Antimicrobial Spray System for Deli Meat Slicer Pathogen Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for controlling bacterial contamination in meat processing plants, particularly in deli meat slicers, are inadequate as they fail to eliminate bacteria already present on food products and do not address contamination between equipment cleaning cycles, posing a risk to consumer safety.
Innovation Solution
A food processing system with multiple spray heads that applies an antimicrobial fluid to exposed surfaces of meat products during slicing and packaging, ensuring 80% surface coverage, and includes a continuous operation design with alarm systems to detect and address any disruptions or malfunctions in the spray components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple spray heads are added to continuously apply antimicrobial fluid, then pathogen reduction effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the spray application into multiple segments with separate spray heads positioned at different locations (above the belt, to the side of the end face) to treat different surfaces of the food product. Each spray head operates independently to ensure comprehensive coverage while maintaining manageable system complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system acts as an intermediary that coordinates multiple spray heads, monitors their operation, and manages the antimicrobial fluid distribution. This centralized control mechanism enables complex multi-point spray application while simplifying operation and maintenance through unified management.
2Productivity
If the system operates continuously without shutdown for cleaning, then productivity is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to potential contamination buildup
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuous operation by applying antimicrobial fluid throughout the processing cycle rather than shutting down for cleaning. The spray heads operate continuously to treat food surfaces as they pass through, eliminating idle time while maintaining sanitation through persistent antimicrobial application.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the antimicrobial fluid application process itself to maintain sanitation during operation, rather than requiring separate cleaning cycles. The continuous spray treatment serves both the pathogen reduction function and the sanitation maintenance function simultaneously, enabling uninterrupted production.
3Reliability
If spray coverage is increased to ensure thorough pathogen treatment, then pathogen reduction effectiveness is improved, but loss of substance increases due to higher fluid consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies antimicrobial fluid with targeted precision to specific areas where food products are positioned during processing. Spray heads are strategically positioned to treat exposed surfaces including the front surface, back surface, and side surfaces, ensuring adequate coverage only where needed rather than uniform overspraying throughout the entire chamber.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies antimicrobial fluid at sufficient levels to ensure pathogen reduction effectiveness without excessive consumption. The spray application is calibrated to achieve the necessary 80% coverage threshold for safety while avoiding wasteful over-application, balancing efficacy with resource conservation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively minimizes bacterial load on meat products by continuously applying antimicrobial fluids during processing and packaging, reducing the risk of contamination and allowing for uninterrupted operation while ensuring safety and efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
A food processing system with multiple spray heads that applies an antimicrobial fluid to exposed surfaces of meat products during slicing and packaging, ensuring 80% surface coverage
Data Source
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AI summary
A system for preparing packages of sliced food product minimizes bacterial contamination and outgrowth within the packaged food product, includes a powered slicer to sequentially separate slices of food product to create a stack of food product slices. The system also includes a first spray nozzle for depositing a first predetermined amount of the antimicrobial preparation onto the first face of the log or other food product piece each time a slice is removed as well as a a second spray nozzle for depositing a second predetermined amount of the antimicrobial preparation into a vacuum pouch prior to reception of a stack within the pouch.