A generally U-shaped treatment tube for immersing meat in an antimicrobial treatment solution is provided. The apparatus includes an inlet for receiving meat, an outlet for removing meat, a solution inlet for introducing antimicrobial treatment solution into at least a U-shaped section of a tube and a solution outlet to allow solution to be removed from or recycled back through the U-shaped section of the tube. The antimicrobial solution is preferably an alkali silicate containing solution.