# US 10,117,440 B2 · Stabilized meat products > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,117,440 B2 - Document ID: US10117440B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/412,635 - Filed: 2013-07-04 - Published: 2015-06-11 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2012-07-04 - Assignees: Marel Townsend Further Processing B.V.; Marel France - Applicants: Marel Townsend Further Processing B.V.; Marel France - Inventors: Jacques Le Paih; Yohann Pierre; Fabrice Le Pabic; Leon Marie Francois Spierts; Patricia Rosa Maria Hoekstra-Suurs; Johannes Marinus Quirinus Kools; Johannes Martinus Meulendijks - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10117440B2 ## CPC - A22C 13/0016: {based on proteins, e.g. collagen} - A22C 13/0006: {Apparatus for making artificial collagen casings (chemical aspects A22C13/0016)} - A23L 13/60: Comminuted or emulsified meat products, e.g. sausages; Reformed meat from comminuted meat product - A23L 29/20: containing gelling or thickening agents (marmalades, jams, jellies or other similar fruit or vegetable compositions A23L21/10) - A23L 29/231: Pectin; Derivatives thereof - A23L 29/256: from seaweeds, e.g. alginates, agar or carrageenan - A23L 29/262: Cellulose; Derivatives thereof, e.g. ethers - A23L 29/281: Proteins, e.g. gelatin or collagen - A23L 29/284: {Gelatin; Collagen} - A23P 30/25: Co-extrusion of different foodstuffs - A22C: PROCESSING MEAT, POULTRY, OR FISH (preserving A23B; obtaining protein compositions for foodstuffs A23J1/00; fish, meat or poultry preparations A23L; disintegrating, e.g. chopping meat, B02C18/00; preparation of proteins C07K1/00) - A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B) - A23P: SHAPING OR WORKING OF FOODSTUFFS, NOT FULLY COVERED BY A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS ## Abstract The present invention relates to a method for preparing food products by means of processing food particles with a gelling agent, comprising the processing steps of: a) providing a food particles; b) providing a viscous gelling agent; c) treating the viscous gelling agent with an acidic buffer solution; and d) bringing at least a part of the food particles in contact with the viscous gelling agent. The present invention further relates to a device for performing this method, to the obtained food product and the use of an acidic buffer solution for stabilizing food products. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Method for preparing food products by means of processing food particles with a gelling agent, comprising the processing steps of: a) providing food particles; b) providing a viscous gelling agent; c) treating the viscous gelling agent with an acidic buffer solution, wherein the acidic buffer prevents ionic strength differences between the viscous gelling agent and the food particles; and d) bringing at least a part of the food particles in contact with the viscous gelling agent, wherein the viscous gelling agent comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a protein and a polysaccharide. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the protein is selected from the group consisting of collagen, milk protein, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the acidic buffer solution has a pH of about 3.0 to 6.0. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the acidic buffer solution has a total concentration buffering agents of about 50 to 500 mM. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) Method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the buffering agents is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, sodium citrate, and/or calcium citrate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the acidic buffer solution is formulated into a gel comprising a thickener agent. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method further comprising a strengthening step e) wherein the viscous gelling agent is treated with a liquid strengthening agent. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) Method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the liquid strengthening agent is added to the viscous gelling agent during the gelling agent is brought in contact with the food particles. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) Method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the liquid strengthening agent comprises salt solutions selected from the group consisting of sodium salt, potassium salt, calcium salt, magnesium salt, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) Method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the liquid strengthening agent comprises calcium salt in a concentration of about 0.001 to 15% by weight. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) Method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the liquid strengthening agent is at least one selected from the group consisting of salts of sodium and the salts of potassium. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) Method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the concentration of sodium substantially corresponds with the concentration of sodium in the food particles. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method further comprising a stabilizing step f) wherein the food product is treated with an acidic stabilizing solution. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) Method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the acidic stabilizing solution having a pH lower than about 3.0. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) Method as claimed in claim 13, wherein the acidic stabilizing solution is at least one selected from the group consisting of citric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, and combinations thereof. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the meat particles are formed in individual food products each assembled from food particles and gelling agent after step d). ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the viscous gelling agent comprises about 1.0 to 8.0% by weight alginate. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the strengthening step e) the liquid strengthening agent is at least one selected from the group consisting of an enzymatic solution and/or a cross-linker. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing of food particles comprises the extrusion of a food dough. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) Method for preparing food products by means of extrusion as claimed in claim 19, wherein during processing step d) the treated viscous gelling agent at least partially encloses the strand of food dough. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) Method for preparing food products by means of extrusion as claimed in claim 19, wherein during processing step d) the viscous gelling agent is at least partially mixed with the strand of food dough. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing of food particles comprises the portioning of food products. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing of food particles comprises the assembling of food particles. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) Method for preparing food products by means of assembling food particles as claimed in claim 23, wherein during processing step d) the treated viscous gelling agent is binding the food particles. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing of food particles comprises the injection of food particles with the treated viscous gelling agent. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one electric property of the food particles is measured and wherein the results are subsequently used for automated adaptation of the addition properties of the acidic buffer solution used during processing step c). ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mechanical strength of the food particles is measured and wherein the results subsequently are used for automated adaptation of the properties of the acidic buffer solution used during processing step c). ### Claim 28 (depends on 1) Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the food particles are brought in contact with the viscous gelling agent during processing step d) in multiple stages. ### Claim 29 (depends on 1) Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processing steps a)-d) occur in immediate succession. ### Claim 30 (depends on 1) Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method further comprising a brining step wherein the exterior of the food product is treated with an aqueous salt solution. ### Claim 31 (depends on 1) A food product obtained by the method as claimed in claim 1. ### Claim 32 (depends on 1) Use of a buffer solution for stabilizing a viscous gelling agent in the method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the buffer solution has a pH of about 3.0 to 6.0. ### Claim 33 (depends on 23) Method as claimed in claim 23, wherein before processing step d) the treated viscous gelling agent is binding the food particles. ### Claim 34 (depends on 7) Method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the liquid strengthening agent is added to the viscous gelling agent after the gelling agent is brought in contact with the food particles. ### Claim 35 (depends on 11) Method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the concentration of potassium substantially corresponds with the concentration of potassium in the food particles. ### Claim 36 (depends on 13) Method as claimed in claim 13, wherein in the stabilizing step f) the acidic stabilizing solution is at least one selected from the group consisting of an enzymatic solution and a cross-linker. ### Claim 37 (depends on 1) Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one electric property of the viscous gelling agent is measured and wherein the results are subsequently used for automated adaptation of the addition properties of the acidic buffer solution used during processing step c). ### Claim 38 (depends on 1) Method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the mechanical strength of the viscous gelling agent is measured and wherein the results subsequently are used for automated adaptation of the properties of the acidic buffer solution used during processing step c).