US4539212A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sterilization and stabilization process for meat analog products
Assignee: Procter and Gamble Co
•
Filing: 1984-05-07
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Granted: 1985-09-03
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Expires: 2004-05-07
Abstract
Abstract Food products containing high levels of meat or textured vegetable protein meat analog are sterilized without development of off-flavors in the meat or meat analog by a process including: (1) adjusting the pH to below about 4.6; (2) maintaining organic acid levels between about 0.4% and about 0.75% (expressed as anhydrous citric acid); (3) high temperature, short time processing of the food products; and (4) hot-fill-and-hold packing of the product in containers.
Inventors
- 👤 John E. Hunter
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 17:52
CPC Classifications
A; A23; A23B; A23B4/00; A23B4/12; A23B4/005; A23B4/0053; A23B4/0056; A23L; A23L27/00; A23L27/60; A23L27/63
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
119 words
A process for preventing spoilage while maintaining flavor quality in a low-acid food product containing textured vegetable protein, comprising the steps of: (a) acidifying the food product to a pH of from about 4.2 to about 4.6 and an organic acid level of about 0.4% to about 0.75%; (b) high temperature short-time sterilizing the food product to a F 0 of at least about 0.3; (c) then packing the product at a temperature of from about 85° C. (185° F.) to 100° C. (212° F.); (d) then hermetically sealing the product; and (e) then holding the packed, sealed product at a temperature of at least about 85° C. (185° F.) for a time of at least about 3 minutes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
119 words
A process for preventing spoilage while maintaining flavor quality in a low-acid food product containing textured vegetable protein, comprising the steps of: (a) acidifying the food product to a pH of from about 4.2 to about 4.6 and an organic acid level of about 0.4% to about 0.75%; (b) high temperature short-time sterilizing the food product to a F 0 of at least about 0.3; (c) then packing the product at a temperature of from about 85° C. (185° F.) to 100° C. (212° F.); (d) then hermetically sealing the product; and (e) then holding the packed, sealed product at a temperature of at least about 85° C. (185° F.) for a time of at least about 3 minutes.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process according to claim 1 in which the food product is acidified to an organic level of about 0.45% to about 0.6%.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A process according to claim 2 in which the food product is sterilized to a value F 0 of at least about 0.7.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process according to claim 3, in which the food product is sterilized to a sterilizing value F 0 of at least about 1.8.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process according to claim 3 in which the food product is acidified to a pH of between about 4.3 and 4.6.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process according to claim 5 wherein the food product contains from about 5% to about 70% textured vegetable protein.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
A process according to claim 6 wherein the food product comprises a tomato-based sauce.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
A process according to claim 7 wherein the food product is acidified with an organic acid selected from the group consisting of citric acid, lactic acid, malic acid and mixtures thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
A process according to claim 8 wherein the organic acid comprises about 0.3% citric acid and about 0.1% lactic acid.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process according to claim 8 wherein the textured vegetable protein contains up to 50% by weight of meat or meat by-products.
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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) | 1988-09-02 | 1989-03-04 | 1989-09-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-09-02 | 1993-03-04 | 1993-09-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-09-02 | 1997-03-04 | 1997-09-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |