A deveining system efficiently removes veins from shrimp while preserving the meat of the shrimp in both appearance and quantity. The deveining system comprises an endless deveining wall having outwardly-extending snagging tabs. Water flooding a deveining region creates a vacuum effect to pull exposed veins through openings formed by the snagging tabs, followed by separation of the body of the shrimp from the veins.

Methods and systems using a vision system to process shrimp. The in-line or off-line vision system captures images of samples of shrimps. The processor produces a digital image of the shrimps in the samples. Shrimps exiting a peeler are imaged to determine the number of tail segments in or the percentage of full weight of each. The shrimps are classified by the number of intact segments, and quality, yield, and throughput computed from the classification results. The processor can control operational settings of the peeler based on the classification results. In a larger system including other shrimp-processing equipment besides the peeler, other points along the processing path can be imaged by camera or sensed by other sensors to determine processing quality and to make automatic operational adjustments to the equipment.

A shrimp deveining machine with adjustable blades. The deveiner has an inclined trough with groups of blades arranged in a zig-zag pattern. The trough is lubricated by water to help shrimps advance along the blades, which slit the shrimps' backs to expose their veins. Blade-height adjusters adjust the height of the blades above the trough. Blade-angle adjusters adjust the angles of the blades relative to the length direction of the trough. Magnets are used to hold the blades in place for easy replacement. A feed tank at the entrance to the trough includes a serpentine path to separate the shrimps.

An improved apparatus for processing sea cucumbers having stages for orienting/aligning, cutting, splitting, flattening, eviscerating and cleaning the sea cucumber, and for collecting the eviscerated innards. A method for the automated splitting and evisceration of sea cucumbers using the apparatus of the present disclosure. A flattening plate and trough during the orienting/aligning step relax the sea cucumber and discourage its defence mechanisms. A wedge shaped flattening plate splits and flattens the sea cucumber immediately after the incision. Pronged discs maintain positioning of the sea cucumber during an aggressive wash and brush cleaning cycle, which may be repeated. Optionally, a vacuum may suction off a portion of the innards prior to cleaning.

An improved apparatus for processing sea cucumbers having stages for orienting/aligning, cutting, splitting, flattening, eviscerating and cleaning the sea cucumber, and for collecting the eviscerated innards. A method for the automated splitting and evisceration of sea cucumbers using the apparatus of the present disclosure. A flattening plate and trough during the orienting/aligning step relax the sea cucumber and discourage its defence mechanisms. A wedge shaped flattening plate splits and flattens the sea cucumber immediately after the incision. Pronged discs maintain positioning of the sea cucumber during an aggressive wash and brush cleaning cycle, which may be repeated. Optionally, a vacuum may suction off a portion of the innards prior to cleaning.

A shrimp processing system conveys raw peeled shrimps to an imaging chamber in which shrimp bits and shrimps with residual shell are detected and diverted from the stream of acceptable shrimps allowed to pass on to downstream processing. An ultraviolet (UV) light source in the imaging chamber is constantly on. A visual inspection system takes images of the passing stream of shrimp when a white-light source is turned on to illuminate an exposure region to detect bits, clumps of shrimps, and acceptable individual shrimps. The visual inspection system takes images of the passing stream when the white-light source is turned off and the exposure region is subjected only to ultraviolet radiation. The visual inspection system detects shrimps with residual shell in the UV images. Shrimp bits and shrimps with residual shell are diverted from the stream of shrimps by air jet nozzles to corresponding reject destinations.

Methods and systems using a vision system to process shrimp. The in-line or off-line vision system captures images of samples of shrimps. The processor produces a digital image of the shrimps in the samples. Shrimps exiting a peeler are imaged to determine the number of tail segments in or the percentage of full weight of each. The shrimps are classified by the number of intact segments, and quality, yield, and throughput computed from the classification results. The processor can control operational settings of the peeler based on the classification results. In a larger system including other shrimp-processing equipment besides the peeler, other points along the processing path can be imaged by camera or sensed by other sensors to determine processing quality and to make automatic operational adjustments to the equipment.

An improved apparatus for processing sea cucumbers having stages for orienting/aligning, cutting, splitting, flattening, eviscerating and cleaning the sea cucumber, and for collecting the eviscerated innards. A method for the automated splitting and evisceration of sea cucumbers using the apparatus of the present disclosure. A flattening plate and trough during the orienting/aligning step relax the sea cucumber and discourage its defence mechanisms. A wedge shaped flattening plate splits and flattens the sea cucumber immediately after the incision. Pronged discs maintain positioning of the sea cucumber during an aggressive wash and brush cleaning cycle, which may be repeated. Optionally, a vacuum may suction off a portion of the innards prior to cleaning.

An assembly for cleaning and cooking seafood or crustacea has a container with an interior volume defined by a wall, a basket removably received in the interior volume of the container, a pipe positioned adjacent to the wall and having a plurality of apertures adapted to direct the flow of water into an interior of the basket, a connector fluidically connected to the pipe, and a pot spaced from the container. The container has a bottom and an upper edge. The basket has a plurality of openings through a wall thereof. The connector has a portion extending outwardly of the wall of the container. The basket is removably received in the pot.

An assembly for cleaning and cooking seafood or crustacea has a container with an interior volume defined by a wall, a basket removably received in the interior volume of the container, a pipe positioned adjacent to the wall and having a plurality of apertures adapted to direct the flow of water into an interior of the basket, a connector fluidically connected to the pipe, and a pot spaced from the container. The container has a bottom and an upper edge. The basket has a plurality of openings through a wall thereof. The connector has a portion extending outwardly of the wall of the container. The basket is removably received in the pot.