All the latest news on current and past research on the hygienic processing of foods from the Food Refrigeration & Process Engineering Research Centre (FRPERC).
Prior to slaughter or harvest the surfaces of animals and produce can be contaminated to a varying degree by both pathogenic and spoilage bacteria. Obtaining microbially clean raw food materials is difficult. There is no terminal step (such as cooking) to eliminate pathogenic organisms from many raw products, such as meats, until they reach the consumer, and in the case of many fruits and vegetables no terminal step at all.
For over twenty years we have carried out research on developing different methods and treatments for reducing the microbial contamination on such products while striving to maintain the intrinsic nature of the food, e.g. a treated chicken carcass should still look ‘raw’. Many of these studies have been carried out in collaboration with partners at the University of Bristol and the University of Lincoln, and have been funded by the Food Standards Agency. We have also worked with companies to develop bespoke systems to meet their precise needs. We have also carried out studies on identifying and improving processing steps that prevent contamination or cross-contamination occurring in the first place.
Find out more about hygienic processing in our publications, articles and links below. A full list of our publications on hygienic processing topics can be found here. For more about our past work on this topic please read our research reviews on hygienic processing of red meat, poultry and produce and other foods.
Our publications on hygienic processing
New FSA project report: Qualitative Risk Assessment to support a policy decision on partially-eviscerated (effilé) poultry production
New projects: Project for FSA on the production of Mechanically Separated Meat (MSM)
New FSA project report: Quantification of the controls that should be placed on meat prior to mincing
New FSA project report: Review of the risk management practices employed throughout the fish processing chain in relation to controlling histamine formation in at-risk fish species in Scotland
New published paper: Combined steam and ultrasound treatment of broilers at slaughter: A promising intervention to significantly reduce numbers of naturally occurring campylobacters on carcasses
New published paper: Comparison of Acidified Sodium Chlorite, Chlorine Dioxide, Peroxyacetic Acid and Tri-Sodium Phosphate Spray Washes for Decontamination of Chicken Carcasses
New FSA project report: Assessment of the manufacture of MSM and former DSM meat products
Our articles on hygienic processing
Development of a atmospheric steam treatment vessel - Chris James describes the development of atmospheric steam treatments vessels used by FRPERC.
Interesting links on hygienic processing
Beef decontamination technologies - Keith Belk, Colorado State University
Beef carcass decontamination - by PURAC suppliers of lactic acid
A Quantitative Assessment of Consumers’ AttitudesTowards Raw Meat Decontamination Treatments - FSA report
Decontamination tactics in war on meat pathogens - article by Rod Addy in Food Production
Meat Decontamination: Needs, Approaches. Benefits, Concerns - article on The Meat Site