Patent US899237A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3982003A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3982003A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Gelling and thickening agents
Assignee: Mars Ltd
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Filing: 1975-04-14
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Granted: 1976-09-21
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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 20%. Where a rigid gel is required the pectic substance is preferably reacted with a di- or tri-valent metal ion, notably calcium ion and also with a sequestrant. The pectic substance may be a purified or isolated pectate or a natural pectin source, for example citrus peel, in which the pectic substance has the required low level of esterification, for example by enzymatic or chemical treatment of the natural material. Food products employing the thickener or gelling agent of this invention include canned meat products containing meat or meat by-product pieces in a gel or thickened gravy formed by the pectic substance, meat loaf and similar products in which the gel forms a rigid binder for the meaty material, formed products such as sausage or simulated meat pieces based on vegetable proteins, and semi-moist products based on comminuted meaty materials in which the pectic substance provides a coherent elastic texture.
Inventors
- 👤 John Richard Mitchell
- 👤 Keith Buckley
- 👤 Ian Edward Burrows
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 07:35
CPC Classifications
A; A23; A23K; A23K20/00; A23K20/10; A23K20/163; A23K10/00; A23K10/20; A23L; A23L13/00; A23L13/06; A23L29/00; A23L29/20; A23L29/206; A23L29/231; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S426/00; Y10S426/802; Y10S426/805
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
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 deesterified natural pectin source material containing at least 5% pectic substance having a degree of esterification below 20%.
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 deesterified natural pectin source material containing at least 5% pectic substance having a degree of esterification below 20%.
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
18 words
A food product according to claim 1 wherein said pectic substance has a degree of esterification below 10%.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
A food product according to claim 1 wherein said natural pectin source is citrus peel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A food product according to claim 1 wherein said aqueous phase is thickened or gelled by the reaction product of said pectic substance with at least one non-toxic di- or tri-valent metal ion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
A food product according to claim 1 wherein said aqueous phase also contains a Plantago plant product selected from psyllium seed husk ang gum.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
22 words
A food product according to claim 1 containing from 0.1 to 20% of the natural pectin source by weight of the product.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
A food product according to claim 1 which has been pasteurized or sterilized.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
71 words
A food product according to claim 1 wherein said food product comprises by weight: 40 to 95% comminuted animal protein material, 0.1 to 10% comminuted citrus peel, 0 to 5% non-toxic alkaline earth metal compound and 0 to 5% sequestrant and having a moisture content of 50 to 95%, the pectic substance of said peel forming with said moisture a gel bonding together said comminuted protein material into a coherent mass.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
59 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 a deesterified natural pectin source containing pectic substance having a degree of esterification below 20%, said pectic substance conferring on said aqueous phase when cold a gelled or thickened quality.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
59 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 a deesterified natural pectin source containing pectic substance having a degree of esterification below 20%, said pectic substance conferring on said aqueous phase when cold a gelled or thickened quality.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
48 words
A food product according to claim 8 wherein said food product comprises by weight: 20 to 95% animal protein material, 0.1 to 10% comminuted citrus peel, 0 to 5% non-toxic alkaline earth metal compound and 0 to 5% sequestrant, and having a moisture content of 50 to 95%.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
68 words
A food product according to claim 1 wherein said food product comprises by weight: 5 to 50% vegetable protein, 0.1 to 10% comminuted citrus peel, 0 to 5% non-toxic alkaline earth metal compound and 0 to 5% sequestrant and having a moisture content of 50 to 95%, the pectic substance of said peel forming with said moisture a gel bonding together said vegetable protein into coherent formed pieces.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
43 words
A food product according to claim 1 wherein said food product includes water soluble solutes and an antimycotic, 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 16
Independent Claim
30 words
A method of making a food product comprising the steps of: dissolving a natural deesterified pectin source containing at least 5% pectic substance having a degree of esterification below 20%
Claim 17
Independent Claim
30 words
A method of making a food product comprising the steps of: dissolving a natural deesterified pectin source containing at least 5% pectic substance having a degree of esterification below 20%
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
46 words
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 obtain a food product having a pH value in the range 5 to 8.5.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
46 words
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 obtain a food product having a pH value in the range 5 to 8.5.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
45 words
A method according to claim 14 including the additional step of causing said pectic substance 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 gel in said aqueous phase.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 15 including the additional step of dissolving a non-toxic divalent or trivalent metal compound and a sequestrant in said aqueous phase.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method according to claim 14 further including the steps of: heat treating said product containing said mix and said pectic substance; and allowing said product to cool and set said aqueous phase to a firm gel.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method according to claim 17 wherein said heat treatment comprises sterilizing said product within a sealed container.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 14 further including the preliminary steps of: comminuting a natural pectin source; and treating said pectin source to reduce the degree of esterification thereof to below 10%.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 19 wherein said natural source comprises citrus peel and the preliminary step further includes substantially removing the flavedo from said peel.
Claim 26
Independent Claim
96 words
A method of making a canned meat product comprising the steps of removing the flavedo from pectincontaining citrus peel; comminuting said peel; reducing the esterification of said pectin in said comminuted peel to below 20%; preparing a mix containing meat or meat by-products, an aqueous phase, and said citrus peel containing said pectate; filling said mix into containers and sealing it therein; retorting said filled and sealed containers to sterilize the contents thereof; and cooling said containers and thereby causing said aqueous phase to set to a gel having a pH value between 5 and 8.5.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
96 words
A method of making a canned meat product comprising the steps of removing the flavedo from pectincontaining citrus peel; comminuting said peel; reducing the esterification of said pectin in said comminuted peel to below 20%; preparing a mix containing meat or meat by-products, an aqueous phase, and said citrus peel containing said pectate; filling said mix into containers and sealing it therein; retorting said filled and sealed containers to sterilize the contents thereof; and cooling said containers and thereby causing said aqueous phase to set to a gel having a pH value between 5 and 8.5.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
36 words
A method according to claim 14 including the additional steps of: shaping said mix containing said pectic substance; gelating said shaped mix while maintaining said shape; and introducing pieces of said shaped gelled mix into containers.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
44 words
A method according to claim 22 wherein said pieces are filled into cans together with ohter foodstuff; sealing said cans; sterilizing said sealed cans; and cooling said sterilized cans whereby the gelled condition of said pieces is restored without substantial impairment of their integrity.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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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) | 1979-09-21 | 1980-03-22 | 1980-09-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-09-21 | 1984-03-22 | 1984-09-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-09-21 | 1988-03-22 | 1988-09-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |