Pathogen management system
AssigneeTomoco2 Equipment Company
InventorsTommy J. Shane, Harvey Swain
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system to control pathogens on a target element is disclosed, wherein the target element is subjected to hypochlorous acid. The present invention incorporates the use of hypochlorous acid as a pathogen control medium, wherein a hypochlorous acid stream of between about 4.3 and 7.0 pH as a pathogen reduction agent is utilized. In one embodiment, the hypochlorous acid stream is used to reduce pathogens in poultry processing plants.
Claims32
In a system to control pathogens on a target element, the system including subjecting the target element to a pathogen reducing agent, the improvement comprising subjecting the target element to hypochlorous acid formed by the following steps:
- (a) combining an acid with a first carrier stream to form a first mixed stream;
- (b) introducing a chlorination agent into a control stream, the chlorination agent increasing the concentration of hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite of the control stream;
- (c) combining the first mixed stream with the control stream having the chlorination agent to form the hypochlorous acid stream, wherein about 77 to about 99 percent of the chlorination agent in the hypochlorous acid stream is hypochlorous acid.
In a system for controlling pathogens during the processing of animals into food including conveying an animal carcass through processing equipment, the improvement comprising subjecting the animal carcass to hypochlorous acid formed by the following steps;
- (a) acidifying a first carrier stream to form a first mixed stream, wherein the first mixed stream comprises carbonic acid;
- (b) introducing a chlorination agent into a control stream, the chlorination agent increasing the concentration of hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite of the control stream;
- (c) combining the first mixed stream with the control stream having the chlorination agent to form the hypochlorous acid stream.
A method to control pathogens on a target element, the method comprising the following steps:
- (a) combining an acid with a pressurized first carrier stream to form a pressurized first mixed stream;
- (b) introducing a chlorination agent into a control stream, the chlorination agent increasing the concentration of hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite of the control stream;
- (c) combining the first pressurized mixed stream with the control stream having the chlorination agent to form the hypochlorous acid stream;
- and
- (d) contacting said target element with the hypochlorous acid stream.
In a system to control pathogens on a target element, the system including subjecting the target element to a pathogen reducing agent, the improvement comprising subjecting the target element to hypochlorous acid formed by the following steps:
- (a) forming an acid in a first carrier stream to form a first mixed stream;
- (b) introducing a chlorination agent into a control stream, the chlorination agent increasing the concentration of hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite of the control stream, and wherein the control stream with the chlorination agent is pressurized;
- (c) combining the first mixed stream with the pressurized control stream having the chlorination agent to form the hypochlorous acid stream;
- and
- (d) contacting said target element with the hypochlorous acid stream.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.