Microbiocidal Control in the Processing of Meat-Producing Four-Legged Animals

• US 20070141974A1
• Filed: 11/29/2006
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Albemarle Corporation
• Original Assignee: Albemarle Corporation, Solution Biosciences, Inc.
• Inventors: Liimatta, Eric, McNaughton, James
• Granted Patent: US 7,914,365 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 452/176
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 43/50 1,3-Diazoles; Hydrogenated 1,3-diazoles
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 59/00 Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators containing elements or inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A22B 5/0082 Cleaning, washing or disinfecting carcasses disinfecting poultry carcasses A22C21/0061
• CPC Class Codes: A22C 17/08 Cleaning, e.g. washing, meat or sausages treating offal C11B
• CPC Class Codes: A23B 4/20 Organic compounds; Microorganisms; Enzymes
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/3463 Organic compounds; Microorganisms; Enzymes
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/3526 Organic compounds containing nitrogen
• CPC Class Codes: A23L 3/3544 Organic compounds containing hetero rings
• CPC Class Codes: A61P 31/00 Antiinfectives, i.e. antibiotics, antiseptics, chemotherapeutics

Abstract

Methods of processing four-legged slaughter animals for consumption as meat and/or meat product(s) are described. The methods comprise I) contacting exterior surfaces of the live animal at least once with a microbiocidal solution formed from mixing together at least (i) water and (ii) at least one N,N′-bromochloro-5,5-dialkylhydantoin, such contacting occurring at least once when the animal is en route to being slaughtered but before it is killed by exsanguination; or II) contacting the carcass of the animal, after exsanguination, with a microbiocidal solution formed from mixing together at least (i) water and (ii) at least one N,N′-bromochloro-5,5-dialkylhydantoin or III) contacting at least one raw meat product and/or at least one processed meat product derived from the carcass. The contacting can be done one or more times in each of I), II), and III). Considerable advantages, which are described, are realized when using such methods.

Claims

1. A method of processing a four-legged slaughter animal for consumption as meat and/or meat product(s), said method comprising:

a. contacting exterior surfaces of the animal while it is alive at least once with a microbiocidal solution formed from mixing together at least (i) water and (ii) at least one N,N′

-bromochloro-5,5-dialkylhydantoin, said contacting occurring at least once when the animal is en route to being slaughtered but before the animal is killed by exsanguination;

or

b. contacting a carcass of said animal, after exsanguination, with a microbiocidal solution formed from mixing together at least (i) water and (ii) at least one N,N′

-bromochloro-5,5-dialkylhydantoin;

or

c. contacting at least one raw meat product and/or at least one processed meat product derived from said carcass at least once with a microbiocidal solution formed from mixing together at least (i) water and (ii) at least one N,N′

-bromochloro-5,5-dialkylhydantoin;

or

d. conducting any two or all three of a), b), and c).

2. A method as in claim 1 wherein a) is conducted.

3. A method as in claim 1 wherein b) is conducted.

4. A method as in claim 1 wherein c) is conducted.

5. A method as in claim 1 wherein any two or all three of a), b), and c) are conducted.

6. A method as in claim 2 wherein the contacting is conducted at least once outside the perimeter of a slaughterhouse or meat packing plant.

7. A method as in claim 2 wherein the contacting is conducted at least once in an outer perimeter area of a slaughterhouse or meat packing plant so as to minimize the extent of microbiocidal contamination reaching the areas within the slaughterhouse or meat packing plant where animal carcasses are processed.

8. A method as in claim 2 wherein the contacting is conducted at least once in one or more areas of a slaughterhouse or meat packing plant where processing of live animals occurs prior to exsanguination so as to minimize the extent of microbiocidal contamination reaching the one or more areas within the slaughterhouse or meat packing plant where animal carcasses are processed subsequent to exsanguination.

9. A method as in claim 1 wherein said microbiocidal solution additionally contains a non-skin irritating amount of a compound selected from the group consisting of glycerin, detergents, surfactants, wetting agents, hydrotropes, thickeners, buffering agents, acids, bases, demulcents, humectants, emollients, foaming agents, and defoaming agents, and mixtures thereof.

10. A method as in claim 6 wherein the contacting is conducted at least once in a zone through which the animal passes or is passed, and in which zone said contacting is effected by showering and/or spraying external surfaces of said animal with said microbiocidal solution.

11. A method as in claim 10 which is conducted in a portable shower or spray stall.

12. A method as in claim 9 wherein said at least one N,N′

-bromochloro-5,5-dialkylhydantoin is N,N′

-bromochloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin.

