The present invention relates to a method, a system and an apparatus for treating food items. Such method and device may, for instance, be used to cool down food items, bleed freshly slaughtered fish and treat live fish against parasites. The device and method of the present invention further uses temperature differences and agitation to tread food items. A method for reducing or eliminating sea lice from salmon fish, said method comprising: a) transporting the salmon fish from a reservoir and the feeding salmon fish in liquid into the tubing of a first pumping device, said liquid being at a temperature from +15 to +28° C., b) transporting the salmon fish in liquid through the tubing of the pumping device at a first set time period for treatment in said liquid, c) feeding the salmon fish out of the first pumping device, d) separating the liquid from the salmon fish, and e) transporting the salmon fish back to the reservoir, wherein the liquid media from the pumping device is redirected after separation from the salmon fish in step d) through a heat exchange element back into the pumping device for continued treatment of further salmon fish, and wherein the temperature difference between the liquid used in steps b) and the reservoir is more than 15° C.

The present invention relates to a method and a device for treating and/or transporting food items. The apparatus and method are designed to facilitate treating food items in liquid. The device of the present invention is designed as a spiral pump with a tubing that is wound around a frame structure which rotates around a horizontal axis. The apparatus of the present invention and the use thereof provides a method to treat food items in a spiral pump, where the food items are treated cycle by cycle in the pump.

A food cooling method includes: a dehumidifying step of performing mainly a dehumidifying process on food by cooling the food with cool air of a first blow-out temperature at which no frost is generated on fins of the heat exchanger; and a cooling step of performing mainly a cooling process on the food by cooling the food having undergone the dehumidifying step with cool air of a second blow-out temperature which is lower than the first blow-out temperature and at which frost may be generated on the fins.

Disclosed is an automatic immersion ice-coating machine, including a frame, an ice-coating working pool, a feed port, a conveying device, a control system and a driving system. A first side of the ice-coating working pool communicates with a buffer tank. A bottom of the ice-coating working pool is stepped or inclined, and a drain valve is provided at a bottom of the ice-coating working pool. The conveying device includes a first conveyor belt and a second conveyor belt. The first conveyor belt is located under the feed port, and a lower portion of the first conveyor belt is lower than the liquid level, and the second conveyor belt communicates with the discharge port. The first and second conveyor belts are made of stainless steel mesh belts, and surfaces of the stainless steel mesh belts are provided with separators in a spaced manner.

Methods and related apparatus for providing a chemical intervention processing solution for use within processing tanks. Processing tanks can include side streams or ancillary systems for generating the chemical intervention processing solution that can then be introduced into the processing tanks. The antimicrobial agents will be added and mixed in the side stream to form the chemical intervention processing solution. Additional actions can be conducted on the processing solution within the side stream including any and or all of heating, pumping, sampling, measuring, testing and pH adjustment of the processing solution. The chemical intervention processing solution can also be provided by a venturi injector that combines processing water and an antimicrobial agent and/or an alkaline agent outside of the processing tank. The processing solution can be used for various food processing applications.

A poultry chiller includes a tank and an auger rotatably held in the tank. The auger includes a first auger section and a second auger section. The first auger section includes a first auger shaft and a first auger flight. The first auger flight includes a first helical portion on the first auger shaft and a first flight extension that extends away from the first helical portion. The second auger section includes a second auger shaft coupled to the first auger shaft and a second auger flight. The second auger flight includes a second helical portion on the second auger shaft and a second flight extension that extends away from the second helical portion. The chiller includes a hanger bearing assembly between the first and second auger sections and extending to an upper portion of the tank.

A method for processing fish can include transporting fully intact fish to a floating vessel, at least one of weighing and sorting the fully intact fish, forming a layer of frozen slime on an outer surface of skin of the fully intact fish, and freezing the fully intact fish by moving the fully intact fish through an ultra-low air temperature region. Related systems and apparatuses are also provided.

A method for coating food products with a coating substance including: a step a) of supercooling the food products, by providing external frigories, to a temperature lower than the initial temperature of same, before contacting the food products with the coating substance, and subsequently, a step b) of contacting the supercooled food products obtained in step a) with the coating substance. In step b): (i) the supercooled food products are contacted with the coating substance in a treatment chamber, (ii) the food products are stirred by a motorised mechanised system, including at least one stirring member, internal to the treatment chamber, (iii) the at least one stirring member is heated, and the intensity of the heating is adjusted, without excess heating, so as to avoid the accumulation of materials on the stirring member.

A poultry chiller includes a tank and an auger rotatably held in the tank. The auger includes a first auger section and a second auger section. The first auger section includes a first auger shaft and a first auger flight. The first auger flight includes a first helical portion on the first auger shaft and a first flight extension that extends away from the first helical portion. The second auger section includes a second auger shaft coupled to the first auger shaft and a second auger flight. The second auger flight includes a second helical portion on the second auger shaft and a second flight extension that extends away from the second helical portion. The chiller includes a hanger bearing assembly between the first and second auger sections and extending to an upper portion of the tank.

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.