Abstract: Material to be irradiated is passed through the irradiation zone of an ionizing electron beam diode accelerator in thin sheet form that is not more than about one-half an inch in thickness and preferably in close contact with the anode of such accelerator. The thin sheet may be flat or tubular, depending upon the type of accelerator utilized.

Abstract: A machine for segregating meat from bone, heavy tissue, and skin and having a material conveying screw mounted for rotation within a perforated conduit serving as a screen through which the meat is extruded as the bone, heavy tissue, and skin are conveyed toward the discharge end of the machine, is provided with a cutter ring with a cutting face against which the bone, heavy tissue, and skin are projected and cut before discharge. The conveying screw is preferably a cutter screw having a spiral flight which bears against the inside of the screen and contacts the margins of the perforations of the screen in a close cutting action as the screw rotates. Feeding cut meat and bone into the machine and operating the machine constitutes the method of the invention.

Abstract: The disclosed machine is adapted to separate meat and other soft components from bone and other relatively hard components of meat, fish and other food materials, pieces of which are dumped into a hopper containing a pair of overlapping, oppositely rotating left and right hand feed screws for feeding the pieces into overlapping pump bores in a pump casing. The pump bores are provided with oppositely rotating left and right hand pump screws for pumping the pieces along the bores to develop pumping pressure, whereby the pieces are forced into a hollow separator casing having a tubular tapering separator screen with a multiplicity of perforations therein. A tapered pressure auger is rotatable in the screen for pressing meat and other soft components through the perforations while transporting bone and other hard components past the screen to a discharge device for discharging the hard components while maintaining pressure in the separator casing.

Abstract: Readily disassembled and reassembled apparatus for extruding composite food products, especially simulated slab bacon, includes an extrusion assembly comprising a die having a housing within which extend a plurality of individual die conduits from a front wall provided with openings leading into the die conduits. The space surrounding the die conduits within the housing form die passages interleaved with the die conduits. Means are provided for extruding a food material through the front wall openings and through the die conduits into a convergent discharge conduit removably attached to the housing. Separable supply conduits connect a pressure source of supply of a different food material with the housing at opposite sides thereof as well as between such opposite sides.

Abstract: A coextrusion apparatus and method for producing simulated cuts of meat from fat and lean meat is improved by providing in the apparatus, means for the controlled heating of parts of the discharge structure leading from the coextrusion die or of the die structure or of both structures to a temperature during the extrusion procedure substantially no greater than will melt fat interfaced with such structure. The preferred heating means is a water jacket supplied with hot water of suitable temperature.

Abstract: Cooked potato pieces containing the skins, eyes, and hard defective flesh portions of the whole potatoes from which such pieces are prepared are fed into one end of a perforated conduit having perforations that are only large enough to pass the potato flesh, and are transported along the length of such conduit by a conveyor screw while pressure is exerted sufficient to pass only the potato flesh through the perforations, with minimal, if any, damage to the cells thereof. Potato mash substantially free of skins, eyes, and hard defective flesh portions is collected from the outer face of the conduit as the principal product of the process, while the rejected potato skins, eyes, and hard defective flesh portions are discharged at the opposite end of the conduit as a by-product useful for animal feed or otherwise.

Abstract: Material obtained from animals, poultry, or fish and containing edible flesh along with normally inedible relatively hard or tough components, such as bone, gristle, tendons, etc., is fed in ground condition into one end of a perforated conduit that has a conveyor srew therein which progressively decreases in conveying capacity from the feed end of the conduit to an imperforate discharge end thereof. Such inedible components are compacted within the imperforate discharge end of the conduit by an extension of the conveyor screw prior to discharge following build-up and conveyance along the interior surface of the perforate portion of the conduit as a filter mat through which edible flesh is forced toward and through the perforations of the conduit to provide a substantially bone-free edible product. The discharge passage surrounding the .[.exeension.]. .Iadd.extension .Iaddend.

Abstract: Material obtained from animals, poultry, or fish and containing edible flesh along with normally inedible relatively hard or tough components, such as bone, gristle, tendons, etc., is fed in ground condition into one end of a perforated conduit that has a conveyor screw therein which progressively decreases in conveying capacity from the feed end of the conduit to an imperforate discharge end thereof. Such inedible components are compacted within the imperforate discharge end of the conduit by an extension of the conveyor screw prior to discharge following build-up and conveyance along the interior surface of the perforate portion of the conduit as a filter mat through which edible flesh is forced toward and through the perforations of the conduit to provide a substantially bonefree edible product.

Abstract: Material obtained from animals, poultry, or fish and containing edible flesh along with normally inedible relatively hard or tough components, such as bone, gristle, tendons, etc., is fed in ground condition into one end of a perforated conduit that has a conveyor screw therein which progressively decreases in conveying capacity from the feed end of the conduit to an imperforate discharge end thereof. Such inedible components are compacted within the imperforate discharge end of the conduit by an extension of the conveyor screw prior to discharge following build-up and conveyance along the interior surface of the perforate portion of the conduit as a filter mat through which edible flesh is forced toward and through the perforations of the conduit to provide a substantially bonefree edible product.