Abstract: Semi-dry or dry sausage, and method of preparing semi-dry or dry sausage, including removing moisture from cooked and diced or sliced meat using hot oil. The semi-dry or dry sausage may be prepared by mixing raw ground meat and seasoning, extruding the seasoned ground meat, cooking the extruded meat, dicing or slicing the extruded meat, and immersing the cooked diced or sliced meat in oil at a time and temperature sufficient to remove moisture from the cooked meat to form a semi-dry or dry sausage. The time and temperature can be selected to achieve a desired moisture to protein ratio in the sausage.

Abstract: A low temperature rendering process for converting animal trimmings to meat product which can be classified as finely textured meat. The low temperature rendering process includes steps of surface treating the trimmings to kill organisms which may be present on the surface of the trimmings; heating the surface treated animal trimmings in a heat exchanger having a first-in and first-out arrangement to provide heating of the animal trimmings to a temperature in the range of about 32° C. to about 43° C.

Abstract: A method for surface treating animal tissue is provided by the invention. The method includes the steps of providing animal tissue having an average size of between about 0.5 inch and about 16 inches in length, introducing the animal tissue into a bath provided at a temperature of between about 80° C. and about 150° C. for between about 25 seconds and about 150 seconds, and recovering the animal tissue from the water bath. A pasteurization unit is provided for continuous processing of animal tissue.

Abstract: A low temperature rendering process for converting animal trimmings to meat product which can be classified as finely textured meal. The low temperature rendering process includes steps of surface treating the trimmings to kill organisms which may be present on the surface of the trimmings; heating the surface treated animal trimmings in a heat exchanger having a first-in and first-out arrangement to form a heated slurry; separating a solids stream and a liquids stream from the heated slurry, the solids stream containing an increased amount of protein and the liquids stream containing an increased amount of tallow, separating a heavy phase and a light phase from the liquids stream, the heavy phase containing an increased amount of moisture and water soluble protein, and the light phase containing an increased amount of tallow, and combining the solids stream and the heavy phase to form a meat product.

Abstract: A method for surface treating animal tissue is provided by the invention. The method includes the steps of providing animal tissue having an average size of between about 0.5 inch and about 16 inches in length, introducing the animal tissue into a bath provided at a temperature of between about 80° C. and about 150° C. for between about 25 seconds and about 150 seconds, and recovering the animal tissue from the water bath. A pasteurization unit is provided for continuous processing of animal tissue.

Abstract: A method for surface treating animal tissue is provided by the invention. The method includes the steps of providing animal tissue having an average size of between about 0.5 inch and about 16 inches in length, introducing the animal tissue into a bath provided at a temperature of between about 80° C. and about 150° C. for between about 25 seconds and about 150 seconds, and recovering the animal tissue from the water bath. A pasteurization unit is provided for continuous processing of animal tissue.

Abstract: A method for surface treating animal tissue is provided by the invention. The method includes the steps of providing animal tissue having an average size of between about 0.5 inch and about 16 inches in length, introducing the animal tissue into a bath provided at a temperature of between about 80° C. and about 150° C. for between about 25 seconds and about 150 seconds, and recovering the animal tissue from the water bath. A pasteurization unit is provided for continuous processing of animal tissue.

Abstract: A low temperature rendering process for converting animal trimmings to a meat product which can be classified as finely textured meat. The low temperature rendering process includes steps of surface treating the trimmings to kill organisms which may be present on the surface of the trimmings; heating the surface treated animal trimmings in a heat exchanger having a first-in and first-out arrangement to provide heating of the animal trimmings to a temperature in the range of about 32.degree. C. to about 43.degree. C.

Abstract: An apparatus for destroying pathogens on food, including a steam chamber having an entrance opening and an exit opening. An entrance door structure nominally closes the entrance opening in the steam chamber and an exit door structure nominally closes the exit opening of the steam chamber. Each of the entrance and exit door structures are composed of a plurality of closely vertically adjacent segments that are mounted to the entrance and exit openings to open and close independently of each other. Flanges extend horizontally from the upper and lower edges of the door segments to maintain a relatively close seal with the adjacent door segment even though the door segments are opened or closed a relatively differing amount.

Abstract: An apparatus for destroying pathogens on meat includes a dewatering station, a steam heating chamber, and a cooling chamber. The meat is treated as it is moved along by a conveyor. The dewatering chamber includes an air blower with nozzles for blowing air at the surface of the meat to remove surface water from the meat. The steam heating chamber is disposed adjacent the dewatering chamber and includes a steam heating chamber enclosure that is sealed for maintaining a positive pressure in the steam heating chamber relative to the dewatering chamber. In one embodiment the steam chamber moves along with the meat on the conveyor. The cooling chamber is disposed adjacent the steam chamber opposite from the dewatering station. The cooling chamber has nozzles for spraying chilled water onto the surface of the meat for rapidly cooling the meat after it is passed through the steam heating chamber. The meat conveyor extends through the dewatering chamber, the steam chamber, and the chilled water chamber.

Abstract: A method for removing oral cavity staining in a hog carcass is provided by the invention. The method includes steps of providing a carcass including an oral cavity, applying an aqueous stain removing solution including an oxygen bleaching agent to the oral cavity, and removing the aqueous stain removing solution from the oral cavity. In the preferred embodiments, the aqueous stain removing solution includes an aqueous sodium percarbonate solution containing between about 1% by weight and about 8% by weight sodium percarbonate, and is provided at a pH of between about 9.5 and about 12.0.

Abstract: An apparatus for destroying pathogens on meat includes a dewatering station, a steam heating chamber, and a cooling chamber. The meat is treated as it is moved along by a conveyor. The dewatering chamber includes an air blower with nozzles for blowing air at the surface of the meat to remove surface water from the meat. The steam heating chamber is disposed adjacent the dewatering chamber and includes a steam heating chamber enclosure that is sealed for maintaining a positive pressure in the steam heating chamber relative to the dewatering chamber. In one embodiment the steam chamber moves along with the meat on the conveyor. The cooling chamber is disposed adjacent the steam chamber opposite from the dewatering station. The cooling chamber has nozzles for spraying chilled water onto the surface of the meat for rapidly cooling the meat after it is passed through the steam heating chamber. The meat conveyor extends through the dewatering chamber, the steam chamber, and the chilled water chamber.