Abstract: Pureed, cooked food products, especially meat products, which visually resemble a non-pureed version of the cooked food product, and a process for producing pureed, cooked food products. The process includes the steps of grinding a cooked food, e.g. meat, product to form ground cooked food, e.g. meat, particles; mixing one or two modified food starches with the ground cooked food particles; adding a liquid to the food particles/starch mixture and mixing to form a pureed cooked food product; and then shaping the pureed cooked food product into a desired shape which visually resembles the original cooked food product. The shaped, pureed cooked food products can then be frozen for storage, cut into desired serving portions and reheated for serving. The pureed cooked food product is especially suitable for feeding patients suffering from a medical condition which impairs their chewing and/or swallowing capability.

Abstract: A process for the manufacture of chocolate confectionery by entrapping a fatty cream with fine gas bubbles. The confectionery is manufactured by preparing a shell chocolate with open end in a mold, feeding under pressure a fine gas bubble entrapping fatty cream base into the shell chocolate through the opening to fill the shell, scraping off excessively charged fatty cream, solidifying the fatty cream in the shell, pouring a chocolate base on the solidified fatty cream to close the opening of the shell chocolate, scraping off excessively charged chocolate base, solidifying the chocolate base, and demolding the product. A stencil plate can be used, when the gas bubble entrapping fatty cream is charged into the shell of shell chocolate.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for dressing a slaughtered bird, especially for positioning each wing tip underneath the upper arm. Preferably the apparatus comprises first means for confining the wing tip in a starting position, second means for moving the wing tip from this starting position towards an intermediate position and third means for moving the wing tip with its end from said intermediate position towards a position underneath the upper arm. As first means confinement plates may be used, as second means a pivot plate and as third means a pressure means engaging the wing tip.

Abstract: Apparatus for dressing a slaughtered bird, with cutting means for making cuts in the chest skin of the bird next to the thighs and with locating means for locating in these cuts the ends of the legs of the bird as defined by the hock joints. Preferably the locating means exist of means which are movable rectilinearly for bending the knees and which are rotatable for positioning the legs into the cuts. Further these means may carry the cutting means.

Abstract: A bone-in ham steak is made by separating the muscle, fat, and femur bones from green hams and curing the muscle in a conventional manner. The femur bones are cut into linear segments and aligned lengthwise on a skewer. The aggregated and cured ham muscle and fat are placed into a casing so as to concentrically surround the skewered bone. The product is then cooked and, after removing the skewer, sliced into ham steaks of uniform size and weight with a central bone piece.

Abstract: Pureed, cooked food products, especially meat products, which visually resemble a non-pureed version of the cooked food product, and a process for producing pureed, cooked food products. The process includes the steps of grinding a cooked food product to form ground cooked food particles; mixing pregelatinzed starch and a cook-up starch with the ground cooked food particles; adding a liquid to the food particles/starch mixture and mixing to form a pureed cooked food product; and then shaping the pureed cooked food product into a desired shape which visually resembles the original cooked food product. The shaped, pureed cooked food products can then be frozen for storage, cut into desired serving portions and reheated for serving. The pureed cooked food product is especially suitable for feeding patients suffering from a medical condition which impairs their chewing and/or swallowing capability.

Abstract: A method of preparing and producing a nutritious, low calorie, low cholesterol, shelf-stable, expanded snack food product for humans and pets is disclosed. The process involves using a proteinaceous material, such as raw comminuted meats or mechanically separated meats, that are frozen or chilled. Prior to using the raw, frozen or chilled meat, it is further comminuted to relatively small particle size to provide optimum dispersion of the meat products with the farinaceous (starch) component of the mixture. This blend containing the raw, frozen or chilled meat products, is mixed with pregelatinized flour and is then subjected to elevated temperatures and shear pressure as it moves through the high-temperature, short-time, screw-type extruder. Flavorings, coloring, spices, and the like, may be blended with the ingredients or may be topically applied to the extrudate prior to packaging and after cutting to desired lengths.

