Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
Specification:
This invention relates to improvecl mea-t products and to
processes for the preparation thereof, and in particular, relates
to improved sausage products and a method of preparing same.
The art of sausage making is an ancient craft encompassing
a diversified range of products. Generally, sausages can be
classified in two broad categories, (1~ ground, fresh sausage
products, and (2) emulsion-type sausages such as frankfurters,
weiners, bologna, liver sausage and braunschweiger, i.e., processed
sausage products. The present invention has applica~ion to the
manufacture of emulsion-type sausage products (processed sausage~.
Whereas ground fresh sausages show discrete particles of meat, in
emulsion-type sausages the fat is emulsified and stabilized by
the lean meat components.-
Sausage products are cured with nitrite and/or nitratesalts. and also contain various other additives such as water,
spices, sugars and liquid smoke. In addition, sausage products
will almost always-contain salt (sodium chloride). Salt has at
least three primary functions in the manufacture of sausage.
Firstly, it dissolves in water to form a brine which acts to
retard microbiological growth. Secondly, it contributes basic
taste charactistics. Thirdly, it aids in solubilizing the myosin-
type proteins of comminuted animal muscle so as to ~nable emulsifi-
cation of the fat by the swollen protein. Potassium chloride is
a recognized, albeit inferior, substitute for sodium chloride in
sausage manufacture.
Processed foods in general have been criticized by so~e
nutritionists who point to the presence of sodium chloride in
such products as contributing -to an excessive dietary intake of
sodium, which might lead to hypertension in some individuals.
Unfortunately, an adequate substitute for salt in ~he manufacture
of sausage products has ne~er been found. Phosphate salts, and
in particular the highly soluble alkaline phosphates, can be used
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~1 16~039
to partially replace sodium chloride to aid in the solubilization
of myosin-type proteins in sausage emulsions. However, phosphate
salts do not provide the basic flavor characteristics of sodium
chloride. And more importantly, phosphate salts tend to exacerbate
the unfavorable phosphorus to calcium balance inherent in meat.
Accordingly, phosphate salts have been utilized in only a limited
manner in the manufacture of sausage products.
Many organic and inorganic salts have been evaluated in
attempts to partially replace sodium chloride in the manufacture
of sausage products. Unfortunately, all proposed candidates
either deleteriously affect flavor characteristics of the sausage,
or detract from -the emulsifying characteris-tics of the sausage
formulation such that the fat/water content is adversely reduced
during cooking. It should be clear from the foregoing that there
exists a real need in the art to develop a partial substitute for
sodium chloride in Lhe manufacture of sausage products. It is
accordingly a primary objective of the present invention to
provide a new salt system as a partial substitue Eor sodium
chloride in processed sausage products.
It is also an important obiective of the present
invention to provide sausage products-exhibiting improved emulsifying
characteristics.
It is another objective of the present invention to
provide sausage products having lower sodium chloride contents.
It is a further objective of the present invention to
provide sausage products exhibiting improved calcium to phosphorus
ratios.
It is an additional objective of this invention to
provide an improved method for manu-facturing sausage products
having good emulsifying properties, lower levels of sodium chloride
and improved calcium to phosphorus ratios.
~ rieEly, the objectives-of this invention are obtained
by using a combination salt system containing both a glucona-te
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salt and an alkaline phosphate, as a partial replacemen-t for
sodium chloride in the manufacture of processed sausage products.
It is, of course, well-known to incorporate phosphate
salts in meat products, usually in amounts of less than 0.5~/O by
weight. Such phosphate salts have the primary function of increasing
moisture retention by both raising pH, and by causing a swelling
or unfolding of the muscle proteins, thereby making more sites
available for water binding. Generally, only highly soluble
alkaline phosphates, such as sodium tripolyphosphate and sodium
pyrophosphate, are commercially utilized. Sodium tripolyphosphate
and sodium pyrophosphate are also the two phosphate salts preferably
utilized in the present invention, either alone or in combination.
