Method and composition for preparing cured meat products
AssigneeKerry Luxembourg S.à.r.l.
InventorsAnn HUSGEN, Ken BAUMAN, Lacey MCKLEM, Petri PAPINAHO, Beth JONES
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The invention provides a curing agent comprising a plant-based nitrite derived from plant material comprising nitrate and a process for preparing the curing agent comprising contacting a plant material with an organism capable of converting nitrate to nitrite. The curing agent can be used to preserve or cure meat or meat products.
Claims20
A curing agent comprising at least about 50 ppm plant-based nitrite, said plant-based nitrite being derived from plant material comprising at least about 50 ppm nitrate, said curing agent being capable of curing a meat or meat product.
A process for preparing a curing agent, the process comprising:
- (i) selecting a plant material comprising at least about 50 ppm nitrate,
- (ii) contacting said plant material with an organism capable of converting said nitrate to nitrite, and
- (iii) converting a predetermined amount of said nitrate to nitrite.
A cured meat or meat product, said meat or meat product having been treated with a curing agent comprising plant-based nitrite, said plant-based nitrite being derived from plant material comprising at least about 50 ppm nitrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.