Drug – bio-affecting and body treating compositions – Designated organic active ingredient containing – Radical -xh acid – or anhydride – acid halide or salt thereof...
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-28
2003-04-08
Weddington, Kevin E. (Department: 1614)
Drug, bio-affecting and body treating compositions
Designated organic active ingredient containing
Radical -xh acid, or anhydride, acid halide or salt thereof...
Reexamination Certificate
active
06545047
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to compositions and processes for cleaning or sanitizing animal carcasses during meat packing or preparation. More specifically, this invention relates to antimicrobial compositions and processes for cleaning and sanitizing animal carcasses through direct contact between the carcass and the treatment The nature of the contact between the carcass and the antimicrobial compositions improves antimicrobial properties. The compositions and methods reduce microbial populations and do not affect the appearance, smell or taste of the carcass meat.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The cleaning of carcasses in the preparation of any food product can be an unsanitary and time consuming task. Further, without a cleaning routine which follows an ordered process of steps to completely sanitize carcass meat, any number of problems may arise. Carcass meat may retain pathogens or infectious microbes (
E. coli
) or become increasingly more contaminated if viscera is allowed to rupture or is not properly removed. Further, incomplete cleaning of the carcass meat may also result in the presence of infectious microbes making the meat unsuitable for consumption.
PURAC® is a natural lactic acid produced by fermentation from sugar. It has a mild acid taste and is widely used in the food industry as an acidulant. PURAC® is an effective decontaminating agent for use with poultry, beef and pork carcasses and slaughter by-products. PURAC® is most effective at a use concentration of between 1 and 2 percent, and can be used at several different points in the slaughter line. Application immediately after hide removal reduces the amount of microorganisms entering subsequent processing steps, while treatments after evisceration and prior to chilling have the greatest residual effects. Mountney et al. also discuss the use of lactic acid to lower bacterial counts and otherwise preserve poultry in “Acids As Poultry Meat Preservatives” in Poultry Science, 44: 582, 1965. Blankenship et al. discussed the destruction of Salmonella contaminates on fajita chicken meat in “Efficacy of Acid Treatment Plus Freezing To Destroy Salmonella Contaminates Of Spice Coated Chicken Fajita Meat” in Poultry Science, Vol. 69, Supp., 1990, p. 20. Adams et al. discuss the use of propylene glycol, sodium lactate, and lactic acid in chill water to reduce salmonella contamination of processed broilers. (See,
Effects of Various Chill Water Treatments on Incidents and Levels of Salmonella on Processed Carcasses
, Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville). Izat et al. discuss the effects of lactic acid on commercial broiler carcasses in reducing salmonella counts in Poultry Science, Vol. 69, Supp. 1990, p. 152; Journal of Quality, Vol. 13, 1990 p. 295-306; and Journal of Food Protection, Vol. 52, No. 9, pp. 670-6
73
, Sept. 1989. Avens et al. discuss the pasteurization of turkey carcasses and the reduction of salmonella using lactic acid in Poultry Science, Vol. 51, 1972, p. 178 1. Mulder et al. in 1987 Poultry Science 66:1555-1557 reports a study of treating broiler carcasses with lactic acid, 1-cysteine and hydrogen peroxide. The treatment with lactic acid and hydrogen peroxide resulted in a 4-log cycle reduction in colony forming units of
Salmonella typhimurium
. Nevertheless, use of lactic acid resulted in a slightly changed color of the carcasses and all the treatments with hydrogen peroxide resulted in bleached and bloated carcasses.
Although peroxycarboxylic acids are known to be used for cleaning and sanitizing equipment and other surfaces, they have not been reported for cleaning and sanitizing animal carcasses. Holzhauer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,435,808, describes curing of animal hides with an acetic acid, peroxyacetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and phosphoric acid combination. The heightened concerns of consumers over the organoleptic purity and safety of meat products, concerns over the environmental and organoleptic impact of many antimicrobial agents currently available, as well as the stringent economies of the meat and poultry industry have resulted in an ongoing need for carcass sanitizing compositions and processes which provide increased sanitization with organoleptic and environmental purity.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly the present invention, in a first aspect, provides a method of treating animal carcasses to obtain a reduction by at least one log
10
in surface microbial population which method includes the step of treating said carcass with an antimicrobial composition comprising an effective antimicrobial amount comprising at least 2 parts per million (ppm, parts by weight per each one million parts) of one or more peroxycarboxylic acids having up to 12 carbon atoms and an effective antimicrobial amount comprising at least 20 ppm of one or more carboxylic acids having up to 18 carbon atoms to reduce the microbial population.
A second aspect of the invention is an antimicrobial composition adapted for cleaning and sanitizing animal carcasses which contains about 0.5 weight percent (wt-%) to about 20 wt-% of a mixture of one or more peroxycarboxylic acids having from 2-4 carbon atoms, and one or more peroxycarboxylic acids having from 8-12 carbon atoms, from about 0.5 wt-% to about 60 wt-% of an alpha-hydroxy mono or dicarboxylic acid having 3-6 carbon atoms, an effective amount of a sequestrant and an effective amount of a hydrotrope.
A third preferred aspect of the present invention is an antimicrobial composition adapted for treating animal carcasses consisting of a mixture of peroxyacetic and peroxyoctanoic acid in a ratio of about 10:1 to about 1:1, from about 0.1 to about 10 wt-% of lactic acid, from about 4 wt-% to about 10 wt-% of hydrogen peroxide and from about 0.5 wt-% to about 1.5 wt-% of a sequestering agent.
A fourth aspect of the present invention involves a method of treating an animal carcass to reduce a microbial population in resulting cut meat, the method comprising the steps of spraying an aqueous antimicrobial treatment composition onto said carcass at a pressure of at least 50 psi at a temperature of up to about 60° C. resulting in a contact time of at least 30 seconds, the antimicrobial composition comprising an effective antimicrobial amount comprising least 2 ppm of one or more carboxylic acid, peroxycarboxylic acid or mixtures thereof; and achieving at least a one log
10
reduction in the microbial population.
A fifth aspect of the present invention involves a method of treating an animal carcass to reduce a microbial population in resulting cut meat, the method comprising the steps of placing the carcass in a chamber at atmospheric pressure; filling the chamber with condensing steam comprising an antimicrobial composition for a short duration; and quickly venting and cooling the chamber to prevent browning of the meat carcass; wherein the duration of the steam thermal process may be from about 5 seconds to about 30 seconds and the chamber temperature may reach from about 50° C. to about 93° C.
The antimicrobial composition can be applied in various ways to obtain intimate contact with each potential place of microbial contamination. For example, it can be sprayed on the carcasses, or the carcasses can be immersed in the composition. Additional methods include applying a foamed composition and a thickened or gelled composition. Vacuum and or light treatments can be included, if desired, with the application of the antimicrobial composition. Thermal treatment can also be applied, either pre-, concurrent with or post application of the antimicrobial composition. We have found a preferred spray method for treating carcasses with compositions of the invention involving spraying the carcass with an aqueous spray at a temperature less than about 60° C. at a pressure of about 50 to 500 psi gauge wherein the spray comprises an effective antimicrobial amount of a carboxylic acid, an effective antimicrobial amount of a peroxycarboxylic acid or mixtures thereof. These sprays can also contain an effective p
Anderson Brian J.
Cords Bruce R.
Grab Lawrence A.
Gutzmann Timothy A.
Reed Pamela J.
Ecolab Inc.
Merchant & Gould P.C.
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