IT202300001461A1 - FRESH PACKAGED FOOD PRODUCT AND PRODUCTION PROCEDURE - Google Patents

Description

Description of the invention entitled:

"FRESH PACKAGED FOOD PRODUCT AND PRODUCTION PROCEDURE"

SCOPE OF APPLICATION

Embodiments described herein refer to a fresh food product packaged in a protected or modified atmosphere and to the related production process. In particular, the food product described herein is based on pork, more specifically raw ham, appropriately cut into thin strips, fillets, thin slices or other similar or assimilable shape (for example, the so-called "julienne"), which are combined or mixed with edible vegetable oil, particularly olive oil, more specifically extra virgin olive oil and then packaged in a protected or modified atmosphere, possibly with the addition of other spices, flavours, aromas, juices or food condiments. In this case, raw ham is seasoned raw ham, and may include both Italian and foreign products. Furthermore, the raw ham used may be in particular IGT (Typical Geographical Indication) or DOP (Protected Designation of Origin). The raw ham used may derive from parts of seasoned raw ham not used during the industrial or artisanal slicing phase, in particular pressed boneless hams (so-called tiles) and otherwise.

STATE OF THE TECHNOLOGY

It is known that in the culinary and gastronomy sector there is an ever-increasing tendency to promote genuine and controlled-origin food products. An example is raw ham, an Italian food excellence in the production of cured meats, the fruit of centuries-old food traditions.

Raw ham can be enjoyed in slices, alone or accompanied by other foods. Alternatively, appropriately chopped, ground or minced, it can be used as an ingredient in various food preparations, for example as an ingredient for fresh pasta fillings, such as tortellini. Generally, for this purpose, ham processing scraps are used, i.e. parts of ham that are not used in the industrial or artisanal slicing of the ham itself.

The Applicant, however, found that there is still a lot of room to enhance raw ham in new and original tasting forms. This is also in consideration of the fact that new and original forms and methods of tasting dishes and foods are always evolving, especially those at a level of excellence, where it is possible to appreciate such excellent foods even in an informal, fast way or by improvising meals without planning but without compromising the quality of the food. In doing so, it is important, however, to respect the sensory and organoleptic properties of the raw material raw ham, ensuring its stability over time.

There is therefore a need to improve a packaged food product and a respective production process that can overcome at least one of the drawbacks of the technique.

To overcome the drawbacks of the known art and to obtain these and further purposes and advantages, the Applicant has studied, tested and created the present invention.

EXHIBITION OF THE FINDING

The present invention is expressed and characterised in the independent claims while the dependent claims set forth other characteristics of the present invention or variants of the main solution idea.

Embodiments described herein refer to a fresh food product packaged in a protected or modified atmosphere, comprising thin strips of raw ham seasoned with edible vegetable oil, or a preparation based on edible vegetable oil, intimately mixed with said thin strips so as to create a thin covering film on them. Such thin strips of raw ham seasoned with vegetable oil are contained in a special sealed container.

Further embodiments described herein relate to a process for the production of a fresh food product packaged in a protected or modified atmosphere based on raw ham. This process comprises making available thin strips of raw ham seasoned with edible vegetable oil, or a preparation based on edible vegetable oil, intimately mixed with the aforementioned thin strips so as to create a thin covering film on them and packaging the mass of product thus obtained in a sealed container in a protected or modified atmosphere.

According to embodiments, the aforesaid process comprises cutting raw ham into thin strips and mixing such thin strips with said edible vegetable oil or said edible vegetable oil-based preparation.

According to embodiments, one or more of the processing steps for producing and/or packaging said food product are carried out in a temperature-controlled environment. For example, cutting into thin strips and/or mixing with edible vegetable oil are carried out in a temperature-controlled environment.

According to embodiments, combinable with all embodiments described herein, the aforementioned edible vegetable oil edible vegetable oil is olive oil, in particular extra virgin olive oil.

According to embodiments, combinable with all embodiments described herein, the aforementioned oil, or preparation based on edible vegetable oil, is from 35% to 55%, in particular from 40% to 50% by weight with respect to the total weight of the food product.

According to embodiments, combinable with all the embodiments described herein, the interior of the aforementioned container is saturated with a gas or a mixture of gases suitable for defining the aforementioned protected or modified atmosphere.

