A method for processing carcasses of livestock, comprises the processing steps of: positioning a hanging livestock carcass; making an incision along the spine of the positioned hanging livestock carcass; loosening the meat from opposite sides of the feather bones of the spine; and splitting the spine of the carcass. A device for processing carcasses of livestock is arranged for enabling the process steps.

Embodiments of the invention relates to an antimicrobial composition comprising an alkyl pyrazine compound or mixture of compounds selected from the group consisting of 2-isobutyl-3-methylpyrazine, 2-isobutyl-3-methoxypyrazine, 2-isopropylpyrazine, 2-isobutylpyrazine and mixtures of methylpyrazines having one, two and three isopropyl or isobutyl substituents. Further embodiments of the invention relate to uses of alkyl pyrazine compounds, in particular for controlling microbial growth.

A method for detaching and enclosing an outer end of the rectum of a carcass comprises the processing steps of: releasing the outer end of the rectum; pulling the released outer end of the rectum out of the carcass; placing the pulled out outer end of the rectum onto a sheet of covering material; and positioning the sheet of covering material around the pulled out outer end of the rectum such that the sheet of covering material encloses the outer end of the rectum. A device is provided for detaching and enclosing an outer end of the rectum of a carcass.

The present invention is an improved system and method of automatic extraction. The system of automatic extraction includes a processing line, a pan, a bile source, an imaging system, a targeting system, and an extraction tool. The processing line moves one or more pans with one or more bile sources on each pan. An imaging system and targeting system coordinate to target bile sources with an extraction tool using a coordinate system. A method of automatic extraction includes locating a bile source on a coordinate system, targeting the bile source, puncturing the bile source with an extraction tool, extracting bile from a source, and storing the extracted bile.

A power operated scribe saw including a head assembly affixed to a handle assembly. The head assembly includes a frame body, a drive train and a cutting blade. The drive train includes a worm driveshaft and worm rotating about a longitudinal axis of rotation and a blade driveshaft and worm gear rotating about a transverse axis of rotation, the cutting blade rotating with the blade driveshaft. The frame body includes a longitudinal throughbore and a transversely extending recess extending into a first side wall, the throughbore including a seating surface. A worm driveshaft support assembly supports the worm driveshaft for rotation and includes a first bearing engaging the worm drive shaft between the distal end of the worm driveshaft and the worm and a second bearing on the seating surface of the throughbore and engaging the worm drive shaft between the proximal end of the driveshaft and the worm.

An apparatus, designed and configured for optically inspecting articles of the fish and meat processing industry, includes at least one imaging system which is arranged so as to be encapsulated on all sides in a housing and is configured for optically scanning the articles. The housing has a transparent viewing window and a protective element, forming a light-transmissive channel, and is releasably arranged on the outside of the housing to protect the viewing window from contamination. In addition, an arrangement for processing and inspecting the opened abdominal cavity of gutted fish, includes a conveying device configured for conveying the fish along a processing line in the longitudinal direction, which is characterised in that the arrangement comprises at least one apparatus configured for optically inspecting the abdominal cavity.

A system and method for creating an oxidation reduction potential (ORP) in water and for reducing the surface tension of the water for the microbiological decontamination of food animal carcasses. A method is also described for the microbiological decontamination of beef trimmings.

A tool, and a method using the tool, for skinning game animals. Specifically, the tool relates to a curved blade knife, sharpened on the curved, top edge, and possessing a spherical or non-spherical structure at the tip. The tool is used by forming a cut through the soft skin of a game animal, inserting the spherical or non-spherical structure through the cut, and pushing or pulling the blade such that the sharpened curved, top edge cuts through the skin and connective tissue. This tool and method takes advantage of the fact that the spherical or non-spherical structure at the tip of the blade is retained inside the skin and connective tissue of the game animal and the blade is automatically properly positioned to cut the skin of the game animal.

A method for processing an intact animal carcass comprises submerging a bled animal carcass in scalding water for at least 20 seconds to produce a scalded animal carcass, de-hairing the scalded animal carcass to produce a de-haired animal carcass, suspending the de-haired animal carcass, burning an epidermal layer of the de-haired animal carcass while suspended so that a majority of the epidermal layer is charred so as to produce a burnt animal carcass, pressure washing the burnt animal carcass to produce a pressure-washed animal carcass, eviscerating the pressure-washed animal carcass to produce an eviscerated animal carcass, internally washing the eviscerated animal carcass to produce an internally washed animal carcass, and chilling the internally washed animal carcass to a temperature of between 0 degrees Celsius and about 4 degrees Celsius to produce a chilled animal carcass.

A method for processing food products (12) includes transporting the food products by a first conveyor (11), an X-ray unit (13) positioned between the intake end and the discharge end of the first conveyor to acquire a first set of product-specific data relating to the food product transported. At least one first optical camera (17), assigned to the first conveyor, is used to acquire a second set of product-specific data relating to the food product. A control unit (18) is used to receive and integrate the first and second data sets to analyze the composition of the food product and determine parameters for the food product. Based on the determined parameters of the food product, the food product is cut with a cutting unit, under the control of the control unit.