CALGARY (Staff) – A pasteurization system for hog carcasses developed in Lacombe, Alta., has been found 99 percent effective in removing dangerous bacteria.
The system, which costs about $150,000 to install, has been on trial at Fletcher’s Fine Foods in Red Deer, Alta., for six months, said microbiologist Colin Gill, who helped develop the system at Agriculture Canada’s central Alberta research centre in Lacombe.
The researcher said the system can operate at line speeds of 1,200 hogs per hour at a cost of $5 per carcass.
With the new system, the hog carcass is scalded, dehaired, singed and polished. Prior to evisceration, the carcass continues down the packing house line to a special apparatus where water, set at 85 C, is sprayed over the skin for 15 seconds, said Gill. Muscle tissue is not exposed to the blast of heat.
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The system is similar to milk pasteurization where the food product is subjected to high temperatures for short times to destroy bacteria without adversely affecting the product, said Gill.
Tests show the hot water spray removes 99 percent of E. coli and other bacteria that could cause food poisoning such as hamburger disease.
“It hasn’t been so obvious with pork as with beef because most people don’t eat rare pork,” said Gill. Undercooked ground beef has been blamed for carrying E. coli which can cause kidney failure and death.
Part of control program
The special wash is just one component of the hazard analysis critical control program implemented in a number of North American meat packing plants that are trying to ensure products are free of dangerous pathogens.
It will not replace the other necessary steps to remove dangerous microorganisms, said Gill.
On March 27, the United States Department of Agriculture approved high temperature vacuum technology to remove contamination on beef carcasses.
High temperature vacuuming involves spraying either steam or hot water on a carcass. The heat kills the microorganisms and the vacuum removes the water and bacteria.
The USDA has also approved carcass washes that use organic acids, chlorinated water or trisodium phosphate to remove bacteria.
Previously, processors were told to clean off visible contamination by cutting it away with a knife but scientists pointed out that invisible contaminants were equally dangerous, said a release from the National Beef Cattlemen’s Association.
