GB2031710A

GB2031710A - Maintaining the colour of minced meat

Info

Publication number: GB2031710A
Application number: GB7933547A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: HOEK MACH ZUURSTOFF
Current assignee: HOEK MACH ZUURSTOFF
Priority date: 1978-09-27
Filing date: 1979-09-27
Publication date: 1980-04-30
Also published as: GB2031710B; DE2938666A1; NL7809763A; NL173911C; NL173911B; DE2938666C2

Abstract

The colour of minced meat is maintained by bringing the meat into contact with an oxygen containing gas during or after mincing. The process can be carried out in an apparatus comprising at least one gas injector (4, 5) and holders (9, 10) for fixing the injectors to the mincing chamber (1) of a mincing machine, the chamber having at least one orifice (3) for the supply of oxygen containing gas thereto. The gas may be pure O2 or a O2/CO2 mixture <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Method of maintaining the colour of minced meat and apparatus for carrying out the method This invention relates to a method of maintaining the colour of minced meat and to apparatus for carrying out such a method.

It is known that the vendibility of minced meat, including chopped meat, is dependent to a large degree on the colour of the meat. A fresh red meat colour gives the consumer the impression that it is fresh meat with the result that the consumer will more readily purchase such meat than when the minced meat is devoid of such a-fresh red colour and exhibits a brown appearance for example. Non-maintenance of the colour of minced meat induces butchers to re-mince the discoloured meat and to mix it with fresh meat and in the most unfavourable cases to withdraw this discoloured meat from sale. This problem of discolouration still brings considerable losses to butchers.

Endeavours have been made over a long period of time to solve this problem of discolouration.

According to a known solution to this problem, the meat is strewn generally with a preparation composed of various active chemicals including, for example, an alkaline metal nitrate or a mixture of an alkaline metal nitrate and an alkaline metal nitrite.

Through the application of such chemicals, it has appeared that minced meat maintains its fresh colour only over a short period of time and that the minced meat, in its various forms, must be re-minced after a day with or without the addition of fresh meat and in view of the fact that it is no longer vendible due to its grey colour.

Furthermore, most of the chemicals used for these purposes have been prohibited over the course of time by law due to their damaging effects on health. Moreover such preparations are costly.

The present invention in one aspect provides a method of maintaining the colour of minced meat, wherein, during or after mincing, the meat is brought into intensive contact with an oxygen containing gas.

Surprisingly, it has appeared that meat subjected to the method according to the present invention maintains its colour for at least 24 hours, and with the advantage that such meat can be offered for sale on the following day without further mincing since there is substantially no colour difference to be perceived between this meat and fresh minced meat. In addition, the application of chemicals dangerous to health is eliminated.

Particularly good results are obtained by the method according to the invention when, during mincing of the meat, an oxygen containing gas having an overpressure of 300 to 1 500 kPa is introduced through at least one orifice into the mincing chamber of a mincing machine. The over-pressure is preferably 800 to 1100 kPa.

In order to achieve the desired result, the oxygen containing gas should comprise at least 50% oxygen by volume. Preferably, use should be made of pure oxygen. However, a mixture of oxygen and carbon dioxide can be used with success. The oxygen used is preferably of a medical quality.

The invention in another aspect provides apparatus for carrying out the method according to the invention, comprising at least one gas injector and means for fixing the or each gas injector to the mincing chamber of a mincing machine, the said mincing chamber being provided with at least one orifice for the supply of oxygen containing gas thereto.

In a preferred embodiment thereof, the apparatus comprises two gas injectors arranged in opposition to one another on the same axis, in which the injection mouthpieces or nozzles of the gas injectors fit into two diametrically opposing orifices in the mincing chamber. The gas injectors are supported by a bracket, and at least one of these injectors is slidably mounted and is maintained urged toward the other injector by spring exerted pressure. By applying a counter pressure to the injector against the exerted pressure of the spring, the distance between the injector nozzles can be increased and it is thus possible to arrange the bracket around the chamber and to locate the other one of the gas injectors in the orifice therefor in the mincing chamber. Release of the spring force allows the second one of the gas injectors to slide in the orifice therefor in the mincing chamber.

