One or more embodiments of the disclosure relates to an electrical servo knock out assembly for use with knock out cups in a food forming machine using an electrical linear servo motor and a return spring. The combination of the linear servo motor and return spring provides for a knock out assembly without the need for complex hydraulics or gearboxes.

High meat content extruded pet foods and methods of preparation thereof, preferably include initial treatment of a high moisture meat slurry to create a dewatered meat fraction and a liquid fraction. The liquid fraction is directed to an extruder, along with typical dry pet food ingredients, in order to create an extruded intermediate. This intermediate is then mixed with the dewatered meat fraction, and the mixture is then extruded and dried to create a final pet food. The methods may be carried out using separate processing systems each including a mixer, an extruder, and a drying assembly, in order to maximize production rates.

One variation of a system for forming a meat patty includes: a cylinder operable in a upright position and an inverted position; a piston running within the cylinder and defining a set of gas ports; a grinder configured to grind meat and to dispense a quantity of ground meat into the cylinder, in the upright position, during a grind cycle; an actuator system configured to transition the cylinder from the upright position to the inverted position during a dispense cycle to dispense the quantity of ground meat from the cylinder; and a gas supply configured to supply gas to the cylinder behind the piston at a first pressure during the grind cycle to limit ingress of ground meat into the gas ports and at a second pressure greater than the first pressure during the dispense cycle to dislodge the quantity of ground meat from the piston.

The present disclosure describes new meat products and new processing and cutting techniques that more effectively utilize an animal carcass. A boneless rib-meat product and method of producing the same are disclosed. The boneless meat product includes two boneless rib-meat portions, each boneless rib-meat portion has an interior side. The interior side includes alternating raised surfaces and depressions. The two boneless rib-meat portions are positioned together in a stacked configuration with the interior side of each boneless rib-meat portion oriented toward and in contact with the other. The raised surfaces of each boneless rib-meat portion are offset with each other such that the raised surfaces of each boneless rib-meat portion are positioned within a corresponding depression of the other boneless rib-meat portion. The stacked boneless rib-meat portions are secured together via cooking to cause the boneless rib-meat portions to bind together.

A meat dewatering assembly (10) includes a support frame (12), a twin screw dewatering unit (14), a drive assembly (16) coupled with the unit (14), and a perforated housing (60). The unit (14) has a pair of tapered, non-parallel, intermeshed, helically flighted screws (52, 54) presenting nip clearances (59) between the fighting (55). The drive assembly (16) serves to counter-rotate the screws (52, 54). In use, emulsified meat is passed into the housing (60) during counter-rotation of the screws (52, 54), in order to compress the meat within the clearances (59) and thereby express water from the meat. Adjustment collars (38) permit selective size alteration of the nip clearances (59).

A meat dewatering assembly (10) includes a support frame (12), a twin screw dewatering unit (14), a drive assembly (16) coupled with the unit (14), and a perforated housing (60). The unit (14) has a pair of tapered, non-parallel, intermeshed, helically flighted screws (52, 54) presenting nip clearances (59) between the fighting (55). The drive assembly (16) serves to counter-rotate the screws (52, 54). In use, emulsified meat is passed into the housing (60) during counter-rotation of the screws (52, 54), in order to compress the meat within the clearances (59) and thereby express water from the meat. Adjustment collars (38) permit selective size alteration of the nip clearances (59).

The present invention relates to a system for picking up, conveying, and delivering a foodstuff product to a processing machine which preferably has an upright magazine tube, said system including: a handling device, a gripping device releasably attachable to the handling device, a transporting apparatus, and a control unit; wherein the transporting apparatus has a transporting portion on which the foodstuff product that is to be picked up by the gripping device may be positioned in a pick-up position allowing the foodstuff product to be picked up by the gripping device, and the control unit is connected at least to the handling device of the gripping device and to the transporting apparatus; wherein the control unit is configured for detecting when the foodstuff product to be picked up has reached the pick-up position.

A meat dewatering assembly (10) includes a support frame (12), a twin screw dewatering unit (14), a drive assembly (16) coupled with the unit (14), and a perforated housing (60). The unit (14) has a pair of tapered, non-parallel, intermeshed, helically flighted screws (52, 54) presenting nip clearances (59) between the fighting (55). The drive assembly (16) serves to counter-rotate the screws (52, 54). In use, emulsified meat is passed into the housing (60) during counter-rotation of the screws (52, 54), in order to compress the meat within the clearances (59) and thereby express water from the meat. Adjustment collars (38) permit selective size alteration of the nip clearances (59).

An improved process for the manufacturing of emulsion-type sausages into a flattened form-factor that does not require the use of individual molds.

A movable contact element for a pressing device for pressing meat products, in particular frozen and/or partly frozen meat products, preferably fresh meat products and/or bacon, comprises a base part; an attachment part; a transverse sliding part; and a height part that are connected to one another at respective connection points and that form a contact surface for a product at one side of the contact element during the pressing. The contact surface has an effective length along a first direction of extent and an effective width along a second direction of extent perpendicular to the first direction of extent, with the effective length and the effective width of the contact surface being variable.