Calcium gluconate, (CsHllOsCOO)2 Ca-~20, and sodium
gluconate (CsHllOsCOO Na-H20) are the calcium and sodium salts of
gluconic acid, and are white, odorless powders. Applicants have
surprisingly discovered that unlike almost every other candidate
salt, calcium gluconate and sodium gluconate aid in swelling and
unfolding the myosin protein in sausage emulsions, thus enhancing
emulsification and water retention. Moreover, neither of these
gluconate salts imparts deleterious flavor characteris-tics to the
final product, when used in small quantities.
Candidate salts which were e~aluated and found not -to
acceptably impart emulsifying and water-retention properties to
sausage emulsions include sodium orthophosphate, glycerîn, calcium
chloride, magnesium chloride, aluminum chloride, zinc chloride,
ferric chloride, sodium sulphate, sodium nitrite, sodium nitrate,
sodium lactate and calcium lactate. Sodium acetate appeared to
function reasonably well in imparting emulsification properties,
but imparted a deleterious flavor note. See Example I.
The combination of gluconate salt and alkaline phosphate
salt enables replacement of any portion of the normal salt cont.ent
of the sausage product, usually from 1-5% by weight, without
sacrificing flavor characteris-tics or emulsifying and water-
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retention proper-ties. Generally, the gluconate sal-t/alkaline
phosphate combination will be used to replace about 10-50% of the
normal sodium chloride content of a given processed sausage
product. Thus, assuming a normal sodium chloride content of 1-5%,
the gluconate/phosphate cornbination system should comprise from
0.1 to 2.5% by weight of the final sausage emulsion product, and
most preferably from 0.1 to 1.0% by weight. Use of -the gluconate/
phosphate combination enables a decreased sodium chloride content
in the final sausage product. Moreover, when calcium gluconate
is utilized, one derives the additional benefit of improving the
calcium to phosphorous ratio in the final product. Nutritionists
indicate this ratio, ideally, should fall within the range of
2~ 2. By adding equimolar amounts of calcium gluconate and
alkaline phosphate, the inherent calcium to phosphorous ratio of
the meat ingredients can be maintained.
The other raw material ingredients used in manufacturing
the present sausage products are standard in the art. Thus, meat
ingredients are selected in accordance with well-known sausage
manufac-turing techniques so as to provide appropriate amounts of
protein, fat, and moisture. Moreover, the meat ingredlents are
selected so as to provide suitable water binding properties, a
characteric referring to meats' ability to retain molsture
during thermal processing of the product. Meats considered to
have good binding properties are skeletal tissue from beef animals,
such as bull meat, shank meat, chucks and boneless cow meat.
Intermediate value binder meats include head meat, cheek meat and
lean pork trimmings. Low binding value meats usually contain
large proportions of fat or are non-skeletal muscle, including
regular pork tri~nings, jowls, ham fat, beef briskets, hearts and
tongue trimmings.
As is well-known in the art, these meat ingredients are
ground and/or chopped and/or emulsified, along with various other
additives including ice/water, curing ingredients, spices, and
1 ~6~39
other optional ingredien-ts. Moisture, added as ice at the time
of chopping, is important not only to provide suitable moisture
to the final product, but also is necessary to hold product
temperatures below that which would produce instability in the
emulsion while it is being chopped.
The curing salts include sodium or potassium nitrate
and/or nitrite. These ingredients are added so that no more than
200 ppm sodium nitrite will be present in the finished sausage
product. Nitrite used at the level of 1/4 oz. per 100-lbs. will
result in 156 ppm nitrite being added to the product. The nitrite,
in combination with moisture level, pH, added salt, and final
intenlal processing temperature, has a general bacteriostatic
effect in the finished sausage product. Also, the nitri-te produces
a flavor and color that has become characteristic in sausage
products.
Spices are important contributors to sausage flavor,
and in some instances provide bacteriostatic and antioxidant
properties. Either natural spices or the oils and oleoresins
extracted therefrom may be used for flavoring sausage products.
