In one embodiment of the present invention a method for processing a plurality
of food products includes loading the food products into a vacuum tumbler, filling
the vacuum tumbler to a predetermined level with a processing solution having a
pH level within a predetermined range, withdrawing air from the vacuum tumbler
to create a partial vacuum, rotating the vacuum tumbler for a predetermined time
period to expose the food products to the processing solution and the partial vacuum,
periodically adding, during the predetermined time period, a predetermined amount
of an organic acid to the processing solution to maintain the pH level within the
predetermined range, and removing the food products from the vacuum tumbler after
the predetermined time period.
