Process and apparatus for preparing pepperoni
US6524633B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 5, 1999 |
| Grant date | Feb 25, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 5, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA23L13/65
- WIPO fieldFood chemistry
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A process for preparing diced or sliced sausage, e.g. pepperoni, includes the steps of preparing the meat mixture by grinding and mixing to specification. The sausage is stuffed into casings or is extruded into sheet form for fermentation and cooking, following which the cooled meat mixture is chilled to 35° F. or lower and sliced or sliced and diced. The product is thereafter conveyed to a spiral dryer where it is exposed to relatively warm (about 50° F. to 120° F.) air at an initial relative humidity of 50% or less, preferably 30% or less, under turbulent air flow. The dried sausage is then conveyed to a chiller or freezer. Pepperoni prepared in this process has desirable flow characteristics when compared to product made using known pepperoni manufacturing processes. In the most preferred embodiment the conditioned air enters the lower portion of the spiral dryer along with the meat pieces and the resulting product is more consistent than if conventional top/down air flow was used in the dryer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.