The invention relates to a concentrated liquid meat treatment composition comprising a combination of a buffered food acid component in the form of partially or completely neutralized acetic acid; and a nitrite source in the form of a cultured vegetable extract.

The meat treatment composition exhibits excellent shelf stability in that the nitrite content of the composition remains constant for a prolonged period of time.

A method of processing is disclosed that provides improved water retention and enhanced coloring and flavor, while preserving the meat and preventing bacterial contamination. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes: (a) providing a body of meat at a first temperature; (b) contacting the body of meat of step (a), in at least one treating vessel, with a brine solution at a second temperature, wherein the second temperature is greater than the first temperature, and wherein the brine solution comprises a vinegar-derived food additive and/or a reddening agent, wherein the reddening agent comprises nitrite; (c) agitating the body of meat at the second temperature for a time sufficient to distribute the solution throughout the body of meat; (d) cooling the body of meat in at least one cooling vessel to a third temperature, wherein the third temperature is less than the second temperature; (e) agitating the body of meat at the third temperature; (f) contacting the body of meat of step (e) with the brine solution at the third temperature and agitating the body of meat at the third temperature until the brine solution is substantially absorbed by the body of meat; and (g) recovering the body of meat in a dry state at the third temperature.

In one embodiment, the aforementioned brine solution comprises a vinegar-variety food additive, such as a vinegar-derived acetate composition. In another embodiment, the reddening agent comprises nitrate derived from plant material comprising nitrate.

A method of processing is disclosed that provides improved water retention and enhanced coloring and flavor, while preserving the meat and preventing bacterial contamination. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes: (a) providing a body of meat at a first temperature; (b) contacting the body of meat of step (a), in at least one treating vessel, with a brine solution at a second temperature, wherein the second temperature is greater than the first temperature, and wherein the brine solution comprises a vinegar-derived food additive and/or a reddening agent, wherein the reddening agent comprises nitrite; (c) agitating the body of meat at the second temperature for a time sufficient to distribute the solution throughout the body of meat; (d) cooling the body of meat in at least one cooling vessel to a third temperature, wherein the third temperature is less than the second temperature; (e) agitating the body of meat at the third temperature; (f) contacting the body of meat of step (e) with the brine solution at the third temperature and agitating the body of meat at the third temperature until the brine solution is substantially absorbed by the body of meat; and (g) recovering the body of meat in a dry state at the third temperature.

In one embodiment, the aforementioned brine solution comprises a vinegar-variety food additive, such as a vinegar-derived acetate composition. In another embodiment, the reddening agent comprises nitrate derived from plant material comprising nitrate.

A method of processing is disclosed that provides improved water retention and enhanced coloring and flavor, while preserving the meat and preventing bacterial contamination. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes: (a) providing a body of meat at a first temperature; (b) contacting the body of meat of step (a), in at least one treating vessel, with a brine solution at a second temperature, wherein the second temperature is greater than the first temperature, and wherein the brine solution comprises a vinegar-derived food additive and/or a reddening agent, wherein the reddening agent comprises nitrite; (c) agitating the body of meat at the second temperature for a time sufficient to distribute the solution throughout the body of meat; (d) cooling the body of meat in at least one cooling vessel to a third temperature, wherein the third temperature is less than the second temperature; (e) agitating the body of meat at the third temperature; (f) contacting the body of meat of step (e) with the brine solution at the third temperature and agitating the body of meat at the third temperature until the brine solution is substantially absorbed by the body of meat; and (g) recovering the body of meat in a dry state at the third temperature. In one embodiment, the aforementioned brine solution comprises a vinegar-variety food additive, such as a vinegar-derived acetate composition. In another embodiment, the reddening agent comprises nitrate derived from plant material comprising nitrate.

A method of processing is disclosed that provides improved water retention and enhanced coloring and flavor, while preserving the meat and preventing bacterial contamination. In an exemplary embodiment, the method includes: (a) providing a body of meat at a first temperature; (b) contacting the body of meat of step (a), in at least one treating vessel, with a brine solution at a second temperature, wherein the second temperature is greater than the first temperature, and wherein the brine solution comprises a vinegar-derived food additive and/or a reddening agent, wherein the reddening agent comprises nitrite; (c) agitating the body of meat at the second temperature for a time sufficient to distribute the solution throughout the body of meat; (d) cooling the body of meat in at least one cooling vessel to a third temperature, wherein the third temperature is less than the second temperature; (e) agitating the body of meat at the third temperature; (f) contacting the body of meat of step (e) with the brine solution at the third temperature and agitating the body of meat at the third temperature until the brine solution is substantially absorbed by the body of meat; and (g) recovering the body of meat in a dry state at the third temperature. In one embodiment, the aforementioned brine solution comprises a vinegar-variety food additive, such as a vinegar-derived acetate composition. In another embodiment, the reddening agent comprises nitrate derived from plant material comprising nitrate.

[Problem to be Solved] An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing freeze-dried shrimp that, after cooking by hot water pouring, present a larger apparent size than conventional ones and present a plump, elastic texture.

[Solution] Raw material shrimp are heated by dipping them in hot water at 65 to 75 C. until the shrimp have an internal temperature of 60 to 70 C., and then the shrimp are frozen and subsequently freeze-dried. With this method, it is possible to obtain freeze-dried shrimp that present a larger apparent size and plump, elastic texture after cooking by hot water pouring, as compared with conventional ones obtained by conventional methods for producing freeze-dried shrimp employing heating by boiling in boiling water.

[Problem to be Solved] An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing freeze-dried shrimp that, after cooking by hot water pouring, present a larger apparent size than conventional ones and present a plump, elastic texture.

[Solution] Raw material shrimp are heated by dipping them in hot water at 65 to 75 C. until the shrimp have an internal temperature of 60 to 70 C., and then the shrimp are frozen and subsequently freeze-dried. With this method, it is possible to obtain freeze-dried shrimp that present a larger apparent size and plump, elastic texture after cooking by hot water pouring, as compared with conventional ones obtained by conventional methods for producing freeze-dried shrimp employing heating by boiling in boiling water.

Provided is a cold storage unit that has a high cold storage capacity, does not generate carbon dioxide, and enables recycling of the cold source. Also provided are a moving body and an ice slurry supply system. In the cold storage unit, a casing that defines a cold storage space has a heat insulating structure, a partition wall that faces the casing is provided at least at a top portion of the cold storage space, and a gap between the casing and the partition wall is filled with an ice slurry that is a mixture of brine and flake ice acquired by freezing the brine. In addition, it is possible to provide a supply port for supplying the ice slurry into the gap and a discharge port for discharging the ice slurry from the nap.

Provided is a means for more efficiently generating ice which has a high cooling capacity. A flake ice production device generates ice by cooling the wall surface of an inner cylinder and freezing brine that has adhered to the wall surface of the cooled inner cylinder. A spraying unit supplies brine to the wall surface of the inner cylinder by causing the brine to adhere thereto. A stripping unit collects the ice generated on the wall surface of the inner cylinder. In addition, the flake ice production device is designed such that formula (1) is satisfied when Y represents an ice making speed indicating the amount of ice generated on the wall surface of the inner cylinder per unit time, and x1 represents the thermal conductance rate of the wall surface of the inner cylinder. Formula (1): Y=f(x1).

The present invention is in the field of processing meat. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of processing meat to enhance moisture retention and flavor during storage and cooking by infusing the meat with an aqueous composition containing salt and sodium carbonate at a pH in the range of from 10.1 to 11.3.