WO2008010874A1

WO2008010874A1 - Anti-microbial meat treatment process

Info

Publication number: WO2008010874A1
Application number: PCT/US2007/012547
Authority: WO
Inventors: Greg Atchley; Todd Faulk
Original assignee: Zee Company, Inc.
Priority date: 2006-07-21
Filing date: 2007-05-29
Publication date: 2008-01-24

Abstract

A treatment station for use in treating carcasses with at least one anti-microbial agent in solution is provided. Carcasses are preferably directed by a track through a cabinet which has a spray of electrically droplets of solution which coat the carcass as it progresses through the spray. Since water in a chiller need not necessarily be provided with a sufficient concentration of anti-microbial agent in that large volume of solution, a significant savings in the amount of anti-microbial agents utilized can be achieved.

Description

ANTI-MICROBIAL MEAT TREATMENT PROCESS Claim of Priority

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/832,916 filed July 21, 2006. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to the treatment of meat such as fish, red meat and poultry with at least one anti-microbial agent and more particularly to the use of an anti-microbial agent electrostatically applied to a carcass such as in the form of a spray in an effort to provide optimum coverage of the carcass while more efficiently managing the amount of anti-microbial solution utilized in the meat preparation process. Description of Related Art

[0003] Anti-microbial agents are normally applied into carcasses in the treatment during the processing of poultry (turkey, chicken, etc.) and red meat (which would include bovine as well as swine products, etc.) during the step of immersion of the carcass in a chiller. The water in the chiller normally contains at least one anti-microbial agent such as Microtox(™) provided by FMC Corporation.

[0004] U.S. Patent No. 5,632,676 owned by FMC Corporation is directed to one such antimicrobial agent used in the processing of poultry. Other common anti-microbial treatments may include at least some bleaches, peracetic acid, lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, citric acid, and possibly other chemicals whether separately or as part of a mix of chemicals. The purpose of all these anti-microbials is to kill microbials such as E.coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria sp and other potentially harmful microbials which could lead to disease in the consumer. [0005] While the prior technique of immersing carcasses in chilled water has been found effective, it has also been found to utilize a relative large quantity of chemicals. In one plant that the applicant has serviced, it has been discovered that chemicals for microbial protection normally cost the processor in a range of $3,000.00 to $5,000.00 per processing day. [00061 Rather than, or in addition to, immersing the carcass completely in a supply of fluid containing microbial protection agents, an improved method of treating carcasses is believed to be desirable.

Summary of the Invention

[0007] It is a present object of the present invention to provide an improved method of applying microbial agents to carcasses of swine, bovine, fish and poultry in the food processing industry. [0008] It is another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for applying anti-microbial treatment agents to carcasses of swine, fish, bovine and poultry in the food processing industry.

[0009] In accordance with the presently preferred embodiment, a prior art meat processing plant has preferably equipped with at least one cooler or chiller wherein the temperature of the animal carcass is significantly reduced, normally to less than 40 degrees. Whereas in the prior art, antimicrobial agent was provided prior to and even in the cooler, there was no known process of applying microbial treatment agents after removal from the cooler. [00010] In accordance with the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, a cabinet is provided in the processing system downstream of the chiller, if utilized, which is preferably equipped with an electrostatic application system which could include a plurality of electrostatically applying nozzles which preferably apply an electrostatic charge to fluid particles containing anti-microbial treatment agent to the carcasses. By providing a plurality of spray nozzles, the carcass can be uniformly covered with the fluid containing the anti-microbial agent so that harmful microbials are killed thereby protecting the consumer. Specifically and preferably, very small electrically charged droplets of fluid containing the anti-microbial agent are provided somewhat as a cloud towards the target and preferably within the cabinet. With the nozzle(s) utilized, the electrical force of approximately 40 times greater than gravity pulls the spray towards the carcass surface to relatively easily deliver the chemical to substantially every corner, crevice and hidden area which would usually be unreachable with a conventional sprayer. High speed air can also be delivered through the sprayer. Excessive spraying, waste and off target drift can be minimized so that application is faster and chemical usage saving of up to 70%, and up to or over 90%, can be experienced over the prior art usage in the chiller technique alone. By providing a cabinet through which a conveyor containing carcasses passes, the carcasses enter at one end of the cabinet and provides a target area which is contacted by spray. The fluid containing the anti-microbial agent "sticks" to the carcass since the conveyor and connected carcass is relatively grounded. The coated carcass typically exists at the other end as the carcass leaves the cabinet. By careful construction of the cabinet, overspray can be significantly, if not virtually eliminated, and precise regulation of the amount of coating provided onto each carcass can be maintained by a processing plant. Brief Description of the Drawings