According to embodiments, combinable with all the embodiments described herein, the aforementioned container is a closed and heat-sealed plastic tray, in particular formed by a thermoformed tray closed by a heat-sealed peelable film.

According to embodiments, combinable with all embodiments described herein, the aforementioned thin strips are further seasoned with one or more additional spices, flavors, aromas, juices or food condiments.

According to embodiments, combinable with all the embodiments described herein, the aforementioned thin strips are obtained from seasoned raw ham, in particular by cutting parts of seasoned raw ham not used during the industrial or artisanal slicing phase, in particular pressed and non-pressed boneless hams.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the possible embodiments of the invention. The phraseology and terminology used here is for non-limiting exemplifying purposes.

Embodiments described herein refer to a fresh food product packaged in a protected or modified atmosphere, typically in a sealed container, based on raw ham, appropriately cut into thin strips, fillets, thin slices or other similar or assimilable shape (e.g. ?julienne?).

In this case, the raw ham used is seasoned raw ham, and may include both Italian and foreign products. Furthermore, the raw ham used may be in particular IGT (Typical Geographical Indication) or DOP (Protected Designation of Origin).

Here and in the present description, the possible shapes into which the raw ham used in the embodiments of the present invention is cut will be cumulatively defined as ?thin strip? or ?thin strips?, with such expressions meaning one or more of the shapes indicated above, similar or assimilable.

Such thin strips are seasoned with edible vegetable oil, in particular olive oil, more particularly extra virgin olive oil and possibly with the addition of other spices, flavours, aromas, juices or food condiments. In the event of the addition of other spices, flavours, aromas, juices or food condiments, it can be considered that the thin strips are seasoned with a preparation based on edible vegetable oil, in particular olive oil, more particularly extra virgin olive oil

The oil, or the preparation based on edible vegetable oil, is mixed intimately with the aforementioned thin strips in order to create a thin covering veil over them.

The packaged food product described herein comprises the aforementioned sealed container containing the aforementioned thin strips of raw ham seasoned with edible vegetable oil.

In embodiments, said oil is from 35% to 55%, in particular from 40% to 50% by weight with respect to the total weight of the food product. Some examples are 38%, 39%, 40%, 41%, 42%, 43%, 44%, 45%, 46%, 47%, 48%, 49%, 50%, 51%, 52%. by weight. In these embodiments, the percentage by weight is intended considering the oil, or the aforementioned oil-based preparation, i.e. the oil with the addition of other spices, flavors, aromas, juices or food condiments, depending on the possible variants.

In embodiments, the interior of said container is saturated with a gas or mixture of gases to define said protected or modified atmosphere. An example is an atmosphere of 70% nitrogen and 30% carbon dioxide.

In embodiments, the aforementioned container is a closed and heat-sealed plastic tray, in particular formed by a thermoformed tray closed by a heat-sealed peelable film.

The fresh food product packaged in a protected or modified atmosphere based on raw ham described here can be prepared through the following phases:

- cut the raw ham into thin strips;

- season with edible vegetable oil, in particular olive oil, more specifically extra virgin olive oil and possibly with the addition of other spices, flavours, aromas, juices or food condiments (preparation based on edible vegetable oil);

- package in a protected or modified atmosphere.

The raw ham used can derive in particular from parts of seasoned raw ham not used during the industrial or artisanal slicing phase, in particular pressed boneless hams (so-called tiles) and not.

The oil, or oil-based preparation, used to season the aforementioned thin strips is carefully mixed with the latter, in such a way as to create a veil that intimately covers the raw ham. This homogeneous mixing ensures that the oil veil protects the thin strips of raw ham from possible rancidity. This contributes significantly, in combination with packaging in a protected or modified atmosphere, to prolonging the shelf-life and preserving the optimal sensory and organoleptic properties.