Abstract: A method of preparing and producing a nutritious, low calorie, low cholesterol, shelf-stable, expanded snack food product is disclosed. The process involves using a proteinaceous material, such as raw comminuted meats or mechanically separated meats, that are frozen or chilled. Prior to using the raw, frozen or chilled meat, it is further comminuted to relatively small particle size to provide optimum dispersion of the meat products with the farinaceous (starch) component of the mixture. This blend containing the raw, frozen or chilled meat products, is mixed with pregelatinized flour and is then subjected to elevated temperatures and shear pressure as it moves through the high-temperature, short-time, screw-type extruder. Flavorings, coloring, spices, and the like, may be topically applied to the extrudate prior to packaging and after cutting to desired lengths.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a reconstituted food product is provided including at least one transfer hopper having a reciprocating bottom for supporting pieces of the food product at a loading location, a control member for reciprocating the bottom so as to alter the height of the bottom in relation to a load in the hopper thereby keeping a drop height of successive pieces of food product into the hopper within predetermined limits. A drive mechanism is provided for moving the hopper from a food product loading location to a discharge location. A mould is disposed at the discharge location and aligned with the hopper. A displacement member for displacing material from the hopper into the mould is provided.

Abstract: A collagen-coated food product and a process for its manufacture which comprises a shaped food substance encased in a coagulated collagen fiber dispersion which is acidified with an inorganic acid and set in a bath which is essentially ammonia free. The process according to the invention is a process for the preparation of a collagen-coated food product wherein the collagen is coextruded with the food product wherein the collagen product for the extrusion comprises a collagen fiber dispersion, which is acidified with an inorganic acid and set in a setting bath which is essentially ammonia free.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming a three-dimensional food product. In one embodiment, a piston is reciprocally positioned within a forming cavity and includes a face which has a three-dimensional contour. An elastic membrane is positioned over the face of the piston to assist in the separation of the product therefrom. In this regard, when a raw food material is provided to the forming cavity, such material stretches the elastic membrane into substantial conformance with the contour of the piston face to thereby form at least one three-dimensional surface for the food product. When the forming cavity is positioned to discharge the product, the elasticity causes the membrane to contract to move the membrane away from the piston face and thereby eject the product from the forming cavity.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for forming a food article having a spheroidal shell with a filling. The apparatus includes a female mold body with a cavity which has walls that define the bottom and lateral shape of the spheroidal shell. A plurality of male mold plugs are sequentially inserted into the cavity of the female mold body. A measuring plug inserted in the cavity evenly distributes a charge of shell-forming material in the lower portion of the cavity. A shell-forming plug inserted in the cavity redistributes the evenly distributed charge of shell-forming material in a layer of generally uniform thickness at the bottom and along the lateral walls of the cavity, leaving an open-ended shell on removal of the shell-forming plug. A charge of filler is received in the open-ended shell. A shell-closing plug having a concave end surface is then inserted in the cavity to form the upper portion of the shell material over the top of the filler to complete the food article.

Abstract: The invention concerns a process for the manufacture of a sliceable, casing-free sausage, in which first a rigid, inflexible jacket is filled with sausage mixture, the jacket is closed at its first and second ends, and then heated, preferably in steam-heated air or hot water, thus coagulating the sausage mixture, and the jacket is thereafter cooled. The closed jacket is opened at one end and applied to a slicing machine, whereupon the finished sausage located in the jacket is pushed forward out of the jacket through its now-open end, and is cut in slices at this end. Moreover, the invention concerns a mechanism to carry out this process. Thanks to the invention there is no unsalable outside piece of the sausage at the ends, and no casing has to be removed before slicing. The elimination of the need for casing saves the costs associated with the manufacture and disposal of casing.

Abstract: A can star drive for a fish-canning machine in which a turret 11 and can star 75 are separately driven, with the can star 75 being rotated through its 120.degree. advance in each cycle during half again as much time as it takes for the turret 11 to advance through its 120.degree. advance. The slower rate of rotation of the can star 75 reduces the exit velocity of the filled cans as they are discharged from the machine to avoid ejection of fish from filled cans. In addition, the can star 75 rotates through its 120.degree. continuously in a one-step advance, rather than through a two-step advance with an intermediate stop as in prior machines.

Abstract: A process for producing a fish paste product, for example, fish paste made to look like crab meat, having the steps of forming a fish paste material into a sheet, cutting the sheet into fibers or strips extending in the longitudinal direction of the sheet, winding the sheet into a rod-like shape, and cutting the material with the rod-like shape to a predetermined length. The surface of the sheet is coated with a dye over a predetermined width, and the sheet cut into fibers or strips is wound in such a way that the colored surface portion forms the outer surface of the material with the rod-like shape. Also disclosed is a coloring nozzle which is suitable for use in the process for producing the fish paste product.

