Patent ID: 7128937
Filing Date: 2006-10-31
Classification: A23B

Abstract:
1. A method of preserving slaughtered birds or parts thereof provided with skin, the method comprising: a. conveying product carriers through at least a portion of a chilling room, wherein each product carrier carries only one whole slaughtered bird or only one part thereof and wherein at least some of the slaughtered birds or parts thereof are conveyed through at least a portion of the chilling room in different horizontal planes when viewed in a vertical direction; b. chilling each slaughtered bird or part thereof by exposing the slaughtered bird or part thereof to a stream of chilling air in the chilling room; and c. moistening at least a portion of each slaughtered bird or part thereof by atomization of water, wherein the moistening of each slaughtered bird or part thereof occurs when the slaughtered bird or part thereof is not exposed to the stream of chilling air and comprises applying atomized water to the skin of the slaughtered bird or part thereof to form a water film thereon, the water film covering substantially the entirety of the skin of the slaughtered bird or part thereof and being maintained on the skin during chilling, wherein the water film substantially limits the amount of water that drips from the birds thereby considerably reducing the risk of the birds contaminating each other.