Method for the production of molded meat or meat-like products

• US 4,404,229 A
• Filed: 03/09/1981
• Issued: 09/13/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tivet Developments Limited
• Original Assignee: Tivet Developments Limited
• Inventors: Treharne, Timothy J. M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Raymond N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): YEUNG, GEORGE CHAN PUI
• Application Number:
  US06/241,818
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 426/513, 426/517, 426/442, 426/276, 426/277, 426/92, 426/138, 426/254, 426/646, 17/32, 17/35
• US Class Current: 426/513
• CPC Class Codes: A22C 11/001 Machines for making skinless sausages, e.g. Frankfurters, Wieners
• CPC Class Codes: A22C 7/00 Apparatus for pounding, forming, or pressing meat, sausage-meat, or meat products meat patty moulding devices for domestic use A47J43/20; ham boilers A47J27/20
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 4/10 Coating with a protective layer; Compositions or apparatus therefor A23B4/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A23J 3/227 Meat-like textured foods meat extenders A23L13/00
• CPC Class Codes: A23P 30/10 Moulding

Abstract

A method and apparatus for the production of molded meat or meat-like products, for example sausages. The surface of the product is treated with a fluid, which could be for coloring or flavoring purposes, but is advantageously e.g. an edible acid adapted to react with protein in the product to form a cohesive surface and enable the use of a separate skin to be avoided. The mold includes a permeable wall, for example of sintered stainless steel, through which the fluid can be introduced. In a preferred embodiment the wall is defined by a hollow cylinder disposed in a non permeable housing containing the fluid. An end cap closes one end of the cylinder and a plunger compresses the material to form the product. At the same time additional fluid is injected through a nozzle into the housing, to cause a corresponding quantity of fluid to pass through the cylinder wall and treat the surface of the product.

Claims

1. A method of producing a skinless molded meat or meat-like product of predetermined shape having a fluid treated surface, said method comprising:

(a) providing a rigid mold cavity having side walls and oppositely disposed end walls defining a predetermined shape and having said side walls permeable over a major portion thereof,

(b) introducing a product into the mold cavity, which product conforms to the predetermined shape of the mold cavity, and

(c) introducing a fluid through said permeable side walls for treating at least a major portion of the surface of the product to form a coagulated surface layer on said product at least while in said predetermined shape.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein

the permeable side walls are exposed to a reservoir of the fluid, and

the fluid is caused to flow through the permeable walls into the cavity when an excess pressure is applied to the fluid in the reservoir.

3. A method as defined in either claim 1 or 2 wherein

introduction of the fluid is effected simultaneously with molding of the product.

4. A method as defined in either claim 1 or 2 wherein

the fluid reacts with the surface of the product to form a cohesive surface.

5. A method as defined in claim 4 wherein the fluid is an edible acid.

6. A method of producing a skinless proteinaceous product having a fluid treated surface, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a rigid mold cavity having a wall at least a major part of which is permeable and oppositely disposed end walls to define a predetermined shape,

(b) injecting proteinaceous paste material into said rigid mold cavity to form a proteinaceous product with said shape, and

(c) introducing the fluid through said rigid permeable wall for forming a coagulated surface layer over at least a major part of the surface of the product while in said predetermined shape.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein

the fluid introducing step includes exposing the preamble wall to a reservoir of the fluid, and the fluid is caused to flow through the permeable wall into the cavity when an excess pressure is applied to the fluid in the reservoir.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 wherein

the fluid introducing step is effected simultaneously with the proteinaceous material injecting step.

9. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein

the fluid reacts with the surface of the product to form a cohesive surface.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein

the fluid is an edible acid.

11. A method for producing a skinless molded proteinacenous product of predetermined shape, said method comprising:

(a) providing a rigid mold having said walls and oppositely disposed end walls which are movable with respect to each other and define a mold cavity;

(b) injecting a predetermined quantity of product-forming material into said cavity;

(c) effecting relative movement of said end walls toward each other to shape the ends of the material,

(d) at least a major portion of the surface area of the cavity walls in contact with the product-forming material in said predetermined shape being porous, and

(e) supplying a metered quantity of fluid through said major porous wall portion to treat the compacted shape material in contact therewith to form a coagulated surface layer on the shaped product.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein

said mold is disposed in a non-permeable housing adapted to contain fluid, and

said injecting step includes introducing a metered quantity of fluid into the housing to create an excess pressure therein thereby urging fluid through said porous wall portion.

13. A method for producing a skinless molded proteinaceous product, said method comprising:

(a) providing a rigid, hollow cylindrical member composed of porous material throughout a major portion of the length of said cylindrical member and having oppositely disposed ends, an impermeable housing surrounding said cylindrical member and extending the length thereof, said housing being spaced outwardly from said cylindrical member, sealing means extending between said housing and said cylindrical member adjacent both ends thereof and defining an annular chamber extending along said cylindrical member, and a source of fluid in communication with said chamber,

(b) injecting product forming material into said cylindrical member,

(c) closing both ends of said cylindrical member,

(d) acting on the ends of said material in said cylindrical member to shape the ends of the product,

(e) supplying a predetermined quantity of fluid from said source to said chamber to urge fluid through the porous cylindrical member to form a coagulated surface layer on the product,

(f) opening at least one end of said cylindrical member and

(g) ejecting the treated product from said cylindrical member.