Patents Assigned to United States of America (USDA)
  • Use of vitamin D, its metabolites and analogs to improve tenderness of meat and meat products
    Patent number: 6042855
    Abstract: A method of improving the tenderness of meat and meat products is described. The method includes administering excessive doses of vitamin D to meat producing animals prior to slaughter. The vitamin D causes greater calcium activated calpain activity which degrades certain myofibrillar proteins in the meat postmortem. The resulting meat has a significantly lower shear force in comparison to untreated meat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2000
    Assignees: United States of America (USDA), Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Donald C. Beitz, Allen Trenkle, Frederick C. Parrish, Jayden L. Montgomery, Ronald L. Horst