An apparatus for introducing dry ice pellets into fresh meat comprises a housing, in which an injection device for introducing dry ice pellets is arranged, and guide channels, which lead to a front face of the housing, for guiding a penetration needle, and a drive device for axially moving the penetration needle. A loading unit can be inserted between a rear portion and a front portion of the housing, which loading unit is provided with feedthroughs, which can be equipped with dry ice pellets and brought into a position in alignment with the guide channels. During operation of the apparatus, penetration channels are first produced, by means of the penetration needles, in a piece of meat to be cooled, into which penetration channels the dry ice pellets are subsequently introduced from the feedthroughs using the penetration needles. The feedthrough enables efficient introduction of dry ice pellets into the meat.

Methods and related apparatus for improving the efficacy of antimicrobial agents within processing tanks. Processing tanks can include side streams for introducing antimicrobial agents into the processing tanks. The antimicrobial agents will be added and mixed in the side stream to form a 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 processing solution is divided into at least two processing solution steams, which can be introduced at two different and distinct locations within the processing tank such as a carcass introduction end and a carcass removal end. By simultaneously introducing at least two processing solution streams at different locations of the processing tank, large concentration gradients of the antimicrobial agent are avoided.

A system (20) for removing feathers from poultry carcasses (50), including a scalding apparatus (28) that applies the dual cascade of heated water downwardly onto poultry carcasses passing beneath. A quill picking unit (30) follows the dual cascade scalding apparatus (26) to remove the feathers from the carcass after the pores have been enlarged by the dual cascade of scalding water. After the feathers have been pulled from the carcass (50), the carcass is passed through a chiller (40) which applies a dual cascade of cooling water downwardly onto the carcasses passing through the chilling unit.

A method for processing an intact animal carcass comprises submerging a bled animal carcass in scalding water for at least 20 seconds to produce a scalded animal carcass, de-hairing the scalded animal carcass to produce a de-haired animal carcass, suspending the de-haired animal carcass, burning an epidermal layer of the de-haired animal carcass while suspended so that a majority of the epidermal layer is charred so as to produce a burnt animal carcass, pressure washing the burnt animal carcass to produce a pressure-washed animal carcass, eviscerating the pressure-washed animal carcass to produce an eviscerated animal carcass, internally washing the eviscerated animal carcass to produce an internally washed animal carcass, and chilling the internally washed animal carcass to a temperature of between 0 degrees Celsius and about 4 degrees Celsius to produce a chilled animal carcass.

A method for processing beef includes the steps of preparing a beef carcass for butchering, reducing the carcass temperature by 20 degrees Fahrenheit, removing primal cuts from the carcass, cooling the primal cuts to 32-34 degrees Fahrenheit, and packaging the primal cuts. To prepare the beef carcass, the head of the cattle is removed and the carcass is eviscerated. The carcass is then cooled for approximately three to four hours to lower its temperature to 75-85 degrees in preparation of removing the primal cuts. After this, the carcass is arranged on a butchering device and the primal cuts are removed. The cuts are then packaged and placed in a cooler for approximately 60 minutes to reduce their temperature to 32-34 degrees Fahrenheit, at which time they are prepared for distribution. The entire beef processing method, from kill floor to packaging and cooling, will be complete within 24 hours.

A process and an apparatus for controlling temperature loss and shrinkage of meat after an animal is slaughtered for food. Shrinkage is controlled by compressing the meat during cooling, the compression offsetting a natural tendency of the meat to contract and providing a measure of control over the shaping of the meat. Apparatus for the process includes one or more rigid rings for placement around the meat. Each ring is wrapped with a thread secured rigidly to one side of the ring and secured movably to the other side such as to allow the length of thread on the second side of the rigid ring to form at least one winding around the meat. As the meat cools, the thread shrinks, applying the thermal contraction of the thread along the ring to constrict the winding around and thus longitudinally elongate the meat.

A meat quality and yield improvement process comprises hanging the hind leg(s) of a carcass and applying an additional pulling force of from 50 to 500 kgf to the leg and back muscles of the carcass. The additional force stretches the muscle filaments of the leg and back muscles and is maintained until rigor is complete. The hind leg(s) of the carcass may be hung at an angle of 90 to 170 degrees to the vertical.

An apparatus for storing organic materials includes: a body having an opening for receiving the organic materials to be stored; an outlet formed in the body through which the organic materials are unloaded from the body; and a cooling fluid circuit for circulating cooling fluid through the organic material collected by the hopper.

The invention provides a device and a method for conveying and treating food items in liquid in a tank. The device is designed for transferring and treating food items in liquid simultaneously, such as cooling, thawing or treating the food items with additives. The blade of the invention is a dual action blade as it both advances the food items along the container as well as creating repeated forward and backwards pushing of the items as the blade is rotated.

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.