Liquid Carbonic Corporation

Clay Palbiski

Sidney V Engler

Gary Dee Lang

Sid Engler

A chiller or tunnel freezer for rapid chilling of chicken carcasses and the like wherein a cryogen such as liquid nitrogen or carbon dioxide snow is sprayed directly on the carcasses or other items as they travel through a passage or tunnel, and wherein vortical flow of air and/or vaporized cryogen is effected within the chiller to continuously sweep the bottom surface of the chiller and recirculate cryogen from the bottom surface, thereby avoiding accumulation of liquid nitrogen or CO.sub.2 snow on the bottom surface. The vortical flow is preferably provided by one or more fans disposed within the tunnel. A deflector may be provided on the tunnel interior to direct recirculated cryogen onto the items being chilled. A damper may be provided to regulate fan output and thereby enable optimization of operational efficiency.

Cryogenic chiller with vortical flow

A process is provided to effectively sterilize and coincidentally tenderize fresh meat and poultry. Bacteria such as salmonella on fresh meat and poultry are effectively killed when exposed to CO.sub.2 gas under pressure in a pressure vessel followed by rapid depressurization. Gas in the pressure vessel preferably is withdrawn to create a vacuum prior to introduction of CO.sub.2 gas.

Process for sterilizing meat and poultry

A method for chilling carcasses which comprises the steps of introducing a cryogenic fluid into a rotatable drum of a meat tumbler, the drum having inner walls which are cooled by the cryogenic fluid; placing carcasses to be chilled inside the drum; and rotating the drum so that the carcasses contact each other and the inner walls until they are chilled to a sufficient degree. The cryogenic fluid cools the drum to a temperature of approximately 32 .degree. F. A small quantity of water may be introduced into the drum of the tumbler either immediately before or immediately after the introduction of the cryogenic fluid. The water forms an ice layer on the inner walls to prevent the carcasses from sticking to the inner walls. The primary chilling of the carcasses takes place between the tumbling carcasses and the cold inner walls and/or ice layer. The carcasses may also be tumbled in the drum in an inert gas or vacuum atmosphere to massage surface moisture back into the carcasses.

Growing community of inventors

Corbeil, Canada

Clay Palbiski