13. A method as in claim 3 wherein said four-legged slaughter animal is selected from cattle, swine, and sheep.

14. A method as in claim 3 wherein said animal is selected from steers, heifers, cows, calves, and bulls, and wherein said contacting at least is conducted (i) one or more times during head and/or shank removal and/or is conducted (ii) one or more times after head and/or shank removal but before hide removal.

15. A method as in claim 3 wherein said animal is selected from steers, heifers, cows, calves, and bulls, and wherein said contacting at least is conducted (i) one or more times during hide removal and/or is conducted (ii) one or more times after hide removal but before evisceration.

16. A method as in claim 3 wherein said animal is selected from steers, heifers, cows, calves, and bulls, wherein said method includes a sequence of trimming and/or carcass washing, cutting and/or boning, and chilling and/or cold storage, and wherein said contacting at least is conducted (i) one or more times during trimming and/or carcass washing and/or is conducted (ii) one or more times after trimming and/or carcass washing but before cutting and/or boning.

17. A method as in claim 3 wherein said animal is selected from steers, heifers, cows, calves, and bulls, wherein said method includes a sequence of trimming and/or carcass washing, cutting and/or boning, and chilling and/or cold storage, and wherein said contacting at least is conducted (i) one or more times during cutting and/or boning and/or is conducted (ii) one or more times after cutting and/or boning but before chilling and/or cold storage.

18. A method as in claim 3 wherein said animal is selected from steers, heifers, cows, calves, and bulls, wherein said method includes a sequence of trimming and/or carcass washing, cutting and/or boning, and chilling and/or cold storage, and wherein said contacting at least is conducted (i) one or more times during chilling and/or cold storage.

19. A method as in claim 3 wherein said animal is selected from steers, heifers, cows, calves, and bulls, wherein said method includes a sequence of chilling, cutting and/or boning and cold storage, and wherein said contacting at least is conducted (i) one or more times during chilling and/or is conducted (ii) one or more times after chilling but before cutting and/or boning.

20. A method as in claim 3 wherein said animal is selected from steers, heifers, cows, calves, and bulls, and said contacting at least is conducted (i) during carcass splitting and/or (ii) one or more times after carcass splitting but before conducting any other processing step.

21. A method as in claim 3 wherein said animal is selected from hogs, sows, gilts, barrows, boars and pigs, and said contacting at least is conducted (i) during and/or one or more times after dehairing and/or singeing the carcass but before conducting any other processing step.

22. A method as in claim 3 wherein said animal is selected from hogs, sows, gilts, barrows, boars and pigs, and said contacting at least is conducted (i) during and/or one or more times after scraping and polishing the carcass but before conducting any other processing step.

23. A method as in claim 3 wherein said animal is selected from hogs, sows, gilts, barrows, boars and pigs, and said contacting at least is conducted (i) during and/or one or more times after splitting the carcass but before conducting any other processing step.

24. A method as in claim 3 wherein said animal is selected from hogs, sows, gilts, barrows, boars and pigs, and said contacting at least is conducted (i) during and/or one or more times after chilling the carcass but before conducting any other processing step.

25. A method as in claim 3 wherein said animal is selected from hogs, sows, gilts, barrows, boars and pigs, and said contacting at least is conducted (i) during and/or one or more times after cutting and/or boning the carcass but before conducting any other processing step.

26. A method as in claim 3 wherein said animal is selected from hogs, sows, gilts, barrows, boars and pigs, and said contacting at least is conducted during cold storage.

27. A method as in any of claims 14-26 wherein said at least one N,N′

-bromochloro-5,5-dialkylhydantoin used in forming said microbiocidal solution is at least one N,N′

-bromochloro-5,5-dialkylhydantoin in which one of the alkyl groups is a methyl group and the other alkyl group contains in the range of 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, wherein the microbiocidal solution used in said contacting has a free bromine residual as Br₂ of about 400 ppm (wt/wt) or less, wherein said microbiocidal solution optionally contains a non-skin irritating amount of a compound selected from the group consisting of glycerin, detergents, surfactants, wetting agents, hydrotropes, thickeners, buffering agents, acids, bases, demulcents, humectants, emollients, foaming agents, defoaming agents, and mixtures thereof, and wherein said animal is rinsed with water at least five minutes after said contacting.

28. A method of processing at least one raw meat product derived from a carcass of at least one four-legged slaughter animal and/or at least one processed meat product derived from a carcass of at least one four-legged slaughter animal, which method comprises contacting said at least one raw meat product and/or said at least one processed meat product at least once with a microbiocidal solution formed from mixing together at least (i) water and (ii) at least one N,N′

-bromochloro-5,5-dialkylhydantoin.