Abstract: This invention is related to fibrous fish or shellfish neriseihin product comprising a plurality of fibrous fish or shellfish filaments, each of which includes protein linearly aligned and coupled together over the entire length of said product and a thin surface layer having a smooth tactile impression covering said filaments, and a method of manufacturing the fibrous fish or shellfish neriseihin product using a twin screw extruder with at least one elongated cooling zone and a feed pump provided between the extruder and the cooling zone.

Abstract: A process for producing a seafood analog product comprising the steps of mixing chunks of a natural fish and a binder to coat the surfaces of the chunks with the binder, the chunks being frozen and maintained in a frozen state throughout the mixing, forming a quantity of the coated chunks to a desired shape, the chunks being frozen and maintained in a frozen state throughout the forming, subjecting the formed, binder-coated chunks to an elevated temperature to raise the internal temperature of the chunks to a predetermined level sufficient to cook the chunks and set the binder, and subjecting the formed and cooked binder coated chunks to pasteurization. Subsequent to pasteurization, the product is immediately cooled for extended shelf life.

Abstract: A food forming method comprising forcing a food material through a die of a forming apparatus to form said food material into any one of a linear product, a sheet, a pipe or tube and a ring, wherein a zone external to said die is evacuated to a reduced pressure so that said food material is drawn out by suction.A food forming apparatus that carries out the method is also disclosed, which comprises a food extrusion zone to an extrusion end of which a die having an orifice shaped corresponding to the shape of a final food product is fitted, and a suction chamber which encloses the outside of said die and whose inside is evacuated to a reduced pressure by a vacuum means.

Abstract: A device for dosing a plastic, perishable mass into moulds has a pressing chamber for receiving a dose of the mass from a feed vessel and a piston operable in the chamber to push and compress the dose into a mould. The device includes a valve for shutting off feed of the mass from the feed vessel and is particularly constructed to avoid spaces into which the mass can collect and spoil, while preventing reentry of the mass from the pressing chamber into the feed vessel.

Abstract: A method of producing a product of fish meat paste simulating natural crab leg meat, which comprises: a first step of cutting a pair of stripes of heat-coagulated fish meat paste into two groups of noodle-like strings as each of the stripes is longitudinally conveyed by a conveyor, and putting the strings of each of the two groups together into a continuous, elongated bundle generally rectangular in transverse section; a second step of successively cutting each of the bundles aslant relative to the longitudinal direction thereof as each of the bundles is individually conveyed so as to produce a plurality of block components of generally parallelepipedic shape each having an acute angle in the forward end thereof; a third step of conveying the block components side by side in pairs and putting each pair of block components together into a single block shaped like the nocked end portion of an arrow, with one cut surface of one block component in each pair contacting the opposite cut surface of the other block c

Abstract: A high speed food patty molding machine capable of handling whole-fiber food products has two food pumps, each pump having a cavity with an inlet at once end, an outlet at the other end, and a plunger movable through the cavity. The two pump cavities are located adjacent to each other and separated by a common wall; a moldable food product is supplied into the inlet of each pump cavity. A manifold connects the outlets of the two pump cavities to a molding mechanism; a pump drive reciprocates the pump plungers in overlapping alternation and a valve seals off the outlet of each pump cavity whenever the plunger of that pump is moving toward its retracted refill position, so that there is a continuous pressurized supply of food product to the molding mechanism. Each pump cavity outlet is located at the juncture of the cavities common separation wall and the discharge end of its cavity. The outlets merge to form a common inlet to center of the manifold.

Abstract: The meat duct (6) is equipped with a gate (17) to cut the meat supply at intervals and with a plate (14) to regulate the passage of the meat (7). The sheet material paper rolls (9, 10) to wrap the hamburger have respective inertial brakes (26) and sensors (25) which, when the paper runs out, touch the core (23) of the roll and stop the machine. One of the paper strips bears a series of marks (20) which, as they pass through the cell (21), cause the pressing die mechanism (11) to operate. In addition, there is a rod (40) which separates the chopped meat end contiguous to the hamburger, and another rod (41) which, when it ascends due to an obstruction, touches a microswitch and stops the machine. The paper scraps left over are driven by a pneumatic system (35) to a container (37).

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for processing batter materials, such as food batter, including sausage batter for wieners and the like, without incorporating the use of any casing for the batter. The apparatus forms a blank having a proteinaceous skin made of congealing surface batter materials. Each thus formed blank is ejected onto a conveyor that includes a device for completing the formation of congealed skin on the blank. The thus shaped items can then be packaged and cooked within the package in order to provide an aseptic product. If desired, the items can be cooked and then packaged in order to provide a product having an acceptable shelf-life.

