Process and an apparatus adapted to carry out the process steps for producing sausage products, which includes the following steps: Comminuting raw meat with fat, adding seasoning, salt and further additives, mixing in order to produce a raw sausage mass, filling the raw sausage mass into sausage casings or boxes to form encased sausage, first warming and fermenting the formed encased sausage, second warming the encased sausage mass to a temperature of approximately 42° C., immediately subsequently cooling the cooked fermented sausage mass to −1° C. or below with vacuum being applied, and cutting of the dried and cooled encased sausage to obtain a cut and cooled sausage product.

Process and an apparatus adapted to carry out the process steps for producing sausage products, which includes the following steps: Comminuting raw meat with fat, adding seasoning, salt and further additives, mixing in order to produce a raw sausage mass, filling the raw sausage mass into sausage casings or boxes to form encased sausage, first warming and fermenting the formed encased sausage, second warming the encased sausage mass to a temperature of approximately 42° C., immediately subsequently cooling the cooked fermented sausage mass to −1° C. or below with vacuum being applied, and cutting of the dried and cooled encased sausage to obtain a cut and cooled sausage product.

Disclosed are methods for killing or reducing the incidence of pathogenic bacteria, comprising contacting the bacteria with a PURAC CL 21/80 solution (1-2.5% by weight) comprising lactic acid in an amount ranging from about 0.43% to 1.23% by weight and citric acid in an amount ranging from about 0.29% to about 0.88% by weight. In some aspects, the pathogenic bacteria can be present on a meat product.

Disclosed are methods for killing or reducing the incidence of pathogenic bacteria, comprising contacting the bacteria with a PURAC CL 21/80 solution (1-2.5% by weight) comprising lactic acid in an amount ranging from about 0.43% to 1.23% by weight and citric acid in an amount ranging from about 0.29% to about 0.88% by weight. In some aspects, the pathogenic bacteria can be present on a meat product.

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 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 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 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.

The invention relates to a fermented onion composition having a dry matter content of at feast 8 wt. %, said composition comprising, per gram of dry matter: a) 0-150 mg of saccharides selected from fructose, glucose, sucrose and combinations thereof; b) 5-250 mg of phenols selected from acid equivalent of gallic acid, acid equivalent of ferulic acid, quercetin, kaempferol and combinations thereof; c) 75-500 mg acid equivalent of organic acid selected from propionic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid and combinations thereof,

The fermented onion composition of the present invention can advantageously be used as an effective, label-friendly food ingredient to increase overall quality of foods.

The invention also provides a method of preparing a fermented onion composition, comprising: providing an onion substrate containing 10-50 wt. % dry matter and 50-90 wt. % water, wherein at least 40 wt. % of the dry matter is derived from onion; inoculating the substrate with a micro-organism selected from lactic acid bacteria, Propionibacterium and combinations thereof; and incubating the inoculated substrate at a temperature in the range of 25-60° C. for at least 12 hours to produce an onion ferment.

The invention relates to a fermented onion composition having a dry matter content of at feast 8 wt. %, said composition comprising, per gram of dry matter: a) 0-150 mg of saccharides selected from fructose, glucose, sucrose and combinations thereof; b) 5-250 mg of phenols selected from acid equivalent of gallic acid, acid equivalent of ferulic acid, quercetin, kaempferol and combinations thereof; c) 75-500 mg acid equivalent of organic acid selected from propionic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid and combinations thereof,

The fermented onion composition of the present invention can advantageously be used as an effective, label-friendly food ingredient to increase overall quality of foods.

The invention also provides a method of preparing a fermented onion composition, comprising: providing an onion substrate containing 10-50 wt. % dry matter and 50-90 wt. % water, wherein at least 40 wt. % of the dry matter is derived from onion; inoculating the substrate with a micro-organism selected from lactic acid bacteria, Propionibacterium and combinations thereof; and incubating the inoculated substrate at a temperature in the range of 25-60° C. for at least 12 hours to produce an onion ferment.