It is provided a process for producing a foie gras-free product suitable for roasting as a foie gras bloc or foie gras. The present process comprises at least four tempering phases: Tempering phase A as the first heating phase; tempering phase B as the first cooling phase, tempering phase C as the second heating phase or pasteurization phase; and tempering phase D as the second cooling phase of the pasteurized product. The specific temperature control takes into account the specific properties of the protein-fat matrix of the liver tissue and the added fat components, whereby the creamy and compact structure of the product is achieved.

A device for producing meat products includes an assembly formed from a plurality of walls maintainable in a fixed relationship to one another during a joining operation, surfaces of the plurality of walls defining work surfaces disposed to surround raw pieces of meat placed therein to be joined. A drive mechanism is configured to drive the assembly, which can form a cooking container such as a cooking box, along a first axis in a reciprocating movement of at least 10 mm along the first axis at frequency of at least 1 Hz and to drive the assembly along a second axis in a reciprocating movement of at least 10 mm along the second axis at frequency of at least 1 Hz, wherein the first axis and the second axis are angled with respect to each other, and the drive mechanism drives the assembly at different frequencies along the first and second axes.

A fine emulsion sausage having an alginate coating having a thickness of 0.05 mm or less; said sausage substantially possessing the visible and organoleptic properties of a skinless sausage. Also, a method of manufacturing such sausages, which method comprises co-extruding a fine emulsion filling with a casing paste comprising alginate to form a coextruded product comprising 1.5% or less by weight of casing paste, based upon the total weight of the casing paste and filling; and contacting such coextruded product with a solution containing calcium ions, which solution has a pH below the pKa value of the alginate.

A system for producing food product may include an inner tube configured to extrude a first component, and an outer tube provided about the inner tube to define an annular space through which a second component is extruded, the inner and outer tubes, alone or in conjunction with a nozzle or other extrusion mechanism, defining an outlet. Additionally, a collagen head can be configured to apply a layer of collagen gel over the second component. The inner and outer tubes are sized, and flow rate may be configured such that an initial diameter of the first component exiting the outlet is substantially smaller than a final diameter of the first component, and an initial thickness of the second component exiting the outlet is substantially greater than a final thickness of the second component.

An apparatus, system and method are provided for flattening and searing a food product wherein a searing and flattening roller is heated to a temperature of at least 600 F. and the heated searing and flattening roller is used to sear an upper surface of the food product and produce a flatter thickness profile of the food product by contacting and applying a pressing force to the upper surface of the food product. Alternatively, the roller can be a flattening and steam ejection roller which flattens the food product and sterilizes the upper surface of the product.

A meat dewatering assembly (10) includes a support frame (12), a twin screw dewatering unit (14), a drive assembly (16) coupled with the unit (14), and a perforated housing (60). The unit (14) has a pair of tapered, non-parallel, intermeshed, helically flighted screws (52, 54) presenting nip clearances (59) between the fighting (55). The drive assembly (16) serves to counter-rotate the screws (52, 54). In use, emulsified meat is passed into the housing (60) during counter-rotation of the screws (52, 54), in order to compress the meat within the clearances (59) and thereby express water from the meat. Adjustment collars (38) permit selective size alteration of the nip clearances (59).

Moisture is retained in cooked or thawed food by adding to the food an aqueous suspension of animal muscle protein obtained from animal muscle tissue. The aqueous suspension is obtained by mixing comminuted animal muscle tissue with a food grade base to form an aqueous basic solution of animal muscle protein. The basic solution is mixed with a food grade acid to precipitate the protein in an aqueous composition. The precipitated protein then is comminuted to form an aqueous suspension of comminuted animal muscle protein.

A food composition comprising meat or meat substitute, and transglutaminase-treated proteins.

A protein fraction and an oxidation stable fat fraction are recovered from poultry containing fat, bone and protein. The poultry is comminuted, mixed with a food grade acid at pH 3.6 to 4.4 to form a liquid protein fraction and a solid fat fraction. The liquid fraction is mixed with a food grade alkali to precipitate the protein.

This invention concerns reduction of moisture loss during the processing of meat. The present invention resides in the finding that pre-treatment of fresh meat with compositions comprising acetic acid salts and certain polysaccharide materials can reduce moisture losswith as much as 15%, as compared to non-treated meat. In some embodiments, the compositions are based on ingredients that can be labeled as natural ingredients. The invention provides compositions comprising such combinations of one or more acetic acid salts with one or more polysaccharide materials; methods and uses involving the treatment of meat with said compositions; as well as the meat products that are accordingly obtained.