Abstract: Methods and systems for processing fish, such as salmon, are provided which enable filleting of the fish in a particular efficient manner. An example method includes exposing a backbone of a fish from a belly side of the fish, positioning the backbone of the fish on a conveyor device, and conveying the fish with the backbone in contact with the conveyor device. The conveyor may be a spiked chain, and positioning the backbone of the fish on the conveyor device may include engaging the backbone of the fish with the spiked chain such that the fish straddles the spiked chain as the fish is transported. The method may further include cutting the fish from the dorsal side on each of opposing sides of a central plane of the fish to a location adjacent a connection of the pinbones of the fish with the vertebrae of the fish while the fish is conveyed with the backbone in contact with the conveyor device, and subsequently peeling the ribs and ventral spines from fillets of the fish.

Abstract: The present invention is a processing device, such as a macerator for use in processing various types of food products, that includes an automatic adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position of a roller disposed within the macerator. The mechanism includes a controller operably connected to a motor that can move the roller within the macerator to vary the position of the roller with respect to another roller located in the macerator. Inputs to the controller are used to control the operation of the motor to move the roll into a desired configuration associated in a storage medium in the controller with a particular food product to be processed. The input to the controller can also be used to simultaneously adjust the position of other components of other processing devices in a food processing system, such as an injector to remove the need for individually adjust each device in the system.

Abstract: A shrimp processing machine includes an adjustable cutting assembly and an adjustable meat picking assembly. The adjustable cutting assembly is adapted to adjust between a first configuration that forms a cut having a first length on a shrimp and a second configuration that forms a cut having a second length on the shrimp. The adjustable cutting assembly is further adapted to adjust between a first position that forms a cut having a first depth on the shrimp and a second position that forms a cut having a second depth on the shrimp. The adjustable meat picking assembly is adapted to rotatably adjust when a meat picker contacts the shrimp to remove shrimp meat from a shrimp shell.

Abstract: The game shears 10 of the present disclosure comprise an upper arm 20, a lower arm 30, a linkage 40 and a blade 50. The upper arm 20 and lower arm 30 act as levers which move the game shears 10 from a first closed configuration to a second open configuration. The upper arm 20 and lower arm 30 are engaged with one another, the upper arm 20 is also engaged with the blade 50 via the linkage 40 and the lower arm 30 is directly engaged with the blade 50.

Abstract: A shoulder incision-making apparatus for a poultry carcass according to the present invention is for cutting a shoulder joint section of a poultry carcass, and includes: a fixing jig on which a poultry carcass which is eviscerated and which has leg parts removed is to be placed and fixed; a conveyer forming a conveyance path of the fixing jig and configured to convey the fixing jig along the conveyance path; a first cutter disposed in the conveyance path; and a second cutter disposed in the conveyance path at a downstream side of the first cutter in a conveying direction. The first cutter is configured to make an incision on the shoulder joint section of the poultry carcass, and the second cutter is configured to be inserted into the incision to cut the shoulder joint section.

Abstract: A method for monitoring gas stunning of birds, where groups of birds are conveyed into and out of a stunning zone (1), and where the concentration of the stunning gas in the stunning zone is measured and adjusted for optimal stunning. The gas concentration is measured at a plurality of measuring positions in the stunning zone and a visual inspection of the birds is performed at two or more of the measuring positions using a visual inspection unit (76), such as a camera, which is moved into the stunning zone together with the group of birds. The groups of birds are advantageously kept in crates (3). The visual inspection unit may be part of a monitoring unit (71) further including a gas sensor (75), said monitoring unit being used for simultaneous measuring of the concentration of the stunning gas and inspection the birds at two or more monitoring positions.

Abstract: A method for cutting extra-large poultry to fit within existing industrial fryers and remain as recognizable pieces to the consumer is provided. The method provides for the cuts necessary to create pieces of poultry from the extra-large poultry that are sized comparably to a normal sized bird. Furthermore, the method provides for keeping the cut pieces in a shape that the consumer recognizes as a particular piece of poultry.

Abstract: An evisceration apparatus for eviscerating a poultry carcass suspended by the legs. An exemplary apparatus includes an evisceration tool that is movable up and down, and into and out of a body cavity of the poultry. The evisceration tool includes two bracket halves that connect to each other with a hinge at a lower extremity of the tool. The two bracket halves are embodied with cooperating clamping faces adjacent to the hinge for clamping a part of the viscera of the poultry when the two bracket halves are moved towards each other from an open position into a closed position.

Abstract: A portable apparatus for securing an animal for field dressing comprising a base configured to be supported on a flat surface, a first upright member, a second upright member, and a horizontal member extending from the base for support. The base supports the upright members spaced apart in a manner that supports the head of an animal. The upright members include a way for fastening the legs of the animal to the upright posts to spread the animal to permit the animal to be field dressed.

Abstract: A fish filleting mat is provided. In an implementation, an example fish filleting mat has a pattern of pegs on a working surface to grip and immobilize the fish during cleaning and filleting. The pegs hold the fish and also the byproducts of cleaning and filleting in place during cleaning and filleting, even when the fish filleting mat is tilted to drain liquids. The fish filleting mat, including pegs, may be made of materials that are easy to clean and stain-resistant, and which do not retain fish odors.

