Raw Bone Product and Method

Abstract

A raw bone product including ground raw bone compressed into a mass, wherein the ground raw bone has been subjected to a hydrostatic pressure of at least 4000 atm for a predetermined amount of time, and wherein the mass is maintained at a temperature of at most 40° F.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A raw bone product comprising:
 ground raw bone compressed into a rigid mass,   wherein said ground raw bone has been subjected to a hydrostatic pressure of at least 4000 atm for a predetermined amount of time, and   wherein said rigid mass is maintained at a temperature of at most 40° F.   
     
     
         2 . The raw bone product of  claim 1  wherein said rigid mass has been subjected to said hydrostatic pressure for said predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         3 . The raw bone product of  claim 1  wherein said ground raw bone comprises at least one of a beef bone, a lamb bone, a venison bone, a pork bone, a rabbit bone, a chicken bone, a turkey bone and a duck bone. 
     
     
         4 . The raw bone product of  claim 1  further comprising a binder dispersed in said ground raw bone. 
     
     
         5 . The raw bone product of  claim 1  further comprising a flavoring agent dispersed in said ground raw bone. 
     
     
         6 . The raw bone product of  claim 1  further comprising meat dispersed in said ground raw bone. 
     
     
         7 . The raw bone product of  claim 1  further comprising a nutritional fortifier dispersed in said ground raw bone. 
     
     
         8 . The raw bone product of  claim 1  wherein said ground raw bone has an average particle size of at most 20 millimeters. 
     
     
         9 . The raw bone product of  claim 1  wherein said ground raw bone has an average particle size of at most 10 millimeters. 
     
     
         10 . The raw bone product of  claim 1  wherein said predetermined amount of time is at least 3 minutes. 
     
     
         11 . The raw bone product of  claim 1  wherein said rigid mass is maintained at a temperature of at most 32° F. 
     
     
         12 . A method for manufacturing a raw bone product comprising the steps of:
 providing a raw bone;   grinding said raw bone;   compressing said ground raw bone into a rigid mass; and   pasteurizing said ground raw bone at a temperature of at most 100° F.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said compression step is performed prior to said pasteurizing step. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said raw bone comprises at least one of a beef bone, a lamb bone, a venison bone, a pork bone, a rabbit bone, a chicken bone, a turkey bone and a duck bone. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of introducing at least one of a binder, a flavoring agent, a meat and a nutritional fortifier to said ground raw bone. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said grinding step is performed such that said ground raw bone has an average particle size of at most 20 millimeters. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said compression step comprises the step of extruding said ground raw bone. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said compressing step comprises the steps of:
 (a) providing a male mold member and a female mold member, said female mold member having a cavity formed therein; 
 (b) placing a predetermined quantity of said ground raw bone into said cavity; and 
 (c) approximating said male mold member with said female mold member. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said pasteurizing step is performed in a high pressure pasteurization vessel. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said ground raw bone is subjected to a pressure of at least 4000 atm in said high pressure pasteurization vessel.