US3973051A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Pectate gelled food products and method
Assignee: Mars Ltd
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Filing: 1975-04-14
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Granted: 1976-08-03
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Expires: 1995-04-14
Abstract
Abstract Food products comprising solid foodstuffs and more especially meat, meat by-products or other proteinaceous materials are contained in an aqueous phase of near neutral pH value thickened or gelled by pectic substances having a degree of esterification (methoxylation) of less than 10%.
Inventors
- 👤 Keith Buckley
- 👤 John Richard Mitchell
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 18:44
CPC Classifications
A; A23; A23K; A23K50/00; A23K50/40; A23K50/48; A23K10/00; A23K10/20; A23K10/30; A23K10/37; A23K20/00; A23K20/10; A23K20/163; A23L; A23L13/00; A23L13/06; A23L29/00; A23L29/20; A23L29/206; A23L29/231; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P60/00; Y02P60/80; Y02P60/87
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
48 words
A food product comprising solid foodstuff and an aqueous phase, the aqueous phase having a pH value in the range 5 to 8.5 and being thickened or gelled by a pectate having a degree of esterification below 10% and at least one non-toxic di- or tri-valent metal ion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
48 words
A food product comprising solid foodstuff and an aqueous phase, the aqueous phase having a pH value in the range 5 to 8.5 and being thickened or gelled by a pectate having a degree of esterification below 10% and at least one non-toxic di- or tri-valent metal ion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A food product according to claim 1 wherein said aqueous phase has a pH value in the range 6.0 to 7.5.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
A food product according to claim 1 wherein said multivalent metal is an alkali earth metal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
A food product according to claim 1 wherein said solid foodstuff includes proteinaceous animal tissue material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A food product according to claim 1 wherein said aqueous phase is thickened or gelled in the presence of a sequesterant therefor.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A food product according to claim 1 containing from 0.1 to 10% pectate by weight of the product.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
20 words
A food product according to claim 1 which has been subjected to a heat treatment consisting of pasteurization or sterilization.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
61 words
A canned food product comprising solid foodstuff including meats or meat by-products, an aqueous phase having a pH value in the range 5 to 8.5, and a quantity of pectate having a degree of esterification below 10% and at least one non-toxic di- or tri-valent metal ion, said pectate conferring on said aqueous phase when cold a gelled or thickened quality.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
61 words
A canned food product comprising solid foodstuff including meats or meat by-products, an aqueous phase having a pH value in the range 5 to 8.5, and a quantity of pectate having a degree of esterification below 10% and at least one non-toxic di- or tri-valent metal ion, said pectate conferring on said aqueous phase when cold a gelled or thickened quality.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
A food product according to claim 8 comprising by weight: 20 to 95% animal protein material, 0.1 to 5% pectate, 0 to 5% non-toxic alkaline earth metal compound and 0 to 5% sequestrant, and having a moisture content of 50 to 95%.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
61 words
A food product according to claim 1 comprising by weight: 40 to 95% comminuted animal protein material, 0.1 to 5% pectate, 0 to 5% non-toxic alkaline earth metal compound and 0 to 5% sequestrant and having a moisture content of 50 to 95%; said pectate forming with said moisture a gel bonding together said comminuted protein material into a coherent mass.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
58 words
A food product according to claim 1 comprising by weight: 5 to 50% vegetable protein, 0.1 to 5% pectate, 0 to 5 non-toxic alkaline earth metal compound and 0 to 5% sequestrant and having a moisture content of 50 to 95%; said pectate forming with said moisture a gel bonding together said vegetable protein into coherent formed pieces.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
40 words
A food product according to claim 1 which includes water soluble solutes and an antimucotic, said food product being stabilized by the inclusion of sufficient of said water soluble solutes to reduce its water activity to between 0.65 and 0.85.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
98 words
A method of making a food product comprising the steps of: dissolving a pectate having less than 10% esterification in an aqueous phase to confer on said aqueous phase when cold a gelled or thickened quality; preparing a mix including solid foodstuff and said aqueous phase; and cooling said mix to give a food product having a pH value in the range 5 to 8.5 together with at least one alkaline earth metal ion and a sequestrant therefor; and allowing said pectate to react with said metal ion and thereby form a pectate gel in said aqueoies liquid.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
98 words
A method of making a food product comprising the steps of: dissolving a pectate having less than 10% esterification in an aqueous phase to confer on said aqueous phase when cold a gelled or thickened quality; preparing a mix including solid foodstuff and said aqueous phase; and cooling said mix to give a food product having a pH value in the range 5 to 8.5 together with at least one alkaline earth metal ion and a sequestrant therefor; and allowing said pectate to react with said metal ion and thereby form a pectate gel in said aqueoies liquid.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method according to claim 13 including the additional step of causing said pectate to react with at least one non-toxic divalent or trivalent metal ion contained in said foodstuff, aqueous phase or pectin source whereby to form a pectate gel in said aqueous phase.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 14 including the additional step of dissolving a non-toxic divalent or trivalent metal compound and a sequestrant in said aqueous phase.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 13 including the steps of: heat treating said product containing said mix and said pectate; and then allowing said product to cool and set said aqueous phase to a firm gel.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method according to claim 16 wherein said heat treatment comprises sterilization of said product within a sealed container.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to claim 13 including the additional steps of: shaping said mix containing said pectate; causing said shaped mix to gel and maintain said shape; and introducing pieces of said shaped gelled mix into containers.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method according to claim 18 wherein said pieces are filled into cans together with other food stuff; said cans are sealed; said sealed cans are sterilized; and said sterilized cans are cooled and the gelled condition of said pieces thereby restored without substantial impairment of their integrity.
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) | 1979-08-03 | 1980-02-02 | 1980-08-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-08-03 | 1984-02-02 | 1984-08-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-08-03 | 1988-02-02 | 1988-08-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |