Scalding

SCALDING

The factors to be considered relating to scalding and dehairing are

  • Hourly rate of slaughter
  • Size of pigs to be handled
  • Efficiency of cleansing and corrosion.
  • Vertical scalding of pig carcasses involves the use of a double-walled tunnel in which steam, generated from a water bath in its bottom, is blown over the carcasses and through a ventilator located over the condenser.
  • A thermostat at 62˚ -64˚C controls the temperature of the tunnel.
  • The cooling water from the condenser in the tunnel is used to flush the pig carcasses during the dehairing process.
  • Before entry into the tunnel, the carcass should hang for three minutes and then lie on its side for two minutes.
  • The pig carcasses are then transported to the tunnel on a rising rail so that the head is under the other parts of the body during the whole scalding process, which lasts six minutes.
  • Trimming and singeing take place afterwards.

Advantages of Vertical Scalding 

  • To greatly improve the bacteriological standards of the pork.
  • To produce bacteria-free lungs.
  • To reduce muscular degeneration.
  • To reduce incidence of PSE (pale soft exudative muscle) due to the fact as here the body temperature does not go above 41˚C.
  • To have better dehairing.
  • To reduce operating costs.
Last modified: Wednesday, 12 October 2011, 5:05 AM