A chiller bath includes a tank for holding a volume of chiller water; a dosing system for dosing a first solution and a second solution into the chiller water, arranged to create a plurality of zones within the volume of water, wherein each zone has a higher concentration of either the first or the second solution than surrounding portions of the volume of water; and a meat or poultry immersion arrangement for immersing and moving carcasses in the chiller water. A method for reducing bacterial load on meat or poultry includes generating a plurality of zones within a chiller bath containing water by dosing a source of alkalinity and antimicrobial into the water, wherein the plurality of zones comprises at least one alkaline zone with a pH above 8.5, and at least one antimicrobial zone with pH below 8.5; and submersing meat or poultry in the bath. The zones can also be generated using spray nozzles in a meat or poultry operation.

A chiller bath includes a tank for holding a volume of chiller water; a dosing system for dosing a first solution and a second solution into the chiller water, arranged to create a plurality of zones within the volume of water, wherein each zone has a higher concentration of either the first or the second solution than surrounding portions of the volume of water; and a meat or poultry immersion arrangement for immersing and moving carcasses in the chiller water. A method for reducing bacterial load on meat or poultry includes generating a plurality of zones within a chiller bath containing water by dosing a source of alkalinity and antimicrobial into the water, wherein the plurality of zones comprises at least one alkaline zone with a pH above 8.5, and at least one antimicrobial zone with pH below 8.5; and submersing meat or poultry in the bath. The zones can also be generated using spray nozzles in a meat or poultry operation.

A conveyor system 24 carries work items, such as flexible, pliable, food products 22, through a scanning system 28 which generates data pertaining to various physical parameters of the food products. Thereafter, the food products are transported through a processing station which may be in the form of a portioning system 30. Next, the portioned food products are transported to a harvesting system 32 utilizing a actuator 34 to unload the food product portions 36 by vacuuming the portions into a nozzle 90. Such food products are transported to one or more desired locations through a hose/tube connected to a nozzle or may be launched through the air in a trajectory aimed at the desired placement location.

A conveyor system 24 carries work items, such as flexible, pliable, food products 22, through a scanning system 28 which generates data pertaining to various physical parameters of the food products. Thereafter, the food products are transported through a processing station which may be in the form of a portioning system 30. Next, the portioned food products are transported to a harvesting system 32 utilizing a actuator 34 to unload the food product portions 36 by vacuuming the portions into a nozzle 90. Such food products are transported to one or more desired locations through a hose/tube connected to a nozzle or may be launched through the air in a trajectory aimed at the desired placement location.

A tidal rotating oyster shaper and cleaner apparatus has an outer frame, a containment cage supported by the outer frame, and a plurality of containers designed to hold oysters, the containers being located and maintained within the containment cage. A circular end member having outwardly extending teeth which circumscribes the end member, is mounted on each lateral end of the containment cage. At least one passive energy capturing pawl is configured to contact and engage the teeth, such that upon the introduction of a source of passive energy, the pawl is caused to rotate. This results in the rotation of the end members, the containment cage, and the containers, which thereby rotates the oysters within the containers. Continual rotation of the oysters serves to shape and clean the oysters.

A device is for cracking a shell of a food item. The device has a first plier, a second plier and a pivot rotatably connecting the first plier with the second plier for enabling the food item, when arranged between the pliers, to be compressed between the pliers by a rotation of the pliers towards each other. The device further comprises a lockable spacing arrangement having an acceleration dependent locking device adapted to permit the rotation of the two pliers towards each other if an acceleration of the rotation is below a threshold value and adapted to lock the rotation of the two pliers towards each other if the acceleration of the rotation is equal to or exceeding said threshold value.

A device is for cracking a shell of a food item. The device has a first plier, a second plier and a pivot rotatably connecting the first plier with the second plier for enabling the food item, when arranged between the pliers, to be compressed between the pliers by a rotation of the pliers towards each other. The device further comprises a lockable spacing arrangement having an acceleration dependent locking device adapted to permit the rotation of the two pliers towards each other if an acceleration of the rotation is below a threshold value and adapted to lock the rotation of the two pliers towards each other if the acceleration of the rotation is equal to or exceeding said threshold value.

An inspection station and a method of inspecting products for anomalies. The inspection station comprises a trough and a light source. The trough channels a flow of product-laden water along its length. The light source illuminates the product through the water from below, making product anomalies detectable by visual inspection. In that way, products with anomalies, such as shrimp with residual veins, can be culled and reprocessed.

A method for inspecting peeled shrimp by human operators in a culling station illuminated by ambient visible light and in a dark shell-detection booth illuminated by ultraviolet (UV) lamps. The UV radiation emitted by the lamps is filtered to remove visible light from the filtered UV irradiating the shrimp in the dark booth. Irradiated shrimp shell fluoresces and is detectable by the naked eye. A human operator in the dark booth detects the fluorescing shell and removes those shrimps.

A novel method for automated extraction of crawfish tail meat comprises placing cooked crawfish on a tray having a bottom slot, applying a downward pressure to the cooked crawfish, extending a rotating brush through the bottom slot to urge the cooked crawfish into a horizontally exposed position, extending a rotating blade through the bottom slot to an incision, then applying a vacuum force to the bottom slot simultaneous to an increase in the downward pressure, causing the cooked crawfish to bulge and the tail meat to be extracted through the slot, after which the carcass is ejected. A plurality of trays can either be rotated in a circular path or conveyed along a linear path above the various tools as cooked crawfish are loaded and carcasses are ejected.