PROCESSES FOR MAKING THE SAME

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 1 19(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/943,264, filed February 21 , 2014, which application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

This disclosure relates to meat products, in particular, to non- fresh, processed meat products with long shelf lives and improved sensory characteristics.

Description of the Related Art

Shelf-stable meat products have generally undergone preservation processes to protect the meat products from microbial spoilage. One of the most important criteria for controlling microbial activities is water activity (Aw), which is defined as the equilibrium relative humidity (ERM) divided by 100. Reducing the water activity below 0.92 could effectively curb microbial growth. Lowering the moisture level in the meat products is the simplest way to reduce the water activity. Thus, many shelf-stable meat products have been processed to remove the water through a drying process. Salting is also used because salt is effective in binding to water.

Although dried or semi-dried meat products have generally long shelf life, they are also limited in taste and texture because their textures are dry, and their flavors are salty.

Dried or semi-dried meat products (e.g., jerky, snack meats) may be conventionally acidified to provide a tangy flavor. Direct acidification by adding acids such as lactic acid, citric acid, Glucono-delta-lactone, and ascorbic acid adversely affects the texture, causing the meat product to stiffen and develop a dry, mealy surface. These changes are most pronounced during the first 30 days of aging and progressively get worse over time. BRIEF SUMMARY

Provided herein are processes for preparing whole muscle meat products that are acid-stable and shelf-stable. In particular, the process comprises a fermentation step carried out under a specific set of conditions including temperature, relative humidity, and optionally vacuum, to achieve a final pH of 5.4-5.8.

In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a process or method is provide that includes: (1 ) mixing or injecting a whole muscle raw meat with a starter culture having lactic acid bacteria, and optionally seasonings, to provide a whole muscle meat blend; (2) heating the blend to 100°F-1 10°F under a relative humidity of 95%-99% for a sufficient period of time to allow the whole muscle meat blend to ferment; (3) terminating fermentation when the blend reaches a pH value in the range of 5.4-5.8 by a pasteurization process (e.g., 158°F to 160°F); and (4) drying the blend.

In accordance with another aspect of the present disclosure a process of preparing an acid-stable whole muscle meat blend by a fermentation process, and the meat products prepared thereof, is provided. The process includes (1 ) mixing or injecting the whole muscle raw meat with a starter culture having lactic acid bacteria, to provide a whole muscle meat blend;

(2) fermenting the blend by heating the blend to 100°F-1 10°F under a relative humidity of 95%-99% for a sufficient period of time to allow the whole muscle meat blend to ferment; (3) terminating fermentation when the blend reaches a pH value in the range of 5.4-5.8 through pasteurizing; and (4) drying the blend to an Aw of below 0.85. Preferably the Aw is below 0.75 moisture/protein ratio for jerky and between 0.85 and 0.92 for snack meat.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Described herein are processes for preparing whole muscle meat products by fermentation. In particular, the meat products are fermented by bacterial starter cultures under a specific set of conditions for maximum

"friendly" microbial activities such that the whole muscle meat product reaches a final pH range of 5.0-5.8, and more preferably 5.4-5.6, and most preferably 5.6. It is discovered that the resulting texture is stable and important for preserving the sensory characteristics (including taste, aroma and texture) of the whole muscle meat products during their shelf lives. The process of preparing an acid-stable whole muscle meat blend by a fermentation process, and meat products prepared thereof, involves the steps of mixing or injecting whole muscle raw meat with a starter culture having lactic acid bacteria, to provide a whole muscle meat blend; fermenting the blend by heating the blend to 100°F-1 10°F under a relative humidity of 95%-99% for a sufficient period of time to allow the whole muscle meat blend to ferment; terminating the fermenting when the blend reaches a pH value in a range of 5.0-5.8; and drying the blend to an Aw of no more than 0.92. These steps are further described in more detail below. 1 . Pre-fermentation mixing

Prior to the fermentation step, whole muscle raw meat is first mixed or injected with appropriate starter culture, including or in addition to brine, cure and sugar, and if desired a seasoning.

Examples of raw meat include, without limitation, pork, beef, lamb, veal, poultry (chicken or turkey), fish or game (venison). It may be in cuts low in fats and in collagen, for example tenderloin, loin, kernel of pork or veal, blade- bone of beef, top rounds, insides, breast of chicken or turkey. It may also be in cuts containing more fat and collagen, for example neck of beef, veal, lamb or mutton, chopped kernel of pork, knuckle of beef, drumstick or thigh of chicken or turkey.

Although the whole muscle meat blend may be in these additional forms, including, for example, whole muscle, sliced muscle, or muscle chunks, small chunks or slices of meat with thickness of up to and including 1 1 mm, and preferably in the range from and including 4 mm to and including 1 1 mm, are more effectively and thoroughly mixed or injected with the seasonings and starter culture.

The seasoning determines the desired flavor of the final meat product. The seasoning may be, for example, Pepperoni Jerky supplied by Kerry Bioscience (Rochester, MN). The seasoning may further include sugar (e.g., about 10%), salt (e.g., about 1 %), or cure, or any combination of the foregoing. Cure for meat may be obtained from Kerry Bioscience under the trade name Accell 2000.

Following the seasoning, a starter culture having lactic acid bacteria is added and mixed to form a blend. Suitable starter culture includes bacteria or microorganisms that consume sugar and produce lactic acid.

Examples of lactic acid bacteria include Pediococcus acidilactici. In particular, the starter culture may be obtained from Kerry Bioscience under the trade name Saga™ 200. The starter culture is typically freeze-dried and may be reconstituted by adding an appropriate amount of water. The reconstituted starter culture is then injected or infused into the seasoned meat at a weight percentage of about 40% (about 1 % to 2% of the dried starter culture).

