Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23B—PRESERVING, e.g. BY CANNING, MEAT, FISH, EGGS, FRUIT, VEGETABLES, EDIBLE SEEDS; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES; THE PRESERVED, RIPENED, OR CANNED PRODUCTS
  • A23B4/00—General methods for preserving meat, sausages, fish or fish products
  • A23B4/14—Preserving with chemicals not covered by groups A23B4/02 or A23B4/12
  • A23B4/18—Preserving with chemicals not covered by groups A23B4/02 or A23B4/12 in the form of liquids or solids
  • A23B4/20—Organic compounds; Microorganisms; Enzymes
  • A23B4/22—Microorganisms; Enzymes; Antibiotics
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23B—PRESERVING, e.g. BY CANNING, MEAT, FISH, EGGS, FRUIT, VEGETABLES, EDIBLE SEEDS; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES; THE PRESERVED, RIPENED, OR CANNED PRODUCTS
  • A23B4/00—General methods for preserving meat, sausages, fish or fish products
  • A23B4/14—Preserving with chemicals not covered by groups A23B4/02 or A23B4/12
  • A23B4/18—Preserving with chemicals not covered by groups A23B4/02 or A23B4/12 in the form of liquids or solids
  • A23B4/20—Organic compounds; Microorganisms; Enzymes
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23B—PRESERVING, e.g. BY CANNING, MEAT, FISH, EGGS, FRUIT, VEGETABLES, EDIBLE SEEDS; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES; THE PRESERVED, RIPENED, OR CANNED PRODUCTS
  • A23B4/00—General methods for preserving meat, sausages, fish or fish products
  • A23B4/14—Preserving with chemicals not covered by groups A23B4/02 or A23B4/12
  • A23B4/18—Preserving with chemicals not covered by groups A23B4/02 or A23B4/12 in the form of liquids or solids
  • A23B4/24—Inorganic compounds
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
  • A23L13/00—Meat products; Meat meal; Preparation or treatment thereof
  • A23L13/03—Coating with a layer; Stuffing, laminating, binding, or compressing of original meat pieces
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
  • A23L13/00—Meat products; Meat meal; Preparation or treatment thereof
  • A23L13/40—Meat products; Meat meal; Preparation or treatment thereof containing additives
  • A23L13/42—Additives other than enzymes or microorganisms in meat products or meat meals
  • A23L13/428—Addition of flavours, spices, colours, amino acids or their salts, peptides, vitamins, yeast extract or autolysate, nucleic acid or derivatives, organic acidifying agents or their salts or acidogens, sweeteners, e.g. sugars or sugar alcohols; Addition of alcohol-containing products
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
  • A23L13/00—Meat products; Meat meal; Preparation or treatment thereof
  • A23L13/60—Comminuted or emulsified meat products, e.g. sausages; Reformed meat from comminuted meat product
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
  • A23L13/00—Meat products; Meat meal; Preparation or treatment thereof
  • A23L13/70—Tenderised or flavoured meat pieces; Macerating or marinating solutions specially adapted therefor
  • A23L13/72—Tenderised or flavoured meat pieces; Macerating or marinating solutions specially adapted therefor using additives, e.g. by injection of solutions
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
  • A23L13/00—Meat products; Meat meal; Preparation or treatment thereof
  • A23L13/70—Tenderised or flavoured meat pieces; Macerating or marinating solutions specially adapted therefor
  • A23L13/72—Tenderised or flavoured meat pieces; Macerating or marinating solutions specially adapted therefor using additives, e.g. by injection of solutions
  • A23L13/74—Tenderised or flavoured meat pieces; Macerating or marinating solutions specially adapted therefor using additives, e.g. by injection of solutions using microorganisms or enzymes
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS, OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES A21D OR A23B-A23J; THEIR PREPARATION OR TREATMENT, e.g. COOKING, MODIFICATION OF NUTRITIVE QUALITIES, PHYSICAL TREATMENT; PRESERVATION OF FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS, IN GENERAL
  • A23L13/00—Meat products; Meat meal; Preparation or treatment thereof
  • A23L13/70—Tenderised or flavoured meat pieces; Macerating or marinating solutions specially adapted therefor
  • A23L13/72—Tenderised or flavoured meat pieces; Macerating or marinating solutions specially adapted therefor using additives, e.g. by injection of solutions
  • A23L13/75—Tenderised or flavoured meat pieces; Macerating or marinating solutions specially adapted therefor using additives, e.g. by injection of solutions using macerating or marinating solutions, e.g. marinades containing spices, acids, condiments or flavouring agents
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23V—INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND LACTIC OR PROPIONIC ACID BACTERIA USED IN FOODSTUFFS OR FOOD PREPARATION
  • A23V2002/00—Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs

Definitions

• the preservation of meat and meat products has been practiced for many years in a variety of ways, such as by smoking, treatment with salt or nitrite, or combinations thereof.
