US3988485A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Meat-like protein food and method of making
Assignee: Wrigley Candy UK
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Filing: 1974-11-18
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Granted: 1976-10-26
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Expires: 1994-11-18
Abstract
Abstract Meat-like foods having a perceptible fiber bundle structure resembling that of natural muscle meat are prepared by mechanically interlocking edible protein fibers, such as spun vegetable protein fibers, in groups, which are subsequently assembled into a mass and set to a coherent body with an edible binder, preferably a heat-coagulable protein. The fibers in the bundles may be entwined or enravelled by the turbulence of a fluid jet, such as air or water, or by being passed between rotating parallel rollers that are reciprocated relative to one another in the direction of their axes.
Inventors
- 👤 Harry Russell Hibbert
- 👤 John Edward Alexander Broadbent
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 02:09
CPC Classifications
A; A23; A23J; A23J3/00; A23J3/22; A23J3/225; A23J3/227; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S426/00; Y10S426/802
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
120 words
A method of making a meat-like protein food comprising: forming bundles of continuous spun edible proteinaceous fibres, each bundle containing a multiplicity of said fibres; manipulating said fibres to enravel or intertwine them and thereby interlock said fibres in said bundles while leaving the bulk of the fibres substantially oriented in a gnerally parallel manner, said manipulation comprising agitating said fibres in said groups by turbulance created in a flow of fluid; impregnating the fibre bundles with an edible binder; assembling a plurality of said fibre bundles in side by side generally parallel arrangement; and causing said binder to set and bond together said bundles into a chewable coherent mass in which said bundles retain their integrity and remain perceptible.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
120 words
A method of making a meat-like protein food comprising: forming bundles of continuous spun edible proteinaceous fibres, each bundle containing a multiplicity of said fibres; manipulating said fibres to enravel or intertwine them and thereby interlock said fibres in said bundles while leaving the bulk of the fibres substantially oriented in a gnerally parallel manner, said manipulation comprising agitating said fibres in said groups by turbulance created in a flow of fluid; impregnating the fibre bundles with an edible binder; assembling a plurality of said fibre bundles in side by side generally parallel arrangement; and causing said binder to set and bond together said bundles into a chewable coherent mass in which said bundles retain their integrity and remain perceptible.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said edible binder is a liquid composition comprising a heat-coagulable protein and said binder is set by heating said mass of fibre bundles.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said binder contains from 10 to 50% by weight heat-coagulable protein and said fibres are impregnated with said binder to the extent of 15 to 300% by weight of said fibres.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
10 words
A meat-like food made by the method of claim 1.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
129 words
A method of making a meat-like protein food comprising: forming bundles of continuous spun edible proteinaceous fibres, each bundle containing a multiplicity of said fibres; manipulating said fibres to enravel or intertwine them and thereby interlock said fibres in said bundles while leaving the bulk of the fibres substantially oriented in a generally parallel manner, said manipulation step comprising passing groups of said fibres between closely spaced rotating parallel rollers having a relative reciprocating movement in the direction of their axes; impregnating the fibre bundles with an edible binder; assembling a plurality of said fibre bundles in side by side generally parallel arrangement; and causing said binder to set and bond together said bundles into a chewable coherent mass in which said bundles retain their integrity and remain perceptible.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
129 words
A method of making a meat-like protein food comprising: forming bundles of continuous spun edible proteinaceous fibres, each bundle containing a multiplicity of said fibres; manipulating said fibres to enravel or intertwine them and thereby interlock said fibres in said bundles while leaving the bulk of the fibres substantially oriented in a generally parallel manner, said manipulation step comprising passing groups of said fibres between closely spaced rotating parallel rollers having a relative reciprocating movement in the direction of their axes; impregnating the fibre bundles with an edible binder; assembling a plurality of said fibre bundles in side by side generally parallel arrangement; and causing said binder to set and bond together said bundles into a chewable coherent mass in which said bundles retain their integrity and remain perceptible.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein said edible binder is a liquid composition comprising a heat-coagulable protein and said binder is set by heating said mass of fibre bundles.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
39 words
A method as claimed in claim 5 wherein said binder contains from 10 to 50% by weight heat-coagulable protein and said fibres are impregnated with said binder to the extent of 15 to 300% by weight of said fibres.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
10 words
A meat-like food made by the method of claim 5.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2682466A
Cited
US2785069A
Cited
US3320070A
Cited
US3498793A
Cited
US3772035A
Cited
US3794731A
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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) | 1979-10-26 | 1980-04-26 | 1980-10-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1983-10-26 | 1984-04-26 | 1984-10-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1987-10-26 | 1988-04-26 | 1988-10-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |