EDIBLE ADIPOSE, METHODS OF MAKING THE SAME, AND

SACCHARIDE/PROTEIN GELS AND EMULSIONS FOR THOSE

ADIPOSES AND OTHER PRODUCTS

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INTENTION

^*' This invention relates primarily to edible, ^" artifical adipose products which, when added to meat, results in a meat product: which has lower cholesterol and/or saturated lipid contents than its conventional counterpart; which is juicier after preparation; and which is substantially indistinguishable from a freshly prepared, natural, comminuted meat product with an equivalent lipid content.

The term "adipose" as used in this specification refers to the natural complex of lipid and lipid bearing structural materials associated with meats. These materials include flavored oils and are generically referred to as fat.

In a second, and also important, aspect, the present invention relates to certain new and novel saccharide/protein gels which are employed in the novel artificial adiposes disclosed herein and which can also be used to produce a variety of other new and valuable products.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The adipose of edible meat consists of fat matrixed in membraned cells in such a way that it is not simply free fat but a natural composition exhibiting

εpecific characteristics of its own. Chicken skin, the white portions of bacon, milk fat globules, and suet are good, representative examples.

In comminuted meat, such as hamburger and ground sausage, adipose is distributed throughout as a separate, distinct component of the meat. The association of adipose lipid and adipose tissue results in specific and distinct complexes which do not behave as lipids do by themselves. For example, hamburger and sausage adipose contains a great deal of the ultimate aroma and taste characteristics of prepared hamburger and sausage. And, it does not melt all at once like the lipid alone would do. When the meat is cooked, the lipid portion of its adipose tissue can be dissociated from the remaining, primarily proteinaceous parts only with difficulty and with the application of high concentrations of heat and pressure. Thus, fried bacon adipose and others, after cooking, still retain their essential shape and residual high concentrations of - lipids. Cooked meat may be chopped into pieces and maintained at temperatures well above the melting point of the lipid contained in its adipose tissue as is common in cooking many food dishes; but the adipose will not melt; and it is still a distinct substance. It is known to those in the food trade and consumers alike that hamburger and sausage lose their appeal from the viewpoints of mouth feel and flavor when their adipose content drops below certain limits. The range of fat in hamburger varies from a low of about 16 percent to a high of over 30 percent. As a rule, the leaner the hamburger, the more expensive it becomes.

therefore, a typical quality of hamburger served in a restaurant contains only 74 percent lean meat and 26 percent fat.

One large fast food company specializing in hamburgers also uses a ratio of 74 percent lean meat/26 percent fat. In its "fancier" hamburgers, the fat content is decreased to 24 percent, still one-fourth of the product.

According to consumer data gathered by the American Meat Institute, 1988 per capita ground beef sales were 28.7 pounds which equates to 7.054 billion pounds (population base of 245.8 million). This was approximately 39 percent of the total meat consumption (including processed meats) .

Information provided by Texas A&M, released in 1988 and summarized in the following table, shows relative regional variations of lipids (fat) in hamburger (or ground beef) .

Ground beef constitutes 51 percent of all beef sold.

The importance of eating only sound, nutritious food has been recognized to a degree that today's consumer accepts the necessity of judicious food selectivity. This results in many consumers rejecting or limiting consumption of some foods heretofore considered to be healthful and delicious with culinarily less desirable but more healthful foods. This awareness has resulted in a revolution of individual eating habits that is crossing traditional international and cultural barriers in a wave of change.

In Western culture where both qualitative and quantitative adequacy of food exists, the public concern centers on such aspects as disproportionate intake of fats; overly refined, calorically concentrated foods; and, in particular, specifically currently undesirable components of some foods, such as those components containing significant amounts of saturated fats and cholesterol. As a consequence, traditional foods such as whole cream, eggs, cheeses, marbled meats, lunch meats, frankfurters, sausages, and the like have suffered diminution in consumption roughly in proportion to the concentration of cholesterol believed to be contained in them by the consuming public.

Such reduction in consumption has in some instances been profound as is the case with eggs, for example. A per capita reduction by half or more in consumption of eggs over the past decade has been seen.

Reductions in consumption of roasts, steaks, and other cuts of beef have also been substantial. Hamburger and sausage adipose contains significant amounts of cholesterol and is comprised of highly saturated fats. Both, according to current beliefs, are deleterious nutritional substances. The

popular trend is avoidance or restriction of foods containing these materials.

It is clear from the foregoing and other examples that unsaturated fats and oils are preferred over more saturated ones and that cholesterol content constitutes the basis of a compelling consumer rejection of even traditionally highly prized foods with significant saturated fat contents.

A primary portion of a characteristic meat flavor is found in its native adipose tissue as was mentioned above. It is therefore no accident that the finest cuts of meats, containing as they do marbling and high adipose concentrations, have the most agreeable and desirable meat flavors as well as the highest saturated fat contents.

Cholesterol is also found primarily in the adipose portions of meat. It is possible, therefore, to reduce both the saturated fat and cholesterol in ground meat products such as hamburger and sausages by simply selecting the leanest cuts and closely trimming these cuts of any freely associated adipose tissue before grinding them. Unfortunately, the resulting hamburger or sausage is reduced in edibility. It tends to lose flavor, to be somewhat crumbly, and to be difficult to both chew and swallow. Also, the absence of adipose tissue in trimmed and ground, lean cuts leads to difficulties during preparation, such as tendencies for the meat to dry out as it cooks, to cook unevenly, and to stick to cooking surfaces. The drying out of the meat as it cooks can make it unsuitable for commercial applications. In particular, in fast food establishments, it is important to prepare ood in advance of high demand periods to

prevent customers from waiting overly long for food. Such food preparation services have demonstrated great skill in developing strategies for dealing with this problem. Some have special fast cooking methods and even devices for preparing hamburgers rapidly which seal in juices so that the product does not become dry upon standing for short ^periods before consumption. And some go so far as to discard any prepared (cooked) hamburger meat if it is held for more than 8 to 12 minutes before purchase by a consumer to guarantee the quality of product which they sell.

Many methods for removing cholesterol from natural ^' food products other than the above-discussed trimming of fat from lean cuts of meat are known. Such methods usually require that the material which is to be treated to reduce its cholesterol level be either: in liquid form so that enzymes can be brought into adequate contact, or in dry form so that solvents can be applied for cholesterol removal. Because of the foregoing limitations, no practical method for eliminating cholesterol and/or saturated fats from hamburger and other products containing comminuted meats has yet been discovered. The expedient of simply using lean meat is too great an expense for many institutions and consumers. Also, the consequent losses in flavor, texture, and moistness may make the end product unacceptable.

Those other proposed methods of reducing cholesterol relative to total weight of meat by simply adding moisture cause a loss of product identity since the characteristics of meats with high moisture content — notorious in the case of hams, for example — are significantly different from those to which water has

not been added. Also, the shrinkage which results when an "added water" meat is cooked results in an eventual equal concentration of cholesterol on a weight-for-weight basis. Furthermore, the cost of the additional processing makes the "added water" meat more expensive than it would be if lean meat were simply purchased to start with.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

There have now been invented and disclosed herein: (1) certain new and novel comminuted meat products which have reduced contents of cholesterol and saturated fats but do not have the drawbacks of heretofore available products of that character, and (2) methods which can be used to make such products and which avoid such problems as those associated with pumping water into meat, trimming away all visible fat, etc. A major aspect of this invention is the discovery that the specific fraction of blood referred to as "plasma": (1) -possesses cooked flavors exactly like those associated with the meat from which the plasma is derived, and (2) can be emulsified and/or functionally cross-linked with vegetable gums and decholesterolized, low cholesterol, and cholesterol free oils and fats and analogues which may also be free, or have a low degree, of saturation.

It has also been discovered that, by combining: (1) blood plasma binding agents,

(2) gellable vegetable gums such as sodium alginate, and

(3) unsaturated and/or substantially decholesterolized or cholesterol-free oils or fats or analogues thereof.

the plasma can inexpensively be made into products indistinguishable from the natural adipose associated with or normally added to hamburger, sausage, and other ground meats. When artificial adipose produced according to this invention is combined with lean meat to produce hamburger or sausage, that hamburger or sausage will have all unctional and organoleptic properties of hamburger or sausage made with natural adipose. It may also have a greatly reduced cholesterol content and, if desired, a similarly reduced saturated fats content. By adjusting the moisture-to-lipid concentration and gelation of the gel and/or its ratio of hydrophilic to hydrophobic ingredients, the artificial adipose can also be made to: (1) impart such other desirable properties such as greater juiciness, juiciness for longer periods after preparation, and reduction of shrink to comminuted meats; and (2) reduce the expense of procurement and preparation of such meats. The blood protein/vegetable gum (εaccharide) fraction of the artificial adiposes disclosed herein can be formulated as gels having unique properties which can be taken advantage of to produce a host of other novel and valuable products.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is one important object of the present invention to provide for inclusion in comminuted meats and meat products in place of a substantial portion of the adipose normally found associated with such products an edible, artificial adipose which is lower in

cholesterol, may be lower in saturated fats, and is inexpensive and simple to produce.

A related, also important object of the invention resides in the provision of products which contain artificial adipose tissue and which are, functionally and organoleptically, substantially equivalent to conventional comminuted meats.

Another object of the invention is to provide substitute adipose products which keep cooked, comminuted meats juicy for longer periods of time than cooked, natural and comminuted, meat products stay juicy.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a substitute adipose product which, when added to comminuted meat, results in a product containing fewer calories than a natural comminuted meat containing an equivalent amount of adipose without diminution of natural, taste, flavor, texture, or functional quality. A further, also primary and important object of the invention resides in the provision of novel blood protein/saccharide emulsions and gels which can be employed to produce the novel artificial adiposeε disclosed herein and a host of other new and valuable products. Still other important objects of the invention, as well as additional features and advantages, will be apparent to the reader from the foregoing, the appended claims, and the ensuing detailed description and discussion of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As discussed above, the present invention takes advantage of an edible, artificial adipose tissue based on emulsified blood plasma to provide comminuted meat products ,of reduced cholesterol and/or saturated fat content, to otherwise impart nutritional superiority to those products, and to keep them "juicy" for longer periods of time after they are cooked than is possible in the case of otherwise formulated, cooked meats of comparable cholesterol and saturated fat content.

While any undenaturized food grade blood can be used, edible blood from the specie of animal producing the meat to which the artificial adipose is to be added is preferred. The blood is collected; treated to interrupt, postpone or prevent clotting; and then centrifuged until all or most of the red blood cells have been removed. These are discarded or used for other purposes. The supernatant, referred to as "plasma," contains as primary components the sacroplas ic proteins fibrinogen and albumin. The sacroplasmic proteins are the important fractions of blood plasma, as far as the present invention is concerned, because they give meat its characteristic taste, aroma, and related characteristics. Some phospholipids are complexed with the protein fractions; and the plasma may contain low concentrations of sterols, including cholesterol.

Alternatively, the plasma may be reconstituted from dried plasma; or a combination of fresh plasma and dried plasma can be used. Plasmas from different animals can also be mixed when desired.

The plasma may be partially or completed decolorized, depending on the meat with which the artificial adipose is to be used. Plasma destined for meat and meat analogues such as chicken, fish, and surimi, for example, must be decolorized so that the plasma will match the color of the meat.

Before or after decolorization, the plasma may be treated to reduce or remove cholesterol which is - present in small amounts that will vary somewhat from specie to specie. And, if it is desirable to add vitamin D, the plasma can be irradiated by ultraviolet light before decholesterolization.

Ωie plasma may be wholly or partially decholesterolized by the addition of oils, pH adjustment, warming and separation, treatment with solvents such as dimethyl ether, and such other techniques as do not result in irreversible denaturization of the plasma.

The preferred decholesterolization method is to add to the plasma a whole or disrupted microorganism or an extract of a microorganism containing cholesterol oxidaεe and, in some instances, cholesterol esteraεe or equivalent cholesterol reducing enzymes.

Such enzymes are first added to reduce the cholesterol inherently present in the plasma and are then: (1) inactivated by any of the conventionally available techniques; (2) retained in an active state to continue elimination of cholesterol after adipose tissue is formed and added to meat; or even (3) supplemented. Thiε last approach provides enzymes immobilized on the surface of the adipose tissue in quantities that are effective to provide cholesterol reduction in

choleεterol bearing portions of meat upon the artificial adipose being mixed therewith.

Alternatively, the adipose tissue may simply be dipped or sprayed with cholesterol reducing amounts of such enzymes.

Following εuch processing of the plasma as is deemed appropriate for a given application of the invention, one or more fats or oils are combined with the plasma; and the mixture iε emulsified by aggressively mixing its constituents together.

Virtually any fat, edible oil, or other lipid or fat or oil substitute can be used as can endless combinations of εuch substances. Merely exemplary are: omega-3 fatty acids, vegetable oils, animal fats, synthetic lipidε, and the like. Lipids such as high oleic derivativeε, canola oil, and the like obtained from genetically modified sources can also be uεed.

Reduced cholesterol fats and oils, including lard and the like, may be used. Such fats and oils are available and prepared by absorption of cholesterol, cyclodextrin reduction of cholesterol, or steam stripping removal thereof.

It may be advantageouε to thicken the fat or oil constituent before it is emulsified with the plasma. This can be accomplished by hydrogenation if the substance has unsaturated bonds or by the addition of about l%-8% of a saturated fatty acid.

After homogenization, the plasma-based mixture is treated in a manner which will cause the mixture to form a gel. Enzymes, acids, alkaline salts, heat, or polyvalent cations such as calcium can all be added to the mixture to gel the oil/fat-containing emulsion.

Also advantageouεly incorporated in the mixture, however, is a binder; e.g., a εettable vegetable gum such as sodium alginate, which should be mixed into the plasma before fatε or oilε are added. Sodium alginate is a good emulsifier for oilε and fatε, adding emulεification capability to the plasma. Alginate, like plasma, will cross-link and gel upon the addition of polyvalent cations, including calcium, to it. Furthermore, the gels thus formed may have many unique properties not possessed by plasma or algin alone; and these may be highly desirable in that they will allow one to form new products heretofore not achievable with either plasma or algin. The combination of the vegetable gum (εaccharide) and protein is εynergiεtic and compatible in that both are gelled by calcium ions and the hydrogen ions found in edible acids. While plasma is only gelled by heat, enzymes, and acid in lower pH ranges, the combination may also be gelled by the addition of alkaline εaltε, such as sodium and potassium carbonates, at a pH above about 11.

Thus, when a polyvalent, cross-linkable gum or hydrocolloid comprised substantially of a saccharide or pol saccharide, εuch as sodium alginate, gellan gum, high methoxy pectin, or the like, iε combined with a co-croεs-linkable protein or protein complex, such as plasma, products which have many new and useful properties can be formed. This approach can also be used to provide products heretofore propoεed but very difficult or impossible to make. When mixed in an aqueous system, a combination of co-croεs-linkable monomers of fundamentally differing basic structures, at least one of which iε an edible, cross-linkable, substantially εaccharidaceous monomer

and another an edible, cross-linkable, substantially proteinaceous monomer, can provide gels with improved properties. The composite gels can be croεs-rlinked, typically by a croεs-linking agent capable of furnishing polyvalent cations (preferably divalent cations of metals such as calcium or iron) and/or hydrogen ions and/or by thermal cross-linking. This resultε _. in complex matrices which are compriεed of networkε of - dissimilar copolymers and which exhibit unique properties.

Speaking more generally, the εaccharide/protein combination may be gelled by εimply providing a cross-linking promoter (heat or chemical agent) for one of the components and then cross-linking the other, simultaneously or εeparately. It is even possible to cross-link one component to spatially orient and position ^* the other and then disεolve the first component away, leaving a structurally integral matrix with unique capabilities. Or, it may be more advantageous to cross-link the εaccharide/protein composite in a series of cross-linking steps. In this way, new filmε and membranes of greater tensile strength, resiliency, texture, and integrity may be conveniently and easily formulated. Certain preferred artificial adiposes embodying the preceptε of the preεent invention contain new protein/εaccharide compositions of the character just described. Those products are only representative of many heretofore unknown products which may be formulated. Such new and unique products include: integral and non-integral membranes; skins and matrices for covering, enclosing, or capturing other εubεtances and for forming dynamic coagulant gels that can be used

to capture, concentrate, and dewater solidε from aqueouε environmentε including thoεe containing edible and waεte productε and animal foodstuffs; and εtill other new products which may be derived from the new and novel, just-described compositions.

The above-discussed ability of the protein/εaccharide compositions disclosed herein to recover εolidε rom agueous carriers is particularly noteworthy. In the case of waste water, they provide pollution control and make possible the recovery of solidε which are valuable animal foodstuffε.

Still another important application of the novel saccharide/protein gels discussed above and hereinafter iε as binders and coagulants for edible particles and particles of animal foodstuffε, particularly thoεe edible substances and animal foodstuffs with high fat contents.

As mentioned above, new and valuable films and membranes can be made from the novel protein/εaccharide combinations of the preεent invention.

Algin and other εaccharideε do not bear up well when employed as liquid-containing membranes. Hydrostatic pressure of the liquid exerts continuous force against the membrane; and polysaccharic, cross-linked membranes simply split apart, allowing the liquid to run free.

Blood, plasma, fibrinogen, and serum albumin do not form integral membranes. Fibrinogen instead forms loosely associated strands or fibers of considerable size in networkε which are diεcontinuous and somewhat like a disorganized spider web. Fluids can freely pass through the irregular and subεtantial interstices in these networks.

Thuε, neither cross-linked saccharideε nor blood or its protein fractions are suitable for forming membranes, especially membranes with a high moisture content. Combined, however, they provide a membrane which is εtrong and quite capable of retaining substantial hydrostatic pressure without leakage of contained liquids.

Plasma from blood iε the preferred protein- additive, particularly for thoεe protein/εaccharide compositions intended for products other than artificial adiposeε. Algins and alginic substances, even in crude forms, are the preferred εaccharidic substances. However, fresh blood substantially unreacted (except for citrates and the like to prevent clotting) or substantially unreacted extractε thereof, εuch as fibrinogen or, lesε preferably, serum or other albumin, may be used. And cross-linkable gums and hydrocolloidε analagouε to alginateε, εuch aε gellan gum, highly substituted carboxymethyl celluloses, and εuch may be uεed to replace all or part of the algin.

Another very important, although optional, aspect of the present invention is in augmenting the alginate preferably employed in gelling the mixture from which an adipoεe tissue is formed with additional or supplementary gelling or non-gelling gums of high water capacity. This produces an artificial adipose product capable of increasing the juicinesε of meat after preparation. Examples of suitable gums include guar, locuεt bean, acacia, ghatti, Arabic, carrageenan, and the like. These have been proven to prevent hypercholesterolemia (excess cholesterol) when eaten with foods containing cholesterol and contain what is referred to as soluble dietary fiber. Therefore, the

uεeε of theεe gumε as artificial adipose forming aids and aε supplements in the artificial adipose to increase juiciness are also beneficial since their presence will: (a) reεult in metabolic protection from the choleεterol contained in the meat and meat juiceε in contact with the artificial adipose, and (b) further result in a significant portion of the cholesterol being excreted after ingeεtion rather than being digested and sorbe ^' d into the body. Consequently, if the lipids contained in either the artificial adipose or the meat with which the artificial adipose iε mixed contain choleεterol, it will be favorably influenced to bypasε the digeεtive proceεε.

Alternateε that may in whole, or in part, be substituted for the materials described in the preceding paragraph in the practice of the present invention include thermoreverεibly gellable proteins and starches which have been pregelatinized or can be gelled at a low temperature. Useful proteins are gelatin and collagen; useful starches are corn, tapioca, and rice. Starches aε described in the preceding paragraph can be used at cold-to-ambient temperatures to impart the decided upon structure or consistency to an artificial adipose embodying the principles of the present invention. The gellable protein or starch that is employed should also be one which, in combination with other ingredients of the adipoεe in which it iε incorporated, will contribute to opacity when the adipoεe iε cold or at ambient temperature and either become clear or not keep the adipoεe from becoming more tranεparent above about 38°C. In other words, the protein starch should either contribute to typical

viεual changeε in normal adipoεe aε it iε heated or at leaεt not interfere with that change in appearance.

Lecithins are lipidε which can be employed to particular advantage. Theεe compositions have the capacity of altering the tack of the artificial adiposes in which they are incorporated to the point where the artificial adipose will closely resemble its natural counterpart in εuch tactile sensations aε mouth feel.

It iε quite possible to uεe compositions other than alginates, alginate/plasma combinations, and plasma proteins to gel the oil or fat emulsion. Alternate, appropriate gelling agents include highly substituted carboxymethyl celluloses, low methoxy pectins, gellan, and the like. Typically, these alternative gelling agentε contain soluble dietary fiber aε do alginates themselves. Therefore, the gelling agents, as well aε the non-gelling agentε, can be relied upon to provide juiciness and to inhibit the absorption of choleεterol. Aε iε apparent from the foregoing, an artificial adipoεe formulated in accord with the principleε of the preεent invention may be aε simple aε a carefully prepared emulsion of blood plasma and one or more unsaturated fats or oils. Or it may be a more complicated complex of, for example, a decolorized plaεma; a gellable vegetable gum; an active decholeεterolizing agent; an unsaturated, decholesterolized, synthetic fat or oil constituent; polyvalent cations; and/or a proteolytic or cholesterolytic enzyme or enzyme source. The artificial adipose mixture can be poured, cast into forms or films, or extruded. For pourability, it can first be mixed with a sequestrant such aε sodium hexametaphosphate, sodium citrate, or the like; a slow

releaεe acid εuch aε adipic acid; and a non-soluble or slowly soluble salt of calcium εuch aε calcium sulfate. After the resulting mixture is poured, it will set into a gel in from a few minutes to several hours, depending on the relative ratio and concentration of added ingredients. It may then be pasεed through a cutter or chopper and formed into suitable εhapeε to mimic the natural adipoεe tissue of the meat to which it iε to-be added. Instead of being poured, the plasma-baεed mixture from which the artificial adipoεe tiεεue iε formed may be extruded into a bath containing one or more gelling agentε or extruded and formed during extrusion by addition of one or more gelling agentε. Hie meat of low fat content which iε to be supplemented with the artificial adipose tissue is first prepared by trimming away all removable natural adipoεe tissue. The meat iε then comminuted aε in a Hobart meat grinder. The artificial adipoεe tiεεue, formed and dehydrated to the desired concentration of water, may be added to meat just prior to grinding.

When meat containing the thus incorporated artificial adipoεe tiεεue iε cooked, the plasma will exhibit the εame strong flavor, taste, and aroma aε the meat of the animal from which the plasma was derived.

The formation of a low choleεterol and/or low saturated fat meat product with an artificial adipose aε just described results in a product which is significantly superior to any that can be obtained by mixing an unsaturated, low cholesterol or cholesterol-free fat or oil with lean, comminuted meat. The product obtained by merely mixing in the fat or oil does not look like normal raw sausage or hamburger, for

example. And, during cooking, all of the fat or oil runs out at one time, resulting in an abnormally crumbly and powdery meat product- with an oily surface. In addition, if the product iε prepared near or around an open flame, the fat or oil thuε freed essentially all at once aε the meat product cookε preεentε a εignificant fire hazard.

The addition of a vegetable gum εuch aε guar, locuεt bean, xanthan, carrageenan, agar, εodium alginate, or the like to emulεify the refined fat or oil and improve retention of the fat or oil after distribution in meat does not result in a product which is any better. The result of thiε approach iε a paεty appearing meat which iε pink rather than meat colored, εticky to the touch, εtill permitε melted fat to escape freely when cooked, and does not have a normal taste or mouth feel.

Likewise, if an emulsion of a gellable gum, εuch aε εodium alginate, and a refined fat or oil is made and combined with the meat and polyvalent cations are then added to create an adipose/meat gel, the results ar.e no better. This results in a product which looks more or less like an aspic rather than ground or otherwise comminuted meat. Even if the fat or oil/emulsifying agent mixture is prepared εeparately and then ground with meat, the meat product still appears abnormal. Also, much of the fat or oil will leak from the mixture, which makes the ground meat soft and oily.

WORKING EXAMPLES The simpleεt form of artificial adipoεe embodying the principles of the present invention iε described in the following example:

Example 1 Ingredients:

Fresh pork plasma Hydrogenated corn oil Lecithin

Calcium chloride Proteolytic enzyme (trypεin, pepsin, or the like) Hydrochloric acid All ingredientε except the calcium chloride are mixed together in a high speed blender and heated to a temperature of 38°-42°C. After mixing for about 5 minuteε, the hydrochloric acid iε added until a pH of between 3 and 3.5 iε reached. The mixture is mixed for a few to several seconds and then allowed to set. The εolidε which form are skimmed off with a wire meεh strainer and rinsed with one or two volumes of pH neutral water. Next, excess water is shaken free. The artificial adipoεe that reεultε may be dried for storage and εubεequently uεed or mixed — aε iε or after having been reduced some in size; e.g., by comminution — with meat to make sausage.

This product iε more fragile than others described in examples which follow. Shrinkage on cooking iε considerable since no hydrophilic ingredient is present to sorb meat fluids. However, it iε very εtrong in flavor when cooked because the ratio of plasma to dry ingredientε and lipidε iε high.

Examole 2 Tnσredients:

Pork blood plasma liquid 1,000 mis

. Sodium alginate L.V. 18 gmε Partially hydrogenated εafflower oil 1,000 gmε

The εodium alginate iε blended with the plasma in a high εpeed blender for about 10 minuteε. Then, the εafflower oil iε added and emulεified by blending in the high-εpeed blender at a temperature above the melting point of the hydrogenated oil (about 32°C.) but below the gelation temperature of the plasma (38°-60°C.).

The resulting slurry is placed in an extruder and extruded in εtringε about 1/8 to 3/16 inch in diameter into a bath warmed to a temperature above the coagulation point of the plaεma (about 38°-60°C.) and prepared by adding to water εufficient hydrochloric acid to drop the pH to about 3.5-4.5 and by dissolving about 1-1.5% by weight of calcium chloride in the water. The stringε are "εet" by the action of the acid and calcium ions on the alginate and on fibrinogen contained in the plaεma phaεe of the εlurry. The εafflower oil iε captured in interεticeε of the complex croεε-linked gel formed aε the εtringε or ribbonε of adipose tisεue are εet.

The temperature of the bath can be raiεed to above about 59°C. to also thermally "set" fibrinogen and/or albumins in the plaεma. This makes the finished strings somewhat firmer. In any event, the "set" product is rinsed in several volumes of warm water for about 5 minutes and then collected. Free water is then drained away.

The product may be dried by forced air or uεed aε iε after the rinse step.

This product has the same appearance, taεte, flavor, and aroma as the natural adipose contained in pork after it is chopped into pieces and mixed with lean pork meat to product pork sausage.

If algin and fat had been used alone; i.e., without the blood plasma, the artificial adipoεe product would have been flavorless; and most of the lipid phase would leak to the outside surface of the product in the event that an emulsion could even be obtained by blending the ingredients in the proportions suggested.

Alginate is not a sufficiently effective emulsifier to cause the formation of a good emulsion, and an additional emulsifier must therefore typically be added. The plaεma further performs this function in admirable faεhion becauεe the fibrinogen and albumin fractionε of blood plasmas are both reactionable proteins, making the plaεma a εuperb emulεificant for oilε or fatε added later to produce artificial adipoεe tiεεue. In addition the foregoing blood plasma fractionε have the advantage of multifunctionality. That iε, in addition to the emulsifying propertieε and "real meat" flavor it provideε, the combination of albumin and fibrinogen is of substantial value from the viewpoint of the structural properties it adds to the adipose and the rigid shell that is left behind when the artificial adipose is heated.

Fibrinogen, in conjunction with an algin containing substance, only needs the addition of sufficient calcium cations or the equivalent to cross-link and gel. Heat; proteolytic enzymes such as trypsin; edible acids; and alkaline salts such as sodium

carbonate, εodium phosphate, and the like can all be used to promote the gelling of the fibrinogen; or the prothrombin already present in the complex may alone be sufficient to produce strong cross-linking. The asεociated albumin can alεo be cauεed to croεs-link to help in forming the gel, in thiε caεe by the uεe of edible acids, enzymes, or heat.

If algin and fat had been used alone, the product would have had almoεt no flavor, taεte, or aroma due to the inadequate contribution made by the lean meat. The plaεma provideε theεe functionε. Furthermore, the fibrinogen in the plaεma provideε additional εtructural advantageε when coagulated or "set" with the alginate and provideε adequate body, toughneεs, and structured interstices for the lipid. Moreover, when heated to 38°-60 ^β C. , the fibrinogen and/or albumin coagulate, contributing additionally to the toughnesε of the artificial adipoεe and making it more closely resemble natural adipose. On frying, the adipoεe brownε like bacon or εuet adipoεe; giveε off an aroma characteristic of the meat from which the plasma in the adipoεe iε .obtained; and releaεes some lipid.

Sausage made with ground lean pork and adipose prepared as described in thiε example looks, tastes, smellε, and cookε like εauεage made with natural adipoεe.

Example . Tnqrpdients:

Fresh fluid plasma 900 mlε

Gelatin powder (300 Bloom*) 72 gmε Gellan** 18 gmε

Lecithin 7 gmε

Canola (rapeεeed) oil 500 gmε

Glyceryl onostearate 25 gmε'

* Bloom is a measure of the viscoεity of a gel. ** Gellan gum is a high-molecular weight heteropolysaccharide produced by fermention of a pure culture of ^p seudonomas ≤l≤JlSLS. It iε εupplied by the Kelco Diviεion of Merck & Co., Inc., Rathaway, New Jerεey. The lipids — lecithin, canola oil, and glyceryl monoεtearate — are heated to between 45° and 70°C. to melt the glyceryl monoεtearate, then blended in a dough mixer or the equivalent. Separately, the gellan iε blended in a large food chopper with the freεh fluid plaεma warmed to between 30° and 35°C. until completely distributed and mostly rehydrated (about 10 minuteε) . The 300 Bloom gelatin powder iε added to this mixture and very briefly mixed in to distribute it (care should be taken to restrict air entrainment) . The lipid mixture iε then added with gentle mixing to the plasma mixture. The oil mixture is added in this fashion before the resulting mixture is aggressively agitated in order to bring about complete emulsification of the lipid and plasma mixture. The resultant emulsion is extruded by pumping it with a slurry pump through a nozzle having a diameter between 1/8" and 3/16" into a setting bath. Thiε bath is made up of 5,000 mis of scalding hot water, between

85° and 90°C., which contains 75 gmε of diεεolved calcium chloride and iε adjuεted to a pH of 3.5 to 4 by an edible acid εuch aε hydrochloric.

The gelatin or albumin εolidε in the formula can be replaced with plaεma or even fibrinogen or other εimilar protein εolidε provided they have not been denaturized; and a starch which has been pregelatinized and can be gelled at a low, ^' preferably ambient temperature or a comparable material may be used, aε discusεed above, to aεεiεt in imparting the wanted consistency to the artifical adipose and to enhance the ability of the adipose to mimic the change in color undergone by a natural adipose as that adipoεe iε heated. Representative starches are identified above. Comparable materials for the purposes of the present invention include dextrin and cyclodextrin. The glyceryl monostearate, which iε uεed to thicken the canola oil and keep it from running out of the product at ambient temperatureε, may be replaced with εtearyl lactylate or any other εuitable monoglyceride.

The following example deεcribeε an artificial adipoεe which can be uεed to provide- a greater degree of juicineεs in prepared meat.

Example 4 Fresh fluid plasma 1,000 mis

Corn gluten (vegetable proteinε) 80 gms

Sodium alginate L.V. 15 gms

Lecithin 7 gmε

Safflower oil 300 gmε Palm oil 300 gms

Glyceryl monostearate 8 gms

Locust bean gum 5 gms

Xanthan gum 5 gms

The lipids — lecithin, canola oil and glyceryl monostearate — are heated to between 45° and 70°C. to melt the glyceryl monoεtearate and blended in a dough mixer or the equivalent. Separately, the alginate is blended in a large food chopper with the fresh fluid plasma warmed to between 30° and 35°C. until completely distributed and mostly rehydrated, about 10 minutes. The gluten, xanthan gum, and locust bean gum are added to thiε mixture and very briefly mixed in to diεtribute them (care εhould be taken to reεtrict air entrainment) . The lipid mixture iε added before the reεulting mixture iε aggressively agitated in order to bring about complete emulεification of the lipids and plaεma. The resultant emulsion is extruded aε described in Example 3.

The gluten in the formula can be replaced with plaεma εolidε or even fibrinogen, collagen, εoya protein or iεolateε, fiεh paεte, εurimi batter, or other similar protein εolidε, provided they have not been denaturized. The glyceryl monoεtearate may be replaced with stearyl lactylate or other εuitable monoglyceride to thicken the canola oil at ambient temperatures.

Locust bean and xanthan gums are uεed in thiε formulation to provide beneficial, εoluble, dietary fiberε. Xanthan gum alεo contributeε to the εtability of the emulεion in which it iε incorporated. The conεequence is that flavoring agents are leεε apt to run out of the artificial adipose made from the emulεion when the artificial adipoεe iε heated. The same is true of hydrophilic conεtituentε of the artificial adipoεe, and that iε important aε it reεultε in the product in which the adipose is incorporated staying juicy as it iε cooked. To provide the greatest possible concentration

of soluble dietary fiber in the adipoεe, thoεe gums which have or can be made to have lower viscosities are preferably employed. For example, acacia gum and algin react to form a thin, runny gum. Acacia gum does not have a high viscoεity to εtart with and iε a good gum to uεe if a lower viscosity is needed.

Irrespective of the gum that iε selected, it should be one which, in the amount used, has a taste level below that noticeable in the artificial adipose. Example 5

Ingredients:

Fresh fluid plasma 2,000 mis

Collagen 80 gms

Sodium alginate L.V. 15 gms Lecithin 10 gmε

Canola oil 600 gmε

Glyceryl monoεtearate 8 gmε

Gum ghatti 10 gmε

The lipids — lecithin, canola oil, and glyceryl monostearate — are heated to between 45° and 70°C. to melt the glyceryl monostearate and blended in a dough mixer or equivalent. Separately, the alginate iε blended in a large food chopper with the gum ghatti and the freεh fluid plaεma warmed to between 30° and 35°C. until completely distributed and mostly rehydrated, about 10 minuteε. The collagen is added to this mixture and very briefly mixed in to distribute it. The lipid mixture is added, and the resulting mixture is thereafter aggressively agitated to emulsify the constituents of the mixture. Gentle mixing is used before the emulεion forming plasma and lipid mixtures are aggressively agitated in order to bring about complete emulsificiation.

The resulting emulεion is extruded and εet in the manner deεcribed in Example 3.

Solids are more concentrated in artificial adiposes prepared by the technique deεcribed in thiε example. Thiε contributeε εtrength to the artificial adipose, making it more suitable for uεe with firmer comminuted meats such aε ground beef.

The collagen solidε in the formula can be replaced with plasma or even fibrinogen or other similar protein solids, provided they have not been denaturized. The glyceryl monoεtearate, which iε uεed to thicken the canola oil and keep it from running out of the product at ambient temperatures, may be replaced with stearyl lactylate or any other suitable monoglyceride. So far, the working examples have dealt with the preparation of artificial adiposes embodying the principles of the present invention. The following examples are concerned with both the preparation of an artificial adipose of that character and the preparation of a meat product in which the adipose is incorporated.

Example 6 ingredients:

Beef blood plasma 300 mis

Sodium citrate (seguestrant) 3 gms Unsaturated oil, melted saturated 300 gmε fat, decholeεterolized oil or fat, or oil or fat analogue — for example, any of thoεe identified in thiε εpecification and mixtureε thereof Sodium alginate L.V. 9 gms

Cholesterol esterase, 1:50 14 units

Cholesterol oxidase, 1:70 15 units

Water, pH 6.5-7.5 500 mis

Calcium chloride 7.5 gmε

To 400 gms of blood taken from a freshly slaughtered beef cow iε added 3 gmε of εodium citrate (or εodium phosphate or the like) . The blood and citrate are shaken together to insure complete distribution of the citrate throughout the blood. The blood iε immediately chilled and kept cool throughout the following procedure.

The blood iε centrifuged at 2,700 rpm for 20 minuteε. The centrifugate layer, about 100 gmε, iε deep red, indicating that red blood cells have been captured in thiε layer. The supernatant plasma, about 320 mis, is decanted. To the plaεma iε added 1% by volume of a 30% concentration of hydrogen peroxide. The oxygen molecule attached to the peroxide iε enzymatically released by catalysts in the plaεma. As the naεcent oxygen iε releaεed, it bleaches the plasma first to brown and then to a light amber.

The bleached fluid is formed into a film and passed in close proximity to an ultraviolet source. By this irradiation, vitamin D3 is generated from itε provitamin, 7-dehydrocholeεterol, in the plaεma. To the fortified plaεma iε added in a meaεured

1 cc εyringe 15 unitε of a 1:50 dilution with water of choleεterol eεteraεe and 15 unitε of a 1:70 dilution with water of cholesterol oxidase.

The mixture is placed in a food chopper, and 5 gms of sodium alginate L.V. (low viscosity, 60-300 cps) is added. The chopper is turned on intermittently (pulsed) for about 2 minutes and then run continuously for 10 minuteε.

To the blended mixture is added 300 mis of an unsaturated, saturated, decholesterolized, oil such aε corn oil, safflower oil, or the like (or a decholesterolized, liquified fat or a fat or oil analogue) while the mixer is running. The blender iε run for 10 additional minuteε or until all ingredientε are completely emulsified.

The mixture will now turn from a slight off white color to very light pink. A bath containing 500 mis of water, pH from 6.5 to 7.5, is warmed to 37°C. ; and 7.5 gms of calcium chloride (CaC_2) is added. He water iε circulated by a εmall pump or placed in a flat bottomed tray equipped with a magnetic εtir bar operated to cause a somewhat vortical movement of the water in the bath. The emulsion iε pumped into the bath to form continuouε εtringε, each 3/16th of an inch in diameter. The εtringε resemble εpaghetti.

The εtringε are allowed to εet in the bath for at leaεt 15-20 minuteε. They are then removed and εhaken until all exceεε water iε removed. Then, they are placed in a direct air flow to partially dry them. Thiε lowers the moiεture content of the strings and raises the oil content. Into a large εtainleεε εteel mixing bowl, such as that attached to a Kitchen- id" dough mixer, are separately added 500 gms of very lean beef, which has been coarsely chopped, and 100 gmε of the artificial adipoεe tissue. Using a mixing paddle, the chopped meat and artificial adipose are stirred together for

3 minutes at high εpeed. This breaks up the strings of adipose and distributes the adipose more-or-lesε uniformly throughout the meat.

The resulting hamburger product iε put through a meat chopper to create the coarεeneεε deεired. When pan fried or char broiled, the cooked product iε moiεt and taεty; and it will retain its moistneεs and flavor for up to 1 hour in a warming tray.

Example 7

Ingredients: . _

Dried beef plaεma 120 gmε

Water 900 gmε Gellan 15 gms

Mix the plasma and water together in a bowl using an egg beater until the plaεma iε diεεolved; and then add the gellan.

Mix with the egg beater for about 5 minuteε. Heat the reεulting mixture to a temperature in the range of 30 to 40°C. Add (warmed to 50°C):

Decholeεterolized tallow 200 gmε

Peanut oil 350 gms Stearyl lactate 10 gms

Lecithin 10 gms

Mix with the egg beater for 10 minutes or until all ingredientε are completely emulsified.

Transfer the emulsion to a stainleεε, flat bottomed, 4-guart pan which haε had holes of 1/8 to 1/4" diameter drilled in an equiεpaced pattern in itε bottom and which haε been placed approximately 2" above an agitated tray which iε approximately 10" x 18" x 4" deep and contain∑fan aqueous setting bath. This bath contains 3,000 mis of water heated to 35-40°C. to which has been added 30 gmε of calcium chloride and sufficient hydrochloric acid to provide a pH of 4 to 4.5.

A rubber spatula is used to force the emulεion through the holeε in the pan into the center of the tray.

The resulting stringε of artificial adipoεe are removed from the εetting bath, rinεed, drained in two to.three volumes of clean water until surface free of excess water, and coarsely chopped until about the size of normal beef adipoεe particles. To very lean beef (lesε than 9% lipid) , comminuted to hamburger εized particleε, iε added the deεired amount of artificial adipoεe. In a vertical mixer the ground meat and artificial adipoεe are blended together until thoroughly mixed. The meat product iε pressed into steaks or patties for preparation. Example 8

Ingredients: Part A:

Lean meat 40.0 gms

Plasma liquid 300.0 mis Dibasic εodium phosphate 1.0 gms

Ammonia 2.5 mis

Part B:

Plaεma εolidε (hydrolyzed beef, 24.0 gmε pork, etc.) Sodium alginate (or gellan, low methoxy 12.0 gmε pectin, high degree of εubεtitution carboxy methyl celluloεe, etc.)

-34-

Part C:

Corn oil (or any other edible oil 300.0 mlε or fat or analogue.thereof)

Glyceryl monoεtearate 10.0 gms Salt 6.5 gms

Lactic acid to a pH of

6.2-6.5 Part D:

Water (*ρlasma) 2,000.0 mlε Calcium chloride 40.0 gms

Lactic acid to a pH of 5

Plasma adjusted to a pH of 5.0-5.5 with lactic acid can be used for the bath instead of water to make the taste and flavor exact for hamburger. This is not recommended for other meats such as pork, turkey or fish. The plasma prevents dilution of the artificial adipoεe due to leakage of itε plaεma conεtituent into the bath while it iε being set if a low temperature bath iε uεed. Procedure: Part A: In a high speed blender, add all Part

A ingredients in the order given. Blend at high εpeed until the meat formε a thick, pink slurry with no free meat particleε εhowing.

Part B: Add the Part B ingredients in the order given to the meat εlurry. Blend until the alginate iε completely diεεolved and rehydrated (no free granuleε εhowing in a drop under a microεcope) . Thiε will take 5 to 15 minutes. Turn the blender off. Leave the blended ingredients in the blender container. Part C: In a separate container, warm the oil to approximately 40°-45° . ϋεing a whiεk or hand held mixer, mix in the glyceryl monoεtearate until it iε completely diεsolved. Then turn on to high speed the

blender containing the Part A and Part B ingredientε, and slowly add the Part C ingredientε. Mix until all ingredients are completely emulsified together, about 3-5 minuteε. During the laεt 30 seconds, add the salt, blending for 30 seconds to completely distribute the salt. Add the lactic acid, and adjust the pH of the mixture to a pH in the range of 6.2-6.5.

Part D: In a standing glass tray, approximately 14" x 8" x 2.5", place 2,000 mlε of tepid water (32°-35°C.) or blood plasma. Adjust the pH of the bath to 4. Add 40 gmε of calcium chloride. Stir until diεεolved.

Add the mixture of Parts A, B, and C to a cake decorating pouch with a 1/8 to 3/8 inch diameter nozzle. Squeeze the filled pouch with the nozzle just below the surface of the bath while moving the nozzle back and forth, making a long, continuous εtring of loops, until the contents of the pouch are completely extruded. Let the εtring εet for 14 to 20 minuteε. Remove the artificial adipose εtring from the bath. Shake free of excess water. Rinse with 2 or 4 volumes of water. Set on a dry surface and allow to dry for 2 hours.

Chop the εtring into pieceε the same εize aε lean ground meat. Mix the adipoεe with the meat by hand or with a small dough mixer until blended. Form patties.

Example 9 The foregoing. Example 8 procedure can be modified so that no bath is required. The product which results can be cast into a film, dried, and chopped into appropriately sized particles.

To proceed without a bath, the following, alternate Part D ingredients and procedure are employed in place of the bath. Alternate Part D: Blocker for alginate to prevent 1.00 gm cross-linking, εuch as εodium hexametaphosphate Bound calcium source, such as 3.25 gmε calcium εulfate Weak acid εource, εuch as 1.50 gms adipic acid

To a mixture of Parts A, B, and C, while still in the blender, add the alginate blocker (the first ingredient of Alternate Part D) . When the blocker is thoroughly mixed in, add and mix in the bound calcium εource (εecond ingredient of Alternate Part D) . Then add the εlow acid source (third ingredient listed for Alternate Part D) , blend quickly, and immediately pour the blended contents into a flat bottomed pan to make a thin layer, 1/8" to 3/8" thick. Allow to εet for at least one hour into a solid gel. Chop the gel in a food chopper to the size of the natural adipose particles in the specie of meat with which the adipoεe iε to be mixed. Blend the artificial adipoεe into lean ground meat. Make into loafε or pattieε.

The adipic acid may be decreaεed or increaεed with respect to the Part D formulation, and the sodium hexametaphosphate blocker may be increased or decreased with respect to the adipic acid to hasten or slow gelling. Gelling occurs in the procedure described in this example because the adipic acid first neutralizes the gelation blocking ammonia and hexametaphosphate and then reacts with the calcium sulfate, slowly releasing

polyvalent cationε. Theεe croεs-link the alginate moitieε to form a gel from the emulεion.

The foregoing artificial adipoεe is added to very lean beef in the amount needed to make the total 5. fat content of the reεulting hamburger product 25 weight percent, which iε comparable to the fat content of hamburger meat used by commercial establishments. The total fat content is made up of 8% natural beef adipbse and 17% artificial adipoεe. Thuε, the total choleεterol content of the meat product of the preεent invention is at least 50% lower than that of beef containing natural adipoεe at an equivalent lipid-to-meat concentration. The total εaturated lipidε are furthermore substantially reduced by about one-third. Several new fat and oil replacer products have been developed and are expected to come to market. These and comparable productε hereafter developed to replace fat or oilε may be uεed alone or in combination with other fat or oil replacerε in making artificial adiposes embodying the principles of the present invention.

Alεo, it waε pointed out above that there are a number of proceεεeε for removing choleεterol and/or εaturated oilε or fatε from various foodstuffε. Variouε ones of these treated products can alεo be employed in the artificial adipoεe-containing foodεtuffε of the preεent invention in the intereεt of reducing the choleεterol and/or εaturated fat contentε of thoεe productε. Furthermore, it will be apparent to the reader from the foregoing that the proteinε in blood plaεmas can be replaced with other hydrolyzed proteins in making an artificial adipose embodying the principles of the

present invention and that there are a number of binderε aεide from εodium alginate that can be uεed.

It iε of courεe not neceεεary that the preciεe proportionε of ingredientε identified in the working exampleε be uεed in preparing artificial adipoεeε by the procedures described in these examples. Instead, useful productε will be obtained aε long aε thoεe ingredientε are kept within the limitε tabulated below. '

Example 1:

Freεh pork plaεma Hydrogenated corn oil Lecithin Calcium chloride Hydrochloric acid Proteolytic enzyme 0.000 -.001% 0.0001 - 0.001% (trypεin, pepεin, erepεin, or the like)

Example 2:

Pork blood plasma 20.000 - 99% 40.000 - 70.00%

(liq.) Sodium alginate L.V. 0.100 - 5% 0.750 - 2.00% Partially hydrogenated 10.000 - 90% 40.000 - 60.00% εafflower oil Example 3:

Freεh fluid plasma Gelatin powder

(300 Bloom) Sodium alginate L.V. Lecithin Canola oil Glyceryl monostearate

Acceptable Preferred Range Range

Example 6:

Plaεma (beef blood) 10.000 - 90% 30.000 - 60.00%

Sodium citrate 0.010 - 5% 0.750 - 1.50%

Unεaturated oil, 10.000 - 90% 30.000 - 60.00% melted εaturated fat, decholeεterolized oil or fat, or oil or fat analogue -*- for example, any of thoεe identified in thiε εpecification and mixtureε thereof

Acceptable Preferred

Ranαe Eang≤ Examples 8 and :

Part A:

Lean meat 0.000 - 30% 8.000 - 15.00%

Plaεma liquid 20.000 - 90% 70.000 - 85.00% Dibasic εodium phosphate 0.100 - 5% 0.750 - 1.00%

Of the ingredientε in each formulation, the hydrolyzed εacroplasmic protein, oil/fat, and binder constituentε are employed in the following proportionε:

Range (Dry constituent Weight Percent)

Sacroplaεmic protein 3 - 20

Oil/fat 50 - 98

Binder (optional) 1 - 20

Noteworthy is the fact, made evident by the foregoing table, that productε embodying the principleε of the preεent invention may be formulated with very high concentrationε of lipidε and lipid analogueε. Thiε, alεo above-diεcuεsed, ability of the protein/εaccharide systemε in thoεe productε to εtabilize agueouε εyεtemε of high fat content iε particularly important as it can be taken advantage of to produce finished, high fat content particles which provide for the long sought "bypass" feeding of fats to ruminant animals, a functional characteristic not heretofore available.

Another set of artificial adiposes embodying the principles of the preεent invention is particularly advantageous because these artificial adiposeε become clear or tranεparent when heated to the temperatureε uεed in cooking the meatε with which they are mixed. Aε a reεult, the cooked or prepared product moεt cloεely reεembleε itε counterpart with natural adipoεe (which alεo turns clear as it is heated) .

Unlike natural adiposeε, thoεe juεt deεcribed may to εome extent remain in particulate form in the cooked product. This, however, is not a disadvantage and may even be advantageous. These particles are not visible because of their tranεparency; and they may contribute significantly to the juiciness of the prepared product while natural adiposes to a large extent liquify and run out of the meat as it is cooked, leaving a dry product with poor mouth feel. The following example is devoted to artificial adiposes of the character just deεcribed.

to adjust the

PH of the bath to 4.0 Calcium chloride 1.25 gms 0.1 - 50 gmε

Water 4,000 mlε 500-10,000 mlε at 90-95°C at 30-100°C

*AMP-600 iε a εpray dried blood plaεma available from American Meat Protein Corporation, Ameε, Iowa.

Diacetyl contributeε to the natural odor of wholesome, fresh beef. It iε a high volatile ketone which iε εomewhat to entirely abεent from plasma or AMP-600. It iε added in judiciouε amountε to "round out" the natural flavor profile of artificial adipoεe εo that the meat product in which that adipoεe is included will closely resemble its natural counterparts. The caramel (or other coloring agent) is added to give the adipose an "off white" color not unlike that of natural adipose (which may vary from grayish white or even pink or red stained) .

The coconut oil and hydrogenated soya oil, although partially εaturated, are uεed to provide melting characteriεticε εimilar to thoεe of natural beef or pork adipoεe. Dibaεic εodium phoεphate and monobaεic εodium phoεphate or εodium glutamate may be added to provide εmooth emulεification and/or flavor amplification of all ingredientε. • - ^■ - --.-. -

An emulsion iε prepared from the foregoing ingredients, generally as described in Examples 1-8. This emulsion is extruded into the bath, typically in ribbons which are 15-25 mm wide and 2-8 mm thick and in the manner discuεsed above. These ribbonε are left in the bath for 5-10 minuteε, then drained and lightly εalted with εodium chloride for taεte enhancement.

From 0.2 to 2.0 gmε of cholesterol reductase, choleεterol oxidaεe, or choleεterol esterase iε added to the drained and εalted ribbons. The enzyme reacts with the choleεterol preεent in even the leaneεt of beef, pork, and other meats to further reduce the cholesterol content of the meat.

The adipose iε dried with forced air at about 38°C. , then chopped into pieceε and mixed with comminuted meat. In the protocol just described, the bath is preferably kept at a temperature of 58°C or higher. Thiε is done to gelatinize the tapioca and to cross-link the plasma.

The artificial adipose described in this example turns clear when heated to above about

108-110°C. As a result, this artificial _* adipoεe melts εomewhat like natural adipose; and the lipids change from milky to clear. The gelantinized tapioca iε clear.

and the plasma does not occlude the adipoεe pieceε. Thus, the adipose becomes transparent throughout the meat aε the meat iε cooked, seeming to disappear naturally. Unlike natural adipose, many of the adipose pieceε remain aε particleε, though inviεible becauεe of tranεparency. As diεcussed above, thiε reεultε in the cooked meat with which the adipose iε mixed retaining juicineεε which iε otherwise normally lost aε juiceε drain from the cooking meat. Freεh ground beef containing leεs than 9% fat was εeparated into one 85 gm sample and one 100 gm sample and chilled.

Artificial adipose produced as deεcribed in thiε example and dried to about 5% moisture content (15 gmε) was chopped into approximately 2-4 mm pieces resembling in appearance the chopped adipose naturally distributed in ground beef of approximately 23% fat content. The chopped adipose was chilled and mixed with the 85 gm sample of beef chilled chopped beef until evenly distributed, forming a second 100 gm sample. Both 100 gm εampleε were formed into pattieε and analyzed. The reεultε.were: the 100 gms chopped beef sample contained 69 mgs of cholesterol, and the 100 gmε sample with chopped beef and artificial adipose contained 15.5 mgs of cholesterol. The patty containing artificial adipose was, therefore, reduced in choleεterol by 78%.

Blind teεtε have demonstrated the superiority of applicants' novel meat products over their conventional counterparts. In these testε, a hamburger product (NUTRABURGER) prepared in accord with the principleε of the preεent invention and containing an artificial adipoεe aε diεcloεed herein waε compared with regular hamburger and lean hamburger.

The NUTRABURGER product had a total at content of 23% with 14.5% of that fat being supplied by the artificial adipoεe. It waε prepared aε deεcribed in Example 10 and formulated as set forth in that table under the heading "Presently Preferred".

The teεtε are summarized in Table 1 below.

TABLE 1 NUTRABURGER™ SENSORY TESTS

AVERAGE SCORES AVERAGE SCORES CRILLED PATTY 23 MINUTES

SLTD N/SLTD SLTD N/SLTD D T J F J F AV J F J F AV

Senaory Rating: 1 to 10 (1-2: would not eat; 3-4: poor; 5-7: average; 7-10: good, very good, excellent Testera: 3 males; 3 females. SLTD - Salted; N/SLTD - Not aalteij; J - Juiciness; F - Flavor

TESTERS' COMMENTS NUTRABURGER -T ^* M": Very good, better flavor, higher than aampla 1 or 3, maintained good Julclnaaa; beat aampla; taatea Juicy; better at holding Juiciness; sample 1 and 2 chewed the same and were better than 3. '

HAMBURGER, REG.: O.K. in Julcineβa and flavor, loat flavor but Julclnaaa atayed O.K.; greaay at first; good flavor; alrailar at atart to aampla 2 but not fttβ good at holding julclnaaa or flavor; excellent hot; loat flavor and Julclnaaa quickly; appeared to ba cooked leaa (mora raw). HAMBURGER, LEAN: Awful; dry, crumbly, greaay, low flavor; inferior; O.K. when hot, bad, touch, dry.

*: 5.7* OVER REGULAR HAMBURGER; 1,7* OVER LEAN HAMBURGER. **: NUTRABURGERTM; Approximately 1/3 tha eholaatβrol. NUTRABURGER™ + OLESTRA™: approximately 1/3 tha cholesterol and leβa than 1/2 the calories. ***: No. 1 - NUTRABURGERTM. No. 2 - regular hamburger; No. 3 - lean hamburger

The advantages of the tested NUTRABϋRGER over regular and lean hamburger in terms of reduced cholesterol and calorie content and less shrinkage iε obvious. Alεo eεpecially significant are the testers' findings that the freshly cooked NUTRABURGER product waε equal or superior to regular hamburger and far -superior to lean hamburger and that, after standing for an equal length of time, the NUTRABURGER product waε far superior to both regular and lean hamburger in these respects. While the foregoing discussion has centered around the making of low choleεterol (and/or saturated fat) replacements for sausage and hamburger to the extent that it is concerned with artificial adipose, it is to be understood that thiε iε not intended to limit "the scope of the invention aε defined in the appended claims and that there are many other meat productε which can be εi ilarly and advantageously replaced by combining with a low calorie meat an artificial adipose of the character discloεed herein. For example, the artificial adipoεeε of the preεent invention will to εome considerable extent retain their structural integrity as they are heated although they will become transparent as natural adipose does when it is heated. This iε a property which can be encouraged to make an analogue of εalt pork with a reduced concentration of choleεterol and/or εaturated fat. Artificial adiposes as deεcribed herein can alεo be combined with lean pork to produce a bacon replacer which has the taεte, texture, aroma, and mouth feel of conventional bacon — unlike currently available bacon replacers — but, like other of the productε discloεed herein, may have a εignificantly reduced concentration of cholesterol and/or saturated fats.

The invention may be embodied in still other forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristicε of the invention. The present embodiments are .therefore to be considered in all respects aε illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather them by the foregoing description; and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.