HAVING AN ARRANGEMENT OF STRIATED PROTEIN LAYERS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: A. FREEZING AN AQUEOUS SLURRY OF A PROTEIN MATERIAL HAVING A SOLIDS CONTENT OF AT LEAST ABOUT 5 PERCENT BY WEIGHT TO FROM ICE CRYSTAL LAYERS IN SAID SLURRY THEREBY COMPRESSING AND MOLDING THE PROTEIN MATERIAL OF THE SLURRY INTO LAYERS. AND B. 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 FORM THE STRUCTURED PROTEIN FOOD PRODUCT.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
147 words
A method of preparing a structured protein food product having an arrangement of striated protein layers comprising the steps of; a. freezing an aqueous slurry of a protein material having a solids content of at least about 5 percent by weight by contacting at least part of the surface area of said slurry with a refrigerating medium to form directionally aligned ice crystal layers in said slurry which extend in a direction generally normal to said contacted surface area part, thereby compressing and molding the protein material of the slurry into layers, and b. 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 structured protein food product.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
147 words
A method of preparing a structured protein food product having an arrangement of striated protein layers comprising the steps of; a. freezing an aqueous slurry of a protein material having a solids content of at least about 5 percent by weight by contacting at least part of the surface area of said slurry with a refrigerating medium to form directionally aligned ice crystal layers in said slurry which extend in a direction generally normal to said contacted surface area part, thereby compressing and molding the protein material of the slurry into layers, and b. 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 structured protein food product.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said protein material is an animal protein material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said protein material is a secondary protein source.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said secondary protein source is a vegetable protein material.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 5 wherein said vegetable protein material is a soybean material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said protein material is a mixture of an animal protein material and a secondary protein source.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 2 wherein said slurry is heat set at a temperature of at least about 150*F.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
59 words
The method of claim 2 wherein more than one part of the surface area of said slurry is contacted with a refrigerating medium to freeze the slurry and form directionally aligned ice crystal layers in said slurry which extend in a direction generally normal to each contacted surface area part, thereby compressing and molding the protein material into layers.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
167 words
A method of preparing a structured protein food product having an arrangement of straited protein layers comprising the steps of; a. freezing an aqueous slurry of a protein material having a solids content of at least about 5 percent by weight, by contacting at least part of the surface area of said slurry with a refrigerating medium to reduce the slurry temperature through the freezing point range of said slurry in not less than about 5 minutes and form directional aligned ice crystal layers in said slurry which extend in a direction generally normal to the contacted surface area part, thereby compressing and molding the protein material of the slurry into layers, and b. 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 a structured protein food product.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
167 words
A method of preparing a structured protein food product having an arrangement of straited protein layers comprising the steps of; a. freezing an aqueous slurry of a protein material having a solids content of at least about 5 percent by weight, by contacting at least part of the surface area of said slurry with a refrigerating medium to reduce the slurry temperature through the freezing point range of said slurry in not less than about 5 minutes and form directional aligned ice crystal layers in said slurry which extend in a direction generally normal to the contacted surface area part, thereby compressing and molding the protein material of the slurry into layers, and b. 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 a structured protein food product.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said protein material is a secondary protein source.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said secondary protein source is a vegetable protein material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method of claim 12 wherein said vegetable protein material is a soybean material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said slurry has a protein content of at least about 15 percent by weight.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 10 wherein said slurry has a solids content of at least about 15 PERCENT by weight.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
170 words
The method of preparing a structured protein food product having an arrangement of striated protein layers comprising the steps of; a. freezing an aqueous slurry of a protein material having a solids content of at least about 5 percent by weight, by contacting at least part of the surface area of said slurry with a refrigerating medium to reduce the slurry temperature through a freezing point range of between about 32* to 27*F. in not less than about 5 minutes and form directionally aligned ice crystal layers in said slurry which extend in a direction generally normal to the contacted surface area part, thereby compressing and molding the protein material of the slurry into layers, and b. 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 structured protein food product.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
170 words
The method of preparing a structured protein food product having an arrangement of striated protein layers comprising the steps of; a. freezing an aqueous slurry of a protein material having a solids content of at least about 5 percent by weight, by contacting at least part of the surface area of said slurry with a refrigerating medium to reduce the slurry temperature through a freezing point range of between about 32* to 27*F. in not less than about 5 minutes and form directionally aligned ice crystal layers in said slurry which extend in a direction generally normal to the contacted surface area part, thereby compressing and molding the protein material of the slurry into layers, and b. 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 structured protein food product.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 16 wherein said slurry is heat set at a temperature of at least about 150*F.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
47 words
A structured protein food product comprising an arrangement of striated protein layers, said layers having lines of cleavage generally arranged in the same direction, said layers being composed of irreversibly heat set, substantially insoluble, protein particles, and having been arranged in striated fashion by ice crystal layers.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
47 words
A structured protein food product comprising an arrangement of striated protein layers, said layers having lines of cleavage generally arranged in the same direction, said layers being composed of irreversibly heat set, substantially insoluble, protein particles, and having been arranged in striated fashion by ice crystal layers.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
14 words
The product of claim 18 wherein said protein material is a secondary protein source.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
15 words
The product of claim 19 wherein said secondary protein source is a vegetable protein material.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
14 words
The product of claim 20 wherein the vegetable protein material is an oilseed material.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
13 words
The product of claim 21 wherein the oilseed material is a soybean material.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
22 words
The product of claim 22 wherein said protein food product has a moisture content of at least about 60 percent by weight.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
21 words
The product of claim 22 wherein said food product has a salt content of less than about 3 percent by weight.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
22 words
The product of claim 18 wherein said protein particles comprise a mixture of an animal protein material and a secondary protein source.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
56 words
A STRUCTURED PROTEIN FOOD PRODUCT RESEMBLING COOKED MUSCLE TISSUE IN APPEARANCE AND TEXTURE COMPRISING AN ARRANGEMENT OF STRIATED PROTEIN LAYERS, SAID LAYERS HAVING LINES OF CLEAVAGE GENERALLY ARRANGED IN THE SAME DIRECTION, SAID LAYERS BEING COMPOSED OF IRREVERSIBLY HEAT SET, SUBSTANTIALLY INSOLUBLE ANIMAL PROTEIN PARTICLES AND HAVING BEEN ARRANGED IN STRIATED FASHION BY ICE CRYSTAL LAYERS.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
56 words
A STRUCTURED PROTEIN FOOD PRODUCT RESEMBLING COOKED MUSCLE TISSUE IN APPEARANCE AND TEXTURE COMPRISING AN ARRANGEMENT OF STRIATED PROTEIN LAYERS, SAID LAYERS HAVING LINES OF CLEAVAGE GENERALLY ARRANGED IN THE SAME DIRECTION, SAID LAYERS BEING COMPOSED OF IRREVERSIBLY HEAT SET, SUBSTANTIALLY INSOLUBLE ANIMAL PROTEIN PARTICLES AND HAVING BEEN ARRANGED IN STRIATED FASHION BY ICE CRYSTAL LAYERS.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-11-17 | 1979-05-19 | 1979-11-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-11-17 | 1983-05-19 | 1983-11-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-11-17 | 1987-05-19 | 1987-11-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |