US 12,329,173 B1
Methods for related apparatus for increasing antimicrobial efficacy in a poultry chiller tank
Jonathon R. Bullard, Chattanooga, TN (US); James A. Faller, Chattanooga, TN (US); and Robert C. Bullard, Signal Mountain, TN (US)
Assigned to Zeco, LLC, Chattanooga, TN (US)
Filed by Zeco, LLC, Chattanooga, TN (US)
Filed on Apr. 9, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/630,851.
Application 18/630,851 is a continuation of application No. 18/303,195, filed on Apr. 19, 2023, granted, now 11,968,988.
Application 18/303,195 is a continuation of application No. 17/805,263, filed on Jun. 3, 2022, granted, now 11,659,844, issued on May 30, 2023.
Application 17/805,263 is a continuation of application No. 15/676,622, filed on Aug. 14, 2017, granted, now 11,350,640, issued on Jun. 7, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/374,468, filed on Aug. 12, 2016.
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A23B 4/08 (2006.01); A23B 4/06 (2006.01); A23B 4/20 (2006.01); A23B 4/26 (2006.01)
CPC A23B 4/08 (2013.01) [A23B 4/062 (2013.01); A23B 4/20 (2013.01); A23B 4/26 (2013.01); A23V 2002/00 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for processing at least a portion of one or more poultry carcasses in a poultry processing tank by increasing antimicrobial efficacy in the poultry processing tank, the method comprising:
providing an ancillary system in fluid communication with a source of a processing water, a source of a pH adjustment product, a source of a solution of one or more peroxycarboxylic acids, and the poultry processing tank, wherein the ancillary system being located outside of the poultry processing tank and configured to provide a premixed pH adjusted processing solution from an inlet stream of the source of the processing water, an inlet stream of the source of the pH adjustment product, and an inlet stream of the source of the solution of one or more peroxycarboxylic acids, wherein the premixed pH adjusted processing solution comprising one or more peroxycarboxylic acids having a desired pH between 7 and 10 and a desired concentration of the one or more peroxycarboxylic acids between 15 ppm and 1000 ppm;
introducing a desired amount of the premixed pH adjusted processing solution from the ancillary system into a side stream of the poultry processing tank having a source solution comprising water;
mixing the premixed pH adjusted processing solution with the source solution in the side stream to form a processing solution having the desired pH between 7 and 10 and the desired concentration of the one or more peroxycarboxylic acids between 15 ppm and 1000 ppm; and
introducing the processing solution from the side stream as one or more inlet streams into the poultry processing tank to maintain the poultry processing solution within the poultry processing tank at the desired pH between 7 and 10 and the desired concentration of the one or more peroxycarboxylic acids between 15 ppm and 1000 ppm.