초록 ▼

This invention is directed to processes designed to recover water used in certain aspects of the processing of poultry, treat the recovered water to remove solids, fats, oils and greases, animal proteins and pathogenic organisms and to reuse the treated water for poultry processing operations. Altho

This invention is directed to processes designed to recover water used in certain aspects of the processing of poultry, treat the recovered water to remove solids, fats, oils and greases, animal proteins and pathogenic organisms and to reuse the treated water for poultry processing operations. Although the reuse points will vary from plant to plant depending upon specific water consumption volumes, type of processing operations conducted by the facility and regulatory requirements and approvals, there are a number of reuse points which are preferred based upon treated water quality requirements, material balances relating to the capacity to recover process streams and the consumption volumes at the identified reuse points, and source waters that have been shown to have the least total contaminant loading.

대표청구항 ▼

1. In a method for processing poultry comprising the steps of washing said poultry with wash water, rinsing said washed poultry with rinse water and chilling said poultry with chilled water, the improvement comprising the steps of:recovering at least a portion of said rinse water; separating solids

1. In a method for processing poultry comprising the steps of washing said poultry with wash water, rinsing said washed poultry with rinse water and chilling said poultry with chilled water, the improvement comprising the steps of:recovering at least a portion of said rinse water; separating solids from said portion of said rinse water; treating said portion of said rinse water with ozone; treating said portion of said rinse water ozone; chlorinating said portion of said rinse water; and reusing said treated portion of said rinse water in said steps of washing said poultry with wash water and chilling step said poultry with chilled water. 2. The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of recovering is performed by passing said portion of said water through a recovery sump comprising a basin having a first compartment for receiving said recovered water and barrier in said basin forming a second compartment, said first compartment having at least one pipe for skimming solids from said recovered water leaving skimmed water which, when said skimmed water reaches a level higher than said barrier, flows into said second compartment, and wherein said second compartment includes an exit orifice in fluid communication therewith for allowing said skimmed water to exit said basin for further processing.3. A method for processing animal food stuffs which processing includes an initially washing and rinsing step with water and subsequent chilling step with water, said method comprising:recovering at least a portion of said water from any processing step, except said chilling step; treating said recovered water to meet regulatory requirements said step of treating includes passing said recovered water through a recovery sump comprising a basin having a first compartment for receiving said recovered water and barrier in said basin forming a second compartment, said first compartment having at least one weir pipe for skimming solids from the surface of said recovered water leaving skimmed water which, when said skimmed water reaches a level higher than said barrier, flows into said second compartment, and wherein said second compartment has an exit orifice in fluid communication therewith for allowing said skimmed water to exit said basin for further processing; reusing said treated water in at least one processing step. 4. A method for recycling water used in poultry processing comprising the steps of:recovering water used in a downstream poultry processing step through a recovery sump comprising basin means for receiving said recovered water wherein said downstream processing step is downstream from evisceration; skimming solids from said water; reducing impurities in said recovered water using means for treating water to reduce impurities and provide disinfection; and reusing said water in at least one step of said poultry processing. 5. A method for recycling water used in processing poultry for sanitization that employs downstream processing steps and upstream processing steps, comprising the steps of:recovering a portion of water used from at least one of said downstream processing steps, wherein no more than approximately 40 percent of said portion of water originates from a chiller tank wherein said downstream processing step is downstream from evisceration; treating said portion of water chemically to reduce impurities and provide disinfection, said chemical treatment being selected from the group consisting of ozone and chlorine; polishing said portion of water via a fine media; and reusing said treated portion of water at least one of said upstream processing steps. 6. A method according to claim 5 wherein said step of recovering includes no water from a chilling processing step of said steps of processing poultry.7. A method according to claim 5 wherein said step of reusing said treated water includes no more than approximately 40 percent of said treated water is reused in said chilling tank.8. A method of processing poultry including a plurality of steps for sanitizing said poultry, the method comprising the steps of:recovering water used in at least one of said plurality of steps for sanitizing said poultry; treating said water to reduce microorganisms on the surface of said poultry by ozonating and chlorinating said water; and re-introducing said treated water into any of said at least one said plurality of steps for sanitizing said poultry and said introduction reduces the level of microorganisms within said poultry. 9. The method of processing poultry according to claim 8, wherein said step of introducing said treated water into any of said at least one said plurality of steps for sanitizing includes a scalder or heating processing step.10. The method of processing poultry according to claim 8, wherein said step of introducing said treated water into any of said at least one said plurality of steps for sanitizing includes introduction of said treated water into the pores and membranes of said poultry.