Euro Controls

Abattoir humidification and humidifiers

In general, during the chill down process, when freshly slaughtered cattle are cooled by a nominal value of 37 º C to 12 º C in 12 hours, the cattle can lose weight of up to a 3% moisture loss.

Moisture loss occurs mainly during the early stages of cooling when the cooling air supply of the plant is at its lowest and the cattle are at their highest temperature, causing the moisture within the animal to evaporate into the air.

Loss of half of the typical side of the animal is 6kg, the number of sides in the store can have a major impact on the moisture loss. The principle objective of humidification in to slaughterhouses is to reduce the weight loss, and is the preferred method due to the regulations of not being allowed to spray water directly on the sides of beef. By adding humidity into the abattoir, it possible to retain the moisture of the carcase as the temperature of the meat begins to rise.

A store typically contains 270 cattle or 540 sides of beef. To work out the loss this would mean to the business we can say that the mean weight loss of 3% is equal to the loss of 2,916 kg per chill down cycle for 12 hours. This works out to be an average of weight/cost of livestock of £1.65 per kg - equal to a loss of £4,800 per day per store.

The compressed air and water spray humidifiers are ideal for the abattoir and meat processing applications. Rows of nozzles are designed to be precisely placed against the outer walls of the store and spray against the flow of air coolers. This ensures that there is a good mix of moisture in the air, and no moisture collecting on the carcasses. The nozzles are controlled by the control panel to ensure maximum efficiency and optimum humidification within the room.

A humidifier such as the CAREL humiFog or the HS Clear Mist will work well within the abattoir environment, saving money on moisture loss and increasing overall profits for the abattoir operator.

Click here for a list of industrial humidifiers we supply, or give us a call on the number above.

Additional information:

The abatoir process differs by species and region and may be controlled by civil law as well as religious laws such as Kosher and Halal laws. A typical procedure follows:
1. Cattle (mostly steers and heifers, some cows, and even fewer bulls) or pigs are received by truck or rail from a ranch, farm, or feedlot.
2. Cattle or pigs are herded into holding pens.
3. The animals are rendered unconscious by applying an electric shock of 300 volts and 2 amps to the back of the head, effectively stunning the animal, or by use of a captive bolt pistol to the front of the cow's head (a pneumatic or cartridge-fired captive bolt). Swine can be rendered unconscious by CO2/inert gas stunning. (This step is prohibited under strict application of Halal and Kashrut codes.)
4. Animals are hung upside down by both of their hind legs on the processing line.
5. The carotid artery and jugular vein are severed with a knife, blood drains, causing death through exsanguination.
6. The head is removed, as well as front and rear feet. Prior to hide removal, care is taken to cut around the digestive tract to prevent fecal contamination later in the process.
7. The hide/skin is removed by down pullers, side pullers and fisting off the pelt (sheep and goats). Hides can also be removed by laying the carcase on a cradle and skinning with a knife.
8. The internal organs are removed and inspected for internal parasites and signs of disease. The viscera are separated for inspection from the heart and lungs, referred to as the "pluck." Livers are separated for inspection, tongues are dropped or removed from the head, and the head is sent down the line on the head hooks or head racks for inspection of the lymph nodes for signs of systemic disease.
9. The carcase is inspected by a government inspector for safety.
10. Carcases are subjected to intervention to reduce levels of bacteria. Common interventions are steam, hot water, and organic acids.
11. Carcases (typically cattle and sheep only) can be electrically stimulated to improve meat tenderness.
12. Carcases are chilled to prevent the growth of microorganisms and to reduce meat deterioration while the meat awaits distribution.
13. The chilled carcase is broken down into primal cuts and subprimals for boxed meat unless customer specifies for intact sides of meat. Beef and horse carcases are always split in half and then quartered, pork is split into sides only and goat/veal/mutton and lamb is left whole
14. The remaining carcase may be further processed to extract any residual traces of meat, usually termed advanced meat recovery or mechanically separated meat, which may be used for human or animal consumption.
15. Waste materials such as bone, lard or tallow, are sent to a rendering plant. Also, lard and tallow can be used for the production of biodiesel or heating oil.
16. The wastewater, consisting of blood and fecal matter, generated by the slaughtering process is sent to a waste water treatment plant.
17. The meat is transported to distribution centers that then distribute to retail markets.

Reference: Wikipaedia