Usually, oils and oleoresins are solvent-extracted, and transferred
to a salt or sugar base. Typical spices used in various sausage
products include black pepper, allspice, basil, bay leaf, cardamom,
cloves, ginger, mace, nutmeg, mustard, paprika, pimento, cayenne
pepper, white pepper, caraway, coriander, celery seed, cumin,
marjoram, thyme, savory, sage, anise, cinnamon, capsicum, onion,
garlic, sesame, and fennel.
In addition to ice/water, curing salts and spices,
sausage formulations may optionally contain ascorbates/erythorbates,
sugars, phosphates, acid/liquid smoke and binders/extenders. The
~0 salts of ascorbic acid and erythorbic acid are active reducing
agents that react with nitrite in such a way as to insure development
of the desired color in cured sausage products. Sugars are
generally incorporated in sausage products as a curing ingredient
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and/or adjunct to provide flavor or mask the salt flavor.
variety of sugars, such as sucrose, dextrose, corn syrup, solids
and sugar derivatives such as sorbitol, may be used. Sugars are
generally employed at levels of from 8 oz. to 2-lbs per 100-lbs.
of meat.
Food grade acids are commonly used in the manufacture
of sausage products to spray product surfaces prior to smoking or
cooking. The acid reduces surface pH and promotes coagulation of
protein at the surface. Acetic acid or vinegar is used extensively.
~iquid smoke, when sprayed, dipped, or atomized onto sausage
surfaces, imparts flavor, improves color, and aids peeling in
some instances.
Various binders/extenders are added to sausage meat
formulations to improve emulsion stability, to improve cooking
yields, to improve slicing characteristics, to împrove flavor,
and to reduce formulation costs. ~inderstextenders, when utilized,
are added in amounts up to 3.5%. Typical binders/extenders
include cereal, starch, vegetable flour, soy flour, soy pro-tein
concentrate, nonfat dry milk, and calcium-reduced nonfat dry
milk.
Finally, as has been previously discussed, sausage
formulations contain salt ~sodium chloride), and sometimes alkaline
phosphates. Depending on the type of sausage product, salt may
be present in an amount of from 1-5%, basis the final product
weight. Of course, in accordance with the present invention,
from 10-50% of this normal sodium chloride content will be replaced
with the gluconate sal-t/alkaline phosphate combination.
As is well-known in the art, once all the ingredients
have been ground and/or chopped, mixed, and emulsified, the
resulting sausage dough may be transferred -to stuffers for
extruding the dough mix into casings. ~fter the emuslsion is
stuffed in the casings,- the encased mass may be tied with thread
or fastened with metal clip5. The stuffed and linked sausage
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products may then be transferred to a smoke house wherein
the sausage products undergo a specialized drying and coo~ing
operation in which the sausage emulsion is coagulated.
After smoking and cooking, the product is showered with cold
water and then chilled by refrigeration. Finally, after
properly chilling the product, usually to a temperature of
35F.-40F., casings may be removed by a peeling operation.
The invention will be described further in connection
with the examples set forth below which are for purposes of
illustration only. All percentages are by weight unless
otherwise indicated.
EXAMPLE I
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In order to evaluate the emulsification/water
retention efficacy of various salt systems, protein solubility
tests were conducted for various salts in a standard meat
emulsion system. Meat slurries were prepared by grinding/chopping
lean meat (2% fat) with distilled water/ice to a 1/16th inch
particle size. Grinding/chopping was carried out in the
presence of 3.7% by weight sodium chloride plus various
candidate salts in amounts calculated to provide the equivalent
ionic strength of 0.5% sodium chloride. The emulsion was
then held at a p~ of 6.5 and a temperature of 40F. for a
period of two hours. Thereafter, the slurries were cen-trifuged,
and the liquid supernate and solid residue were analyzed.
