Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of meat processing, and in particular the recovery and reuse of solutions injected into meat products. Methods are provided for injecting meat products with an injection solution, compressing the meat product to recover excess injection solution, and reusing the recovered excess injection solution to inject additional meat products. The present invention also provides systems and apparatuses for carrying out these methods. The present invention also provides meat products produced by these methods.

Abstract: Apparatus device and method improved slicing of large food sticks, loaves and the like are provided. A slicing blade which may have a top flat surface or top flat land width along its cutting edge provides generally longitudinal forces on the food product being sliced, which forces are in a direction generally opposite to the direction through which the food products are fed through a slicing apparatus. The slicing blade includes a bottom primary bevel surface and typically steep primary angle for imparting angularly directed forces on the food products being sliced so as to throw the slices at a generally corresponding deposit angle. The invention is particularly important in improving handling of large luncheon meat sticks including non-frozen, high water content and reduced fat content luncheon meat sticks.

Abstract: Sources of neat having a high fat content, such as pork trimmings, are processed in a manner by which meat products prepared therefrom have a dramatically reduced fat content while retaining the desirable functionality of the unprocessed meat sources. The fat-containing meat trimmings or the like are comminuted, phosphated, heated and centrifuged under specific processing conditions in order to provide unformulated raw low-fat or no-fat meat having a fat content of not greater than about 1.5 percent by weight while having excellent functionality.

Abstract: Bacon products having very low fat contents are provided from high fat sources which can include pork trimmings. The bacon products are made from a composite of two low-fat meat components. In an illustrated arrangement, one of the low-fat meat components is processed from high-fat content meat trimmings which are comminuted, heated and centrifuged, preferably in conjunction with being phosphated, under specific processing conditions. The second low-fat component in the illustrated arrangement is desinewed to remove substantial amounts of fat associated with the sinew that is mechanically removed from whole muscle tissue. The bacon product has a total fat content of not greater than about 5 percent by weight. It can be of the no-fat or fat-free variety within which fat contents which meet the regulatory definition will vary depending upon the particular type of product being made. Fat contents can be not greater than about 3.

Abstract: Apparatus and method are provided for temperature calibration of a microwave sensor unit used in non-destructively measuring and monitoring meat parameters such as fat, protein, and moisture content of a meat supply presented into the sensor unit. The apparatus implementing the method provides for separating the portion of the meat supply exceeding a maximum allowable meat parameter. The method provides for temperature calibration of the microwave sensor unit by processing microwave signal and temperature measurements of meat samples in combination with laboratory analysis data of the same meat samples to obtain temperature-corrected value of meat parameter measurements of the supply of meat presented into the sensor unit.

Abstract: Apparatus, device and method for improved slicing of large food sticks, loaves and the like are provided. A slicing blade which has a top flat surface or top flat land width along its cutting edge provides generally longitudinal forces on the food product being sliced, which forces are in a direction generally opposite to the direction through which the food products are fed through a slicing apparatus. The slicing blade includes a bottom primary bevel land width surface and an advantageous primary angle for imparting improved stack and slice uniformity and for controlling package overfill. The slicing blade also exhibits a long slicing blade surface which follows an Archimedean spiral. The invention is particularly important in improving handling of large luncheon meat sticks, especially non-frozen, high water content and reduced fat content luncheon meat sticks.

Abstract: Bacon products having very low fat contents are provided from high fat sources which can include pork trimmings. The bacon products are made from a composite of two low-fat meat components. One of the low-fat meat components is processed from high-fat content meat trimmings which are comminuted, heated and centrifuged, preferably in conjunction with being phosphated, under specific processing conditions. The second low-fat component is desinewed to remove substantial amounts of fat associated with the sinew that is mechanically removed from whole muscle tissue. The bacon product has a total fat content of not greater than about 5 percent by weight.

Abstract: Fat free meat products are provided which incorporate whole muscle components that are selectively and precisely separated from larger whole muscle groups, such as hams. The whole muscle components have a weight percent fat of not greater than 1.5, usually less. A brine composition is also incorporated. The fat free meat products have a fat percentage of about 0.9 weight percent or below. Typically, the fat free meat also includes finely textured reduced fat meat such as that processed by grinding and centrifuging. Residual trim cuts formed during subdivision of the whole muscle groups are greatly reduced in fat content by removing gristle or connective tissue or other fatty tissue from these residual trim cuts.