2. Fermentation

Following injecting or blending of the whole muscle meat blend, the whole muscle meat blend is fermented at a specific fermentation

temperature and relative humidity to maximize the activities of the lactic acid bacteria. In particular, the fermentation temperature is in kept in the range of 100°F-1 12°F, and preferably 102°F-1 10°F, and more preferably at 105°F- 1 10°F, and most preferably at 108°F. The relative humidity is kept at 95%- 99%, and preferably 98%.

Prior to the fermentation, the whole muscle meat blend may be tumbled in a heated tumbler (e.g., a steam-injected, vacuum tumbler outfitted with a heating means, such as a heating jacket or coils), or may be mixed by paddles or heated via a thermal screw or auger to pre-heat the meat from an initial temperature of about 30°F to a temperature of about 108°F.

The blend is then placed in a container, such as a tote or tub, and placed in a room heated to the appropriate temperature (e.g., 100°F-1 10°F) for incubation so that fermentation can proceed to achieve the target pH. The meat is then either immediately chilled in a chilled tumbler or pasteurized to stop the fermentation process. The use of a tote or tub is important and advantageous because it avoids drying of the product during fermentation. In other words, the meat is held close together and surrounded by the tote or tub, which provides a heat sink for the fermentation process. It makes checking the pH much easier because sampling is eliminated and a pH probe may be inserted into the meat in the tub and left in place during the fermenting to provide continuous (not continual as in prior sampling methods) pH monitoring. This avoids the time-consuming process of preparing samples and then adjusting the temperature and RH. Instead, pH is continuously monitored with the use of the probe. Thus, a tub or tote provides ideal conditions for fermentation because it avoids drying out of the meat, provides for continuous pH monitoring with a probe, and maintains a more consistent temperature during fermentation. In another embodiment, the fermentation may take place in a smokehouse (prior to smoking). Regardless of the mixing means and storage means, care should be taken to ensure the temperature and relative humidity (RH) allow for fermentation to take place.

As the whole muscle meat blend ferments, lactic acid is produced and the pH value of the whole muscle meat blend drops. The pH value is continuously monitored until it reaches within a pH of 5.0-5.8, preferably within a pH of 5.4-5.6, and most preferably at a pH of 5.5 or 5.6.

Typically, it takes about 3-9 hours for the pH of the whole muscle meat blend to reach the desired range. A higher relative humidity generally leads to a shorter period of time (3-5 hours) needed to reach the final target pH.

3. Terminating the fermentation

Once the pH of the whole muscle meat blend reaches the target pH of 5.0-5.8, preferably within a pH of 5.4-5.6, and most preferably at a pH of 5.6, the fermentation needs to terminate before the pH drops any further. At too low a pH (e.g., below 5.0), the meat product becomes too sour or tangy and loses its water binding capacity.

Ending the fermentation comprises either heating the whole muscle meat blend up to 150°F-160°F and holding that temperature for 3 to 5 hours, depending on solids and seasonings, or cooling the blend to 40°F. Both processes will effectively deactivate the lactic acid bacteria and, as a result, no more lactic acid can be excreted. Preferably the heating is to 158°F to 160°F internal temperature, or 165°F for chicken, the temperature being held as needed before cooking in the oven.

4. Post-fermentation drying

Once the fermentation is completed, as evidenced by reaching the target pH range, the whole muscle meat blend may be dried. Typically, to keep the final meat products shelf-stable, the final Aw should be no more than 0.92, and preferably at or below 0.85 for jerky. Preferably a commercially available drier is used for the drying, at a temperature of about 180°F and 40% RH, and the drying takes about 60 to 90 minutes depending on weight.

Depending on the form of the final meat products (e.g., snack meats, jerky, etc.), the whole muscle meat blend may be smoked, line-dried, or heated to remove the water. A further embodiment provides a meat product prepared according to the process describe herein. The meat product may be pork, chicken, beef, or turkey and may be in the form of jerky, snack meat such as steak strips, and the like. EXAMPLE I

Chicken is obtained from a thawed meat source, such as a vacuum tumble thaw. It is then injected with a starter culture, such as a brine solution (seasonings, sugar, and salt and an Emulsion). It is then sliced and tumbled, loaded onto screens, and fermented. The fermentation is stopped when the pH is at about 5.6 for BBQ chicken or 5.8 for buffalo wings.

Fermentation takes about 5 hours. The chicken is then smokehouse pasteurized (about 6 hours), cut, and packaged.

EXAMPLE II

Beef or pork is obtained from a thawed meat source and cut to size as described above, 4 mm to 1 1 mm. Next, spices, cure, salt, and sugar are added, then a starter culture is added last to the meat and the mixture is tumbled for a uniform blend. The tumbler is heated from an initial temperature of about 40°F to about 108°F. Following tumbling, the blend is held in totes or tubs for about 3 to 4 hours, after which the blend may be chilled in a tumbler to 40°F or it may be placed on racks or screens in an oven and pasteurized at a temperature in the range of 100°F to 1 10°F. Preferably fermentation is at 105°F in a smokehouse at 80% RH for 3.5 to 4.5 hours until the target pH is achieved, which for pork is about 5.6 and for beef is about 5.3. Once the desired pH is reached, the smokehouse pasteurization procedure is initiated as described above, following which the meat is removed from the screens, cooled, and packed or cut and packed.

The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. Aspects of the embodiments can be modified, if necessary to employ concepts of the various patents, applications and publications to provide yet further embodiments.

These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.