• the meat or meat product desired to be cured is exposed to a nitrate-containing substance.
• Bacteria or other organisms that are capable of converting the nitrate to nitrite are then added to the mixture of the meat or meat product to be cured and the nitrate-containing substance to ferment the nitrate to nitrite.
• the presence of nitrite gives the meat a distinct color and flavor, in addition to preventing the growth of harmful microorganisms.
• the curing processes described in the prior art present several problems.
• the invention provides a curing agent comprising a plant-based nitrite derived from plant material comprising nitrate.
• the curing agent is capable of curing a meat or meat product and can be prepared outside the meat curing process so as to eliminate the need to introduce bacteria or other organisms along with a nitrate-containing substance into the environment sought to be maintained during curing. This simplifies the number of steps involved in the curing process, increases the speed at which the process occurs, and generally results in a more consistent product.
• the invention also provides a process for preparing a curing agent comprising (i) selecting a plant material comprising nitrate, (ii) contacting the plant material with an organism capable of converting said nitrate to nitrite, and (iii) converting a predetermined amount of nitrate to nitrite.
• the invention further provides a process for preserving meat or meat product comprising contacting meat or meat product with a curing agent comprising plant-based nitrite, wherein the plant-based nitrite is derived from plant material comprising nitrate, by contacting the plant-based nitrite with the meat or meat product, wherein the meat or meat product is preserved.
• the invention also provides a cured meat or meat product, cured by exposing or treating uncured meat or meat product to a curing agent comprising plant-based nitrite.
• the curing agent of the present invention comprises a sufficient amount of nitrite to cure meat or meat product upon exposure to the curing agent.
• the curing agent comprises plant-based nitrite derived from plant material comprising a sufficient amount of nitrate such that when the plant material is exposed to bacteria or other organism capable of converting nitrate to nitrite, the curing agent has a sufficient amount of nitrate to be effective to cure meat or meat product.
• a curing agent comprising plant-based nitrite derived from plant material comprising nitrate.
• the curing agent comprises an amount of nitrite such that the curing agent is capable of curing meat or meat product.
• meat and meat product as they relate to the invention described herein, mean any edible tissue or flesh derived from the taxon of organisms that fall within the Kingdom Animalia, including all red meats, pork, poultry, fish, wild game, and combinations thereof.
• the curing agent comprises plant-based nitrite and can be derived from any nitrate-containing plant material including, for example, plant extracts, plant juices, plant powders, or any plant derivative which contains nitrate, preferably at least about 50 ppm nitrate.
• Suitable plant materials include, but are not limited to, celery, beet, spinach, lettuce, cabbage, cucumber, eggplant, mushroom, green pepper, butternut squash, zucchini, mixed salad greens, carrot, artichoke, green bean, lima bean, broccoli, cauliflower, collard green, corn, mustard, okra, onion, Chinese pea pod, black eyed pea, green pea, potato, turnip, sauerkraut, radish and the like.
• nitrate preferably at least about 50 ppm nitrate
• Any mixture or combination of plant materials can be used to make the curing agent. Suitable plant material is available from commercial suppliers such as Florida Food Products, Inc. and Vegetable Juices, Inc.
• the plant material can be processed in any of a number of ways which are known to those of ordinary skill in the art, such as by low temperature concentration, blending, filtration, pasteurization, and vacuum drying.
• Aqueous liquid plant material, concentrates or dry powder can be used to make the curing agent.
• the nitrate concentration of the plant material used to make the curing agent is preferably at least 50 ppm; plant material with higher nitrate concentrations are also useful.
• the nitrate concentration of the plant material is at least about 100 ppm (e.g., at least about 200 ppm, at least about 300 ppm, at least about 400 ppm, at least about 500 ppm, at least about 600 ppm, or at least about 700 ppm).
• the nitrate concentration of the plant material is preferably about 24,000 ppm or less (e.g., about 20,000 ppm or less, about 15,000 ppm or less, about 10,000 ppm or less, about 8000 ppm or less, about 5000 ppm or less, about 3000 ppm or less, about 2500 ppm or less, or about 2000 ppm or less).
