# US 2013/0153516 A1 · Process for the reduction in microbial activity in protein product water processing tanks for increased tank water utility and conversation > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0153516 A1 - Document ID: US20130153516A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/764,199 - Filed: 2013-02-11 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2010-10-25 - Assignees: Zeco, Inc. - Inventors: Jonathon R. Bullard; Robert C. Bullard; Battle Glascock - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130153516A1 ## CPC - C02F 1/50: by addition or application of a germicide or by oligodynamic treatment {(C02F1/4606, C02F1/467, C02F1/76 take precedence)} - A23B 2/742: Organic compounds containing oxygen - A23B 4/062: {the materials being transported through or in the apparatus with or without shaping, e.g. in the form of powder, granules or flakes (moving on the spot only A23B4/066)} - A23B 4/09: with direct contact between the food and the chemical, e.g. liquid N2, at cryogenic temperature - A23B 4/20: Organic compounds; Microorganisms; Enzymes - C02F 1/001: {Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance (C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00)} - C02F 1/722: {Oxidation by peroxides} - A23V 2002/00: Food compositions, function of food ingredients or processes for food or foodstuffs - C02F 2103/023: {Water in cooling circuits} - C02F 2103/22: from the processing of animals, e.g. poultry, fish, or parts thereof - C02F 2209/00: Controlling or monitoring parameters in water treatment - C02F 2303/04: Disinfection - C02F 2305/00: Use of specific compounds during water treatment - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - A23B: PRESERVATION OF FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES - A23V: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES AND LACTIC OR PROPIONIC ACID BACTERIA USED IN FOODSTUFFS OR FOOD PREPARATION ## Abstract A method for extending the use of water during the production of products for human consumption in food production facilities for an extended period of time of at least two production days and up to seven production days by delivering an initial chemical charge at the beginning of each production day to return the process water to the desired antimicrobial solution concentration to provide acceptable antimicrobial control of the process water over the extended period of time. The method providing acceptable antimicrobial control in the processing of any protein or non-protein based food products that require batch or continuous chilling as part of the production process. The length of time that the water may be used in a processing tank may be dramatically and safely increased before the processing tank is emptied for cleaning, sanitizing and refilling. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for extending the use of water during the production of products for human consumption, the method comprising: filling a processing tank with a source of water; delivering an initial amount of peracetic acid to the processing tank to provide a processing bath having a starting concentration from about 10 ppm to about 230 ppm of an aqueous peracetic acid solution within the processing tank; using the processing bath having the aqueous peracetic acid solution for a first production day in the production of products for human consumption; shutting down production using the processing bath at the end of the first production day; retaining the processing bath having the remaining aqueous peracetic acid solution within the processing tank at the end of the first production day; recharging the processing bath at the beginning of a next production day to the starting concentration from about 10 ppm to about 230 ppm of the aqueous peracetic acid solution; using the processing bath having the aqueous peracetic acid solution for at least a portion of the next production day in the production of products for human consumption; shutting down production using the processing bath at the end of the next production day; and draining the processing bath from the processing tank; wherein the method extends the use of water a period of time between the filling step and the subsequent draining step, the period of time extended from more than the first production day up to seven consecutive production days before the draining step is conducted. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first production day comprises a two shift operation. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the starting concentration of the aqueous peracetic acid solution is about 10 ppm to about 120 ppm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining the aqueous peracetic acid solution concentration from about 10 ppm to about 230 ppm within the processing bath during each of the respective production days. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, further comprising using sensors to provide sensor data about a working concentration of peracetic acid in the processing bath; and adding a source of peracetic acid to the processing bath based on the sensor data to maintain the aqueous peracetic acid solution concentration from about 10 ppm to about 230 ppm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising cleaning the processing tank, rinsing the processing tank, sanitizing the processing tank, or combinations thereof, after the processing bath is drained from the processing tank. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of using the processing bath having the aqueous peracetic acid solution during any of the respective production days in the production of products for human consumption comprises contacting one or more products for human consumption with the processing bath. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the processing bath is used in the production of products for human consumption during an operation chosen from soaking, dipping, quenching, rinsing, scalding, washing, cooling, or heating. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of shutting down production using the processing bath, retaining the processing bath having the remaining aqueous peracetic acid solution within the processing tank, and recharging the processing bath at the beginning of a next production day to the starting concentration from about 10 ppm to about 230 ppm of the aqueous peracetic acid solution, are each repeated at least once to extend the period of time between the filling step and the subsequent draining step from about three production days up to seven production days. ### Claim 10 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein each production day comprises a two shift operation. