Method for increasing the tenderness of a meat product

• US 6,287,610 B1
• Filed: 10/15/1999
• Issued: 09/11/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Barclays Bank PLC (Barclays PLC)
• Original Assignee: Monfort, Inc. (Conagra Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Clayton, Robert Paul, Bowling, Rod A.
• Primary Examiner(s): WONG, LESLIE A
• Application Number:
  US09/419,320
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 426/7, 426/8, 426/43, 426/32, 426/55, 426/56, 426/59, 426/61, 426/321, 426/324, 426/331, 426/332, 426/333
• US Class Current: 426/8
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 4/10 Coating with a protective layer; Compositions or apparatus therefor A23B4/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 4/12 Preserving with acids; Acid fermentation
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 4/22 Microorganisms; Enzymes; Antibiotics
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 7/10 Preserving with acids; Acid fermentation
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 7/155 Microorganisms; Enzymes; Antibiotics
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 9/28 Microorganisms; Enzymes; Antibiotics
• CPC Class Codes: A23C 19/062 using only lactic acid bacteria, e.g. pediococcus, leconostoc or bifidus sp., or propionic acid bacteria; Treatment with non-specified acidifying bacterial cultures
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/3571 Microorganisms; Enzymes
• CPC Class Codes: A23V 2400/159 Leichmannii

Abstract

A method for preserving a food product, such as meat, including the steps of inoculating meat with an effective amount of euhygienic non-pathogenic, non-spoilage bacteria in order to competitively inhibit the growth of undesired pathogenic and spoilage bacteria. Edible films that incorporate and/or cover euhygenic bacteria on the food product are used to ensure competitive inhibition of undesired spoilage and pathogenic bacteria.

Claims

1. A method for increasing the tenderness of a meat product, comprising:

reducing the number of bacteria on a food product;

inoculating the surface of the food product with an effective amount of non-spoilage and non-pathogenic bacteria effective to competitively inhibit the growth of pathogenic and spoilage bacteria; and

maintaining said food product in a temperature environment that selectively favors the proliferation of said non-spoilage and non-pathogenic bacteria.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising effectively sterilizing a food product prior to said inoculating with non-spoilage and non-pathogenic bacteria.

3. The method as in claim 1, wherein said step of reducing reduces the number of bacteria on said food product to below about 5,000 bacteria.

4. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said non-spoilage and non-pathogenic bacteria is a facultative, sacrophilic, gram positive bacteria.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said non-spoilage and non-pathogenic bacteria is selected from the genus Lactobacillus.

6. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said non-spoilage and non-pathogenic bacteria comprises obligately homofermentative lactobacilli.

7. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said non-spoilage and non-pathogenic bacteria do not ferment gluconates or pentoses.

8. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said non-spoilage and non-pathogenic bacteria comprises a facultatively heterofermentative lactobacilli.

9. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said non-spoilage and non-pathogenic bacteria is able to competitively inhibit the growth of spoilage bacteria.

10. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said non-spoilage and non-pathogenic bacteria is acidophilic.

11. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said non-spoilage and non-pathogenic bacteria is able to proliferate in a pH environment of from about pH 4 to about pH 7.

12. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said non-spoilage and non-pathogenic bacteria produces lactic acid.

13. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said non-spoilage and non-pathogenic bacteria comprises Lactobacillus delbrueckii, L. leichmannii, L. jensenii, L. lactis, L. bulgaricus, L. helveticus or L. acidophilus.

14. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said non-spoilage and non-pathogenic bacteria comprises Lactobacillus delbrueckii, L. leichmannii, L. jensenii, L. lactis, L. bulgaricus, L. helveticus, L. acidophilus, or Hafnia alvei.

15. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said non-spoilage and non-pathogenic bacteria comprises predominantly L. delbrueckii.

16. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said non-spoilage and non-pathogenic bacteria comprises predominantly Hafnia alveii.

17. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said non-spoilage and non-pathogenic bacteria is able to proliferate at temperatures from about −

1°

C. to about 35°

C.

18. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said inoculating step comprises inoculating with bacteria able to produce antibiotics toxic to pathogenic or spoilage bacteria.

19. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said food product comprises dairy products, fruit, vegetables, grains and meat from poultry, beef, pork, lamb, fish and seafood.

20. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein said non-spoilage and non-pathogenic bacteria do not produce bacteriocins.