[00011] The particular features and advantages of the invention as well as other objects will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

«IM«! O rw Figure 1 is a top perspective view of a portion of a meat processing plant showing at least a portion of the process in accordance with the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 shows a diagrammic representation of a portion of the equipment utilized in Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 shows a front plan view of the cabinet shown in Figure 1 with spray directed at a target area relative to a carcass in accordance with the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

Figure 4 shows a detailed view of a biofilm monitor shown in Figure 1. Detailed Description of the Drawings

[00012] Figure 1 shows a portion of the food processing plant such as a poultry processing plant that processes chickens, turkeys, or other poultry products. A similar portion of a fish and/or red meat processing plant such as swine of various breeds, beef of various breeds, etc. could also be envisioned with little, if any, modification. When processing meat such as fish, red meat and poultry products, it is important for the food processor to protect against microbials which could lead to disease in consumers. Specifically, microbials such as E.coli, Listeria.sp, Salmonella.sp and Staphylococcus aureus are targets of anti-microbial efforts.

[00013] As described above, in the past, chillers were provided with anti-microbial treatment agents which is still an excellent way of treating carcasses. Additionally, before entering the chillers, it is common for many processing plants to spray carcasses with TSP (Trisodium Phosphate) before entering the cooler. In the TSP spray techniques done by the applicant in the art, this spraying technique was somewhat akin to hosing the carcasses down with a high pressure water hose and it was performed before the carcass entered the chiller. [00014] In accordance with the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention, a carcass exists chiller 10 or other portion of the processing equipment proceeding on track 12, usually carried by a hook 14 or other carriage. This is somewhat typical of many food processing plants that handle thousands of carcasses, if not hundreds of thousands of carcasses daily such as large chicken processing plants, etc. Upon exiting chiller 10, the carcass 16 is then directed into cabinet 18 preferably with shank 20 of hook 14 passing through a narrow slot 22 as may be best seen in Figure 3. Brushes 23 or other structure may be utilized to provide the specific dimensions of slot 22 or slot 22 could be created as the shank 20 passes through the brushes 23, or other top and/or sealing portion as would be known in one of ordinary skill in the art. The cabinet 18 is preferably supplied with at least one and preferably a plurality of electrostatic spray heads 24 which deliver electrostatically charged particles towards the carcass 16 such as in a spray and/or mist. Treatment offish carcasses may be similar or have some dissimilar steps and/or processes.

[00015] Sprayer 24 is taken from existing equipment that has been utilized in the powder coating (i.e., painting) industry. Specifically, Pullman-Holt sells a Magnet Spray (™) unit which is advertised as providing a highly charged, high speed air stream which provides chemicals up to seventy times more efficiently than conventional sprayers. Pullman-Holt also advertises they have a patented nozzle design that uses compressed air and advanced electrical circuitry to produce a twelve foot plume consisting of very small, like-sized, electrically charged droplets. Accordingly, when adopted to provide anti-microbial agent, the charged liquid is attracted to target areas like a magnet wrapping around the top, sides and bottoms of the carcass to provide a superior, uniform coating. They attribute this phenomenon by the term "electrostatic wraparound." While various uses for this type of sprayer may have been employed, the applicant is unaware of any use of applying an electrostatically charged anti-microbial solution to carcasses during food processing.

