Abstract: An apparatus for reclaiming hot process water from a animal processing facility includes a screen portion, a filtration portion and optionally a UV sterilization portion. The screen portion receives dirty hot process water and removes macroscopic debris to produce raw tank water. Raw tank water is pumped through the filtration portion at relatively high pressure in order to remove substantially all solids to produce a permeate side stream. The permeate is optionally passed through a very intense ultra-violet field in order to produce uncontaminated reclaimed hot process water which may be safely reintroduced as hot scald water for the poultry cleaning process.

Abstract: A method for sanitizing food products that utilizes ozone containing bubbles. The food product is immersed in a liquid bath that has a plurality of ozone containing bubbles streaming therethrough. Enough ozone containing bubbles are provided such that a continuous stream of bubbles are always present within the liquid bath. The ozone containing bubbles are typically an ozone air mixture and can be introduced into the liquid bath directly as a bubble gas stream or can be mixed with the liquid of the liquid bath prior to their introduction into the bath itself. When the food product is immersed in the bath containing the ozone containing bubbles, the ozone in the bubbles contacts the surfaces of the food product and has a sanitizing effect thereon.

Abstract: An apparatus and a process for using the apparatus for removing fat, bacteria, solids and other impurities from water used in food processing so that substantially all the water may be reused includes a tower. The water is passed through a coarse filter to remove large pieces and is then introduced into the tower near the top thereof and flows out the tower near the bottom thereof. A mixture of ozone and air is introduced at the bottom of the tower and bubbled up through the tower, counter to the flow of the water. The ozone and water mixture carries impurities, especially the fat, over the top of the tower as a foam. The foam then flows over the tower into a waste drain. The process and apparatus may be varied to include a second tower unit with an alternative intermediate filter unit between the first tower and second tower unit.