Continuous production and packaging of perishable goods in low oxygen environments

Abstract

Processing and packaging for perishable goods, such as beef, in a conduit wherein oxygen is substantially excluded and suitable gases such as carbon dioxide are provided at a suitable pressure and in such a manner as to increase the quantity of the gases dissolved in the perishable goods to extend the shelf life of the goods and decontaminate the goods.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:  
     
         1 . A method for tracking meat to a carcass from which the meat was harvested, comprising: 
 obtaining a carcass having a tag with information associated therewith;    transferring the information from the tag to a storage device located on a first carrier for transporting the carcass;    processing the carcass into one or more portions;    placing the portions into second carriers; and    transferring the information from carrier to carrier each time carcass portions or divisions are transferred from carrier to carrier.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first or second carriers are hooks or containers.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transferring the information from a carrier to a central storage location, transferring the carcass portions from the carrier to a conveyor, indexing the portions removed from the carrier, and associating the information from the central storage location with each portion.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transferring the information to a central location, associating the information from the central location with packages, and transferring the carcass portions to the packages.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising packaging the carcass in an environment having an oxygen content lower than the oxygen content of air.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the environment comprises carbon dioxide or nitrogen.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising placing a mark on the package wherein the information is associated with the package through the mark.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transferring the carcass portions to a conduit from a carrier, monitoring the amount of carcass portions entering the conduit, monitoring the amount of carcass portions leaving the conduit, and associating the information from the carrier to the portions leaving the conduit.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising providing a gas in the conduit, wherein the gas has an oxygen content lower than the oxygen content of air.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising grinding the portions in the conduit to provide ground meat.  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising packaging the ground meat in a package.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising marking the package with a mark, said information being associated with the package through the mark.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising testing the meat for the presence of bacteria.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the carcass is from a grouping of carcasses, each carcass having information particular to the carcass associated therewith.  
     
     
         15 . A method for tracking meat to an animal from which the meat was harvested, comprising: 
 providing an animal having information associated therewith;    processing the animal into animal portions;    transferring the animal portions from location to location; and    associating the information with the animal portions when the portions are transferred from location to location.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising testing the animal portions for the presence of bacteria.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising packaging the animal portions into packages in a gas having an oxygen content lower than the oxygen content of air.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising placing a mark on the packages, wherein the information is associated with the packages through the mark.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising vacuum packaging the animal portions.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the animal is from a grouping of animals, each animal having information particular to the animal associated therewith.