[00016] The specific unit sprayers 24 used by the applicant can operate with a liquid pressure of 12 to 15 psi and an atomizing pressure of 70 psi to provide a flow rate of around 2.5 or 4.0 gallons per hour. They operate on a 120 volts drawing 8 amps and provide electrostatic voltage of 0.6 to 1.2 kilovolts. The droplet size is 30 to 40 microns. Other electrostatic sprayer embodiments could be used with one or more nozzles in other embodiments. [00017] As can be seen in Figure 1, chemical supply tank 26 provides anti-microbial chemical in a concentrated form such as Microtox(™) from FMC Corporation and/or other microbial treatment agents as are known in the art from one or more supply tanks 26. The concentrated solution in the tank(s) 26 can be mixed with water from supply 28 which is normally locally provided water. Controller 30 may be useful to meter the precise mix to be provided on a continuous addition method to storage tank 32. Of course, batch add processes or other processes could also be employed and other plumbing arrangements could be utilized. [00018] From the storage tank 32 the microbial treatment agent is then pumped with pump 34. Another controller 36 may be located downstream of pump 34 or upstream of pump in some embodiments. It may also be desirable to provide monitoring equipment 38 installed downstream of storage tank 32. Details of a preferred embodiment of monitoring equipment 38 are shown in greater detail in Figure 4 and which will be described in further detail below. Other and/or additional equipment could be used in other embodiments. Solution from the tank 32 is the solution which is applied with the sprayers 24,42,44,46,48,50,52,54 as is shown in Figure 3. Of course, other quantities of sprayers 24,42,44,46,48,50,52,54 could be utilized in other embodiments. The geometry of the sprayers 24,42,44,46,48,50,52,54 has been found effective at coating a carcass 16 as it passes through the housing 18 at a relatively rapid speed. [00019] In addition to the fluid provided by the sprayers 24,42,44,46,48,50,52,54, air supplies 56 are preferably provided to each of the sprayers 24,42,44,46,48,50,52,54 as well as electricity as shown through power conduit 58. Air supply 60 is also provided to pump 34. Other power and/or air supplies could be utilized in various embodiments. Nozzle 62,64 internal to the housing 18 in Figure 1 can be seen spraying a carcass 16 in the area just before the location of the carcass 16 (i.e., the carcass 16 has traveled just a little past the spray target area or track 12). Since the track 12 is grounded at least relative to the electrostatically applied fluid, the carcass 16 has been coated with at least a slight amount of film coating including the anti-microbial agent which can be monitored at the monitoring equipment 38.

[00020] As can be seen in Figure 3, nozzles 24,42,44,46,48,50,52,54 are oriented about 45 degrees apart from adjacent nozzles circumferentially about housing 18 along an axis of track 12 (i.e., in a plane perpendicular to track 12). Additionally, opposite nozzles, such as nozzle 24 and 44 are about 135 degrees apart. This has been found to provide an excellent fog for coating in the cabinet 18.

[00021] The monitoring equipment 38 is shown in detail in Figure 4 and can have a flow meter 66 such as a rotor meter that measures between two and ten gallons or other amount as well as a pressure sensor such as a Manometer 68 which operates in parallel to the normal flow through the inlet 70 and outlet 72. The manometer 68 may have a bypass 74 with a bypass valve 76. Inlet valve 78 and outlet valve 80 may be useful as well. Furthermore, clean out plugs 82,84 as well as upstream pressure tap and valve 86 as well as downstream pressure tap and valve 88 may be useful in the monitoring equipment 38. Furthermore, a drain valve 90 is also useful. By measuring the pressure with the pressure sensor illustrated as manometer 68 as well the flow to the sprayers 24,42-54, with the flow meter illustrated as rotor meter 66, and the fact that the sprayers 24 apply a continuous mist in the interior 92 of the cabinet 18, a film thickness on each of the carcasses 16 can be closely monitored and provided. Furthermore, it is believed that this thickness can be at least substantially uniform due to the electrostatic charge application which is believed to be a significant advantage over the prior art techniques.

[00022] The presently preferred chemical agent used for an anti-microbial treatment includes Microtox(™), a solution sold by FMC Corporation containing approximately 15% Peracetic Acid and 10% Hydrogen Peroxide. While both Peracetic Acid and Hydrogen Peroxide in their own rights have shown to be excellent anti-microbial treatments, additional anti-microbial treatments could include various acids, including but not limited to citric acid and lactic acid. Furthermore, various bleaches could also be utilized as well.

[00023] Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) could also be applied to sprayers 24. However, it is also possible that an additional cabinet 18 opposite the chiller 10 could be employed in some embodiments to specifically apply TSP before the carcasses 16 enter the chiller 10 and/or the TSP could be applied in the same manner as the Microtox(™) is applied in the preferred method (i.e., electrostatically or electrostatically in a cabinet).