29. A method as in claim 28 wherein said at least one N,N′

-bromochloro-5,5-dialkylhydantoin used in forming said microbiocidal solution is at least one N,N′

-bromochloro-5,5-dialkylhydantoin in which one of the alkyl groups is a methyl group and the other alkyl group contains in the range of 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, and wherein said microbiocidal solution optionally contains a compound selected from the group consisting of glycerin, detergents, surfactants, wetting agents, hydrotropes, thickeners, buffering agents, acids, bases, demulcents, humectants, emollients, foaming agents, defoaming agents, and mixtures thereof.

30. A method as in claim 28 wherein said at least one N,N′

-bromochloro-5,5-dialkylhydantoin used in forming said microbiocidal solution is N,N′

-bromochloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin.

31. A method as in any of claims 28-30 wherein the microbiocidal solution used in said contacting has a bromine residual as Br₂ of about 400 ppm (wt/wt) or less as free bromine.

32. A method as in claim 31 wherein said bromine residual as Br₂ is in the range of about 0.5 to about 200 ppm (wt/wt) as free bromine.

33. A method as in claim 31 wherein said bromine residual as Br₂ is in the range of about 0.5 to about 100 ppm (wt/wt) as free bromine.

34. A method as in claim 31 wherein said bromine residual as Br₂ is in the range of about 0.5 to about 50 ppm (wt/wt) as free bromine.

35. A method as in any of claims 28-30 wherein at least one raw meat product is subjected to said contacting and wherein said at least one raw meat product is rinsed with water within at least 5 minutes after said contacting.

36. A method as in claim 35 wherein said at least one raw meat product is a cut of raw beef which is not darkened by said contacting.

44. A method as in any of claims 28-30 wherein the method is applied to at least one raw meat product and wherein said raw meat product is at least one ground raw meat product.

45. A method as in claim 44 wherein said at least one ground raw meat product is comprised of ground beef.

46. A method as in claim 44 wherein said at least one ground raw meat product is comprised of ground pork.

47. A method as in claim 44 wherein said at least one ground raw meat product is comprised of ground raw sausage meat comprised of at least ground beef and/or ground pork.

37. A method of processing a carcass of a four-legged slaughter animal and/or raw meat product derived from said carcass, and/or processed meat product derived from said carcass, which method comprises:

a. contacting said carcass, raw meat product derived from said carcass, and/or processed meat product derived from said carcass at least once with a microbiocidal solution formed from mixing together at least (i) water and (ii) at least one N,N′

-bromochloro-5,5-dialkylhydantoin;

b. subjecting said carcass, raw meat product derived from said carcass, and/or processed meat product derived from said carcass to at least one decontamination process selected from ionizing radiation, UV radiation, microwaves, pulsed light, electric fields, hydrostatic pressure, sonication, infra-red radiation, ozonization, and ozone washing;

or

c. a) and b) being conducted in any sequence and/or concurrently.

38. A method as in claim 37 wherein said at least one N,N′

-bromochloro-5,5-dialkylhydantoin used in forming said microbiocidal solution is at least one N,N′

-bromochloro-5,5-dialkylhydantoin in which one of the alkyl groups is a methyl group and the other alkyl group contains in the range of 1 to about 4 carbon atoms, and wherein said microbiocidal solution optionally contains a compound selected from the group consisting of glycerin, detergents, surfactants, wetting agents, hydrotropes, thickeners, buffering agents, acids, bases, demulcents, humectants, emollients, foaming agents, defoaming agents, and mixtures thereof.

39. A method as in claim 37 wherein said at least one N,N′

-bromochloro-5,5-dialkylhydantoin used in forming said microbiocidal solution is N,N′

-bromochloro-5,5-dimethylhydantoin.

40. A method as in claim 37 wherein the microbiocidal solution used in said contacting has a bromine residual as Br₂ of about 400 ppm (wt/wt) or less as free bromine.

41. A method as in claim 40 wherein said bromine residual as Br₂ is in the range of about 0.5 to about 200 ppm (wt/wt) as free bromine.

42. A method as in claim 40 wherein said bromine residual as Br₂ is in the range of about 0.5 to about 100 ppm (wt/wt) as free bromine.

43. A method as in claim 40 wherein said bromine residual as Br₂ is in the range of about 0.5 to about 50 ppm (wt/wt) as free bromine.