Patents Assigned to SafeFresh Technologies, LLC
  • Patent number: 10820601
    Abstract: A method for the separation of fat from meat. The method includes providing individual pieces of meat containing lean and fat; subjecting the individual pieces of meat to cooling for a time sufficient to produce a difference in temperature between the fat and lean, wherein the fat is cooled such that the fat is friable and crumbles into finer particulates when subjected to a crushing force and the lean is cooled to a higher temperature than the fat and the lean is able to withstand a similar crushing force without substantially crumbling into smaller particulates; and with the fat and lean at the temperatures produced, subjecting the individual pieces of meat to a crushing force to separate particulates of fat from the individual pieces of meat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2020
    Assignee: SafeFresh Technologies, LLC.
    Inventor: Anthony J. M. Garwood
  • Publication number: 20170064970
    Abstract: A method for the separation of fat from meat. The method includes providing individual pieces of meat containing lean and fat; subjecting the individual pieces of meat to cooling for a time sufficient to produce a difference in temperature between the fat and lean, wherein the fat is cooled such that the fat is friable and crumbles into finer particulates when subjected to a crushing force and the lean is cooled to a higher temperature than the fat and the lean is able to withstand a similar crushing force without substantially crumbling into smaller particulates; and with the fat and lean at the temperatures produced, subjecting the individual pieces of meat to a crushing force to separate particulates of fat from the individual pieces of meat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2016
    Publication date: March 9, 2017
    Applicant: SafeFresh Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Anthony J.M. Garwood
  • Publication number: 20170020175
    Abstract: A method for the separation of fat from meat. The method includes transferring a mixture through a conduit, wherein the mixture comprises lean particles with frozen water, fat particles, and a fluid, allowing the frozen water in the lean particles to thaw as the mixture travels through the conduit, and increases a density of the lean particles, accumulating the lean particles with non-frozen water at a first elevation in the conduit, and accumulating fat particles at a second elevation in the conduit, wherein the first elevation is lower than the second elevation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2016
    Publication date: January 26, 2017
    Applicant: SafeFresh Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Anthony J.M. Garwood
  • Patent number: 9131707
    Abstract: A method for separating lean meat from lean meat-containing material includes combining a particulate material with fluid, subcritical carbon dioxide at a pH of about 7 or less and a pressure of about 600 psig. The material and fluid is introduced into the vessel and is separated into low density and high density fractions. The material from the low density fraction is removed via an outlet and has a higher percentage of fat than the material introduced into the vessel. The material from the high density fraction is removed via an outlet and has a higher percentage of lean meat than the material introduced into the vessel. The vessel can include a centrifuge or a vessel disposed toward the vertical having an upper and lower outlet, wherein the separation is achieved by the respective densities of the material, and the natural or an artificial gravity field.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: SafeFresh Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Anthony J. M. Garwood
  • Patent number: 8940345
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is an apparatus for treating food products, such as any species of meat (beef, pork or lamb) and ground beef, being transported in a fluid, such as carbonic acid liquid carbon dioxide, at a pressure sufficient to maintain the carbon dioxide as a liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: SafeFresh Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Anthony J. M. Garwood
  • Publication number: 20140377426
    Abstract: A method for producing various grades of beef is disclosed. The method includes, in two or more trains, creating a mixture of fat particles, lean particles, and a fluid, wherein each train is supplied with beef of varying fat content, for each train producing separate first and second fluid streams, wherein the first fluid stream comprises lean particles, and the second fluid stream comprises fat particles, for each train, adjusting the fat content of the lean stream by adding a controlled portion from the fat stream, separately treating the lean stream from the fat stream to deactivate pathogens, and producing two or more different grades of lean beef product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2013
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: SafeFresh Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Anthony J.M. Garwood
  • Patent number: 8911809
    Abstract: A centrifuge has an inner and an outer screw. The outer screw transfers material towards a cone-shaped section that leads to an outlet of the centrifuge. A mixture of meat components, liquid carbon dioxide, gas, and optionally water, is spun in the centrifuge. The dense components, such as lean meat, will accumulate away from the axis of rotation and be transferred by the outer screw towards the cone-shaped section. The less dense components, such as fat and adipose tissue, accumulate toward the center of rotation, and are transferred toward an outlet of the centrifuge via the inner screw. Gas accumulates in the proximity of the cone-shaped section and impedes liquid carbon dioxide from exiting with the dense components. The centrifuge is pressurized, which maintains carbon dioxide as a liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignee: SafeFresh Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Anthony J. M. Garwood
  • Patent number: 8859025
    Abstract: A method for separating fat particles from lean particles. The method includes providing a mixture comprising a fluid, fat particles, and lean particles; introducing the mixture to an inlet of a chamber, wherein the chamber has an upper outlet and a lower outlet distal to the inlet; irradiating the mixture with UVc energy as the mixture is transferred through the chamber; allowing particles less dense than the fluid to be carried out from the chamber through the upper outlet; and allowing the particles more dense than the fluid to be carried out from the chamber through the lower outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignee: Safefresh Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Anthony J. M. Garwood
  • Patent number: 8568813
    Abstract: A method includes combining ground beef with liquid that contains carbon dioxide. The ground beef and liquid are added to a vessel. The ground beef contains relative light and heavy components. The components that are predominantly lean beef will settle to the bottom of the liquid, and components that are predominantly fat will rise to the surface of the liquid. The separated components having predominantly lean beef can be removed from the liquid as a reduced fat ground beef product. The method can be practiced with any material containing fat, including plants and animals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: SafeFresh Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Anthony J. M. Garwood
  • Publication number: 20130142928
    Abstract: A method for separating fat from lean. The method includes grinding chilled beef comprising fat and lean into a size resulting in particles that comprise predominantly fat and particles that comprise predominantly lean; combining the particles with a fluid to produce a mixture, wherein the fluid comprises water; and centrifuging the mixture to separate the fluid, and the particles comprising predominantly lean from the mixture.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2012
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: SafeFresh Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Anthony J.M. Garwood
  • Publication number: 20120231148
    Abstract: A method for the separation of fat from meat. The method includes providing individual pieces of meat containing lean and fat; subjecting the individual pieces of meat to cooling for a time sufficient to produce a difference in temperature between the fat and lean, wherein the fat is cooled such that the fat is friable and crumbles into finer particulates when subjected to a crushing force and the lean is cooled to a higher temperature than the fat and the lean is able to withstand a similar crushing force without substantially crumbling into smaller particulates; and with the fat and lean at the temperatures produced, subjecting the individual pieces of meat to a crushing force to separate particulates of fat from the individual pieces of meat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: SafeFresh Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Anthony J.M. Garwood
  • Patent number: 8178144
    Abstract: A centrifuge has an inner and an outer screw. The outer screw transfers material towards a cone-shaped section that leads to an outlet of the centrifuge. A mixture of meat components, liquid carbon dioxide, gas, and optionally water, is spun in the centrifuge. The dense components, such as lean meat, will accumulate away from the axis of rotation and be transferred by the outer screw towards the cone-shaped section. The less dense components, such as fat and adipose tissue, accumulate toward the center of rotation, and are transferred toward an outlet of the centrifuge via the inner screw. Gas accumulates in the proximity of the cone-shaped section and impedes liquid carbon dioxide from exiting with the dense components. The centrifuge is pressurized, which maintains carbon dioxide as a liquid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2012
    Assignee: SafeFresh Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Anthony J. M. Garwood
  • Patent number: 8101220
    Abstract: Apparatus and methods to non-thermally treat goods for human consumption with carbon dioxide. Apparatus and methods rely on multiple pressure changes of carbon dioxide to affect one of three processes. A first process rapidly freezes and thaws water on the surface of the goods in rapid succession multiple times to detrimentally affect pathogens. A second process raises the pressure and temperature of carbon dioxide to supercritical conditions to detrimentally affect the lipids in the membranes of pathogens. A third process adjusts the pressure to form a dense carbon dioxide liquid with a low pH that may also detrimentally affect pathogens. All processes may be repeated or performed in succession, or in any order. Optionally, thereafter, the goods may be stored at low temperature in substantially 100% carbon dioxide for further pathogen reduction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: SafeFresh Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Anthony J. M. Garwood
  • Patent number: 8012521
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for producing treated meat having a predetermined proportion of water in a container. The method includes treating meat that has lost water content through evaporation with an agent capable of killing bacteria together with an amount of water, wherein the amount of water corresponds to the amount of water that is lost through evaporation. The method provides meat being treated with a bactericidal agent as well as also providing meat with the predetermined amount of water for packaging.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: SafeFresh Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Anthony J. M. Garwood
  • Publication number: 20100112168
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating lean meat and/or fat from lean meat-containing material, including combining a particulate material with fluid carbon dioxide. The material and fluid is introduced into a vessel and is separated into low density and high density fractions. The material from the low density fraction is removed via an outlet and has a higher percentage of fat than the material introduced into the vessel. The material from the high density fraction is removed via an outlet and has a higher percentage of lean meat than the material introduced into the vessel. The vessel can include a centrifuge bowl or an inclined vessel. Separation is achieved via gravity or the application of an artificial force field, such as centrifugal force, to separate particulates high in density from those low in density.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: SafeFresh Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Anthony J.M. Garwood, Nicholas James Garwood
  • Patent number: 7666456
    Abstract: A method includes combining ground beef with liquid that contains carbon dioxide. The ground beef and liquid are added to a vessel. The ground beef contains relative light and heavy components. The components that are predominantly lean beef will settle to the bottom of the liquid, and components that are predominantly fat will rise to the surface of the liquid. The separated components having predominantly lean beef can be removed from the liquid as a reduced fat ground beef product. The method can be practiced with any material containing fat, including plants and animals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2010
    Assignee: SafeFresh Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Anthony J. M. Garwood
  • Publication number: 20090214733
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for separating lean meat and/or fat from lean meat-containing material, including combining a particulate material with fluid carbon dioxide. The material and fluid is introduced into a vessel and is separated into low density and high density fractions. The material from the low density fraction is removed via an outlet and has a higher percentage of fat than the material introduced into the vessel. The material from the high density fraction is removed via an outlet and has a higher percentage of lean meat than the material introduced into the vessel. The vessel can include a centrifuge bowl or an inclined vessel. Separation is achieved via gravity or the application of an artificial force field, such as centrifugal force, to separate particulates high in density from those low in density.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2006
    Publication date: August 27, 2009
    Applicant: SafeFresh Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Anthony J.M. Garwood
  • Patent number: 7575770
    Abstract: A method is provided for tracking ground meat to the animal or animals from which the meat was harvested. The method includes obtaining animal portions that have information that is associated with the animal portions. The animal portions are loaded into a conduit or a vessel that includes a meat grinder. The amount of portions entering the conduit or the vessel are measured. The portions are ground into ground meat, and the amount of ground meat leaving the conduit is again measured. With the aid of a computer, when the amount of ground meat leaving the conduit corresponds to an amount of the portions that enter the conduit, the information that had been associated with the unground animal portions can also be associated with the ground meat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2009
    Assignee: SafeFresh Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Anthony J. M. Garwood
  • Patent number: 7415428
    Abstract: A method for processing meat for a customer that includes receiving a selected specification for a meat product from a buyer device via a communication network. The method includes the step of processing the meat that is responsive to instructions from the seller device to provide a meat product having the selected specification.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: SafeFresh Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Anthony J. M. Garwood
  • Publication number: 20070292559
    Abstract: Processing and packaging for perishable goods, such as beef, in a conduit wherein oxygen is substantially excluded and suitable gases such as carbon dioxide are provided at a suitable pressure and in such a manner as to increase the quantity of the gases dissolved in the perishable goods to extend the shelf life of the goods and decontaminate the goods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2006
    Publication date: December 20, 2007
    Applicant: SafeFresh Technologies, LLC
    Inventor: Anthony Garwood