Abstract: A process for producing a lumpy meat emulsion product, in which the starting materials including proteins of predominantly animal origin are processed into a meat emulsion at temperatures below 55.degree. C. The meat emulsion is forced through a gap between plates of a high speed emulsifier into a process tube and rapidly heated to within the range of approximately 40.degree. to 75.degree. C. such that relatively rapid coagulation of the emulsion material results.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for processing batter materials, such as food batter, including sausage batter for wieners and the like, without incorporating the use of any casing for the batter. An elongated ribbon or flow of proteinaceous batter material is extruded or otherwise formed and treated to have a proteinaceous skin made by congealing surface batter materials with a treating arrangement. This flow is then severed into a plurality of blanks, followed by forming unfinished ends of the blanks into shaped links. The shaped links are then cooked and typically packaged as desired to provide a finished sausage product.

Abstract: A household hamburger maker is disclosed having a hollow, circular outer collar and a hand-held center plug. Ground meat is placed into the hollow area of the outer collar, and the center plug is inserted into the same hollow area and pressed down against the ground meat. While the center plug is being pressed down, it is also twisted alternately clockwise and counterclockwise, which produces a smooth top surface on the ground meat as it is shaped into a hamburger patty. While still being twisted, the center plug is pulled back up and away from the hamburger patty, leaving behind a correctly-shaped patty that has a smooth top surface.

Abstract: A food product comprising a closed outer shell and a filling is made from a coextruded body. The body advances through a reciprocating cutting head 3 driven by a reciprocating shaft 10. The shaft 10 rotates to drive, through cam means, blades within the head 3.

Abstract: An accessory device for a sausage stuffer serving for the production of skinless sausages, or the like, comprises pipes which are connected to a filling pipe of the sausage stuffer and which are subdivided into different sections maintained at different temperatures so that skinless sausages can be produced.

Abstract: A process for preparing a proteinaceous food product comprises passing a wet dough of a mammalian and/or avian meat protein, at least part of which is functionally inert protein, between a pair of oppositely rotating rollers to form a sheet of said food product. The functionally inert protein may have been cooked or otherwise treated to impart to the protein one or more characteristics of cooked protein and/or may comprise inert scleroprotein.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for shaping bacon bellies or similar generally compressible materials in order to impart a greater three-dimensional uniformity to such bacon bellies or the like. Parameters of individual bellies, including dimensional parameters and temperature when desired are determined. Data on these parameters are stored in an ordered fashion, which stored data are utilized to vary the extent that walls of a pressing apparatus move during a pressing operation. By this method and apparatus, each individual belly or the like is pressed and reshaped in accordance with its own specific parameters, while provision is made for avoiding overpressing due to irregularities in shape of the bacon bellies and the like.

Abstract: A process for shaping a fish-paste product and an apparatus therefor. The process comprises moving a fish-paste sheet in its length direction, curling the sheet obliquely to the sheet-moving direction with one lateral edge of the sheet as a core to form a rolled-up article, pulling the resulting rolled-up body in a direction parallel to the sheet-moving direction around a rolling post installed outside of the opposite lateral edge line of the sheet, and subjecting the rolled-up article to further processing.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process and apparatus for producing a sausage package containing up to about 30 sausages wherein each sausage is individually packaged in packaging films. The sausages are produced directly into the packaging films to be cooked while being retained within said films. Suitable sized packages including one or more sausages may be cut from the length of packaging film including the individual sausages. The unique possibility of producing several parallel sausages is obtained by sealing off the individual sausages from continuous parallel packaging film tube by sealing and shaping molds forming the rear end of one stuffed row of sausages and the fore end of the next row of sausages to be stuffed.

Abstract: A cyclic crimping mechanism for producing coherent plural-layer food products from food assemblies, each food assembly including a bottom patty covered by a top patty (other patties, food slices, or condiments are usually positioned between the top and bottom patties), uses a cyclically, intermittently actuated conveyor to locate each food assembly at a crimping position for a predetermined crimping interval; in sequence, a confinement tool is moved down to an actuated position to define peripheral limits for the food product, a tamping tool is pressed down onto the food assembly to reduce air entrapment, and a crimping tool presses the periphery of the top patty into the bottom patty to seal them together in a coherent food product, after which these tools are all elevated to rest positions clear of the crimping position and the conveyor operates to move the finished food product away and position a new food assembly at the crimping position to start the crimping cycle anew.

