Charles Alton Winters

US Patent:

6896921, May 24, 2005

Filed:

Oct 2, 2002

Appl. No.:

10/263532

Inventors:

Billy M. Groves - Pine Bluff AR, US
Francis M. Henderson - Mt. Ida AR, US
Robert C. Wilson - Enumclaw WA, US
Robin L. Forgey - Black Diamond WA, US
Charles A. Winters - Sammamish WA, US
Sandra E. Custer - Sammamish WA, US

Assignee:

Grovac Southern Select, L.C. - Pine Bluff AR

International Classification:

A23B004/26
A23L001/314

US Classification:

426231, 99472, 99535, 422292, 426281, 426519, 426641

Abstract:

In one embodiment of the present invention a method for processing a plurality of food products includes loading the food products into a vacuum tumbler, filling the vacuum tumbler to a predetermined level with a processing solution having a pH level within a predetermined range, withdrawing air from the vacuum tumbler to create a partial vacuum, rotating the vacuum tumbler for a predetermined time period to expose the food products to the processing solution and the partial vacuum, periodically adding, during the predetermined time period, a predetermined amount of an organic acid to the processing solution to maintain the pH level within the predetermined range, and removing the food products from the vacuum tumbler after the predetermined time period.