ULTRAFILTRATION AND ULTRAVIOLET TREATMENT FOR RECOVERY OF CHILLING BRINE USED IN THE PROCESSED MEAT INDUSTRY

This paper describes the development and testing of a method to renovate contaminated meat-chilling brine using a combination of ultrafiltration (UF) and ultraviolet (UV) light treatments, with a view to reducing environmental damage and operating costs linked to dumping practices. Initially, studies were conducted to characterize used brine in terms of chemical, physical and microbiological characteristics. Preliminary tests were carried out to investigate the effectiveness of UF for the removal of suspended meat particles in brine used to chill processed meat, and to ascertain the ability of UV light to destroy unsafe microorganisms in the clarified brine. Ultrafiltration treatment alone results in satisfactory reductions in brine turbidity and microbial load, while UV treatment was found to be effective in reducing viable microorganisms in the clarified brine to below levels found in fresh brine. To verify these results at full scale, a prototype system was constructed and subsequently tested in a meat-processing plant. Pilot plant testing demonstrated that certain membrane types can be used to clarify spent brine, and that the membranes can be effectively cleaned for re-use. However, higher than expected average microbe levels in the UF-treated brine indicated the need for more stringent maintenance of sterility in the process equipment and/or immediate plant environment.