Method for treating a food processing facility

摘要

A method for preserving a food processing facility. The method comprises the step of inoculating the equipment with an effective amount of euhygienic non-pathogenic, non-spoilage bacteria in order to competitively inhibit the growth of undesired pathogenic and spoilage bacteria. Preferably, either L. delbrueckii of Hafnia alvei bacteria are used to inoculate a meat product. Bacteria present on a meat product is first reduced to a number below about 5000 bacteria per gram of meat, e.g. by dehairing an animal and then spraying the meat with an organic acid prior to inoculation with euhygienic bacteria. The meat product is then vacuum packaged and stored in a refrigerated environment of about -1 DEG C to about 7 DEG C. Meat products preserved in accordance with the method of the invention can enjoy a refrigerated shelf life of up to about 150 days without surface discoloration or the generation of undesirable gaseous by-products.