The invention will be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a cross-section of a mincing chamber provided with two diametrically opposite orifices, a pair of bracket supported gas injectors being shown; and Figure 2 is a cross-section taken along the plane ll-ll of Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 shows a mincing chamber 1 of cylindrical form and having internal grooves 2 therein. Two orifices 3 merge into the internal grooves 2, which orifices 3 are arranged diametrically opposite one another and located mid-way between an opening in the mincing chamber 1 through which the meat is fed thereto and another opening therein through which the minced meat is discharged. Gas injectors 4 and 5 are each urged against a peripheral portion of the external wall of the mincing chamber surrounding the respective orifices 3, there being a gas-tight sealing packing ring 6 or 7 arranged between the respective injector 4 or 5 and the peripheral portion of the external wall of the mincing chamber 1.The mouthpieces or nozzles of the injectors 4 and 5 are maintained in their respective positions by a bracket 8 by way of respective injector holders 9 and 10 welded to the free ends of the bracket.

The injector holder 9 comprises a metal body 11 (see Fig. 2) provided with an '0' ring type of seal 1 3 arranged in an annular recess 1 2 therein and located at one end directed toward the mincing chamber 1. The body 11 is provided with a concentric boring 14 therethrough which is connected to a gas feed line 15.

The opposing injector holder 10 comprises a metal body 1 6 with a central boring 1 7 therethrough which is connected to a gas feed line 18, but the metal body 1 6 is slidably accommodated in an injector housing 1 9 and is urged by a spring 20, accommodated between the injector housing 1 9 and the body 16, against the injector mouthpiece 5 which fits in a recess 21, together with an '0' ring type seal 22, in the body 1 6.

In order to prevent the injector body 1 6 being pushed out of the injector housing 1 9 when the bracket 8 is made loose, the end of the body 1 6 extending outward from the injector housing 1 9 is provided with a circumferentially engaging retaining clip 23.

A particular advantage of this apparatus is that the nozzles 4 and 5 fit into the orifices 3 of the mincing chamber 1 without the use of screw threads, and can be inserted therein and connected. to the gas feed lines 1 5 and 18 in an easy manner by application of the bracket 8 by a simple hand movement. After termination of the treatment, the nozzles can be removed in a similar simple manner for cleaning.

Claims

1. A method of maintaining the colour of minced meat, wherein, during or after mincing, the meat is brought into intensive contact with an oxygen containing gas.

2. A method as claimed in Claim 1, wherein, during mincing of the meat, an oxygen containing gas having an overpressure of from 300 to 1 500 kPa is introduced in contact with the meat.

3. A method as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the gas overpressure is from 800 to 1100 kPa.

4. A method as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the oxygen containing gas comprises at least 50% oxygen by volume.

5. A method as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the oxygen containing gas is a mixture of oxygen and carbon dioxide.

6. A method as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the gas is substantially pure oxygen.

7. A method as claimed in Claim 6, wherein the pure oxygen is of medical quality.

8. A method of maintaining the colour of minced meat, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. Apparatus for carrying out the method as claimed in Claim 1, comprising at least one gas injector and means for fixing the or each gas injector to the mincing chamber of a mincing machine, the said mincing chamber being provided with at least one orifice for the supply of oxygen containing gas thereto.

10. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the or each said orifice is arranged approximately mid-way between an opening through which meat may be fed to the mincing machine and a discharge opening therein for the minced meat.

11. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 9 to 10, comprising two injectors arranged to lie along the same axis with the gas flow outlets thereof directed toward one another, both of which gas injectors are supported by a bracket, and wherein two orifices adapted to receive the mouthpieces or nozzles of the two injectors are arranged diametrically opposite one another in the mincing chamber.

1 2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 11, wherein both orifices in the mincing chamber merge within the mincing chamber into a respective groove formed in the mincing chamber.

1 3. Apparatus according to Claim 9, substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.