• the nitrate concentration of the plant material is, for example, about 100 ppm to about 10,000 ppm, about 100 ppm to about 5000 ppm, about 200 ppm to about 5000 ppm, about 300 ppm to about 3000 ppm, about 400 ppm to about 1000 ppm, about 50 ppm to about 3000 ppm, or about 100 ppm to about 2500 ppm.
• the curing agent is, particularly in the preferred embodiments, substantially free of non-natural nitrate and nitrite.
• non-natural nitrate or nitrite as it relates to the invention described herein, means any nitrate or nitrite which is artificially added to the plant material and thus is not naturally contained within the plant material.
• the curing agent can further comprise additional components, including but not limited to, yeast extract, protein hydrolyzates, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates.
• additional components including but not limited to, yeast extract, protein hydrolyzates, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and carbohydrates.
• the pH and salt content of the plant material Prior to the conversion of nitrate to nitrite, can be adjusted with the addition of a suitable acid, base, salt, or combination thereof.
• the plant material can be subjected to additional processing steps prior to conversion of nitrate to nitrite. Such processing steps can include, but are not limited to, heat treatment, filter sterilization, or a process which reduces the initial microbial load.
• the invention also provides a process for preparing a curing agent comprising (i) selecting a plant material comprising nitrate, preferably at least about 50 ppm nitrate, (ii) contacting the plant material with an organism capable of converting nitrate to nitrite, and (iii) converting a predetermined amount of nitrate to nitrite.
• Any organism capable of converting nitrate to nitrite can be used in the process of the present invention. Any organism possessing nitrate reductases or other enzymes capable of converting of nitrate to nitrite can be used. Such organisms can include both food grade and non-food grade organisms. Suitable organisms include but are not limited to yeast, fungi, and bacteria. The organism can be, for example, E.
• Rhodobacter sphaeroides Rhodobacter sphaeroides, Paracoccus pantotrophus, Wautersia eutropha, Bradyrhizobium japonicum , any Pseudomonas species, Campylobacter jejunii, Wollinella succinogenes, Haemophylus influenzae, Shewanella oneidensis, Desulfitobacterium hafniense, Rhodobacter capsulatus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Bacillus subtilis , the genus Cyanobacteria , any Synechococcus species, the genus Haloferax , the genus Haloarcula , and Thermus thermophilus .
• the organism is a single strain or combination of bacterial strains within the Micrococcaceae family, including Micrococcus and Staphylococcus , Gram-positive cocci, including Enterococcus, Lactococcus, Leuconostoc, Pediococcus, Streptococcus , and Staphylococcus , and all lactic acid bacteria.
• the organism or organisms useful in the process of the invention include M. varians, S. carnosus , or a combination thereof. It is believed that the organism interacts with the nitrate in the plant material to reduce the plant-based nitrate to nitrite (e.g., by fermentation, metabolic, and/or enzymatic activity).
• the nitrate to nitrite conversion process can occur under any suitable parameters.
• the pH is any pH at which sufficient conversion of nitrate to nitrite occurs.
• the pH is preferably at least about 5 (e.g., at least about 5.5, at least about 6, at least about 6.5, at least about 7, or at least about 7.5).
• the pH is preferably about 9 or less (e.g., about 8 or less, about 7 or less, about 6.5 or less, about 6 or less, or about 5.5 or less).
• the pH is, for example, about 5 to about 9, about 6 to about 8, about 6.5 to about 8, about 6.5 to about 7.5, or about 6.5 to about 7.
• the temperature at which the conversion occurs can be any suitable temperature.
• the temperature at which the conversion occurs is preferably at least about 0° C. (e.g., at least about 15° C., at least about 20° C., at least about 25° C., at least about 30° C., or at least about 35° C.).
• the temperature at which the conversion occurs is preferably about 50° C. or less (e.g., about 45° C. or less, about 40° C. or less, about 35° C. or less, or about 30° C. or less).
• the temperature at which the conversion occurs can be, for example, about 0° C. to about 50° C., about 20° C. to about 45° C., about 21° C. to about 43° C., or about 35° C. to about 40° C.
• the salt concentration is the salt concentration at which the conversion of nitrate to nitrite occurs.
• the salt concentration is preferably at least about 0.5 wt. % (e.g., at least about 1 wt. %, at least about 2 wt. %, at least about 3 wt. %, at least about 4 wt. %, or at least about 5 wt. %).
