A carcass cleaning tool for removing dag from a suspended carcass has a body with at least one handle mounted to it for allowing an operator to hold the tool away from them. A driver is mounted in the body and rotates a head having a shaft extending therefrom. A plurality of arms extend from the shaft and have tines at distal ends, the tines adapted to engage the animal carcass to remove dag from the carcass hide. The head is oriented to permit movement of the arms and tines in front of the tool operator. A suspension point for hanging the body from an overhead support permits the operator to move the tool arms and tines toward and away from the carcass to remove the dag without damaging the carcass hide. The tool body never makes contact with the ground as a result of using the suspension point.

A chiller bath includes a tank for holding a volume of chiller water; a dosing system for dosing a first solution and a second solution into the chiller water, arranged to create a plurality of zones within the volume of water, wherein each zone has a higher concentration of either the first or the second solution than surrounding portions of the volume of water; and a meat or poultry immersion arrangement for immersing and moving carcasses in the chiller water. A method for reducing bacterial load on meat or poultry includes generating a plurality of zones within a chiller bath containing water by dosing a source of alkalinity and antimicrobial into the water, wherein the plurality of zones comprises at least one alkaline zone with a pH above 8.5, and at least one antimicrobial zone with pH below 8.5; and submersing meat or poultry in the bath. The zones can also be generated using spray nozzles in a meat or poultry operation.

A diagnostic system for processing animal carcass, wherein the system comprises an artificial animal carcass that includes a bladder inside; a sensory module under the exterior surface of artificial animal carcass; and a display module operably coupled with the sensory module. The bladder inside the artificial animal carcass is configured to be filled with water at the slaughter facility, so that the weight of artificial carcass is approximately the same as the weight of real carcass to be processed. The sensory module is configured to measure a selected parameter on the surface of artificial animal carcass to be displayed on the display module.

A dual waterfall cabinet includes a hollow basin having front and rear openings to allow workpieces to move therethrough. The cabinet also includes waterfall assemblies on either side of the hollow basin that form waterfalls of solution to be applied to the workpieces. To provide thorough interior and exterior coverage, the distance between the waterfalls can vary along a length of the cabinet.

A method of sanitizing a surface is described that includes: (a) providing a pH control composition that includes at least one pH control agent (such as sodium bisulfate); (b) contacting a first feed aqueous stream with the pH control composition, thereby forming a first treated aqueous stream; (c) combining at least a portion of the first treated aqueous stream with a feed sanitizing aqueous stream that includes free available halogen, thereby forming a treated sanitizing aqueous stream that includes free available halogen (such as free available chlorine). The surface sanitizing method further includes, (d) elevating the temperature of the treated sanitizing aqueous stream, thereby forming a heated treated sanitizing aqueous stream having an elevated temperature that includes free available halogen. The heated treated sanitizing aqueous stream is applied to a surface to be sanitized (such as a poultry carcass surface).

The present disclosure provides improved systems and methods for the blending of active agents into process fluids.

The present disclosure provides improved systems and methods for the blending of active agents into process fluids.

The present disclosure includes various method, and apparatus embodiments for high speed rinsing solution application. One such apparatus embodiment includes a substructure having an elliptical track, a catheter delivery system including a plurality of carriages coupled to the track, wherein each of the carriages includes a respective catheter delivery mechanism, a carousel drive system configured to drive the carriages such that the carriages circulate about the substructure on the track, a rotary timing valve positioned above a central portion of the substructure, the rotary timing valve including a plurality of outlets each positioned at a respective radial position on the rotary timing valve, wherein each of the plurality of outlets is connected to a respective catheter delivery mechanism by a hose, and a hose table positioned between the rotary timing valve and the substructure and configured to support the hoses.

Intervention of contamination of an exposed carcass meat surface during processing of an animal carcass comprises providing a flexible sheet having first and second major surfaces comprising an antimicrobial agent on the first major surface of the flexible sheet, wherein the flexible sheet is food-contact safe; detaching a portion of hide from the carcass, thereby providing an exposed carcass meat surface; and placing the flexible sheet on the exposed carcass meat surface so that the antimicrobial agent contacts the exposed carcass meat surface. The flexible sheet is also described.

An apparatus and method for applying an antimicrobial agent to whole or split animal carcasses include a closed or essentially closed chamber for limiting the escape of antimicrobial agent to the environment during antimicrobial treatment of the carcass. In one embodiment, a series of carcass cabinet panels moves in line with the passing animal carcass and forms an enclosure around the carcass by means of panels closing ahead of and behind the carcass. In another embodiment, the direction and spray pattern of positively charged aerosolized antimicrobial particles in a carcass cabinet is controlled by attracting the particles to preselected negatively charged regions within the carcass cabinet.