A conveyor device is provided for conveying food products in stacks or interleaved units made of a plurality of slices of cheese or meat products. The conveyor device formats the food products in a specific product format on a plurality of parallel conveyor tracks, and fills a product gap on one of the plurality of parallel conveyor tracks incoming on the input side with a food product so that on the output side all parallel conveyor tracks are supplied with the food products. At least one product sensor is configured to detect a supply of food product on each conveyor track incoming on the input side.

A system for processing food products to be sliced or to be divided comprises a processing line that comprises a plurality of work stations and a single-track or multi-track transport device for transporting the products along a transport path from work station to work station, wherein at least one of the work stations has a means for determining at least one parameter, and wherein the means is connected to an evaluation and control device that is configured to generate a control signal in dependence on the at least one parameter.

A packaging machine 20 includes a feeding system 22 for delivering and positioning work products, in registry with a chute system 28 as well as in registry with a pushing system 26 for pushing the work products through a stuffing tube 24 of the chute system 28. The chute system 28 also includes a plurality of individual chute assemblies 30, each constructed with an elongate chute 32 positionable in registry with the stuffing tube 24 for receiving the food products from the stuffing tube and guiding the work product into packaging material 34 which has been shined over the elongate chute. The plurality of chute assemblies 30 are mounted on a transverse mounting structure 44 to slide along the mounting structure to sequentially position chute assemblies, loaded with packaging material, in alignment with the stuffing tube 24 to receive the work products. Additional chute assemblies 30 are positionable on either side of the chute assembly in use.

A packaging machine 20 includes a feeding system 22 for delivering and positioning work products, in registry with a chute system 28 as well as in registry with a pushing system 26 for pushing the work products through a stuffing tube 24 of the chute system 28. The chute system 28 also includes a plurality of individual chute assemblies 30, each constructed with an elongate chute 32 positionable in registry with the stuffing tube 24 for receiving the food products from the stuffing tube and guiding the work product into packaging material 34 which has been shined over the elongate chute. The plurality of chute assemblies 30 are mounted on a transverse mounting structure 44 to slide along the mounting structure to sequentially position chute assemblies, loaded with packaging material, in alignment with the stuffing tube 24 to receive the work products. Additional chute assemblies 30 are positionable on either side of the chute assembly in use.

In certain embodiments, a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium stores a program for execution by one or more processors that includes instructions for receiving a label-generating request for generating a machine-readable image file for an animal-based meat product that corresponds to a particular source animal. The program further includes instructions for accessing, in response to receiving the label-generating request, digital animal records for source animals to identify a digital animal record for the particular source animal. The digital animal records include animal information that includes identification information, location information, and health information for the source animals. The program further includes instructions for generating, based on the animal information of the digital animal record for the particular source animal, a machine-readable image file for the particular source animal that, when decoded, makes available meat facts regarding the particular source animal, and for transmitting the machine-readable image file to a requesting device.

In certain embodiments, a method includes accessing, in response to a first user input and via a storage system, digital animal records that include animal data (including inventory and health data) for animals; and generating, according to the inventory data, an inventory user interface (UI) that includes identifying information of a first portion of the animals. The method includes accessing, in response to a second user input and via the storage system, the health data and generating, according to the health data, a health records UI for managing the health records and that includes medical records of a second portion of the animals. The method includes receiving, via the inventory UI, inventory update data and, in response, transmitting an inventory update to the storage system. The method includes receiving, via the health records UI, health records update data and, in response, transmitting a health records update to the storage system.

In an embodiment, an apparatus for processing meat product and a method of using same is provided. A first station includes a flattener which is configured to flatten a meat product, and a scanner which is configured to scan features of the meat product after flattening. A second station is configured to dock front and rear ends of the meat product in accordance with information received from the scan of the features.

This disclosure concerns methods for processing and grading food articles including x-raying the food articles a first time and taking a 3D image of the food articles.

An apparatus for grading/batching food parts includes a scale unit with a first predetermined precision, a plurality of batch bins to receive food parts, a weighing station to weigh food parts, which have not yet been transferred into the bins, with a second predetermined precision greater than the first predetermined precision and to associate the determined weights with the corresponding food part, a plurality of controllable second transfer units to selectively transfer particular ones of said food parts, which have been weighed into a selected one of the bins, and a control unit connected with the scale unit, weighing station, and first and second transfer units. The control unit controls the first and second transfer unit to assemble in the bins food parts so the total weight in each bin corresponds to a predetermined target weight. A method for grading/batching, and an apparatus/method for transferring food parts is also provided.

The present disclosure provides a mechanical system for providing a food product on a sheet of paper. The disclosed mechanical system includes an adjustable conveyor belt system that is configured to enable a puck of food product to land up-right. The angle (e.g., slope) of the adjustable conveyor belt system can be adjusted to account for variations in the size and shape of the puck. The disclosed mechanical system also includes a flattener that is configured to provide memory to the pressed pucks.