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the processing tank is a chiller tank system. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the step of delivering the initial amount of peracetic acid to the processing tank comprises delivering a concentrated amount of peracetic acid within a makeup water supply to the chiller tank system. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the step of recharging the processing bath at the beginning of the next production day comprises delivering a concentrated amount of peracetic acid within a makeup water supply to the chiller tank system. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising maintaining the aqueous peracetic acid solution concentration from about 10 ppm to about 230 ppm within the chiller tank system during each of the respective production days. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the step of maintaining the aqueous peracetic acid solution concentration from about 10 ppm to about 230 ppm within the chiller tank system during each of the respective production days comprises delivering a concentrated amount of peracetic acid within a makeup water supply to the chiller tank system. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising using sensors to provide sensor data about a working concentration of peracetic acid in the processing bath; and adding a source of peracetic acid to the processing bath based on the sensor data to maintain the aqueous peracetic acid solution concentration from about 10 ppm to about 230 ppm. ### Claim 17 A method comprising: providing a processing tank system having a process bath comprising an aqueous antimicrobial intervention solution, the aqueous antimicrobial intervention solution comprising peracetic acid at a predetermined initial chemical concentration of about 10 ppm up to about 230 ppm; using the aqueous antimicrobial intervention solution during a first production day in the production of products for human consumption; maintaining an acceptable concentration of the aqueous antimicrobial intervention solution from about 10 ppm to about 230 ppm of peracetic acid in the aqueous antimicrobial intervention solution during the first production day; shutting down production using the process bath at the end of the first production day; retaining the remaining aqueous antimicrobial intervention solution within the processing tank system at the end of the first production day; recharging the process bath comprising the aqueous antimicrobial intervention solution retained within the processing tank system to the predetermined chemical concentration of about 10 ppm to about 230 ppm of peracetic acid at the beginning of a next production day; using the aqueous antimicrobial intervention solution during the next production day in the production of products for human consumption; maintaining the acceptable concentration of the aqueous antimicrobial intervention solution from about 10 ppm to about 230 ppm of peracetic acid in the aqueous antimicrobial intervention solution during the next production day; and draining the aqueous antimicrobial intervention solution from the processing tank system; wherein the steps of shutting down the processing tank system, retaining the remaining aqueous antimicrobial intervention solution within the processing tank system, and recharging the process bath, can each be repeated to provide two or more production days up to about seven production days before conducting the draining step. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the retaining step retains the remaining aqueous antimicrobial intervention solution within the processing tank system at a temperature lower than ambient temperature. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the predetermined initial chemical concentration of peracetic acid at the beginning of any of the production days is between about 10 ppm and about 140 ppm. ### Claim 20 A method of production of products for human consumption while extending a useful lifetime of water used during the production of products for human consumption, the method comprising: retaining an aqueous peracetic acid solution within a processing tank system at the end of a first production day; recharging the aqueous peracetic acid solution retained within the processing tank system to a concentration from about 10 ppm up to about 230 ppm of aqueous peracetic acid solution within the processing tank system at the beginning of a next production day; using the aqueous peracetic acid solution during the next production day in the production of products for human consumption; and draining the processing tank system. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the steps of retaining the remaining aqueous peracetic acid solution within the processing tank system and recharging the aqueous peracetic acid solution retained within the processing tank system to the concentration from about 10 ppm up to about 230 ppm of aqueous peracetic acid solution within the processing tank system at the beginning of the next production day are each repeated at least once to provide between three and seven production days before conducting the step of draining the processing tank system. ### Claim 22 (depends on 20) The process of claim 20, further comprising maintaining an acceptable concentration of about 10 ppm up to about 230 ppm of peracetic acid in the aqueous antimicrobial intervention solution during each of the respective production days. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the acceptable concentration of the aqueous peracetic acid solution is maintained at about 10 ppm to about 120 ppm. ### Claim 24 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, further comprising using sensors to provide sensor data about a working concentration of peracetic acid in the processing bath; and adding a source of peracetic acid to the processing bath based on the sensor data to maintain the aqueous peracetic acid solution concentration from about 10 ppm to about 230 ppm. ### Claim 25 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the aqueous peracetic acid solution is used in the production of products for human consumption during an operation chosen from soaking, dipping, quenching, rinsing, scalding, washing, cooling, or heating. ### Claim 26 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the processing tank system is a chiller tank system.