US 5,882,718 AGranted

Method for treating an aqueous protein solution to kill microorganisms therein without causing coagulation and composition thereof

AssigneeNovo Nordisk A/S

InventorsKlaus Pommer, Egon Christensen

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Abstract

A method for treating an aqueous protein solution so as to kill microorganisms which may be present therein, but without causing coagulation, comprises either (1) mixing the solution with sufficient enzymatically produced protein hydrolysate (H1) to prevent coagulation of the mixture when the mixture is subsequently subjected to a heat treatment to kill microorganisms, and then subjecting the mixture to such a heat treatment, or (2) using one or more enzymes to hydrolyze protein in the aqueous protein solution to an extent sufficient to prevent coagulation of the resulting liquid hydrolysate (H2) when it is subsequently subjected to a heat treatment to kill microorganisms, and then subjecting the liquid hydrolysate (H2) to such a heat treatment. The use of aqueous protein solutions treated in this manner in the production of a foodstuff, such as a meat-based foodstuff, contributes very significantly to reducing any risk of contamination of the foodstuff by harmful microorganisms.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A method for treating an aqueous protein solution for use in the production of a foodstuff so as to kill microorganisms which may be present in said protein solution substantially without causing coagulation of the proteinaceous component(s) of said solution, the method comprising the steps of:

either:
mixing said solution with an amount of an enzymatically produced protein hydrolysate (H1) sufficient to substantially prevent coagulation in the mixture when said mixture is subsequently subjected to a heat treatment so as to kill said microorganisms, and
subjecting said mixture to a heat treatment so as to kill said microorganisms;
or:
subjecting said solution to hydrolysis using one or more enzymes so as to at least partly hydrolyze protein in said solution to an extent sufficient to substantially prevent coagulation of the resulting liquid hydrolysate (H2) when said hydrolysate (H2) is subsequently subjected to a heat treatment to kill said microorganisms, and
subjecting said liquid hydrolysate (H2) to a heat treatment to kill said microorganisms.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.