• the salt concentration is preferably about 8 wt. % or less (e.g., about 6 wt. % or less, about 5 wt. % or less, about 4 wt. % or less, about 3 wt. % or less, about 2 wt. % or less, or about 1 wt. % or less).
• the salt concentration can be, for example, about 0.1 wt. % to about 8 wt. %, about 0.1 wt. % to about 7 wt. %, about 0.5 wt. % to about 6 wt. %, about 1 wt. % to about 7 wt. %, or about 1 wt. % to about 6 wt. %.
• the nitrate to nitrite conversion process can occur under either aerobic or anaerobic aeration conditions, with or without pH control, temperature control, or agitation, until a predetermined level of nitrite is reached.
• the conversion process occurs under anaerobic conditions achieved with a nitrogen sparge and low agitation throughout.
• the conversion process occurs under anaerobic conditions achieved via low agitation, without a sparge.
• the conversion occurs under aerobic conditions achieved with a low air sparge and agitation throughout the conversion process.
• the conversion occurs under aerobic conditions achieved with an air sparge and an oxygen sparge, with agitation, wherein levels of 20% dissolved oxygen are maintained throughout the conversion process.
• the conversion occurs under aerobic conditions achieved initially with a low air sparge with agitation until mid-conversion, at which point an oxygen sparge is added.
• the conversion occurs under aerobic conditions achieved with an air sparge and an oxygen sparge, with agitation, wherein levels of 20% dissolved oxygen are maintained until mid-conversion, at which point the oxygen sparge is removed and the level of agitation is lowered.
• the nitrite levels can be monitored using techniques such as nitrate depletion, nitrite accumulation, optical density, carbohydrate depletion, or other suitable methods for monitoring fermentation progress, techniques well known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
• the curing agent can be inactivated using methods known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
• Useful inactivation methods include, but are not limited to, filter sterilization, heat treatment such as pasteurization, sterilization, or centrifugation.
• the organism can be inactivated and remain in the curing agent, or inactivated and removed from the curing agent.
• the nitrite concentration of the curing agent is a concentration sufficient to cure meat or meat product upon exposure or treatment of uncured meat or meat product to the nitrite-containing curing agent.
• the curing agent can be concentrated and/or dried after processing of the curing agent is complete by using methods which are known to those of ordinary skill in the art. Similarly, the concentrated curing agent can be diluted before it contacts the meat or meat product by using methods which are known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
• the nitrite concentration of the concentrated curing agent can be any suitable concentration.
• the nitrite concentration of the curing agent is preferably at least about 50 ppm (e.g., at least about 100 ppm, at least about 200 ppm, at least about 300 ppm, at least about 400 ppm, at least about 500 ppm, or at least about 600 ppm).
• the nitrite concentration of the curing agent is preferably about 24,000 ppm or less (e.g., about 20,000 ppm or less, about 15,000 ppm or less, about 10,000 ppm or less, about 8000 ppm or less, about 5000 ppm or less, about 3000 ppm or less, or about 2000 ppm or less).
• the nitrite concentration of the curing agent can be, for example, about 50 ppm to about 24,000 ppm, about 100 ppm to about 10,000 ppm, about 200 ppm to about 8000 ppm, about 300 ppm to about 6000 ppm, about 400 ppm to about 5000 ppm, or about 500 ppm to about 1000 ppm.
• the invention provides a process for preserving meat or meat product comprising contacting the meat or meat product with a curing agent comprising plant-based nitrite.
• the plant-based nitrite is derived from plant material comprising nitrate in an amount sufficient to cure the uncured meat or meat product upon exposure to or treatment with the curing agent.
• the curing agent comprises at least about 50 ppm nitrite.
• the invention also provides a cured meat or meat product, wherein the meat or meat product has been treated with a curing agent comprising plant-based nitrite and the plant-based nitrite is derived from plant material comprising nitrate, preferably at least about 50 ppm nitrate.
• preserving, preserve(d), curing, and cure(d), as they relate to the invention described within mean any improvement in the amount of time that meat or meat product treated with the curing agent can be safely stored (e.g., shelf-life), or remains sensory, organoleptic, or color-acceptable, when compared with meat or meat products that have not been cooked, cured, preserved, or treated with any shelf-life extending agent, such as salt or smoke.
• the curing agent of the present invention can be used to cure any of a wide variety of uncured meat or meat product that it is desired to cure.
• Uncured meat or meat product that can be cured with the curing agent of the present invention include, but are not limited to, whole muscle meats, emulsified meats, and the like.
• Cured meat or meat products include, for example, ham, turkey, chicken, hot dogs, lunch meat, bacon and the like.
