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Abstract

A method and apparatus for injecting chilled water (16) into freshly slaughtered and eviscerated poultry carcasses immediately prior to introducing the poultry carcasses into a conventional chiller (20). The chilled water (16) may be at a temperature slightly above the freezing point of water. The chilled water injector (10) is mounted to the entrance end (21) of a chiller (20). The poultry carcasses are removed from a shackle line and placed on a conveyor (11) which conveys the warm carcasses into and through the injector (10). In the injector (10), needles (13) inject chilled water (16) into the carcasses thereby beginning the chilling process. The injected carcasses then drop into the conventional chiller (20) where they are conveyed from the entrance end (21) to the exit end (22) through a counter-flow of chilled water (23) during which time further chilling occurs.

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First Claim