Abstract: The invention relates to a method to improve the appearance and texture of froth on a liquid food product. The liquid food product is prepared in a receptacle with a froth layer above a liquid layer. Droplets of a liquid are sprayed on the froth layer to increase the homogeneity thereof.

Abstract: Food products, such as precooked meats, sausages, and the like are microbially decontaminated in their cooking packages to remove surface microorganism contamination from the packages. The cooking packages are removed and the food products optionally subjected to further processing, such as slicing, and then packaged in aseptic packaging. The microbial decontamination step, further processing and packaging are carried out in a clean room which is maintained to a high level of sterilization or disinfection to minimize or eliminate contamination of the food products with pathogenic microorganisms such as Listeria Monocytogenes. The food products thus leave the packaging plant with a much higher assurance of food safety than is found in a conventional packaging plant.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for evacuating pockets of injected fluid in meat products involves the structure and use of a machine which has a longitudinal movable conveyor surface on the machine; a fluid injection station on the machine for injecting fluid into a meat product on the conveyor surface; a second station on the machine downstream of the fluid injection station; the second station comprising an assembly for applying compressive pressure to the injected meat and penetrating the meat with a plurality of projecting elements to create a plurality of fluid conduits in the injected meat wherein the compressive pressure will force fluid out of the injected meat through the fluid conduits when the projecting elements penetrate the pockets of fluid.

Abstract: A method of saving water, wastewater, lime, and energy while increasing productivity and enhancing product quality in a nixtamalization process. More specifically, during the grain cook and steep process, the phase-separated supernate is retained for a subsequent batch of grain. In addition, a fresh water rinse stream is recycled as push water.