Abstract: The essence of the method of extracting or recovering meat of small crustaceans, e.g. antarctic krill, resides in that crustaceans are introduced into an air flow relative to the surface of the crustaceans at a given velocity required for creating a pressure drop across the internal space or cavity of the crustaceans and the air flow. Consequently, the inter-cavity pressure breaks up the shell and destroys the links between the muscular tissue and other components. When the crustaceans proceed along a helical path, the muscular tissue can be completely separated at the final stage of the treatment. The treatment of crustaceans is performed in stages, the air flow velocity relative to the surface of the crustaceans at the first treatment stage being about 500 m/s, at the second stage--from 200 to 300 m/s, and at the third stage--from 100 to 200 m/s.

Abstract: The disclosed apparatus for extracting meat of small crustaceans comprises a mechanism for breaking up the shell of the crustaceans including a diffuser, and a mechanism for separating the meat from other components of the crustaceans. The separating mechanism includes a vertical vessel filled with a working fluid, communicating with a chamber for feeding the mixture of the meat with other components of the crustaceans, a line for removing the meat of the crustaceans and means for removing the rest of the components. The upper zone of the vertical vessel flares outwardly. The conduit connecting the mixture feed chamber with the vertical vessel is preferably located in the latter's upper zone. Preferably, a working fluid supply conduit is arranged at the central zone of the vessel. The lower zone of the latter, narrows downwardly and is connected with the meat removal line incorporating a liquid-type ejector.

Abstract: An apparatus for recovering the meat of small crustaceans comprises a loading mechanism, a mechanism for destroying the shell and separating it from the meat, including a receiving bell-mouth, a plain-wall curving duct with a rectilinear portion and a connection for feeding the working fluid. The connection includes a nozzle coaxial with the rectilinear portion of the duct, the latter being adjoined by a helical passage terminating in a diffuser. The invention enables recovering the meat of crustaceans in the form of a solid lump of the muscular tissue, devoid of the shell, liver, lipides, gastrointestinal tract and other impurities, and to use this meat for production of high-quality canned krill meat.