Claims
- 1. A method of treating a food product comprising:
cooking the food product in a casing; transporting the cooked food product in the casing to a clean room; at the clean room, contacting the casing on the cooked cased food product with an antimicrobial agent to microbially decontaminate the casing: removing the casing from the microbially decontaminated cased food product in the clean room; and packaging the decased food product in the clean room.
- 2. The method of claim 1, further including:
rinsing the microbially decontaminated cased food product to remove the antimicrobial agent.
- 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of contacting the casing on the cooked cased food product with an antimicrobial agent includes:
spraying a solution of the antimicrobial agent onto the casing.
- 4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of spraying includes:
transporting the cased food product on a conveyor system past spray nozzles which spray the solution of the antimicrobial agent.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the antimicrobial agent is selected from the group consisting of liquid and vaporized organic acids, liquid and vaporized peroxides, liquid and vaporized aldehydes, quaternary ammonium compounds, fatty acid pyridinium halides, phenolics, ionized gases, plasmas, chlorine gas, iodine gas, alkalis, inorganic acids, metal chlorites, metal hypochlorites, chlorine dioxide, chloramines, chlorine trifluoride, chlorine pentafluoride, steam, water at a temperature of over 80° C., radiation, and combinations thereof.
- 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the antimicrobial agent includes an organic acid selected from the group consisting of carboxylic acids, carboxylic peracids, and combinations thereof.
- 7. The method of claim 6, wherein the organic acid is selected from the group consisting of C1-C4 carboxylic acids, C1-C4 carboxylic peracids, and salts thereof.
- 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the organic acid includes a C1-C4 carboxylic peracid selected from the group consisting of performic acid, peracetic acid, peroxypropionic acid, peroxyglycolic acid, peroxysuccinic acid, and mixtures thereof.
- 9. The method of claim 8, wherein the organic acid includes peracetic acid.
- 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the organic acid is present in solution in an amount of from 0.0001 to about 10% by weight of the solution.
- 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the solution further includes at least one of surfactants and chelating agents.
- 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the antimicrobial agent includes a peracetic acid solution, the peracetic acid in the solution being at a concentration of from about 1000 to about 4000 ppm.
- 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of contacting includes:
spraying the cased food product with the peracetic acid solution for a period of from about 10 seconds to 5 minutes.
- 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of contacting includes:
spraying the cased food product with the peracetic acid solution for a period of from about 1 to 2 minutes.
- 15. The method of claim 1, wherein air entering the clean room is filtered to remove harmful microorganisms.
- 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the clean room is maintained at a positive pressure using sterile or disinfected air.
- 17. The method of claim 1, wherein the food product includes a sausage.
- 18. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of removing the casing from the microbially decontaminated cased food product and packaging the decased food product are carried out in the clean room.
- 19. An assembly for microbially decontaminating and packaging food products comprising:
a cooker which cooks the food product, the food product being packaged in a casing prior to cooking; spray nozzles for spraying a decontaminant solution over the cased food product at a clean room to microbially decontaminate the casing; a source of the decontaminant solution fluidly connected with the nozzles; a means for removing the casing from the food product within the clean room; and a means for packaging the decased food product within the clean room.
- 20. The assembly of claim 19, further including:
a filter which filters microbes from air entering the clean room; and a means for maintaining the clean room at a positive pressure.
- 21. The assembly of claim 19, further including:
a conveyor system for conveying the food product past the nozzles and for delivering the microbially decontaminated cased product to the means for decasing the food product.
- 22. The assembly of claim 19, further including:
a means for rinsing the microbially decontaminated casing of the cooked cased food product.
- 23. The assembly of claim 17, further including a buffer room in which packaging materials are decontaminated prior to entry into the clean room.
- 24. The assembly of claim 19, further including:
a raw material storage room, the raw material storage room being isolated from the clean room to prevent airborne microbes from being carried from the raw material room to the clean room; and an employee decontamination room where employees apply an antimicrobial handwash composition to their skin and don microbially decontaminated protective clothing prior to entering the clean room.
- 25. A method of treating a food product comprising:
microbially decontaminating the food product in a casing thermally by cooking; conveying the cooked food product in the casing through an area in which microbes can be deposited on the casing to a clean room, the clean room having been treated to remove harmful microorganisms from food contact surfaces and air in the room; removing the casing from the cooked product in the clean room; at least one of:
(1) microbially decontaminating the casing as the food product enters the clean room, and (2) microbially decontaminating a surface of the decased food product in the clean room; and packaging the microbially decased food product in the clean room.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/289,321, filed May 7, 2001.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60289321 |
May 2001 |
US |