Abstract: A rocker-type poultry chiller, including a tank for receiving poultry carcasses and holding chilled water, an axle mounted in the tank, a main paddle connected to the axle, and a side paddle connected to the axle. The oscillation of the main paddle and the side paddle urges the carcasses upwardly and laterally, which contributes to the cooling of the carcasses as a result of their thorough contact in the chilled water. The movement of the paddles also gently massages the carcasses by gently bumping them against the paddle blades and the wall of the tank. The repeated compression of the carcasses tends to tenderize the meat. The side paddles ensure more predictable and consistent contact between the paddles and all of the carcasses, which causes more agitation of the carcasses and more effective washing of the carcasses.

Abstract: A method for rapidly cooling poultry carcasses during processing by injecting the carcasses with a composition including water and an antimicrobial agent. The composition may be in slush ice form or liquid form. The antimicrobial agent, such as peroxide, plays a critical role in this method. The antimicrobial agent serves to lower the freezing point of the chilled water of the composition below 32 degrees F., which allows greater heat exchange when the chilled water composition is injected into the warm interior of the carcasses. The antimicrobial agent also prevents bacterial contamination of the carcasses as a result of the possible transfer of bacteria from the exterior surface of the carcasses into the interior of the carcasses during injection.

Abstract: A rocker-type poultry chiller, including a tank for receiving poultry carcasses and holding chilled water, an axle mounted in the tank, a main paddle connected to the axle, and a side paddle connected to the axle. The oscillation of the main paddle and the side paddle urges the carcasses upwardly and laterally, which contributes to the cooling of the carcasses as a result of their thorough contact in the chilled water. The movement of the paddles also gently massages the carcasses by gently bumping them against the paddle blades and the wall of the tank. The repeated compression of the carcasses tends to tenderize the meat. The side paddles ensure more predictable and consistent contact between the paddles and all of the carcasses, which causes more agitation of the carcasses and more effective washing of the carcasses.

Abstract: A method for rapidly cooling poultry carcasses during processing by injecting the carcasses with a composition including water and an antimicrobial agent. The composition may be in slush ice form or liquid form. The antimicrobial agent, such as peroxide, plays a critical role in this method. The antimicrobial agent serves to lower the freezing point of the chilled water of the composition below 32 degrees F., which allows greater heat exchange when the chilled water composition is injected into the warm interior of the carcasses. The antimicrobial agent also prevents bacterial contamination of the carcasses as a result of the possible transfer of bacteria from the exterior surface of the carcasses into the interior of the carcasses during injection.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for injecting chilled water (16) into freshly slaughtered and eviscerated poultry carcasses immediately prior to introducing the poultry carcasses into a conventional chiller (20). The chilled water (16) may be at a temperature slightly above the freezing point of water. The chilled water injector (10) is mounted to the entrance end (21) of a chiller (20). The poultry carcasses are removed from a shackle line and placed on a conveyor (11) which conveys the warm carcasses into and through the injector (10). In the injector (10), needles (13) inject chilled water (16) into the carcasses thereby beginning the chilling process. The injected carcasses then drop into the conventional chiller (20) where they are conveyed from the entrance end (21) to the exit end (22) through a counter-flow of chilled water (23) during which time further chilling occurs.

Abstract: A reciprocating poultry chiller auger including a bearing, such as a simple cylindrical bearing, mounting the shaft of an auger-type poultry chiller for both rotation of the shaft and for linear reciprocating motion of the shaft along its axis. The shaft may be reciprocated backward and forward along the axis of the shaft by, for example, a hydraulic cylinder that alternately pushes and pulls the shaft so that it slides linearly in a reciprocating fashion within the bearing. The reciprocating motion of the auger provides agitation of the chilled water in the poultry chiller thus improving contact and heat transfer from poultry carcasses into the chilled water.