Method for controlling water content with decontamination in meats

1. A method for producing treated meat having a predetermined proportion of water in a container, comprising:

in a computer, calculating water losses in meat during processing of the meat;

placing meat in vessel;

introducing carbon dioxide under pressure and an amount of water into the vessel to form carbonic acid having a pH below 5 on the surfaces of the meat;

agitating the meat in the vessel to expose surfaces of meat to carbonic acid:

wherein said amount of water is a calculated amount of water that is lost during processing to result in a predetermined proportion of water in the meat; and

packaging the meat containing a predetermined proportion of water in a container.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measured amount of water corresponds to an amount of water calculated that is lost during refrigeration and before treating with the carbon dioxide.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein an amount of water is calculated by measuring the duration of a processing step and the temperature of the meat at least at the processing step.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the processing step is refrigeration.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein an amount of water further comprises water calculated that will be lost subsequent to treating the meat.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measured amount of water is calculated from the amount of carbon dioxide added.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measured amount of water is calculated from the temperature of the meat.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measured amount of water is calculated from the temperature of the meat and the time of the meat at the temperature.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the measured amount of water is calculated by weighing the meat before and after a processing step before treating with the carbon dioxide.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein added water is ground with the meat.

11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising excluding oxygen from the container.

12. A method for producing treated meat having a predetermined proportion of water in a container, comprising:

determining a proportion of water suitable for a packaged meat;

placing meat in a vessel;

introducing a bactericide and added water into the vessel, wherein the added water exceeds the predetermined proportion of water suitable for packaged meat;

calculating an amount of water that is evaporated by contacting the water with a controlled exposure to a gas;

introducing a controlled quantity of gas into the vessel thereby causing evaporation of water from the meat with the gas to produce treated meat having the predetermined proportion of water; and

packaging the treated meat containing a predetermined proportion of water suitable for packaged meat.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the bactericide comprises acidified sodium chlorite.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the meat is exposed to dry carbon dioxide gas.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the bactericide comprises chlorine or a chlorine-containing compound.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the bactericide comprises ozone.

17. A method for producing treated meat having a predetermined proportion of water in a container, comprising:

determining a proportion of water suitable for a packaged meat;

placing meat in a vessel;

introducing a bactericide and added water into the vessel, wherein the added water exceeds the predetermined proportion of water suitable for packaged meat;

calculating an amount of water that is evaporated by the introduction of a gas;

introducing carbon dioxide into the vessel thereby removing water in excess of the predetermined proportion of water in meat to produce treated meat having the predetermined proportion of water suitable for packaged meat; and

packaging the meat containing a predetermined amount of water.

18. A method of processing perishable products, comprising:

sealing a perishable product in an enclosure;

in a computer, calculating an amount of water that evaporates from the perishable product; and

introducing carbon dioxide and an amount of water into the enclosure, said amount of water calculated to be the amount of water that is lost through evaporation to result in a predetermined amount of water in the product when the product is packaged.

19. A method for producing treated meat having a pre-determined proportion of water in a container, comprising:

placing meat into a vessel;

with a computer-controlled process, calculating water losses in meat during processing;

introducing into the vessel carbon dioxide and comprising a measured amount of water to provide a fluid capable of killing bacteria,

agitating the meat in the vessel to expose surfaces of meat to the carbon dioxide;

wherein said measured amount of water is a calculated amount of water equal to an amount of water which is a greater amount of water than the water lost during meat processing due to evaporation;

wherein an amount of water equal to at least the difference between the greater amount of water and the pre-determined proportion of water is removed providing treated meat having a pre-determined proportion of water; and

packaging the treated meat containing a predetermined proportion of water in a container.