# US 2019/0313673 A1 · Procedure for food structure improvement prior to cooking and related equipment > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0313673 A1 - Document ID: US20190313673A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/309,605 - Filed: 2017-06-12 - Published: 2019-10-17 - Earliest claimed: 2016-06-16 - Assignees: Next Cooking Generation Srl - Applicants: Next Cooking Generation Srl - Inventors: Daniele DI CLERICO - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190313673A1 ## CPC - A23L 5/32: {using phonon wave energy, e.g. sound or ultrasonic waves} - A22C 9/00: Apparatus for tenderising meat, e.g. ham {(tenderising chemically A23L13/00, A23L13/70)} - A23B 2/57: by treatment with ultrasonic waves - A23B 4/015: Preserving by irradiation or electric treatment without heating effect - A23B 4/26: Apparatus for preserving using liquids {; Processes therefor} - A23L 5/15: {using wave energy, irradiation, electrical means or magnetic fields, e.g. oven cooking or roasting using radiant dry heat} - A23L 13/77: by mechanical treatment, e.g. kneading, rubbing or tumbling - A23L 13/76: by treatment in a gaseous atmosphere, e.g. ageing or ripening; by electrical treatment, irradiation or wave treatment - A23L: FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF (preservation thereof A23B) - 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) - A23B: PRESERVATION OF FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES ## Abstract The method and device, according to theoretical and experimental guidelines and related equipment, substantially modify, regarding the prior art treatment of food, especially of animal origin, the maturation and cooking phases, thus integrating most of the benefits of both processes. The method and device improve the characteristics of chewability, digestibility, presence of nutrients and hydration of the food. Moreover, the method and device ensure the absence of toxic substances due to cooking processes and improves the contribution of food marination and aromatic substances. ## Claims ### Claim 1 1) Procedure for the Maturation of food before cooking based on the controlled and parameterised administration of kinetic energy and thermal energy under vacuum of the cellular tissue forming the food by means of one or more transducers that emit ultrasound waves [FIG. 1 (12)] acting in a liquid [FIG. 1 (18) contained in a tank [FIG. 1) (10) placed in a vacuum state [FIG. 6 (68)], put in motion by a circulation pump [FIG. 1 (13) characterised by the following: The liquid [FIG. 1 (18)] immerses the food to be treated [FIG. 2] (23), which is inserted into a suitable plastic container impermeable to liquid [FIG. 2 (22)] but permeable to ultrasound waves. The ultrasound transducers [FIG. 8 (80)] are coupled to a convex lens [FIG. 8 (82) positioned in the area of emission of the ultrasound transducer [FIG. 8 (81). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) 2) Maturation procedure according to claim 1 in which the levels of Intensity, Modulation, range of Frequencies and the Duty Cycle of the energy supplied to the food through the ultrasounds are parameterised [FIG. 7] in order to keep constant the temperature of the liquid in the tank [FIG. 1 (10)] and stabilise the presence of gas dissolved in the liquid [FIG. 1 (18)]. ### Claim 3 3) Procedure for cooking food carried out by the administration of ultrasound [FIG. 6 (64)], a thermal method [FIG. 6 (62)] and the administration of kinetic energy to the food placed in the appropriate container [FIG. 6 (65) thanks to the forced circulation of liquid [FIG. 6 (63)(67)]. This cooking is performed under vacuum [FIG. 6 (68)] and at a controlled temperature to obtain a limited thermal shock on the food. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1, 2, 3) 4) Equipment capable of applying the procedures of ultrasound Boosted Maturation and cooking of claims 1, 2 and 3, constituted by a tank [FIG. 1 (10)] that is sealed and openable [FIG. 1) (11), capable of generating the state of vacuum thanks to an air suction pump [FIG. 1 (114)], an array of ultrasound transducers integrated into the tank [FIG. 1 (12)], a recirculation system of a liquid contained therein [FIG. 1 (13)] with an automatic control of its level [FIG. 1 (100)], a heating system of all the walls of the tank by means of electrical resistance [FIG. 1) (15), a series of temperature [FIG. 1 (17)] and pressure sensors [FIG. 1 (16)] and one or more waterproof plastic containers [FIG. 5 (52). ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) 5) Equipment of claim 4, wherein each electronic and electromechanical device related to it [FIG. 1 (12)(13)(14)(15)(16)(17)(100)] is controlled by a PLC [FIG. 1 (19)] with which the user may start, stop, edit and add one or more procedures for cooking and ultrasound Boosted Maturation. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4, 5) 6) Plastic material that is impermeable to liquids [FIG. 2 (20), insertable inside the tank of the equipment of claims 4 and 5, capable of being scattered inside an ultrasound wave [FIG. 4 (42)] when stimulated with an ultrasound transducer characterised by the density of the material of which it is composed, which confers an acoustic impedance equal to the value of the liquid in which it is immersed [FIG. 5 (52)] in the tank. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) 7) Plastic material container that is impermeable to the liquids of claim 6 [FIG. 4 (40), permeable to thermal conditioning induced from the outside. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5, 6) 8) Device according to claims 5 and 6, equipped with an improved energy efficiency compared to the state of the art thanks to the use of the ultrasound transducers [FIG. 6 (64)] and the state of vacuum [FIG. 6 (68)] that increases the efficiency of the scattering of the ultrasound waves in the liquid [FIG. 1 (18)].