Imagine washing chicken with a special slush-ice mixture instead of chemical disinfectants — and it actually kills the dangerous bacteria better. That's exactly what this project did. They built a system called DeConIce that cools poultry meat and dramatically reduces Campylobacter contamination using only water and ice, no soaps or pharmaceuticals. They tested it at full scale in two real poultry factories in France to prove it works in everyday production.
Every year more than 9 million Europeans get sick from Campylobacter and other food bacteria, with poultry being a major source. Current decontamination methods rely on chemicals, which face ever-stricter regulations and consumer pushback. Poultry processors need a way to reduce bacterial contamination that is effective, chemical-free, and fits into existing production lines.
ThorIce built the DeConIce system — a slush-ice based decontamination and cooling technology for poultry processing. Concrete deliverables include new mobile demonstrator units (D6.2) tested at two full-scale poultry factories in France, plus independent scientific analysis of Campylobacter reduction levels.
If you are a poultry processor dealing with Campylobacter contamination and tightening food safety regulations — this project developed a slush-ice decontamination system that dramatically reduces bacteria on chicken skin without chemicals. It was tested at full scale in two real poultry factories in France, covering both cooling and decontamination in one step.
If you are an equipment supplier looking to add chemical-free decontamination to your product line — this project built mobile demonstrator units ready for integration into existing poultry processing lines. The technology targets the 4 major suppliers who control more than 80% of the world market, offering a new competitive differentiator in food safety equipment.
If you are a retailer or distributor under pressure to reduce foodborne illness risk in your poultry supply chain — this ice-based decontamination method eliminates the need for chemical treatments while improving cooling. With more than 9 million Europeans infected by Campylobacter annually, this directly addresses consumer safety and brand reputation concerns.
The project does not disclose unit pricing for the DeConIce system. The EU contributed EUR 1,965,743 to develop and demonstrate the technology at full scale. Contact ThorIce directly via their website for commercial pricing and ROI estimates.
Yes — the project specifically conducted two full-scale demonstrations at two poultry factories in France. They also developed mobile demonstrator units (D6.2) designed for deployment at production facilities. This is not a laboratory concept; it was tested in real production environments.
ThorIce, the Icelandic SME that coordinated the project, owns the DeConIce technology. Based on available project data, ThorIce plans to supply the equipment to major poultry equipment manufacturers rather than license the technology. Contact ThorIce for partnership terms.
The system uses only water and ice — no disinfectant chemicals, pharmaceuticals, or soaps. The project included independent scientific and statistical analysis of Campylobacter reduction and a risk analysis for food poisoning reduction in Europe. This positions it well for compliance with EU food safety rules that restrict chemical treatments.
The project developed mobile demonstrator units that can be deployed at poultry factories. Based on available project data, the system is designed for cost-effective implementation into existing European poultry production lines. The project ended in March 2023, so the technology is ready for commercial rollout.
Unlike chemical treatments, DeConIce uses only a unique combination of water and ice (slush-ice). It performs double duty: cooling the chicken meat during production AND reducing Campylobacter contamination. This eliminates the cost and regulatory burden of chemical disinfectants while achieving decontamination.
The ChillBact consortium of 6 partners across Iceland, Denmark, and France is heavily industry-driven with a 67% industry ratio (4 out of 6 partners). The coordinator ThorIce is an Icelandic SME that developed the core DeConIce technology. The consortium includes 1 university and 1 research organization to provide independent scientific validation. France provided the real-world test sites — two poultry factories for full-scale demonstration. This industry-heavy composition with academic backup is a strong signal that the technology is built to be deployed commercially, not just published in journals.
ThorIce is an Icelandic SME — check thorice.is for contact details or reach out via SciTransfer for a warm introduction.
Want to explore whether DeConIce fits your poultry processing line? SciTransfer can arrange an introduction to the ThorIce team and provide a detailed technology brief tailored to your specific production setup.
