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 acid to form an aqueous acidic solution of animal muscle protein. The acidic solution is mixed with a food grade base to precipitate the protein in an aqueous composition. The precipitated protein then is comminuted to form an aqueous suspension of comminuted animal muscle protein.

The present disclosure relates to a flavored jerky product and a method of preparing a flavored jerky product. The method comprises applying a curing agent to an external skin surface and/or an exposed muscle surface of a meat source, curing the meat source with the curing agent, and drying, cold smoking, and drying both the external skin surface and the meat source. The meat source is then chilled, the external skin surface is removed, and the meat source is sliced and/or segmented into a meat portion. The meat portion is marinated in a marinade solution, and then dried, cold smoked and dried to attain a water activity between about 0.7 and about 0.9 to produce the flavored jerky product.

The present invention provides peptoid polymers capable of reducing or inhibiting the formation of ice crystals at sub 0° C. temperatures. Also provided are peptoid-peptide hybrids comprising the peptoid polymers provided herein. The peptoid polymers and peptoid-peptide hybrids provided herein are useful for making cryoprotectant solutions. The peptoid polymers, peptoid-peptide hybrids, and cryoprotectant solutions provided herein are useful for making antifreeze solutions, frozen food products, and cosmetic care products. Also provided herein are methods for preserving a tissue, an organ, a cell, or a biological macromolecule using the compositions described herein.

A process for producing a protein product for addition to raw meat wherein the source of the protein product is animal muscle or mechanically deboned meat. The animal muscle tissue is mixed with water and homogenized. Protein in the homogenate is solubilized. Solubilized homogenate is heated to a temperature required for pasteurization and/or sterilization according to known standards. The homogenate is then adjusted to a value at which the protein precipitates. The precipitate is free of bacteria and toxins and can be used as meat or added to raw meat for delivery to a consumer as uncooked meat.

The invention relates to a process for treating food, in particular for curing meat, comprising adding to the food a compound of Formula III, which is a derivative of S-nitroso-cysteine. Use of the compound of Formula III as food preservative and compositions for curing meat are also provided by the invention.

The present invention provides a particulate product comprising lactate-coated particles, wherein the product contains at least 10 wt. % of lactate-coated particles having the following characteristics: comprising one or more carrier particles containing at least 80 wt. % of one or more C.sub.1-2 alkane carboxylates, said one or more C.sub.1-2 alkane carboxylates being selected from anhydrous and hydrated metal salts of C.sub.1-2 alkane carboxylic acid, the metal of said metal salts being a cation of a metal selected from sodium, potassium, calcium and combinations thereof; comprising a coating layer that covers the one or more carrier particles, said coating layer containing at least 80 wt. % of sodium lactate; containing the one or more C.sub.1-2 alkane carboxylates and sodium lactate in a weight ratio of 1:2 to 2:1; and having a particle size in the range of 40 to 1,500 μm.

The particulate product comprising lactate coated particles in the form of C.sub.1-2 alkane carboxylate particles coated with sodium lactate offers several advantages over dry blends of these organic acid salts.

The invention also relates to the use of the particulate product of the present invention in foodstuffs or beverages.

The present invention provides a powdered vinegar that comprises partly neutralized vinegar, i.e. vinegar derived acid that is partly neutralized with e.g. sodium and/or potassium hydroxide, and free vinegar derived acid. The invention also provides a process for producing such a powdered vinegar and the use of this powdered vinegar in a foodstuff or a beverage, e.g. as a preservative. The present process offers the advantage that it yields a stable, free flowing powdered vinegar that can suitably be used as a preservative in e.g. processed meat products. The powdered vinegar has a high content of free acid, is easy to dissolve and acts as an acidulant.

The present disclosure relates to methods of preparing cell-based products for consumption that comprise proteins from exotic, endangered, and extinct species, as well as cell-based products for consumption.

Animal muscle portions are treated to form an enhanced muscle portion by providing a comminuted meat emulsion made from a first animal muscle tissue and having a pH of from about 6.5 to about 9.5, and adding the emulsion to an animal muscle portion in a manner that promotes uptake and/or distribution of the emulsion into the animal muscle portion to form an enhanced muscle portion. In an aspect, at least about 70% by weight of the protein of the tissue in the emulsion is solubilized, and the protein is not isolated from the tissue. In an aspect, no more than about 30% by weight of the protein of the tissue is precipitated. In an aspect, the tissue is not exposed to acid in a manner that would cause the pH of the tissue to be less than about 5.3. Products prepared by the processes are also described.

A meat analogue may include a macrostructure of connected sheared fibers oriented parallel to one another and gaps positioned between the sheared fibers. The macrostructure may include meat and may include a vegetable protein. An extrusion system may include an extruder and a die. The extrusion system may produce a meat analogue. A meat analogue may include an animal protein. The extruder may be connectable to the die. The extrusion system may be configured to direct a material including an animal protein from the extruder to the die and through a fluid path extending through the die. The die may be configured to inject a fat or a fat analogue into the material such that the fat or the fat analogue is embedded but visually distinct from the material including the animal protein when the fat or the fat analogue and the material exit the die.