Abstract: A frozen foodstuff tempering method includes forming a number of frozen foodstuff pieces into one or more discrete streams of material and then heating the stream or streams of material to raise the temperature of the material to a suitable working temperature. The streams of frozen foodstuff pieces may be formed by driving the pieces through small internal cross-section tempering tubes. One or more relatively large masses of frozen foodstuff may be comminuted to produce the desired frozen foodstuff pieces which are formed into the discrete stream or streams. Heat is applied to the stream or streams of frozen foodstuff pieces either directly by infrared, microwave, or conventional heating. Where the streams of frozen foodstuff are formed through conduits, the foodstuff pieces may be heated indirectly by heating the conduit material.

Abstract: An enclosure treatment method includes introducing a pH increasing material into an enclosure adapted to contain meat products. Introducing the pH increasing material creates a desired pH increasing gas content in the atmosphere within the enclosure. The method also includes the step of maintaining the pH increasing gas content in the enclosure atmosphere while meat products are contained in the enclosure. The pH increasing gas in the enclosure atmosphere is absorbed into water in the enclosure to increase the pH of the water. The water affected in the present treatment process may be moisture collecting on various surfaces within the enclosure, or may be moisture within the meat products being stored in the enclosure. In any event, the increased pH is inhospitable to most microbes and reduces or suppresses microbe activity in the water either by retarding propagation or killing microbes outright.

Abstract: A method of producing a pH enhanced foodstuff includes increasing the pH of an initial foodstuff, preferably by placing an initial foodstuff in contact with ammonia gas or aqueous ammonia (54) and applying mechanical action to the material (56). After the pH adjustment, the method includes reducing at least the surface temperature of the pH enhanced foodstuff to below the freezing temperature of the pH enhanced foodstuff (58). The method then includes placing the frozen or partially frozen pH enhanced foodstuff in contact with carbon dioxide gas while maintaining the surface temperature of the pH enhanced foodstuff below the freezing temperature of the material (60). The carbon dioxide treatment may be performed in a mixing vessel (24) fitted with agitators (25) and suitable connections for producing a carbon dioxide gas atmosphere in the vessel.

Abstract: A sparging device (10) includes a number of sparger or screen passages (14) each extending from a respective passage inlet to a respective passage outlet. The sparging device (10) further includes a fluid chamber (25) that defines a chamber area through which at least one of the sparger passages (14) extends. A fluid communication device (34) is associated with each sparger passage (14) extending through the fluid chamber (25) to enable fluid communication between the fluid chamber and the interior of the respective sparger passage. The sparging device (10) allows a processing fluid in the fluid chamber (25) to be added to a foodstuff pumped through the sparger passages (14). Multiple fluid chambers may be formed in the sparging device to facilitate the addition of multiple processing fluids to a foodstuff.

Abstract: A meat processing method includes increasing the pH of a meat product and then applying an oxygen enriching material to the meat product. The pH of the meat product is preferably increased by applying an ammonia-based pH increasing material such as ammonia gas or ammonium hydroxide solution. The oxygen enriching material may comprise an atmosphere made up of a substantial fraction of oxygen gas. The pH increased and oxygen treated meat product may be packaged either in a chub-type package or a tray-type package for shipping to a retail outlet.

Abstract: An initial comminuted meat (21) is exposed to ammonia to produce an ammoniated meat product. The ammoniated meat product is further comminuted in a comminuting device (12) to produce a further comminuted meat product (22). The ammonia exposure to the original comminuted meat product (21) is controlled to result in a pH of at least around 6.0 in the further comminuted meat product (22).

Abstract: A pH increasing material is placed in contact with the surface of an initial comminuted meat product. This contact with the pH increasing material increases the pH of the initial meat product to produce an intermediate meat product. The method also includes the step of removing the pH increasing material and applying mechanical action to the intermediate, pH increased meat product. The method may also include placing a pH lowering gas at a neutralizing pressure in contact with the surface of the intermediate meat product to decrease the pH of the meat product.

Abstract: A scraper device includes a scraper fixture which is adapted to be placed in a working position adjacent to a surface to be scraped. At least one flex arm is connected at its proximal end to the scraper fixture and includes a distal end extending from the fixture toward the surface to be scraped when the scraper fixture is in the working position. A scraper plate is located at the distal end of the flex arm and extends at an acute scraping angle with respect to the surface to be scraped when the fixture is in the working position. In this position, a scraping edge of the scraper plate makes contact with the surface to be scraped to provide a scraping action as the scraper device is driven over the surface to be scraped.

Abstract: A manipulating apparatus (10) receives a plurality of previously frozen pieces of pH modified foodstuffs or workpieces (23) and physically manipulates or stresses the workpieces while they remain in a frozen state. The physical manipulation causes relative movement between various points within the volume of the workpieces (23) and kills microbes within the foodstuff. One preferred pH modifying arrangement includes a supply of NH3 gas (11) and a pump (9) for placing the comminuted foodstuffs to be processed and the NH3 gas together under an operating pressure for a period of time sufficient to increase the pH of the foodstuffs.

Abstract: A method of producing a pH enhanced foodstuff includes increasing the pH of an initial foodstuff, preferably by placing an initial foodstuff in contact with ammonia gas or aqueous ammonia (54) and applying mechanical action to the material (56). After the pH adjustment, the method includes reducing at least the surface temperature of the pH enhanced foodstuff to below the freezing temperature of the pH enhanced foodstuff (58). The method then includes placing the frozen or partially frozen pH enhanced foodstuff in contact with carbon dioxide gas while maintaining the surface temperature of the pH enhanced foodstuff below the freezing temperature of the material (60). The carbon dioxide treatment may be performed in a mixing vessel (24) fitted with agitators (25) and suitable connections for producing a carbon dioxide gas atmosphere in the vessel.

Abstract: A stream (A) of first foodstuff has a first pH and a stream (B) of second foodstuff has second pH. The first pH and second pH are oppositely related to a third or target pH for the foodstuff such that one pH level is above the target level while the other pH level is below the target level. The two streams (A) and (B) are combined in a proportion to produce a combined or third foodstuff at the target pH. One or both of the first pH and second pH are sensed or otherwise determined, preferably on a continuous basis, and then these pH values are used to determine the proportion at which the stream of first foodstuff and stream of second foodstuff are combined and mixed. Particularly, the pH modification can be loosely controlled to produce an over-modification in the first foodstuff and then the stream (B) of second foodstuff may be combined with the stream (A) first foodstuff to produce a stream (C) of material having the target pH.

Abstract: A manipulating apparatus (10) receives a plurality of previously frozen pieces of foodstuffs or workpieces (23) and physically manipulates or stresses the workpieces while they remain at least partially in a frozen state. The physical manipulation causes relative movement between various points within the volume of the workpieces (23) and kills microbes within the foodstuff. The treatment process may include physically manipulating the foodstuff in multiple cycles to enhance microbe kill.

Abstract: A contactor apparatus is adapted to expose a comminuted foodstuff such as comminuted meat to a processing fluid such as gaseous or aqueous ammonia or carbon dioxide gas. The contactor apparatus facilitates an even and consistent exposure to the processing fluid throughout the comminuted foodstuff as the foodstuff is pumped through a conduit. In order to produce this desired exposure to the processing fluid, the apparatus shapes the comminuted foodstuff into a relatively thin sheet of material flowing through a contact passage. The processing fluid is then applied to this relatively thin sheet of comminuted material from a processing fluid chamber. A fluid communication arrangement between the fluid chamber and the contact passage allows the flow of processing fluid into the contact passage and into contact with the sheet of foodstuff flowing through the contact passage.

Abstract: A pH enhanced meat composition is produced by increasing the moisture content of an initial comminuted meat composition and producing an ammonium hydroxide solution in the comminuted meat composition. Mechanical action is preferably applied to the moisture enhanced meat composition after or concurrently with producing the ammonium hydroxide solution in the composition. The resulting pH enhanced meat product may then be formed into a desired shape and set in that shape by cooking or some other setting technique.

Abstract: A pH increasing material is placed in contact with the surface of an initial comminuted meat product. This contact with the pH increasing material increases the pH of the initial meat product to produce an intermediate meat product. The method also includes the step of removing the pH increasing material and preferably applying a driving force to the intermediate, pH increased meat product. The method may also include placing a pH lowering gas at a neutralizing pressure in contact with the surface of the intermediate meat product to decrease the pH of the meat product back to a final level.

Abstract: A stream (A) of first foodstuff has a first pH and a stream (B) of second foodstuff has second pH. The first pH and second pH are oppositely related to a third or target pH for the foodstuff such that one pH level is above the target level while the other pH level is below the target level. The two streams (A) and (B) are combined in a proportion to produce a combined or third foodstuff at the target pH. One or both of the first pH and second pH are sensed or otherwise determined, preferably on a continuous basis, and then these pH values are used to determine the proportion at which the stream of first foodstuff and stream of second foodstuff are combined and mixed. Particularly, the pH modification can be loosely controlled to produce an over-modification in the first foodstuff and then the stream (B) of second foodstuff may be combined with the stream (A) first foodstuff to produce a stream (C) of material having the target pH.

Abstract: An initial comminuted meat product (21) is exposed to ammonia to produce an ammoniated meat product. The ammoniated meat product is further comminuted in a comminuting device (12) to produce a further comminuted meat product (22). The ammonia exposure to the original comminuted meat product (21) is controlled to result in a pH of at least around 6.0 in the further comminuted meat product (22).

Abstract: A manipulating apparatus (10) receives a plurality of previously frozen pieces of pH modified foodstuffs or workpieces (23) and physically manipulates or stresses the workpieces while they remain in a frozen state. The physical manipulation causes relative movement between various points within the volume of the workpieces (23) and kills microbes within the foodstuff . One preferred pH modifying arrangement includes a supply of NH3 gas (11) and a pump (9) for placing the comminuted foodstuffs to be processed and the NH3 gas together under an operating pressure for a period of time sufficient to increase the pH of the foodstuffs.

Abstract: Ammonia is first applied to a meat product to produce an ammoniated meat product. The ammoniated meat product is then contained in a treatment vessel in a treatment gas atmosphere substantially free of ammonia gas. Once the ammoniated meat product is contained in the appropriate atmosphere, the treatment method includes increasing the pressure in the treatment vessel to an operating pressure greater than the vapor pressure of ammonia at the temperature of the ammoniated meat product being treated. The operating pressure is held within the treatment vessel for an operating period effective to reduce the amount of ammonia gas which escapes from the meat product after the product is placed again under atmospheric conditions.

Abstract: A stream (A) of first foodstuff has a first pH and a stream (B) of second foodstuff has second pH. The first pH and second pH are oppositely related to a third or target pH for the foodstuff such that one pH level is above the target level while the other pH level is below the target level. The two streams (A) and (B) are combined in a proportion to produce a combined or third foodstuff at the target pH. The first pH and second pH are sensed or otherwise determined, preferably on a continuous basis, and then these pH values are used to determine the proportion at which the stream of first foodstuff and stream of second foodstuff are combined and mixed. Particularly, the pH modification can be loosely controlled to produce an over-modification in the first foodstuff and then the stream (B) of second foodstuff may be combined with the stream (A) first foodstuff to produce a stream (C) of material having the target pH.