Abstract: A dry or semi-dry sausage product is provided which includes up to 15% by weight of an added particulate protein component. The added protein component is in addition to the protein present in the meat used in the sausage mixture and serves to improve the performance of the resulting product, particularly after the sausage has been heat treated at high temperatures during processing to eliminate pathogens which may be present in the ingredient mix. The added protein component is typically a denatured or hydrolyzed protein and can include one or more of meat stock, milk protein hydrolyzate, yeast extract, hydrolyzed yeast, autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, hydrolyzed animal protein and cooked meat.

Abstract: A system for cleansing brine used in a chilling circuit has a used brine receiving tank in fluid communication with the chilling circuit. A membrane or like filtration unit is in fluid communication with the used brine tank and removes particles having a molecular weight of greater than approximately 200 from the brine. A cleansed brine storage tank is in fluid communication with the filtration unit and the chilling circuit. The cleansed brine tank holds the brine after it has been cleansed by the filtration unit until it can be resupplied to the chilling circuit.