How Does MBA Poultry’s Pure Air-Chill System Work?
With seven years of experience MBA Poultry boasts the only pure air-chill system in the nation.  Birds are suspended individually and advanced along a mile long track through two air-chilled chambers that circulate purified cold air.  This air is run over each bird to reduce its temperature quickly.  The primary chill chamber will remove about 75% of the heat from the bird. The secondary chamber equilibrates the desired 32-34° F temperature throughout the bird. The birds enter the first chamber at the bottom so that all water used for cleansing goes to the floor, not onto other birds.  Offset tracks are used so that there is no danger of birds above cross-contaminating those below them.  Air-Chill is a safe, clean and efficient process which locks in flavor, texture and tenderness the way nature intended – that’s the air-chilled difference.™
  • Air-Chill=birds cooled with purified cold air

  • Water-Immersion=birds cooled in large tanks of chlorinated ice water (View full comparison... )

  • Processors in Europe are required by LAW to use air-chill processing

  • USDA allows water-immersed product to gain 8-12% of its overall weight in water.

Is This a New Technology?
Actually, air chilling has been around for over 35 years.  The process began in Western Europe, where it is so popular with consumers that it has been codified - or made into law - as  the only way to chill during processing there (only processors who export out  of Western Europe can use the water-immersion chilling process).

Air-chill technology is also widely used in Canada where about half of the processors use a modified air-chill concept.  Attempts were made to bring air chill to the U.S. in the past, but they failed to overcome the commodity mind set of the larger, integrated processors here.

MBA Poultry's Air-Chill Line
Competitors Water-Immersion
Based Method
  • No Added Water
  • Reduce cross contamination
  • Environmentally Friendly
  • Locks natural flavors and juices into the meat
  • Quality of meat is preserved – the way nature inteded.
  • 8-12% added water
  • Cross contamination
  • Flavor washed out
  • Billions of dollars of non-potable water
    Sold Annually
  • Absorbed water adulterates product
  • Cellular structure of the meat can be challenged during “hard chill” process
How is Other Chicken Chilled During Processing?
In order to reduce the spread of bacteria, poultry must be cooled very quickly after being prepared for human consumption (eviscerated).  The birds are about 90-95° F at this point and the USDA requires they be less than 50° F within a two-hour timeframe.  The industry will dip these birds, one after the next, into a cold bath of chlorinated ice water to get the temperature down.  In 1998, 60 minutes referred to this communal bath as "fecal soup" because of the thousands of birds that co-mingle during each process day in the chiller tanks.

The birds absorb the water and cool at the same time.  Once the appropriate temperature is reached, the birds have gained up to 8% of their weight in added water.  They are often cooled or "hard chilled" even more to ensure the water is held inside of the meat.  This crusting effect allows the meat to reach 26°F before it is considered frozen.  Though still considered "fresh", the cellular structure of the meat can be challenged during the "hard chill" process.  As the water invades skin, cavities and meat itself, it can affect the overall integrity of the meat.  The water will then purge out into the tray and meat case, causing a sticky bloody mess.  The flavor will be washed out.  Everything tastes like chicken - because, chicken doesn't taste like anything.  Further, the meat will not be as tender.

Are There Other U.S. Companies Using the Air-Chilled Method?
All other domestic companies (as well as many of Canada’s air-chilling systems) use a modified approach that sprays water on the product prior to chill to gain efficiency.  This water can increase contamination and adulterate their product which, affects the final quality and flavor profile.