Abstract: Sources of raw meat having a high fat content, such as pork trimmings, are processed in a manner by which meat products prepared therefrom have a dramatically reduced fat content while retaining the desirable functionality of the unprocessed meat sources. The fat-containing raw meat trimmings are comminuted, phosphated, heated and centrifuged under specific processing conditions in order to provide unformulated raw low-fat or no-fat meat having a fat content of not greater than about 1.5 percent by weight while having excellent functionality. The unformulated reduced fat raw meat is formable into a variety of familiar meat products, including wieners, sausages and hamburger patties, thereby providing products having taste, appearance, texture and other qualities which are substantially indistinguishable from products prepared from higher fat unformulated raw meats but which have very low fat contents. The phosphate use accounts for a fat reduction of from about 10% to about 40%.

Abstract: Fat free meat products are provided which incorporate whole muscle components that are selectively and precisely separated from larger whole muscle groups, such as hams. The whole muscle components have a weight percent fat of not greater than 1.5. The fat free meat products have a fat percentage of about 0.9 weight percent or below. Typically, the fat free meat also includes finely textured reduced fat meat such as that processed by grinding and centrifuging. Residual trim cuts, formed during subdivision of the whole muscle groups, are greatly reduced in fat content by removing gristle or connective tissue or other fatty tissue from these residual trim cuts.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for honing, sharpening or grinding a curved peripheral cutting surface of a slicer blade are provided. Included is the use of one of a set of interchangeable cams that generally follows the curved shape of the blade cutting surface, whether same has a constant radius or varying radii. In order to minimize downtime and sanitation operations, the honing is accomplished off-line of the slicer equipment. Preferably, the slicer blade remains perfectly flat during honing, and the movement of one or more honing or grinding wheels is closely controlled so as to provide honed or ground cutting edges which are of substantially uniform width throughout their respective peripheries. Honing is accomplished in accordance with objectively measured sharpness standards by which superior sharpness levels are attained.

Abstract: A forced air defrost tunnel apparatus and method are provided for accomplishing carefully controlled defrosting of large quantities of bulk frozen food, such as pork, beef, lamb, chicken and turkey in whole muscle form, as well as bacon bellies and fish. The principle support for and shape of the defrost tunnel is provided by a stack or train of stacks of frozen proteinaceous food boxes or bundles that alternate with support spacer racks. An air containment device, preferably consisting primarily of a tarp, is closely secured over the stack or train of stacks. A supply of high pressure air at a temperature greater than that of the frozen food is forced through the defrost tunnel and flows through passageways within the support spacer racks.

Abstract: An apparatus for macerating meat-type products includes a pair of counterrotating shafts, each of which contains a one-piece arbor having an integral assembly of alternating radially projecting and axially extending teeth members and spacer members. A plurality of open channels are defined by the spacer members disposed between adjacent radially projecting teeth members. Each of the teeth members has a peripheral outer edge which penetrates the products passing through the counterrotating arbors in the axial plane.

Abstract: Freshly killed meat carcasses are processed in a manner by which meat products prepared therefrom do not exhibit the pale, soft and exudative characteristics which are undesirable in meat products. Each fresh carcass is subjected to a conditioning procedure. In that conditioning procedure, at least a portion of the carcass, such as the ham portion of a hog, is slit in order to form a pocket therewithin. In the preferred embodiment, the pocket is formed generally between the primary hind leg muscles of a hog and generally along its femur. Then, a quantity of solid carbon dioxide is inserted into the pocket area formed by the slit, preferably while the carcass is within a meat cooler environment. During the relatively short time that the solid carbon dioxide is fully sublimed, the temperature within the inside and throughout the area treated is reduced. This procedure is accomplished rapidly enough so that the onset of pale, soft and exudative characteristics is substantially prevented.

Abstract: A method for cooking meat in a bag wherein a cling film is vacuum sealed and shrunk around the meat, said cling film having a cavity for forming the meat. Next, the cling film is surrounded by an outer film which is vacuum sealed and shrunk around the cling film. The outer film has a softening point above the cooking temperature of the meat. The meat is then heated in the bag to the cooking temperature of the meat. It is found that when this invention is employed that there is minimum purge formed in the bagged cooked product.