In specific embodiments the manufacturing process includes:

- cutting of raw ham: raw ham is cut into thin strips, for example using special cutting equipment, such as a professional slicer. Processing can preferably be carried out at a controlled temperature, to prevent the ham from overheating during the cutting phase;

- seasoning: the raw ham cut into thin strips is then seasoned with oil and possibly with the addition of other spices, flavours, aromas, juices or food condiments (preparation based on edible vegetable oil). The seasoning is done, in particular, by mixing it homogeneously with the oil, manually or using special mixing equipment. Even in this phase it is important to keep the temperature under control to avoid overheating the raw ham;

- packaging in a protected or modified atmosphere: the thin strips of seasoned raw ham are then packaged in a protected or modified atmosphere using a special packaging machine. During this phase, the desired protected or modified atmosphere is created inside the container through the addition of gases such as nitrogen, oxygen or carbon dioxide, to extend the shelf-life of the product and favorably maintain the organoleptic properties of the raw ham intact.

In embodiments, the storage of the packaged fresh food product in a protected or modified atmosphere is envisaged, storing it in conditions suitable to avoid the proliferation of microorganisms and the degradation of the product.

It is important to underline that respecting controlled processing temperatures, for example during the cutting and/or seasoning phase, guarantees greater product stability and greater food safety, avoiding the proliferation of bacteria that could compromise the quality of the product.

To this end, advantageously, it can also be foreseen that, in the mixing phase, the oil is supplied at a controlled temperature and/or that temperature conditioning means associated with the mixing phase are used.

The raw ham-based food product described here has numerous advantages and technical benefits.

Packaging in a protected or modified atmosphere allows the shelf-life of the product to be extended beyond six months, keeping the organoleptic properties of the raw ham intact.

The salt natively contained in raw ham, combined with the mixing with olive oil, which covers the strips of ham with a veil, helps maintain the stability and long life of the product over time.

Furthermore, the olive oil used to season the raw ham contains polyphenols and antioxidant vitamins such as vitamin E and vitamin A, which help prevent or at least slow down the yellowing and rancidity of the fatty part of the raw ham.

The fresh food product packaged in a protected or modified atmosphere described here, thanks to its stability and long shelf life (even up to and beyond six months), allows us to offer a new and original way of tasting raw ham, both as a ready-to-eat food and as an ingredient for the preparation of other dishes, always guaranteeing a high quality of the product.

In addition to the use of olive oil, as mentioned, the food product described here could be seasoned with a preparation based on edible vegetable oil, where other spices, flavors, aromas, juices or different food seasonings are added, for example chili pepper, pepper or a mixture of different types of pepper, chives, aromatic or wild herbs, onion, truffle, lemon juice or a combination of these, or more. It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts or phases can be made to the packaged fresh food product and the production process described here, without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims.

Claims (10)

1. Fresh food product packaged in a protected or modified atmosphere, comprising thin strips of raw ham seasoned with edible vegetable oil, or a preparation based on edible vegetable oil, mixed intimately with said thin strips so as to create a thin covering layer on them. 2. Food product as in claim 1, wherein said edible vegetable oil is olive oil, in particular extra virgin olive oil. 3. Food product as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said oil, or said edible vegetable oil preparation, is from 35% to 55%, in particular from 40% to 50% by weight with respect to the total weight of the food product. 4. Food product as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said thin strips are seasoned with one or more additional spices, flavours, aromas, juices or food condiments. 5. Process for the production of a fresh food product packaged in a protected or modified atmosphere based on raw ham comprising making available thin strips of raw ham seasoned with edible vegetable oil, or a preparation based on edible vegetable oil, mixed intimately with said thin strips so as to create a thin covering film on them and packaging the mass of product thus obtained in a sealed container in a protected or modified atmosphere. 6. Process as in claim 5, wherein said edible vegetable oil is olive oil, in particular extra virgin olive oil. 7. Process as in claim 5 or 6, wherein said oil, or said preparation based on edible vegetable oil, is from 35% to 55%, in particular from 40% to 50% by weight with respect to the total weight of the food product. 8. Process as in any of claims 5 to 7, wherein said thin strips are obtained by cutting parts of seasoned raw ham not used during the industrial or artisanal slicing phase, in particular pressed and non-pressed boneless hams. 9. Process as in any of claims 6 to 8, comprising cutting raw ham into thin strips and mixing said thin strips with said edible vegetable oil, or said edible vegetable oil-based preparation. 10. Process as in any of claims 6 to 9, wherein one or more of the processing steps for producing and/or packaging said food product are carried out in a temperature-controlled environment,