Rapid Chill Process for Poultry Carcasses
AssigneeAir Products and Chemicals, Inc.
InventorsJean-Philippe Trembley, Paul Mark Ames
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Poultry carcasses are chilled rapidly when exposed to a flow of gaseous air at a temperature in the range from about −50° C. to about −120° C. for a period of time in the range from about 1 s to about 60 s. The flow is directed over and into the body cavity of the carcasses. The carcasses are orientated in the flow such that the sternum of each carcass faces downstream. One advantage of the process is that the number of viable microorganisms present on the carcasses is reduced significantly while avoiding freeze-damage to the carcasses.
Claims21
A process for rapidly chilling poultry carcasses to reduce the number of viable microorganisms present thereon, said process comprising exposing poultry carcasses to a flow of gaseous air at a temperature in the range from about −50° C. to about −120° C. for a period of time in the range from about 1 s to about 60 s, wherein said flow is directed over said carcasses and into the body cavity of said carcasses, and said carcasses are orientated in said flow such that the sternum of each carcass faces downstream.
A process for reducing the number of viable microorganisms present on the surface of on poultry carcasses, said process comprising exposing poultry carcasses to a flow of gaseous air at a temperature in the range from about −80° C. to about −120° C. for a period of time in the range from about 20 s to about 55 s.
Apparatus for rapidly chilling poultry carcasses to reduce the number of viable microorganisms thereon, said apparatus comprising:
- an insulated chill chamber having an entry port and an exit port;
- a continuous shackle line located within said chill chamber for conveying poultry carcasses from said entry port to said exit port;
- a heat exchanger for cooling air by indirect heat exchange against a liquid cryogen;
- at least one nozzle located parallel to said continuous shackle line for feeding a flow of cooled air into said chill chamber in the form of a planar sheet, said nozzle being arranged to direct said flow over said carcasses and into the body cavity of said carcasses on said shackle line;
- a first duct for feeding cooled air from said heat exchanger to said nozzle(s);
- a second duct for feeding warmed air from said chill chamber to said heat exchanger;
- and
- a fan for circulating air around the apparatus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.