Ultra high temperature, ultra short time surface pasteurization of meat

A novel device killed with steam most surface organisms on fresh meat without cooking the surface. Treatment for 25 milliseconds with 145 degrees C thermally saturated steam in the absence of air, followed by vacuum cooling, produced a 4 log kill of an applied dose of 10(7) L. inocua on raw fresh chicken meat. Similar results were achieved on fresh beef and pork. Total cycle time <1 sec suggested that a single unit could serve a broiler processing line, after the chill tank, and before the clean cut-up line.