Extension of the Vane Pump-Grinder Technology to Manufacture Finely Dispersed Meat Batters

• Published in: Journal of food science 2016-03, Vol.81 (3), p.E618-E626
• Main Authors: Irmscher, Stefan B., Gibis, Monika, Herrmann, Kurt, Oechsle, Anja Maria, Kohlus, Reinhard, Weiss, Jochen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Color; Cooking; degree of dispersion; Dietary Fats; Dietary Proteins - analysis; Dispersion; emulsion-type sausages; Emulsions - chemistry; Food Handling - methods; Food science; Food Technology; Homogenizers; Humans; Meat; Meat - analysis; Meat products; Meat Products - analysis; Pork; Process parameters; process-structure relationship; product characteristics; Raw materials; Sausages; Swine; Texture; Vanes; volumetric energy input; Water
• ISSN: 0022-1147; 1750-3841
• DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.13206

A vane pump‐grinder system was extended to enable the manufacture of finely dispersed emulsion‐type sausages by constructing and attaching a high‐shear homogenizer at the outlet. We hypothesized that the dispersing capabilities of the extended system may be improved to the point of facilitating meat‐fat emulsification due to an overall increased volumetric energy input EV. Coarsely ground raw material mixtures were processed to yield meat batters at varying volume flow rates (10 to 60 L/min) and rotational rotor speeds of the homogenizer nrotor (1000 to 3400 rpm). The normalized torques acting on pump, grinder, and homogenizer motors were recorded and unit power consumptions were calculated. The structure of the manufactured meat batters and sausages were analyzed via image analysis. Key physicochemical properties of unheated and heated batters, that is, texture, water‐binding, color, and solubilized protein were determined. The mean diameter d10 of the visible lean meat particles varied between 352 and 406 μm whereas the mean volume‐surface diameter d32 varied between 603 and 796 μm. The lightness L* ranged from 66.2 to 70.7 and correlated with the volumetric energy input and product structure. By contrast, varying process parameters did not impact color values a* (approximately 11) and b* (approximately 8). Interestingly, water‐binding and protein solubilization were not affected. An exponential process‐structure relationship was identified allowing manufacturers to predict product properties as a function of applied process parameters. Raw material mixtures can be continuously comminuted, emulsified, and subsequently filled into casings using an extended vane pump‐grinder. Practical Application With the extended vane pump‐grinder system presented in this study, sausages having coarse, medium, or fine structures such as Salami, Kielbasa, Bologna, and Hot Dogs can now be continuously manufactured at high production rates (60 L/min) on a single device. The structure of sausages can be freely modulated by simply adjusting rotational speeds of the pump, grinder, and homogenizer elements. The extended system is thus capable of replacing conventionally used bowl choppers that only operate in batch. Due to the closed design, an improved hygiene can be realized.