Abstract: A meat patty molding machine having a base plate with an opening therethrough and a fill plate rotatably mounted in the base plate opening. A meat feeder forces meat up through openings in the fill plate. A mold plate defines a disk-shaped mold cavity and is mounted to move laterally between a fill position with its disk-shaped mold cavity in communication with the fill plate and a patty discharge position with the disk-shaped mold cavity away from the fill plate. A drive means rotates the fill plate relative to the mold plate, and the fill plate is rotated relative to a stationary cutting blade which is biased against the fill plate by substantial pressure to cut meat fibers at the upstream surface of the fill plate during filling.

Abstract: A method of making a jerky-type product is provided which uses multiple extrusion steps. First, a blend of a wet beef product and a high protein flour are mixed and then cooked by extruding the first blend at a temperature sufficient to at least partially cook the beef in the first blend. Next, a second blend is formed which includes the extruded product of the first extrusion step and additional wet beef. The second blend is then cooked by extruding the second blend at a temperature sufficient to cook the wet beef in the second blend. Finally, the material from the second blend is processed into jerky form.

Abstract: A meat patty molding machine having a base plate with an opening therethrough and a fill plate rotatably mounted in the base plate opening. A meat feeder forces meat up through openings in the fill plate. A mold plate defines a disk-shaped mold cavity and is mounted to move laterally between a fill position with its disk-shaped mold cavity in communication with the fill plate and a patty discharge position with the disk-shaped mold cavity away from the fill plate. A drive means rotates the fill plate relative to the mold plate, and the fill plate rotated relative to a stationary cutting blade positioned to cut meat fibers at the upstream surface of the fill plate during filling. By forming the patty while rotating the fill plate relative to the remainder of the mold, a meat patty is formed having longitudinal strands of meat disposed in a substantially circular pattern around the patty axis.

Abstract: A method for producing restructured meat is disclosed comprising the fragmentation of a muscle into strips; the formation of an elongate block by superposing said strips in a direction generally parallel to their length, with surface cooling of the strips; the cutting of the block of strips in a direction parallel to their length in order to obtain ultrathin sheets; and restructuration into meat pieces by assembling the ultrathin sheets in a shaping operation non destructive of the laminated texture. The resulting meat product has, before cooking, a structure and organoleptic characteristics which are very close to those of natural muscle.

Abstract: An apparatus for encasing a product in a curved casing and the like and which includes an encasing machine having a stuffing tube including a discharge end which has a plurality of apertures, and wherein a product to be encased in pumped through the stuffing tube and exits the discharge end and moves generally normally relative to the longitudinal axis of the stuffing tube, and a selectively rotatable chuck assembly is borne by the encasing machine and includes a first end having a unitary wall which is substantially circular in shape, and a second end which is discontinuous, and wherein a curved collagen casing to be filled, upon exiting the chuck assembly, moves generally radially outwardly relative to the longitudinal axis of the chuck whereby the collagen casing is maintained in a proper attitude such that the casing is filled with the product to be encased, and wherein the stuffing tube is adapted to fold the product being encased against the wall of the collagen casing being filled such that the deleter

Abstract: A gauge member is provided for mounting overlying a bamboo mat, wherein initially a seaweed sheet is mounted overlying the bamboo mat, the gauge is mounted overlying the seaweed sheet. Subsequently, a layer of rice is deposited within the gauge defined by a framework and filled within the gauge up to a predetermined marking. A layer of seafood is then deposited overlying the rice, whereupon the gauge is removed. Finally, the bamboo sheet is rolled and arced to enable rolling of the seaweed sheet containing the rice and seafood therewithin.

Abstract: A process and an apparatus for cooking and shaping precut meat pieces such as beef cuts, pork cuts or the like. The process comprises the steps of placing an uncooked meat piece adjacent the opening of a shaping mold, subjecting the meat piece to an air pressure differential to cause the meat piece to enter the mold, and heating the mold to cook the meat piece therein.

Abstract: An improved drive linkage for a reciprocating mold plate in a food patty molding machine includes, in series, a hydraulic cylinder and its piston; one is connected to a motor or other prime mover and the other to the mold plate. Three hydraulic lines connect the opposite ends of the cylinder to a large hydraulic reservoir and to each other. A hydraulic pressure flow directing means, preferably comprising check valves in the hydraulic lines, produces a continuous, unidirectional flow of hydraulic fluid from the reservoir into one end of the cylinder, on to the other end of the cylinder, and then back to the reservoir; the flow remains unidirectional despite cyclic reversal of the direction of piston movement in the cylinder.

