Characteristics of meat products

Abstract

The present disclosure provides methods and compositions useful for the production of slaughter-free meat products, and the characterizations of the same. The slaughter-free meat products contain several points of distinction when compared to conventional meat procured by harvesting the tissue of a dead animal. Such points of distinction include, but are not limited to, significantly reduced or substantially no: steroid hormones, antibiotics, or microbial contamination; lower fat content; no vasculature; and extended shelf life both at room temperature and when refrigerated.

1 . A slaughter-free meat product for dietary consumption exhibiting an extended shelf life, wherein the shelf life is extended for at least 3 days following harvest compared to conventional meat obtained by slaughter, and wherein said extension of shelf life is at least a result of a lack of vasculature containing blood in the meat product. 
     
     
         2 . The slaughter-free meat product of  claim 1 , wherein the extended shelf life is maintained for at least 3 days following harvest at about 0° C. to about 30° C. 
     
     
         3 . The slaughter-free meat product of  claim 1 , wherein the shelf life is determined after harvest, and prior to formulation. 
     
     
         4 . The slaughter-free meat product of  claim 1 , wherein the shelf life is determined after formulation. 
     
     
         5 . The slaughter-free meat product of  claim 3 , wherein the shelf life is extended when the meat is harvested under non-aseptic conditions. 
     
     
         6 . The slaughter-free meat product of  claim 1 , wherein the shelf life is determined by measuring the total microbial count (TC),  E. coli /coliforms count (EC),  E. coli  microbial count, or the coliforms count. 
     
     
         7 . The slaughter-free meat product of  claim 6 , wherein the TC measurement of conventional meat obtained by slaughter is at least 1.5× higher than that of the TC measurement of slaughter-free meat product. 
     
     
         8 . The slaughter-free meat product of  claim 1 , comprising no more than 1 cfus microbial contamination per g/wet mass. 
     
     
         9 . The slaughter-free meat product of  claim 1 , wherein the slaughter-free meat product comprises no more than about 1 ug steroid hormone. 
     
     
         10 . The slaughter-free meat product of  claim 1 , wherein the slaughter-free meat product comprises about 50 g to about 90 g by weight of amino acids per 100 g dry mass. 
     
     
         11 . The slaughter-free meat product of  claim 1 , wherein the slaughter-free meat product comprises one or more of the following amino acids in the indicated amounts (expressed as g of amino acid/100 g total amino acid): Tryptophan about 1 to about 2.2, Threonine about 4.6 and 6.5, Isoleucine about 3.8 to about 5, Leucine about 6.1 to about 8.9, Lysine about 5.7 to about 8.8, Methionine about 0.14 to about 3.0, Cysteine about 1.5 to about 1.8, Phenylalanine about 3.7 to about 4.8, Tyrosine about 3.0 to about 5.2, Valine about 4.8 to about 6.1, Arginine about 7.0 to about 8.0, Histidine about 2.5 to about 4, Alanine about 5.0 to about 6.3, Aspartic acid about 8.6 to about 10.4, Glutamic acid about 12.5 to about 14.6, Glycine about 4.6 to about 9.8, Proline about 4.6 to about 6.8, Serine about 4.4 to about 5.3, and/or Hydroxyproline about 0.0 to 4.0. 
     
     
         12 . The slaughter-free meat product of  claim 1 , wherein the slaughter-free meat product has a moisture content of about 65% to about 95%, wherein the moisture content is measured after harvest, but before formulation. 
     
     
         13 . The slaughter-free meat product of  claim 1 , wherein the slaughter-free meat product comprises at least about 0.5 mg Vitamin E/100 g wet mass of the slaughter-free meat product. 
     
     
         14 . The slaughter-free meat product of  claim 1 , wherein the slaughter-free meat product comprises one or more of the following fatty acids classes in the amounts indicated, expressed as % of that class over total fatty acids:
 a. saturated fatty acids content between about 10% to about 60%;   b. monounsaturated fatty acids content between about 10% to about 60%; and   c. polyunsaturated fatty acids content between about 1% to about 50%.   
     
     
         15 . The slaughter-free meat product of  claim 1 , wherein the slaughter-free meat product comprises a ratio of about 2:1 to 18:1 omega 6:3 fatty acids classes. 
     
     
         16 . The slaughter-free meat product of  claim 1 , wherein the slaughter-free meat product comprises slaughter-free chicken, duck, or bovine meat, and the conventional meat comprises chicken, duck or bovine meat obtained by slaughter. 
     
     
         17 . The slaughter-free meat product of  claim 1 , wherein the slaughter-free meat product is substantially free of vasculature. 
     
     
         18 . The slaughter-free meat product of  claim 1 , wherein the conventional meat is not processed. 
     
     
         19 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . The slaughter-free meat product of  claim 1 , wherein the extended shelf life is maintained for 3-148 days following harvest. 
     
     
         32 . The slaughter-free meat product of  claim 1 , wherein the extended shelf life is maintained for 3-28 days following harvest.