[00024] The applicant has discovered that a significantly smaller amount of chemical is necessary to treat the carcasses 16 than has been utilized in the past with batch addition of chemical to chillers. Chillers 10 can be as big as 80,000 gallons. As one can quickly see, 80,000 gallons would take a significant quantity of chemicals in order to achieve a desired parts per million concentration to provide an effective anti-microbial treatment agent. [00025] Additionally, since the anti-microbial agent is spread on each of the birds and monitored, there is relatively little waste in the preferred embodiment. A somewhat continuous fog or atomized spray can be maintained in the interior 92 of the cabinet 18 which adheres to the carcass 16 and forms at least a relatively uniform coating thereabout as the carcass 16 passes through the system.

[00026] In a presently preferred embodiment, the eviscerated carcass 16 either passes through a TSP treatment cabinet, or not. In other embodiments the carcass may pass through pre- evisceration. Through the invention shown herein the processor could use an electrostatically applied solution of TSP prior to immersion in chiller 10 which, to the applicant's knowledge, has not been performed before. The carcass 16 could pass on into the chiller 10 where various antimicrobial treatments could also be applied in some embodiments. After leaving the chiller 10, the anti-microbial treatments from tank 32 are applied as described above in an electrostatic manner to the carcass 16 before the carcass 16 heads on for further processing such as packaging as a whole bird in the case of some chickens or turkeys, further processing such as cutting into particular cuts for bovines, fish poultry and various swine applications as well. [00O27] Numerous alterations of the structure herein disclosed will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. However, it is to be understood that the present disclosure relates to the preferred embodiment of the invention which is for purposes of illustration only and not to be construed as a limitation of the invention. All such modifications which do not depart from the spirit of the invention are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. [00028] Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what is claimed herein is:

Claims

1. An anti-microbial treatment station for use in treating carcasses comprising: a solution having at least one anti-microbial agent therein; at least one sprayer providing electrically charged droplets of the solution as a spray; a track directing carcasses through the spray, with the carcasses coated with a coating of the solution as the carcasses pass through the spray.

2. The anti-microbial treatment station of claim 1 wherein the track is electrically charged to attract the droplets and the carcasses are in electrical communication with the track.

3. The anti-microbial treatment station of claim 2 wherein the track is grounded.

4. The anti-microbial treatment station of claim 1 further comprising monitoring equipment which at least indirectly monitors the coating applied to the carcasses.

5. The anti-microbial treatment station of claim 1 wherein the carcasses are selected from fowl, fish, swine and beef.

6. The anti-microbial treatment station of claim 1 in combination with a chiller and the spray is applied after the carcasses leave the chiller.

7. The anti-microbial treatment station of claim 1 further comprising a cabinet and the spray being applied in the cabinet.

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8. The anti-microbial treatment station of claim 7 further comprising hooks with shanks traveling on the track supporting the carcasses, with said track located external to the cabinet and the carcasses directed through the cabinet.

9. The anti-microbial treatment station of claim 7 further comprising a plurality of electrostatic spray heads directing spray in the cabinet.

10. The anti-microbial treatment station of 9 further comprising monitoring equipment which at least indirectly monitors the coating applied to the carcasses.

11. The anti-microbial treatment station of claim 9 wherein the spray in the cabinet is a fog.

12. The anti-microbial treatment station of claim 1 wherein the at least one anti-microbial agent is selected from the group of hydrogen peroxide, an acid and trisodium phosphate.

13. The anti-microbial treatment station of claim 12 wherein the at least one anti-microbial agent further comprises hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid.

14. An anti-microbial treatment station for use in treating carcasses comprising: a cabinet; a solution having at least one anti-microbial agent therein; a spray of electrically charged droplets of the solution in the cabinet; a track directing carcasses through the spray, with the carcasses coated with a coating of the solution as the carcasses pass through the spray.

15. The anti-microbial treatment station of claim 14 wherein the track is electrically charged to attract the droplets and the carcasses are in electrical communication with the track.

16. The anti-microbial treatment station of claim 15 wherein the track is grounded.

17. The anti-microbial treatment station of claim 14 further comprising a plurality of electrostatic spray heads directing spray in the cabinet.

18. The anti-microbial treatment station of 17 further comprising monitoring equipment which at least indirectly monitors the coating applied to the carcasses.

19. The anti-microbial treatment station of claim 17 wherein the spray in the cabinet is a fog.

20. The anti-microbial treatment station of claim 14 wherein the at least one anti-microbial agent is selected from the group of hydrogen peroxide, an acid and trisodium phosphate.