Results were as follows:
Residue Supernate Protein in
Salt (grams) (grams)Supernate (%)
Potassium Chloride 230.5 369.5 34.1
Sodium Orthophosphate 231.2 368.8 23.6
So~ium Pyrophosphate223.9 376.1 32.8
Sodium Metaphosphate217.0 383.0 32.3
Glycerine 226.8 373.2 19.7
Calcium Chloride 220.4 379.6 24.9
Magnesium Chloride 230.9 369.1 22.7
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.~ ~1 6~3 9 g
Aluminum Chloride 187.6 412.4 12.7
Zinc Chloride 155.7 444.3 13.5
Ferric Chloride 205.3 394.7 8.7
Sodium Acetate 235.6 364.4 27.5
Sodium Sulfate 240.3 359.7 21.4
Sodium Nitrite 234.8 365.2 25.3
Sodium N~trate 241.8 358.2 24.9
Sodium Lactate 214.9 385.1 12.7
Calcium Lactate 195.4 404.6 17.0
Sodium &luconate 232.2 367.8 34.9
Calcium Gluconate 230.9 369.1 38.4
In general, greater protein solubility, and therefore
presumably better emulsification properties, are indicated by
higher residue weight, lower supernate weight and higher per cent
protein in supernate. Since it is known that phosphates improve
emulsification properties in processed meats, it was not surprising
to find that the sodium phosphates tended to score well. However,
the excellent emulsification performances-exhibited by sodium
gluconate and calcium gluconate were quite surprising.
EXAMPLE II
Standard frankfurter emulsions were formulated to
contain 35% fat and 10% protein, along with about 50% water. The
formulas were prepared using standard ingredients including beef
chucks, regular pork trimmings, beef flanks, ice, dextrose, corn
syrup, seasoning mix, sodium erythborate, sodium nitrite and
liquid smoke. ALso added to -the emulsion was 0.135% of either
sodium pyrophosphate or sodium tripolyphosphate or sodium acid
pyrophosphate, along with an equimolar amount of calcium gluconate.
The phosphate/gluconate system served to partially replace the
sodium chloride. The emulsion was ground to 1/16th inch particle
size, and was then held at 40F. for two hours at a pH of 6.5.
Thereafter, emulsion stability was evaluated by the Rongey emulsion
test, which quantitates water and -fat loss during heating and
cooking at 160F. Results were as follows:
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_ Emulsion System _ % ~oisture Loss % Fat Loss Total % Loss
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Control 13.2 4.~ 18.0
Sodium Pyrophosphate
plus Calcium Gluconate 8.9 2.8 11.7
Sodium Tripolyphosphate
plus Calcium Gluconate 10.0 3.0 13.0
Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate
plus Calcium Gluconate 13.3 4.1 17.4
Sodium pyrophosphate or socLium -tripolyphosphate, added
in combination with calcium glucona-te, evidenced -the most
significant improvement in the emulsification proper-ties. A
slight improvemen-t was observed with the addition of sodium acid
pyrophosphate in combination with calclum gluconate. These
results indicate that the emulsifying properties of sausage
products, such as frankfurters, can be improved while lowering
the sodium level, while at least maintaining an equivalent calcium
to phosphorus ratio.
EXA~LE III
A sensory evaluation of premium frankfurters (30% fat),
where sodium chloride had been partially replaced by either
calcium glucona-te or a comb~nation of calciu~ gluconate and
sodium pyrophosphate, was conducted to indicate if these additives
resulted in significant flavor differences. A control frankfurter
was prepared containing 2.16% added sodium chloride by weight in
the emulsion. A second frankfurter emulsion was prepared containing
1.9% sodium chloride and 0.64% calcium gluconate. A third frank-
furter emulsion was prepared containing 1.9% sodium chloride,
0.2% sodium pyrophosphate and 0.34% calcium gluconate. Six
trained panelists evaluated the three products, and concluded
-that flavor differences existlng between control and test variations
were minimal.
While this inventlon has been described and illustrated
by reference to specific embodiments, there is no intent to limit
the spirit or scope of this invention to the precise details set
forth, excep-t as may be defined in the following claims.
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