Abstract: A deveining system efficiently removes veins from shrimp while preserving the meat of the shrimp in both appearance and quantity. The deveining system comprises an endless deveining wall having outwardly-extending snagging tabs. Water flooding a deveining region creates a vacuum effect to pull exposed veins through openings formed by the snagging tabs, followed by separation of the body of the shrimp from the veins.

Abstract: A method and a corresponding system for harvesting knee meat and thigh meat from a whole leg poultry product are disclosed. The method includes providing a leg product having a thigh, a drumstick, a knee and a transverse cut at the knee.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for monitoring in real time the nutriment intake (feed and/or water) of farm animals, including but not limited to poultry, turkeys, pigs and cows, based on the measurement and identification of the nutriment uptake sounds and/or the working of the nutriment supply system, while the presence and eating position of the animals is monitored by using real-time image analysis.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing a poultry carcass includes a first assembly with parallel guide plates opposite a second assembly with parallel guide plates. The assemblies include a cutting element presenting an edge extending beyond a bottom edge of the guide plates. A bracket secures the cutting element to the guide plate allowing adjustment of the cutting edge. The carcass is advanced into engagement with the apparatus whereby the cutting edges cut the connective tissue between the leg and back. A bracket leading edge prevents tissue from being driven between the cutting element and guide plate. The cutting edge can extend further from the bottom edge of the guide plates at the heel than at the point. Manual processing of the carcass includes: cutting tissue between the leg and back; and separating the leg from the back wherein muscle tissue connecting the leg and the back remain intact.

Abstract: A meat inspection and sorting line comprising supply means, a radiation inspection facility, a cutting facility and a reject facility. Meat parts are brought together and fed into the radiation inspection facility by means of a conveyor in a layer of meat parts. An undesired object is detected by the radiation inspection facility by means of e.g. an X-ray technique and a part of the layer of meat parts containing the undesired object is identified and separated from the layer of meat parts by the cutting facility. The identified and separated part of the layer of meat parts containing the undesired object is rejected by the reject facility from the layer of meat parts.

Abstract: A positioning apparatus for positioning poultry legs which are conveyed suspended in a row has a bending device for bending and positioning the poultry legs, as well as a stationary holding and guiding device. The bending device forms a threading device for suspending the poultry leg in the region of the knee joint in a holding and guiding gap of the holding and guiding device. Co-running positioning elements are formed by driven pressing elements which grip the poultry leg from beneath on an axial side of the leg for bending and lifting. Each co-running positioning element forms with a stationary positioning element a functional pair of positioning elements. One of the two positioning elements engages in the hollow of the knee of the poultry leg, while the other positioning element is configured to rest against the thigh on the front side of the leg. Processing stations can be arranged along the holding and guiding gap.

Abstract: A method for eviscerating slaughtered poultry having a carcass with a viscera pack in a body cavity of the carcass, includes entering the body cavity of the retained carcass with an eviscerating tool via an opened vent end, passing a front end of the eviscerating tool along the breast side of the body cavity so that the front end thereof moves past the viscera pack at least till beyond the liver, using a gizzard pre-lifting tool, which is entered into the body cavity of the retained carcass via the opened vent end, which gizzard pre-lifting tool is operated to grasp the gizzard and/or belly fat bonded to the gizzard and is operated to lift the gizzard thereby entraining a further portion of the viscera pack, the lifting of the gizzard being performed prior to the front end of the eviscerating tool passing along the breast side.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device (30) for cutting the head off a slaughtered animal's carcass comprising: at least two knives (31,32), both provided with a cutting edge (33, 34); and controls for moving the knives towards and away from each other such that the cutting edges of the knives cooperate in a cutting action, whereby at least one of the knives is provided with a position-finding protruding cutting edge portion (35,36). The invention also relates to an automatic work station comprising such a cutting device and a manipulator for positioning the cutting device. Furthermore the invention relates to a method for cutting the head off a slaughtered animal's carcass.

Abstract: A device for controlling the anesthetization of an animal to be slaughtered. The device includes a stimulation unit via which a stimulation stimulus is given to the animal. The device includes an image capturing unit that has an image capturing range. The image capturing unit is constructed as a 3D-camera. One part of a surface of the animal is optically detected in the image capturing range and range pixels are collected in the area of the surface. The range pixels are provided and transmitted as pixel data. An evaluation unit is connected to the image capturing unit and collects the pixel data provided by the image capturing unit. The evaluation unit determines an active movement of the animal from the detected pixel data and provides and transmits the control result in the event of a determined movement of the animal.

Abstract: A shoulder incision-making apparatus for a poultry carcass according to the present invention is for cutting a shoulder joint section of a poultry carcass, and includes: a fixing jig on which a poultry carcass which is eviscerated and which has leg parts removed is to be placed and fixed; a conveyer forming a conveyance path of the fixing jig and configured to convey the fixing jig along the conveyance path; a first cutter disposed in the conveyance path; and a second cutter disposed in the conveyance path at a downstream side of the first cutter in a conveying direction. The first cutter is configured to make an incision on the shoulder joint section of the poultry carcass, and the second cutter is configured to be inserted into the incision to cut the shoulder joint section.