Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
5543360 | Meat Science | 2017 | 4 Pages |
Abstract
Beef slaughter is water intensive due to stringent food safety requirements. We conducted a study at a commercial beef processor to demonstrate water conservation by modifying the mechanical head wash. We documented the initial nozzle configuration (112 nozzles), water pressure (275Â kPa), and flowrate (152Â L/head washed), then developed a 3-D CAD model to identify regions of water use redundancy. The mechanical head wash was modified by reducing nozzle count (72), decreasing pressure (138Â kPa) and flowrate (78.4Â L/head). To objectively document visual cleansing, heads were photographed at three locations post decapitation: 1) prior to manual wash, 2) prior to entering, and 3) upon exit of the mechanical head wash. Changes in red saturation between stations 1 and 3 provided an objective measure of relative cleanliness. Prior to altering operating parameters, the post-wash red saturation was 5%; after modification this increased slightly to 7.5%. Water use was reduced by 48.4% without altering head cleanliness acceptance.
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Agricultural and Biological Sciences
Food Science
Authors
C.L. Drennan, R.E. DeOtte, T.E. Lawrence,