Injectable protein product

A process for retaining moisture in animal muscle tissue which comprises:

• A) adding an injectable salted aqueous suspension of functional animal muscle tissue protein composition to said animal muscle tissue at a weight ratio between about 0.03% and about 18% by weight of the injectable salted aqueous suspension of functional animal muscle tissue composition to said animal muscle tissue, whereby said injectable salted aqueous suspension of functional animal muscle tissue protein composition is injected into said animal muscle, and
• B) cooking or thawing said animal muscle tissue with said injectable salted aqueous suspension of functional animal muscle tissue protein composition from step A) wherein, after cooking, the animal muscle tissue weighs between about 1% and about 20% greater than an animal muscle tissue not subjected to step A), or after thawing, the animal muscle tissue weighs between about 4% and about 15% greater than an animal muscle tissue not subjected to step A);
• wherein the injectable salted aqueous suspension of functional animal muscle tissue protein composition is for use during a food processing injection procedure with at least one injection pathway, and wherein said salted aqueous suspension of functional animal muscle tissue comprises sarcoplasmic proteins and myofibrillar proteins derived from animal muscle tissue and is obtained by the process comprising the steps of:
• 1) comminuting animal muscle tissue to form comminuted animal muscle tissue,
• 2) mixing said comminuted animal muscle tissue with a food grade alkaline composition to solubilize animal muscle protein thereby forming an aqueous basic solution of animal muscle protein;
• 3) then mixing said aqueous basic solution of Step 2) with a food grade acid composition to precipitate the animal muscle protein in solution to form an aqueous suspension of animal muscle protein particulates;
• 4) then adding salt to said aqueous suspension of step 3) to form a salted aqueous suspension of animal muscle protein;
• and
• 5) then comminuting said salted aqueous suspension of step 4) of animal muscle protein to form the injectable salted aqueous suspension of functional animal muscle tissue protein composition including sarcoplasmic proteins and myofibrillar proteins;
• whereby said injectable salted aqueous suspension is flowable through at least one injection pathway during an injection procedure without blocking at least one injection pathway.

An injectable salted aqueous suspension of functional animal muscle tissue protein composition for use during a food processing injection procedure with at least one injection pathway wherein said salted aqueous suspension of functional animal muscle tissue comprises sarcoplasmic proteins and myofibrillar proteins derived from animal muscle tissue obtained by the process comprising the steps of:

• A) comminuting animal muscle tissue to form comminuted animal muscle tissue;
• B) mixing said comminuted animal muscle tissue with a food grade alkaline composition to solubilize animal muscle protein, thereby forming an aqueous alkaline solution of animal muscle protein;
• C) then mixing said aqueous alkaline solution of Step B) with a food grade acid composition to precipitate the animal muscle protein in solution to form an aqueous suspension of animal muscle protein particulates;
• D) then adding salt to said aqueous suspension of step C) to form a salted aqueous suspension of animal muscle protein;
• and
• E) then comminuting said salted aqueous suspension of step D) of animal muscle protein to form the injectable salted aqueous suspension of functional animal muscle tissue protein composition including sarcoplasmic proteins and myofibrillar proteins;
• whereby said injectable salted aqueous suspension is flowable through at least one injection pathway during an injection procedure without blocking at least one injection pathway.

An animal muscle tissue composition having retained moisture obtained by a process comprising the steps of:

• A) adding an injectable salted aqueous suspension of functional animal muscle tissue protein composition to said animal muscle tissue at a weight ratio between about 0.03% and about 18% by weight of the injectable salted aqueous suspension of functional animal muscle tissue composition to said animal muscle tissue, whereby said injectable salted aqueous suspension of functional animal muscle tissue protein composition is injected into said animal muscle tissue;
• and
• B) cooking or thawing said animal muscle tissue with said injectable salted aqueous suspension of functional animal muscle protein composition from step A), wherein, after cooking, the animal muscle tissue weighs between about 1% and about 20% greater than an animal muscle tissue not subjected to step A), or wherein, after thawing, the animal muscle tissue weighs between about 4% and about 15% greater than an animal muscle tissue not subjected to step A);
• wherein the injectable salted aqueous suspension of functional animal muscle tissue protein composition is for use during a food processing injection procedure with at least one injection pathway, and wherein said salted aqueous suspension of functional animal muscle tissue comprises sarcoplasmic proteins and myofibrillar proteins derived from animal muscle tissue and is obtained by the process comprising the steps of:
• 1) comminuting animal muscle tissue to form comminuted animal muscle tissue;
• 2) mixing said comminuted animal muscle tissue with a food grade alkaline composition to solubilize animal muscle protein thereby forming an aqueous basic solution of animal muscle protein;
• 3) then mixing said aqueous basic solution of Step 2) with a food grade acid composition to precipitate the animal muscle protein in solution to form an aqueous suspension of animal muscle protein particulates;
• 4) then adding salt to said aqueous suspension of step 3) to form a salted aqueous suspension of animal muscle protein;
• and
• 5) then comminuting said salted aqueous suspension of step 4) of animal muscle protein to form the injectable salted aqueous suspension of functional animal muscle tissue protein composition including sarcoplasmic proteins and myofibrillar proteins;
• whereby said injectable salted aqueous suspension is flowable through at least one injection pathway during an injection procedure without blocking at least one injection pathway.