Liquid Carbonic Corporation

Sidney V Engler

Clay Palbiski

Gary Dee Lang

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 Gas in the pressure vessel preferably is withdrawn to create a vacuum prior to introduction of CO.sub.2 gas.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 trap or seal system for effecting an air impervious seal for a food freezer, such as a cryogenic or mechanical freezer. The seal system includes a barrier forming a vapor-impervious partition and which has its bottom extending into a cryogenic bath. A conveyor system is used to transport articles through the cryogenic bath to a downstream cryogenic freezer. The combination of the barrier extending into the cryogenic bath forms an effective seal to prevent air infiltration into the cryogenic freezer.

Growing community of inventors

Scarborough, Canada

Sidney V Engler