Method and composition for washing poultry during processing

1. A method of recycling water previously applied to poultry, the method comprising:

recovering a mixed peroxycarboxylic acid antimicrobial composition previously applied to poultry from a first washing position in poultry processing;

treating the recovered composition by:

adding to the recovered composition a sufficient amount of a mixture of peroxycarboxylic acids;

filtering the recovered composition;

light treating the recovered composition; or

combination thereof;

to yield recycled mixed peroxycarboxylic acid antimicrobial composition; and

applying the recycled composition at a second washing position in poultry processing to:

poultry;

poultry processing apparatus;

poultry transport apparatus; or

combination thereof;

the second washing position preceding the first washing position.

2. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

recovering composition from submersion chilling; and

applying the treated and recovered composition in submersion scalding, dress rinsing, inside-outside bird washing, spray rinsing, or combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

recovering composition from spray rinsing; and

applying the treated and recovered composition in submersion scalding, dress rinsing, inside-outside bird washing, or combination thereof.

4. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

recovering composition from inside-outside bird washing; and

applying the treated and recovered composition in submersion scalding, dress rinsing, or combination thereof.

5. The method of claim 1 , comprising:

recovering composition from dress rinsing; and

applying the treated and recovered composition in submersion scalding.

6. The method of claim 1 , comprising applying the treated and recovered composition to poultry processing apparatus.

7. The method of claim 6 , comprising recovering composition from submersion scalding, dress rinsing, inside-outside bird washing, spray rinsing, submersion chilling, or combination thereof.

8. The method of claim 1 , comprising applying the treated and recovered composition to poultry processing plant.

9. The method of claim 8 , comprising applying the treated and recovered composition to floor, wall, exterior pavement, or combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 8 , comprising recovering composition from submersion scalding, dress rinsing, inside-outside bird washing, spray rinsing, submersion chilling, or combination thereof.

11. The method of claim 1 , comprising applying the treated and recovered composition to poultry transport apparatus.

12. The method of claim 11 , comprising applying the treated and recovered composition to truck, cage, or combination thereof.

13. The method of claim 11 , comprising recovering composition from submersion scalding, dress rinsing, inside-outside bird washing, spray rinsing, submersion chilling, or combination thereof.

14. The method of claim 1 , comprising applying the treated and recovered composition to poultry entering the plant, poultry during processing, or combination thereof.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the recycled mixed peroxycarboxylic acid antimicrobial composition comprises:

at least about 2 ppm of one or more mono- or di-peroxycarboxylic acids having up to 6 carbon atoms; and

at least 0.5 ppm of one or more carboxylic acids having up to 12 carbon atoms.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the recycled mixed peroxycarboxylic acid composition comprises one or more peroxycarboxylic acids having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms and a peroxycarboxylic acid having from 7 to 12 carbon atoms.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixture of peroxycarboxylic acids comprises peroxyacetic acid and peroxyoctanoic acid.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the mixture of peroxycarboxylic acids comprises about 30 to about 60 weight-% acetic acid, about 1 to about 15 weight-% octanoic acid, about 2 to about 12 weight-% hydrogen peroxide, about 6 to about 16 weight-% peroxyacetic acid, and about 0.1 to about 5 weight-% peroxyoctanoic acid, and about 0.1 to about 2 weight-% chelating agent.

19. A method of reducing a microbial population on poultry during processing comprising:

applying to the poultry during processing a mixed peroxycarboxylic acid antimicrobial composition in an amount and time sufficient to reduce the microbial population;

recovering the applied mixed peroxycarboxylic acid antimicrobial composition from a first washing position in poultry processing;

treating the recovered composition by:

adding to the recovered composition a sufficient amount of a mixture of peroxycarboxylic acids;

filtering the recovered composition;

light treating the recovered composition; or

combination thereof;

to yield recycled mixed peroxycarboxylic acid antimicrobial composition; and

applying the recycled composition at a second washing position in poultry processing to:

poultry;

poultry processing apparatus;

poultry transport apparatus; or

combination thereof;

the second washing position preceding the first washing position.

20. The method of claim 19 , comprising applying the treated and recovered composition to poultry processing apparatus.

21. The method of claim 19 , comprising applying the treated and recovered composition to poultry processing plant.

22. The method of claim 19 , comprising applying the treated and recovered composition to poultry transport apparatus.

23. The method of claim 19 , comprising applying the treated and recovered composition to poultry entering the plant, poultry during processing, or combination thereof.

24. The method of claim 19 , wherein the recycled mixed peroxycarboxylic acid antimicrobial composition comprises:

at least about 2 ppm of one or more mono- or di-peroxycarboxylic acids having up to 6 carbon atoms; and

at least 0.5 ppm of one or more carboxylic acids having up to 12 carbon atoms.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the recycled mixed peroxycarboxylic acid composition comprises one or more peroxycarboxylic acids having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms and a peroxycarboxylic acid having from 7 to 12 carbon atoms.

26. The method of claim 19 , wherein the mixture of peroxycarboxylic acids comprises peroxyacetic acid and peroxyoctanoic acid.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the mixture of peroxycarboxylic acids comprises about 30 to about 60 weight-% acetic acid, about 1 to about 15 weight-% octanoic acid, about 2 to about 12 weight-% hydrogen peroxide, about 6 to about 16 weight-% peroxyacetic acid, and about 0.1 to about 5 weight-% peroxyoctanoic acid, and about 0.1 to about 2 weight-% chelating agent.

28. The method of claim 19 , wherein the poultry being processed comprises chicken, turkey, ostrich, game hen, squab, guinea fowl, pheasant, duck, goose, emu, or a combination thereof.