• the nitrite concentration of the curing agent which contacts the meat or meat product can be any suitable concentration.
• the nitrite concentration of the curing agent which contacts the meat or meat product can be at least about 10 ppm (e.g., at least about 30 ppm, at least about 50 ppm, at least about 75 ppm, at least about 100 ppm, or at least about 125 ppm).
• the nitrite concentration of the curing agent which contacts the meat or meat product can be about 300 ppm or less (e.g., about 250 ppm or less, about 200 ppm or less, about 175 ppm or less, about 156 ppm or less, or about 125 ppm or less).
• the nitrite concentration of the curing agent which contacts the meat or meat product can be, for example, about 10 ppm to about 300 ppm, about 20 ppm to about 275 ppm, about 30 ppm to about 250 ppm, about 40 ppm to about 220 ppm, or about 50 ppm to about 200 ppm.
• This example illustrates the effect of fermentation on the nitrate to nitrite conversion levels of various sources of plant material.
• each composition contained the juice concentrate specified in Table 1 that was diluted 1:10 in de-ionized water to which 0.3 wt. % yeast extract was added. The pH of each composition was adjusted to 7 with 50% sodium hydroxide. The compositions were sterilized at 121° C. for 15 minutes. Each composition was then inoculated with M. varians and placed in a shaker at 200 rpm and incubated at 31° C. for 8-20 hours.
• nitrite concentration (ppm) was determined before and after fermentation for each composition, and the results are shown in Table 1.
• This example illustrates the effect of sodium chloride used during the fermentation process on the nitrate to nitrite conversion levels of a plant material.
• each composition contained celery juice concentrate that was diluted 1:10 in de-ionized water to which 0.3 wt. % yeast extract was added. The pH of each composition was adjusted to 7 with 50% sodium hydroxide. The compositions were sterilized at 121° C. for 15 minutes. Each composition was then inoculated with either M. varians or S. carnosus and placed in a shaker at 200 rpm and incubated at 31° C. for 8-20 hours.
• nitrite concentration (ppm) was determined after fermentation for each composition, and the results are shown in Table 2.
• This example illustrates the effect of temperature used during the fermentation process on the nitrate to nitrite conversion levels of a plant material.
• each composition contained celery juice concentrate that was diluted 1:10 in de-ionized water to which 0.3 wt. % yeast extract was added. The pH of each composition was adjusted to 7 with 50% sodium hydroxide. The compositions were sterilized at 121° C. for 15 minutes. Each composition was then inoculated with either M. varians or S. carnosus and placed in a shaker at 200 rpm and incubated at the temperature indicated in Table 3 for 8-20 hours.
• nitrite concentration (ppm) was determined after fermentation for each composition, and the results are shown in Table 3.
• This example illustrates the effect of pH used during the fermentation process on the nitrate to nitrite conversion levels of a plant material.
• Each composition contained celery juice concentrate that was diluted 1:10 in de-ionized water to which 0.3 wt. % yeast extract was added. The compositions were sterilized at 121° C. for 15 minutes. Each composition was then inoculated with M. varians and placed in a shaker at 200 rpm and incubated at 31° C. for 20 hours.
• nitrite concentration (g/L) was determined before and after 20 hours of fermentation for each composition, and the results are shown in Table 4.
• This example illustrates the effect of the aeration conditions used during the fermentation process on the nitrate to nitrite conversion levels of a plant material.
• each composition contained celery juice concentrate that was diluted 1:10 in de-ionized water to which 0.3 wt. % yeast extract was added. The pH of each composition was adjusted from 6.8 to 6.5 with 50% sodium hydroxide. The compositions were sterilized at 121° C. for 20 minutes. Each composition was then inoculated with M. varians and placed in an incubator at 31° C.
• nitrite concentration (mg/L) was determined after fermentation for each composition, and the results are shown in Table 5.
• This example illustrates the use of the curing agent in the preparation of a cured ham product.
• Each composition contained celery juice concentrate was diluted to 4.3% solids. 0.3 wt. % yeast extract was added to the composition, which was then inoculated with M. varians .
• the pH of the composition was adjusted from 6.8 to 6.5 with sodium hydroxide. A temperature of 31° C. and an agitation level of 10% were maintained throughout the fermentation process. After 6 hours of fermentation, a 5 SCFM air sparge was added. The fermentation continued until base addition flatlined. After fermentation was completed, the pH of the composition was adjusted to 7.5 with sodium hydroxide. The fermentate temperature was brought to 95° C. for 20 minutes, then the fermentate was concentrated to 46% solids. The fermentate was then autoclaved at 121° C. for 15 minutes. The resulting curing agent contained approximately 5000 ppm nitrite, which corresponds to approximately 7500 ppm sodium nitrite.
