Coagulation of the marrow in bones

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12063947-B2
Application number	US-201917057162-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 27, 2019
Priority date	May 25, 2018
Publication date	Aug 20, 2024
Grant date	Aug 20, 2024

Abstract

A method of treating a meat-substance containing a bone structure. The bone marrow is coagulated with microwaves generated by a solid-state RF energy source. The microwave heating may be carried out prior to a heat treatment of the meat-substance and/or may be carried out after slaughtering and before the fresh slaughtered meat-substance is frozen.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of treating a meat-substance containing a bone structure comprising bone marrow in an apparatus, the method comprising: coagulating the bone marrow with microwaves generated by a plurality of solid-state RF energy sources, wherein the apparatus comprises a housing, a conveyor for conveying the meat-substance through the housing, the meat-substance is configured to be arranged on the conveyor in rows, the plurality of solid-state RF energy sources are arranged in rows on the apparatus, the rows of the plurality of solid-state RF sources are configured to be aligned with the rows of the meat-substance on the conveyor such that one or more of the rows of the meat-substance arranged on the conveyor pass under a respective one of the rows of the plurality of solid-state RF sources, wherein the apparatus comprises a cooling chamber comprising a cooling agent, the cooling chamber is located in between the housing and the conveyor, the cooling chamber surrounds the conveyor, wherein the method comprises measuring a temperature of one of more of the plurality of solid-state RF energy sources, and then based on the measuring step, the method comprises controlling a fluid flow of the cooling agent and/or a temperature of the cooling agent to cool the plurality of solid-state RF energy sources.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the coagulating is carried out prior to a subsequent heat treatment of the meat-substance.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein the coagulating is carried out after slaughtering and before a step of freezing the meat-substance.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the meat-substance is thawed and then subjected to a subsequent heat treatment.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the bone marrow is heated during a thawing step.

6. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the subsequent heat treatment step is carried out in an oven or a fryer or prior to a step of freezing the meat-substance.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a power level, frequency, wavelength, phase versus time, amplitude, magnitude of radiated power and/or direction of the plurality of solid-state RF-energy sources is set such that radiation penetrates the meat-substance and the bone structure.

8. The method according to claim 1 , wherein a temperature of the bone structure and/or the bone marrow is measured during the coagulating step.

9. The method according to claim 8 , wherein a signal of a temperature measurement is utilized to control the plurality of solid-state RF-energy sources.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the meat of meat-substance is at least partially frozen without freezing the bone structure and simultaneously and/or afterwards the bone marrow is coagulated with the microwaves generated by the plurality of solid-state RF energy sources.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein, the meat of the meat-substance is heated to 60° C.-100° C.

12. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the meat-substance is frozen to −10° C. or less.

13. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises controlling the plurality of solid-state RF energy sources with a control system by comparing transmitted energy with reflected energy and then based on the comparing step, the method comprises a step of adjusting new energy transmitted by the plurality of solid-state RF energy sources.

14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises measuring a temperature of the bone marrow with a temperature sensor.

15. The method according to claim 1 , wherein before the coagulating step, the method comprises freezing the meat-substance without freezing the bone structure and the bone marrow.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the method comprises a step of measuring a temperature of the bone marrow with a temperature sensor.

17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the meat of meat-substance is at least partially frozen without freezing the bone structure and simultaneously the bone marrow is coagulated with the microwaves generated by the plurality of solid-state RF energy sources.

18. The method according to claim 16 , wherein the meat-substance is treated with the microwaves generated by the plurality of solid-state RF energy sources until the bone marrow is entirely coagulated and after the bone marrow is entirely coagulated, the method comprises freezing the meat-structure.

19. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cooling agent is water.

20. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cooling agent is gas or air.

Assignees

• Gea Food Solutions Bakel Bv

Inventors

• Van Erp Joost
• Van Gerwen Hendrikus Petrus Gerardus

Classifications

• A23B2/97

  using irradiation or electric treatment, e.g. ultrasonic waves · CPC title

• A23B2/08

  using microwaves or dielectric heating · CPC title

• A23B2/003

  Control or safety devices for sterilisation or pasteurisation systems · CPC title

• A23B2/001

  Details of apparatus, e.g. pressure feed valves or for transport, or loading or unloading manipulation · CPC title

• H05B2206/046

  Microwave drying of wood, ink, food, ceramic, sintering of ceramic, clothes, hair · CPC title