A processing line for harvesting hearts from viscera packages taken out from poultry carcasses. An apparatus with an infeed section below a conveying track to mechanically grip the viscera package. The infeed section is equipped to transfer the viscera package from which the gizzard is removed to a processing section. An outfeed section that follows the processing section, which outfeed section is arranged to make the heart as separated from the viscera package available at an outlet for the heart.

A method for producing a mock chicken wing drumette from a thigh by a unique cut process comprising the steps of trimming off all but 0.787 inches (2 cm) of the thigh meat from the left side of the thigh bone; trimming off an equal amount of thigh meat from the right side of the thigh bone; trimming off a section of thigh meat at the ball joint by a 30-degree offset undercut to leave the ball joint protruding and accessible, frenching the ball joint, and retracting meat remain the ball joint back along the thigh bone to leave approximately a 0.25-1″ length of thigh bone protruding at the ball joint and a ball of bunched meat at the opposing end of the thigh bone. This resembles a chicken wing drumette and provides a wing-like experience when eating Buffalo style.

An apparatus 10 for removing the skin of poultry pieces at a skinning station 12 includes an infeed conveyor 14 for transporting or feeding poultry pieces to the skinning station 12. The infeed conveyor 14 includes an endless belt 16 that is trained around an end roller 18 at the downstream end of the infeed conveyor. A pinch block 20 is configured with a concave pinch surface 22 having curvature closely following the curvature of the endless belt 16 trained around the end roller 18 to define a narrow gap 24 therebetween for capturing the skin of the poultry piece and forcing the skin through the gap 24, thereby pulling the skin away from the underlying flesh of the poultry piece. A transfer roller 26 assists in transferring the skinned poultry piece to an outfeed conveyor 28. A hold down structure 30 is provided for applying downward pressure on the poultry piece as the poultry piece is carried by the infeed conveyor 14 towards the skinning station 12, while the poultry skin is being removed, and also while the skinned poultry piece is being transferred to the outfeed conveyor 28.

A method for producing a mock chicken wing drumette from a thigh by a unique cut process comprising the steps of trimming off all but 0.787 inches (2 cm) of the thigh meat from the left side of the thigh bone; trimming off an equal amount of thigh meat from the right side of the thigh bone; trimming off a section of thigh meat at the ball joint by a 30-degree offset undercut to leave the ball joint protruding and accessible, frenching the ball joint, and retracting meat remain the ball joint back along the thigh bone to leave approximately a 0.25-1″ length of thigh bone protruding at the ball joint and a ball of bunched meat at the opposing end of the thigh bone. This resembles a chicken wing drumette and provides a wing-like experience when eating Buffalo style.

Embodiments of the present disclosure provide an auger dip apparatus for the application of antimicrobial solution to raw food. Embodiments of the present disclosure may use an auger as a single moving part to move the food work pieces through the application area for antimicrobial solution. Embodiments of the present disclosure are simple with only one moving auger part to move the food pieces, and the bearing for the moving part, supporting the shaft of the auger, may be configured to be outside of the cabinet with the reservoir of the antimicrobial solution, so that the bearing is not in contact with the antimicrobial solution. This provides for less maintenance and downtime, particularly unscheduled downtime, than a system using more complicated exposed parts. The present disclosure also permits a more compact and lighter configuration for an assembled application unit.

A roasting rack and carving board system includes a roasting rack having a number of spaced support members that support a food item. The system also includes a carving board that has a body with a cutting surface. The body and cutting surface features a number of grooves that receive the spaced support members of the roasting rack so that at least portions of some of the plurality of spaced support members are recessed into the carving board body with respect to the cutting surface.

An apparatus for transporting poultry bodies/parts has a transport saddle fastened to a transport unit. A holding apparatus fastens the saddle to the unit, and has a receptacle body for the unit and a fastening body for the saddle. The fastening body is releasably and rotatably connected to the body. The holding apparatus has a latching device to lock the fastening body and saddle, having a latching lever and two latching bolts. The lever on a main body of the receptacle body pivots from a locking position where the lever engaged the bolt into a release position where the lever is out of engagement with the bolt. A first actuating member actuates the lever from the locking into the release position and a second actuating member rotates the fastening body in the release position. First and second magnetic elements with unlike poles pull the lever into the locking position.

A poultry shackle and a method and system for adjusting a height of a poultry shackle. The shackle includes a carrier having a bore, a shaft extending through the bore, wherein the shaft is movable relative to the carrier along an axial direction of the bore, and a retainer, movable relative to the carrier at an angle, such as substantially perpendicular to. the axial direction. The retainer is movable between a first and second position. In the first position the retainer engages the shaft for maintaining the shaft in a predetermined axial position relative to the carrier. In the second position the retainer releases the shaft for allowing axial movement of the shaft relative to the carrier.

A carcass cleaning system. Specifically, a system for cleaning an animal carcass using potable water passed through an offline treatment system and the application of this treated water to the surface of the carcass, for example, by running through a bath or by spraying or nebulisation at or onto the surface of the carcass. The invention finds utility in the fields of butchery and slaughtering of animals in the preparation for sale as meat.

The technology as disclosed herein includes a method and apparatus for deboning a meat item, and more particular for deboning a poultry item including performing an initial shoulder cut for removing boneless breast meat from the poultry carcass or frame. The method and apparatus disclosed and claimed herein is a combination of a robotic arm including an ultrasonic knife implement and a vision system for varying the cut path based on the shape and size of the poultry item. The combination as claimed including the ultrasonic knife can perform a meat cut while penetrating the meat with less force than the typical penetration that occurs when using a traditional knife.