Abstract: A process for shaping a fish-paste product and an apparatus therefor. The process comprises moving a fish-paste sheet having grooves on one or both surfaces thereof in its length direction, curling the sheet obliquely to the sheet-moving direction with one lateral edge of the sheet as a core to form a rolled-up article, pulling the resulting rolled-up body in a direction parallel to the sheet-moving direction around a rolling post installed outside of the opposite lateral edge line of the sheet, and subjecting the rolled-up article to further processing.

Abstract: An improved, slide plate-type patty forming apparatus (20) is provided which preferably includes a reciprocating slide plate (60) with a removable, multiple piston and cavity head (78) adapted to move between a retracted meat-filling position wherein respective patty forming cavities (90) are filled with meat to an extended patty-discharging position wherein formed meat patties (264) are ejected. Each of the patty forming pistons (96) is equipped with a porous bottom plate (104) formed of sintered metal or ceramic, an appropriate compressed air passageways (120, 122, 106) are provided for delivery of air through the bottom plate (104) for cleanly ejecting the formed patty (264). Adjusting mechanism (26) for altering the thickness of formed patties (264) includes a plurality of adjusting units (166) each equipped with a vertically shiftable, piston-engaging foot (176); movement of the feet (176) in unison is effected by means of handwheel (164) and connecting gear train (162, 200, 194, 192, 174).

Abstract: Raw meat is sliced into wafer-thin slices having coarse and irregular surfaces and fibrils protruding therefrom. The slices are intertangled with each other through the fibrils to form a cohesive mass which is then formed into a restructured meat product. A restructured meat product which is a cohesive mass of meat slices is also disclosed.

Abstract: A meat product having the flavor, aroma and texture of a common frankfurter fabricated as a patty for easier cooking and use. A process for fabricating the meat product where molds are filled with the meat product for producing the desired shape while maintaining the skin tension appreciated in a common frankfurter. The molds are flexible and a multiplicity of the molds may be placed over a nozzle through which the meat product is extruded.

Abstract: Barbecue meat patties of a pre-determined weight are formed by an automated process which includes the steps of providing a barbecue sauce including at least 5% of a binder, such as molasses and ketchup, mixing meat with the sauce to form barbecue meat while chilling the meat and sauce to a temperature of 28.degree. F. to 32.degree. F., forming the chilled meat and sauce into patties under a pressure of 70 to 80 psi, and gradually freezing the patties to storage temperature.

Abstract: Textured animal protein can be prepared by forming a heated pressurized wet mass of animal meal and extruding the mass or otherwise reducing the pressure and temperature surrounding the mass. The ingredients for the animal meal are chosen so that the measurable gelatin content of the extruded product is less than 10% of the dry solids of the product. As gelatin is a hydrolysis product of collagen, this means that the animal meal should be prepared from material which is intrinsically low in hydrolysable collagen, or the hydrolysable collagen content should be reduced either by cross-linking (for example with propylene glycol alginate) or by hydrolysis and washing away the gelatin.

Abstract: A process for producing a fish-paste product comprising continuously charging a starting material based on a minced fish flesh (surimi) into a stirring/mixing machine to shear the starting material, forming the minced flesh extruded from the stirring/mixing machine into a specific shape, and then heating the formed minced flesh. A fish-paste product having excellent gel strength can be produced by this process.

Abstract: To make fish sausages with skin on the outside and no backbone, fillets with skin are placed at the periphery and skinless fillets at the center of a filling machine, after which the fillets are pushed into a casing closed at one end and the other end of the casing is closed. The sausages obtained are then frozen. The sausages removed from the casings and cut into slices form steaks which may be served as the basis of prepared dishes.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus is provided for the crust-freezing and slicing of comminuted meat products in order to produce patties, all without the use of conventional casings and freeze/temper cycles. The preferred method involves supplying an elongated, preformed body (60a, 160a) of substantially uncooked, peripherally unrestrained comminuted meat, typically through use of a pumping device (12, 112) and an associated delivery horn (18, 118). The preformed meat bodies are then subjected to a cryogenic freezing operation in order to form a continuous circumscribing peripheral frozen crust (62) and a non-frozen central section (64) in each body (60a, 160a). The crust frozen bodies (60a, 160a) are suitable for direct slicing to yield the desired patties. Handling of the bodies (160a) can be accomplished by direct immersion of a meat stream (160) in a cryogenic fluid (125a) in a freezer (122), followed by a downstream severing and patty formation.