• the curing agent was formulated in 40% extended hams from Swift & Company (NAMP 402F, pork leg (fresh ham), inside) at concentrations of 75 ppm, 150 ppm, and 200 ppm sodium nitrite, which corresponds to 50 ppm, 100 ppm, and 133 ppm nitrite per meat green weight, respectively.
• Meat green weight is the weight of the raw meat before the addition of other components or cooking, thus a 40% extended ham contains 40 wt. % non-meat ingredients.
• an uncured ham and a ham to which 200 ppm sodium nitrite was directly added served as controls. It should be noted that all nitrite concentrations listed in Tables 6-8 are calculated as ppm sodium nitrite.
• a brine was prepared by mixing water and ice, sodium tripolyphosphate, salt, the curing agent or sodium nitrite, dextrose, and sodium erythorbate at the concentrations listed in Table 6.
• the pork was then injected with 40% of the brine and vacuum tumbled for 2 hours at 8 rpm.
• the product was held overnight under refrigeration at 2.7° C.
• the product was then tumbled for 15-30 minutes, packaged in heat shrink vacuum bags, and cooked at 100% humidity in a smokehouse for 1 hour at 48.9° C., 1 hour at 60° C., 1 hour at 71° C., and at 82° C. until it reached an internal temperature of 71° C.
• the product was then showered until the temperature dropped below 37.8° C. and was stored under refrigeration at 2.7° C. Yield and color measurements were then taken.
• the a* values indicated that both the nitrite control ham product and the curing agent treated ham product appeared more red or pink in color when compared with the uncured sample. This was expected, as meat products that have been treated with nitrite typically have a red/pink appearance when compared with untreated meat products. The differences in color between the hams treated with the three different concentrations of curing agent were minimal.
• This example illustrates the use of the curing agent in the preparation of a cured hot dog product.
• Each composition contained celery juice concentrate was diluted to 4.3% solids. 0.3 wt. % yeast extract was added to the composition, which was then inoculated with M. varians .
• the pH of the composition was adjusted from 6.8 to 6.5 with sodium hydroxide. A temperature of 31° C. and an agitation level of 10% were maintained throughout the fermentation process. After 6 hours of fermentation, a 5 SCFM air sparge was added. The fermentation continued until base addition flatlined. After fermentation was completed, the pH of the composition was adjusted to 7.5 with sodium hydroxide. The fermentate temperature was brought to 95° C. for 20 minutes, then the fermentate was concentrated to 46% solids. The fermentate was then autoclaved at 121° C. for 15 minutes. The resulting curing agent contained approximately 5000 ppm nitrite, which corresponds to approximately 7500 ppm sodium nitrite.
• the curing agent was formulated in a meat block from Amity Packing Company ((NAMP 402F, pork leg (fresh ham) and NAMP 418, pork trimmings) comprising 56% lean pork, 31% 80/20 pork trimmings, and 13% 50/50 pork trimmings at concentrations of 75 ppm and 156 ppm sodium nitrite, which corresponds to 50 ppm and 104 ppm nitrite per meat green weight, respectively.
• the meat green weight is the weight of the raw meat before the addition of other components or cooking.
• an untreated hot dog and a hot dog to which 156 ppm sodium nitrite was directly added served as controls. It should be noted that all nitrite concentrations listed in Tables 9-11 are calculated as ppm sodium nitrite.
• the meat was pre-ground or chopped and placed in a bowl chopper with the sodium tripolyphosphate, salt, sodium nitrite or curing agent, and half of the water and ice, at the concentrations listed in Table 9.
• the product was chopped under a vacuum for approximately 3 minutes until an even batter is formed.
• the remaining water and ice, pork, and additional ingredients were added to the mixture.
• the product was mixed until a fine batter was formed.
• the product was then vacuum stuffed into 28 mm diameter cellulose casings.
• the product was cooked for 15 min at 48.9° C./ ⁇ 17.8° C.
• the a* values indicated that both the nitrite control hot dog product and the curing agent treated hot dog product appeared more red or pink in color when compared with the uncured sample. This was expected, as meat products that have been treated with nitrite typically have a red/pink appearance when compared with untreated meat products. The differences in color between the hot dog products treated with the two different concentrations of curing agent were minimal.

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